Prepare your advisory due diligence conversation
Evaluate professional qualifications, service scope, implementation support, and review sources before choosing a tax advisory firm. This resource is owned by AE Tax Advisors and is not an independent rating service.
Start with the decision, the people, and the timing
Write a short summary of the question you need to resolve. Identify the owners, entities, or properties involved and any transaction date already under discussion. Separate the outcome you want from the treatment you assume will produce it. That gives the adviser room to compare alternatives.
Bring the records that establish the facts
- Your service needs and the returns or entities involved
- Written proposals, fee schedules, and exclusions
- Credential verification and original review sources
- Implementation, audit-response, and ongoing-support questions
Use a document index rather than pasting sensitive information into a general inquiry. Keep original source files and note which schedule or statement supports each figure. If a record is missing, explain the gap and identify who can provide it. Ask AE for the appropriate secure intake process before transmitting returns or financial documents.
Work through the review in order
Define the work
Separate advisory, filing, engineering, bookkeeping, and legal needs.
Compare written scope
Understand deliverables, fees, exclusions, and who implements recommendations.
Verify the evidence
Read original sources and confirm the professionals involved.
Confirm the work and the responsibilities
A recommendation, a calculation, a signed election, and a completed filing are different milestones. Ask which deliverables are included, which professional implements them, and what completion evidence you should retain. Clarify any separate work for payroll, bookkeeping, engineering, legal advice, or return preparation.
Leave with an actionable follow-up
Agree on the unresolved questions, documents still needed, responsible people, and the next review date. A useful preparation file should let the next professional understand the facts without reconstructing the conversation. Revisit the file when ownership, operating use, income, or a planned transaction changes.