The Discovery Call: What to Expect

The discovery call is the usual starting point for working with AE Tax Advisors. It is a conversation about your situation and goals. This page describes what the call is generally meant to accomplish, how you can prepare, and what happens afterward. It is a general description, and the details of any particular call may differ.

The Purpose of the Call

The call is meant to help both sides decide whether there is a good fit. For you, it is a chance to describe your situation, ask questions, and learn how the firm works. For the firm, it is a chance to understand your needs and to determine whether it can help. The call is not an audit of your tax situation, and it is not usually the place for detailed advice, since the firm has not reviewed your documents. See What a Good First Meeting with a Tax Advisor Looks Like for a broader view of what to expect from any first meeting.

Who Should Consider a Call

Business owners and real estate investors who want to discuss planning are the primary audience. Typical topics might include entity structure, owner compensation, retirement plans, deductions, depreciation, passive loss rules, short-term rentals, exchanges, or questions about prior returns. If you are not sure whether your question is a fit, you can ask.

How to Prepare

You do not need to prepare extensively, but a little organization helps. Consider having the following ready to describe, without needing to send documents:

• The type of business or properties you own and how they are organized.
• A rough sense of income and profit.
• Your goals for the next few years.
• Any recent or planned changes, such as a purchase, sale, hire, or move.
• Any prior-year concerns, such as a notice or a suspected error.
• Your questions for the firm.

Questions You May Want to Ask

Use the checklist in Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Tax Advisor. In particular, ask who would work on your matter, how the process works, how fees are set, how communication is handled, and how the firm approaches risk. The firm expects these questions, and clear answers are a good sign.

What You Should Not Expect

You should not expect a promise of a specific tax result. Outcomes depend on facts, and a responsible advisor cannot predict them before reviewing your situation. You should also not expect to be pressured to decide. You can take time to consider, compare other firms, and ask follow-up questions.

Sharing Sensitive Information

You do not need to share Social Security numbers, account numbers, or detailed financial documents on the call. Describe your situation at a general level. If you decide to engage the firm, there will be a secure way to share documents. See Questions About Data Security and Privacy.

After the Call

After the call, the next step depends on your situation and your wishes. If both sides think there is a good fit, the firm may describe a proposed scope and fee, which you can review and compare with other options. If not, you can end the conversation without obligation. Either way, ask for any commitments in writing, such as a proposal or a summary of next steps.

What Happens If You Engage the Firm

If you decide to proceed, the engagement generally begins with a written scope, followed by information gathering and analysis. See Document Review and Analysis in a Planning Engagement and How AE Tax Advisors Approaches Engagements.

Reasons Some People Wait

Some people wait to schedule a call until they have gathered documents, and others prefer to talk early. There is no right approach. If you have a deadline, such as a year-end or a pending closing, it can be helpful to talk sooner so that options remain available.

How to Book

The discovery call can be scheduled through the AE Tax Advisors discovery page. The link on this page will take you there. There is no obligation to hire the firm after a call.

A Sample Agenda

If it helps to picture the call, it might follow an agenda like this: a short introduction, an overview of your situation from your point of view, follow-up questions about facts and goals, a description of how the firm might approach your questions, a discussion of scope, timing, and fees in general terms, your questions, and a summary of next steps. Calls vary, and some are more conversational than others. You can steer the discussion toward what matters most to you.

Take Notes and Follow Up

Take notes during the call, especially about commitments and next steps. Afterward, send a short email confirming what you understood. If something was unclear, ask for clarification in writing. That habit helps you compare firms fairly and gives you a record if questions arise later.

Making the Most of Limited Time

Because the call is limited in length, decide beforehand which two or three topics matter most, and raise them early. If you have a long list of questions, send the top few ahead of time or ask whether a follow-up conversation is possible.

Educational purposes only. This page is general education and is not tax, legal, or accounting advice. Descriptions of how AE Tax Advisors approaches engagements are general, and the scope, timing, and fees for any engagement are confirmed with you directly. Tax laws change and outcomes depend on individual facts. No result is guaranteed.