Level 1
DIY tax software
You prepare and file the return yourself. The software helps with reporting, but it does not know what should have happened in October.
Talley Tax Membership
Tax planning should not wait until tax season.
Tax preparation records what happened. Tax Membership keeps the year from becoming a surprise by pairing accurate preparation with planning touchpoints while there is still time to act.
Tax Membership is provided through Talley Tax, a separate tax preparation business operated by David Talley. Talley Tax is separate from Talley Wealth, but the philosophy is the same: decisions are easier when someone is looking forward with you. Tax preparation is optional for Talley Wealth clients and priced separately.
The Difference
Three very different tax experiences.
The goal is not to make normal tax preparation sound bad. Accurate filing matters. The difference is whether anyone is looking forward with you before the year is already over.
Level 2
Professional tax preparation
A professional prepares and files the return accurately. A clean return matters, but many prep relationships are not built to help you make decisions before December 31.
Level 3
Tax Membership
The return still gets prepared, but the relationship is organized around the full year: filing, post-tax-season review, withholding and estimate updates, projections, fall strategy, and year-end action.
The Annual Rhythm
The tax year has more than one deadline.
Filing season is part of the work. The planning value comes from using the rest of the year before the useful windows close.
01
January-April
Prepare + Notice
Prepare and file the return, then identify the patterns, surprises, estimate issues, withholding gaps, and planning themes the return revealed.
Prevents the return from becoming a dead-end document.
02
Spring / early summer
Reset
Review what changed, update withholding or estimated payments, and make sure the current tax year is not already drifting off course.
Prevents avoidable underpayment surprises and stale assumptions.
03
Summer
Projection
Build a current-year projection once the year has taken shape: income, bonuses, business profit, retirement contributions, estimates, and major changes.
Prevents flying blind while there is still time to adjust.
04
Fall
Strategy
Run planning while there is still time to act: retirement contributions, Roth conversions, charitable giving, entity decisions, capital gains or losses, equipment purchases, and estimate adjustments.
Prevents missed windows before the year is locked in.
05
Year-end
Execute
Finalize the decisions that need to happen before December 31 and set up the next filing season with fewer surprises.
Prevents "we should have done that last year" conversations.
Enter Anytime
Real tax work should not depend on what month you happen to ask for help.
If the return is already filed, there is still a current tax year to shape. If year-end is getting close, there are still decisions to review before the window closes. The point is not to wait for the next filing season. The point is to start treating taxes like something that can be managed during the year, not just reported after it is over.
January-April
Start with filing
We begin with preparation, filing, and identifying the planning themes that should not wait until next year.
May-July
Start with the reset
We review the filed return, update withholding or estimates, and clarify what is changing in the current year.
August-October
Start with projection
We build the current-year picture and look for decisions that still have time to matter before year-end.
November-December
Start with year-end
We focus on urgent year-end strategy first, then use what we learn to set up the next year properly.
What We Look For
The details that usually get noticed too late.
This is where tax work starts to feel different. The return is not only a filing requirement. It is evidence. It shows what should be watched before the next year is already over.
Withholding or estimated tax gaps
Business profit changes
Roth conversion windows
Charitable giving timing
Capital gains or losses
Retirement plan contribution opportunities
Rental, K-1, or multi-state surprises
Income changes that could affect the next planning decision
Who It Fits
Best for tax lives with moving parts.
Tax Membership is most useful when income is meaningful, changing, or connected to decisions that should happen before the return is prepared.
- High-income households with bonuses, equity compensation, charitable giving, or changing deductions
- Business owners with profit, owner pay, estimated tax, entity, or retirement plan decisions
- Real estate investors with rentals, depreciation, property sales, or multi-state reporting
- Pre-retirees and retirees looking at Roth conversions, RMDs, QCDs, Medicare brackets, or withdrawal timing
- Talley Wealth ongoing advisory clients who want tax preparation and planning to stay connected, while still understanding that Talley Tax is a separate service
Common Questions
Short answers before you decide whether this fits.
Is this different from tax preparation?
Yes. Tax preparation is still part of it, but Tax Membership is organized around the year. The goal is to prepare the return accurately and also look forward while there is still time to make useful decisions.
What if my return has already been filed?
That is fine. We can start by reviewing what the return revealed, updating withholding or estimated payments, and building a current-year projection.
Can I join midyear?
Yes. The rhythm is built so clients can enter where the year actually is. In summer we usually start with projection work. In fall we usually start with strategy before year-end deadlines arrive.
Do I have to be a Talley Wealth client?
No. Talley Tax is a separate tax preparation business. Some Talley Wealth clients choose to add Talley Tax, but tax preparation is optional and priced separately.
What if I already have a CPA?
You may be best served by keeping that relationship. The question is whether you are also getting proactive planning before the year closes. If you are, great. If not, that is the gap Tax Membership is designed to address.
Is this unlimited tax advice?
No. The membership is structured around preparation, planning touchpoints, projections, and questions that fit the scope of the relationship. If something requires a separate project or another professional, we will say that clearly.
Next Step
See whether Talley Tax Membership fits.
Talley Tax is the current tax-business front door. This page explains the model; Talley Tax is where the membership itself lives.
Securities and advisory services are offered through Cambridge entities as described in the site footer. Tax Membership is separate and provided through Talley Tax. Talley Wealth advisory services do not include tax preparation unless a separate Talley Tax relationship is established.