Free planning-meeting checklist · Irvine + Orange County
Five questions before a major money move.
Use this checklist before buying, selling, refinancing, changing a business, or making a family transfer. It helps organize your questions for the CPA; it does not decide the tax result.
Prepared by JH Group CPA, A Professional Corporation
Published October 16, 2026 · Professional leadership: Jeff Huang, CPA, MBA
1. What are you deciding, and when?
- Describe the property, business, practice, or family move in one sentence.
- Note the planned signing, closing, election, or payment date. Flag anything already signed.
- List the owners and advisers involved, and the question you most need answered.
2. Tax: which records explain the starting point?
- Identify the tax years and personal, business, trust, or partnership returns involved.
- List expected income, gains, stock events, K-1s, and federal and California payments already made.
- Note missing returns, notices, prior elections, or other facts that may need separate review.
3. Cash flow and debt: what must the plan leave available?
- List transaction costs, loan payoff, required reserves, and near-term living or operating costs.
- Gather proposed financing terms, payment schedules, guarantees, and lender deadlines.
- Ask what cash remains after estimated tax and all other costs; do not treat sale proceeds as spendable cash.
4. Ownership: who owns what, before and after?
- Identify the individuals, companies, partners, or trusts involved.
- Locate relevant entity, title, partnership, stock, or trust documents for later secure review.
- Note any proposed transfer, new partner, beneficiary change, or attorney coordination.
5. Timing: what needs to happen first?
- Separate the decision deadline from filing, funding, implementation, and record-gathering dates.
- List the choices still open and the commitments that could close them.
- Confirm who will act next and whether that work is included in the engagement.
Keep your working notes private.
Use the website inquiry only for a brief description, deadline, and contact information. Do not attach this completed checklist, returns, account numbers, payroll, or patient records to a public form or ordinary email. The team provides TaxDome instructions when records are needed.
The intro call confirms fit, timing, and scope. Detailed review, calculations, and recommendations require an agreed paid engagement. The records needed depend on your situation.
General education, not individualized tax, legal, investment, or financial advice. You can print this page using your browser’s Print command.
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Tax-smart planning before major money moves.