7 Questions That Reveal If Your CPA Is a Planner or a Filer
A 20-minute conversation, before next April's tax bill becomes another surprise.
A client sat down with us this week. Best income year of his life in 2025.
Then the tax bill came. Bigger than he expected, with underpayment penalties stacked on top. And the first estimated payment for 2026? Already missed.
His CPA’s advice: set aside some extra cash, just in case you owe again.
No projection. No plan. No moves to actually bring the number down before the year closed.
He wasn’t angry at his CPA. He was confused.
He thought he’d hired someone to be a tax planner. What he’d hired was someone to file them.
Those are two different jobs. And most high earners don’t find out which one they’re paying for until the bill lands.
The part that actually costs you
The penalties sting. But they’re not the real cost.
A surprise tax bill means the year is already over. Everything that could have changed the number happened months ago, while no one was paying attention.
That’s the part that quietly adds up. The QBI deduction that was never structured for. The backdoor Roth that never got set up. The HSA that got overlooked. The RSU sale timed with no eye on your bracket. The estimated payments left to guesswork. Every one of those is a legal lever—and every one has a window that closes before April.
By the time you’re filing, there’s nothing left to do but report what happened. You’re not planning anymore. You’re just writing it down.
And next year, unless something changes, the same surprise is waiting.
Two jobs pointed in opposite directions
So why does the same surprise keep happening, year after year?
Because the two jobs don’t just differ. They point in opposite directions.
A preparer looks backward. Their work starts after the year ends, with the documents you send in. The job is to report what already happened, accurately and on time. A good one does exactly that.
A planner looks forward. Their work happens during the year, when the outcome can still move. Projections in the spring. Adjustments in the fall. Real moves made while the year is open.
One records the score. The other helps you change it.
Most high earners hired the first and assumed they were getting the second. That’s the whole problem in a sentence.
What planning actually looks like
Picture the other version.
You hear from your tax planner in the spring, not to file but to project. Here’s where your income is trending. Here’s what we should adjust before year-end. Here’s the lever worth pulling while the window’s still open.
You talk again mid-year. Again in the fall. By the time the return is due, there’s nothing to brace for, because you spent the whole year shaping the number instead of waiting to find out what it became.
That’s not a fantasy. It’s just a different relationship—one built to look ahead instead of catching up.
And the calendar is already moving. The first estimated payment for 2026 is behind us. The next one is due June 15. A planner is thinking about that right now and every strategy you should be using. A preparer isn’t. That was never the job.
So the only question that matters is which one you actually hired.
The 7 questions to ask your CPA
This is the part that decides whether next April feels different.
You don't have to guess which kind of CPA you have. You can just ask, and you'll know fast. Schedule a short call, twenty minutes is plenty, and put these seven questions in front of your CPA, or any CPA you're considering:
How many of your clients earn in my income range?
Do you do year-round planning, or mainly annual prep?
What’s your experience with strategies like the QBI deduction, backdoor Roth conversions, or RSU timing?
How do you stay current on tax law changes?
Do you coordinate with my financial advisor and attorney?
What’s our communication cadence outside of tax season?
Can you connect me with a client in a situation like mine?
The pattern is easy to hear once you know it.
A preparer gives vague, defensive answers and leans on credentials.
A planner does the opposite. Specific answers, real examples, easy talk of working alongside the rest of your team.
You’ll know within minutes which one you’re sitting across from.
One more thing, because it matters: a preparer isn’t the wrong answer for everyone.
If your situation is straightforward and you want a clean, accurate return, that relationship is a fine fit. The goal isn’t to fire anyone. It’s to know exactly what you’re paying for—so the gap between what you expect and what you get finally closes.
That’s it.
My client walked out of that meeting clearer than when he walked in. Not because his old CPA was bad at the job, but because he finally understood which job he’d been paying for.
That’s the shift.
The frustration you felt this spring isn’t a sign you made a mistake. It’s information. It’s telling you the relationship you have and the one you assumed you had aren’t the same.
You can find out which is which in twenty minutes. And you can find out now, while the year is still open, instead of next April, when it’s already closed.
You can’t change the bill you just paid. But you can change the next one.
And it starts with a single conversation.
Thanks for reading. See you next week.
— Ryan
Whenever you’re ready, there are 2 other ways we can help you:
Join The Opulus Method Newsletter — Every Tuesday, I share strategies that help high-income millennials build wealth without sacrificing their life. Join 3,200+ readers.
Work With Us 1-on-1 — We’ll build your personalized strategy to cut your taxes, maximize your income, and grow your wealth month after month. You focus on living your life. We handle the financial strategy and execution.
Opulus, LLC (“Opulus”) is a registered investment advisor in Pennsylvania and other jurisdictions where exempted. Registration as an investment advisor does not imply any specific level of skill or training.
The content of this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, legal, or accounting advice. It is not an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or investments, nor does it endorse any specific company, security, or investment strategy. Readers should not rely on this content as the sole basis for any investment or financial decisions.
Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risks, including the potential loss of principal. There is no guarantee that any investment strategies discussed will result in profits or avoid losses.
All information is provided “as-is” without any warranties, express or implied. Opulus does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Opinions expressed are those of the authors, Ryan Greiser and Francis Walsh, and are subject to change without notice.
Opulus is not responsible for any errors or omissions, nor for any direct, indirect, or consequential damages resulting from the use or reliance on this information. Use of the content is at your own risk. This content is not intended as an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction where such an offer or solicitation would be illegal.