Richard, CPA
A CPA with a Big 4 real estate tax background, building the kind of practice I'd want to hire: one that plans ahead, explains things plainly and works with you directly.
The Best Tax Planning Usually Goes to the Biggest Players. It Shouldn't.
I started my career in real estate tax at a Big 4 accounting firm. The clients were large partnerships and funds, and the work was sophisticated: depreciation strategy, entity structure, transaction planning, all decided before a deal closed.
What stayed with me was how much of the value came from planning early. The tax result was mostly settled before anyone filed anything. And the individual investor with two rentals, or the family trying to buy their first home, almost never gets that kind of attention. They get a preparer who sees them once a year, after every decision has already been made.
Groundwork is my answer to that. It brings big-firm real estate tax thinking to individual investors, and pairs it with a personal CFO approach for anyone who wants their taxes and money working from one plan.
Why the Name
Groundwork is the work you do before anything gets built: surveying, planning, laying the foundation. It's not the exciting part, but it decides how everything above it holds up. That's how I think about tax and financial planning. The best results come from the decisions you make before the deadline, before the closing and before the year ends.
Five Things You Can Count On.
Planning Before Filing
The biggest savings happen before December 31 and before you sign a contract, not in April. I build the plan first and file second.
Plain Language
If I can't explain a recommendation simply, it isn't a good recommendation. You'll always know what we're doing and why.
Direct Access
You work with me, not a rotating team. The person who knows your situation is the person answering your questions.
No Products to Sell
I don't manage investments or earn commissions, so my advice only has to be right for you.
Honest About Fit
If I'm not the right CPA for your situation, I'll tell you in the first conversation and point you in a better direction.
People Who Want a Plan, Not Just a Return.
- Real estate investors, from the first rental to a growing portfolio
- Short-term rental owners who want to use the tax rules correctly
- Families who own property together
- Future homeowners and first-time investors
- Small business owners whose business and household finances overlap
- Anyone tired of finding out what they owe in April
If you want the cheapest possible return filed with no conversation, a high-volume preparer will serve you better. Groundwork is built for people who want advice along with the filing.
What to Expect, Starting With the First Call.
A Free 30-Minute Call
We talk through your properties, income and goals. You leave with at least one thing to act on, whether or not we work together.
A Clear Written Quote
If it's a fit, you get a proposal with exactly what's included and what it costs before any work begins.
Priorities for the Year
A written plan with what to do, when to do it and what it's worth, followed by year-round support and your return.
About Working With Me
Who will I actually work with?
Me. Groundwork isn't a firm where you meet a partner once and then get handed to a rotating team. The CPA you talk to in your consultation is the CPA who works on your return and your plan.
Are you a licensed CPA?
Yes. I'm a licensed Certified Public Accountant with a Master of Science in Taxation, and Groundwork Tax & Planning is a professional limited liability company (PLLC).
Do you work with clients outside Long Island?
Yes. I'm based on Long Island, and every meeting happens by video, so you can work with me from anywhere in the U.S.
Why is real estate your specialty?
It's where my career started. I began in real estate tax at a Big 4 accounting firm, and it's the area where planning ahead makes the biggest difference for individual investors.
Do you sell investments or insurance?
No. I don't manage investments, sell financial products or earn commissions. My only job is giving you advice that's right for your situation.
Let's See If We're a Good Fit.
A free 30-minute consultation. No pressure, and you'll leave with at least one thing to act on.
Request a Consultation