Personal Income Tax Organizer: Preparing your Financials for Filing Tax Returns

Written by

Personal Income Tax Organizer, an Outsourced Recordkeeping Solution by Plumb Family CFO

In this client case study, Plumb Family CFO gives an overview of the recordkeeping and accounting services that go into putting together a personal income tax organizer that streamlines year-end tracking and creates financial organization in order to file tax returns.

Client: High-net-worth real estate investor with multiple properties, S Corp, and brokerage accounts.

Net Worth: $35MM

Background:  This real estate investor has a large portfolio of multi-family rental and mixed-use properties, along with an S Corp, and complex personal accounting needs. With limited time and resources to organize his financial records and supporting tax documents, he turned to Plumb Family CFO as an outsourced accounting solution.

The Solution:  Plumb Family CFO collects, tracks and organizes the client’s financial data to create a comprehensive and audit-proof financial package for year-end.  This allows for the client’s CPA firm to be more cost-effective with their time and helps to maximize standard deductions. Plumb also supplies the CPA with quarterly financial reports to properly adjust estimated tax payments as needed to avoid any penalties and interest chargers with the IRS or Franchise Tax Board.

By having accurate recordkeeping throughout the year, with up-to-date reconciliations and properly tracked income and expenses, the client experienced tax season with the peace of mind knowing that he had the highest quality of data and financial reporting to file tax returns. With a clear financial picture, he was able to make informed decisions with his wealth and property portfolio.

View: Additional Family CFO Case Studies

“Plumb Family CFO tracks and organizes my client’s financials and paperwork throughout the year and I never have to worry about any last-minute fire drills or missing information during tax deadlines”.  – Client’s CPA

Download: Sample copy of Annual Tax Organizer / Personal Income Tax Organizer

Personal Income Tax Organizer: “Pulling it all Together”

In order for Plumb Family CFO to organize and compile all the data for the client’s CPA to file tax returns, we follow an accounting preparation guideline, including:

  • Step 1: Fully reconcile and close out year-end financials
  • Step 2: Print a P&L statement for each entity to use as reference tool
  • Step 3: Work with the client’s CPA to use their standard personal income tax organizer or create document using Plumb Family CFO template
  • Step 4: Outline and track any major purchases made throughout the year that may have a tax impact – for example, purchase/sale of real estate, purchase of electric vehicle or IRA contributions

Financial Recordkeeping & Supporting Tax Documents

Here is a sample list of the supporting tax documents that Plumb Family CFO will collect throughout the year for the personal income tax organizer package.

  • Wages/Salary – W2
  • Interest/Dividend Income:
  • 1099s from bank and brokerage firms
  • General Ledger for private loan/note interest received
  • Capital Gains/Losses
  • 1099 from brokerage firms
  • K1 Schedules
  • Private Equity
  • Hedge Funds
  • Privately Held Companies
  • Property Income/Expenses
  • Include P&L by investment property to be included on Schedule E of the tax return
  • Standard Deductions
  • Include GL detail for each category
  • General Expense Categories
  • Medical and Health Insurance
  • Legal – Estate Planning
  • Interest Expense – either 1098 form for mortgage or investment interest
  • Property Taxes for Residence(s)
  • Donations – include donation receipt for amounts over $250 per annum
  • Tax Payments (IRS and State)

Ready to start your new year with organized financials in preparation for tax season? Plumb Family CFO works in partnership with your CPA and personal financial team.  Fill out the form below to learn more.

Landing Page Contact Form

Related Posts:

Find us on

10 Reasons to Work at Plumb

Written by

1. Location:

Plumb has multiple office locations in California, including downtown La Jolla and Newport Beach.  The main headquarters is in La Jolla, only steps away from the famous La Jolla Cove.  With the expansion of office space outside of La Jolla, Plumb is able to conveniently work with clients throughout Southern California.

 

2. Plumb Approach:

Since 1996, Plumb’s growth and reputation has flourished as a direct result of our team’s capacity to address client needs and execute creative and effective solutions to a number of complex organizations.  Throughout the years, Plumb’s operational efficiencies not only lent itself to Plumb’s growth, but they have allowed Plumb to create a staffing structure for optimal pricing.

Plumb employees enjoy working on a number of different clients, in different industries, at any given time. This gives them more exposure to various tasks in accounting and increases their skillset.

The Plumb Structure for an Outsourced Accounting Client:

  • CFO
  • Controller
  • Senior Staff Accountant
  • Junior Staff Accountant
  • HR/Recruiting

3. Team Building Events:

To make the Plumb approach work effectively, Plumb gathers all employees, from all office locations, every quarter for company-wide updates.  At these meetings, each division shares some highlights, including new clients, staffing news, marketing activities, software certifications and charity involvement.

Plumb consists of three distinct divisions: Corporate Outsourced Accounting; Plumb Family Office Accounting and Bill Pay; and Sage Construction Certified Partner.

The best part about these team building meetings is that they are centered around a fun and competitive event.  Accountants and software consultants do NOT like to lose! Plus, Rob Scherer always grills up his famous prime steak sliders.

 

4. Plumb Clients:

Plumb provides accounting services and software solutions to a variety of companies, industries and high-net-worth families in Southern California and across the United States. With various divisions, serving startups to small and mid-market companies, there is not a “typical” client for Plumb.  Here is a list of some clients and case studies within each division at Plumb.

Outsourced Accounting:

Plumb Family Office Accounting:

Sage Construction Software:

5. COIs – Center of Influence:

Plumb works closely with our client’s center of influence (COI) or trusted advisors.  We believe that a collaborative implementation with all of our client’s COIs leverages their total expertise and gives everyone the backdrop to make better financial decisions and achieve business goals.

 

6. The Food:

Plumb may consist of a bunch of accountants and software consultants, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t all foodies at heart.  We love to eat! Thankfully, the kitchen is always stocked with snacks, desserts and more snacks.

Every month, Plumb hosts a New Employee Luncheon to introduce new team members and enjoy pizza or a local La Jolla catered meal.

In addition to the monthly luncheons, Plumb also hosts Quarterly Potlucks. This is an all-time favorite event at Plumb. Every quarter we come up with a new ‘theme’ to be added to the sign-up list. Plumb has employees from diverse backgrounds and it’s fun to try different food from different parts of the world.

 

7. Networking:

Since many Plumb clients are referred by COIs (see number 5), we believe in the power of networking. Plumb employees are members of organizations, such as ProVisors, BIA, ACG, CFMA, CalCPA and the list goes on.

In addition to attending networking events, Plumb also hosts “Lunch and Learns”, “Educational Workshops” and “Webinars”.

 

8. Parties:

The executive management team at Plumb likes to host parties!  Plumb hosts holiday parties, client appreciation parties, open house parties and parties to celebrate employees and divisions reaching goals.

 

9. Out-of-Town Conferences:

As a leading software partner for Sage Construction Software, Plumb sends software consultants to annual conferences to learn the updated features and latest requirements.

10. Employees:

Last, but not least, one of the top reasons to work at Plumb are the employees = Plumb!  We call ourselves Plumb, because, regardless of what division, or who our clients are, we work together as a team.  Our clients depend on our expertise, and appreciate the fact that we are an accounting team, consisting of CPAs, and Controllers who are knowledgeable in many industries.

Most importantly, we like to have fun!

 

 

 

Want to learn more about Plumb?  We are hiring.  See our job listings here. 

Follow us on Social Media:



Plumb Wins PAM Award for Best General Ledger System for Family Offices 2020

Written by

New York, NY 

Plumb Bill Pay Wins Private Asset Management (PAM) Award

Plumb Bill Pay is recognized for rapid client growth by capitalizing on a gap in the marketplace for back-office accounting services for the ultra-high-net-worth and family office space.

New York City – February 2020, Plumb Bill Pay, a premier back-office accounting, financial reporting and bill pay firm for family offices and the ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW), announced that they have won the best General Ledger System by the distinguished Private Asset Management (PAM) Awards.

For over two decades, the PAM Awards have recognized top service providers in the private asset management space. The winners are selected by an independent panel of industry experts. Judging is based on the demonstration of financial progress in business performance, including growth in clients, employees and retention. As well as, rewarding firms for their product innovation and client service standards from the previous year.

“It is truly an honor to receive this award”, said Anneke Stender, Executive Vice President of Plumb Bill Pay. “Creating a white glove client experience and combining it with our efficient workflows, technology and security measures has been the foundation for our significant growth in the space”, she said.

Plumb Bill Pay was named winner for the “best general ledger system”, an award designed to recognize firms who provide outsourced general bookkeeping, bill pay and accounting support services to family offices and the private client community.

A first-time nominee for the PAM awards, Plumb has been providing a full-suite of back-office accounting and bill pay services for the UHNW and family offices for over 15 years. As a preferred outsourced accounting vendor for multi-family offices and financial institutions, Plumb Bill Pay tripled their client base and expanded their east coast footprint by adding a third office location.

 “Thank you to the private client community for recognizing our achievements,” said Robert Scherer, President of Plumb Bill Pay. “We value our partnerships with family office teams and their trust in our ability to produce the best general ledger system for their clients,” he said.

Understanding the unique needs and complexity of the private client space, Plumb Bill Pay offers a range of UHNW back-office accounting services, including bill payment, entity bookkeeping, financial reporting and cash flow analysis.  Clients and their personal financial team receive clear-sighted reports, so they can make informed decisions about their wealth.

The award ceremony took place on Thursday, February 6, 2020 at 583 Park Avenue, New York City, New York. There were 16 categories with award winners demonstrating tangible achievements by revenue growth and showcasing product and service innovation.

About Plumb Bill Pay | New York City | La Jolla :

Founded in 1996, Plumb has been helping families, their businesses, and family offices achieve greater levels of financial freedom by handling their personal reporting and bill pay needs. Plumb Bill Pay offers a high-touch and high-tech approach to personal bill pay and is custom designed to meet the needs of the high-net-worth.

 Plumb Bill Pay works with clients across the country and globally. They have office locations in La Jolla, CA and New York City, New York. www.PlumbBillPay.com

Contact form

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Plumb Bill Pay Wins 2020 Family Wealth Report Award for Bill Pay Solution

Written by

Plumb Bill Pay Wins Family Wealth Report Award for their Outsourced Bill Pay Solution for Family Offices

Firm recognized in the Property & Household category for critical area of business ethics: the importance of paying bills on time

Press Release:

New York, NY – March 19, 2020 – Plumb Bill Pay, a premier back-office accounting, financial reporting and bill pay firm for family offices and the ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW), announced that they have been crowned winner at the 7th Annual Family Wealth Report Awards.

“These awards recognize the very best operators in the private client industry, with ‘independence’, ‘integrity’, and ‘genuine insight’ the watchwords of the judging process – such that the awards truly reflect excellence in wealth management and family office services,” said Stephen Harris, CEO of ClearView Financial Media.

The awards showcase the “best of breed” providers in the global private banking, wealth management and trusted advisor communities.  They are designed to recognize firms, teams and individuals which the prestigious panel of judges deemed to have “demonstrated innovation and excellence during 2019”.

“We are honored and so proud to have been voted the winner for this award”, said Anneke Stender, Executive Vice President of Plumb Bill Pay. “As a first-time nominee, it speaks volumes of the hard work that our firm has delivered over the past 12 months to be recognized,” she said.

Plumb Bill Pay was named winner for “Property & Household”, a category that highlights an accounting service that supports a family office team.

With accounting services from bill payment, entity bookkeeping, and cash flow reporting, Plumb Bill Pay helps family offices and the private client community by offering an outsourced solution. With established check and balances, the customized services of Plumb Bill Pay provide a seamless extended resource to the family office team.

ClearView Financial Media’s CEO and Publisher of WealthBriefing, Stephen Harris, was the first to extend his congratulations to all the winners. “The firms who triumphed in these awards are all worthy winners, and I would like to extend my heartiest congratulation. These awards were judged solely on the basis of entrants’ submissions and their response to a number of specific questions, which had to be answered focusing on the client experience, not quantitative performance metrics. That is a unique, and I believe compelling feature,” he said.

About Plumb Bill Pay:

Founded in 1996, Plumb has been helping families, their businesses, and family offices achieve greater levels of financial freedom by handling their personal reporting and bill pay needs. Plumb Bill Pay offers a high-touch and high-tech approach to personal bill pay and is custom designed to meet the needs of the high-net-worth.

Plumb Bill Pay works with clients across the country and globally. They have office locations in La Jolla, CA and New York City, New York. www.PlumbBillPay.com

About ClearView Financial Media Ltd (“ClearView”)

ClearView Financial Media was founded by Chief Executive, Stephen Harris in 2004, to provide high quality ‘need-to-know’ information for the discerning private client community. London-based, but with a truly global focus, ClearView publishes the Family Wealth Report group of newswires, along with research reports and newsletters, while also running a pan-global though-leadership events program.

To receive more information on service offerings, or receive a bill pay quote:

Contact form

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Plumb Bill Pay Named Finalist for PAM Awards 2020

Written by

Award Recognizes Top Service Providers in the Private Asset Management Space

private asset management

La Jolla, CA – December, 2019 – Plumb Bill Pay, a premier back-office accounting, financial reporting and bill pay firm for family offices and the high-net-worth, has been named a finalist for the 2020 Private Asset Management (PAM) Awards.

Plumb Bill Pay has been shortlisted for the “best general ledger system”, an award designed to recognize firms who provide outsourced general bookkeeping and accounting support services to family office firms.

“We are incredibly happy and humbled to be nominated for this award,” said Anneke Stender, Executive Vice President of Plumb Bill Pay. “It is a true seal of approval from the private wealth community,” she said.

For over two decades, the PAM Awards have celebrated and shined a spotlight on the top-performing elite service providers of the private wealth community. It is a platform to showcase incredible achievements, including a mixture of client and revenue growth, new products, tools and innovation that has been well-received by the family office sector. Winners are chosen by a panel of 16 independent judges.

As an outsourced accounting firm with a focus in bill pay for the high-net-worth, Plumb Bill Pay has been recognized for the “best general ledger system” category. Their range of services offered to the family office sector include bill payment, entity bookkeeping, income and expense tracking, and cash flow reporting.

“Being named a finalist for a PAM Award is a testament to the high-standards we have set for our firm,” said Robert Scherer, President of Plumb Bill Pay. “We continue to evolve our product and services to be the best-in-class, as we respond to market demand for an outsourced bill pay solution,” he said.

The prestigious awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, February 6, 2020 at 583 Park Avenue, New York City, New York.

View the Shortlist nominations for 2020

About Plumb Bill Pay:

Founded in 1996, Plumb has been helping high-net-worth families, their businesses, and family offices achieve greater levels of financial freedom by handling their personal reporting and bill pay needs. Plumb Bill Pay offers a high-touch and high-tech approach to personal bill pay and is custom designed to meet the needs of the high-net-worth.

Plumb Bill Pay works with clients across the country and globally. They have office locations in La Jolla and Newport Beach, CA and New York City, New York. www.PlumbBillPay.com

Contact form

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

 

 

 

Plumb Bill Pay Shortlisted for 2020 Family Wealth Report Awards

Written by

Press Release: 2020 Family Wealth Report Awards

Awards showcase the best in the industry with categories focused on experts, products and services for wealth managers, high-net-worth clients and financial institutions.

New York City, NY – December, 2019 – Plumb Bill Pay, a premier back-office accounting, financial reporting and bill pay firm for family offices and the high-net-worth, has been named a finalist for the seventh annual Family Wealth Report Awards in NYC.

Plumb Bill Pay is one of three companies in the United States shortlisted as a finalist for the Property & Household category which highlights an accounting service that supports family offices and the high-net-worth community. The Family Wealth Report Awards is administered by ClearView Financial Media, a global publisher of family office intelligence, newswires, research and reports.

“It is an honor to be nominated for this prestigious and nationally recognized award,” said Anneke Stender, Executive Vice President of Plumb Bill Pay. “Our commitment to provide excellent customer service that is backed by a foundation of technology and bank-level security has led to our growth and success this year,” she said.

Plumb Bill Pay was nominated for the Property & Household category for their range of service offerings to the private client community, including bill payment, recordkeeping, income and expense tracking, cash flow reporting, vendor and mail management services.

Using a proprietary task management software system to facilitate and track bill payments, the solutions of Plumb Bill Pay are customizable for family offices or individual clients depending on their need and complexity of transactions and reporting.

“It feels great to be recognized alongside the top service providers to the affluent community and trusted by their advisors,” said Robert Scherer, President of Plumb Bill Pay. “As we continue to build relationships with family offices, wealth management firms and financial institutions, it is imperative to keep expanding our technology, security features and ease of use for client satisfaction,” he said.

Winners of the Family Wealth Report Awards will be announced during the gala awards dinner to be held at the Mandarin Oriental in New York City in March 2020.

A panel of trusted advisors will be responsible for judging the different categories. The expert panel will use an independent process with integrity and genuine insight to choose a winner. The award winners will demonstrate tangible achievements and showcase top class performance and innovation.

Family Wealth Report AwardsFamily Wealth Report Awards 2020:

Event to be held Wednesday, March 18th in New York City.

6:30PM

Mandarin Oriental Hotel, NYC.

To register for the ceremony, click here.

To see the full list of categories and nominees, click here.

About Plumb Bill Pay:

For over two decades, Plumb has been helping high-net-worth families, their businesses, and family offices achieve greater levels of financial freedom by handling their personal reporting and bill pay needs. Plumb Bill Pay offers a high-touch and high-tech approach to personal bill pay and is custom designed to meet the needs of the high-net-worth.

Plumb Bill Pay works with clients across the country and globally. They have office locations in La Jolla and Newport Beach, CA and New York City, New York.

About Family Wealth Report Awards:

The Family Wealth Report is published by ClearView Financial Media, which provides essential business intelligence and up-to-date wealth management news to the global financial services sector.  With a database of 60,000 professionals, ClearView Financial Media is a real voice for private bankers, wealth managers, and advisors in related sectors.

London-based Publisher Stephen Harris is an international financial journalist and private client investment manager. With teams based in New York, London, Singapore, Switzerland and South Africa, Group Editor Tom Burroughes is dedicated to bringing the community useful news, thought-leadership events and important issues facing the private client community. 

Contact form

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

How to Prepare a Net Worth Statement and Track Your Wealth

Written by

Track your Wealth with a Personal Net Worth Statement

Many of our clients turn to Plumb Family CFO because they have a complicated financial life and need help preparing their net worth statement. By having a clear picture of their wealth, including assets and liabilities, they can make better decisions with their investments and long-term financial goals.

What is a Net Worth Statement?

Net Worth = Assets – Liabilities

Let’s start with the basics.  A net worth statement is a personal balance sheet.  It lists your assets and liabilities.  Assets are items listed that have cash value (or can be converted to cash).  These assets typically include any money that is in your bank account, retirement account, investment accounts, and major items such as real estate or automobiles and other valuable property.  Liabilities are the debts or expenses that you owe. These include: bills, loans, mortgages, etc.

Need help with bill pay? Top 5 signs that you should hire a personal bill payer

How to Prepare a Net Worth Statement

There is technology available to help you track your net worth, or you can start with a simple spreadsheet.  For people who have a high net worth, it is beneficial for them to use a professional accounting firm to help them track their income and expenses.  To calculate your net worth, you subtract your liabilities from your assets.

Need help with your personal accounting to better track your wealth?

With great wealth comes great responsibility. There is complexity that comes with wealth, including high volumes of bills and income and expenses to track. Setting up a net worth statement or bill pay schedule with the appropriate checks and balances is not an easy task.

At Plumb, we offer personal CFO and bill pay services to ensure that our client’s finances are efficiently tracked and bills are paid, so they can focus their time on enjoying life and have financial peace of mind.

Article: A Corporate Approach to High-Net-Worth Individuals 

Back-Office Accounting Services for High-Net-Worth include:

net worth statement

For more information on Plumb Family CFO – or to receive a quote for bill pay and reporting services

Landing Page Contact Form

Who are our clients?

 

 

 

 

Personal Concierge Services for the Frequent Traveler

Written by

Are you ready for your summer vacation?

Luxury travel and relaxation is a top priority for many of our Family CFO clients.  With their extended stays away from home, many entrepreneurs and affluent families have a lot of responsibilities to keep organized. At Plumb Family CFO, our goal is to add simplicity and clarity to our clients’ financial lives. This gives them peace of mind while traveling the globe.

Our personal concierge services can be customized to meet the needs of any situation, with a wide range of projects and oversight. Client’s can take a long-term summer vacation and not have to worry about missing a bill or paying their household staff.

Personal Concierge Services:

  • Calendar Management
  • Bill Pay
  • Mail Services
  • Payroll for Household Staff
  • General Errands

“As a long-term client, I count on Plumb Family CFO to not only help organize my financial life, but also take care of other personal tasks.”

Frequent Traveler Case Study:

Background:

A successful business owner, actively engaged in day-to-day operations, begins traveling the world on a more regular basis.

Personal Concierge Services Provided by Plumb Family CFO:

  • Calendar, email and personal files were set up virtually to allow shared access at anytime
  • Event and travel calendar were kept up-to-date
  • All requests for donations, appointments and investment opportunities were initially screened by Plumb
  • Processed payroll for household employees
  • Handled HR duties for household employees
  • Created financial calendar of due dates and paid bills
  • Bank and credit card reconciliation

Outcome:

  • Well-organized calendar, with no event or meeting conflicts
  • Client spends less time searching through emails and proposals
  • Bills are paid on time
  • Peace of mind – more time to enjoy life and take care of business priorities

Read More: Frequent Traveler Case Study

Ready to Simplify your Life and Take Advantage of Personal Concierge Services?

Landing Page Contact Form