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Business Tax Consulting & Preparation
Tax Consulting

The tax climate is getting harder every year. Your exposure should not.

An evolving global tax climate, expanding state-level burdens, and renewed federal focus on international payments, reporting, and evasion make U.S. operations more complex each year. We position the business to operate tax-efficiently while meeting every compliance obligation.

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GOALS AND TYPICAL OUTCOMES AT A GLANCE
COMMITMENT
Project, annual, or total tax outsourcing.
TYPICAL TRIGGER
A transaction, a new jurisdiction, or a credit you have not claimed.
WHO LEADS IT
James Crane, CPA, Entrepreneurial and Global Tax Practice.
TRACK RECORD
$50M+ saved for clients in R&D tax credits.
James also leads our technical accounting projects, including mergers and acquisitions, equity accounting, revenue recognition, and international taxation.
WHEN THIS IS THE RIGHT CALL

Risk related to tax, accounting, and information reporting rises every year.

The review is the starting point. It usually finds something.

01
You are operating, selling, or paying people in states where you have never tested your nexus position.
02
You are approaching a transaction and the tax structure has never been examined.
03
You are running research and development without a credible R&D credit analysis.
04
You have international operations, payments, or ownership and no structure built for them.
What do our Tax Consulting services include?

A complete review of the structure, then the work that follows from it.

Planning and compliance in the same hands, so one does not undo the other.

01

Entity and structure review

A complete review of the business entity structure, its tax classification, capital structure, business stage, and exit opportunities.

02

Federal, state, and local

U.S., state, and local income tax obligations, sales tax obligations, and the credit applications available to you.

03

International

International tax and business structure issues, including transfer pricing and structuring for cross-border operations.

04

Credits and savings

Identifying the deductions, credits, and reduction opportunities that have been overlooked in past years.

WHO LEADS IT

James Crane, CPA. Trusted tax expert.

James leads our Entrepreneurial and Global Tax Practice and serves in the CFO role for clients who want ongoing help managing and minimizing taxation. He has saved clients more than $50M in R&D tax credits, and leads our technical accounting work in mergers and acquisitions, equity accounting, revenue recognition, and international tax.

MEET THE LEADERSHIP TEAM →
Our tax work is designed to minimize impact and maximize savings, which starts with finding the deductions and credits you have been leaving behind.
James Crane, CPA · AI Native, Entrepreneurial and Global Tax Services
COMMON QUESTIONS

Straight answers, before you ask.

What does an interim CFO do?

An interim CFO works with your CEO, management team and board on the real decisions, with the same authority and scope your permanent CFO would carry. That means strategic counsel to the CEO, oversight of accounting and the supporting functions, reassurance for the board, investors, banks and auditors during a leadership change, and a clean handover to the permanent hire.

When should I bring in an interim CFO?

When you unexpectedly lose your CFO and want the seat filled while you run a search, when a sale, merger or debt raise needs specialized financial expertise, when you are planning for a break in CFO staffing due to parental or medical leave, or when your board, investors or lenders need to see a steady hand on finance between leaders.

How much does an interim CFO cost?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer. An interim engagement is typically full-time for the length of the transition, so the cost depends on the scope and how long the seat needs covering. The best way to determine the right level of investment is to discuss your situation with us in a complimentary consultation.

What is a fractional CFO?

A fractional CFO gives you senior financial leadership on a regular, part-time basis, without the cost or the commitment of a full-time hire.

Who is a fractional CFO right for?

Mid-sized organizations that need CFO-level work but cannot justify a full-time CFO on payroll, start-ups that have advanced beyond basic accounting and need a senior financial advisor part-time, and companies whose finance function works but has nobody qualified to sit across from the board or the bank.

How much does a fractional CFO cost?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer. The cost depends on the level of expertise, scope and amount of support you need, and hours move with the business, with no renegotiation for a busy quarter. The best way to determine the right level of investment is to discuss your situation with us in a complimentary consultation.

What does outsourced accounting include?

Accounts payable, accounts receivable and payroll, closing the general ledger each month, financial statements and the related reporting, plus tax planning and reporting handled alongside the accounting.

Can you work with the accounting team we already have?

Yes. We can handle the whole finance and accounting function, or augment the accounting department you already have.

How much does outsourced accounting cost?

It is ongoing and sized to what you use. You pay only for what you need, and the expertise is there when the work spikes. The best way to determine the right level of investment is to discuss your situation with us in a complimentary consultation.

What does financial consulting cover?

Mergers and acquisitions, IPO preparation and fundraising, audit preparation and SEC reporting, government grant and contract accounting, and transfer pricing analysis and the other specialized work that arrives without warning.

How long does a financial consulting engagement last?

It is project-based, for the length of the initiative: an audit, a transaction, a raise or a reporting obligation.

How much does financial consulting cost?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer. The work is project-based, so the cost follows the scope of the initiative. The best way to determine the right level of investment is to discuss your situation with us in a complimentary consultation.

What is AI-enabled finance at Charles River CFO?

It is a capability we offer where it fits a client's books. Not every client's close runs on it. Where it does, the close runs on a purpose-built AI close platform, and every deliverable is reviewed and approved by a named, Big 4-trained professional before it reaches you.

Do we have to move our books to a new system?

No. Your books stay in your own ledger, always. Nothing proprietary, nothing to migrate.

How much does AI-enabled finance cost?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer. The cost depends on the scope of the close and reporting you need. The best way to determine the right level of investment is to discuss your situation with us in a complimentary consultation.

What does tax consulting cover?

A complete review of your business entity structure and tax classification, U.S., state and local income and sales tax obligations and available credits, international tax and transfer pricing, and the deductions and credits that have been overlooked in past years.

Who leads the tax work?

James Crane, CPA, who leads our Entrepreneurial and Global Tax Practice and has saved clients more than $50M in R&D tax credits.

How much does tax consulting cost?

Engagements can be a project, annual, or total tax outsourcing, so the cost follows the shape you choose. The best way to determine the right level of investment is to discuss your situation with us in a complimentary consultation.

What is a financial assessment?

A focused, initial review of your finance and accounting operations, benchmarked against best practice. You receive a written assessment with prioritized, actionable recommendations.

How long does a financial assessment take?

It is a fixed-scope engagement, typically two to four weeks.

How much does a financial assessment cost?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer. The cost depends on the level of expertise, scope and amount of support your organization actually needs, and the assessment itself is a fixed-scope engagement. The best way to determine the right level of investment is to discuss your situation with us in a complimentary consultation.

Not the right shape? There are six other ways in.

ASK US WHICH ONE FITS

One call, no charge, and a straight answer on whether we are the right fit.

You will speak with the CFO for your market. If the answer is no, we will tell you that too.