CPA/EA

Note to recruiters and staffing agencies: this is a direct hire only. We are not accepting third-party candidate submissions or solicitations for this role at this time.

Position Summary

Imagine Financial Group is seeking an experienced Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Enrolled Agent (EA) to support the firm's tax preparation, tax planning, and client service initiatives.

The primary focus of this role is helping business owners and high-income individuals understand and pursue lawful, well-documented tax mitigation strategies, particularly those involving accelerated depreciation, real estate investments, business deductions, retirement planning, and entity-level tax considerations.

This is not a traditional accounting, audit, or controller position. The successful candidate will serve as a tax-focused resource who can prepare and review tax returns, identify planning opportunities, explain complex tax concepts clearly, and collaborate with clients, advisors, CPAs, attorneys, and other professionals.

Applicants should be able to explain, evaluate, and appropriately apply concepts such as:

• Accelerated depreciation and cost-segregation strategies
• Bonus depreciation and applicable phase-in or phase-out rules
• Depreciation classifications for real estate and business assets
• Passive activity and passive-loss considerations
• Material participation and active participation concepts
• How real estate-related deductions may interact with business and individual tax returns
• The importance of documentation, substantiation, eligibility, and coordination with the client's tax professional

Key Responsibilities: Tax Preparation and Review

• Prepare, review, and assist with federal and state individual, business, partnership, S corporation, and other applicable tax returns.
• Gather and organize client tax documents, financial information, depreciation schedules, investment records, and supporting documentation.
• Review prior-year returns to identify missed deductions, inconsistencies, carryforwards, and potential planning opportunities.
• Assist with tax projections, estimated tax calculations, quarterly planning, and year-end tax preparation.
• Maintain accurate workpapers and clear documentation supporting tax positions and recommendations.
• Monitor filing deadlines, extensions, notices, and follow-up items.
• Assist clients in responding to tax notices and coordinate with outside tax professionals when necessary.

Tax Mitigation and Strategic Planning

• Work with business owners, entrepreneurs, investors, and high-income individuals to identify appropriate tax planning opportunities.
• Evaluate the potential tax impact of accelerated depreciation, real estate investments, business asset purchases, retirement contributions, entity structures, charitable giving, and other applicable strategies.
• Help clients understand how deductions and tax benefits may affect current-year liability, future-year planning, cash flow, and overall financial objectives.
• Develop client-friendly tax-planning summaries, illustrations, and educational materials.
• Participate in client meetings and clearly explain technical tax concepts in practical, understandable language.
• Coordinate with Imagine Advisors, Imagine IRA, Imagine Real Estate, and external CPAs, attorneys, and other professionals as appropriate.
• Help establish a year-round tax planning process rather than limiting client interaction to tax-filing season.

Client and Internal Collaboration

• Serve as a trusted tax resource for Imagine agents and clients.
• Support agents with tax-related education and help them identify situations that may warrant a referral or consultation.
• Assist in developing training materials, presentations, FAQs, and tax-planning resources.
• Review proposed client strategies for tax-planning considerations, documentation requirements, and implementation issues.
• Communicate clearly with internal teams regarding client status, outstanding information, deadlines, and next steps.
• Maintain professionalism and discretion when handling confidential financial and tax information.

Compliance and Professional Standards

• Provide tax-related guidance within the scope of the candidate's credentials, experience, and applicable laws and regulations.
• Ensure that recommendations are based on current tax authority, appropriate documentation, and the client's individual circumstances.
• Avoid guaranteeing tax results, investment returns, or specific financial outcomes.
• Clearly distinguish tax preparation and tax-planning services from investment, legal, insurance, or financial advice.
• Follow applicable professional standards, privacy requirements, record-retention practices, and internal compliance procedures.
• Stay current on federal and state tax law changes affecting business owners, real estate investors, retirement accounts, depreciation, and tax planning.

Required Qualifications

• Active CPA license or Enrolled Agent credential in good standing.
• Demonstrated, hands-on expertise with accelerated depreciation and its tax implications, especially for business owners and real estate investors.
• Practical experience preparing and/or reviewing individual and business tax returns.
• Strong understanding of federal taxation for pass-through entities, including partnerships and S corporations.
• Experience with tax planning, tax projections, estimated taxes, and year-round client advisory services.
• Ability to interpret financial statements, business records, depreciation schedules, and supporting tax documents.
• Strong knowledge of deductions, credits, basis, capital gains, passive activity rules, and business-owner tax considerations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to translate complex tax concepts into clear, accurate explanations for clients and agents.
• Strong attention to detail, organization, judgment, and follow-through.
• High level of integrity and discretion when handling confidential client information.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with cost segregation, bonus depreciation, real estate taxation, or tax-advantaged real estate strategies.
• Experience advising closely held businesses, entrepreneurs, real estate investors, or high-income professionals.
• Familiarity with self-directed IRAs, Solo 401(k)s, retirement planning, and tax-sensitive investment decisions.
• Experience coordinating with financial advisors, attorneys, investment professionals, and outside accounting firms.
• Proficiency with tax preparation and research software, including platforms such as ProSeries, Lacerte, UltraTax, Drake, TaxAct Professional, CCH Axcess, or similar systems.
• Proficiency with QuickBooks, Microsoft Excel, and document-management systems.
• Experience creating tax projections, client presentations, educational content, or internal training.
• Experience in a client-facing advisory or public accounting environment.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a technically strong tax professional who:

• Understands that accelerated depreciation is the central technical requirement of this position.
• Is comfortable working directly with clients and business owners.
• Can move beyond compliance-oriented tax preparation into proactive planning.
• Explains tax strategies accurately without overpromising results.
• Is commercially aware and understands the connection between taxes, cash flow, retirement planning, and wealth building.
• Can work independently while collaborating effectively with advisors and internal teams.
• Is proactive, resourceful, organized, and comfortable in a growing financial-services environment.
• Values education, transparency, documentation, and client-centered service.

What This Role Is Not

This position is primarily focused on tax preparation, tax planning, and client tax strategy. It is not primarily responsible for:

✕ Routine bookkeeping

✕ Accounts payable or accounts receivable

✕ General ledger maintenance

✕ Standard financial statement production

✕ Internal or external audit functions

✕ SOX compliance

✕ Governmental accounting

✕ Securities-law reporting

✕ Traditional controller responsibilities

General accounting knowledge is helpful, but candidates whose background is limited to audit, bookkeeping, or corporate accounting, without meaningful tax preparation and accelerated-depreciation experience, will not be the best fit.

Success in This Role

Success will be measured by the candidate's ability to:

• Prepare accurate, timely, and well-documented tax returns and projections.
• Identify appropriate tax-planning opportunities for qualified clients.
• Explain accelerated depreciation and related concepts clearly and responsibly.
• Improve the client tax-planning experience throughout the year.
• Support Imagine agents with accurate, practical tax education.
• Collaborate effectively with advisors, outside professionals, and internal teams.

Build client confidence through responsiveness, professionalism, and technical competence

Note to recruiters and staffing agencies: this is a direct hire only. We are not accepting third-party candidate submissions or solicitations for this role at this time.