What should I expect during my first appointment with a Rockville CPA?

Kenneth J Watter CPA PA is a Certified Public Accounting firm based in Rockville, Maryland, offering tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll, audit, forensic accounting, and advisory services. The firm serves individuals, nonprofits, and businesses across Maryland, the D.C. metro area, and all 50 U.S. states, with a personalized and expert driven approach.

Kenneth J Watter CPA PA

Before your appointment, assemble essential records: prior-year tax returns, recent financial statements (profit & loss, balance sheet), bank and credit-card statements, payroll reports, and any IRS or state notices. If you have legal documents—such as articles of incorporation, partnership agreements, or trust documents—bring those as well. Having complete and organized materials allows the CPA to assess your situation efficiently, reducing the need for follow-up requests and shortening the overall engagement timeline.

Clarify Your Objectives

Define the primary goals you want to achieve: year-end tax preparation, quarterly estimated planning, bookkeeping cleanup, IRS audit preparation, or long-term advisory on entity structure and growth. Writing down specific questions—about deductions, credits, retirement planning, or multistate compliance—ensures your meeting covers all critical topics and helps the CPA tailor recommendations to your objectives.

Discovery and Financial Overview

Initial Discussion & Fact-finding

The meeting typically begins with an overview conversation. The CPA will ask about your business model or personal tax situation, revenue sources, expense categories, and any recent or upcoming transactions—such as property acquisitions, stock sales, or investment activities. This discovery phase helps the CPA understand cash-flow patterns, potential compliance risks, and opportunities for savings, forming the basis for a customized service plan.

Review of Financial Health

Using your provided documents, the CPA will conduct a high-level review. They may reconcile recent bank statements to trial balances, scan for unusual expense categories, and compare year-to-date performance against prior periods. Early identification of red flags—such as missing receipts, late payroll filings, or unclaimed credits—allows for prompt intervention and establishes a roadmap for remediation.

Service Offerings and Engagement Scope

Explanation of Available Services

Based on your needs, the CPA will outline relevant services: individual or financial advisory business tax preparation, bookkeeping and reconciliation, payroll processing, tax preparation audit representation, forensic accounting, or strategic advisory. They will explain how each service integrates—such as how accurate bookkeeping feeds directly into tax filings—and recommend the optimal combination to meet your goals efficiently.

Engagement Process & Timeline

The CPA will present a structured workflow: onboarding and portal setup, document collection, data import and reconciliation, draft preparation, peer review, client review, and final filing or delivery. You’ll receive a proposed timeline, with estimated completion dates for each phase—typically two to three weeks for individual returns and three to six weeks for complex or multistate filings—and automated reminders for deliverables and meetings.

Fee Structure and Transparency

Detailed Fee Proposal

Expect a clear engagement letter detailing all fees: flat-fee packages, hourly billing rates by staff level, or blended retainer options. The proposal will specify what is included—number of tax forms, months of bookkeeping, or payroll runs—and identify any potential additional costs, such as amended returns, IRS correspondence, or rush services. “Not-to-exceed” clauses or phased payment plans can be negotiated to align with your cash flow.

Value-Based Incentives

Some services, like IRS settlement or credit optimization, may offer success-fee arrangements—where a portion of the fee is tied to the amount of tax savings achieved. This model aligns incentives, ensuring the CPA is motivated to secure the best possible outcome on your behalf.

Next Steps and Ongoing Communication

Portal Access and Document Exchange

After the meeting, you’ll receive secure client portal credentials for encrypted document uploads and e-signatures. The portal tracks document status and houses all deliverables—draft returns, reconciliation reports, and strategic memos—providing a single, audit-ready repository for your financial records.

Scheduled Follow-Up & Checkpoints

The CPA will schedule periodic checkpoints: interim reviews to address questions, draft presentations to refine tax positions, and post-filing debriefs to summarize outcomes and plan for the next cycle. Automated calendar invites and email alerts ensure that both parties stay aligned on milestones and deadlines.

Conclusion

Your first appointment with a Rockville CPA sets the foundation for a productive, long-term partnership. By preparing documentation, clarifying objectives, and engaging in a structured discovery process, you enable the CPA to deliver tailored services, transparent timelines, and clear fee structures. With secure portals and scheduled follow-ups, Kenneth J Watter CPA PA ensures that every step—from data import to final filing—is handled efficiently, accurately, and strategically, empowering you to focus on your core business or personal financial goals with confidence.