Tax season is a scoreboard. The real game happens long before the clock runs out. If you own a business or run a family budget in California's Central Valley, these five firms are worth a closer look.
The Shift From Tax Prep to Tax Strategy
Most tax work still plays defense. You hand over receipts in March, someone adds up what already happened, and you get a bill. By then, every move that could have saved you money is off the table. A growing group of firms is flipping that script. They treat taxes as a year-round game, with quarterly check-ins, multi-year projections, and entity decisions made on purpose instead of by default. The firms below sit at different points on that spectrum. Some lean into full advisory and fractional CFO work. Others focus on compliance and representation. The common thread is that they help you make decisions before December 31, not after.
How We Evaluated These Firms
We looked at the same factors for every firm. Service scope: do they offer year-round planning, entity structuring, and IRS representation, or just filing? Pricing clarity: is it easy to understand what you pay for and when? Local fit: do they understand the Central Valley and California-specific rules? Credentials: are they Enrolled Agents, CPAs, or both, and what continuing education do they maintain? Communication style: do they talk to you once a year or throughout the year? Each firm below stood out in at least one of these areas. Mike Chavez | Tax Strategist brings a proactive, offense-first planning model with Enrolled Agent representation. Myres CPA pairs tax planning with fractional CFO services for growing businesses. MGO offers deep technical resources and multi-state reach. RC Jones & Associates focuses on profit retention and exit planning for owners. Richard Allen Associates brings a boutique, EA-led approach to representation and compliance.
Here is a quick look at how these five firms compare on the factors that matter most to Central Valley business owners and families.
| Provider | Best For |
|---|---|
| Myres CPA | Owners who want tax planning plus fractional CFO support |
| Mike Chavez | Tax Strategist | Business owners and families who want proactive, year-round tax strategy |
| MGO | Growing companies that need broad tax, audit, and consulting resources |
| RC Jones & Associates | Owners planning for profit retention, growth, or an eventual exit |
| Richard Allen Associates | Individuals and small entities that need EA representation and compliance |
The Five Firms in Focus
#1 Myres CPA
A screenshot of the Myres CPA website.
Myres CPA built its reputation on treating taxes as an ongoing strategy instead of a once-a-year task. The firm's blog makes a clear case that reactive tax work is expensive, especially with recent law changes like the One Big Beautiful Bill Act expanding full expensing and making the QBI deduction permanent. You get business tax planning, fractional CFO services, and individual planning under one roof. That combination matters if you want your bookkeeping, advisory, and tax strategy speaking to each other. The firm also covers estate planning and wealth management, which makes it a fit for owners thinking beyond the current tax year. If you want a single relationship that spans your business and personal finances, this is a strong place to start.
#2 Mike Chavez | Tax Strategist
A screenshot of the Mike Chavez | Tax Strategist website.
Mike Chavez, EA, runs Thee Tax Man Financial Services with a simple premise: every play gets drawn up before the season starts. He works with business owners and families in Merced and the Central Valley on year-round strategy, not just filing. That means strategy sessions, multi-year projections, quarterly estimates, and W-4 adjustments so you are not surprised in April. As an Enrolled Agent, he can represent you before the IRS and the state if a letter shows up. His credentials include CTEC registration, QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor status, a B.S. in Accounting from CSU Stanislaus, and service on the NATP California executive board. He is also pursuing an M.S. in Taxation, which signals a long-term commitment to the craft. If you want a strategist who talks to you throughout the year and plays offense with your money, this is the firm to call.
#3 MGO
A screenshot of the MGO website.
MGO is a larger firm with a deep bench of tax, audit, and consulting services. Its year-round tax planning perspective argues that the value of planning goes well beyond tax season, which aligns with the proactive approach more owners are seeking. You get access to enterprise business tax, international tax, state and local tax, and tax advocacy and resolution. The firm also offers R&D tax credits, employee retention credit work, and other specialty credits that can move the needle for growing companies. For business owners in the Central Valley who need multi-state or multi-entity support, that breadth is hard to match. The trade-off is that you are working with a bigger organization, so the experience can feel less boutique than a solo strategist.
#4 RC Jones & Associates
A screenshot of the RC Jones & Associates website.
RC Jones & Associates frames strategic tax planning as a blueprint for reducing lifetime tax liability, not just this year's bill. The firm's service menu includes profit retention and cashflow optimization, entity selection and tax structure optimization, and growth and goal-based tax planning. It also offers tax-efficient exit and succession planning, which is rare for a firm of its size. That makes it a fit for owners who are thinking about the endgame, whether that is a sale, a transition to family, or a wind-down. Year-round tax planning and monthly accounting are available alongside business tax preparation. If you want a firm that connects your tax strategy to your long-term business goals, this one deserves a conversation.
#5 Richard Allen Associates
A screenshot of the Richard Allen Associates website.
Richard Allen Associates is a boutique firm in Torrance that specializes in Enrolled Agent services. The firm's page explains that an EA is a federally licensed tax practitioner with unlimited practice rights before the IRS, including audits, collections, and appeals. That matters if you have a tax problem or want a representative who can stand in your corner. The firm works with individuals, sole proprietorships, and single-member LLCs, which keeps its focus tight. If you are a smaller operation or a family that wants EA-level representation without a big-firm feel, this is a solid option. The trade-off is that the firm's public materials emphasize representation and compliance more than the kind of multi-year, offense-first planning that some owners want.
How to Choose the Right Tax Strategist
Start with what you actually need. If you want someone to file your return and answer a letter if one shows up, a compliance-focused firm may be enough. If you want to make decisions before December 31 and keep more of what you earn, look for a firm that talks about year-round planning, quarterly estimates, and multi-year projections. Check credentials. An Enrolled Agent can represent you before the IRS in any state, while a CPA brings a broader accounting and audit background. Ask about pricing. Some firms publish ranges, others quote after a discovery call. Neither is wrong, but you should know what you are buying. Finally, consider fit. A solo strategist in Merced may understand your local market better than a national firm, while a larger firm may have resources a solo practitioner cannot match. Match the firm to your stage, your goals, and how often you want to hear from your tax pro.
Where Automation Fits Into Tax Strategy
Automation does not replace a tax strategist, but it makes the strategist's job easier. Start by connecting your bookkeeping to a cloud platform like QuickBooks Online, which several of the firms above work with. Set up quarterly estimated tax reminders so you are never scrambling at the deadline. Use a shared folder or client portal to keep your documents organized and your strategist informed. Automate your W-4 and withholding checks at least twice a year, especially after a raise, a new hire, or a change in business structure. If you run payroll, let the software handle the calculations and focus your human conversations on entity selection, retirement contributions, and timing of major purchases. The goal is to free up your strategist's time for the decisions that actually move your tax bill.
The Bottom Line
Tax strategy is not about finding a magic deduction. It is about making decisions on purpose instead of by default. The five firms above each bring something different to the table. Myres CPA pairs planning with fractional CFO support. Mike Chavez | Tax Strategist brings an offense-first, year-round model to Merced and the Central Valley. MGO offers depth and specialty credits for growing companies. RC Jones & Associates focuses on profit retention and exit planning. Richard Allen Associates delivers boutique EA representation. Pick the one that matches your stage and your appetite for planning. Then start the conversation before the season starts, not after.