Montgomery Advisory

The Client Journey

One relationship,every stage of the way.

Our work isn't six unrelated services. It follows how a business actually grows — from the day it's formed, through the systems and reporting that keep it steady, into growth, protection, and the tax and financial planning behind every major decision. Each stage is delivered under a written Engagement Letter that confirms scope and fees before work begins.

“One firm. One point of contact. Every stage.”

An entrepreneur and an advisor reviewing and signing formation documents across a small table
Stage 01

Start your business

Beginning on a foundation you actually understand.

Entity choice quietly shapes taxes, liability, and paperwork for years. It deserves an explanation, not a checkbox.

  • Entity selection, explained
  • Formation & EIN guidance
  • Operating agreements and compliance reminders
Business Formation & Structure
An organized accounting workspace with two monitors showing financial software dashboards and ledgers
Stage 02

Build the financial systems

Books that stay current instead of getting reconstructed.

The right system, set up properly once, saves years of cleanup work — and makes every later decision faster.

  • Software selection
  • A clean chart of accounts
  • Workflows your team will keep up with
Financial Systems Setup
An advisor and a business owner reviewing monthly financial statements together at a table
Stage 03

Understand the numbers, monthly

Financial confidence, one month at a time.

Most owners don't need more reports. They need someone who can tell them what the reports mean.

  • Monthly accounting oversight
  • Financial statements & reconciliation
  • A standing conversation about the numbers
Financial Management
A planning session at a whiteboard mapping workflows and responsibilities while colleagues take notes
Stage 04

Organize how the work gets done

Making the business feel steady instead of improvised.

Growth exposes whatever was being held together informally — the handoffs, the approvals, and the steps only one person remembers.

  • Business formation and operational setup
  • Business operations assessments
  • Standard operating procedures
  • Policies and procedures manuals
  • Job descriptions and organizational structure
  • Process mapping and workflow improvement
  • Commercial real estate financial readiness
  • Implementation support
Business Advisory & Operations Consulting
Two professionals reviewing an approval-process workflow diagram during a governance review
Stage 05

Protect what you've built

Accountability built into the way the work already happens.

Small teams and nonprofits carry real exposure — usually without realizing where it sits. We evaluate risks, processes, controls, control design, and operating effectiveness, then recommend the fixes.

  • Internal audit & control testing
  • Controls assessment & design
  • Fraud risk review
Internal Audit, Controls & Risk
An advisor reviewing a multi-year tax projection and financial plan beside a mortgage folder and house keys
Stage 06

Plan the season — and what comes after

No scramble in April, and no surprises before a major decision.

Filing season should confirm what you already knew about your year. The same planning work is what gets clients ready for the bigger moments — including buying a home.

  • Individual & business returns
  • Quarterly estimates and projections
  • Readiness for major financial decisions, including homeownership
Tax Services & Financial Planning
Practice Areas

If you already know what you're looking for

Each area has its own page — what's included, who it fits, and how it's priced. Local clients meet us in Bowie, Maryland; most of our work happens securely online with clients across the country.

On Pricing

We don't bill hourly. Fees are flat, quoted to your situation, and confirmed in writing before any work begins.

The specifics are best discussed once we understand what you need.

Questions

Questions we're asked

The practical details, answered plainly — before you ever fill out a form.

How is monthly pricing determined?
Monthly pricing is set through an intake conversation covering four factors: transaction volume and complexity, accounting basis (cash or accrual), delivery model (existing system vs. source documents), and whether AP/AR tracking is required. Every fee is confirmed in writing before work begins.
Do you charge hourly?
No. All services are billed at flat, predictable fees. Monthly services, project work, and tax preparation are quoted up front — you know your investment before we start.
What is included in Financial Management Services?
Depending on the model, either monthly oversight of your existing accounting system — verifying postings, correcting mispostings, reconciling accounts, and delivering a monthly financial report — or full monthly financial management from source documents when you don't have a system in place.
What is the difference between Accounting System Review and Monthly Financial Management?
Accounting System Review is for clients who already have a functioning system; we log in monthly and provide professional oversight and quality control. Monthly Financial Management is for clients without a system, where we build the financial picture from source documents (bank statements, receipts) each month.
Do I need QuickBooks?
Not necessarily. We recommend the platform that best fits your business (QuickBooks Online, Xero, or others). Software subscriptions are not included in our fees — you own your subscription directly.
Do you prepare business tax returns?
Yes. Our IRS PTIN-registered preparers handle S-Corp (1120-S), Partnership (1065), and Schedule C returns in-house, with flat-fee pricing based on return type and complexity.
Do you prepare individual tax returns?
Yes. We prepare individual (Form 1040) returns ranging from simple W-2 filings to complex multi-schedule returns.
Do you help new businesses?
Yes. Business Formation & Structure Consulting walks new entrepreneurs through entity selection, EIN, operating agreement recommendations, and annual compliance — often paired with a one-time accounting system setup.
Do you provide bookkeeping?
We provide financial management, which includes what most people think of as bookkeeping — transaction categorization, reconciliation, and reporting — but delivered as professional oversight rather than transactional data entry.
Do you prepare financial statements?
Yes. As a standalone engagement we prepare a complete package — Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash Flows, and Statement of Retained Earnings — for internal management and business decision-making.
Do you perform audits?
We perform internal audit work — evaluating processes, risks, governance, controls, control design, and operating effectiveness — when it is within the engagement scope. Financial statements and reports we prepare are for management use and do not constitute an independent financial statement audit. Independent financial statement audits and external attestation reports (e.g., SOC 2, SOX 404) must be issued by a licensed CPA firm.
Do you provide internal audit and internal controls services?
Yes — internal audit engagements, control assessment and design, control testing, fraud risk assessment, remediation support, and board reporting. This work is performed for management and the board and is separate from an independent financial statement audit.
How are payments handled?
Invoices are Net 15 from invoice date. Monthly services are billed in advance on the 1st of each month starting in month two. Tax return fees are due upon completion, before e-filing or release of the return.
Do you require deposits?
Yes. Monthly services require a 50% deposit of the first month's fee before work begins, with the remaining 50% due at the end of month one. One-time and project engagements require a 50% deposit before work begins, with the balance due upon delivery.
Are accounting software subscriptions included?
No. Accounting software (QuickBooks Online, Xero, etc.) is not provided by Montgomery Advisory and is not included in any fee. Clients maintain their own subscription; we recommend the most appropriate platform based on your needs.
Are you a CPA firm?
Montgomery Advisory is a business advisory and financial management consulting firm, not a licensed CPA firm. Tax returns are prepared by IRS PTIN-registered preparers. Non-CPA/EA/attorney preparers have limited IRS representation rights — this is disclosed to every client in writing before engagement.
Do you provide legal advice?
No. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice or draft legal documents. Business formation guidance is educational; clients requiring legal document drafting are referred to a licensed attorney.

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