Resource center

Plain answers, written for Northern Michigan.

Educational material for individuals and business owners, reviewed by Robert Hoffman, CPA. General guidance only — it is not advice for your specific situation.

Lake Michigan shoreline at Charlevoix, Michigan
For individuals

What a CPA actually does between January and December

Filing season is one month of a twelve-month relationship. A look at the planning, correspondence and decision support that happen the rest of the year.

Author: Robert Hoffman, CPA · Hoffman CPA Firm, P.C., Charlevoix, MI
Outline prepared — awaiting Robert's review before publication.
For business owners

Your first year as a business owner: the four setup decisions

Entity choice, bookkeeping system, payroll and estimated payments. Getting these right in year one prevents most of the cleanup work in year three.

Author: Robert Hoffman, CPA · Hoffman CPA Firm, P.C., Charlevoix, MI
Outline prepared — awaiting Robert's review before publication.
Tax problems

You received an IRS notice. Here is the order of operations.

What the letter means, what the deadline actually is, what not to send, and when representation is worth it.

Author: Robert Hoffman, CPA · Hoffman CPA Firm, P.C., Charlevoix, MI
Outline prepared — awaiting Robert's review before publication.
Local

Seasonal income in Northern Michigan and the estimated-payment trap

When a year's revenue arrives in five months, quarterly estimates rarely match reality. How to plan around the calendar you actually have.

Author: Robert Hoffman, CPA · Hoffman CPA Firm, P.C., Charlevoix, MI
Outline prepared — awaiting Robert's review before publication.
Succession

Passing on a family business, and the valuation that precedes it

Why a defensible valuation is the first step in almost every ownership transition, and what it requires from your records.

Author: Robert Hoffman, CPA · Hoffman CPA Firm, P.C., Charlevoix, MI
Outline prepared — awaiting Robert's review before publication.
Estates

Preserving an estate: what your CPA and your attorney each handle

The division of labour between accounting and legal work, and why coordination between the two saves families money and time.

Author: Robert Hoffman, CPA · Hoffman CPA Firm, P.C., Charlevoix, MI
Outline prepared — awaiting Robert's review before publication.

To confirm · These article outlines are planned editorial, not published advice. Full text will be drafted and attributed only after Robert reviews and approves each topic. The prior site's client newsletter should also be reconnected here once its platform is confirmed.

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