Tax Structure & Entity Planning in Manassas, VA
How your business is structured directly impacts your tax bill—every year, and especially when you buy, sell, or restructure. The difference between the right structure and the wrong one can be tens of thousands of dollars.
We help business owners across Northern Virginia and the DC area evaluate their entity structure, optimize owner compensation, and plan transactions with tax efficiency in mind. Whether you're weighing LLC vs. S-Corp, preparing for an acquisition, or cleaning up a messy multi-entity situation, we bring clarity and actionable recommendations.
Book a Free Advisory CallWhat This Service Covers
Entity planning isn't just about picking a structure—it's about aligning your legal form, tax elections, owner compensation, and operational needs into a coherent strategy.
Note: We provide financial and tax planning support for entity structure decisions. For legal filings—such as articles of incorporation, operating agreements, or state registrations—we coordinate with your legal counsel or can refer you to business attorneys in the Manassas and DC area.
Who This Is For
Entity planning is most valuable at inflection points—when something is changing or when you realize your current setup isn't working.
Business Owners Outgrowing Their Structure
Your LLC worked when you started, but now you're paying more in self-employment taxes than necessary
Buyers Planning an Acquisition
You need to structure a deal properly before you close—asset purchase, stock purchase, or something hybrid
Sellers Preparing for Exit
Your entity structure affects your tax bill on the sale; get it right before you list
Partners Adding or Removing Owners
Ownership changes trigger tax events; proper planning minimizes the hit
Growing Businesses Expanding to New States
Multi-state operations create nexus issues and require careful entity planning
Complex Situations Needing Clarity
Multiple entities, real estate holdings, or messy structures that need to be cleaned up
The Most Common Problems We Fix
These issues cost business owners real money—and they're often fixable with proper planning.
How Entity Planning Connects to Your Books
Your entity structure affects everything in your financial operations—how you record transactions, how you pay yourself, how you file taxes, and how you report to lenders or buyers.
When we help with entity planning, we also ensure your bookkeeping reflects the new structure properly. Clean books make entity decisions easier to model and implement.
Entity Planning for Buyers (Acquisitions & Integrations)
If you're acquiring a business, entity structure decisions affect your deal in multiple ways: how the purchase is taxed, how you integrate operations, and how you set up ongoing financial management.
We work with buyers throughout the Northern Virginia and DC area to structure acquisitions properly—before you close—and then help integrate the acquired business into your operations.
Our Approach (3 Simple Steps)
We don't just tell you what to do—we show you the numbers and help you execute.
Discovery & Analysis
We review your current structure, financial situation, and goals. For transactions, we analyze both sides of the deal to understand tax implications.
Modeling & Recommendations
We model different scenarios—showing you the tax impact of each option—and recommend a path forward with clear reasoning.
Implementation Support
We help you execute the plan, coordinating with legal counsel for filings and updating your books and payroll to reflect the new structure.
FAQs — Tax Structure & Entity Planning
Common questions from business owners in Manassas, Northern Virginia, and the DC area.
QWhat's the difference between an LLC and an S-Corp for tax purposes?
An LLC is a legal structure, while S-Corp is a tax election. Many businesses operate as an LLC but elect S-Corp taxation to reduce self-employment taxes. The right choice depends on your income level, owner compensation needs, and long-term plans. We analyze your specific situation to recommend the optimal structure.
QWhen should I consider restructuring my business entity?
Consider restructuring when you're buying or selling a business, your income has grown significantly, you're adding partners or investors, you're expanding to new states, or your current structure no longer optimizes your tax position. We help you evaluate whether the benefits outweigh the costs and complexity of restructuring.
QWhat is 'reasonable compensation' and why does it matter for S-Corps?
Reasonable compensation is the salary an S-Corp owner-employee must pay themselves before taking distributions. The IRS requires this to be comparable to what you'd pay someone else to do your job. Setting it too low triggers IRS scrutiny; setting it too high means unnecessary payroll taxes. We help you find the right balance.
QDo you handle the legal filings for entity changes?
We provide financial and tax planning support for entity structure decisions. For legal filings—such as articles of incorporation, operating agreements, or state registrations—we coordinate with your legal counsel or can refer you to business attorneys in the Northern Virginia and DC area who specialize in these matters.
QHow does entity structure affect M&A transactions?
Entity structure impacts whether a transaction is treated as an asset sale or stock sale, affecting tax liability for both buyer and seller. It also affects how liabilities transfer, how earnouts are taxed, and what happens to existing tax attributes. We help structure deals to optimize tax outcomes for your side of the transaction.
QCan you help with multi-entity structures?
Yes. We regularly work with business owners who have multiple entities—holding companies, operating entities, real estate LLCs, and more. We help optimize the overall structure for tax efficiency, liability protection, administrative simplicity, and operational clarity.
QHow long does entity planning typically take?
Initial analysis and recommendations typically take 2-4 weeks depending on complexity. Implementation timelines vary based on whether legal filings are needed, state requirements, and coordination with other advisors. For M&A transactions, we work on your deal timeline.
Ready to Optimize Your Business Structure?
Whether you're evaluating LLC vs. S-Corp, planning an acquisition, or cleaning up a complex multi-entity situation, let's discuss your options. We serve business owners throughout Manassas, Northern Virginia, and the greater DC area.
Book a Free Advisory Call