How to Work With Me
Everything is a la carte. You pay for what you need. No packages, no upsells, no retainers.
I don't sell tax returns. I sell access to expertise — mine. Every engagement is scoped, priced, and delivered on your terms. You pick what you need. I tell you what it costs. We work in writing.
No hourly billing surprises. No "the associate will handle it." No calling a 1-800 number to reach someone who has never seen your file.
Here's the menu.
Tax Preparation & Compliance
What it is: The engine. Current-year returns, prior-year catches, amended returns.
What you get: A prepared return, reviewed by me personally (I am the only Enrolled Agent in this firm), delivered electronically with a written summary of your position, key adjustments, and any planning notes.
| Service | Starting At | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single current-year return (1040) | $500 | "TurboTax with a real expert behind it" — simple W-2 + interest |
| Complex return (Schedule C, E, K-1s) | $750+ | Scoped after review of your documents |
| Multi-year back returns (3+ years) | $1,500+ | Project-priced after intake review |
| Amended return (1040-X) | $400+ | One amendment, one year |
What it doesn't include: Free phone calls. Free email advice. Free "quick questions." Those are separate. See below.
Tax & Wealth Advisory
What it is: The margin and the mission. Structure, planning, and wealth-building for high earners.
What you get: A written advisory memo — not a phone call, not a "let's chat." A document with specific recommendations, dollar amounts, citations to the Internal Revenue Code, and a timeline for implementation.
| Service | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hour of advisory time | $300–$500 | Surge pricing during tax season (Jan–Apr). Questions submitted in advance. Google Meet with written follow-up. |
| Research memo | $250–$750+ | Scoped per question. Written answer with IRC citations. Includes video explainer if the topic needs one. |
| Entity structure review | $500+ | LLC vs S-Corp vs Schedule C analysis. Specific to your income and state. |
| Roth conversion analysis | $350+ | Multi-year projection. |
How advisory works: You submit your question in writing. I scope it, quote it, and deliver it in writing. No "discovery calls." No "free consultations." You pay for the answer, and the answer is worth more than the fee.
Tax Defense & Resolution
What it is: The rescue. IRS notices, audits, levies, liens, offers in compromise, installment agreements.
What you get: Direct representation before the IRS under my Enrolled Agent license (federally authorized, all 50 states). Power of Attorney filed. All correspondence handled. You talk to me, not the IRS.
| Service | Starting At | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IRS notice response | $250+ | Single notice, written response |
| Installment agreement + current returns | $1,000+ | Payment plan negotiation plus current-year filing |
| Offer in Compromise (Form 656) | $2,500+ | Full OIC package, Forms 656 + 433-A/B |
| Audit representation | $1,500+ | Per audit, scoped after intake |
The Calendar (Surge Pricing)
How it works: My time is the product. During tax season (January through April), rates increase. This is surge pricing — the same model that Uber uses for New Year's Eve.
| Period | Advisory Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Off-season (May–December) | $300/hour | Standard rate |
| Tax season (January–April) | $500/hour | Peak demand |
| Extended filing (October) | $400/hour | Extension crunch |
Every meeting requires: Pre-submitted questions, preparation time, and a written follow-up. No exceptions. If you're not ready to submit your questions in advance, you're not ready for the meeting.
The Rules (Read Before Engaging)
This is where the warmth ends and the boundaries begin. The video on the homepage is the handshake. This page is the contract.
- Everything is in writing. Email, voicemail, written memo. I do not do "quick calls" or "just checking in" conversations. If you need to talk to me, book the calendar.
- No free consultations. Ever. Not for "just one question." Not for "let me see if we're a fit." The intake quiz exists for that purpose. If you passed the quiz, we're a fit. If you didn't, we're not.
- Asynchronous by default. I return voicemails by email. I respond to questions in writing. I meet on Google Meet only when a meeting is paid, prepared, and pre-submitted.
- I am the only Enrolled Agent. There are no junior associates, no paralegals, no call center. When you hire THE TAX CUTTERY, you get Paul Diaz. That's why the calendar has a paywall.
- Surge pricing is real. Tax season costs more because demand is higher. Book early or pay the rate.
- The book is the reference. Every position I take, every recommendation I make, traces back to the Internal Revenue Code — and often to my own treatise. If you want to understand my reasoning at depth, buy the book. It's $149.
The Book
THE TAX CUTTERY Guide to Federal Income Taxation
168,000 words. 25 chapters. Every figure verified against the IRS code.
- Hardcover: $149
- Ebook (3 volumes): $59 each
The book is not required to work with me. But clients who read it ask better questions, make faster decisions, and cost less in advisory time. You decide whether that's worth $149.
This is how I operate. It's not for everyone. If you want a local accountant who will sit across from you and hold your hand through tax season, there's one on every corner. I'm not competing with them.
I'm competing with the idea that tax expertise should be cheap, local, and accompanied by a smile and a handshake. It shouldn't. It should be precise, authoritative, and worth every dollar.
If that resonates, take the next step. Type your question into the chat. Or buy the book. Or book the calendar.
I'm here when you're ready.
No Menus. Just Answers.
Type your question, or tap the mic and just say it — I'm on around the clock and I never put you on hold. The more you tell me, the faster I get you a real answer. No forms to wrestle, no phone tag.
The fastest way to reach us is the chat above.
This form is for prospective clients only. No solicitation. Existing clients — please use the chat or call us directly.