Strategic Tax Counsel · Western New York

Most CPAs file your return. We change the outcome.

Filing is the last thing we do. Strategy is everything that comes before it. We work with Western New York business owners every month of the year, so April is a formality, not a fire drill.

i. The difference

By the time we file your return, we've already done the work that matters.

Compliance is a rear-view mirror. It reports what already happened, once it's too late to change it. Strategy is the windshield. We spend the year hunting the moves, so by filing season the savings are already locked in. A tax preparer asks for your documents. A strategic CPA asks about your future.

Traditional CPA
Swiech Consulting
Files the return
Builds strategy before the return
Looks backward
Looks forward
Meets after the year is over
Plans before year-end
Focuses mainly on compliance
Focuses on decisions and outcomes
Tells you what happened
Helps you change what happens next
ii. What we do

Year-round counsel,
not a once-a-year filing.

Built for owners doing $500K to $5M who already have a CPA, and have a nagging feeling they're leaving real money on the table. They usually are.

01

Tax Strategy & Planning

We model your year before it happens and move while there's still time to change the number, not after the books are closed and your options are gone. Most savings have a deadline. We beat it.

02

Entity Structure & Owner Comp

S-Corp elections, reasonable-comp analysis, salary-vs-distribution. The structure most owners set up once and never touch again, and it's quietly costing them every single year.

03

Retirement Plan Design

SEP-to-401(k) conversions, Safe Harbor, and defined-benefit design for high earners: six-figure deductions, engineered for the tax result, with the right specialists coordinated around you.

04

Cost Segregation

Own the building? Accelerate the depreciation, free up the cash, and put the timing of your deductions back in your hands, instead of leaving it on the IRS's schedule.

05

Tax Return Preparation

We file it too, accurately and on time, with no surprises. But by then the real work is already done. The return is the receipt, not the strategy.

"the last step, not the only one"
iii. In practice

Examples of opportunities we commonly find.

A sense of where the money usually hides. These are the kinds of moves a strategic review surfaces while there is still time to act on them.

01

Missed PTET Election

A profitable New York S-Corporation was paying state tax at the owner level and missing the Pass-Through Entity Tax election. After reviewing the structure, we identified an opportunity to shift the deduction to the business level, creating a meaningful federal tax benefit while remaining compliant with New York law.

02

S-Corp Compensation Review

An owner was taking most of their income through payroll because that is how it had always been done. A compensation review identified an opportunity to better balance salary and distributions while still maintaining a reasonable compensation position.

03

Retirement Plan Optimization

A business owner was contributing to a basic retirement plan but had never reviewed whether it still matched the company's growth. By reviewing the plan design, we identified opportunities to increase tax-advantaged savings while still keeping the plan practical for the business.

04

Cost Segregation Opportunity

A business owner purchased a building but had never explored a cost segregation study. After reviewing the property, we identified assets that could potentially qualify for accelerated depreciation instead of being depreciated over decades.

05

Year-End Tax Projection

A growing business had a strong year but no formal tax projection before year-end. By reviewing income before the year closed, we identified planning opportunities while there was still time to act, rather than discovering the tax bill after it was too late.

These examples are illustrative only. Actual tax savings depend on each client's facts, income, entity structure, timing, and implementation.

iv. The arrangement

We bet on ourselves.

Most firms bill you for showing up. We put a number on the table first, and we stand behind it. No long contracts, no mystery invoices.

Start here

The Tax Strategy Blueprint

$1,500one-time

A deep dive into your business and your return. You walk away with a written strategy and a hard dollar figure on exactly what you're overpaying and how we fix it.

The guarantee

If the Blueprint doesn't identify at least 2× its fee in tax-saving opportunities, you don't pay for it. That's our money where our mouth is.

Start Your Tax Blueprint
Then go year-round

The Advisory Retainer

Ongoing counsel, implementation, and the return. The whole relationship. Priced to the size of your business, billed monthly, cancel anytime.

  • Foundation$750/moRevenue $500K – $1.5M
  • Growth$1,500/moRevenue $1.5M – $3M
  • Principal$2,500/moRevenue $3M – $5M

Your $1,500 Blueprint fee credits toward your first months when you continue, so the diagnostic effectively pays for itself.

Jim Swiech
CPA
v. Who you work with

Jim Swiech, CPA

Local, accessible, and in it with you all year. No hand-off to a junior, no call center, no 1-800 number. You work directly with the principal who builds the strategy and signs the return.

  • NYS licensed CPA with 18+ years of tax and financial experience
  • Former partner in a CPA firm
  • Former financial controller for a complex private business organization
  • Deep experience across business, individual, and high-income tax situations
  • Based in Lockport, NY, focused on helping Western New York business owners move from tax filing to tax strategy
Schedule a Strategic Tax Review
vi. An honest filter

Who we are not for.

We would rather be the right fit for the right owners than the cheapest option for everyone.

Probably not the right fit

  • You are looking for the cheapest tax preparer
  • You only want someone to file a return
  • You are not interested in making changes before year-end

Where we work best

  • Business owners who are willing to look ahead
  • Owners who make decisions early
  • People who treat tax planning as part of running the business, not just something that happens after December 31
vii. Questions owners ask

Frequently asked questions.

I already have a CPA. Why would I hire you?
Many of our clients already have a CPA. The issue is not whether the return gets filed. The issue is whether anyone is helping you make better decisions before the return is filed.
Do you replace my current CPA?
Sometimes, but not always. In some cases we prepare the return. In others, we focus on planning and work alongside the existing tax preparer.
What size businesses do you work with?
We are built for established business owners, usually in the $500K to $5M revenue range, who want more than basic tax preparation.
What happens in the Tax Blueprint?
We review your business, entity structure, recent tax returns, owner compensation, retirement plan options, and major planning opportunities. The goal is to identify where tax strategy may be missing.
Do you guarantee tax savings?
No. We do not guarantee tax savings. We guarantee that we will review your situation strategically, identify available opportunities, and give you clear recommendations based on your facts.
viii. The proof

Don’t take our word for it.
Take theirs.

★★★★★ 5.0 · 11 reviews on Google
★★★★★
He doesn’t just provide cookie-cutter advice — he listens, asks the right questions, and tailors his recommendations to your exact situation. If you’re looking for a consultant who treats your business like it’s his own, I can’t recommend Jim and Swiech Consulting highly enough.
Jeffrey T.  ·  Business owner
★★★★★
They uncovered important tax issues I never would have known about on my own. Their fees are transparent, and their advice is proactive — giving me real peace of mind. I sleep better knowing they’re on the job.
Andrew C.
★★★★★
Jim is a CPA with a lot of experience working for large firms. He’s using that education and experience to help small businesses and the average Joe save money.
Lisa D.
★★★★★
I’ve worked with Jim for several years and can honestly say his dedication to his clients is unparalleled. I’d highly recommend Swiech Consulting to anyone looking for an honest and reputable firm.
Michael R.
★★★★★
My experience with Jim has been personal, professional, and productive. Both my wife and I have recommended his firm to friends, family, and other businesses.
Donald W.
The short version

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