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Nancy R.
I have used James Larsen as my CPA for many years and am confident in his work ethic and tax knowledge.
Tax Advisory for Wealth Preservation & Tax Reduction
Protect Assets, Defer Taxes, & Maximize Wealth
Whether you're building a business, building your wealth, or building a legacy, we'll help you leverage the tax code to build better. We serve the entrepreneurs, the affluent and the aspiring wherever they are on their building journey. As that journey progresses, we'll make sure you have the right experts working together to help you build and protect.
The Builders Journey with Dark Horse
Jump on the Dark Horse saddle. We've got a lot of ground to cover. As your wealth and income grow, the financial impact of your decisions becomes increasingly magnified. Additionally, more opportunities present themselves as possibilities, many of which have a considerable degree of complexity and risk. You wouldn't blindly follow tax or investment advice from social media but it's not as simple as just hiring a professional. It's exceedingly difficult to hire a great CPA AND a great CFP AND actually get them to collaborate on your behalf in a meaningful way. When you hire Dark Horse, you'll get the trifecta of great CPAs, great CFPs and a cohesive team. As you build, you'll be seeing more of us. We promise we won't be TOO annoying.
Dark Horse Private Wealth
financial advisory
Strategic Tax Advisory
tax reduction & deferral
Tax Filing & Resolution
current and prior tax year
The Tax Advisory 3-Step Process
1. Initial Discovery.
We'll develop a working understanding of your existing tax situation and forward-looking changes and opportunities.
2. Tax & Wealth Assessment.
We'll take the info from the Initial Discovery to create a proposal detailing relevant tax saving strategies and investment opportunities with their corresponding ROI.
3. Ongoing Advisory.
We'll build a clear timeline to execute on chosen tax strategies and investment opportunities, ensuring all parties understand their responsibilities. We'll continue to monitor tax laws, economic conditions and changes to your personal situation, adjusting the plan as needed.
Tax & Wealth Assessment
There is no shortage of tax saving strategies or investment options. Our Tax & Wealth Assessments bring focus to the opportunities that matter most to your specific situation. We'll detail the cost, timeline and implementation requirements of each strategy and investment. Our aim is to give you everything you need to make an informed decision without overwhelming you with too much information and too many choices. This is a big part of why you pay us, after all. Another reason is that we make sure these opportunities go from spreadsheets into the real world, as planned. The assessment combines our Tax Assessment and Wealth Assessment into 1 deliverable.
Starting At
$6,000
A Plan Well Executed
It's one thing to have a great tax plan, it's another thing to execute it well. And to execute well, the right circle of professionals is crucial. From attorneys to tax credit specialists to Dark Horse Private Wealth financial advisors, we've got the relationships needed to get the job done right, all of whom are aligned around ensuring clients save substantially more than they spend in fees.
Tax Advisory Can Result in Substantial Tax Savings.
Without Dark Horse
A High W-2 wage earner was looking to purchase short term rental investment property.
- #1
In 2023 – Adjusted Gross Income was just over $650,000.
- #2
Federal total tax (line 24 of Form 1040) was $161,500.
- #3
Effective rate ~ 25%
Client knew there were advantages to owning STRs but was not sure how to maximize this investment. They were also looking for more proactive advice in the event there was more they could do to after the STR investment.
Tax Advisory Frequently Asked Questions
Personal Tax Advisory goes beyond basic tax filing—it's a proactive, personalized service that helps you leverage the tax code to grow wealth, build your legacy, and minimize liabilities through strategic planning and expert guidance throughout the year.
We serve individuals and entrepreneurs who are building their wealth, running businesses, or structuring their personal investments. If you're looking for a CPA and CFP team coordinating sophisticated tax strategies, this is for you.
Your journey starts with Initial Discovery to understand your current tax and wealth situation, followed by a Tax & Wealth Assessment outlining high-impact strategies with ROI, then transitions into Ongoing Advisory, executing your plan and adapting it with changes in your life or tax laws.
You'll receive a clear, focused deliverable that lays out recommended strategies—like cost segregation, 1031 exchanges, backdoor Roths, and more—complete with implementation timelines, required investment, and expected savings. We also include a Financial Plan which reviews:
- Financial Goal Development & Probability Analysis
- Financial Organization / Balance Sheet Preparation
- Cash Flow Planning and Budgeting / Debt Management
- Investment Management Review & Recommendations
- Insurance Evaluation & Recommendations
- Risk Tolerance Determination
- College Funding Plan
- Estate Planning Roadmap
- Advanced Tax Planning Strategies
- Small-Business Retirement Planning / Qual. Plan Design & Management
- Stock Options & Equity Compensation Planning
- Real Estate Analysis & Recommendations
- Alternative Investment Opportunities
- Retirement Distribution Strategy
- Social Security Timing and Evaluation
- Roth Conversion Assessment
The Tax & Wealth Assessment is $6,000, giving you a high-level yet actionable roadmap tailored for your financial goals. You receive 2 deliverables;
- A detailed tax plan showcasing strategies that will reduce or defer your tax liability and providing clear savings based on each strategy
- A Financial Plan from our Private Wealth team providing a complete breakdown of your investment strategy, financial goals, personal balance sheet and a tailored investment package based on those items.
Following your Assessment, we implement chosen strategies in a structured plan. We coordinate with financial advisors, attorneys, or specialists as needed to help turn your tax plan into real-world outcomes. Your go-forward engagement is entirely based on what you select to activate. The assessment is just a bridge to what working together could look like. The results come with execution of the strategies with our CPAs or CFPs.
Tax compliance is reactive—filing based on past data. Tax Advisory is proactive, structuring your financial decisions year-round to reduce liabilities, seize planning opportunities, and align tax strategy with long-term wealth goals.
Yes. We continually monitor economic and regulatory updates, adjusting your tax strategies proactively as laws change or your personal situation evolves. The recent updates to the Big Beautiful Bill is a perfect example. Our strategies shift based on changes to the tax code. New strategies are activated, old strategies may be reused or repurposed with new information (think 100% bonus depreciation or retroactive R&D tax credits).
Cyber threats evolve daily. Our monitoring service keeps systems patched, tracks endpoint and identity health, detects threats in real-time, and delivers executive-level reports—ensuring you’re always protected and audit-ready.
Your Tax Advisory CPAs
Jude T.
After years of feeling underwhelmed by every tax professional I worked with, we finally found Chris Ries at Dark Horse. We did a wide search for a CPA who could handle both our business and personal needs. Chris stood out from the start. He's not just deeply knowledgeable about tax law - he's genuinely thoughtful and strategic in how he applies it to your specific situation. What truly sets Chris apart is how responsive and engaged he is throughout the entire year. Our strategy sessions allowed us to get ahead of issues long before tax season, which made the whole process significantly smoother and less stressful.
Kyle T.
With our prior accountant we didn't feel we were receiving adequate tax guidance and felt we were always paying more than our fair share of taxes. We have been very pleased with the service we have received with Adam Ripperdan. He has taken the time to review in detail our current situation and upcoming plans. With that information he has helped us create tax strategies for our businesses, investments, and personal taxes that not only help us save on taxes but also helps us plan for the future. I highly recommend Dark Horse CPAs.
David H.
Chris is exceptional. He is far more professional, clear in his communication, and knowledgeable than any CPA I’ve worked with. He has expertly managed both my personal and business tax needs and consistently goes above and beyond—helping me make informed, strategic decisions well in advance of future tax filings. I cannot recommend him highly enough.
Johnny E.
Chris with Dark Horse is great! He provides so much information and helps me learn about my taxes, not just filing them. He is very passionate about his work and I appreciate the work he does for my company!
John T.
Provides great service. Very professional. Very responsive to questions and inquiries. Very punctual, I would highly recommend their services.
Nancy R.
I have used James Larsen as my CPA for many years and am confident in his work ethic and tax knowledge.
Jude T.
After years of feeling underwhelmed by every tax professional I worked with, we finally found Chris Ries at Dark Horse. We did a wide search for a CPA who could handle both our business and personal needs. Chris stood out from the start. He's not just deeply knowledgeable about tax law - he's genuinely thoughtful and strategic in how he applies it to your specific situation. What truly sets Chris apart is how responsive and engaged he is throughout the entire year. Our strategy sessions allowed us to get ahead of issues long before tax season, which made the whole process significantly smoother and less stressful.
Kyle T.
With our prior accountant we didn't feel we were receiving adequate tax guidance and felt we were always paying more than our fair share of taxes. We have been very pleased with the service we have received with Adam Ripperdan. He has taken the time to review in detail our current situation and upcoming plans. With that information he has helped us create tax strategies for our businesses, investments, and personal taxes that not only help us save on taxes but also helps us plan for the future. I highly recommend Dark Horse CPAs.
David H.
Chris is exceptional. He is far more professional, clear in his communication, and knowledgeable than any CPA I’ve worked with. He has expertly managed both my personal and business tax needs and consistently goes above and beyond—helping me make informed, strategic decisions well in advance of future tax filings. I cannot recommend him highly enough.
Johnny E.
Chris with Dark Horse is great! He provides so much information and helps me learn about my taxes, not just filing them. He is very passionate about his work and I appreciate the work he does for my company!
John T.
Provides great service. Very professional. Very responsive to questions and inquiries. Very punctual, I would highly recommend their services.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tax Strategies and Savings
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