Advisory Engagement — Year One

Your Advisory Roadmap

A plan for our first year working together — what you'll see, what we'll do, when we'll do it.

Client: [Client Name] Advisor: Rob Foncannon, CPA Engagement begins: [Start Date]

What's now true

You've signed the engagement agreement and your first payment has been received. As of that moment, you're an advisory client. This roadmap is the plan for our first year working together — what's coming, when, and what each of us is doing along the way.

The roadmap is a living document. We'll both reference it; we'll both update it as things shift. It's not a static deliverable that sits in a folder — it's how we keep the work coordinated.

The first 7 days — Welcome

Within 48 hours of your payment being received, you'll get a personal welcome message from Rob. It covers three things: what you just bought (a quick summary of your engagement), what's happening in the next 30 days, and who you'll be working with on the team.

Along with the welcome message, you'll receive an introduction to your team — who handles what, who to reach for scheduling, and who does the production work behind the scenes. You'll know the names and roles before your first meeting.

This is also when we set up your access to the client portal in ATOM. All documents, communications, and deliverables flow through the portal — not email. Natalie will walk you through the setup if you need help.

The welcome step is about reinforcing your decision before the working sessions begin. No forms, no questionnaires — just a clear signal that we're ready to work.

The first 30 days — Your first win

Target by Day 30

A measurable reduction in your next quarterly estimated tax payment, identified at our kickoff meeting and implemented within 30 days. We'll show you the specific dollar amount at kickoff — based on your numbers, not a generic estimate.

Example of what this looks like in practice: a $15,000 estimated payment that gets reduced to $7,000 through a specific tax-planning strategy. Your number will be different — we'll show you what's possible for your situation at kickoff.

How we'll get there

What the firm does

Identify the specific tax-planning strategy that produces your first win, based on your current numbers and structure.

Walk you through the implementation steps at kickoff — what needs to happen, by when, and what proof we'll need at the end to substantiate it.

Provide a living tracker showing where you are in the implementation, so nothing falls off the radar.

What you'll do

Complete the implementation actions within the 30-day window. Most strategies have a short list of actions — we'll make this as simple as possible.

Provide the supporting documentation we'll need to confirm completion (we'll specify what at kickoff).

Tell us early if you hit a roadblock. The window is short — don't sit on a question for two weeks.

The year on the calendar

Your seasonal advisory meetings are booked at onboarding — before the work begins. The dates flex if life intervenes, but they're on the calendar from day one. This keeps the year predictable for both of us.

Up to three tax-planning strategies are implemented per year in this engagement. Anything beyond that is a separate project — we'll discuss together if more comes up.

What's in your engagement, what's separate

Service Status
Year-round tax planning (up to three strategies)Included
Quarterly estimated tax planningIncluded
Year-end tax projectionIncluded
Annual personal and business tax returnsIncluded
Seasonal advisory meetings (4 per year, pre-scheduled)Included
Investment management / portfolio advisoryReferred — separate arrangement
Bookkeeping cleanup (if needed before engagement)Separate project
Major life events (sale of business, equity transition, multi-state moves)Separate project

For services marked as separate projects: we'll scope and price these when they come up. They're not surprises — they're predictable categories that warrant their own scope rather than being bundled in.

Your accountable people

At Foncannon Tax, you'll work with a small, named team. You'll know who to reach for what.

Your advisor

Rob Foncannon, CPA

Primary contact for tax-planning strategy, advisory meetings, and decisions about your engagement.

Operations + scheduling

Caitlin, Operations Manager

Oversees the operational flow of your engagement — keeping milestones on track.

Natalie, Executive Admin

Handles scheduling, follow-ups, and the operational touchpoints between your meetings.

Daniel (tax prep + accounting) and Barbara (bookkeeping) work on the production side of your engagement; you'll see their work even if direct communication runs through Rob, Caitlin, or Natalie.

How we'll know onboarding is complete

Onboarding is done when all four of these are true — not after a set number of days, but when each condition is met:

Once all four are true, we move from onboarding into the ongoing engagement rhythm. Most clients clear the gate within the first 30 days.

How we work — three layers

Level 1 — The documented process

Every step of your onboarding is written down. You know what's happening, when, and who's responsible. This roadmap IS the documentation — nothing lives only in someone's head. The action plan and mutual-responsibility doc complete the picture.

Level 2 — AI-assisted operations

Scheduling reminders, document-collection follow-ups, and progress check-ins are handled by our AI-assisted systems. Natalie manages the workflow; the system helps her track deadlines and surface items that need attention. Your advisor reviews everything before it reaches you.

Level 3 — AI-driven with advisor oversight

Your onboarding sequence — from welcome message through technical setup to first-win tracking — runs through an AI-managed workflow. The system handles scheduling, follow-up timing, document collection reminders, and milestone tracking. Rob reviews each milestone and steps in for advisory conversations. The system handles the logistics; your advisor handles the judgment.

What never touches automated systems: Social Security numbers, EINs, bank account numbers, and other identifying financial data stay in human-only channels — always. Your sensitive information is handled directly by the team, never by AI tools.