Rob Foncannon — Case Study Draft

Email to Rob

Subject: Case study draft from our call

Hi Rob —

Pulling together what came out of our extraction call last week. Two stories landed — the catch-up client (5 years behind, $350K resolved, $58–60K projected annual savings) and the cement contractor (best year ever, $70K+ annual savings, 3 recurring strategies before year-end).

I wrote both as third-person narratives — not testimonials. The story belongs to your practice, not the client's mouth.

Two versions are inline below.

Version 2 — Anonymized. This is the publishable version. No client names, no specific locations, generic strategy names ("Entity Restructuring" instead of "S-Corporation Conversion"; "Business Use of Home" instead of "Augusta Rule"; "Family Employment" instead of "Hiring Family Members"). You can put this on the site today — no permission to chase, no approvals to wait on.

Version 1 — Named, approval required. Same two stories, but with the actual industries (Real Estate Professional, Cement Contractor) and specific strategy names. [CLIENT NAME] placeholders in the titles. Don't publish this version until each featured client has signed off in writing — there's a checklist at the top of the file when you open the HTML.

Both versions point to your existing CTA (foncannontax.com/preliminary-questionnaire/). The disclaimer is your standard CPA disclaimer.

If anything in either version doesn't sound like you, mark it up and send back — easier to adjust language than to restructure later.

Talk soon, Kathryn

A Note on Case Studies vs. Testimonials

A case study tells the client's story in your voice. A testimonial puts words in the client's mouth. The work above is case studies, not testimonials.

Why it matters: testimonials require going back to clients to get and approve quotes. Case studies — written as third-person narrative — only require approval for the named version (V1), and the anonymized version (V2) needs no approval at all. You publish at your pace, not theirs.

VERSION 2: ANONYMIZED (Ready to Use)

Publishable on day one. No client approval required. No featured client should be able to identify themselves in this version.

Story 1: Five Years Behind

High-Performing Sales Professional | $58–60K Annual Savings

The Situation

Unfiled Returns and Growing Anxiety

A top-performing commissioned professional hadn't filed taxes in five years. Not because they couldn't pay—they had the money. Life got in the way, one year became two, and before long the problem felt too big to face. By the time they reached out, they owed approximately $350,000 in combined federal and state taxes.

The weight of it was affecting everything—every financial decision shadowed by what they hadn't dealt with.

What We Did

Caught Up, Cleaned Up, Set Up for the Future

First priority: get current. We worked through five years of bookkeeping and filed all outstanding returns. The client had the resources to settle the liability, which let us move quickly.

With the past handled, we turned to the future. The client was operating as a sole proprietor—paying more in self-employment taxes than necessary. Before year-end, we restructured the business entity, got payroll running, and positioned them for substantial ongoing savings.

Strategies: Entity Restructuring · Back Return Resolution · Bookkeeping Cleanup · Tax Planning Implementation

The Results

What's Next

Freedom to Grow

With the tax burden behind them, this client is now pursuing business expansion opportunities they couldn't consider before. Seasonal advisory meetings keep them ahead of their tax situation—no more surprises, no more sleepless nights.

Story 2: The Best Year Ever

Construction Business Owner | $70K+ Annual Savings

The Situation

A Million-Dollar Year With No Plan in Place

This construction business owner had been a client for years, but bookkeeping was always behind—usually showing up after year-end with incomplete records. No visibility. No way to plan ahead.

Mid-year, we proactively took over bookkeeping. What we discovered: they were having the best year they'd ever had—over $1 million in income—putting them in the top federal tax bracket. Without intervention, they were looking at a massive tax bill with zero strategies in place.

What We Did

Three Strategies Implemented Before Year-End

With clear visibility into the numbers, we moved fast. The business was already structured efficiently, so we focused on optimization strategies that would deliver immediate and recurring savings.

Strategies: Family Employment · Business Use of Home · Income Optimization

At the top tax bracket, every dollar shifted through legitimate strategies saves 37–40% in federal taxes alone. We implemented three separate strategies—each one recurring year after year.

The Results

The key: every strategy is recurring. These aren't one-time savings—they compound year after year.

What's Next

Positioned for Growth

With ongoing advisory in place, this client now has seasonal planning meetings to stay ahead of their tax situation. As the business continues to grow, we'll be ready with strategies to handle whatever comes next.

Disclaimer (Version 2)

The case studies presented reflect actual client outcomes but have been anonymized to protect client confidentiality. Individual results vary based on specific circumstances, income levels, business structure, and tax law. The strategies described may not be appropriate for all taxpayers. Past performance and savings do not guarantee future results. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Consult with a qualified tax professional regarding your specific situation.

VERSION 1: FULL DETAIL (Requires Client Permission)

Pre-publication. Each featured client must sign off in writing before V1 publishes. The HTML version of this file includes an approval-required comment block at the top with a checklist.

Story 1: [CLIENT NAME] — The Catch-Up Client

Real Estate Professional | $58–60K Annual Savings

The Situation

Five Years Behind—And Afraid to Face It

A top-producing real estate agent hadn't filed taxes in five years. Not because they couldn't pay—they had the money. They'd simply put the blinders on and let life get in the way. What started as one delayed return became two, then three, then a growing anxiety they couldn't shake. By the time they reached out, they owed approximately $350,000 in federal and state taxes, not counting penalties and interest.

The IRS hadn't come knocking yet, but the weight of it was affecting everything—every financial decision shadowed by what they hadn't dealt with.

What We Did

Caught Up, Cleaned Up, Set Up for the Future

First priority: get current. We worked through five years of bookkeeping and filed all outstanding returns. The client had the resources to settle the liability—a rare advantage that let us move quickly.

With the past handled, we turned to the future. The client was operating as a sole proprietor—paying more in self-employment taxes than necessary. Before year-end, we converted them to an S-Corporation, got payroll running, and positioned them for substantial ongoing savings.

Strategies: S-Corporation Conversion · Back Return Resolution · Bookkeeping Cleanup · Tax Planning Implementation

The Results

What's Next

Freedom to Grow

With the tax burden behind them, this client is now pursuing opportunities they couldn't consider before: opening their own real estate brokerage and investing in real estate. Seasonal advisory meetings keep them ahead of their tax situation—no more surprises, no more sleepless nights.

Story 2: [CLIENT NAME] — The Best Year Ever

Cement Contractor | $70K+ Annual Savings

The Situation

A Million-Dollar Year With No Plan in Place

This cement contractor had been a client for years, but bookkeeping was always behind—usually showing up in February with a shoebox full of the previous year's records. No bookkeeper. No visibility. No way to plan ahead.

In mid-2025, we proactively reached out and took over bookkeeping. What we discovered: they were having the best year they'd ever had—over $1 million in income—putting them in the top federal tax bracket at 37%. Without intervention, they were looking at a massive tax bill with zero strategies in place.

What We Did

Three Strategies Implemented Before Year-End

With clear visibility into the numbers, we moved fast. The client was already an S-Corp, so we focused on optimization strategies that would deliver immediate and recurring savings.

Strategies: Hiring Family Members · Augusta Rule · QBI Maximization

Hiring the kids: At the top tax bracket, shifting income to children who pay zero federal tax on the first $16,000 creates immediate savings of 37–40% on every dollar shifted.

Augusta Rule: A legal strategy allowing business owners to rent their personal residence for business meetings, creating additional tax-advantaged income.

QBI Maximization: Optimizing the Qualified Business Income deduction to reduce taxable income further.

The Results

The key: every strategy is recurring. These aren't one-time savings—they compound year after year.

What's Next

Positioned for Growth

With ongoing advisory in place, this client now has seasonal planning meetings to stay ahead of their tax situation. Looking further ahead, they may be taking over their father's cement manufacturing company in the next year or two—and we'll be ready with strategies to handle that transition.

Before Publishing Version 1

• [ ] Get written permission from each featured client (Story 1 client + Story 2 client)
• [ ] Replace [CLIENT NAME] placeholders with actual names
• [ ] Have each featured client review final copy
• [ ] Confirm all numbers are accurate

Disclaimer (Version 1)

The case studies presented reflect actual client outcomes. Individual results vary based on specific circumstances, income levels, business structure, and tax law. The strategies described may not be appropriate for all taxpayers. Past performance and savings do not guarantee future results. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Consult with a qualified tax professional regarding your specific situation.