What to Confirm in an AE Tax Advisors Engagement
Understand AE Tax Advisors engagement pricing, separately scoped services, implementation duties and support terms before signing a proposal.
Publication and source review
Published 2026-05-21; updated 2026-10-07. By AE Tax Advisors. Sources and current pricing reviewed October 7, 2026.
Read your AE Tax Advisors engagement as a work agreement
An AE Tax Advisors engagement should answer what will be reviewed, what you will receive, who completes the work and which services have separate fees. Use this guide to prepare for a scope discussion and compare the resulting written proposal with your actual needs.
AE’s published pricing lists a $7,800 standard advisory engagement, paid in two $3,900 payments 30 days apart, with no required recurring annual planning fee. Returns, amendments, cost segregation and additional services are separately scoped and priced. Your circumstances can require another scope. The signed agreement determines the services, period and obligations; this article is not an engagement letter.
That distinction matters when you already have a CPA, own several entities or are buying a property. A planning review and a completed filing are different deliverables. Put both in the proposal if you need both, and identify who is responsible for each.
Before the call: define one decision and assemble the records
Write down your most urgent decision, its date and the documents available. Examples include whether to commission a property review before closing, how to coordinate advisory with an existing preparer, or which prior records need reconciliation before discussing amendments. These examples describe review needs; they do not establish a tax benefit.
Prepare a list of entities, owners, relevant states, current financial statements, recent returns and planned transactions. For property work, identify acquisition dates and the closing or depreciation records available. Ask AE how to submit sensitive documents securely. Bring a summary to the first discussion rather than sending private identifiers through an unapproved channel.
If important records are missing, ask which conclusions must wait. An initial call should help establish whether the proposed review can answer your question and what further information is necessary.
Put the boundaries in writing
| Workstream | What the agreement should resolve |
|---|---|
| Review and planning | Entities, periods and records reviewed; written findings, assumptions and limitations. |
| Implementation | Action list, responsible party, delivery date and evidence of completion. |
| Preparation and filing | Specific federal and state returns, amendments or forms; fees and authorization. |
| Specialist work | Who engages a study provider or other professional and whether their fee is separate. |
| Advisory support | Start and end dates, meetings, communication process and treatment of new questions. |
| Representation | Covered matters and years, responsible professional, exclusions and separate charges. |
| Changes in scope | Who approves additional work and when a revised quote is needed. |
Ask about any line that simply says “included.” Included for which entity, tax year and period? Oversight or coordination does not necessarily mean preparation by AE. If your goal requires another professional, identify that handoff before relying on a completion date.
Worked example: coordinate with your existing preparer
Hypothetical owner: one operating business, two rentals and an existing CPA. The owner wants a planning review before buying another property and needs someone to implement any approved return changes. No savings amount is assumed.
| Task | Owner to agree | Completion evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Supply returns, financial statements and property records | Business owner | A complete document list and confirmation of missing items. |
| Review the proposed purchase and planning questions | Advisory professional named in the scope | Written findings and unresolved assumptions. |
| Decide whether to proceed with a recommendation | Business owner after professional advice | Documented approval and any required separate engagement. |
| Prepare and file affected returns or forms | AE or existing CPA, expressly assigned | Prepared filing, authorization and acceptance evidence where applicable. |
| Update books and retain supporting records | Bookkeeper and owner, as agreed | Reconciled entries and retained supporting documents. |
The map prevents a common handoff gap: both firms assume the other will update the return. If your preparer will implement the plan, ask what records and explanations they need and confirm they accept that role. If AE will prepare a filing, identify its fee and scope separately. Keep disagreements visible until resolved.
Budget for the work your situation actually requires
Start with the quoted advisory work, then add each required separately quoted service. Mark unquoted work as unknown. Do not assume every owner needs amendments or every property needs a study. The review should establish what is relevant before you authorize additional spending.
A larger entity group, unresolved bookkeeping or a transaction with a near-term deadline can change the proposed work. Ask which constraints affect the schedule and what can be delivered before your decision. Do not rely on a generic week-by-week timeline or a promise that all recommendations will be completed without checking your records and agreement.
For a comparable budget, use the tax advisory fee worksheet. For the documents behind a particular review, browse the record preparation workbooks. They help organize information; they do not calculate eligibility or replace professional analysis.
Decide whether the scope is ready to sign
You are ready to evaluate the proposal when the decision is in scope, the delivery date is useful, fees and exclusions are clear, and implementation has an owner. Pause if the engagement depends on missing records or if a required service is still unquoted. Ask for clarification rather than filling the gaps with an assumed refund or guaranteed savings.
AE’s role and support depend on the agreement you sign. This guide makes no promise of a particular tax result, refund, response time or unlimited future work. Book a call with AE to discuss your entities, records and decision date, and request the appropriate written scope. This is general information, not individual tax or legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are returns included in the standard advisory fee?
The published pricing treats returns and other additional services as separately scoped and priced. Identify the specific returns and fees in your written proposal.
Can AE coordinate with my current CPA?
Discuss that arrangement before signing. Define the written handoff, who implements recommendations and who prepares each filing. Coordination duties must be agreed rather than assumed.
Is ongoing support unlimited?
Do not assume unlimited support. Confirm the coverage period, communication process and treatment of changed facts or new projects in the agreement.
Will an engagement guarantee tax savings?
No result is promised here. Outcomes depend on your facts, applicable rules, records and approved implementation. Review the assumptions behind any estimate before deciding.
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