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- PICK MY BRAIN · ONE HOUR WITH AN EA -

One hour with someone who actually knows the answer.

For the new entrepreneur who doesn't know where to start. The business owner unsure what they should be tracking. The taxpayer holding an IRS letter wondering what it means. One focused hour. One honest answer. No sales pitch.

BOOK YOUR CLARITY HOUR →

$197 · 60 minutes

- WHAT IT IS -

A real hour with a real Enrolled Agent. That's the whole offer.

Most professional services lead with free 15-minute discovery calls designed to sell you the next thing. Pick My Brain is the opposite — a paid hour where the work IS the work. You arrive with a question or decision. I send you a thorough intake form 48-72 hours before our call so I can review your situation and prepare a real answer. We get on Zoom. You leave with clarity.

No engagement letter required. No follow-up sales sequence. No commitment beyond this one hour. If you decide later you want to work together on something bigger, the door is open — but it's not what this hour is for.

- IS THIS FOR YOU?

Pick My Brain is built for specific situations.

Good fit when you need...

◆ To start a business but you don't know what comes first or what order to do things in

◆ To figure out what to track, report, and file now that you have a business — and how often

◆ To decide between sole prop, LLC, S-corp election, or something else for your situation

◆ To understand what your state requires to stay compliant year-round

◆ To understand a specific IRS notice, letter, or correspondence you received

◆ An expert read on a one-time event like selling property, inheritance, or major income shift

Not the right fit if you need...

○ Ongoing tax preparation (book a tax engagement instead)

○ A full credit report review (book the $179 Credit Analysis)

○ Comprehensive business strategy (book The Diagnostic at $497)

○ Help filing a return or amended return — that's separate work

○ Bookkeeping clean-up or catch-up — book a Bookkeeping Audit

○ A free conversation — Pick My Brain is paid by design

- HOW IT WORKS

Three steps. Sixty minutes.

Book and complete intake

Choose a time. Pay $197. Complete the intake form (5-10 minutes) which adapts to whether your question is business, personal tax, IRS correspondence, or something else. Upload any relevant documents.

I prep before we talk

I review your intake 48-72 hours before our call. For situations that need deeper research — like a 1031 exchange or a complex IRS notice — you'll have the option to add deep research so I show up to the call with a real answer, not a "let me get back to you."

One focused hour, then clarity

We meet on Zoom for 60 minutes. You ask. I answer. I think out loud and walk you through reasoning. If your situation calls for deeper engagement, I'll tell you. If it doesn't, I'll tell you that too.

- OPTIONAL ADD-ON

Some questions need real research.

A general question about how a 1031 exchange works can be answered in the hour. But "should I do a 1031 for the specific rental I'm selling next month" needs me to look at your situation, your timeline, your alternative options, and applicable code sections. That's research — not consultation. If your intake flags as research-intensive, you'll see this add-on as an option at checkout.

Deep Research Add-On

For questions requiring substantive research into your specific situation — IRS code application, multi-state issues, transaction-specific tax planning, complex entity decisions.

+$97

added at intake

- WHAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY ASK

Real questions from real hours.

STARTING A BUSINESS

"I'm ready to start a business but I have no idea what to actually do first — what's the order of operations and what am I missing?"

COMPLIANCE & TRACKING

"I started my business a few months ago — what do I actually need to track, what do I need to file, and how often?"

ENTITY STRUCTURE

"I keep hearing 'form an LLC, elect S-corp' — but I don't know if either makes sense for my income and what I do. What's right for me?"

STATE COMPLIANCE

"What do I have to do at the state level to stay compliant? I've heard about annual reports and franchise tax but I don't know what applies to me."

IRS NOTICE

"I got a CP2000 (or other IRS letter). How worried should I be and what's my actual move?"

REAL ESTATE · RESEARCH

"I'm selling a rental I've owned 8 years. What's my tax exposure and is a 1031 exchange worth it for my situation?" (deep research)

- FREQUENTLY ASKED

Common questions about Pick My Brain.

Why is this paid instead of free?

Free consultations attract everyone, including people who aren't actually ready to act on advice. Paid hours attract people who are serious about the question they're asking. The $197 price filters for fit — and means I can give every booked hour the focus it deserves, including review and prep before the call.

What does the intake form ask?

The intake adapts based on whether your question is business-related, personal tax, IRS correspondence, or something else. You'll be asked about your situation, what your specific question is, what's at stake, and whether there are any documents I should review. You can upload anything relevant (IRS letters, financial statements, contracts, etc.). The form takes 5-10 minutes.

When would I need the Deep Research Add-On?

When your question requires substantive research into your specific situation rather than a general explanation. Examples: "should I do a 1031 exchange for my specific rental sale" (yes, needs research), "how does a 1031 exchange work generally" (no, included). Multi-state tax questions, transaction-specific planning, complex entity decisions, and IRS code application typically need it. After you submit intake, I'll let you know if I think it's warranted before our call.

What if I don't have just one specific question?

Pick My Brain works best for a single focused question or related cluster (like all the questions a new business owner has). If you have a broader situation that needs comprehensive strategic planning, The Diagnostic ($497, 90 minutes plus a written roadmap) is the better fit. I'll redirect you if your question is too big for one hour.

Will you actually answer my question, or just sell me something?

I'll actually answer. That's the whole point. If your situation calls for deeper engagement — tax prep, bookkeeping, credit work, business formation — I'll tell you that as part of the answer. But the hour is the work, not a sales pitch for what comes next.

What if my question takes less than an hour?

You still get the full hour booked. Most clients use the extra time to ask follow-up questions or walk through implementation. If we finish early and you don't need more, we end early — no penalty.

Can I bring my spouse or business partner?

Yes — one hour, one situation, but more than one person can be on the call if the question affects both of you. Just note it in the intake form so I can prepare appropriately.

- READY TO BOOK?

One hour. One question.

One honest answer.

Choose a time, pay the $197, complete the intake. I review before our call — research-intensive questions can add the $97 Deep Research Add-On at intake. The clarity comes 60 minutes after we get started.