The Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors

“The Least Boring CPA” on How Tax Planning Can Add Value to Clients and Your Business

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Apr 3, 2025

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ANECDOTE

Finding Purpose

Steven Jarvis realized his work at a national CPA firm lacked impact, feeling disconnected from change.
He desired to work directly with individuals and see the positive effects of his work.

INSIGHT

Bridging the Gap

Financial advisors and CPAs often operate in isolation, despite serving similar client needs.
Jarvis's firm bridges this gap, facilitating better interactions and value for clients.

ADVICE

Acknowledge Tax Impact

Advisors should recognize their inherent impact on client taxes, as every financial decision has tax implications.
Avoid assuming that simply telling clients to "ask their CPA" is sufficient; facilitate the conversation.

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With Steven Jarvis—CEO and Head CPA Retirement Tax Services

Overview

Steven Jarvis, the founder and CEO of Retirement Tax Services, offers advice on how a CPA can help increase the growth and enterprise value of an advisor’s business by providing tax planning strategies and more.

Listen in…

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NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation.

About this episode…

Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) can add incredible value to the service that financial advisors provide to their clients. Beyond basic accounting practices, they can serve as powerful partners, especially when it comes to tax planning strategies, which can lead to added growth for an advisor’s business.

In this episode, Steven Jarvis, who bills himself as “The Least Boring CPA,” explores that potential with us.

The Jarvis name may be familiar: Matthew Jarvis, Steven’s brother and business partner, who was also a guest on this show, is a popular podcast host and CFP.

In the first decade of his accounting career, Steven was on the partnership trajectory at a national firm. That’s when he realized that his work was often relegated to a single page inserted into a much larger report—and it didn’t have nearly the impact he had hoped for.

As Steven put it, “There was a disconnect between my ability to make change and my desire to do so.”

Since then, Steven has found the connection he was looking for. As the founder and CEO of Retirement Tax Services, he works with financial advisors on tax planning through a year-round tax service model that keeps the financial advisor in the driver’s seat.

What does that really mean? In this episode with Louis Diamond, Steven answers that and more, including:

His partnerships with advisors—and how his role goes beyond the basics of accounting services.
Strategic tax planning—and how that differs from tax preparation.
Compliance management—and why it’s critical to develop a plan to stay within the lines.
The impact on growth—and how a CPA can help advisors increase their enterprise value.

Essentially, Steven covers all the bases around taxes so advisors can focus on delivering what he calls “massive value” to their clients.

Steven lives up to his title as “The Least Boring CPA” and is generous with sharing his knowledge, so be sure to tune in.

Want to learn more about where, why, and how advisors like you are moving? Click to contact us or call 908-879-1002.

Related Resources

How to Deliver Massive Value: Turning the Tables on The Perfect RIA’s Matthew Jarvis
Matthew Jarvis rose from near bankruptcy to running a profitable independent financial advisory practice. He shares his story plus key teachings on extreme accountability, delivering massive value to clients, and more.

The Competition Conundrum: Charge Less or Offer More?
Clients have more choices than ever before. Here are 5 ways to stand out from the crowd.

MaxCeV™: How to Maximize Your Career Enterprise Value
This tool breaks down four key factors that contribute to career enterprise value, offering a framework for advisors to conceptualize and achieve their full potential. It’s an essential part of Diamond Consultants’ due diligence process to guide advisors towards long-term success.

Steven Jarvis, CPA
CEO and Head CPA

Steven Jarvis, CPA is the CEO and Head CPA at Retirement Tax Services, a tax firm focused on working with financial advisors to change the world one tax return at a time. In this role Jarvis spends his time working with real financial advisors and taxpayers to help find opportunities to not tip the IRS. Afterall, there are no patriotic awards for overpaying taxes.

With over 10 years of experience (and counting) as a CPA, Jarvis has the hands-on experience to create actionable content for his audience. He has been featured in industry publications including Advisor Perspectives and regularly produces content for financial advisors through the Retirement Tax Services website and the Retirement Tax Services Podcast. His experience covers written content, public speaking at leading industry conferences and 3 years as an adjunct professor in the graduate business school at Whitworth University.

“Steven regularly speaks on a variety of tax topics for financial planners but always keeps his focus on how attendees can take action (information only has value if it is implemented!). Some of Steven’s favorite topics to cover include:

Common mistakes advisors make on tax planning and how to fix them
The real math on Roth conversions and how to effectively communicate them with clients
Collaborating with CPAs and building great COI relationships
Incorporating tax planning into the a financial planning practice
NEW – Secure Act 2.0 and what to do about it for tax planning

Steven’s years of experience and time working with hundreds of financial advisors gives him the ability and expertise to speak on a variety of topics, so if there is a tax topic you don’t see on the list you’d love to hear him speak on, just ask!”