Services

Our goal is to achieve the best tax results possible given the objectives of our clients

Our Processes

Our process is based upon holistic life planning, which begins by gaining a complete and comprehensive understanding of each client relationship. We gather personal and financial data to gain a better understanding of the objectives of our process to confirm the recommended solutions are unique and specific to each individual’s needs.

Once the data gathering process is complete our recommendations are delivered and mutually agreed upon. In this part of the process communication is key to the fundamental success of the process and planning. The objectives are fine tuned and documented in a written, but dynamic format.

The implementation of the planning process is supervised and reviewed for conformation of the objectives.

The entire process is based on discipline, common sense, traditional values and good stewardship.

Individuals

Serving Individuals and their Related Entities – Hopkins & Company focuses on serving individuals and their related entities – closely held corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, family trusts, charitable trusts, and private foundations. We are honored to serve some of the most influential individuals and families in Orange County, as well as in other parts of California. Hopkins & Company offers the sophisticated business, taxation, and financial advice these clients need.

Tax Preparation and Compliance – We provide the highest quality of tax preparation and compliance services. Our technical expertise translates into preparing tax returns that accurately reflect our planning and transactional work.

Tax Planning and Transactional Work – We never forget that the numbers on a tax return should be the result of focused planning to achieve the best possible tax results in light of the business and investment objectives of our clients. Our goal is to be well informed about the financial affairs of our clients in order to suggest strategies to lower their income tax liabilities but still achieve their financial planning goals. Our partners and senior staff stay in contact with our clients throughout the year so that we can be aware of tax planning opportunities as they arise. We also work with our individual clients and their other professional advisors as may be required in specific transactions that require sophisticated tax planning and expertise.

Income Tax Audit Representation – Hopkins & Company has a history of successfully representing our clients in connection with examinations by the Internal Revenue Service, California Franchise Tax Board, and other state revenue departments. We have the experience and technical expertise needed to successfully negotiate with the taxing authorities. We are dedicated to achieving the best possible outcome for our clients.

Private Client Financial Advisory and Business Management Services – We offer private client financial advisory and business management services to a select group of clients.

Businesses

Serving Corporate Clients – Hopkins & Company serves a wide range of corporate clients. Our clients range from mid-tier companies to small individually owned corporations. We are highly experienced in the taxation of both C corporations and S corporations. We are also proficient in the multi-state taxation of corporations.

Serving Partnerships and LLC’s – Partnerships and limited liability companies compose a large segment of our practice. We have a particular expertise serving partnerships and LLC’s in the real estate industry.

Tax Planning and Transactional Work – At Hopkins & Company, we believe in focused tax planning to achieve the best possible tax results in light of the business objectives of our clients. We work with our business clients and their other professional advisors on specific transactions that require sophisticated tax planning and expertise. We have the experience and the technical knowledge to make an important contribution to the success of these transactions.

Trusts, Estates, and Charitable Entities

Estate and Gift Planning Services – Hopkins & Company has considerable knowledge and experience in the estate and trust area. This expertise includes the estate tax, the gift tax, the generation-skipping tax, and the income taxation of estates and trusts. We have the technical capabilities to work closely with your estate planning attorney to develop a long term estate plan and to implement shorter term planning strategies. We are extremely proficient in preparing the various income tax returns and gift tax returns that are necessary to properly implement these strategies. Examples include irrevocable trusts, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, private foundations, grantor retained annuity trusts, intentionally defective grantor trusts, and family limited partnerships.

Estate Tax Preparation and Implementation of the Estate Plan – We work closely with surviving spouses and heirs following a death to implement the decedent’s estate plan. This includes preparation of the federal estate tax return, funding of the various trusts created at death, preparation of the decedent’s final income tax returns, and preparation of income tax returns for the newly created trusts on a go-forward basis.

Charitable Entities – Many of our high net worth individual clients establish charitable entities during their lifetimes or at death in connection with their estate plan. These charitable entities include private foundations, charitable remainder trusts, and charitable lead trusts. At Hopkins & Company, we are very familiar with these entities and with planning for their creation. We are also extremely proficient in preparing the required income tax returns for these entities.