New at YCL: One-on-One Paid Consultations with a CPA — How They Differ from the Free 15-Minute Call and How to Book

The short answer

YCL Accounting & Consulting now offers one-on-one paid consultations with a CPA. You choose 15, 30 or 60 minutes, describe your situation and upload documents when you book, and the CPA reviews them before you meet, so the time is spent on analysis, options and risks rather than background. The free 15-minute call is still there for understanding our services and fees. Book at yclcpa.com/advisory.

Who this applies to

Families with accounts or assets abroad that were never reported. Which forms are missing, how many years, how large the penalty exposure is, and how the catch-up routes compare.

New immigrants and green card holders. When you become a U.S. tax resident and what happens to salary, rent, interest and property in China before and after you arrive.

Founders and companies going global. LLC, S corporation or C corporation; what a foreign-owned U.S. company files every year; how payments between a parent company and its U.S. subsidiary should be set up.

Anyone holding an IRS or state tax letter. What it says, the deadline, the possible responses, and whether a CPA should represent you.

Investors in real estate, stock compensation or crypto. Rental depreciation, the timing of a sale, RSUs and ISOs, cost basis of digital assets. The amounts are often large, so it pays to run the numbers first.

How it differs from the free consultation

In one line: the free call is about your needs and our services; the paid consultation is analysis of your facts.

Free 15-minute consultation. By phone, video, WeChat or WhatsApp, weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern. You describe your situation and we tell you which services you need and roughly what they cost. It is short and does not include research on your documents.

Paid consultation. You describe your situation in the booking form and upload prior returns, tax letters, account or asset lists. The CPA reads and researches them first; in the meeting you go straight to the findings, the options, the risks of each and the next steps. Several hours of preparation often sit behind one meeting, and cases involving tens of thousands of dollars in tax or penalties are common.

Choosing the length. 15 minutes for one or two quick questions; 30 minutes for one specific question, such as a tax notice or whether a form is required; 60 minutes for several questions, cross-border matters, foreign assets or a plan.

How to book

Step 1: Tell us. Open yclcpa.com/advisory, choose the length and topics, describe your situation in a paragraph, tick the times that suit you and upload any documents.

Step 2: Pay online. Zelle, WeChat Pay, Alipay, or bank or card payment online. Current fees are shown on the booking page.

Step 3: We confirm. We confirm the time and send a calendar invitation.

Step 4: Meet. Phone, video, WeChat or in person at our Cary, North Carolina office, in English or Chinese.

A simple example

This is a simplified example. Ms. Wang moved to the U.S. in 2019, owns two apartments and several bank accounts in China, and has never filed an FBAR. In the booking form she lists the year she arrived, rough account balances and the rent she receives, and uploads her last three U.S. returns. The CPA checks those returns beforehand and, in the meeting, explains which years and forms are missing, the conditions and risks of each catch-up route, and the documents to gather next. She leaves with a clear plan and then decides whether to engage YCL.

Common mistakes

"File first, deal with problems later." Many issues, such as unreported foreign assets or a poor company structure, have more options the earlier they are handled. After a letter arrives, the choices usually narrow.

"An answer online is enough." The same rule can lead to opposite results for different immigration status, years or asset structures. Your facts decide.

"I'll explain the background in the meeting." Writing it down and uploading documents in advance lets the meeting time go to analysis and a plan.

What to do and when

Now: Book at yclcpa.com/advisory.

Before December 31: Year-end planning questions (retirement contributions, timing a sale, gifts, changing a company structure) are best discussed early enough to act on them this year.

When a tax letter arrives: Letters usually carry a response deadline. Book promptly and upload every page of the letter.

How YCL can help

If after the consultation you would like us to handle the work (catch-up filings, responding to a notice, forming a company, year-round planning), we send a written scope and quote and start only after you confirm. See paid consultation, or start with a free 15-minute consultation.

YCL Accounting & Consulting is a multi-state CPA firm serving clients across the U.S. in English and Chinese, led by co-founder Gloria (Chenchen) Liu, CPA. You can start with a free 15-minute consultation.

Sources

YCL paid consultation booking page

YCL services: paid consultation

Last checked: November 4, 2026

This article is general tax information, not tax, legal or investment advice for any individual situation.