Freemon, Shapard & Story - Client Services

Client Services

INCOME TAX | ESTATE & GIFT TAX | AUDITING & OUTSIDE ACCOUNTING

MANAGEMENT ADVISORY | COMPUTER INFO. | BOOKKEEPING & ACCOUNTING

PAYROLL | LITIGATION SUPPORT & FORENSIC ACCOUNTING

FIDUCIARY SUPPORT | CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT

Commitment to Service

The firm has a deep commitment to client service. All personnel are cross-trained in the various tax, auditing, accounting, and consulting areas in which we are engaged prior to their selection of specialty areas of service. We maintain an extensive library, exceed minimum professional education requirements, and have developed a strategic alliance with other professionals, with whom we confer on a regular basis. We believe that we should continue learning throughout our professional lives and view technology as an important tool. However, we still deliver our service in a traditional, personal manner.

Income Tax Services
Our income tax service goes far beyond simply preparing tax returns. We provide a full range of tax planning and tax management services. Our goal is to guide you in the nuances of tax minimization and tax management in your long- and short-term time horizons. We base our planning approach on both our familiarity with your account and our firm's many years of service to a broad base of clients. We serve all forms of businesses, retirement plans, individuals, fiduciaries, and not-for-profit entities. Our client base encompasses virtually all industries and types of business activities.

We have earned a reputation with the Internal Revenue Service for preparing accurate returns. We generally take aggressive, but reasonable, stances on all tax issues. We take additional steps to ensure that income amounts reported on the return agree or reconcile to third party information reported to the Internal Revenue Service.
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Estate and Gift Tax Services
In conjunction with our income tax services, we offer our clients complete estate and gift tax planning and management services. We provide planning and compliance services related to peripheral entities, such as "Qualified Terminable Interest Property Trusts," "Qualified Personal Residence Trusts," "Charitable Lead Trusts," "Charitable Remainder Unitrusts," "Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts," and "Family Limited Partnerships."

We have substantial experience with estates of all sizes. We serve those small enough to have no Federal filing requirements and those large enough to be responsible for tens of millions of dollars in tax.

Our firm maintains a unique approach to valuation issues related to estate and gift taxes. We generally have a substantial inventory of returns and planning engagements in process. This keeps us in touch with developing and traditional issues and techniques related to asset valuation. Due to our broad base of accounting, auditing, and income tax clients, and our strategic professional alliances, we have been exposed to and helped develop specific valuation plans for a variety of industry and asset groups. We believe that the client should be informed of all valuation options and that the most realistic, aggressive valuation techniques should be used.

The firm also provides valuation services to various other professional firms in the area.
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Auditing and Outside Accounting Services
Our accounting and auditing services are traditional as well as progressive and informative. Our goal is to provide a valuable personal service and provide a clear picture of where your business or entity is and where it is heading.

We attempt to provide a more personal level of service by returning the majority of our staff to each auditing and outside accounting engagement year after year. By adding to this our concept of training across disciplines we are able to field a multi-disciplined, experienced staff for each engagement.

Besides traditional accounting and auditing services, Freemon, Shapard and Story also provides operational auditing services and fraud examination services.
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Management Advisory Services
Freemon, Shapard and Story provides services to start-up companies as well as growing and maturing entities. Our staff is very proactive and quick to anticipate needs or respond to requests. We customize our services to each client and do not attempt to fit your needs with someone else's answers. Our management advisory services include areas such as obtaining financing, budgeting, cash flow planning, compensation and benefit planning, strategic analysis and planning, mergers and acquisitions, transfers of businesses to family members, and sales and purchases of businesses. We have experience in these areas for almost all industries and forms of organizations in this region.

Due to our extensive estate planning and compliance department, we are also able to provide unique planning advice for generational transfers of small to large family businesses.
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Computer Information Systems
Our comprehensive services include installation and maintenance of hardware, software, and network systems. We can also train your personnel in efficient system operation. We attempt to help each client derive the most out of and best use of existing systems. Too often computer specialists recommend that clients spend money on new systems instead of spending time learning and utilizing the potential of their current systems. Our goal and mission is to help you maximize use of your system in the most efficient manner and to advise when it will be more efficient to change.

The firm has software specialists who have written accounting packages to accommodate the customized needs of our clients. These include recording of stock and bond transactions, oil and gas revenue reporting, oil lease payout packages, and cattle inventory packages. We have demonstrated our ability to produce software to meet client recording and reporting needs. Our computer specialists can also provide support on almost every type of accounting, database, and word processing program currently on the market and can help you customize these programs for your needs. We can also provide customized written documentation or procedure manuals for existing or new systems.

Freemon, Shapard and Story purchased and further refined a registered software package capable of reporting simple accounting needs for individuals as well as the complex accounting and reporting requirements of large commercial organizations. Our computer specialists have extensive experience customizing this program to exactly fit each specific client's needs. We use this system ourselves and support numerous clients including other C.P.A. firms on this system.

We also engage in short term projects such as virus detection and group instruction. Due to volume buying, certain franchises, and our strategic alliances, we are able to pass discounts on hardware and software through to our clients.
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Bookkeeping and Accounting Services
We have a large, very experienced staff in our bookkeeping and accounting department. They provide services to small, medium, and large businesses and to individuals with various needs. We can be your company's outsource for your entire accounting function or for your limited bookkeeping functions, such as reconciling your bank and checkbook balances. Some individuals and businesses use this department as a virtual office. Others use it as an internal audit function and some as a personal secretarial function.

Our bookkeeping and accounting department utilizes commercial software packages and customized software developed by our computer personnel to accommodate clients' special needs or wants. Time and time again, we have demonstrated our ability to meet client recording and reporting needs. We produce reports that have meaning to our clients and that are customized to the extent necessary for each client to easily understand.

This department produces an outsourced service at a value that clients find is not only well below the cost of maintaining their own staff, but is provided at a higher quality professional level.
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Payroll Services
We have a department dedicated to providing high quality, complete payroll service at an exceptional value. The service includes check writing, all government forms and filing requirements, and electronic funds transfers where applicable. Freemon, Shapard and Story payroll services can be integrated directly with your own bookkeeping department or with our outsourced bookkeeping function. The service includes electronic access to information by authorized individuals and customized departmental reports, such as certified payrolls required of certain government contractors. Our payroll service is a great way to handle confidential payrolls and keep the information private.
Back to top

Litigation Support Services and Forensic Accounting
We provide litigation support and forensic accounting services to a variety of law firms and other clients. Because of the nature of this work, we are selective in the engagements we accept. Freemon, Shapard and Story provides services to plaintiffs or defendants. Support services have included asset valuation issues, fraud and embezzlement detection, divorce settlements, reconstruction of records, trust terminations, family dispute settlements, arbitration, loss of income projections on oil and gas wells, and other business ventures. We have been selected by the courts as auditors in complex multi-state business and guardianship issues and our members have been appointed as temporary administrators in intestate situations.
Back to top

Fiduciary Support Services
Our extensive client base has allowed us to develop services related to management support of estates and trusts. We assist trust managers in planning and compliance with complex issues related to intervivos and testamentary trusts including their original funding, operation and ultimate termination.

Along with our accounting and auditing professional education, our specialists also pursue advanced professional education in estate and trust management to stay abreast of the ever-changing fiduciary environment. We particularly pursue advanced education in the various applications of the Texas Trust Code.

Our client base ranges from individual trustees to branch and central trust departments of large national banks.

From time to time, members of our firm have been and are asked to serve in a trustee capacity. We provide these services only when we believe it will be in the best interest of our clients. Providing this service enables the firm to further enhance its knowledge in the estate and trust management area and the investment, management, and distribution of trust assets.
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Charitable Organizations Support Services
We have a broad client base of private foundations, public foundations, health and welfare organizations, public hospitals, and churches. Freemon, Shapard and Story helps managers and directors plan and comply with the enormously complex issues related to these charitable entities. Our expertise comes from decades of practical service and formal educational training. We regularly advise entities in compliance issues, fund raising, grant writing, and event planning and management. As our members regularly serve as officers and board members of these organizations, we have a deep, personal knowledge of their operation and management challenges.
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		Client Services INCOME TAX \| ESTATE & GIFT TAX \| AUDITING & OUTSIDE ACCOUNTING MANAGEMENT ADVISORY \| COMPUTER INFO. \| BOOKKEEPING & ACCOUNTING PAYROLL \| LITIGATION SUPPORT & FORENSIC ACCOUNTING FIDUCIARY SUPPORT \| CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT Commitment to Service The firm has a deep commitment to client service. All personnel are cross-trained in the various tax, auditing, accounting, and consulting areas in which we are engaged prior to their selection of specialty areas of service. We maintain an extensive library, exceed minimum professional education requirements, and have developed a strategic alliance with other professionals, with whom we confer on a regular basis. We believe that we should continue learning throughout our professional lives and view technology as an important tool. However, we still deliver our service in a traditional, personal manner. Income Tax Services Our income tax service goes far beyond simply preparing tax returns. We provide a full range of tax planning and tax management services. Our goal is to guide you in the nuances of tax minimization and tax management in your long- and short-term time horizons. We base our planning approach on both our familiarity with your account and our firm's many years of service to a broad base of clients. We serve all forms of businesses, retirement plans, individuals, fiduciaries, and not-for-profit entities. Our client base encompasses virtually all industries and types of business activities. We have earned a reputation with the Internal Revenue Service for preparing accurate returns. We generally take aggressive, but reasonable, stances on all tax issues. We take additional steps to ensure that income amounts reported on the return agree or reconcile to third party information reported to the Internal Revenue Service. *Back to top* Estate and Gift Tax Services In conjunction with our income tax services, we offer our clients complete estate and gift tax planning and management services. We provide planning and compliance services related to peripheral entities, such as "Qualified Terminable Interest Property Trusts," "Qualified Personal Residence Trusts," "Charitable Lead Trusts," "Charitable Remainder Unitrusts," "Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts," and "Family Limited Partnerships." We have substantial experience with estates of all sizes. We serve those small enough to have no Federal filing requirements and those large enough to be responsible for tens of millions of dollars in tax. Our firm maintains a unique approach to valuation issues related to estate and gift taxes. We generally have a substantial inventory of returns and planning engagements in process. This keeps us in touch with developing and traditional issues and techniques related to asset valuation. Due to our broad base of accounting, auditing, and income tax clients, and our strategic professional alliances, we have been exposed to and helped develop specific valuation plans for a variety of industry and asset groups. We believe that the client should be informed of all valuation options and that the most realistic, aggressive valuation techniques should be used. The firm also provides valuation services to various other professional firms in the area. *Back to top* Auditing and Outside Accounting Services Our accounting and auditing services are traditional as well as progressive and informative. Our goal is to provide a valuable personal service and provide a clear picture of where your business or entity is and where it is heading. We attempt to provide a more personal level of service by returning the majority of our staff to each auditing and outside accounting engagement year after year. By adding to this our concept of training across disciplines we are able to field a multi-disciplined, experienced staff for each engagement. Besides traditional accounting and auditing services, Freemon, Shapard and Story also provides operational auditing services and fraud examination services. *Back to top* Management Advisory Services Freemon, Shapard and Story provides services to start-up companies as well as growing and maturing entities. Our staff is very proactive and quick to anticipate needs or respond to requests. We customize our services to each client and do not attempt to fit your needs with someone else's answers. Our management advisory services include areas such as obtaining financing, budgeting, cash flow planning, compensation and benefit planning, strategic analysis and planning, mergers and acquisitions, transfers of businesses to family members, and sales and purchases of businesses. We have experience in these areas for almost all industries and forms of organizations in this region. Due to our extensive estate planning and compliance department, we are also able to provide unique planning advice for generational transfers of small to large family businesses. *Back to top* Computer Information Systems Our comprehensive services include installation and maintenance of hardware, software, and network systems. We can also train your personnel in efficient system operation. We attempt to help each client derive the most out of and best use of existing systems. Too often computer specialists recommend that clients spend money on new systems instead of spending time learning and utilizing the potential of their current systems. Our goal and mission is to help you maximize use of your system in the most efficient manner and to advise when it will be more efficient to change. The firm has software specialists who have written accounting packages to accommodate the customized needs of our clients. These include recording of stock and bond transactions, oil and gas revenue reporting, oil lease payout packages, and cattle inventory packages. We have demonstrated our ability to produce software to meet client recording and reporting needs. Our computer specialists can also provide support on almost every type of accounting, database, and word processing program currently on the market and can help you customize these programs for your needs. We can also provide customized written documentation or procedure manuals for existing or new systems. Freemon, Shapard and Story purchased and further refined a registered software package capable of reporting simple accounting needs for individuals as well as the complex accounting and reporting requirements of large commercial organizations. Our computer specialists have extensive experience customizing this program to exactly fit each specific client's needs. We use this system ourselves and support numerous clients including other C.P.A. firms on this system. We also engage in short term projects such as virus detection and group instruction. Due to volume buying, certain franchises, and our strategic alliances, we are able to pass discounts on hardware and software through to our clients. *Back to top* Bookkeeping and Accounting Services We have a large, very experienced staff in our bookkeeping and accounting department. They provide services to small, medium, and large businesses and to individuals with various needs. We can be your company's outsource for your entire accounting function or for your limited bookkeeping functions, such as reconciling your bank and checkbook balances. Some individuals and businesses use this department as a virtual office. Others use it as an internal audit function and some as a personal secretarial function. Our bookkeeping and accounting department utilizes commercial software packages and customized software developed by our computer personnel to accommodate clients' special needs or wants. Time and time again, we have demonstrated our ability to meet client recording and reporting needs. We produce reports that have meaning to our clients and that are customized to the extent necessary for each client to easily understand. This department produces an outsourced service at a value that clients find is not only well below the cost of maintaining their own staff, but is provided at a higher quality professional level. *Back to top* Payroll Services We have a department dedicated to providing high quality, complete payroll service at an exceptional value. The service includes check writing, all government forms and filing requirements, and electronic funds transfers where applicable. Freemon, Shapard and Story payroll services can be integrated directly with your own bookkeeping department or with our outsourced bookkeeping function. The service includes electronic access to information by authorized individuals and customized departmental reports, such as certified payrolls required of certain government contractors. Our payroll service is a great way to handle confidential payrolls and keep the information private. *Back to top* Litigation Support Services and Forensic Accounting We provide litigation support and forensic accounting services to a variety of law firms and other clients. Because of the nature of this work, we are selective in the engagements we accept. Freemon, Shapard and Story provides services to plaintiffs or defendants. Support services have included asset valuation issues, fraud and embezzlement detection, divorce settlements, reconstruction of records, trust terminations, family dispute settlements, arbitration, loss of income projections on oil and gas wells, and other business ventures. We have been selected by the courts as auditors in complex multi-state business and guardianship issues and our members have been appointed as temporary administrators in intestate situations. *Back to top* Fiduciary Support Services Our extensive client base has allowed us to develop services related to management support of estates and trusts. We assist trust managers in planning and compliance with complex issues related to intervivos and testamentary trusts including their original funding, operation and ultimate termination. Along with our accounting and auditing professional education, our specialists also pursue advanced professional education in estate and trust management to stay abreast of the ever-changing fiduciary environment. We particularly pursue advanced education in the various applications of the Texas Trust Code. Our client base ranges from individual trustees to branch and central trust departments of large national banks. From time to time, members of our firm have been and are asked to serve in a trustee capacity. We provide these services only when we believe it will be in the best interest of our clients. Providing this service enables the firm to further enhance its knowledge in the estate and trust management area and the investment, management, and distribution of trust assets. *Back to top* Charitable Organizations Support Services We have a broad client base of private foundations, public foundations, health and welfare organizations, public hospitals, and churches. Freemon, Shapard and Story helps managers and directors plan and comply with the enormously complex issues related to these charitable entities. Our expertise comes from decades of practical service and formal educational training. We regularly advise entities in compliance issues, fund raising, grant writing, and event planning and management. As our members regularly serve as officers and board members of these organizations, we have a deep, personal knowledge of their operation and management challenges. *Back to top*