Not immediately. Many clients start with Foundation and run it in parallel for 60 days while we get the books current and your reporting cycle established. Once you see the difference, the transition is straightforward — we coordinate directly with your prior firm to pull files, prior returns, and any open items.

It's the most common starting point. We quote a flat-fee Catch-Up & Clean-Up project before the monthly subscription begins — typically $1,500 to $4,500 depending on how far back we need to go and how clean the bank feeds are. You'll see the price upfront before we start any work. Monthly bookkeeping doesn't begin until your books are current.

Devereaux & Co is the CPA firm — Tax, Bookkeeping, Payroll, and Fractional CFO services regulated by the AICPA. Deliberate Achievement is the operating partner — AI sales automation, business coaching, and back-office systems. We work as a single integrated team, but the legal and licensing structures are separate. You sign one engagement letter; we handle the rest.

Ross's CPA license is in Michigan, which specifically governs CPA-attest work — preparation of financial statements he'll issue a formal opinion on, such as Reviewed or Audited financials. For everything else — tax preparation, bookkeeping, advisory, payroll, and growth services — we work with clients across roughly 18 states today, with payroll-compliance experience in 45. Most of the work is done remotely through a secure document portal and video calls. Our office is in Jackson, MI, but your geography rarely changes the engagement.

Most firms are reactive — you get a tax return once a year and a bill once a month. We operate like an outsourced finance department: monthly closes by the 15th, quarterly strategy reviews, an AI-powered lead engine, and a CFO-level conversation about your numbers every month at the Growth tier and above. Same compliance work, but plugged into a system designed to grow your top line — not just file your forms.

Start with the Practice Audit — $1,500 flat, two weeks, three calls. You walk away with a written report, three quantified opportunities, and a recommended 90-day priority. If we don't surface 10× the audit fee in identified annual impact, the audit fee is credited toward your first month or refunded. No commitment beyond that.

Ross signs every return personally. The Devereaux team handles bookkeeping and payroll directly — no offshore outsourcing. Deliberate Achievement builds and maintains the AI automation stack. Every client has a single point of contact and direct access to Ross at the Growth and Operating Partner tiers.

The 20-minute conversation can usually happen within a week. From there, full onboarding for Foundation takes 10–14 days. Growth and Operating Partner buildouts take 30–45 days because of the automation and CFO setup work. We'll give you a written project plan with milestone dates before any payment is collected.