Amanda McWatty and Brooke Skinner with McCay Kiddy

As the tax deadline approaches, many are feeling overwhelmed with a process already deemed stressful but now made even more so, thanks to the uncertainty of 2020 and COVID-19. .Few families, business owners and professionals have had the opportunity to comb through ever-changing stimulus plans, the CARES Act, PPP loans and other programs. Yet, here we are, preparing taxes for a year that will not soon be forgotten while simultaneously navigating 2021 and its unique challenges.

McCay Kiddy, Charleston’s premier group of certified public accountants and advisors, was ahead of the game when they set out to lead the industry with a more proactive relationship and education-driven approach. They knew the CPA/client relationship of yesteryear just wasn’t cutting it anymore. Of course, they may never have imagined what 2020 had in store, but McCay Kiddy changed the game prior to the global pandemic and the accounting and tax difficulties that have inevitably ensued. It’s this foresight and their desire to set their clients up for success that make working with McCay Kiddy a true partnership.

Just over five years ago, McCay Kiddy created an advanced planning tax platform that allowed their clients to work with a team of tax professionals 365 days a year, not just at tax deadline time. “Instead of pushing annual tax forms, we take one year to prepare for tax time and make sure the proper moves are in place. In this year-long relationship with clients, we can help them determine where their dollars can make the most impact in their overall financial plan to build wealth,” said Brooke Skinner, tax manager. Given the many ways that McCay Kiddy prioritizes quality over quantity and aims to be proactive instead of reactive, Skinner is grateful that this approach improves the tax season experience for her as well as her clients.

Working alongside Skinner and partner Justin Kiddy is the newest member of the McCay Kiddy tax team, Amanda McWatty. She adds another pillar to allow McCay Kiddy to further expand their proactive tax service program. These trusted professionals of McCay Kiddy make themselves available throughout the year to take the pressure off of tax season by doing annual planning and tax projection well in advance of next year’s deadline. “When you do tax planning each fall and can accurately project what a client’s tax return is going to look like before the year is over, then there is time to make subtle changes, and the sting of a tax bill surprise or anxiety is alleviated,” said McWatty.

McWatty, Skinner and the team of accounting professionals at McCay Kiddy partner with their clients, guide them in ways that make a difference year after year and rise to the occasion when lives, jobs, families, and/or businesses inevitably change. Backed by their “heart of a teacher” philosophy and their belief that their clients are more than numbers, their advanced planning program raises the bar in a very reactive industry. Motivated by making a difference, helping businesses stay open and ensuring that families make it through the toughest of times, McCay Kiddy is dedicated to seeing their clients to a better tomorrow.