Hallmarks of our Audit Approach

• We believe that high-quality audits, in fact and perception, are essential to the growth of financial markets. With that goal in mind, Dunne and Walsh has pledged to maintain the integrity of our audit process. Our professionals are highly sensitized to the need to maintain objectivity and independence. Moreover, our audits are led by partners who are heavily involved in the engagements and staffed by individuals with the appropriate level of skill and knowledge of our clients' businesses. Each audit also has a suitable level of independent technical oversight.
• We recognize the benefits of a planned, proactive approach. In that regard, we identify possible areas of risk that might require special attention. This advance planning also typically results in an efficient audit process.
• Our integrated audits for public companies combine the financial statement audit with an attestation regarding the effectiveness of a company's internal control over financial reporting. Our approach to these integrated audits reflects the top-down, risk-based methodology advocated by regulators as a way to make audits more efficient without losing the benefits of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
• Many aspects of assurance services benefit from industry experience. For example, audits of general-purpose financial statements may require industry experience to understand the full implications of accounting standards and risk assessments. Dunne and Walsh has experience advising clients of risks and opportunities that are unique to their industries. We have professionals experienced in real estate, not-for-profit, technology, retail, and financial services and other industries. We bring our experience to bear in both our audits of financial statements and in our advisory role.

For non-audit clients, we provide advisory services to assist with the internal control reporting requirements established by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Some private companies and not-for-profit organizations have followed the example set by public companies and voluntarily undertaken similar initiatives to enhance their internal controls. Dunne and Walsh's Risk Advisory Services group has trained professionals to help management with these initiatives by providing some perspective on what regulators and auditors expect in this difficult and changing arena.

International Tax Consulting

While businesses devote considerable resources toward minimizing domestic taxes, many organizations spend significantly less effort on reducing foreign taxes – even though their effective tax rates are frequently higher than the U.S. tax rate. In addition, multinational companies are not paying as close attention to transfer pricing and treaty shopping issues – during a time when many foreign revenue authorities are especially focused on those issues.

Without careful planning, a company's earnings could be depleted by additional tax costs and the costs of defending tax cases.

Dunne and Walsh’s Tax Consulting practice offers a wide range of services to assist companies navigate international rules to identify risks and opportunities. Our services include (as related to both inbound and outbound tax planning):

• Basic Structuring: Choosing among branch and subsidiary, tax-efficient acquisitions and joint ventures, financing and utilizing foreign losses.
• Sophisticated Structuring: Location and use of holding, service and intellectual property companies; tax arbitrage; treaty planning; hybrid planning; and effective use of low-tax jurisdictions.
• Risk Management & Compliance: Transfer pricing reviews, compliance and reporting.
• Profit Realization: Dividends and foreign tax credits and planning for sales and flotations.

We can also advise clients on using new financing ideas for tax-effective repatriation and financing; moving intellectual property revenue streams to tax-friendly jurisdictions; and organizing and streamlining tax functions.

Private Client Tax Services

Dunne and Walsh’s Private Client Tax Services practice helps clients achieve their goals through a wide range of services, including compliance, sophisticated estate planning and business succession planning. In addition to providing planning guidance to individuals and families, we also provide services to not-for-profit entities and their beneficiaries and to clients who have created private foundations.

Our experienced professionals advise clients on income, estate, trust, cash flow, retirement, personal insurance and charitable planning, in addition to preparation of tax compliance associated with family planning structures.

Our Team

The Private Client Tax Services practice is comprised of professionals with deep backgrounds and experience in estate tax, income tax, gift tax, trust tax planning, charitable giving planning, executive compensation and benefits and life insurance planning. Our team members have the insight and knowledge needed to help clients address their personal tax and financial circumstances, lifestyle decisions and philanthropic motivations.

Our Services

We can assist with:

• Estate Planning - We work with family members to determine the client’s goals with respect to the distribution of family wealth, whether private or charitable. Planning activities typically include estate tax projections, liquidity analysis and suggestion of planning ideas that may reduce wealth transfer taxes. We also can advise on business succession planning and structuring the acquisition of life insurance.
• Income and Gift Tax Planning - Overlooking the need to monitor income tax issues associated with trusts and estates can result in missed opportunities. When sophisticated transactions are involved, we can assist clients in areas such as stock-option planning, like-kind exchanges, involuntary conversions, family limited partnerships, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, exchanges of life insurance policies and annuities, retirement planning and minimum required distribution planning.
• Charitable Planning - We can assist clients with philanthropic desires by providing planning concerning the formation, operation and reporting in connection with private foundations, public charities, supporting organizations, donor-advised funds, charitable remainder trusts and charitable lead trusts. We can also advise family members regarding the deductibility of various contributions to charitable entities for income, estate and gift tax purposes.