Tax Strategy Lead
Sarah Chen
Tax strategy lead at TaxScout focused on multi-state filings, pass-through entity planning, and the operational side of compliance.
Areas of expertise
- Tax Strategy
- Multi-state filings
- IRS compliance
- Pass-through entities
About
Sarah leads TaxScout's tax-strategy editorial. She has spent ten years inside CPA firms ranging from a 4-partner regional practice in Sacramento to a top-100 multi-office firm — most of that time on multi-state pass-through filings, PTET elections, and the operational changes that turn a tax season from a fire drill into a process.
Her work for the TaxScout blog focuses on what actually changes outcomes at a firm: the workflow before the return is touched, the review patterns that catch the 5%-tax-credit kind of error that compounds across hundreds of clients, and the operational habits that compound into a competitive practice. She writes the articles you'd want a partner to read before tax season — not the generic 'top 10 deductions' content that fills the rest of the internet.
Sarah's categories: tax strategy, multi-state compliance, IRS form guidance, and state-revenue-department coverage. When you see her byline on a TaxScout post touching tax law or forms, it has been reviewed against primary sources (IRS, Treasury, state revenue agencies) before publishing.
Recent articles by Sarah Chen
Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust Listed Transaction: What CPA Firms Must Do Now
The IRS published final regulations on July 9, 2026, officially designating certain charitable remainder annuity trust (CRAT) transactions as listed transactions. CPA firms with high-net-worth clients, nonprofit advisees, or estate planning engagements face immediate disclosure obligations and stiff penalties for non-compliance. Here is the operational breakdown every firm owner needs this week.
newsQualified Domestic Trust Regulations Under Section 2056A Revised by IRS
The IRS published final regulations on July 10, 2026, revising the Qualified Domestic Trust rules under Section 2056A to eliminate outdated references and modernize filing procedures. CPA firms with clients who have noncitizen spouses in estate plans need to review open files now. Here is what changed, who it affects, and a short action checklist for this week.
newsIncrease in Threshold for Requiring Information Reporting
On July 2, 2026, the IRS published a hearing notice for proposed regulations (REG-113229-25) that would raise the dollar thresholds triggering 1099 information reporting and backup withholding for trade or business payments. CPA firms serving self-employed clients, S-corps, partnerships, and nonprofits need to understand the operational implications now — before the public comment window closes.
guideThe Best CPA Firm Software Stack
Most CPA firms don't have a software problem — they have a software sprawl problem. Seven subscriptions, zero integration, and more manual work than ever before. This guide breaks down how to build a connected CPA firm software stack designed to actually work together.
guideThe Silent Killer of Tax Firm Retention: Why Intake Communication is Breaking Your Workflow
Most CPA firms analyze churn after clients leave — but the damage starts at intake. Discover why your first communication touchpoints are silently eroding retention and what to do about it. Fix the intake gap and clients stay before they ever think of leaving.
guideCPA Software Price Hikes: Private Equity's Tax Practice Squeeze
Private equity acquisitions of major accounting software vendors are squeezing CPA firms with annual price hikes, punishing per-user pricing, and bundled ecosystems designed to trap you. The firms winning this battle are the ones that audit their stack before renewal season — not during it. Here's how to take back control of your tech margins.
Editorial standards
Every article on TaxScout, regardless of byline, follows the same evidentiary standards. The byline reflects topical authority — who on our editorial team is responsible for the category — not single-author writing.
Primary sources only
Tax law and IRS form claims link to IRS.gov, Treasury, state revenue agencies, Cornell LII, or the AICPA — never third-party summaries.
Numbers we can verify
Product claims come from our codebase; competitor pricing comes from each vendor's public pricing page and is dated when cited.
Updated, not abandoned
Articles touching tax-year-specific guidance carry a visible "Updated" date and `dateModified` Schema.org property when revised.
Found a factual error?
Email [email protected] with the article slug and the correction. Sarah Chen reviews flagged corrections for their categories.