About Talara

Tax gets more complex.
The answers shouldn't.

The hard part stays on our side of the table.

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Why Talara

The expertise you need. The responsiveness you expect.

We started Talara after years of advising founders and growing companies. We kept seeing the same pattern: the tax work was complex, but getting good advice shouldn't be.

So we built a boutique practice where experienced advisors work directly with clients, communicate clearly, and stay involved throughout the year. The technical complexity stays on our side of the table.

Jess Holt

Founder · EA, MS Tax · McConnell Jones

More than a decade advising founders, owners, and growing companies — from venture-backed startups and C corporations to flow-through entities and founder-level planning. She keeps the advice clear, practical, and actionable.

More than a decade advising founders and growing companies — from venture-backed startups and C corporations to flow-through entities and founder-level planning.

“For founders, the company's taxes and their own are the same conversation.”

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Ludmila Hermanovich

Founder · CPA, MS Tax · PwC

Nearly two decades with startups, founder-led businesses, and growing companies — focused on the decisions that shape tax outcomes long before a return is filed. Her work spans R&D credits, QSBS, tax provision, and multi-state compliance, kept practical and clear.

Nearly two decades with startups and founder-led businesses — R&D credits, QSBS, tax provision, and multi-state compliance, kept practical and clear.

“The technical work is ours to carry. A clear answer is what you should actually get.”

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In practice

Examples from recent engagements

A few situations that illustrate the type of work we do every day. Details changed for confidentiality.

R&D credits

A SaaS company claiming R&D credits for the first time

We built the §41 study around their engineering payroll and set up documentation that would hold up under exam — before the credit was ever claimed.

State & local

A DTC brand that had crossed nexus in eight states without noticing

We mapped where sales had created filing obligations, handled the registrations, and put sales-tax automation in place so it wouldn't happen again.

International

A startup hiring its first engineer in Germany

We flagged the permanent-establishment and payroll-registration risk before the offer went out, and structured the arrangement to avoid a costly surprise.

Founder tax

A founder approaching the §1202 five-year mark

We confirmed the holding period and active-business test early, so the QSBS exemption would actually be there when it mattered.

Compliance

A foreign-owned US subsidiary behind on Form 5472

We brought the filings current and set a calendar so the $25,000-per-form penalties never came up again.

Owner planning

A founder taking a first round of secondary

We modeled the personal tax hit, coordinated estimated payments, and connected the company decision to the owner's return.

A note from Talara

Tax advice is personal

Every business is different, but most questions come down to the same thing: making decisions with incomplete information.

Our job isn't just to prepare returns. It's to help you understand the tradeoffs, identify risks early, and move forward with confidence.

We're here to be a resource throughout the year — not just when a deadline is approaching.

Get started

Let's start with a conversation.

Most engagements begin with a short conversation. We'll learn about your company, answer initial questions, and tell you where we think we can help.

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