Tax Strategist or CPA?

[Brett Riemensnider]

Hello everyone. Seeking advice for my situation. I currently hold a W-2 job, small investments (ROTH IRA, mutual funds) along with my rental property that I purchased a year and a half ago.

I know there are many tax benefits with real estate and want to take full advantage of my tax breaks to minimize my taxes. 

With being still in the beginning stages of being an investor the question is, tax strategist or a CPA? Last year I went the tax strategist route, communication and explanations of everything was very minimal and cost me $800. I'm not trying to be cheap if it's not the smart route, however the services I received for what I have seemed like maybe it was overkill and not informative. Am I getting ahead of myself by paying this much for my taxes to be done when I only have 1 rental? Please advise. Thanks in advance experts! 

[Michael Plaks]

Quote from @Brett Riemensnider:

Hello everyone. Seeking advice for my situation. I currently hold a W-2 job, small investments (ROTH IRA, mutual funds) along with my rental property that I purchased a year and a half ago.

I know there are many tax benefits with real estate and want to take full advantage of my tax breaks to minimize my taxes. 

With being still in the beginning stages of being an investor the question is, tax strategist or a CPA? Last year I went the tax strategist route, communication and explanations of everything was very minimal and cost me $800. I'm not trying to be cheap if it's not the smart route, however the services I received for what I have seemed like maybe it was overkill and not informative. Am I getting ahead of myself by paying this much for my taxes to be done when I only have 1 rental? Please advise. Thanks in advance experts! 

There is no such distinction as CPA vs Tax strategist.  CPA is a license, Tax strategist is a self-assigned label.  There're 20+ tax accountants on this forum.  We all consult on tax strategies, so each of us can call himself/herself a Tax Strategist. Some of us hold CPA licenses, some hold EA licenses which is basically the same. Here is more detail:
https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51-tax-legal-issues-con...

And here's a helpful look at what you get by hiring a tax professional:
https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51/topics/1088325-expla...

If you feel confused about what tax benefits are available to you, sometimes one consultation is enough, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. When your business grows, maybe then you would need more support.