Jeff Belingheri and his team have an amazing ability to talk “business.” They are skilled, strategic, and thorough – top-notch quality CPAs.
But perhaps most impressively, they are easy to talk to – they understand business. Jeff and his staff have expertise in various investments, ownership transitions, and other unique tax situations. As a result, they are incredibly well-positioned to support complex needs and provide sage counsel.
Zumifi enjoys a great reciprocal relationship with BCo. Both entities smoothly and efficiently share financial data in our combined efforts to provide excellent services to our mutual clients!
Recently, we caught up with BCo’s Managing Partner, Jeff Belingheri.
What can you tell us about Bregante + Company LLP?
Jeff: What separates us from most other CPA firms is that we view our clients as long-term business partners and friends. We are dedicated to each client’s success and committed to building a professional advisor team that best serves their unique needs. So whether Bregante + Company LLP or some other professional, making the recommendation in any particular circumstance is not a concern; getting the right answer for our client is.
How do you work with Zumifi?
Jeff: We refer clients who need bookkeeping/accounting assistance and choose not to have a full-time in-house bookkeeper/controller/CFO on staff. After the relationship is established, we work together on year-end tax planning and closing the books after year-end so that we can prepare the income tax returns.
What do you appreciate most about working with Zumifi?
Jeff: Zumifi is extremely knowledgeable regarding Quickbooks and accounting. They are dependable and accurate. Melinda and her team take great care of our clients, so we are always confident in referring new clients because we know their financial needs will be professionally managed. Furthermore, Zumifi understands and appreciates our work on the tax planning and preparation side for our mutual clients.
What KPIs matter in your business?
Jeff: Chargeable hours and realizability – Realizability means the percentage of chargeable hours that get billed to the client (i.e., if it takes 100 hours to prepare a tax return for a particular client and we bill them 90 hours, we are 90% realizable on that client).
Did you have a mentor?
Jeff: Ray Bregante (the founder of BCo) was a mentor when I joined BCo until around 1996, when he retired. While I do not have a mentor, I continue to learn a lot from some of my client’s presidents/CEOs of their respective businesses.
How do you network?
Jeff: Generally, one-on-one lunch meetings with attorneys, financial advisors, bankers, etc. The initial contact is often because they work with my clients, but often, it is existing professional relationships making introductions to other professionals (as Zumifi has done on numerous occasions).
What was the best thing that happened to you this past week? Why?
Jeff: Worked with a client to put together the skeleton of a plan to offer his employees so that they can buy his company and he can retire.
What part of your daily routine do you enjoy most? Why?
Jeff: The part when I go home and see my family! The second most enjoyable part of my day is when I get to interact with clients, especially if we are working on a transaction of some sort other than tax compliance work (i.e., mergers/acquisitions, business succession planning, estate planning, real estate deals, etc.).