Tax burden saved
$100M+
Lifetime tax dollars protected through proactive strategy — planning that compounds year after year.
Archer Avenue · Chicago EA
Stop treating tax preplike the strategy.
Bookkeeping and returns are commodities. Own the after-tax dollars — with tax strategy, Virtual CFO, and business architecture built for generational wealth.
Principal-led by Zenon McHugh, EA, MST·6515 W. Archer Ave.
Affiliations & credentials
Results that matter
Numbers built over nearly two decades of client work.
Growth-minded owners choose Chicago EA for strategy that protects after-tax dollars — not commodity filing season alone.
Tenure
18+
years
years of tax & advisory depth
Scale
25,000+
tax returns filed
40%+
of clients nationwide
Principal depth
EA + MST counsel
IRS representation with University of Illinois tax depth.
Engagement clarity
Fixed-rate options
Know the scope for ongoing advisory before you commit.
Dedicated bench
Multi-employee firm
A real team behind the strategy — not a solo queue.
Pathways
Virtual CFO + strategy
From Archer Avenue — board-level clarity all year.
Zenon McHugh
EA, MST · CEO & Principal
Principal
Strategy from someone who can walk into the IRS — and the boardroom.
“Commodity compliance is table stakes. The product is after-tax dollars that compound across generations.”
Enrolled Agent authorized to represent taxpayers before the IRS. Master of Science in Taxation (University of Illinois). Bachelor’s in Accounting (DePaul). Zenon leads Chicago EA’s tax strategy, Virtual CFO, and business architecture practice — pairing federal tax authority with SMB-ready counsel.
IRS representation
Enrolled Agent authority to represent taxpayers before the IRS — audits, collections, and appeals included.
MST · University of Illinois
Master of Science in Taxation — depth beyond a CPA checklist when the planning question gets hard.
Accounting · DePaul
Undergraduate accounting foundation that keeps strategy grounded in books that actually balance.
Relationship-led advisory
SMB owners and multi-employee firms who want a principal in the room — not a rotating tax prep queue.
Home base
6515 W. Archer Ave.
Chicago, IL 60638
Chicago roots · national reach
On Archer Avenue — and with 40%+ of clients nationwide.
We are built for growth-minded SMB owners and multi-employee firms who have outgrown commodity prep. You get a principal-led tax and advisory relationship — whether you walk through our Chicago door or join a client roster that already spans the country.
- Strategy conversations that go beyond filing — entity, cash flow, and multi-year tax design.
- Virtual CFO clarity for owners who need board-level numbers without a full-time CFO hire.
- Same EA authority and MST depth whether you are local or across state lines.
Pathways for owners
How we help you keep more of what you earn
Most firms sell April. We sell the rest of the year — entity design, cash-flow discipline, proactive tax planning, and Virtual CFO clarity that compounds for multi-employee SMBs ready for strategy beyond commodity prep.
- 01
Tax Strategy
Proactive planning that shrinks lifetime tax burden — not just April filing.
Entity choices, timing, credits, and multi-year modeling so you keep more of what you earn — all year, every year.
Explore - 02
Virtual CFO
Board-level financial clarity without a full-time CFO salary.
Cash-flow discipline, KPI visibility, and tax-aware decisions for owners who have outgrown “just the books.”
Explore - 03
Business Architecture
Entity, cash flow, and operating design built for after-tax growth.
Structure the business so wealth compounds — for the next quarter and the next generation.
Explore - 04
Accounting
Clean books and reporting — the foundation, never the whole strategy.
Accurate ledgers and decision-ready reporting. Compliance as the floor; strategy as the product.
Explore - 05
Financial Liaison
Bank, lender, capital — with your story clear.
We sit in the room when capital conversations need numbers that hold up — and a narrative that matches your growth plan.
- 06
Automation
Ops that free your team.
Workflow and AI-assisted operations that reduce busywork — so your team spends time on decisions, not data wrangling.
Craft and clarity on Archer Avenue
Positioning
Commodities vs. strategy.
Anyone can file. Few will sit in the planning seat with EA authority and MST-level tax depth — then stay for Virtual CFO clarity all year.
The Chicago EA way
Built in the city. Trusted nationwide.
Process
From first call to fixed-rate clarity
A short, intentional pathway. No mystery fees. Strategy first — compliance always covered.
- 01
Discover
A real conversation about goals, entity, cash flow, and tax pain — not a form dump.
- 02
Diagnose
We map levers: compliance gaps, planning opportunities, and where a Virtual CFO lens pays off.
- 03
Fixed-scope plan
Clear recommendations and a fixed-rate quote where it fits — know the engagement before you commit.
- 04
Ongoing advisory
Tax strategy, reporting, and architecture that stay with you past filing season.
People
The team behind the strategy
Real faces from Archer Avenue — principal-led, delivery-supported.
Zenon McHugh
CEO & Principal · EA, MST
Enrolled Agent authorized to represent taxpayers before the IRS. Master of Science in Taxation (University of Illinois). Bachelor’s in Accounting (DePaul). Zenon leads Chicago EA’s tax strategy, Virtual CFO, and business architecture practice — pairing federal tax authority with SMB-ready counsel.
Sara Tomazin
CO CEO
Co-leads firm operations and client experience so strategy conversations stay sharp and delivery stays consistent.
Kelli Grey
Accountant
Keeps the numbers clean and decision-ready — books, reconciliations, and reporting that leadership can trust.
Jon McHugh
Accountant
Supports accounting and tax execution so clients get accurate filings and timely follow-through all year.
Sara Tomazin, Kelli Grey, Jon McHugh partner with Zenon on operations and accounting so clients get both strategic counsel and reliable day-to-day execution.
Manifesto
Generational wealth is designed — not hoped for in April.
We architect the books, the entity, the cash flow, and the tax plan so owners build something that outlasts a filing season.
FAQ
Answers owners ask first
What is an Enrolled Agent — and how is that different from a CPA?+
An Enrolled Agent (EA) is a federally licensed tax practitioner authorized by the U.S. Treasury to represent taxpayers before the IRS on any tax matter. CPAs are state-licensed and often strong on audit and broader accounting. Zenon McHugh is an EA with a Master of Science in Taxation — so Chicago EA leads with deep federal tax authority and planning, not commodity form-filling.
Isn’t bookkeeping and tax prep enough?+
Those are commodities. Useful — but incomplete. Chicago EA treats compliance as the floor, then builds tax strategy, Virtual CFO insight, and business architecture so you keep more after-tax dollars and design the business for generational wealth — not just another filing season.
Who is Virtual CFO for?+
Owners who have outgrown “just the books” but aren’t ready (or don’t need) a full-time CFO. You get recurring financial clarity, cash-flow discipline, KPI visibility, and tax-aware decisions — at a fixed-rate scope we quote after discovery.
How does pricing work?+
We start with discovery, then diagnose gaps, then quote a fixed-rate engagement for ongoing advisory where it fits — or hourly when that’s the better fit. You know the scope before you commit. No surprise April scramble.
Do you only serve Chicago?+
We’re based on Archer Avenue in Chicago and serve local SMBs closely — and more than 40% of our clients work with us nationwide. Strategy and Virtual CFO travel well; compliance stays precise either way.
How do I get started?+
Call (312) 620-1900 or book a conversation. We’ll learn your goals, map tax and cash-flow levers, and propose a clear next step. Existing clients use the client portal for secure document exchange — prospects start with a human conversation.
Next step
Ready for tax strategy that outlasts April?
Call now or book a conversation. Existing clients use the client portal; new conversations start with a call or email.
Book / Contact
Start the conversation
Prefer to schedule? Call us or leave your details — we’ll follow up.
Call(312) 620-1900Emailoffice@chicagoea.com
Visit6515 W. Archer Ave., Chicago, IL 60638
Book a conversation
Call or email and we’ll find a time that works. Existing clients can also use the portal.