What We Do

Advisory Services

Three stages. One sequence. Assessment, Stabilization, and Advisory move CFOs from an evidence-based baseline to standing governance — built for finance leaders who need payroll risk treated as the financial control issue it actually is.

The PSI™ Framework

Assessment → Stabilization → Advisory

Payroll risk doesn’t get fixed in one engagement. It gets identified, quantified, prioritized, and governed — in that order. The framework moves CFOs through three stages. Engagements are fixed-fee, scoped in a 30-minute confidential review; ongoing advisory runs on a monthly retainer.

01 — Assessment
PSI™ Assessment
Fixed fee · 3-week turnaround
Establish the evidence-based baseline across 47 checkpoints. The CFO’s entry point. Scores payroll exposure across the dimensions PE operating partners and external auditors actually probe: multi-state nexus, worker classification, controls maturity, vendor and system risk, and process documentation. Deliverable: an evidence-based governance baseline with findings ranked by financial impact, written in language a CFO can present internally without translation.
When it fits: New CFO seat, multi-state expansion, pre-raise readiness, board exposure questions, or any CFO who wants a defensible baseline.
02 — Stabilization
PSI™ Stabilization
Fixed fee · 4–6 weeks
Prioritize and govern remediation with owners, sequencing, and evidence requirements. Translates Assessment findings into a sequenced remediation plan with control recommendations tied to existing audit and diligence frameworks — not a custom invention. The plan you hand internal teams and external partners.
When it fits: The Assessment surfaced material findings that warrant a structured, governed response.
03 — Advisory
PSI™ Advisory
Monthly retainer · 12-month minimum
Maintain visibility, evidence discipline, and executive governance over time. Quarterly PSI™ rescoring, control evidence review, regulatory change monitoring, board-ready summaries, and direct CFO access on emerging exposure.
When it fits: Stabilization is complete, or an existing controls foundation needs ongoing governance across CFO transitions, multi-state expansion, and the years between diligence cycles.
What’s Not Included

ValuGuard does not process payroll. We do not sell software. We do not take a back-end fee from the payroll provider. We are an advisory firm — paid by the company, accountable to the CFO, with no other party in the room.

Who We Serve

Built for High-Stakes Operators

ValuGuard works where payroll risk carries real financial and reputational consequence.

Private Equity Sponsors
Pre-acquisition due diligence, portfolio company monitoring, and pre-exit clearance. Payroll liability at the wrong moment destroys deal value — the PSI™ helps leadership identify and govern that exposure before a transaction, audit, or control failure raises the stakes.
Mid-Market CFOs
Governance frameworks and ongoing advisory for finance leaders who need payroll risk treated as a financial control issue — not a back-office afterthought.
Get Started

Start with the PSI™ Snapshot

Complete the free PSI™ Snapshot for an immediate directional view across five governance pillars. The Snapshot is not the formal PSI score. Or book a confidential review to scope the full, evidence-based Assessment.

Get My Free PSI™ Snapshot Book a Confidential Review