I am not just your ordinary tax guy.
Let’s face it, everybody know what a tax guy does: gathers information from clients, then prepares (individual, corporate, partnership, estate, etc) tax returns.
So – REALLY – what on earth sets me apart?
Glad you asked! Now, I could give you a whole laundry list of services I offer and describe them in great detail…but you’d never read it and if you did it would put you to sleep. So, instead, let me tell you a story…my story. This will not be a short story, but I hope it will be much more interesting than some impersonal laundry list!
First of all, I like my clients. Really. And most of them I would actually consider to be friends. In fact, most of my clients actually enjoy coming to their appointments and getting their taxes done. I like to return phone calls and e-mails. I like seeing my clients come through the door and meeting with them.
I’ve learned A LOT over the years…
You see, my first job out of college was in aerospace. I was responsible for literally hundreds of millions of dollars of payments to subcontractors and vendors. The experience was invaluable. I was in the executive “fast-track” program. I was good. However, I worked in a cubicle. Inside with no windows… and I hated it. I like people, and my contact with fellow humans was limited. As luck would have it, around that time, I was visiting a buddy of mine who I worked with. His wife worked from home as a tax preparer. As I observed her and got to know more about her business, I was hooked. I had found my life’s calling. I could use my talent with numbers while still interacting and helping people. And, remember, unlike many tax preparers, I actually like people. I immediately started working for a CPA, and soon thereafter, I was working for a small, but highly regarded, tax preparation firm. I loved it. And then…
I ventured out on my own. Initially, I worked out of my house in Palmdale. Within a few years, though, I had grown too big for the spare bedroom. Virtually of all my growth was via word-of-mouth. I opened up an office in Lancaster which I maintained for ten years. A few years ago, though, I decided to move to Valencia to be near my children. As I was house hunting, I decided to work out of the house again. With the size of my practice, I’m not so sure that was such a swell idea. But I really liked the commute! In the long run, though, I needed to get another commercial office here, which I just did. I’m at the Mammoth Professional building at the junction of the 5 and the 126. It’s a beautiful building – you’ll like it when you come by.
Look, I know taxes, by themselves, are not fun. It has always been my goal to create an atmosphere of calmness. Yes, it’s possible to come in, work hard, and not get stressed out! I will walk you through all the processes necessary to minimize your taxes. I will offer advice on areas to lower your taxes, or minimize your audit exposure. Oftentimes, I am more friend than advisor on these matters.
I train hard so you can sleep well and have peace of mind!
I’m going to switch gears for a minute. Tax rules are complex and, despite Congress telling us that everything they do falls under the category of “tax simplification” (sure, we believe that), the average American simply cannot keep up with all the rules. It would take hours and hours and thousands of dollars to keep up on an annual basis. Well, at my firm, I ACTUALLY SPEND HOURS AND HOURS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EACH YEAR on tax seminars and research materials so you can sleep at night knowing that you are in good hands! Don’t you want to be with a firm that commits that many resources to knowing all the ins and outs of tax laws?
I don’t want to be like everyone else!
Someone brilliant once said “if all you do is what everyone else in your industry does, then you’ll never be any better than the rest of your industry”. I pride myself on NOT being like everyone else. I listen. I return phone calls. I actually care…a LOT….about my clients. I treat my clients like family. Coming to my office is NOT like going to the dentist…no Novocain needed! I communicate regularly with my clients (and vice-versa). When you get a bill from my office, you can actually tell what I did (as opposed to the one-liners you usually get).
So, now what?
I hope this story was a bit entertaining and informative. Like I said at the beginning, my intention was to give you a flavor for why we use the slogan “Not Your Ordinary Tax Guy”. To merely list out all the “services” I perform would be boring and you already know them anyway (and if you don’t, you can call us faster than reading down some long list!).
If you are already a client, THANK YOU!! If you are NOT a client, no pressure. This story is being told for telling purposes only. I only hope that you found my story interesting. I do not hustle or hassle people in any way. It’s too small a town for that. All of my growth has come from word of mouth. I enjoy a fabulous reputation and want to maintain that for many years to come. If I can ever be of service to you, it would be my pleasure to assist you in any way possible.
