Ruben Valdes, EA, USTCP

Where do you reside?
Austin, Texas

What got you involved in the tax profession?
I grew up in the accounting world. My mother was an accountant, and from an early age, I saw firsthand the impact that good financial/tax guidance can have on a family’s life. That early exposure turned into a lifelong passion for helping people navigate the tax system with confidence and integrity.

What is your day job?
I’m an enrolled agent (EA) and a United States (U.S.) Tax Court Practitioner (USTCP). I lead a national tax resolution firm, National Tax Problem Solutions, and I’m also the founder of Latin Tax Academy, where we train Latino professionals to build successful careers in the tax industry.

Where do you see the tax profession going in the future?
We’re seeing far more complex tax issues today—clients investing across borders, forming entities, and navigating multilayered compliance requirements. The profession is evolving from basic preparation and advice into real problem-solving. While automation will take care of routine filings, the demand for professionals who can interpret, strategize, and represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will continue to grow. The future tax professional will be a true problem solver—part strategist, part advocate, and entirely focused on mastering the tax landscape.

What inspires you?
I’m inspired by people who start with nothing yet refuse to give up. I see that same spirit in my students at the Latin Tax Academy—individuals who come to this country chasing opportunities, often facing language barriers and uncertainty, but still determined to build a better future. They remind me of my mother, whose
perseverance shaped not only my career but my purpose. Every success story I see motivates me to keep opening doors for others.

What are you most proud of personally or professionally?
What makes me most proud is seeing the ripple effect of the work I’ve done. Watching students who once doubted themselves become respected tax professionals, or seeing a taxpayer finally get a second chance after years of IRS problems—that’s what fulfills me. It’s proof that this profession can change lives when done with heart.

What is your favorite quote or motto?
“Legacy is not what you leave for people—it’s what you leave in people.”

What do you do for fun?
I love connecting with people—whether it’s at events, traveling, or simply spending time with family. I also enjoy speaking and mentoring; believe it or not, teaching is fun for me. I also enjoy playing the piano.

Superpower you wish you had and why?
If I could have any superpower, it would be the ability to slow down time. There’s so much I want to build, teach, and experience, and there are never enough hours in the day. Slowing time would let me be fully present in every project, every class, and every conversation that matters.

What is one goal you hope to accomplish in your lifetime?
My ultimate goal is to build something that truly outlives me—to create opportunities, education, and inspiration that continue transforming lives long after I’m gone. Whether through business, teaching, or leadership, I want to help people believe that with discipline and integrity, they can completely change their story.

Advice to your 20-year-old self?
Be patient. Don’t let short-term frustration distract you from long-term purpose. Everything you’re building will make sense later.

Favorite travel destination?
Anywhere with a beach!

If you could have dinner with one historical figure, who would it be and why?
I’d sit down with Leonardo da Vinci. He represents limitless curiosity, the ability to blend science, art, and imagination without boundaries. I think that same mindset is what drives true innovation in any field.

What’s a skill you’d like to learn?
I’d like to learn coding. Technology is reshaping every industry, including ours, and understanding how systems are built would let me create better tools, automate processes, and innovate instead of just adapting.

Favorite thing about your job?
Changing lives. Whether it’s helping a taxpayer resolve years of IRS debt or watching students open their own tax office, the transformation is what drives me every day.

If you could be any character in fiction, who would you be?
I’d be Tony Stark (Iron Man). Not because of the suit, but because of his vision—the way he turns ideas into reality through creativity, intelligence, and courage. He represents innovation with purpose, and that’s the mindset I try to bring into everything I build.