New Year, New Changes Coming to the National Association of Enrolled Agents
In this new year, I want to express our heartfelt gratitude to all those who took the time to vote in December and make their voices heard. Your participation in the decision-making process has been instrumental in shaping the future of our organization. By casting your votes, y... Cynthia Leachmoore, EA
The Year of Possibilities
As one year closes out and a new one begins, a common tradition is to make resolutions. I don’t like resolutions. Maybe it is because they tend to frame some perceived negative behavior, such as “I will stop procrastinating,” “I will get off the couch and go the gym,” or “I will... Cynthia Leachmoore, EA
Evolving to Serve
In this issue, I want to talk about the state of the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA) through the lens of why we exist; how the things that define us at a core level serve us now; and how they must evolve to serve us in the future. As I have said before, my guid... Cynthia Leechmore, EA
Connect. Unite. Empower. Serve.
Thank you for this honor of serving as your president for this coming year. I am joined by a group of talented Board and Committee leaders and our amazing staff, who are excited to serve our enrolled agent (EA) community. We have emerged from several years of Covid restrictio...
What a Ride!
I never would have dreamed when I arrived in Washington, DC, in 2008 to attend the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA) Fly-In Day, that I would someday be the NAEA’s president. It was my first NAEA event. The first of many NAEA experiences that I look back on... Kathy Brown, EA
The Passing of the (Winter) Guard
I have coached a competition winter guard team for our local school system for over 11 years. I got involved after attending a competition to watch a close friend’s daughter perform for a different high school winter guard team. While there, for the first ... Kathy Brown, EA
Alone, We Can Do So Little
As this issue of the EA Journal finds its way to you, I hope it finds you surrounded by family, friends, and enjoying the fruits of a successful tax season. As I reflect on the 2022 tax season, I must admit that I have found enjoying this career t... Kathy Brown, EA
Embracing Change
I recently decided it was time to update my headshot. After all, the other one was more than five years old. As I looked at my new picture, I noticed how much my face had changed. Where did that face of five years ago disappear to? Comparing my old and new headshots was... Kathy Brown, EA
A Blueprint for the Future
On a recent hiking trip, I came across a tree reaching at least 40 feet into the sky and growing on top of a rock that stood at least three times taller than me. As I stood in awe, I noticed the tree’s roots. While the majestic tree grew strong on top of this... Kathy Brown, EA
Our Job Is to Ask and Listen
It is an honor to be serving as the president for the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA) this year. I have been involved with the NAEA in many ways over the years, having served on various committees and the board of directors. I have watched the ... Kathy Brown, EA
“We’ve Always Done It This Way” Is Not the Future of the NAEA
You cannot say we were not warned. Both Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said this filing season would once again be rocky. For once they did not disappoint. My friends and colleagues in my state affiliate are emailing, calling, and meeting together r... David Tolleth, EA
Fifty Years of the National Association of Enrolled Agents
It is 2022 and a landmark year for the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA) – our association’s 50th anniversary. We have accomplished much, and we will reflect on those accomplishments as part of our anniversary celebration. This new year is an op... David Tolleth, EA
We Are All in This Together
In my last column I wrote about the growing professional demands on us and how those demands require perseverance, patience, grace, and kindness. Rather than despair, we need to dig deep and put our best foot forward. While this is the appropriate, if difficult, respon... David Tolleth, EA
Perseverance Within the Tax System
I have been thinking about perseverance within the tax system. There seems to be relentless waves of challenges requiring us to cope, adapt, and, ultimately, accept. Legislators have acquired a penchant for making retroactive tax law changes. Retroactive changes affect... David Tolleth, EA
The DNA of NAEA
As I write this, it is early June, summer is on the horizon, and the 2021 tax filing season is finally abating. The consensus seems to be this was one of the toughest ever. As someone said, it is hard to play when the rules change in the middle of the game. They sure d... David Tolleth, EA
The Future of NAEA
This being my first column as president of the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA), I want to thank you for entrusting me with this role." A little bit about how I ended up here: I am a transplant from Southern California to New Jersey. My first career wa... David Tolleth, EA
Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow
With apologies to Fleetwood Mac, “Don’t stop, it will soon be here. It’ll be better than before.” Throughout these columns I have emphasized change: Change that is here and change that is coming. This is my last chance to address you and I want to focus on where NAEA i... Donald Rosenberg, EA
I Can See Clearly Now
Happy New Year! Welcome to a new, most welcome year. Although 2020 has come to a close, it doesn’t mean that there is an end to the troubles of the past year. The new year gives us a chance to reflect on how we are going to be. The big excitement in my... Donald Rosenberg, EA
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Yes, it is that time of the year again. Election time! (And yes, Thanksgiving is in the air, too, along with all the wonderful holidays in December). This is truly a favorite time for me because I do cherish the right to choose. This has been a challenging time for the... Donald Rosenberg, EA
Turn! Turn! Turn!
With apologies to The Byrds, Pete Seeger, and King Solomon, the year 2020 underscores the notion that for everything there is a season! And I suggest that for NAEA, we may have reaped the harvest of what we have sown over the past almost 50 years and for the tax industry,... Donald Rosenberg, EA
What a Difference a Day Makes
In our last issue, I wrote about change and how we have to be prepared to step up to the plate and break out of the “we always did it that way” frame of reference. The year 2020 hit us like a sledge hammer. One day we were sitting in our offices working and wondering, “Will we ever get to th... Donald Rosenberg, EA
The Times They Are a Changin’
Apologies to Bob Dylan who wrote the song that was released in 1964 as the theme for systemic changes he saw coming. Each generation talks about change and each generation brings change to the world. This is my first column as president of NAEA and I would like to thank everyone for your ... Donald Rosenberg, EA
March Madness – Not What It Used to Be!
Once upon a time, March was my favorite month of the year and the first weekend of the NCAA basketball tournament was my favorite weekend of the year. I would arrange to take time off from work, stock up on Mountain Dew and pizza and hunker down to watch 48 basketball games over the course ... Jerry Gaddis, EA
It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!
With apologies to Andy Williams, I think you all know what I mean It’s TAX SEASON again! Time to start sleeping less, eating worse, and forsaking exercise for the privilege of serving our clients while cramming a year’s worth of work into a 90-day window. Are you excited yet? As you prepare ... Jerry Gaddis, EA, MBA
The Life Cycle
Legendary Hall of Fame football coach Lou Holtz likes to say that things are either growing or dying. Grass, trees, relationships, businesses, people—all growing or dying. Do you agree? As I write this, NAEA just wrapped up its 47th annual conference. This year the conference grew and ch... Jerry Gaddis, EA
Ch-ch-changes
I was playing around with my phone the other day and accidentally took a selfie – one of those two-inches-from-my-face-extreme-close- up selfies and it was startling. Who was that fat old guy on my screen and how did he get there? I couldn’t hit the delete button fast enough, but I couldn’t... Jerry Gaddis, EA, MBA
Increasing Enrolled Agent Awareness – Let’s Do This
About a year ago, I received a letter from a client that began as follows: “Dear Jerry, First of all, congratulations on being elected to the position of President of the NAEA! It confirms our faith in choosing you as our CPA!” I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or cry – and I’m sure yo... Jerry Gaddis, EA, MBA
My Experience, Priceless
As I wrote this, my final president’s letter, I began by reflecting on the value of NAEA to my professional career. So, fingers to keyboard, I compiled a list of some of the reasons I'm fortunate to be a member. I share them here with you. I recently attended my fourth class on §199A. I ...
Positive Professionalism
I usually begin my president’s letters with a quote. I am not going to this time because this letter is about what should not be written. I recently attended a cocktail party where I was introduced to a friend of a friend. When our conversation reached the point of careers, I learned that his career is that of a professio... Jean Nelsen