Today we meet
Joe Kristan of Eide Bailly LLP, formerly of Roth and Company PC, from Iowa. For many years Joe wrote the popular and well-respected
tax blog THE ROTH AND COMPANY TAX UPDATE BLOG, known for its daily BUZZ-like
tax blog Roundup. Many, myself included,
were truly sorry to see the end of this blog.
Many years ago,
I asked Joe why he blogs for an article I wrote for the NATP TAXPRO
JOURNAL. Here is what he said -
“I
blog because I enjoy it, and because I think it is good for me
professionally. I have long started my
day reading the tax news, so it wasn't a big leap to start commenting about
it. I think it helps keep me sharp, and
it helps me stay current on the ideas and issues out there. And, of course, there's the glamour, fan
adulation and women. Well, ok, none of
those things, but there should be.”
Joe is correct – there should be!
He still
provides a daily roundup of important tax-related blog posts via Twitter.
1. First question
– why taxes?
Interesting work, pays
better than meat cutting, and is much easier on the hands.
2. How did you get
started in “the business”?
When an undergraduate History major in
my sophomore year, word filtered back of my fellow liberal arts majors finding
bleak job prospects (@1979-80). I looked in the newspaper (yes, I’m that old)
and saw lots of jobs for accountants. I took an accounting course, did well,
and the rest followed.
3. How did you
learn how to prepare tax returns?
By doing tax returns.
4. What is your
area of special interest?
Professionally – closely-held businesses
and their owners. My avocation is tax policy, particularly “incentive” tax
credits.
5. What's the best
tax advice that anyone ever gave you?
If it sounds too good to be true, it
probably is.
6. If you had the
opportunity to rewrite the US Tax Code what deductions, credits, etc would you
keep and what deductions, credits, etc would you do away with?
You’d need a bigger blog. If we keep
something like the current system, I’d do away with every tax credit I can
think of, other than for taxes paid and foreign taxes. I would get rid of any non-economic
business deduction (sec. 199, for example). I would get rid of all itemized
deductions except charity, gambling losses and hobby losses (I would still
limit the loss deductions as now), and move those above the line.
7. Do you think
the government, specifically the IRS, should license and regulate all tax
preparers?
No.
8. Other than THE
WANDERING TAX PRO or THE TAX PROFESSIONAL, what's your favorite tax related blogs
or web sites?
I like so many, but Russ Fox’s blog is a
great, practical tax pro blog.
9. If you weren't
working in the tax profession, what would your dream job be?
Prosperous mandolinist. Well, you said
“dream.”
10. What is your
favorite –
TV show - Ummm… baseball games, I guess
Movie – “The incredibles”
Broadway
musical – “The Music Man”
JK has always
been vocal in his opposition to regulating tax preparers. We debated the issue in our blogs back when
the IRS first proposed the RTRP regime and he truly won me over.
A good choice
in Russ Fox’s TAXABLE TALK blog.
Interesting,
and surprising, choices for dream job and favorite movie. As for musical, the original production of THE
MUSIC MAN, with Robert Preston and Barbara Cook, was the first Broadway musical
I saw at age 5. And the revival was the
first musical I saw in the new millennium.
Thanks to Joe
for participating.
Before I go, do you have any questions you would like me to add to my list?
TAFN
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