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alliantgroup proudly hosted the third of a series of ground-breaking regional roundtable discussions with top IRS executives and debuted an exclusive best practices strategic seminar led by alliantgroup CEO Dhaval Jadav. Held in San Francisco, the two day program featured alliantgroup Vice Chairman and former IRS Commissioner Mark Everson, alliantgroup Senior Advisor and former Congressman Jim Ramstad, alliantgroup National Managing Director and former Senior Counsel to the Senate Finance Committee Dean Zerbe and top alliantgroup CPA partners. Attendees were joined by CEO of The Growth Partnership Jeff Pawlow, and IRS Industry Leaders (please see column on the left). The purpose of this roundtable discussion was to provide a think-tank environment to discuss how firms can achieve double-digit growth and profitability in a challenging economic environment. By initiating discussions, attendees were shown best practice methodologies on how to procure and attract new clients by using specialty tax services, such as the R&D credit. Thomas R. Johnson (JOHNSON, HARRIS & GOFF, PLLC), Think-Tank attendee, stated “I have used the R&D credit as a tool to acquire 18 NEW clients over the last 8 months. After using the R&D credit to get my foot in the door, I was able to bring over the audit and tax compliance work to my firm …”. Additionally, the roundtable helped to create a dialogue between CPAs and the IRS concerning the issues that most affect small and medium sized businesses.
IRS Participants
Pat Chaback - Director Of Field Operations, CTM Industry
Maria Hwang - Director, Field Operations CTM
Robert Trujillo - Director, FSP Field Operations
Dave Horton - Director, Field Specialists
Ewan Purkiss - CTM Deputy Area Counsel
Tony Shabazz - CTM Territory Manager
Ron Cerruti - FSP Territory Manager
Gloria Sullivan - Executive Assistant, CM Technology
alliantgroup Participants
Dhaval Jadav - CEO
Sonny Grover - EVP
Lynn Hedlund - National Managing Director
Mark Everson - Vice Chairman, alliantgroup; Former IRS Commissioner
Jim Ramstad - Senior Advisor, alliantgroup; Former Congressman
Dean Zerbe- National Managing Director, alliantgroup; Former Senior Counsel To The Senate Finance Committee
Jeremy Fingeret- Managing Director
David Ji - Managing Director
Brad Mols - Managing Director
Reed Showalter - Managing Director
Estefania Quesnel - Director
Amila Salihbasic - Associate Director
Caroline Lake - Associate Director
Led by: Jeff Pawlow
alliantgroup offered its CPA guests the opportunity to strengthen and refine their firm's strategic vision through an interactive seminar led by Jeff Pawlow, CEO of The Growth Partnership. Jeff, one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in the Accounting Profession”, works with 43 of the “Top 100 CPA Firms” and is dedicated to helping his clients achieve sustainable, profitable growth and develop their future leaders.
Participants gained a top-level understanding of the issues governing the eventual success or failure of the growth and development efforts at their firm. Jeff encouraged attendees to unleash the talent within their firm by continually setting goals and promoting accountability. By initiating discussions with other firms at the meeting, attendees were able to discuss how to bring R&D Tax Credit opportunities to clients to help achieve double-digit growth.
Officials from the Large Business & International (LB&I) Division of the IRS spoke candidly about the current challenges the Service is facing. According to Pat Chaback (Director of Field Operations), the LB&I has agents retiring daily, however, current hiring restrictions due to budgetary concerns prevent their replacement. The restricted resources of the IRS in combination with a growing taxpayer base which has caused the IRS to think globally and has created numerous challenges.
IRS attendees also spoke about the Service's use of the Uncertain Tax Position (UTP) reporting provisions which have been mandated at the direction of IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman. UTP reporting will play a major role in the selection of taxpayers for future audits. UTP disclosures will significantly affect small to mid-sized businesses in the coming years as the group of taxpayers required to comply with this reporting expands and the IRS continues to shift the focus of its audit resources from large corporations down to the small to mid-sized business market.
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LB&I impacts small to medium market firms, and it was stressed by LB&I Executives that the IRS takes a close look at businesses with more than $10 million in assets; thereby impacting small to mid-sized businesses as well as the Fortune 1,000. By providing unparalleled tax controversy services, alliantgroup successfully serves clients who are impacted by these regulations.
The Compliance Assurance Process (CAP), Industry Issue Resolution (IIR), Fast Track Settlement (FTS) and the Quality Examination Process (QEP) are all procedures developed by the Service to alleviate burdens on both the taxpayer and IRS during the examination process. From the earliest planning stages through resolution of all issues, these procedures can be utilized to expedite audits and finalize examinations on an agreed basis.
alliantgroup Vice Chairman and former IRS Commissioner Mark Everson, alliantgroup Senior Advisor and former Congressman Jim Ramstad and alliantgroup National Managing Director and former Senior Counsel to the Senate Finance Committee Dean Zerbe briefed the CPA attendees on the latest tax news coming out of Washington.
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With the debt ceiling, unemployment and economic hardship at the center of many discussions, Dean Zerbe addressed attendees by reaffirming the fact that alliantgroup is the voice of small to mid-sized businesses in Washington and on The Hill. Dean stressed that he will continue to communicate to lawmakers that in a down economy, it would be unproductive to levy a whole new layer of tax on successful small and medium businesses — the engines of job creation.
alliantgroup prides itself in marrying industry expertise and knowledge of the tax code to consistently provide high value service to our CPA partners, while fortifying their relationship with their clients. The VIP CPAs in attendance could not stop raving about alliantgroup's dedicated service and overwhelming value.
“It is alliantgroup's mission to continuously present these valuable learning opportunities and candid discussions to our VIP CPAs across the country.We are committed to providing a voice for the middle market while bolstering the value CPAs give their clients”
– Dhaval Jadav, alliantgroup CEO
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