Claudia Hill EA -  

Claudia Hill, EA, MBA, is a nationally recognized tax professional and a frequent lecturer on taxation of individuals and representation before the IRS. She’s the editor in chief of CCH’s Journal of Tax Practice & Procedure, coauthor of CCH Expert Treatise Library: Tax Practice and Procedure, and a frequent presenter for both live and audio CPE seminars. Named a Top Ten Nominee by Tax Analysts as 2011 Person of the Year, she coordinates a “dream team of tax controversy advisors” for the IRS Watch blog on Forbes.com.  

Claudia served on the 1987 Commissioner’s Advisory Group to the National Office of the IRS. She’s the owner and principal of TaxMam, Inc. and TMI Tax Services Group, Inc. in Cupertino, California. TMI offers quality tax return preparation, tax advisory services, and controversy representation services to small businesses and individual taxpayers

Advanced IRS Examination Case Study -4 CPE

From the moment your client receives the invitation from IRS until the entire matter is resolved, stress is introduced in their life, and possibly yours. This session follows the events and actions from the initiation of a field examination all the way through to the decision point that is reached in an unagreed case. We look at the procedures the representative takes from the engagement letter, power of attorney, meetings with the Revenue Agent and meetings with the taxpayers, and finally evaluating their case for settlement.

Preventing and Minimizing the Effects of a Data
Breach.

Tax professionals are increasingly the targets of national and international cybercriminal rings seeking access to client data which enhances the chances of successfully filing fraudulent returns. "These syndicates are well-funded, knowledgeable and creative. It's going to take all of us working together to combat these identity thieves," IRS Commissioner KOSkinen stated, "but doing nothing or making a minimal effort is no longer an option. Anyone who handles taxpayer information has a legal responsibility to protect it." How do you prevent this from happening to you and how do you recognize if you have been a victim? Learn steps to protect your clients and your business and what to do if your data is stolen.

Schedule A:. What's Left After the TCJA?

The TCJA will affect every client who has traditionally itemized their deductions. Join Claudia Hill as she shares insights into which deductions still remain, which ones are gone, and planning tips to make the best use of the increased standard deduction.

                               Karen Joyner, EA

Karen Joyner, EA started preparing taxes in 1988, opening her own practice in 1993, and earning her Enrolled Agents’ license in May 1995. She is active in local chapters of many professional organizations, including serving as President of the San Diego East County Chapter of CSTC, chairperson for CSTC fall workshops and Running Start, and CSTC society chair for Summer Symposium for several years. She has served as director and on education committee for the CSEA San Diego chapter.

She enjoys teaching others and finding the best approach to get clients the best possible tax outcome. She enjoys the challenge of representing clients before the IRS, Franchise Tax Board, and the CDTFA (California Department of Tax and Fee Administration) with their collection or audit needs. Karen practices in Coronado, California and can be reached by e-mail at education@brasstax.com.

In additions, Karen works with Brass Tax and Lisa Ihm, EA in offering the Enrolled Agents exam training courses for tax professionals who want to obtain this valuable credential so that they can fully serve the needs of their clients, Courses are available in 3 locations across the US. Please check out the website at www.BrassTax.com.

Stuff You Still Don't Know About the TCJA!
Tax season is over and you've implemented the changes outlined in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but applying the new law has raised many new questions. Now it is time to go a step beyond what you already know about the TCJA to find the answers to the problems that have arisen. Some of the areas covered will include:

• OBI deductions your clients were entitled to that you didn't claim
• Entertainment expenses that are still deductible
• Calculating the OBI deduction when a business is part specified service business and part not
• Why many high-income doctors, investment advisors, and other specified service businesses are entitled to a 199A deduction that you overlooked
• Effect of pension contributions on the 199A deduction
• Adjustments needed when passive losses from prior years are deducted
• Altering the 199A calculation when depreciation corrections are made
• Determining "unadjusted basis in property" when property was acquired in an exchange
• How long to include property basis in the 199A deduction calculation
• Properly including inherited property in the OBI deduction calculation 
   

What are Opportunity Funds and how can your clients benefit from them
The more you learn about the TCJA the more you realize you don't know, and we think you will find a return or two that you will want to amend after attending this class!

    Robert Kerr EA

Robert Kerr is the Executive Vice President of the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA). He leads the association’s staff, oversees day-to-day operations, and works closely with the association’s board of directors in meeting the organization’s strategic objectives.  He is also a frequent lecturer, typically on tax policy and tax administration issues, and speaks before EAs and other tax professionals.

Before stepping into the EVP role, Kerr served for a dozen years as NAEA’s Senior Director, Government Relations. Prior to joining NAEA, Kerr worked on the Senate Finance Committee’s Oversight and Investigation staff. While on the O&I staff, he assisted then-Chairman Grassley in providing oversight to IRS over a range of issues. 

Also prior to joining NAEA, Bob spent a decade at IRS, where, among other things, he led a variety of electronic filing initiatives. He counts among his accomplishments the first internet-filed income tax returns and the creation of the accompanying Form 8453-OL.

Bob holds a BA degree in finance from Mount Union College and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University, both of which are in his home state of Ohio. Interested tax professionals may follow him on Twitter (@NAEA_BobKerr).

     Karen Hawkins

Karen L. Hawkins of Yachats, Ore., has been selected to chair the American Bar Association’s Section of Taxation, the nation’s largest organization of tax lawyers. Hawkins will serve a one-year term.

Hawkins served as the director of the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), where she oversaw the standards of practice for tax professionals. Prior to government service, she was a partner in the San Francisco law firm of Taggart & Hawkins PC, where she specialized in civil and criminal tax controversy. ...

Hawkins has held a number of prior leadership positions with the section. Prior to serving as last year’s chair-elect, she was selected as chair-elect in 2009, but resigned from the position in order to serve as director of OPR. She also served as vice chair of professional services (now continuing legal education) and as a member of the section’s council. Hawkins also was former chair of the IRS Liaison Meetings Committee, chair of the Committee on Civil and Criminal Tax Penalty’s Penalty Subcommittee, a member of the IRS Advisory Committee, and liaison to the Director of OPR.