My Approach
I am here to help you. If you want to learn to manage your books and understand them, I will help you learn basic accounting principals. Help you understand the software package you are using and even help you find an easy to use software solution. I love to teach accounting and understanding what it means to your business.
However, if these numbers just frustrate you. I can be available on-site, on-line or in my office to help whenever you need me. I help clients once a year, monthly and even weekly. I can give you all the detail you need to help with your business forecast and planning or I can just get the information entered so your taxes at year can be completed without such effort.
My Education
Regis University – MBA emphasis in Accounting
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs- BA in Accounting
My Story
I have been working in an accounting function for my employers in some manner since 1995. Mainly, with accounts payable and sales tax but as my career evolved, I took on more roles and learned so much from my employers and the CPA firms that audited my employers. In 1999, I decided to pick up a second job as a tax preparer. I was very happy to meet the clients but I was at one of those tax prep firms that steals from the client by charging way too much for their services and offering those pricey tax advance loans. I thought I would never do that again but a co-worker as me to help out another co-worker with his family's taxes and I have been preparing taxes from my home ever since. That same year, my former employer had a self-employed business that was growing and bookkeeping had become a back burner item so I was asked to help out. Since then I have continued to pick up new clients for tax prep and bookkeeping through just word of mouth. I truly love working with my clients, seeing their families grow and prosper plus helping them when changes in their lives need assistance such as a child going to college.
At this point in my life, I think I have worked enough for these large employers. It is time, to work for myself and do what I enjoy. It may sound strange that I like working with numbers but the reality is, I am not artist in the sense that I can paint a picture or knit a sweater but I can figure out what the numbers mean, I love to research rules, and I can help people learn and understand. That is how I am artist. I know you hear the words "creative accounting" and think fraud. When I say I am artist with accounting, I mean I see things quicker and can solve issues easier. I do not mean I will find illegal ways to handle things. I believe the more honest you are with the institutions such as the state or IRS, this less likely you will have to deal with them. I have worked with both the city and state in sales tax audits. I have worked with the state for unemployment audits. The IRS has been more challenging to deal with but I have done well with that contact. The key was to be honest and upfront immediately with them. There are a lot of challenges in running a business and accounting should not be the one that causes a business to fail. I am here to help make that easier.
Next Steps...
Contact Debra Roades to discuss your small business or tax preparation needs today!