Page 20 - i NET 7 Pages

Why You Should Hire

A Professional To Do

Your Taxes

by Brian K. Wright with

Jonathan Bengel

Brian: Hi Jonathan, I want to ask enrolled agent, which is federally ironically enough, no one needs
you about your career. licensed to practice before the to really be skilled in that.
IRS to represent clients that The reason for that is because
Jonathan: I’m actually known might have issues with the when someone comes here to get
as a business profit tax coach government. their taxes done, they’re paying
extraordinaire, an author, a for somebody to take the time to
teacher, a coach, a speaker, and And what I love about being input the data, double-check it
a serial entrepreneur. And what an enrolled agent is that we’re to make sure it looks correct, and
I do is I help established women borderless. We actually don’t then submit to the IRS.
business entrepreneurs and a have jurisdictions that were
few good men, to guide them limited to. So, for example, we’re It sounds simple. It’s actually
through the darkness of taxation based here in Arizona, but we very complex. On average, it
and shine the light to financial can represent clients all over the takes about six hours to prepare
happiness. country. And we even have a few a basic tax return.
ex-pats in other foreign countries
Brian: Fantastic. How did you because they still have on goings Needless to say, it’s just
decide you wanted to do this? here with the United States. preparation. If your goal is to
cut your taxes and find ways to
Jonathan: Being a teacher was Brian: Many people try to legally mitigate your taxes, doing
my original calling in life, and I save money by doing taxes it on January of 2021 and not
was told by a very good mentor themselves, why should they hire planning it starting in January of
of mine that teachers were poor. a professional? 2020 isn’t the way to go about it.

And because I came from Jonathan: My goal is to help the When it comes to tax planning
extreme poverty, I didn’t want to average tax payer understand and tax strategy, that’s the next
continue to live in that. I saw the the difference between levels of layer. That’s going to be where
opportunity to work with money, services when working with a tax you’re proactively planning your
which is accounting. I earned my professional. tax life, be it quarterly or monthly.
bachelor’s degree in business That’s where we’re asking our
accounting, then my master’s Let’s call the first layer tax clients, “What are your dreams
in secondary education — and preparation. Anybody can do and goals? What are the things
then ultimately becoming an IRS it. You don’t need a license, and you’re trying to accomplish?”

20