2009 Tax Organizer & Preparation Checklist

Client Update
Newsletter

Jeffrey Alan Adelstone, E.A., CFP, RFC, ABA, ATA, ECS, CSA

Jeff Adelstone is President of The AFS Tax and Planning Group—a firm specializing in Income Tax Preparation, Financial Planning, and Financial Consultation. Now completing his 40th year in business in Tucson, Adelstone is also a Past President of the National Society of Accountants—a professional society representing the interests of over 30,000 accountants, income tax specialists, and financial planners. Over the years, he has also become the only individual to have served as president of both The Arizona Society of Practicing Accountants and the Arizona Society of Enrolled Agents. Further, he is the only individual in the history of both professional associations to have served on the National Board of each group.

Jeff has been active professionally, acting as an Advisor to the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service-Mark W. Everson. Prior to that, he served in the same capacity for Acting Commissioner Robert Wenzel and also for Commissioner Charles Rossotti who preceded him. His responsibility over his four years of service necessitated that he spend roughly one week every other month in Washington, DC, counseling and meeting with Senior IRS officials.

Since the year 2000, Jeff s name and write up have appeared 18 times in lists of the 100 Most Influential People in Accounting and four times in a list of the 100 Most Influential People in Financial Planning. Those honors were published in the professional trade publications of Accounting Today, the NPA (National Public Accountant), and CPA Magazine. He holds both a Bachelor's degree as well as a Master's degree from the University of Arizona, and is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and an Enrolled Agent (EA).

Currently, Jeff holds licenses for Series #7, #24, #63 and #65. Further, his is licensed by the State of Arizona in Real Estate, Life and Health Insurance, Annuities and Casualty Insurance. His corporation is licensed by the State of Arizona as a Registered Investment Advisor. His professional achievements have been recognized by Senator John McCain (AZ) Representative Jim Kolbe (AZ), former Senator Dennis DeConcini (AZ) and former Director of the Arizona Department of Revenue, Elliot Hibbs.

In 1985, he was honored as the National Accountant of the Year, and again in 1988 as the Small Business Administration's Arizona Accountant Advocate of the Year. Jeff has developed quite a reputation as a seminar speaker, having provided programs for professional organizations throughout the United States, and is frequently consulted as either a source or has been quoted in such prestigious publications as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Money Magazine, Kiplinger Report (formerly Changing Times), Financial Planning Magazine and Accounting Today. His professional articles are frequently published in leading industry publications.  He is presently serving as Treasurer for the Tax Accounting Standards Board of the Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation.

Benjamin S. Goldberg , BFA, MSCIS, AAMS
Financial Advisor

Benjamin is a native Tucsonan and University of Arizona alum. He has a diverse educational background, first earning his bachelor's degree in painting and sculpture, then completing his master's degree in computer information systems, finally attaining his general securities license, insurance license, and accredited asset management specialist designation.

Benjamin's professional approach is to take as much time as possible to truly understand a client's needs, desires, past experience, and future goals then craft a customized plan to move them forward. He does not apply any sales pressure at all, but rather loves to educate clients about the products and strategies best suited to their situation.

Some of the complementary review services Benjamin offers include:

• Investment portfolio allocations to make sure you have the most comfortable risk/reward balance
• Bond issuer strength and impact of interest rate change
• Account beneficiaries to make sure final wishes are followed
• Life insurance coverage and rates (especially for older policies bought before the most recent mortality table updates)
• Annuity surrender schedules, issuer ratings, living benefits, and exchange options

Benjamin is dedicated, full-time financial advisor for clients of AFS Tax & Planning and he looks forward to working with you.

Paul Edward Simpson, B.A., M.B.A

Paul Edward Simpson, Financial Representative, of Adelstone Financial Network, Inc. was born and raised in New York City. After graduating from the Bronx High School of Science and attending Hunter College, he headed for the warm breezes of Hawaii. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Masters of Business Administration at the University of Hawaii.

Holding various management positions for a major airline brought him to exotic places such as San Francisco, Phoenix and Indianapolis.

Paul was married in 1995 and is the father of a son and daughter. Paul is now a permanent resident of Tucson, a land of beautiful sunsets.

Linda Marie Mullins, C.P.A., M.B.A.

Linda Marie Mullins is an Air Force brat who was born in South Dakota and lived in Idaho, Maine, Washington and California before finally moving permanently to Arizona in 1967. After graduating from Palo Verde High School, she attended the University of Arizona, obtaining a Bachelors degree in English Literature and then, ten years later, a Masters in Business Administration with a specialty in Accounting. Linda passed the Certified Public Accountancy exam and was awarded her C.P.A. certificate in 1985.

Linda first started working for Jeff in 1981 while completing course work for her M.B.A. and then continued for many years to prepare taxes for him on a part-time basis while holding various positions in private industry as a Financial Analyst, a Finance Manager, and a Controller. With over twenty-five years of tax and finance experience, currently she not only prepares taxes, but also handles most of the amendment and IRS audit work at the AFS Tax and Planning Group.

Sandy Dunford, E.A.

Sandy Dunford received her B.A. degree from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. She has practiced in the tax and accounting field since 1979.

A former Olympic hopeful (Swimming), Sandy is also a world traveler, as she has been married to David Dunford for over 40 years. Prior to his retirement, David served as a diplomat for the U.S. Foreign Service with stations in Oman, Ecuador, Finland, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. Dave is still active as a specialist in Mid East relations, and was already on the ground in Baghdad during the first weeks of the war in a consulting capacity. Sandy and David have two children and three granddaughters.

Sandy is equipped to handle virtually all types of income tax returns.

Carolyn A. Mc Nichol, E.A.

Carolyn A. Mc Nichol was born and raised in Chatham, New Brunswick, Canada. After high school she attended Business College in Fredericton, N.B., Canada.

Carolyn's husband was active duty US Air Force for over 25 years. They called home where they were stationed nine different times across the country in CO., FL. & N.H. and across the Atlantic to England (once) and Germany (twice) and out in the Pacific on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii for five years. They both became PADI Scuba Rescue Divers. For four years they enjoyed many dives off the Hawaiian shores. Carolyn's husband retired from the USAF in 1995 and they made their home in Tucson, AZ, with her husband's family from Michigan and Carolyn's family from the east coast of Canada --neither wanted to shovel snow in winter.

Carolyn has over 27 years of experience in tax preparation & planning for individuals as well as business entities, estates & trusts. Carolyn is an Enrolled Agent (EA) with the IRS for over 10 years and is a member of the SAZEA and NAEA. On May 4, 1994, Carolyn became a US cilizen. Carolyn was married to her husband in 1973 and has one daughter.

Michael West, E.A., M.B.A.

Michael West, EA, MBA, received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan Tech prior to entering the United States Air Force where he served for 27 years before retiring. During that time, he earned his MBA degree from Golden Gate University.

After his retirement, he moved his family to Tucson in 1995, and has been sewing local taxpayers since that time. He is qualified to prepare all types of tax returns, and his personal interest lies in maximizing investment returns for his clients. Mike earned his EA designation in 2006.

Mike spends his spare time traveling, enjoying antique motorcycles and in exploration of the Internet.

Louise Kioski, E.A., M.B.A.

Louise was born in Wisconsin and lived in Minnesota and California before moving to Arizona in 2003. She received her BS from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and Masters in Business Administration from the University of Minnesota - Minneapolis.

Louise has been preparing taxes since 2002. She became an Enrolled Agent with the IRS in 2004, Prior to becoming a Tax Lady, she held various analytical positions in public Utility accounting in both California and Arizona. Louise passed the Certified Public Accountancy exam in 1990.

In 2008, Louise became a Certified Legal Document Preparer, specializing in business formations and estate legal documents.

Louise has made Tucson her new home loving the beautiful cloud formations and sunny winter weather. She enjoys travelling to California beaches during the warm Tucson summers.

Margurite (Peggy) Lanning

Peggy Lanning is one of the newest additions to the staff of the AFS Tax & Planning Group. Peggy brings 12 years of tax preparation experience to the professional staff Prior to joining the AFS staff, Peggy held the title of "Senior Tax Advisor" in her previous position.

Peggy is a local product, having been raised right here in Tucson. She is presently working towards her degree in accounting and towards the successful completion of her Enrolled Agent designation.

Peggy has been married ten years and has one son. Her personal interests include Singing, Baseball, and is a "Tournament Quality Dart Throwing Champion". If you run into this young lady in a bar, don't make the mistake of taking her on in a game of darts!

Barbara Evans, E.A.

Barbara Evans, EA Barbara was born in Globe, Arizona & went to grade school in Phoenix, AZ, high school in Scottsdale, AZ and moved to Tucson in 1970.

She attended Arizona State University where she minored in Education and the University of Arizona where she majored in Architecture.

She passed the IRS enrolled agents exam in 1985 and has been a tax professional in Tucson for 25 years. Barbara taught upper level tax courses for a major corporation for 10 years. She is experienced in all areas of tax preparation.

Donald H. Gutzler, E.A.

Don was born in Illinois, taught math in Miami, Florida for 10 years and moved to Tucson 30 years ago.

Don is co-owner of Gymnastics World, Inc and is married to Lupita Murillo, investigative reporter for KVOA-News 4.

Becoming an enrolled agent with the IRS in 1993, Don has over 20 years of tax experience. He specializes in business entities, estates, & trusts.

James M. White

JW is a native of Hot Springs, Arkansas and received his BS in Math from the University of Arkansas prior to joining the Air Force. After almost 22 years as an air traffic controller and ground safety manager, JW retired from active duty. He brings more than 16 years of tax preparation experience to AFS, having held the title of “Senior Tax Advisor Level 5” and specializing in doing returns of any state other than Arizona for 12 of those years.

He and his wife, Carol, moved to Tucson in 1993 from Austin, Texas. During his spare time, he enjoys camping, reading and traveling in the great outdoors.