4 minute read
Bridging the Gap
ASCPA’s State Taxation & Legislation Committee
The ASCPA’s State Taxation Committee is responsible for developing and communicating fair and reasonable legislated and administered taxation at the state and local levels. The committee meets annually with the Alabama Department of Revenue (ADOR) to discuss issues and legislation that effects our membership. Members are at times called upon to participate with public hearings of the ADOR. The information obtained during the annual meeting and public hearings is communicated to the membership via the ASCPA website and weekly electronic newsletters. The committee also tries to communicate changes that occur during the year to the membership and work with the ADOR as needed to improve the tax preparation process for CPAs.
Over the years, the ASCPA’s State Taxation Committee has benefited from the expertise, insights, and influence of its committee members. The following members have established friendly relationships between the ASCPA and regulatory bodies, brought clarity in trying times, and offered guidance when navigating state taxation issues.
KAREN POIST
2020! What a year it has been! A year full of uncertainty. Although, one thing did remain certain and that was the dedication of the ASCPAs and its collaboration with the Alabama State Tax Committee to get us through a tough year! The ASCPAs and the State Tax Committee were in continued communications with the Alabama Department of Revenue to gain state perspectives, guidance and responses to the CARES Act, PPP, teleworkers, nexus issues and the impact they were having on business owners and taxpayers. There are still several unanswered questions, but it is of the opinion that these questions will be addressed, and additional guidance will be given during the next legislative session. Serving as the chair of the committee has been such a valuable experience both personally and professionally. The ASCPAs and the Alabama State Tax Committee are well-respected organizations, and it has been an honor to be a part of a leadership team that continues to strive to be an advocate for CPAs in Alabama as well as nationally through the AICPA. The practicing CPAs and professionals who contribute their time and expertise to continually stay on top of tax issues has assisted many. It is truly a team effort from work study groups, introducing tax reform and keeping up with the ever-changing tax laws. Looking forward to a new and challenging year!
KAREN MILLER
In a year filled with both unprecedented challenges and opportunities for ASCPA members, the ASPCA Tax Committee has been at the forefront of the efforts to ensure that ASCPA members received the guidance and support necessary to address the constantly evolving issues faced by their clients during 2020. The ASCPA Tax Committee has actively monitored the developments related to the ongoing consideration of both the Alabama tax issues associated with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and the Alabama tax issues which have arisen as a result of the enactment of the CARES Act in March. Members of the Tax Committee have proactively identified individual, and Past-Chair Prior to my joining the ASCPA State Tax Committee, the Department of Revenue and the ASCPA State Tax Committee were at odds over the Department changing the state tax credit. I joined the committee so that our firm could have input in the future. Two weeks after joining the committee, I was honored to be asked to be its chair. One week before chairing my first tax committee meeting with the Department, Jeannine arranged for me to meet with the Revenue Commissioner. In that meeting, I told the Commissioner that as a new committee member, I did not bring any baggage into the partnership, and corporate tax issues for which the Alabama guidance was uncertain so that these issues could be discussed with the Alabama Department of Revenue. Though these efforts, many of these issues have been resolved quickly, and ASCPA members have received the guidance necessary to address these questions for their clients. The Tax Committee members have also assisted Alabama legislators with the modeling of the potential tax impact of several pending state legislative proposals, an effort which will hopefully facilitate the enactment of critical tax legislation in an upcoming
TOM ZOEBELEIN
special session. chairmanship position. I told her my belief was that the Department and the ASCPA State Tax Committee were members of the same team with the same goal of insuring tax compliance. We only asked that our clients be treated fairly, to ensure that they would only pay the tax they owe, not a penny more nor a penny less.
Building on mutual respect, the ASCPA State Tax Committee together with the Department of Revenue’s staff began working as a team sharing each other’s strengths and prospective benefiting the Alabama taxpayer.
