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Category Archives: Tax

Tax

Business Deductions for Meals and Entertainment Expenses

Posted on February 3, 2022February 3, 2022 by Whittaker

03
Feb

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) imposed new limitations on business deductions for meals and entertainment expenses that were incurred or paid after December 31, 2017, the effective date of the applicable Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) provisions. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA) allows a 100% deduction for certain business meal

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Posted in Tax

Tax

Year End Tax Planning: Why We’re Big Fans of the PATH Act

Posted on February 3, 2022February 3, 2022 by Whittaker

03
Feb

For several years now, we’ve been unable to effectively employ our tax planning strategies to our own high standards due to the Government’s late action on tax laws. And this action usually came at a time when most companies should be considering the tax impact of their financial decisions. For example, there are companies who

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Tax

Tax return filing deadlines for 2016 tax year

Posted on February 3, 2022February 3, 2022 by Whittaker

03
Feb

A few of the tax return filing deadlines for the 2016 tax year (filed in 2017) have changed, and we wanted you to know. Below is a handy list of 2017 tax return and information form filing deadlines we’ve put together that you can download for future reference. Download 2017 tax filing deadlines as

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Dan Whittaker

My priorities are God, my family, myself and our company – in that order. I am educated and trained professionally as a CPA, but my professional passion is running and growing businesses. I enjoy running a business much more than being a CPA!

I founded Whittaker & Company in 1999, and what we do for clients is what is important to me as a business owner, too: to increase business value, gain clarity on goals, and understand financially where they stand.

Before founding Whittaker, I worked as a manager in the tax and consulting departments at KPMG LLP and also for a large local public accountancy firm in Southern California. The high level skills I used then on strategic tax and consulting projects are just as applicable today to the clients we work with on a daily basis at Whittaker.

“Mark Cuban says, ‘Business is the ultimate sport.’ I completely agree with his statement!”

The question I get asked the most from our clients is, “How do I get from point A to point B?” Naturally the answer to that depends on a variety of factors – but I really enjoy working with our clients to find the answer to that question!

Favourite book: The Bible
Favourite band: U2
Number one hobby: Wakeboarding
What would make this world a better place: Compassionate people and servant leaders.

Relsyz Orozco

I am on the tax team, and I started at Whittaker and Company in January 2022. I worked in audit at my previous firm and I am looking forward to gaining more experience on the tax side of things here at Whittaker. I enjoy the flexibility and work life balance that Whittaker and Company offers to their employees.
One of the things I am passionate about in my personal life is public service and service to others. I believe in doing what we can for others in anyway possible.

Favorite movie: Titanic
What would make the world a better place to live in: More humanity for other people.
Little known facts: My hair is 45 inches long and I am planning to donate it to those suffering from cancer.

Alyse Hendrick

I joined Whitaker & Company in February 2018.

It is important to me to be able to do something that I enjoy and working with great people that I enjoy being around.

It was vital to me to find a place that puts family first in their priorities and I am excited to find that here at Whittaker. I am a mom to two incredible young daughters, and being a mom is truly what I am passionate about in life.

Favorite movie: The Notebook
Favorite band: Coldplay
What would make the world a better place?: If we just tried to have more understanding for one another

Priyank Shukla

I joined Whittaker & Company in January 2018.

I am best at doing research and organizing data. I like to explain and simplify technical accounting terms to non-accountants. It is rewarding for me to see how my role here at Whittaker & Co. adds value to a client’s business and helps them in achieving their goals.

I love to travel! I did a 10-country backpacking trip across Europe couple years back which was a life-changing experience for me. And recently I spent my Christmas and New Years’ in Australia and New Zealand.

Goal: To run a marathon one day
Favorite Book: The Great Gatsby
What are you most passionate about?: Learning and solving problems

Blanca Pelayo

I joined the Whittaker team in 2017.

I will be pursuing my CPA License while gaining experience in all areas here at Whittaker. I will be focusing on the bookkeeping aspect, but will also be assisting with tax returns and financial statements.

The best part about my job is the rewarding satisfaction I get after solving a problem and getting my balances to equal.

Hidden talents: I learned how to do my own nails when I was 16
Little known facts: I was part of a Mexican Folkloric Ballet when I was in high school
What do you care most passionately about: My family
Favorite movie: Mean Girls

K. Alex Sneed

I enjoy making my corner of the world a better place, and sharing knowledge with others and learning things I don’t know.

I joined Whittaker in the beginning of 2017,and my role involves tax planning and returns and some financial reporting. I love organizing and displaying a business’ financial data to tell the story of their business. I also enjoy writing about technical concepts in simpler terms so our clients can use the information we give them.

Favorite book: The Republic
Favorite film: The Matrix
Number one hobby: Planning trips to music festivals
What I wish more people knew about me: I studied philosophy in college and love to have philosophical discussions
What would make this world a better place: If we all judge each other less and empathize with each other more

Milcah Santos

I am passionate about personal growth, learning and advancing my career path. I started with Whittaker and Company in January 2022. I enjoy working as an accountant and my goal is to start studying to become a CPA.

I am personally committed to completing what I start, and I feel Whittaker and Company does an excellent job at helping their employees stay motivated and learn new skills. Together we can provide excellent services to our clients.

Little known facts: I used to want to be an architect and still draw in my spare time.
Favorite movie: Harry Potter series
Favorite band: The Script
What would make the world a better place to live: If everyone could see the beauty in others and the good in every situation.

Andi Cabanezas

I enjoy getting to work with a team and using my organizational and communication skills to enhance our work environment daily. I have been with Whittaker & Company since January of 2022. I am fully committed to doing what I love, and I truly take pleasure in learning new things.

I want to ensure that everyone I interact with feels that I have exceeded their expectations with whatever I am tasked with. I enjoy uplifting others in all areas of life.

Favorite Book : When Life Takes a Turn
Hobbies: Cooking & baking
What would make the world a better place : If everyone has respect and would care for one another.

Brandon

I enjoy collaborating with my colleagues on complicated tax issues and finding solutions for our clients. I have been with Whittaker and Company since November 2020. I feel that Whittaker & Company does an excellent job at fostering interactive conversations and has a very supportive team environment.

In my free time I love to spend time with my family and surf.

What are you most passionate about in life? My Family
What would make the world a better place to live in? People investing more time in relationships.

Clinton Chrsitopher

I am a staff accountant and I started at Whittaker & Company in June 2021. My job consists of bookkeeping, bank reconciliation, payroll processing and sales tax preparation. I feel accounting is a language and I enjoy learning that language and the ability to apply it in a way that benefits our clients.

I have truly enjoyed learning new processes at Whittaker and Company and I feel that I am being set up for excellence. I am very passionate about my faith, family, and my country.

Hobby: Journaling
Favorite Movie: The Count of Monte Cristo
What would make the world a better place: A greater sense of love, gratitude and appreciating the things we have.

Susan Kienitz

Communicating with our clients and organizing are the two things I enjoy the most – and as it happens that’s exactly what I do in my role at Whittaker. The comments I get the most are that I’m efficient, and nice!

I think what we do really well is taking the time to get to know and understand our clients and their companies, which in turn allows us to guide them much more productively. We concentrate on building relationships with our clients.

I’ve worked with Whittaker since 2006, having previously owned several businesses. I also worked with my husband on the manufacture of children’s products, which is a business my husband continues to run.

Number one hobby: Hiking
Most passionate about in life: My family
Favorite film: Top Gun
Favorite band: Bon Jovi
What would make the world a better place: If more people loved God and Jesus Christ

Katie Cooper

I’ve recently joined Whittaker in 2016, and I am a friendly, caring person who is focused on earning my CPA while working to make a positive impact on the world around me.

I graduated from San Fransisco State University, and currently live in Long Beach. I’m most passionate about my friends and family, and what people comment on the most about me is my friendliness. Oh, and I can solve a Rubik’s cube.

When it comes to my role at Whittaker, I’d say what I am best at is bookkeeping, issues with Quickbooks, connecting with clients, and doing tax planning and returns.

Number one hobby: Bicycling
Favorite book: Ender’s Game
Favorite film: 28 Days Later
Favorite artist: Keith Haring
Favorite band: The Beatles
What would make the world a better place: More social equality

Michael Bixler

I love working for Whittaker! I’ve only been here a short time so far, coming from another accounting firm, but I’m enjoying it and the interaction with clients. I would say the part of my role I enjoy the most is doing ERISA audits.

What Whittaker & Company does a great job at, is coming alongside clients to help them achieve their goals.

Number one hobby: Carpentry
Other things I spend time on: Spending time on the water, and home brewing
Favourite book: Old Man and the Boy by Robert Ruark

Daniel Sohn

I grew up in various family businesses, including a pet store in Canada, a jewelry store in the Bronx, and a coin laundry in downtown LA. This is where my passion for entrepreneurship started. My first job out of college was here at Whittaker, and I just celebrated my 10th anniversary with the firm.

My specialty is fixing problems. I work with our clients on accounting and tax issues, as well as strategic and business planning and some marketing. What I enjoy most about working with Whittaker is the combination of a small business atmosphere with a corporate vision and direction. We’re always striving for progress, both individually and as a team.

My number one hobby: I’m still seeking this ever since I retired from playing basketball at 16.
Most passionate about in life: Being a part of people’s growth
Something I would never eat: Insects
What would make the world a better place: Ownership for choices made, accountability for outside feedback, and a humble attitude or perspective to grow from all the above

Jill Zozula

I am a people person and genuinely care about people, learning how they got to be where they are today.

In my role, I get to meet and develop relationships with the most interesting, genuinely wonderful business owners and advisors, and look for ways that myself and the others at Whittaker can help them. If we can’t help them, I usually can find someone that can, and I really enjoy being able to do that.

I’ve worked for this company since 2011, and I LOVE Whittaker! We are like a family and our team has great chemistry and works well together. I think what we do best is partner with business owners to provide proactive advice and solutions, not sell reactionary commodity services. We care about understanding where they are at today, where they want to go, and figuring out how to help get them there.

One of the questions I get asked is, “What is your firm’s experience in working with family-owned businesses?” And the answer is that everyone in this firm has worked in their own family’s business, has a spouse in a family-owned business, or has worked in a family-owned business. So we understand the intricacies and complexities that family-owned businesses have.

My dream job title: Quality Control Taster at Sprinkles Cupcakes
Number one hobby: Winning a killer deal on e-Bay or going target shooting
Most passionate about: Living the life God wants me to live
Favourite band: It’s a tie between Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and the Beastie Boys
What I wish people knew about me: I’m actually not the girl on the Wendy’s hamburger commercial

Shelley Whittaker

I’m very good at the detail! And yet what I enjoy most about the work I do is the interaction with our clients and our team that takes place while we get the work done.

There’s always a fine balance there: even though I enjoy the detail work, I’m always wishing that I had more time to spend with the clients to work on their businesses. It’s so fascinating to learn about what’s important to them, and exciting to help them achieve what they want to. But the detail work needs to be done in order to get them there. I work on the monthly and or quarterly close of clients’ books along with the financial reporting that is needed.

I came from a public accounting background, beginning my career in the tax department at McGladrey & Pullen (now RSM McGladrey). I also worked with Pacificare (now United Healthcare) as a senior tax analyst, project manager of finance, and consultant in the human resources department.

I believe what our company does well is meeting the client wherever they currently are in terms of their financial understanding of their business. I love working with them to determine where they want to go and what tools we can use to get them moving in that direction.

We’re a small family business, and one of the questions I get asked regularly is, “What’s it like to work with your husband?” My answer is that we are like many of our family owned business clients. We each bring our own unique set of skills to serve in our business, and in our case we complement each other and can provide much more together. It’s a joy to serve you together!

Number one hobby: Spending time with my family
Something I care passionately about: I really believe we have a great team that is passionate about serving our clients. We really do want to help them build better business to build better lives.