Getting To Know You Tuesday: Julie Susskind

Julie Susskind is a CPA and Senior Tax Manager at Gelt, an AI-native tax firm that combines a proprietary technology platform with the expertise of certified public accountants (CPAs) to provide year-round proactive tax strategy and compliance.

Julie has worked in public accounting for over a decade, serving a wide range of clients, from high-net-worth individuals with closely held companies to multinational entities. She is passionate about finding her clients the optimal tax strategies for their circumstances and takes pride in watching them succeed.

So, let’s get to know Julie.

In Her Own Words

1. Where are you right now? In Far Rockaway, NY.

2. What’s your official title, and what do you actually do? My official title is Senior Tax Manager at Gelt and Tax Team Leader. Day-to-day, I lead a team that works directly with clients to figure out the smartest approach to their taxes. At Gelt, we’re really focused on strategy, so a big part of my job is getting to the core of a client’s situation, whether that’s planning for the future or making the most of a real estate investment, and finding the opportunities that ultimately save them money.

3. Where did you go to school, and what did you study? I’m originally from Canada, and I went to the Schulich School of Business to study, well, business! I specialized in accounting in my third year, but only started practicing U.S. taxes several years later.

4. How did you end up in tax? Honestly, I kind of fell into it. My father is an accountant, so growing up I definitely did not want to become one! But in college I took some tax courses and found that I really enjoyed them. After college, I was living abroad, and there was a real market for tax accountants there, so that’s where it all started.

5. What was your first real job? In life, I was a swim instructor in high school and did that for many years. As an accountant, I was living in Israel and begged my first employer to hire me since I literally knew NOTHING about taxes at the time. I’m so grateful that he took a chance on me!

6. What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you? I secretly (not so secretly) wish I could be on Broadway. In my spare time, I’m part of a women’s acting group that puts on extremely professional Broadway-like shows. I love to sing, act, and dance, and it’s an incredible outlet for me.

7. If you weren’t working in tax, what would you be doing? Broadway – as if I were good enough! I would probably also work with women who struggle with perinatal and pregnancy-related struggles, as that’s something I’m incredibly vocal and passionate about.

8. What’s the best piece of tax, money, or career advice you’ve ever received? You are 100% responsible for 50% of the problem. We’re so quick to point blame at others when something goes wrong. An unhappy client, an engagement that fell through, an internal employee conflict. Whatever the issue may be, there is always something that we can personally learn, and it’s important to recognize that we are completely responsible for our “50%” of the problem, however small or large that “50%” may be.

9. What tax issue do you think is getting too much attention right now? I can’t think of anything right now.

10. What tax issue isn’t getting enough attention? Retirement planning. There are incredible ways to plan for retirement while simultaneously benefiting from real-time deductions that can save you lots of money now and in the future.

11. What’s the biggest tax myth you’d like to bust? There is NO free lunch. The IRS doesn’t give away anything for free, and there is certainly no “magic wand” that any accountant can wave to save you money. If you find a CPA that is making such promises, my best advice would be to run!

12. What’s a tax question you wish people would ask you more often? I think just approaching taxes with an open mind is so refreshing and a new concept for many clients. Many taxpayers are not super well-versed in the intricacies of tax law, so just having the humility to say “I don’t know, what should I do?” is so important.

13. What’s one tax rule you would change if you could? Previously, it would have been to increase the SALT cap for itemized taxpayers, but with the recent changes that already happened! That was a massive loss for so many taxpayers.

14. What’s one non-tech thing in your office that you couldn’t do without? Honestly, nothing! We are fully remote (so my office is right at home) and my desk is perfectly clean – not a single paper! I sometimes forget how to even hold a pencil (just kidding…sort of).

15. Which tech tool, platform, or software do you rely on most in your practice? Probably our projection software. Often we are running various “what if” scenarios for our clients, mapping out the course of a tax strategy over several years, or helping clients make an initial decision about whether to implement a specific strategy at all.

16. What’s the best use of AI in tax or tax practice? I always have Claude open next to me. I use it as my first stab at research just to get an initial read on a topic that I may not be as familiar with. Claude then provides the sources where it got its information from, and I’ll always reference the original tax law or publication to verify its accuracy.

17. What are you watching right now (streaming or otherwise)? I don’t watch television…or movies. I’m also not on any form of social media (aside from LinkedIn – does that even count?). I’m pretty old-fashioned that way!

18. Coffee or tea? Coffee, but not for the reason people expect! I’m actually not a regular coffee drinker; I just love a specific type of coffee that my husband buys (Don Francesco) and the way he prepares it. Some milk, Starbucks creamer, whipped cream on top, and some cinnamon, and it is DELICIOUS! But if I go a day without it, I’ll totally survive.

19. Pancakes or waffles? Pancakes – 100%. My daughter would agree with me – I make a mean pancake.

20. If you received an unexpected tax refund tomorrow, what would you do with it? How much are we talking? $1k? Would likely put it into an IRA or 529 account. $10k? Probably some would be used to pay off our mortgage, some of it would be invested, and the last bit would be used to treat myself to a glorious massage :).

You can find out more about Julie on the company’s website and on LinkedIn.

About Getting to Know You

If you’d like to recommend a tax pro to be featured, send your suggestions to gtky (at) taxgirl (dot) com with the subject: Getting to Know You Tuesday. Self-nominations are totally okay and encouraged! If you’ve submitted a nomination before, feel free to send it again. I’ll consider all submissions, even those that were selected, so long as they were more than three years ago.