It’s Getting To Know You Tuesday! Today’s guest is CPA Sheryl Schuff. Sheryl and I met on twitter. She’s an internet biz tax maven – perfect for taxgirl.com!
1. Where are you now?
At my computer, in my home-based office, in Indianapolis, IN
2. What’s your official title and what does it mean?
I’m a CPA which means I’m a Certified Public Accountant, but it doesn’t mean that my working hours are consumed by preparing oodles of tax returns. It does mean that I have a degree in accounting (MBA) and that I passed a big important exam in Chicago over 30 years ago.
I’m also the founder of the Business Startup Success Club which means that now I use my skills and experience to teach folks about taxes and forms of business structure and how to use the power of the Internet to build strong foundations and run successful businesses.
3. What books are on your night stand?
Career Renegade by Jonathan Fields, Tribes by Seth Godin, Reality Check by Guy Kawasaki, and Conscious Loving by Gay Hendricks & Kathlyn Hendricks.
4. If you weren’t working in the tax profession, what would your dream job be?
Writing (full-time) about free software that helps people accomplish important tasks.
5. What’s the last movie that you saw (DVD or in the theatre)?
Milk
6. Tax is a huge subject. What’s your area of special interest?
Teaching new (and prospective) business owners how their choice of entity affects their taxes and teaching them how to work more effectively with their CPAs, attorneys, and tax preparers.
7. What’s the best tax or financial advice that anyone ever gave you?
Set up a corporation for your business with a Sec 105 medical reimbursement plan.
8. Coffee or tea?
Coffee, black, and very hot. Especially Snickerdoodle or chocolate raspberry freshly ground from the local coffee shop that’s within walking distance and serves as my “outside” office.
9. Name five artists on your iPod (or mp3 player).
Celine Dion, Brad Paisley, Savage Garden, Keith Urban, George Strait
10. What would I be surprised to know about you?
I’m an Advanced Class ham radio operator.
11. What college did you attend (in what subject)?
My BS (math/computer science) is from Purdue University and my MBA (accounting/finance) is from the University of Chicago.
12. If you had the opportunity to make one change in the tax code tomorrow – an extra credit, a disallowed deduction, whatever – what would it be?
I would make certain that the Federal filing status MFJ applied equally to all married couples (gay and straight) and to all domestic partnerships (gay and straight).
13. What’s the best thing on TV right now?
The Weather Channel is about all I watch and not much of that. When AT&T U-verse gets to our neighborhood and we have 100 or more channels available, that will probably change.
14. What do you think Congress will repeal first: estate tax or AMT?
AMT first, though I think repeal of either is unlikely any time soon.
15. If Uncle Sam handed you a huge refund check right now, what would you do with it?
Go snorkeling in the Keys
16. Biggest tax newsmaker: Daschle, Joe Francis, or TARP?
Definitely TARP
17. And, other than taxgirl, what’s your favorite tax-related web site?
Accountant’s World is a very distant second.
You can find Sheryl in a couple of places…
On her web site: SherylSchuff.com/blog
Radio show: BlogTalkRadio.com/SherylSchuff (live on Wednesdays, 8:30 PM ET, recorded and downloadable afterward)
Follow Sheryl on Twitter: @SherylSchuff
Even better? She’s guesting on taxgirl tomorrow – check back for her featured post!
