As I was nearing the completion of one of the key milestones in my life, I found myself reflecting on what impact I wanted to have on the the world, and on those around me. At that moment, I determined that I would live my life by a few governing principles. One of those principles is to always look for opportunities to serve others. As a tax professional, I have a vital opportunity and responsibility to serve others.

The role of a tax professional isn’t simply to save individuals and businesses money on taxes. Tax professionals help taxpayers minimize tax liability, while maximizing value.

Maximizing value means that small business owners have more money in their pockets to pay for dance lessons, math tutors, medical procedures, and college. It means that doctors, medical professionals, and lawyers keep more money to pay down student debt. It means that single parents, struggling to make ends meet, can be less fearful about having a large tax bill at the end of the year. It means that businesses can invest more money into their employees, processes, and procedures. Maximizing value is all about helping raise the quality of life and stretching the bottom dollar further.