Accountant

2/2001 - 6/2009

Revenue and Taxation Services

Self-Employed

• Sales/Use Tax Manager • Owned and operated Revenue & Taxation Services, a Louisiana Corporation performing Sales and Use Tax audits. Responsible for the implementation of reverse audit assignments for various clients. Preparation of sales/use tax returns and payments on a monthly basis in an accurate and timely manner. Serving as a liaison with other business units and state and local taxing authorities • Performed reverse audits, appeals, and identified issues and file with appropriate parties, • Supervised sales/use tax compliance function for retail locations and e-commerce. • Trained and developed staff with respect to sales/use tax principals, systems and accounting. • Monitored tax laws, rulings, and court decisions that impact on Client Companies. • Negotiated with state auditors to secure Sales & Use Tax refunds resulting in over 1.2 million dollars. • Managed the Sales and Use Tax audit function, including preparation of analyses and responses to all state audits and inquiries. Implemented controls, when applicable, on a post audit basis to prevent future occurrences. • Made initiatives to streamline sales tax processes, including exemption certificate compliance. • Handled all aspects of state and local sales & use tax audits. • Conducted in-depth review of invoices for tax issues, documenting and filing refunds. • Managed other auditors to achieve project goals, and managerial directives. • Researched sales/use tax laws regarding merchandise sold, construction of new stores, services. • Analyzed sales tax related information resulting in 25% reduction of client’s tax liabilities. • Assisted with the preparation and filing of all required sales/use tax returns. • Managed and oversee all phases of sales & use tax audits including settlement negotiations. • Identified tax savings opportunities for clients of over 25% or more. • Verified and authorized tax bills, invoices, and payments for Sales/Use taxes and Assessments; • Researched and quantified the consequences of proposed/active tax legislation

8/1996 - 11/2000

Iberville Parish Sales Tax Department

Director / VP

• Responsible for the collecting, recording, and depositing of monthly collection of Sales tax revenue for the entire Parish/County. Also responsible for processing of business licenses; Beer and liquor licenses; payments for occupational license fees, contractors’ quarterly report, sales, rental and leasing, lodging, residential rental and commercial rental tax payments.

11/1988 - 7/1996

City of New Orleans

Manager

• Responsible for sales tax compliance, sales tax audits, research and planning and maintaining the various tax systems that support this function. Coordinating and conducting sales/use tax audits. • Independently conducted large scale, highly complex audits of a special or difficult nature. • Trained Auditor Interns and Tax Auditors in field audit procedures. • Analyzed and evaluated accounting and auditing problems and recommended effective auditing procedures and programs. • Evaluated work performance of Auditor Interns and Tax Auditors to the Tax Auditor Supervisor. • Compiled spreadsheets, audit notes, and analyses which meet established standard policy requirements and procedures. • Estimated City Sales and Use Tax liability from taxpayer records or other available information; • Organized detailed financial data (i.e., summarized total gross revenue and deductions by classification, and identified and segregated exceptions to full compliance with the tax code using samples of source documents). • Attended meetings or works at the taxpayer's business location, or the taxpayer's appointed representative's location, to compile financial information from the taxpayer's records; • Followed and documented the audit trail in the audit file for each assigned audit; • Wrote audit findings and conclusion summaries; • Examined and verified accuracy of bookkeeping records such as invoices, sales journals, general ledgers, bank statements, and inventory entries; • Searched records to identify entries critical to tax liability or procedural propriety as it relates to internal controls and conformance to tax laws; • Attended tax hearings and gave testimony regarding work performed and the basis of the City's assessment; • Educated business managers in computing and reporting taxes due by explaining legal requirements, rules, regulations, procedures, and ordinances of the City; • Responded to telephone inquiries regarding the tax code; • Demonstrated continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service.

1987

Master Degree

Southern University

• Public Administration

1985

Bachelor Degree

Southern University

• Accounting