Howard Choder, EA
“The Taxman”
In 1982 I moved to Seattle (from Pittsburgh, PA) and fell into a job at the Internal Revenue Service quite by accident. I thought it was going to be a temporary stop, but remained there for 15 years holding various positions in the Downtown Seattle office.
I discovered that tax law was a good match for me as it blends numbers with law. After 15 years, I had risen to the top of my profession and my only promotion available to me was going into management at the IRS. That’s when I left to start my own practice.
I initially started working out of my house and met clients in coffee houses around Seattle. My business continues to grow every year with many professional and client referrals.
In addition to providing Tax Accounting, IRS Problem Solving, and other general tax solutions, I have also added Financial Planning to my practice. I have passed all of the preliminary exams and now just need to sit for the final board exam in order to become a Certified Financial Planner.
When I’m not at the office, I love being with my family and kids, playing and coaching ice hockey, riding my bike and to travel as much as time allows. I also enjoying helping with good causes such as the Blue Earth Alliance, Paws, and Full Circle Leadership.
“The Tax Wizard”
Matt was born and raised in Kansas, which he remembers fondly now that he doesn’t have to spend much time there. He started working for Taxman in 2011, shortly after arriving in Seattle. First as Howard’s assistant, then helping with tax preparation, and in 2014 he became an Enrolled Agent, allowing him to prepare tax returns and represent clients dealing with all kinds of IRS issues. Prior to moving to the west coast, Matt spent several years in Washington DC lobbying and working in the finance and accounting department of a large national non-profit. This provided a non-traditional but effective training for both tax preparation and in dealing with the government. Whether you need assistance with your tax return, surviving an audit, or dealing with IRS collection issues, Matt is here to help!
When away from the office Matt enjoys spending time outside exploring the Pacific Northwest, or inside watching basketball.
“The Balance Sheet Queen”
Growing up in Eastern Washington, Carey attended Washington State University – originally for a hospitality degree, but she soon realized working for the travel industry meant watching everyone else travel while you man the fort. She switched to accounting and graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration and a Masters in Accountancy. After all, you can count beans anywhere in the world. While attending WSU, Carey rowed for the nationally ranked crew team.
After graduation, she had had enough of the wheat fields and joined the Peace Corps, where she spent 2 years living and volunteering in Ukraine. A love of beets, pelmeni and cross-stitch was discovered. Returning to the states via the Trans-Siberian railway to Beijing and a flight back to Washington, she started working part-time for Taxman as an accounting assistant/administrator, where she discovered a love of taxes. She then moved to a CPA firm in Redmond, where she worked on a number of tax, accounting and finance projects. After 4 years of taxes and financial statements, Carey is excited to be back and focusing on Tax work only.
When not working, Carey enjoys traveling (an unused passport is a wasted opportunity), exploring Seattle’s music scene (listener only), and exploring the PNW.
Joe Allen, CPA
“Crypto Joe”
Joe attended Central Washington University and graduated with a B.S. in Accounting and minor in Economics. He has worked in public accounting since 2014 and holds a CPA designation. Joe is passionate about investing and is the founder and president of a local investment club.
Outside of work Joe enjoys hiking, video games, and playing sports with friends.
Anna Martin
“The Secret Agent”
Originally from North Carolina, Anna has an information technology background and was a manager in an electronic funds transfer company until a little over 2 years ago. She always had been interested in taxes and took her first H&R Block tax course 20 years ago. She began her employment again for H&R Block 2 years ago before starting to work for Howard.
Anna has a range of hobbies including: volunteering, being a docent at the Woodland Park Zoo, hiking, snowshoeing, and anything outdoors.
Lily Yang
“The Conqueror”
Lily is originally from China. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a Masters in Accountancy. She has experience in all different areas of accounting including financial analysis, audit, and tax. After graduation, she decided to focus on tax, and is currently sitting for the CPA exam.
Before moving to Seattle, Lily lived in San Jose and St. Louis. She loves to travel and her favorite place she has been to so far is Puerto Rico! Outside of work, Lily enjoys playing video games and hiking with friends.
Megan Kelly
“The Task Manager”
Megan has called Seattle her home for most of her life. She is a graduate of Saint Mary’s College of CA, where she received a B.A. in Sociology, concentrating in Women’s Studies. In addition to spending 4 years in California for university, she has lived and had amazing experiences abroad in Australia. Megan envisions traveling more in the future.
Megan has spent 8 years gaining experience in several administrative roles and will always work to ensure the client’s needs are met. She finds challenges rewarding and is ready to take on any new task or project!
During her time off, Megan enjoys gardening, kayaking, exploring local museums (can’t forget the zoo!) and when she can, spending time with family in Montana.
Zane Beard, EA
“The Tax-of-all-Trades”
Zane hails from sunny New Mexico, where he lived for the last 10 years. Graduating from New Mexico State University with a BA in Government in 2010, and a Master of Public Administration in 2012, he originally aspired to join the State Department as a foreign service officer. He ultimately found a home in public accounting preparing returns for individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations.
Zane became an Enrolled Agent in 2021 just after moving to Seattle. He has many hobbies outside the office including – traveling, attending local sporting events (Go Sounders!), hiking, and camping.
Shady Jane
“Can’t Claim Her As A Dependent”
Originally from Tacoma, Washington, listed for free on Craigslist, we knew we had to act immediately to rescue our new dog, Shady Jane (formerly known as Sadie Jane). Shady’s best friend is any tennis ball connected to a chucker. Yes, she adores her human family, but would ditch us in a second for a job chasing tennis balls! She is a mutt with some funny mannerisms (she can smile and sneer at the same time!), but we are sure she has border collie running through her veins. She is smart, loves to crunch numbers, sniff new friends and scare the hell out of our letter carrier.
*In addition to these wonderful attributes, she plays well with others and has never bitten an IRS worker. Although, with trying to figure out the new tax law, all bets are off.