Continued Curiosity: Candace Lee, CFP®, attends the AICPA ENGAGE Conference

A common trait among our advisors and team at Glassman Wealth is curiosity. We are continuously seeking out more knowledge, discovering better ways to serve our clients, and investigating the intricacies of our interests. That’s why I knew it would be enthusiastically encouraged when I shared that I planned to attend the AICPA ENGAGE Conference this year.

The purpose of this conference is to give CPAs and those in the financial industry the opportunity to gain valuable technical knowledge, while networking with peers in the community that could help challenge and enhance their knowledge. Although this conference is mostly attended by CPAs and tax professionals, there were several financial advisors, such as myself, who wished to learn more about the intricacies of the tax code and how they could use that to best serve their clients.

Over the course of five days, I had the opportunity to attend sessions from a selection of over 250 courses, including several courses on tax strategies for high income individuals, advanced estate planning, and advanced personal financial planning. Attending this year was especially important and timely with the recent changes to tax law that was signed last December, and this reform was the major focus of this year’s conference. With the incredible nuances and intricacies of the tax code, the opportunity to meet with tax professionals and attend these sessions is invaluable to my team and clients.

Of course, my interest and curiosity when it comes to taxes couldn’t just stop at a single conference, and I’m taking this opportunity one step further. I am currently pursuing the IRS Enrolled Agent designation, the highest credential the IRS awards. To obtain this not only do I have to study for and pass a rigorous, comprehensive three-part exam, but in order to maintain the credential I will need to complete 72 hours of continued education courses every 3 years.

I’ve been eager to share some of my recent knowledge with the team, and explore the different ways to apply it to our clients specific situations. Much like Gabe’s recent experiences with the Investment News Think Tank, and several of our advisors attending IMPACT each year, these continued education opportunities not only give myself and other members of the team a fantastic chance to meet other professionals and increase our knowledge, but it gives us the ability to apply it to our firm and best serve our clients.