A three-person firm on Jefferson Avenue
Ruth Abernathy opened the firm in 2014 after eleven years at a regional accounting firm in Oak Brook, where most of her clients were companies with a few hundred employees. She wanted to do the same work for the cafes, contractors and studios she walked past in downtown Naperville.
Daniel Prewitt joined in 2016 to run tax season and represent clients with the IRS. Lucia Castellanos joined in 2017 and built the bookkeeping and payroll side, which now covers most of the firm's clients. The three of them do all of the client work. A seasonal preparer helps from February to April.
The team
The people and credentials below belong to a fictional demo firm. Sample
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Ruth Abernathy
CPA, licensed in Illinois Sample
Ruth spent eleven years at a regional accounting firm in Oak Brook before opening the practice in Naperville in 2014. She prepares most of the firm's S corporation and partnership returns and leads the quarterly planning meetings.
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Daniel Prewitt
Enrolled agent (EA) Sample
Daniel is an enrolled agent, licensed by the IRS to represent taxpayers in audits, collections and appeals. He prepares owner returns, answers IRS and Illinois notices, and sets the estimated tax amounts for planning clients.
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Lucia Castellanos
bookkeeper since 2011 Sample
Lucia closes the monthly books for the firm's bookkeeping clients and runs every payroll, from a two-person salon to a 30-person restaurant. Before joining in 2017 she kept the books for a family-owned landscaping company in Plainfield.
How we run the practice
- A quote before the work
- Every engagement starts with a one-page written quote. If the work turns out bigger, you hear about it and approve it before we do it.
- The same people every year
- Your return is prepared by Ruth or Daniel, your books are closed by Lucia, and the person who did the work is the one who answers your questions.
- Answers within one business day
- Emails and calls get a reply the next business day at the latest, in March and April too. Urgent IRS letters get a same-day call.
- Documents through a secure portal
- Nothing with your tax ID or account numbers goes by email. Each client gets a portal login for uploads and signed returns.
Meet us before you decide
Tell us what you need help with. We'll look at last year's return or your books, answer what we can on the call, and send a written fixed-fee quote within three business days.
Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.