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President's Message: Hello Fresno Chapter!

"Spring is nature's way of saying, let's party." 

Robin Williams                                                                                           

April brings a close to part one busy season. Time for us to take a deep breath and congratulate ourselves on a job well done. Plan some enjoyable occasions like barbeques, a day at the park, road trips, vacations, any kind of fun. Take a break and recharge  before launching into part two of busy season, extensions!

How the past year has flown by.  What a great year the Fresno Chapter has had. From our awesome professional networking mixers to our successful student scholarship fund raising events, the Fresno Chapter provides a wide range of social, educational, and community focused functions. For these reasons and more, I truly wish to express my gratitude for the opportunity to serve the Fresno Chapter this past year, and to be a part of this amazing group. I leave you in very capable hands; welcome Sonia Vital, our incoming chapter President! And I'll see you all at our next event.

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end".

Fresno Chapter's next events include a community care day at the 

 on May 16th at MachineHead Brewery! Please come join us for these fabulous events.

So Long, Farewell, auf Wiedersehen

April brings a close to part one busy season. Time for us to take a deep breath and congratulate ourselves on a job well done. Plan some enjoyable occasions like barbeques, a day at the park, road trips, vacations, any kind of fun. 

As we dive into June, I want to express my gratitude to our former president Sonia Vital for her outstanding contributions to our chapter. During her presidency, we enjoyed numerous engaging events and opportunities for involvement. She not only promoted participation but also fostered a new partnership with the Professional Financial Planners Association. Thank you! 

In May, I had the privilege of coordinating the annual state Committee on Taxation for CalCPA/IRS Liaison meeting for the first time. The IRS’s shift towards a more open and collaborative approach was evident in the excellent group of IRS speakers we had. We were fortunate to have senior managers and directors from various departments such as Criminal Investigations, IRS Counsel, Large Business & International and Stakeholder Liaison departments. 

For those involved in tax matters, you are likely aware that partnership audits have been on the decline despite the rise in partnership tax returns filed annually. Dealing with an audit related to ownership of a passthrough interest often exposes the IRS's limited knowledge and understanding of the partnership tax regime. This lack of expertise not only prolongs the audit process but also requires CPAs or tax attorneys to educate auditors on the intricacies of passthrough entities and ownership interests. With funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, a new passthrough department under LB&I for trusts, partnerships, and S corporations of all sizes is being established. The objective is to enhance audit coverage and offer a higher level of expertise to handle audit cases more effectively. This new division is expected to be operational by the end of this year. 

If you haven't had the opportunity to work with an IRS Stakeholder Liaison before, I encourage you to connect with your local liaison. They play a crucial role in maintaining open lines of communication between stakeholders (CPAs) and the IRS. Through the Issue Management Resolution System (IMRS), they escalate issues and feedback to the relevant departments, ensuring a smoother communication process. 

For a more comprehensive overview of the COT CalCPA/IRS Liaison meeting, please see the COT article in the August issue of CalCPA Magazine.

President's Message by Kelly Blocker

Program Manager

Director of Chapter Engagement & Operations

Kelly Blocker

I'm Kelly Blocker, your 2024-25 Fresno Chapter President. With more than two decades of experience in public accounting and countless tax seasons behind me, my passion for the profession remains strong. Outside of work, I'm a proud parent watching my 19-year-old daughter blossom, and a dog lover who wrangles two energetic German Shepherds.

While the sense of relief after tax season is undeniable, so is the lingering fatigue. We all know the cycle continues! This year, with the "normal" April 15th deadline returning, it felt almost strange – deadlines, law changes, you name it – those seem to be the norm for us. Thank goodness for extensions! 

Now, let's shift gears to something exciting! Have you had a chance to explore the new CalCPA website? It's been completely revamped to make information more accessible and relevant to your needs. Podcasts, newsletters, and educational courses – everything is designed to fit the current accounting landscape. Take a few minutes to dive in and see what your membership offers. 

As spring unfolds, I encourage you all to take time to unwind, spend time with loved ones (furry friends included!), and recharge before the deadline arrives. Here's to a well-deserved break and continued success!

I'm Kelly Blocker, your 2024-25 Fresno Chapter President. With more than two decades of experience in public accounting and countless tax seasons behind me, my passion for the profession remains strong. 