Rental Expert and Tax Strategy Pod Role: Tax Accountant Emphasis

Posted Thursday, October 2, 2025

Thank you for your interest in WCG. The following is high-level information for our Rental Expert and Tax Strategy (RETS) Pod, with a Tax Accountant Emphasis (we also have another role on RETS specifically for Tax Strategist emphasis).

Who Is WCG

WCG CPAs & Advisors isn't your typical CPA firm, and if you've spent any time in public accounting, you already know that's either a red flag or a relief. For the right person, it's the latter.

Headquartered in Colorado Springs with team members across the U.S. and in India, we're a methodically growing firm with 7 partners, over 90 full-time team members, and projected 2026 revenues of $12.7M, representing about 14% year-over-year growth. We grow because our model works, not because we say yes to everything.

We offer the depth of a mid-size firm with the focus and personality of a boutique. We play in specific sandboxes- small business owners in S Corps, Partnerships, and PCs; complex individual tax, and real estate investors, and we play in them very well. Real estate and rental activity planning alone represents over 40% of our advisory work and is our fastest-growing segment.

No billable hours. No six-minute increments. No stuffiness. We operate on a value-based, next-gen advisory model built around annual service offerings that combine tax return preparation, routine consultation, and strategic planning. A tax return, in our world, is the result of a year's worth of conversations, not a transaction.

If that sounds like the environment you've been looking for, keep reading.

Last updated- Sunday, April 19, 2026

WCG Team Overviews

Support Team

Everything starts and ends with our Support Team, and we mean that. Their mission is to make clients' lives better and to back up every other team at WCG. The Support Team runs in four lanes:

  • Client Support: Our frontline team handling phone calls, chats, texts, and general email inquiries. First impressions live here. The rest of the WCG team spends every day trying to live up to it.
  • Tax Support: Our largest segment and does the heavy lifting on both ends of the tax return process. They handle front-end data collection (IDP, which stands for Information and Data Processing... yeah, the name is a little stale, but the function is mission-critical) and back-end assembly using SurePrep. They also collect payments, obtain e-file authorizations via Canopy, and file about 75% of our tax return extensions.
  • Operations Support: Led by a full-time CPA and former tax manager whose job is to keep the trains running on time across all teams and to surface the right information to WCG leadership and Pod leaders.
  • Human Resources: Led by our dedicated HR Manager who ensures compliance, sure, but whose primary function is supporting the team with their needs from travel and IT to family leave, the firmwide calendar, and beyond.

Tax Prep Team

We use Thomson Reuters UltraTax in a dedicated hosted environment, paired with SurePrep (including 1040SCAN) for electronic binders and annotations.

For the 2025 tax year, our team will prepare approximately 5,800 returns, a clean 60/40 split between individual and business entity returns. Because our Tax team has a well-documented fondness for summers, we push hard to complete 65% of returns by April 15, leaving May through July open primarily for tax planning work.

Over 50 Tax team members make this happen, including our 11 dedicated team members in India.

Rental Expert and Tax Strategy Pod

Real estate and advanced tax planning are core niches at WCG, so we built a team specifically for them rather than leaving it to generalists.

The RETS Pod works behind the scenes to support our primary tax Pods on the technical heavy lifting: initial asset setups, cost segregation studies (including fun 3115/481(a) adjustments), the short-term rental loophole, and Real Estate Professional Status (REPS) analysis..

We use a structured three-session process (Foundation, Exploration, and Execution) to map a client's full tax exposure and build an actionable strategy. We replace promoter math with real math, stress-testing every advanced strategy against what we call the 3-Legged Stool: a client's actual cash, effort, and risk tolerance.

2025 tax returns due in 2026 was our first time with the RETS Pod (fka, the rental expert pod). We had some bumps and bruises, and we have a lot of growing yet to do. Our ideal world is for all rental activities and related niche investments be handled by the RETS Pod leaving the remaining pieces of the tax return to be completed by other WCG tax accountants. Two exceptions: a real estate holding company that files a partnership return, and a super simple 1040 where the rental and investment activities are the main event. Those get handled tip to tail by the RETS Pod.

If real estate tax strategy is your thing, this is where WCG is investing. We currently have 5 team members in this pod and are aiming for 9-10 by the end of 2026 to support our fastest-growing client segment as we continue the evolution from the original Rental Expert Pod to the 2.0, or the RETS Pod.

Accounting Services Team

At WCG, Accounting Services means Bookkeeping + Analysis, not just reconciliations. There's a meaningful difference, and our clients feel it in their financial reporting, real-time tax planning, and day-to-day decision-making.

Our 11-person team (including a small group in India) each works with 25-30 clients using QuickBooks Online, Xero, and REIHub exclusively. No desktop, no Freshbooks, no whatever whatever. We also use Reach Reporting to give business owners a visual, trend-based view of their financials. Because a graph tells a story that a spreadsheet sometimes can't.

On cadence, we intentionally skip quarterly. Monthly, bi-monthly, and quad-monthly schedules let us smooth the workflow across the year so our team isn't buried in crazy Aprils, Julys, and Octobers. It's a small structural decision that makes a big difference for both the team and the client.

Accounting Services also handles sales and use tax filings and personal property tax. Clean, focused, genuinely valuable work.

Payroll Processing Team

WCG has processed payroll for over 800 small businesses for years. We're proud of that. But in summer 2026, we're making a deliberate shift, transitioning all payroll clients to ADP or Paychex for client-direct processing.

This isn't a retreat, it's a reset with intention. Payroll processing, done right, demands its own infrastructure, attention, and resources. By stepping back from it, we're doubling down on what we do best: high-level advisory, tax strategy, and the consultative work that actually moves the needle for our clients.

WCG is getting sharper on purpose. Read our Reset With Intention webpage for more information on our 2026 initiatives.

Business Development Team

Our 6-person Biz Dev team is the engine behind WCG's growth, specifically our advisory segment as opposed to tax-only engagements (we call those TOEs). They draft proposals, re-paper existing engagements, handle corporate governance matters like entity formations and S Corp elections, and own the onboarding process from first inquiry to fully engaged client.

The Biz Dev team works hand-in-hand with our Client Acquisition Team (the CAT) to make sure every prospect gets a thoughtful, human experience as they transition into a WCG engagement.

This isn't a sales team. Prospects come to us primarily through our website, content, and referrals. We average 6-7 inquiries per day, and 2 out of 3 are from high income earners who want tax reduction strategies through short-term rentals and other niche assets.

The Biz Dev team's job is to listen well, match the right engagement to the right client, and make WCG easy to say yes to.

Locations

In addition to over 35 remote team members, our physical footprint includes:

  • Headquarters: 2393 Flying Horse Club Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
  • South Dakota: 300 North Main Street, Mitchell, SD 57301
  • Wyoming: 920 E Sheridan Street Suite B, Laramie, WY 82072
  • India: 705 Sankalp Square-3, Sindhu Bhavan Marg, Ahmedabad, Gujarat

RETS Pod Tax Accountant Intro

The RETS Pod has two distinct roles. This is the Tax Accountant role, which is compliance-forward with a specialty layer. You are primarily a tax return preparer who goes deep on rental schedules, real estate entity structures, and the technical mechanics of cost segregation and depreciation. Client-facing work is part of the job, but preparation is the primary work. If you are more energized by the strategy conversation than the return itself, take a look at the RETS Pod Tax Strategist role instead. Both live in the same Pod and work closely together.

Most tax accountants who specialize in real estate got there by accident. A client had a rental property, then two, then a cost segregation study, then questions about Real Estate Professional Status, and suddenly you were the person everyone called. If that story sounds familiar, and if you actually enjoyed that path, the RETS Pod was built for you.

This is not a generalist tax role with a real estate footnote. The RETS Pod exists specifically to go deep on rental properties, real estate investments, and the advanced tax strategies that come with them. You will spend your days on Schedule Es, Form 8825s, short-term rental loophole analysis, cost segregation setups, material participation determinations, and the occasional 3115/481(a) adjustment that makes most tax accountants reach for coffee. You will also be client-facing, participating in Discovery Meetings and consultations where your subject matter expertise is the main event.

It is worth saying plainly: this is not a career-limiting role. Being a recognized expert in one of WCG’s fastest-growing and most sophisticated client segments is a career accelerant, not a detour. The Tax Team career path (Supervisor, Senior Supervisor, Manager, Senior Manager, Partner) is fully available to RETS Pod members.

Is This You?

This role is a strong fit if you are…

Someone who finds real estate tax genuinely interesting, not just professionally useful. A tax accountant who lights up when a client asks about REPS qualification or wants to understand the mechanics of a cost segregation study. A person who can hold a technical conversation with a client about passive activity loss rules without making them feel like they are being lectured. A team player who understands that the RETS Pod works alongside other tax Pods, and that collaboration is part of the job.

A quick reality check…

The RETS Pod is new. 2025 tax returns (due in 2026) were our first full season operating this way, and we had bumps and bruises along the way. We are still building the playbook, refining the workflows, and figuring out where the edges are. If you want a role with every process buttoned up and documented, this probably is not your moment. If you want to help build something and have your fingerprints on how a specialized pod operates at a growing firm, that is a different conversation.

Real estate tax is also a subject that rewards genuine curiosity. The rules around short-term rentals, material participation, and cost segregation are nuanced, frequently litigated, and always evolving. You need to actually care about staying current, not just checking a box.

Basics

Applicants Must

  • Have a genuine passion for rental properties and real estate tax that goes beyond professional curiosity. This has to be part of how you think, not just something you can do.
  • Be able to communicate complex real estate tax subject matter clearly and confidently, whether you are talking to a fellow team member, a prospective client in a Discovery Meeting, or an existing client who just received a tax notice.
  • Hold an active CPA or EA license, or be actively pursuing one. Real estate tax at this level requires the credibility and the technical foundation that comes with it.
  • Bring at least 2-3 years of tax return preparation experience, ideally with meaningful exposure to Schedule E and Form 8825, STR loophole, REPS, material participation, cost segregation, passive activity rules, 1031 and 721 exchanges, and real estate entity structures.
  • Be comfortable working across two modes: heads-down tax return preparation during season, and more consultative, client-facing work in the off-season. This role switches gears and you need to switch with it.
  • View the RETS Pod as a medium to long-term commitment. The value of deep specialization compounds over time, and so does your impact on the team and on clients. We are not looking for someone who wants to rotate through and move on.
  • Be willing to stay current on real estate tax developments proactively. New cases, IRS guidance, legislative changes in the rental and depreciation space all matter here and you need to track them without being asked.

Nice To Haves

  • Current or previous landlord / rental property ownership experience.
  • Deeper construction knowledge than the average tax professional so you can resolve land improvements versus building improvements, understand Unit of Property materiality and support it, detect glaring deficiencies in cost segregation reports, and other real property construction matters.

Compensation

$110,000 to $130,000 depending on experience and licensure. CPA or EA credential and prior real estate tax experience will move you toward the upper end of that range.

Reporting Manager

RETS Pod Leader

RETS Tax Accountant Role Responsibilities

You will work directly with other RETS Pod members and Tax Team members, and report to the RETS Pod Leader. Your responsibilities span two seasons, and the work looks different depending on the time of year. Your role responsibilities include WCG’s Tax Accountant Role plus or as modified with the following-

During Tax Season

  • Preparing rental property initial asset setups including cost segregation study inputs and trial balances.
  • Calculating IRC Section 481(a) adjustments and completing Form 3115.
  • Preparing Schedule Es and Forms 8825s as the primary work product (roughly 80% of your preparation time).
  • Preparing complete tax returns for those engagements handled tip to tail by the RETS Pod: real estate holding companies filing partnership returns, and simpler 1040s where rental and investment activities are the main complexity.
  • Identifying material participation issues, short-term rental loophole eligibility, and REPS qualification questions and flagging them appropriately for review or consultation.
  • Determine repairs versus improvements using three safe harbors and Units of Property determinations.
  • Resolving tax notices and other issues related to rental and real estate activities.

During the Off-Season

  • Initially preparing tax plans (roughly 90%) and gradually shifting toward a split of preparing and reviewing as experience grows (see Tax Team Expectations and Path).
  • Participating in Discovery Meetings with prospective clients as the real estate subject matter expert, helping diagnose their situation and determine whether WCG is the right fit.
  • Being the go-to resource for existing clients who have routine consultation questions on rental activity, material participation, depreciation, or related topics.
  • Assisting with onboarding new rental property and real estate investor clients to ensure a smooth and positive start.
  • Preparing rental property initial asset setups including cost segregation study inputs ahead of tax season including dispositions.
  • Researching complex or unusual real estate tax questions and drafting memos and conclusions.

Year-Round

  • Identifying gaps in RETS Pod processes and contributing to how we fix them. We are still building this thing and your observations matter.
  • Providing feedback and recommendations to RETS Pod leadership and WCG leadership on how to improve the real estate service line.
  • Advancing WCG’s presence in the real estate space by building relationships with real estate agents, mortgage professionals, and others in the rental property world.
  • Answering client phone calls and emails with professionalism and genuine care.
  • Filing and organizing electronic documents and keeping the workflow moving.
  • Other tasks related to real estate tax, accounting, and consultation as requested.

Responsibilities will evolve as the RETS Pod matures, as your experience grows, and as the firm’s needs shift. They are reviewed and updated during Associate Reviews.

Hours Requirements

All salaried positions must work 2,100 hours annually / 12-month trailing period. Holidays and other office closures count towards the 2,100 hours (e.g., Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday would contribute 16 hours towards the 2,100-hour requirement... sorry, Cyber Monday is a work day). PTO and other employee-requested leaves do not count towards the 2,100-hour requirement. Please refer to the WCG Associate Handbook for additional information.

Tax Team Career Path

The Tax Team career path runs from Tax Accountant to Supervisor, Senior Supervisor, Manager, Senior Manager, and Partner. All new team members begin in a training period that temporarily shapes the role responsibilities above. See the Tax Team Expectations and Path document for the full picture.

RETS Pod members follow the same career path as the broader Tax Team. Deep specialization in real estate tax does not close doors at WCG. It opens them.

Tax team members can also transition into Accounting Services or other areas of the firm. WCG does not limit anyone who wants to grow and explore.

How To Join The WCG Team

Here is the step by step process-

  1. Click on the button below to complete a quick questionnaire and upload your resume.
  2. If we like your detailed and thoughtful responses, we will swipe right and send an email to schedule a 40-minute call to get some additional housekeeping out of the way for you and for us. We are quick to respond (within 12-24 hours); please check junk or spam folders.
  3. If things go well, we schedule a 40-minute Teams chat with Jason Watson. This is purely to get a feel for each other. We can teach you anything… short of being nice, being professional, being energetic, being someone we can work with. Taxes? Easy. Accounting? Got you. Ability to hold a meaningful conversation? Well…
  4. After that initial meeting, and if we believe there is a basis to work together, we introduce you to our recruitment team of Megan, Terra and Beth. After you chat with each of them, we get together and talk behind your back.
  5. Next, Jason checks in to see if you have any additional questions, and to start formulating a role with the team, compensation, start dates, etc. Then an offer letter is presented. Yay!

Once an offer is accepted, then there might be a lot of radio silence depending on start date. As things get closer, we order a background check. For remote positions, we also do a tech survey and see what things you need, and start to discuss travel plans.

About 30 days before your start date, training materials and a schedule is presented.

And away we go!

join the WCG team

Join The WCG Team

Apply online to join the team- answer some questions and upload a resume!

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WCG Careers

Learn about our comprehensive training process, made to balance team experience and client service.

2026 Benefits

WCG 2026 benefits summary outlines health insurance (United Healthcare Choice Plus HDHP, employee-only), dental, and vision coverage.

Associate Handbook

This Associate Handbook was developed to describe some of the expectations we have for all associates and what you can expect from WCG.

WCG CPAs & Advisors is a full service consultation and tax preparation firm located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and we look forward to working with you!

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