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Capital Leases versus Operating Leases

Created OnJuly 2, 2016
Last Updated OnJuly 2, 2016
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By Jason Watson, CPA

Posted November 23, 2018

One of the problems facing small business owners is disguised purchase payments. This happens often when a business leases a copier (for example) for 60 months and then has an option to own the equipment after the lease term expires. A true lease payment is deductible in full each month, but an installment purchase payment is only deducted to the amount of finance or interest charges.

Here is the blurb from IRS Publication 535–

Lease or purchase. There may be instances in which you must determine whether your payments are for rent or for the purchase of the property. You must first determine whether your agreement is a lease or a conditional sales contract. Payments made under a conditional sales contract are not deductible as rent expense.

Conditional sales contract. Whether an agreement is a conditional sales contract depends on the intent of the parties. Determine intent based on the provisions of the agreement and the facts and circumstances that exist when you make the agreement. No single test, or special combination of tests, always applies.

However, in general, an agreement may be considered a conditional sales contract rather than a lease if any of the following is true.

  • The agreement applies part of each payment toward an equity interest you will receive.
  • You get title to the property after you make a stated amount of required payments.
  • The amount you must pay to use the property for a short time is a large part of the amount you would pay to get title to the property.
  • You pay much more than the current fair rental value of the property.
  • You have an option to buy the property at a nominal price compared to the value of the property when you may exercise the option. Determine this value when you make the agreement.
  • You have an option to buy the property at a nominal price compared to the total amount you have to pay under the agreement.
  • The agreement designates part of the payments as interest, or that part is easy to recognize as interest.

There’s no real value added by exploding all these factors into drawn out explanations. The most common lease problem is the $1 buyout or something similar- be careful what you are getting into with leases that might be disguised as purchases. Not a huge deal, but the accounting and subsequent business deduction will be different.

In the accounting world we call this example a capital lease (as opposed to an operating lease). Here are some more signs of a capital lease to noodle on-

  • The ownership of the asset is shifted from the lessor to the lessee (you) by the end of the lease period; or
  • The lessee (you) can buy the asset from the lessor at the end of the lease term for a below-market price; or
  • The period of the lease encompasses at least 75% of the useful life of the asset (and the lease is non-cancellable during that time); or
  • The present value of the minimum lease payments required under the lease is at least 90% of the fair value of the asset at the inception of the lease.

Note all the “or’s”. Again, don’t get too caught up in the technicalities. Just understand that you might have a capital lease that needs further investigation and special handling for your accounting records. Operating leases are simple, and deducted in their entirety (such as office rent). Here is the link to the IRS Publication 535 (Business Expenses)–

wcginc.com/5334

One final word; under GAAP accounting, the rules are different for those who are required to follow special accounting procedures. Here is a blurb from RSM (a big fancy accounting and auditing firm) that explains it a bit-

Under the old guidance (ASC 840), operating leases were not recorded on the balance sheet, but under ASC 842 operating leases are required to be recorded on the balance sheet, which results in the addition of more assets and liabilities on the balance sheet. Finance (capital) leases will continue to be recognized on the balance sheet. Certain types of assets are excluded from the new standard–leases relating to inventory, intangibles, and some natural resources. The recognition, measurement, and presentation of expenses and cash flows from a lease will continue to depend on its classification as a finance or operating lease. The classification criteria in ASC 842 does not impact the classification for most leases, however, the bright-line classification of ASC 840 was replaced with a principles-based approach.

Don’t get hung up on this. Most small businesses do not have a GAAP requirement… this news is just for gee-whiz cocktail conversation. The reason for all this? Operating leases are obligations that are not required to be presented on the balance sheet. An automobile lease here and there, no biggie. A fleet of Boeing 737s is certainly a different situation, and as an investor you would want to know the impact on the balance sheet from these legal obligations.next article


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  • Taxpayers Guide to LLCs and S Corps
    • Introduction
      • About the Author
      • Progressive Updates
      • Introduction Disclaimer
      • Shameless Self-Promotion
      • Book Introduction
      • Quick Reference 2018
      • Quick Reference 2019
      • Quick Reference 2020
    • Chap 1 - Business Entities, LLCs
      • Basic Business Entities
      • Section 199A Qualified Business Income Tax Deduction
      • S Corp Versus LLC
      • LLC Popularity (Hype)
      • Formation of an LLC or S Corp
      • Nevada Fallacy of an LLC
    • Chap 2 - Customized Entity Structures
      • Your Spouse as a Partner (Happy Happy Joy Joy)
      • Family Partners
      • Holding Company and Operating Company
      • Parent-Child Arrangement (Income Flows "Up")
      • Parent-Child Arrangement (Income Flows "Down")
      • Multi-Member LLC That Issues Invoices
      • Things to Work Through with Multiple Entities
      • Recap of Benefits with Multiple Entities
      • State Apportionment with Multiple Entities
      • California Multi-Member LLC S Corp Twist
      • Economic versus Equity Interests
      • Structuring Deals with Angel Investors
      • ESOPs and S Corporations
      • Another Employee Ownership Situation
      • Medical C Corp
      • Fleischer Tax Court Case
      • Joint Ventures
      • Loans or Capital Injections
      • Using a Trust in Your Formation Considerations
      • Operating Agreements
      • Exit Plans, Business Succession
      • Liability Protection Fallacy of an LLC
      • Charging Orders
      • Using a Self-Directed IRA to Buy a Rental, Start A Business
    • Chap 3 - S Corporation Benefits
      • Avoiding or Reducing Self-Employment SE Taxes
      • Tax Savings with Health Insurance
      • S Corp Hard Money Facts, Net Savings
      • Officer Compensation with Solo 401k Plan Deferral
      • Tracking Fringe Benefits
      • W-2 Converted to 1099
      • Net Investment Income, Medicare Surtax and S Corps
      • Three Types of Income
    • Chap 4 - The 185 Reasons to Not Have an S Corp or LLC
      • Chapter 4 Introduction
      • Additional Accounting Costs
      • Additional Payroll Taxes
      • SEP IRA Limitations
      • Trapped Assets
      • Distributing Profits, Multiple Owners
      • Other W-2 Income
      • State Business Taxes (Not Just Income Taxes)
      • Deducting Losses
      • Distributions in Excess of Shareholder Basis
      • Stock Classes
      • Vesting and Expanding Ownership
      • Bad Loans to the S Corp
      • Social Security Basis
      • Payroll Taxes on Children
      • C Corp to S Corp Problems
      • Going Concern
      • Recap of S Corp Downsides
      • Growing Company, Debt Service
    • Chap 5 - State Nexus Problems
      • Chapter 5 Introduction
      • Chapter 5 Disclaimer
      • Wayfair Case Part 1
      • Nexus Theory
      • Constitutional and Legislative Standards
      • Sales and Use Tax, Income Tax
      • Physical and Economic Presence, Nexus Attached
      • Wayfair Case Part 2
      • Services and Tangible Personal Property (TPP)
      • Costs of Performance, Market-Based Approach
      • Allocation and Throwback
      • FBA, Drop Shipments, Trailing Nexus Revisited
      • Recap of State Tax Issues
      • State Tax Issues and Nexus
    • Chap 6 - S Corporation Election
      • Formation (Election) of an S-Corp
      • Electing S-Corp Filing Status, Retroactive for 2020
      • Another Option, Dormant S Corp
      • Missing Payroll, Now What
      • Mid-Year Payroll
      • Nuts and Bolts of the S Corp Election
      • S Corp Equity Section
      • Terminating S Corp Election
      • Distributed Assets
      • 5 Year Rule
      • Life Cycle of an S Corporation
    • Chap 7 - Section 199A Deduction Analysis
      • Section 199A S Corp Considerations
      • Calculating the Qualified Business Income Deduction
      • Section 199A Defining Terms
      • Specified Service Trade or Business (SSTB) Definitions
      • Trade or Business of Performing Services as an Employee
      • Services or Property Provided to an SSTB
      • Section 199A Deduction Decision Tree
      • Section 199A Reasonable Compensation
      • Section 199A Pass-Thru Salary Optimization
      • Cost of Increasing Shareholder Salary
      • Section 199A Rental Property Deduction
      • Negative Qualified Business Income
      • Qualified Property Anti-Abuse
      • Aggregation of Multiple Businesses
      • Section 199A W-2 Safe Harbors
      • Additional Section 199A Reporting on K-1
      • Section 199A Frequently Asked Questions
    • Chap 8 - Section 199A Examples and Comparisons
      • S Corp Section 199A Deduction Examples
      • Section 199A Side by Side Comparisons
      • Section 199A Basic Comparisons
      • Section 199A Health Insurance Comparison
      • Section 199A 200k Comparison
      • Section 199A 250k Comparison
      • Section 199A Specified Service Business Comparison Part 1
      • Section 199A Specified Service Business Comparison Part 2
      • Section 199A Phaseout
      • Section 199A Recap
      • Section 199A Actual Tax Returns Comparison
    • Chap 9 - Reasonable Shareholder Salary
      • IRS S Corp Stats
      • Reasonable S Corp Salary Theory
      • IRS Revenue Rulings and Fact Sheet 2008-25
      • Tax Court Cases for Reasonable Salary
      • Reasonable Salary Labor Data
      • RCReports
      • W-2 Converted to 1099 Reasonable Salary
      • S Corp Salary Starting Point
      • Multiple Shareholders Payroll Split
      • Additional S Corp Salary Considerations
      • Reasonable Salary Recap
    • Chap 10 - Operating Your S Corp
      • S Corp Grind, Operational Hassles
      • Minimize Tax or Maximize Value (Economic Benefit)
      • Accounting Method
      • Take Money Out of the S Corp
      • Quarterly S Corp Payroll
      • Processing S Corp Payroll
      • The Zero Check
      • Estimated Tax Payments, Withholdings Issues
      • Payroll Processing Frequently Asked Questions
      • Reclassify Shareholder Distributions
      • Other Tricks of the Trade with S Corps
      • Adding Your Spouse to Payroll
      • Pull Money Out of the S Corp, Accountable Plan
      • Chap 10 - Comingling of Money
      • Operating Your S Corp Recap
      • Revoke S Corp, Back to C Corp
      • Section 199A Salary Optimization
    • Chap 11 - Tax Deductions, Fringe Benefits
      • Four Basics to Warm Up To
      • Section 199A Deductions – Pass Through Tax Breaks
      • 185 Business Deductions You Cannot Take
      • Depreciation
      • Small Business Tax Deductions Themes
      • Value of a Business Tax Deduction
      • Deductions the IRS Cannot Stand
      • Automobiles and LLCs, S Corps
      • Business Owned Automobile
      • Section 179 and Bonus Depreciation
      • You Own the Automobile, Get Reimbursed By The Mile
      • You Own the Automobile, Take Mileage Deduction
      • You Own the Automobile, Lease Back to Your Company
      • Automobile Decision Tree
      • Paying Rent, Home Office
      • Tax Home
      • Business Travel Deduction
      • Deducting Business Meals
      • Sutter Rule
      • Cohan Rule
      • Capital Leases versus Operating Leases
      • Putting Your Kids on the Payroll
      • Educational Assistance with an S-Corp - Section 127
      • Summary of Small Business Tax Deductions
      • Comingling of Money
    • Chap 12 - Retirement Planning
      • Retirement Planning Within Your Small Business
      • Self Employed Retirement Plan Basics
      • Retirement Questions to Ask
      • Tax Savings and Tax Deferrals
      • Using a 401k in Your Small Business Retirement Options
      • The Owners-Only 401k Plan
      • Having Staff with a Solo 401k Plan
      • Self-Directed 401k Plans
      • Traditional 401k (A Company Sponsored Plan)
      • 401k Plan Safe Harbor Provision
      • 401k Plans with Roth Option (Roth 401k)
      • Two 401k Plans
      • Rolling Old 401k Plans or IRAs into Your Small Business 401k Plan
      • 401k Loans and Life Insurance
      • Turbo Charged 401k Plans
      • SIMPLE 401k
      • SEP IRA
      • SEP IRA, Roth IRAs and the Roth Conversion
      • Controlled Groups
      • Owner Only 401k Plans in MMLLC Environment
      • Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plan
      • Exotic Stuff
      • Expatriates or Expat Tax Deferral Planning
      • Small Business Retirement Planning Recap
      • Personal Defined Benefit Plan
    • Epilogue
      • WCG Fee Structure
      • Client Portal, Long Distance Relationships
      • More About WCG
      • Consultative Approach
      • Core Competencies
      • No BS
      • Expectations of Our Clients
      • Final Words
      • Tax Consultation Business Advising, S Corp Consult
    • Chap xx - Health Care
      • Disclosure and Updates
      • Gaming the HSA System
      • Health Care Summary
      • Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
      • Long-Term Care
      • Multiple Employees
      • One Person Show or Husband-Wife Team, S Corporation
      • Section 105 Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
      • Section 125 Cafeteria Plans and Flex Spending (FSA)
      • Sole Proprietors and Single Member LLCs
    • Chap yy - Business Valuations, Sale, Exit Planning
      • Business Valuation Techniques
      • Buy-Sell Agreements
      • Deal Structure
      • Debt Service
      • Exit Plans, Succession
      • Purchase Price Allocation
    • Chap zz - Other S Corp Thoughts
      • 1099 Income as Other Income, No Self-Employment (SE) Taxes
      • Audit Rates and Risks with an S-Corp
      • Recap of S-Corps
      • Rental Losses with an S-Corp
      • Rentals Owned by an LLC Fallacy
      • W-2 or 1099-MISC That Is The Question
  • Expat and Expatriate KB
    • Expat FAQs
      • Are there any downsides to claiming the foreign earned income exclusion?
      • Are there exceptions to the bona fide residence or physical presence tests?
      • As an ExPat, do I need to file a State tax return?
      • Can I deduct mortgage interest paid on my foreign home?
      • Do I have to pass the same test each year?
      • Does voting through an absentee ballot mess up my bona fide foreign residency?
      • How do fluctuating currency values affect my taxes?
      • How do I handle my foreign rental property?
      • How do I qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion?
      • How do moving expenses affect my exclusion?
      • How do partial years work with the foreign earned income exclusion?
      • How do tax treaties affect my ExPat situation?
      • How does the foreign housing exclusion or deduction work?
      • If I am a self-employed ExPat, what taxes am I responsible for?
      • If I don't qualify for the housing deduction, can I still deduct expenses?
      • May I still make contributions to my IRA as an ExPat?
      • What amount can I deduct for foreign earned income exclusion?
      • What happens if my host country has a form of social security?
      • What is a tax home or abode, and how do they relate to each other?
      • What is considered foreign earned income?
      • What is foreign earned income exclusion?
      • What is the bona fide residence test?
      • What is the difference between foreign tax credit and deduction?
      • What is the physical presence test?
  • Rental Property KB
    • Rentals FAQs
      • Can I claim my residence as a rental, sell it for a loss and deduct the loss?
      • Can I deduct internet expenses?
      • Can I deduct my cell phone charges?
      • Can I deduct the taxes associated with public improvements?
      • Can I rent out half a duplex or a room in my house?
      • Do I need receipts for my rental expenses?
      • Do rental properties offer good tax sheltering?
      • How are repairs and improvements different?
      • How do I handle my foreign rental property?
      • How do passive loss limitations affect me?
      • I purchased a rental property last year. What closing costs can I deduct?
      • If I don't have any rental income can I still claim a loss?
      • If I move back into my rental, how does that work?
      • If my employer provides a cell phone, is that income?
      • Is depreciating my rental a good thing?
      • My rental sale was a huge loss. What can I do?
      • Rentals Owned by an LLC Fallacy
      • What are tax issues with an LLC owning a rental property?
      • What are the exceptions to rental activities?
      • What are the rules on a home office deduction?
      • What is active participation versus material participation?
      • What is considered rental income?
      • What rental property expenses can I deduct?
    • Real Estate Pros
      • Are rental activities always passive activities?
      • Are there downsides to the real estate professional designation?
      • Are there specific material participation tests for real estate professionals?
      • Do I need to group my rental activities together?
      • How do I record the hours spent as a real estate professional?
      • If I meet the 750-hour test, do I also meet the 500-hour material participation test?
      • What activities count and don't count?
      • What are some of the IRS tricks to deny my real estate professional designation?
      • What are some of the tax court cases for real estate professionals?
      • What are the general tests for material participation?
      • What is active participation versus material participation?
      • What is the definition of real estate professional?
      • Why designate myself as a real estate professional?
  • Other Tax Information KB
    • Audits
      • Can I ignore an IRS notice or claim I never received it?
      • How can I pay my taxes or my notice of deficiency?
      • How can I prepare for my face to face or interview field audit?
      • How do I appeal the collections of unpaid taxes?
      • How does a joint return get handled during an audit?
      • How does bankruptcy affect my unpaid taxes?
      • How much is interest and penalty on taxes owed?
      • How should I respond to an IRS notice or letter?
      • What are my chances of being audited?
      • What are some of the types of IRS notices and letters?
      • What can the IRS do if I don't pay my taxes- what is the collections process?
      • What causes or triggers an IRS audit?
      • What if I cannot pay my taxes?
      • What IRS publications deal with audits?
      • What is the appeals process?
      • What is the period of limitations for an audit?
      • What types of audits could I face?
      • Who can be with me at my IRS audit or conference?
    • Charitable Contributions
      • Are there ways to earmark money for an individual?
      • Do I need receipts for my donations?
      • Does deducting charitable contributions cause an audit?
      • How do I determine the value of my donation?
      • What are some of the donations I can deduct?
      • What are some other charitable deductions?
      • What are the limits of my donations?
      • Who qualifies as a charity?
      • Why give to charities?
    • Education, Tuition Deductions
      • Are Educational Savings Accounts Worth It
      • Are There Tax Breaks for Going to College
      • Are There Tax Savings When My Employer Pays for My Education
      • Can I deduct the cost of sports, games or hobbies while in college?
      • IRAs and Savings Bonds To Help With Higher Education Costs
      • What College Expenses Can I Deduct From My Income
      • What constitutes a full-time student for tax purposes?
    • Homes and Real Estate FAQs
      • Can I deduct the loss on my primary residence?
      • Can I deduct the taxes associated with public improvements?
      • Can I exclude the gain on my home sale?
      • How does a Federal Disaster affect my casualty loss?
      • My home was destroyed- what deduction can I take? How do casualty losses work?
      • The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act and Debt Cancellation
      • What are the rules on a home office deduction?
      • What is Cancellation of Debt? Is it taxable income?
    • Medical, Health Insurance
      • What are qualified medical expenses?
      • Why can't I deduct health insurance premiums?
    • Mortgages, Bad Debts
      • Can I deduct a bad debt on my tax return?
      • Can I deduct the loss on my primary residence?
      • Is cancellation of debt always taxable?
      • The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act and Debt Cancellation
      • What is Cancellation of Debt? Is it taxable income?
    • Recordkeeping
      • Are there specific records I need to keep?
      • Do I need receipts for my expenses?
      • How does proper recordkeeping affect my audit results?
      • How long do I have to keep records?
      • How should I maintain my tax records?
      • What are the requirements for mileage records?
      • Why should I keep tax records?
    • General Tax Questions
      • Can I deduct internet expenses?
      • Can I deduct my cell phone charges?
      • If my employer provides a cell phone, is that income?
      • Tax Brackets Misconceptions- Should I earn more money?
      • What is the marriage penalty and how does it affect our tax returns?
  • Small Business KB
    • Small Biz FAQs
      • Can I call my 1099 other income which avoids employment taxes?
      • Can I deduct country club dues as a business expense?
      • Can I deduct internet expenses?
      • Can I deduct my cell phone charges?
      • Health Care Expenses, Premiums, HRAs, HSAs - Section 105
      • Hobby Versus Business Article
      • How can I avoid or reduce Self-Employment (SE) taxes?
      • If I am a self-employed ExPat, what taxes am I responsible for?
      • If my employer provides a cell phone, is that income?
      • LLCs and S-Corps
      • Retirement Planning within an S-Corp
      • S-Corp Hard Money Facts, Net Savings
      • Turn Your Vacation Into a Tax Write Off
      • What are tax issues with an LLC owning a rental property?
      • What are the rules on a home office deduction?
      • What business or corporate expenses can I deduct?
      • What do I do with a 1099-K?
      • What is the difference between a hobby and a business?
      • What is the difference between an LLC, S-Corp and a C-Corp?
      • Why can't I deduct health insurance premiums?
      • Hobby Versus Business
        • 3 out of 5 Test
        • Hobby Versus Business Testing
        • Philosophy of Business Losses
        • Private Track Coach Deducts Business Losses for Eight Years, Court Says OK
        • WCG (formerly Watson CPA Group) Philosophy on Hobby Losses
      • Independent Contractors
        • Behavioral Control
        • Colorado's Criteria for Contractor Status
        • Employee or Independent Contractor
        • Employee or Independent Contractor Status
        • Financial Control
        • IRS Determination, Form SS-8
        • Misclassified Workers Can File Social Security Tax Form
        • Salespeople As Contractors
        • Sample Response to CO Unemployment Claim
        • Statutory Employee and NonEmployees
        • Tax Court's Checklist
        • Type of Relationship
      • LLC and S-Corps (superseded)
        • As a one-person show, should I still form an LLC? An S-Corp?
        • Automobiles and LLCs, S Corps (superseded)
        • Can I call my 1099 other income which avoids employment taxes?
        • Determining the S-Corp Payroll Amount
        • Estimated Tax Payments, Withholdings Issues for an S-Corp
        • How do I convert my LLC to an S-Corp?
        • How does an LLC or S-Corp's income affect my taxes?
        • If the S-Corp taxation is what I ultimately want, should I form an LLC or C-Corp?
        • Is there a way to avoid Self-Employment tax?
        • Should I convert my LLC to an S-Corp (Sub-S Election)?
        • Should I form an LLC with my spouse?
        • The S-Corp Grind, Operational Hassles
        • The Zero Dollar Paycheck
        • What are the operational hassles of an S-Corp LLC?
        • What is an Accountable Plan?
        • The Money Trail for S-Corp Elections
        • 185 Reasons NOT to S-Corp, Downsides to S-Corp Election
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Philip Schreifels Bio

Philip grew up in southern California, skateboarding, even though he wasn’t good at it.  He also liked to read.  He graduated from UCCS in 2010, with a double major in Accounting and Information Systems.  He liked business but didn’t like that business was so broad.  So, when he took an intro accounting class and liked it, he decided to pursue it.  He has recently been spending a lot of time reviewing books and financials.

Philip is married with two children and two wiener dogs.  He likes playing volleyball, reading books and driving in the mountains.  He can be loud sometimes and as such, he has occasionally been used as a human PA system.

Sean Doyle Bio

Sean was born in Niceville, Florida, but grew up in Albuquerque, Tucson and Colorado Springs.  As a kid, he loved to read and swim.

Sean has enjoyed economics and finance since high school.  When he took his first accounting class in college, he realized he liked accounting and that he was good at it. He has completed three semesters at the University of Pittsburgh and plans to graduate in April of 2023.

In his free time, Sean likes to read, especially books about history.  When he’s not working hard in the office, you can find him in the mountains.  In the summer he tries to fly fish at least once a week and enjoys skiing in the winter.  He has also become decent at orienteering and using a map and compass—no need for a GPS with Sean!

Lauren Perry Bio

Lauren was born in High Point, NC, but being a military brat also moved to Florida and Texas.  She grew up in Raleigh, NC until she was out of high school.  As a kid she enjoyed many activities like watching Disney movies, being outside, playing guitar, singing and skateboarding (Tony Hawk, who?!)

She recently graduated from Florida Atlantic University.  She received her Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in writing and rhetoric.  She was also a cheerleader at a couple community colleges in North Carolina. She comes to WCG with a background in debt brokerage and payroll.  She enjoys trying new things and knew she could catch on quick here at WCG.  She knows the importance of building relationships with people, which she finds to be a crucial point in business, no matter the industry.

Lauren is married with five kids.  Yes, five!  She loves anything to do with exercise and teaches Kangoo, a rebound boot exercise.  She still plays guitar, writes music, sings and jumps on her skateboard…still thinking she is Tony Hawk.  Having just moved to Colorado, she is excited to explore.

Christie Guido Bio

Christie was raised in an Air Force Family, moving from England to Colorado to Hawaii, then back to Colorado! She grew up playing baseball, basketball, and volleyball and considers herself quite the tomboy.  She graduated from Pikes Peak Community College and enjoyed her English classes because of her love for reading and writing.

Christie is married to her husband, Ryan and they share an amazing son, Caden! They share their house with their pets—TJ, a 3-month-old Blue Tick Hound, Rocky, a 3-year-old Miniature Pinscher, Spike, a 16-year-old Chihuahua, and their kitty named…Kitty. Anyone else getting “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” vibes from that name? When Christie isn’t processing those payrolls, she enjoys crafts, hiking, camping, fishing, and spending quality time with her family!

Ian Campbell Bio

Ian grew up in New Albany, Mississippi, being very active outdoors with the family dog and his neighborhood friends. He graduated from The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in 2015, where his favorite subjects were finance and tax courses. He will fit right in here at WCG!

He has always loved understanding how businesses operate and the impact that can be made on people’s lives through good accounting advising. Pass through entities are his specialty and he has also specialized in small business flow-thru tax and private equity.

When Ian isn’t working hard at WCG, you can find him spending time with his two dogs– Caesar, a Doberman, and Belle, a Maltipoo. He is an avid snowboarder and is looking forward to being able to travel to the mountains this year.

Rachael Weber Bio

Rachael Weber has earned both a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology (there’s a joke about accountants being crazy in there somewhere!). She has been preparing tax returns for over 20 years and has previously worked in compilations and audits.

Rachael obtained her CPA license in New York in 2006, and since moving to Colorado has applied for the reciprocal license. She enjoys the field of public accounting because she can help clients feel a little better about the taxes they have to pay.

In her free time Rachael enjoys spending time with her 2 children and 3 cats, which she shares with her 1 husband.

Areas of Expertise

  • Small Business
  • Trust and Estates
  • 501C3
Jason Watson Bio

Jason is a small business consultant specializing in LLCs and S Corporations including entity structure, self-employment taxes and retirement planning. He is quick to point out that while some basics cover all situations, every business is truly unique. He is the author of Taxpayer’s Comprehensive Guide to LLCs and S Corps. He came to the accounting world because he wanted to help people, specifically business owners, get the most out of their worlds.

He is also a financial expert witness primarily in divorce matters, prepares business valuations and is a financial planner. Download CV here.

Jason was an airline pilot for 17 years and has a BBA and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Amazing he made it out alive. To add to the fun, Jason also likes dirt biking, hiking the incline and cooling off with Ruby Red infused Whiskey mixed with diet sweet and sour (getting old stinks). Actually it isn’t diet… it is low sugar. Sounds more masculine like Dr. Pepper Bold and Coke Zero.

Areas of Expertise

  • Small business consultation
  • Multi-entity structures
  • Complex operating agreements and arrangements
  • Business valuation, acquisitions and sales
  • Expert witness testimony in financial matters
  • Financial and retirement planning
Tina Watson Bio

Tina Watson became a Certified Public Accountant in 2003. Tina has both a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Business Administration and consults with a variety of small businesses including Defense Contractors.

Tina takes pride in helping her client understand how the numbers come together. She believes that the extra time spent with a client illustrating the mathematical nuances helps everyone better understand their business. Tina also provides financial planning and basic retirement strategies as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). Tina manages Pod A.

As a mother of three and avid tennis player (4.5 baby!), Tina still finds time to enjoy traveling, exercise and the occasional moment of downtime (which is like a unicorn).

Areas of Expertise

  • Small business consulting
  • International business structures, filings
  • Complex individual tax matters
  • Mark to market, day trader
  • Cryptocurrency
Sally Rhoades Bio

Sally began her tax career in 1988 with Ernst and Young (never heard of them, are they big?) in Nashville and became a CPA licensed in Tennessee in 1989. For 10 years, she followed her Air Force husband all over the world and was a full-time mother of two and a volunteer at various Air Force tax assistance offices. She has lived in Belgium and Germany and has deep experience with expat and military residency issues. Sally joined WCG (formerly Watson CPA Group) in early 2014 and became a licensed CPA in Colorado. In August of 2018 Sally accepted a Partnership, and heads up Pod C.

In her spare time, she enjoys camping, tailgating at Air Force football games, and spending time with her two teenagers and husband.

Areas of Expertise

  • Small business consulting and tax planning
  • Expat or ex-patriate taxes
  • Military tax issues and residency
  • Financial and retirement planning
Terra Plamp Bio

Terra grew up in South Dakota and enjoyed playing sports, especially gymnastics! She graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University in 2007 and chose the accounting profession because of her love for organization and problem solving!

Terra is married and has two children and one fur baby! In her free time, she enjoys reading suspenseful books and teaming up with her husband to chase their kids around in their adventures!

Areas of Expertise

  • Small business consulting and tax planning
  • Estate and Trust consulting and tax planning
Amanda Rowles Bio

Amanda will be the first to tell you she loves organization, efficiency and a fast-paced environment. This brought her to WCG during tax season years ago and she never left! Amanda originally joined the team as a tax admin, but has found her passion in business development. In 2019, Amanda earned her Enrolled Agent credential from the IRS, and has moved from business development manager to director.

Amanda considers herself a Colorado native. She attended college in Iowa, but returned to the mountain air of Colorado for her permanent home. In her personal life Amanda enjoys spending time with her family, friends and animals. She also loves to sing or curl up with a good book, her dogs and her cat, usually with some kind of snack nearby. Seriously, during snow storms, we all raid Amanda’s desk drawers. Peach Rings, yum!

Areas of Expertise

  • Small Business Formations
  • S Corp Elections
Katy Luedtke Bio

Katy grew up in Arvada, Colorado! Growing up she loved playing outside and that hasn’t changed. She graduated from CSU Fort Collins (Go Rams) and enjoyed her American History, German, and fitness classes!  Many life events have led her to the accounting profession, including marrying her husband who’s a CPA.

Katy fills up her free time with spending time with family and friends, hiking, arranging flowers, barre classes, and antiquing. Her two-year-old baby girl and yellow lab, Gryff, keep her busy, but she also finds time to be a board member of the Colorado Gift of Adoption!

Areas of Expertise

  • Project Management
  • Process Analysis and Improvement
  • Time Management
  • Team Management
Michelle Day Bio

Michelle began her career in the United States Air Force where she was a Command Lead and Manager of Computer Operations. From there, she’s worked for a handful of tax and accounting firms, culminating 25 years of cross-functional expertise in business consultation, financial analysis, strategic planning and tax preparation. Michelle became a Partner of WCG Inc. in the fall of 2019.

She is an Enrolled Agent with the IRS and a Certified Fraud Examiner. She assists Jason in divorce litigation support and financial analysis. Instead of “show me the money” it becomes “where’d the money go?”

When she’s not at work, Michelle enjoys reading, spending time with her loved ones including her four-legged family member, cooking, watching movies, and dark chocolate.

Areas of Expertise

  • Small Business consulting
  • State nexus and apportionment issues
  • Taxes for military families
  • Forensic Accounting
  • Fraud examination
  • Cryptocurrency
Megan Oeltjenbruns Bio

Megan was born and raised in South Dakota where she enjoyed golfing, reading, and swimming. She studied Journalism at the University of Montana and graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University with her Bachelor of Science in Accounting. The variety, opportunity to talk and help a lot of people, and the never-ending supply of hard work, led her to the accounting profession and WCG!

Megan has been married for almost 10 years and has 2 daughters and 1 German shepherd. Her love for golf, reading, and swimming never left, and she picks up a running habit annually that never seems to stick!

Areas of Expertise

  • Auditing
  • Business Systems
  • Multi-Entity Taxes and Planning
Greg Applen Bio

Greg grew up in Harmony, Minnesota and enjoyed summer ball, swimming, and running around with the neighbor kids!  He graduated from Winona State University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. During Greg’s Air Force service (4 years active duty and 4 years in the MN Air National Guard), he took his first accounting class where his instructor told him if he becomes a CPA, he’ll be “set for life” and the rest is history!

When Greg isn’t prepping tax returns, you can find him spending time with his wife of 47 years, Cathy, and his children and grandchildren, watching the Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves, and Wild, or re-reading his complete library of John Grisham books.

Fun fact: Greg and his family are Disney fanatics and try to visit Disney World every other year! Lost in Disney World? Call Greg!

Areas of Expertise

  • Clergy Taxes
  • Trust and Estate Returns
Courtney Everitt Bio

Courtney was born in Denver, Colorado with a couple brief stints living in San Francisco and Seattle. Growing up, she played softball, tennis, and golf and spent many summers road-tripping with her grandparents in their RV. She graduated from Metropolitan State University (Go Roadrunners!) of Denver in May of 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Her affinity for math and numbers landed her an administrative position within a CPA firm which grew to a bookkeeper position!

Courtney enjoys spending time with her husband of 11 years, their two sons, and their golden retriever, Lucy! When she isn’t deep in the books, you can find Courtney keeping her boys busy with baseball, soccer, and swimming lessons. She also enjoys traveling, cooking, working out, and the occasional date night.

Areas of Expertise

  • Payroll Processing
Kristy McClurken Bio

Kristy grew up in Nashville, Illinois (yes, you read that correctly) playing in the dirt, riding 4 wheelers, and attending road parties. She graduated from SIU Carbondale (Go Salukis!) with a Masters in Tax. The pressure of choosing a major guided her to the tax profession because it was always easy for her!

Kristy never shies away from a challenge and enjoys playing several instruments (piano, violin, and drums) and spending time with her husband, 4 children, their cockapoo, Teddy, and their recently adopted cat, Felix. She also fills her free time with concerts, hiking, reading, watching football, and cooking!

Areas of Expertise

  • Quickbooks
  • Fundraising and Foundations
  • Business Planning
Jason Schneider Bio

Jason specializes in coordinating and consulting with businesses, their owners, individuals and families in building, and maintaining and transitioning wealth within the family unit. As a CPA, CGMA he has the ability to guide critical business decisions and drive strong business performance using skills that encompass a mix of taxation, operations, management and strategy.

Jason grew up in Golden, Colorado and enjoyed sports and the outdoors, which stuck with him throughout life! He graduated from Colorado State University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science with a Major in Business Administration and a Minor in Media Studies—the perfect combo at WCG!

When he’s not handling his Managing Partner duties at WCG, you can find Jason fishing, camping, hunting, or doing any outdoor activity with his wife Beth and two kids, Claire and Cooper! Can you say perfect Colorado family?!

Fun fact: Jason has extensive training in mountaineering skills and is even certified as an Emergency Medical Responder. He is also a member of the El Paso County Search and Rescue team (EPCSAR)! Make sure you have him on speed dial for your next outdoor adventure!

Areas of Expertise

  • Business consultation
  • Wealth Building
Latesha Anderson Bio

Latesha has recently graduated from UCCS with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and was eager to put her new skills to work right away! She has joined WCG (formerly Watson CPA Group) as an Administrative Assistant on the Business Development team.

Latesha is newly married(congrats!). She enjoys traveling, hiking, taking her puppy to the dog park and watching movies.

Kailey Campbell Bio

Kailey grew up in Santa Barbara, California and spent most of her time chasing lizards and playing with bugs. Her love for animals continued into her teenage years, where she worked summers at the local natural history museum caring for snakes, turtles, and frogs, and working part-time at a veterinary clinic. Kailey graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Ecology and minored in Anthropology. If you’re wondering how she ended up at a CPA firm, she attributes that to wanting to try something new—both in the location of her work and the work duties!

Kailey has been married to her partner, Alex, for 9 years and they enjoy spoiling their 13 nieces and nephews and chihuahua, Zoe! In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, identifying insects, and watching Alex moonlight as a magician and balloon animal artist!

Michelle Newsome Bio

Michelle was raised in a military family and grew up in California and Colorado! She enjoyed playing softball, roller skating, riding her bike, and traveling. She attended CU Boulder and graduated from UCCS in 2009 (Go Mountain Lions)! Her favorite subjects were math and accounting and she was drawn to the accounting profession because her family owned a small business where she got to observe the daily operations of the business.

Michelle is married with two daughters and 3 fur babies! Her hobbies are cooking, gardening, traveling, reading, and spending time with her family. When she isn’t working hard at WCG, she enjoys watching movies, walking the dogs, and trying new recipes!

Fun fact: Michelle is a great cook—especially Korean food!

Alyssa Campfield Bio

Alyssa grew up in Wilton, CA where she enjoyed playing outside with her 3 older brothers. Her great attitude (even during the most stressful tax seasons) brought her to WCG!

She has been with her husband, Tom, for 10 years, married for 6! No children yet, but their two fur babies, Digger and Darla, are spoiled to bits! When Alyssa isn’t busy around WCG, she enjoys going to SCA events, crafting, reading, and playing video games!

Jill Geist Bio

Jill grew up in Iowa, where she enjoyed softball and volleyball, bike riding, water skiing, and boating. She graduated from Iowa Lakes Community College in 1991 and enjoyed her math and computer classes the most!

Jill is married to her husband, Sean, and they have 3 children all in college, a daughter-in-law, 2 dogs and 4 cats! Jill still enjoys the outdoors and spends her free time hiking, camping, traveling, reading books, attending concerts, and cheering on her favorite teams at sporting events.

Angie Zhu Bio

Angie grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado but lived in many places including Illinois, Virginia, and New Jersey! She enjoyed speed skating and playing piano growing up. She graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2006 and enjoyed her business and economics classes the most!

Angie is married and has one daughter who keeps her on her toes! When she isn’t hard at work in the office, she enjoys exploring new places with her husband and daughter, trying new foods and drinks, reading books, playing piano, and longboarding!

Fun fact: Angie is right-handed but uses her left hand to do tasks such as eating and using her computer mouse. #ambidextrous

Daphne Howard Bio

Daphne grew up in San Diego, California soaking up the sun at the beach, participating in Girl Scouts, and playing with her 5 siblings and neighborhood friends! She received an Associates Degree in Accounting and her passion for accounting found her when she was “chosen” to pay bills, reconcile accounts and close the year with the accountant at her medical field job.

Daphne is married to her high school sweetheart—can you say relationship goals?!—and they have two sons! When she isn’t taking care of business at WCG, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling and camping in her refurbished 1950s travel trailer, gardening, crafting, being outdoors, and watching sports

Whitney Caspers Bio

Whitney grew up in Boulder, Colorado where she enjoyed skiing and snowboarding—and still does! She graduated from Colorado State University in 2007 and enjoyed her business and agriculture classes. Her professional development journey teetered from the legal field to the accounting profession, when she realized she enjoyed this side more even after taking the LSAT.

Whitney has been married for almost 8 years and has two children and one dog. When her work at WCG is done, she enjoys cooking, baking, exercising, and spending time with her family walking the dog and going for bike rides.

Fun fact: Whitney has recently reached her goal of being able to do 2 pull-ups and is now onto her next goal of 3! If you were looking for tickets to the gun show, Whitney’s your girl!

Hannah Bruce Bio

Hannah grew up in Elizabeth, Colorado where she enjoyed riding horses, going to rodeos and fairs, and being outdoors. Her love for math and numbers guided her into the accounting profession and to WCG!

She is married with 4 children, 3 dogs, 1 baby cow, 12 ducks, 3 turkeys, and 24 chickens. Sounds like the making of a fun math problem to us! When Hannah isn’t at WCG, she enjoys the outdoors—camping, dirt biking, 4 wheeling, or working around her farm.

Laura Carmody Bio

Laura grew up in a military family and lived in several places including Turkey and Guam. Growing up she enjoyed playing soccer. She attended school at Boise State University and graduated from CSU Global in 2018. Her favorite subjects include Geography, History, and of course…Accounting! Her passion for accounting started when she was a bartender keeping the books at work.

When Laura isn’t deep in financials and tax returns, she enjoys skiing, beach vacations, and spending time with her daughter, Natalie, and her dog, Red.

Tina James Bio

Tina grew up in the suburbs of Meridian, Mississippi as the oldest of 4 girls. Growing up she enjoyed playing tennis and softball and riding horses. She graduated from Mississippi State University (Go Bulldogs) with a Bachelor of Professional Accountancy and was encouraged by her Principles of Accounting teacher to pursue the accounting profession!

When Tina isn’t busy at WCG, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 4 children. Her creative side shines with her hobbies including her monogram/embroidery business, Sew Peachy Monograms, and collecting cookbooks and cooking.

Brian Murray Bio

Brian was born in Fresno, CA and moved to Colorado at 8 years old. Growing up he loved playing sports and video games, riding his bike, and watching movies. He is currently enrolled at Western Governor’s University and is graduating at the end of this year (Go Night Owls)! His love for problem solving, math, science, and working with people brought him to the WCG team.

When he’s not deep in the books at WCG, you can find Brian watching sports, winning in trivia, cooking, travelling, or playing a variety of games! He is currently engaged with plans to be married sometime next year—sorry ladies!

One fun fact about Brian: his love for baseball (especially the Colorado Rockies) has brought him to 15 out of the 30 MLB stadiums in the US with plans to hit all locations!

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Terry Bryan Bio

Terry Bryan graduated from Metropolitan University in Denver with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business with an emphasis on accounting. Following graduation, she moved to Texas where she passed the CPA exam. She has received reciprocal CPA licenses in Idaho, Oregon, Rhode Island and finally Colorado when she moved “back home” – wow!

Terry has spent her career in public accounting, which she loves because she gets to meet so many wonderful people. She is a Tax Senior, which allows her to prepare various types of tax returns, tax projections and help review returns.

In her personal life, Terry loves to spend time with her husband (a retired warrant officer – served 25 years!) and her son, who graduated from CU Boulder and works in the marketing field. Her daughter currently attends SDSU and is working toward becoming a nurse. Terry feels blessed to be in beautiful Colorado, close to so many family and friends. She also enjoys running, watching HGTV and playing the occasional round of golf.

Lana Rollins Bio

Lana retired from a long career full of accounting and finance for 35 years for a Colorado Springs defense contractor, and at one time was actually the boss of one of our CPAs (hint: she loves cats too)! She doesn’t let that go to her head though and continues to work for WCG as a Tax Senior preparing corporate and personal tax returns on Tina’s team (Pod A).

Lana’s passions in life include rescuing cats in her sanctuary (Yes, Tina and Jason were hustled into taking a massive cat named Mocha), remodeling her 70-year old home, swimming and spending time with her daughter and granddaughter.

Emily Roberts Bio

Emily grew up in Arizona and has been in Colorado for over 12 years now. She has a love of numbers and was drawn to the tax preparation a few years ago. She is currently working on her Master’s of Science in Accounting.

Outside of the office, you’ll probably find her at home with her amazing fiancée, watching a documentary or reading a good book.

Cherri Hazlett Bio

Cherri has lived in the Colorado Springs Area all her life. She graduated from Widefield High School just a short time ago (ha!). While in school she focused on Business / Administrative Assistant and started working at Exchange National Bank part time while in High School. Again, just a few years ago.

Cherri is a jack of all trades, having worked previously in banking, as a real estate agent, and has even owned her own hair salon! The most important job she feels she has ever had was tutoring children with reading disabilities such as Dyslexia/ADD/ADHD. Cherri has been in the accounting world for over 10 years. There is never a dull moment.

Away from the office, Cherri enjoys traveling with her husband Alan and an occasional round of golf. She enjoys hiking, reading, and working in her flower gardens. She loves to call her son and ask if the grandkids can come over and play. She will always tell you how proud she is of her daughter who is in the US Navy.

Roberta Bertrand Bio

Roberta considers herself a native to Colorado, having spent almost her whole life here. She even lives in the house she grew up in.

She was born into accounting. Her mom was a CPA and ran her own business. After her mom stepped back from the business, Roberta took it over and successfully ran it for more than 10 years. She merged with WCG to help her clients get more consultations and planning. Roberta specializes in contract accounting, QuickBooks and casualty losses. She was inspired to focus on casualty losses due to many people around her being affected by the Black Forest Fire in 2013.

Roberta has been married to her high school sweetheart for 24 years. They have four kids, two boys ages 17 and 18 and two girls, ages 22 and 23. Her youngest son is a cancer survivor, diagnosed at the age of 10 and enduring 3 ½ years of chemotherapy. He is her hero. They have one granddaughter and one grandson. They make her happier than anything else. She loves spending time with family and their two dogs and two cats. She hopes to have horses again soon.

She loves reading and listening to audio books. In fact, she listens to them during her commute to and from work every day. On the weekends she is at her son’s lacrosse games, hiking with the dogs or taking her grandkids to fun places.

Melody Jones Bio

Melody joined our team after attending the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs career networking night and has worked as a seasonal tax preparer on Michelle’s team (Pod B) for the last three years. Melody is always willing to help out, including assisting with payroll and helping the admin team when needed. She has since graduated from UCCS with a Bachelor of Accounting and is on the CPA track. She loves the variety of projects working at a CPA firm provides, as well as the opportunity to learn something new every time she comes to work!

Melody is a Colorado native and newlywed (congrats!). In her time away from the office, you can find Melody reading a book, watching a movie, or enjoying a motorcycle ride with her husband.

Santiago Norte Bio

Santiago Norte has been preparing tax returns for over nine years, and doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon! He has even worked overseas in Germany, preparing tax returns for the military and expatriate populations, which has helped develop his passion for unique tax situations.

Santiago received a Masters of Arts in Education from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN. He is an Enrolled Agent with the IRS. He is a Tax Senior for WCG (formerly Watson CPA Group), and enjoys helping clients understand their tax returns and crunching the numbers.

Santiago is originally from Argentina and is fluent in Spanish. He married an American girl, and now they have two kids and a dog. He loves soccer, traveling and playing the stock market!

Jerrod Aud Bio

Jerrod Aud received his Master’s in Business Administration with an accounting concentration from the Keller Graduate School of Management. He has a range of experience in the finance world, from accounting to tax preparation to personal banker. Jerrod is currently pursuing his CPA license.

To Jerrod, the best thing about working at WCG (formerly Watson CPA Group) is the team atmosphere! He also enjoys the firm’s commitment to success. He is a staff accountant on Pod C, assisting with tax return preparation, tax planning and payroll.

Jerrod and his wife live deep in the Pike National Forest of the Rocky Mountains. When he’s not sitting behind a 10-key and desk lamp he enjoys snowboarding, hunting, fishing and hiking in the woods with his dogs.

Christi Norman Bio

Christi graduated from UCCS in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting with a minor in Finance. She has worked for two CPA’s where she processed payroll, payroll tax reports, bookkeeping and tax work including administrative duties before coming to WCG Inc.

When she’s not at work Christi loves to do Crossfit, and spend time with her two daughters and dog.

Stephanie Torgerson Bio

Stephanie joined our team at the peak of tax season in 2018 upon returning back to her native Colorado Springs after a 3 year stint in North Carolina.
Stephanie graduated in 2011 with a degree in Criminal Justice and attended a combination of Pikes Peak Community College and Colorado State University.

Following her school years, Stephanie dedicated herself to her family and being a devoted Army wife. After 6 years as a stay at home mom, she knew she wanted/needed to go back to the outside workforce and debated between Victim’s Advocacy and Accounting. Her self-proclaimed OCD, and love of spreadsheets, and number crunching led straight to the accounting world… and straight to WCG.

When she’s not busy crunching numbers at work, Stephanie is at home doing her best to manage her household of growing kids, crazy pets, and her active duty husband who is frequently called away on military missions (only 6 more years!!!). When she does find a rare moment of peace, she enjoys cuddling up in bed and binge watching Netflix.

Joseph Bassett Bio

Joseph Bassett joined our team as a seasonal preparer, and right away we realized we couldn’t let him go! He is currently wrapping up his undergraduate degree at UCCS in Colorado Springs. He plans on continuing his education by earning his MBA, and then sitting for the CPA exam. He has recently passed the first exam to become an Enrolled Agent.

Joseph has been drawn to the accounting field by his desire to help clients. He loves seeing the light bulb click for clients after he explains a complex tax situation. He also enjoys helping clients save on self-employment taxes (who doesn’t at WCG?) and understand the tax implications of living overseas, which made him a perfect addition to Pod C!

Outside of work (or school) Joseph enjoys working out and looking for new restaurants as a reward for his hard work!

Karen Pleshek Bio

Karen has worked for WCG for several tax seasons as an administrative assistant and enjoys it so much she stays on part-time in the off-season (gives her a reason to get out of sweats twice a week!) Karen came to WCG after working 28 years as a high school administrative assistant. Working in a high school can be crazy – much like working for a CPA firm during tax season!

In her free time Karen loves to play golf (as long as no one’s keeping score), reading a good crime or suspense novel, working in her yard and prowling around thrift stores for good finds. She has 2 grown daughters and 5 grandchildren.

Joab Rolfe Bio

Joab was born in British Columbia, Canada. He is one of seven kids in a large family. He grew up in Colorado Springs and enjoyed sports, HTML coding and videography.
He is currently a Senior at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and pursuing his CPA. He chose accounting because “it is the financial engine of business,” and he enjoys helping business owners truly understand their numbers to make educated financial decisions.

When Joab is not in the office, he enjoys reading, lifting weights, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Sam Pfennigs Bio

Sam Pfennigs was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and his love for the community and beautiful scenery has kept him here ever since. As a senior in high school, he decided that an accounting career was fit for him based on his desire to help others and solve complex problems. Sam is currently wrapping up his undergraduate studies at The University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, and plans on rolling right into a Master’s program in accounting. He also plans on getting his CPA license as soon as he is qualified to do so… oh… and… right after passing that pesky exam.

Sam has previous experience leading a successful footwear team at Dick’s Sporting Goods, and he is excited to transfer his leadership and problem solving skills acquired at Dick’s to his new accounting profession.

When Sam is not working hard or studying for classes, he enjoys working out and playing basketball as often as he can. He also enjoys spending time outdoors, especially on the lake or in the beautiful Colorado mountains.

Gil Dyer Bio

Gil was raised in the San Luis Valley (Southern Colorado) and graduated from Adams State University. He choose the accounting industry because he had a favorite professor (Sheryl Abeyta), who advised him to be an accounting major (was that advice or a sentence?).

Gil was raised working on the family farm (alfalfa and livestock) and his hobbies include gardening, cooking, making kombucha and camping.

Andy Kimbrell Bio

Andy comes to us from Houston TX, where he was raised by CPAs. He graduated from The University of Houston with a BA in Accounting and received his CPA license in 2017 while balancing working at his father’s corporate tax firm.  He is very excited to be joining the WCG team as he is always looking to grow, learn, and be challenged!

He moved to Colorado Springs in March 2017 with his beautiful and loving girlfriend of 5 years and his crazy cat. He likes to hunt, collect coins, work on his truck, travel, and keep up with his friends through fantasy football – GO TEXANS!

Kate Wraight Bio

Growing up in Colorado, Kate has never wanted to live anywhere else. Colorado has no shortage of places to explore and she hasn’t been bored yet. Her next purchase is going to be a good camera to capture the beauty she gets to see every day.

In college, Kate studied post-production in film school, but in her early 20’s, accounting called and she has never looked back. She has always wanted to be in a field where she can help people accomplish their goals and make their dreams reality. She wants our clients to view her as a part of the team that will make that happen. When they succeed, she succeeds. Her current goal is to earn her Enrolled Agent certification to help clients navigate everything, including their taxes.

You can usually find Kate, her husband and their daughter traveling in the off-season. If they are not going international, they are taking in the views of our state while camping and boating.

Chelsea Ryan Bio

Chelsea grew up in Marlborough, Connecticut, staying busy with Girl Scouts, dancing, sports and arts and crafts. Both of her parents were small business owners, which is where her fascination with accounting and business began.

She went back to college while also being a stay-at-home mom to pursue a degree in accounting. Her next endeavor is to study and take the EA exams while working along some of the best in the field (We hope she’s talking about us).

When Chelsea is not working, she is spending time with her husband, 4-year-old son and their puppy. They enjoy traveling, getting outdoors, going to sporting events and supporting her son at his soccer and hockey games. If she gets a moment alone, you can find her doing something relaxing like reading, binge-watching Netflix or getting crafty.

Rock Star Bio

We have hired a Rock Star but the secret isn’t out yet. Rest assured that this person is amazing, and will be a wonderful addition to your WCG team! For a fast fifty bucks we could probably leak it out.

Nate Cockle Bio

Hailing from Tucson, Arizona, Nate moved to Golden, Colorado, in high school where he played soccer. He went to the University of Colorado at Boulder and enjoyed business classes like accounting, finance and marketing.

Nate owned his own business for many years before deciding to return to accounting. He likes being able to provide solutions to problems and advising people on their financial questions and decisions. He looks forward to working with individuals, corporations and expats! Looks like he is in the right place!

When he is not at WCG, he enjoys watching sports, golfing, hiking, and spending time with his wife of nearly 18 years and his 9-year-old daughter. They are looking to get a dog later this year. His daughter has other plans though. She also wants a turtle, but they haven’t taken that plunge.

Kelli Harless Bio

Kelli is a Colorado native, but she also calls herself a Colorado Springs native. She has lived in this beautiful city her entire life. She grew up playing outside as much as she could. Getting her homework done as soon as she could so that she could go hang out with friends. She thought she wanted to be a teacher, but a creative bug bit her in high school while she was part of the yearbook staff. Journalism was calling her name.

She graduated from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, with a BA in Communications-Recording Arts. Her favorite classes were video editing and graphic arts classes, which have both helped to take her to the next level in each step of her career. She recently joined WCG and is excited to spread the word about them and everything they have to offer.

When she is not in the office, she is at home spending time with her family. She is married, has a daughter in preschool and three boxer dogs. The house is only quiet when everyone is sleeping. Being a mom is her hobby. She doesn’t take it for granted and if she’s not cleaning up her daughter’s messes, she is helping create them. Kelli loves being a mom.

Laura Cochran Bio

Laura grew up in Agua Dulce, California.  She enjoyed horseback riding and studied photography at Sacramento State (Go Hornets)!  Working with numbers is something she enjoys, and this led her to doing payroll and light bookkeeping for the last 6 years.

When Laura is not crunching numbers at WCG, you can find her spending time with her husband of over 30 years, hiking, riding horses, or selling her artwork.  She is also a mom to a son and daughter, both grown, and her Siberian Husky and cat.

Amy Cooley Bio

Amy is a Colorado native, born and raised in Colorado Springs.  She has lived in several places in Colorado such as Leadville, Denver, Lakewood and Morrison, but never strayed too far. Not long ago she graduated from Palmer High School in Colorado Springs and then attended Metro State College in Denver.

Amy didn’t necessarily “choose” the accounting industry. She meet Jason and other wonderful employees, and found out that this company was the place she wanted to be (we are super happy she found that out too)! I have many years of administrative experience and look forward to many more at WCG.

In her other life outside of  WCG, Amy has two children.  Amy’s son is 13 and my daughter is 9 (as of 2019).  Her husband has worked for Children’s Hospital, in IT, for over 11 years and they love many outdoor activities including snowboarding/skiing, swimming and riding off road motorcycles.

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