Message From the President

Message From the President

By Deborah L. Bailey-Browne, Mid-Hudson Chapter President

Well, it is finally April, and the wrap-up of busy season for many of us. Hopefully, it was a successful one for you and your clients. If you think about it, this time of year we are probably the most in front of all our clients. Hopefully each one of us was able to put, as they say, “their best foot forward.”

I have found that as a profession, we work to not only meet but also exceed our clients’ expectations. That type of philosophy among practicing CPAs assists the overall profession. It takes us to a different level, to more than just compliance and tax preparation, to a trusted advisor role.

The Mid-Hudson Chapter has an exciting networking event to celebrate the end of busy season on April 29 at Torches on the Hudson in Newburgh at 6:00 p.m. The networking event is a business mixer with CPAs, bankers, attorneys and other professionals. It should be a wonderful opportunity to talk with fellow CPAs and see how their busy season went, in addition to being a nice opportunity to network!

With the end of busy season and all the stress that occurs during that period, I think it is important to remind our membership of the Mid-Hudson Chapter’s Emergency Assistance–Continuity of Practice Committee. This long-standing committee has provided some really positive benefits to our chapter.

Sole practitioners who have no definite plan for the continuation of their practice when incapacitated, or for its disposition in the event of death, run the risk of the loss of part or all of what they have built up over a lifetime. If any of those issues occurred during busy season, or at any time, the impact could be dramatic on the practitioners and their families. It is important that both practitioners and their families are aware of this committee. Using the Mid-Hudson Chapter’s Emergency Assistance–Continuity of Practice Committee as a prearranged measure can potentially reduce that risk.

The committee chairmen, Thomas R. DiGovanni and Kevin J. O’Connor, will act promptly and serve diligently to minimize disruption of service and client dissatisfaction. In case of death, they arrange for the sale of the practice on the best terms possible while providing continuation of service in the interim.

The committee has developed a “Survival Kit” to help you plan. The kit will provide you with the information on how you or your family can secure timely committee service. Do not be afraid to ask either Tom or Kevin any questions that you may have.

Mr. DiGovanni is a partner with the firm Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell, LLP, in Newburgh and can be reached at 845-567-9000. Mr. O’Connor is a sole practitioner in Highland Mills and can be reached at 845-928-9164.

Deborah Bailey-Browne can be reached at 845-567-9000 or DBB1@optonline.com.