Business name: Richard H. Duncan, CPA Address: 233 So. Auburn St., Suite 265 Telephone: (530) 346-8566 Owner: Richard Duncan, CPA How long have you been in business? I’ve been in Colfax for 11 years, moved here on 9-11-01. We signed our papers for our house on that date. That’s when we essentially started our business. How long have you been at your location? I opened the door at the current location in 2004. What other staff do you have? My wife, Jenny Duncan, works with me as a full-charge bookkeeper. What’s your background? I have a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of California, Los Angeles, and I passed the CPA – Certified Public Accountant – to get my credentials. What is a CPA? As a Certified Public Accountant, I am able to keep records for people from a neutral position. Everybody hires an attorney for each side, but they can hire one CPA to keep the books and stay neutral. They are both willing to accept the CPA’s accounting. Confidence is the most important aspect of working with a CPA, because a CPA is always confidential. They’re not supposed to talk about other people’s business. Are you accepting new clients? Absolutely! I’m too young to quit. What’s the most common mistake people make when keeping records or paying taxes? Not keeping receipts. Health records, medical records, charitable donations, tax records should be kept for 5 years to be safe. And keep real estate records forever, because you might have to prove your records 20 years later if sell a house. What should clients know hiring an accountant or tax preparer? Be careful to hire someone who is either a CPA or an enrolled agent. An enrolled agent can work with the IRS just as a CPA can. What new tax laws should individuals and businesses be aware of? Depreciation laws are always changing, and capital gains, estate taxes change now and then. One year you can give your whole business to someone for nothing. It depends on how the government goes - they change their mind. What do you like most about your profession? Working with people, because I do it all the time. I’ve been a CPA since 1964, when I passed the exam. What do you like least about your job? The pressure during tax season to get things done — when you don’t have enough time to do it. The hours are not favorable. I’m happy when someone does an extension, because then I can work on it during the summer instead of in the tax season. What other jobs have you had? I’ve been controller of a construction company (a controller is a financial manager). What would be your dream job? Working for a sports team as a general manager. What’s something unique about yourself? I was No. 1 on my high school tennis team in Washington, D.C. - Martha Garcia