Leon Smalley founded our Firm in 1985 as a sole-practitioner CPA, and our Firm seeks to service small to mid-size businesses in regards to their various
accounting, taxation, and accounting information systems needs. We service businesses in Farmington, New Mexico and all the surrounding areas in the Four
Corners and also have experience with estate planning and trusts.
We absolutely love doing what we do! In level of importance, financial records are second only to the primary mission of a business. A business's and
individual's financial records are as unique to that business/individual as fingerprints. When all of a business's and individual's financial information
is taken as a whole, no other business or individual in the world has the same financial status. We feel honored to be a part of the process in
constructing and compiling this information for the businesses and individuals we serve.
Leon Smalley has almost 30 years of experience as a CPA in New Mexico. He has serviced businesses in New Mexico, Colorado, and
Arizona, and these businesses have ranged in size from start-up companies to multi-million dollar companies that have required consolidated financial
statements for their operations.
After obtaining his undergraduate in accounting, Christopher Smalley joined our Firm in 2008, and he has been a licensed CPA in New Mexico since February
2013. Since initially joining the Firm, he has made contributions to accounting information systems solutions, as well as working closely with Leon in
meeting our clients' accounting and taxation needs.
Our model has always been to work closely with the businesses we service, and we are willing to provide a large amount of our services onsite at a client's
location.
At the bottom of each page of our Firm's website is our logo, a small "e" in a triangle. This logo is actually an old brand Leon's father used for racing
horses. Just as the brand originally represented success for a horse winning a race, we feel that our use of the brand as a logo symbolizes our central
core value---partnering with businesses for success.
Our Firm provides the following services:
Financial statement preparation
Reviews and compilations
Accounting information systems solutions
Payroll tax filings and compliance
Business taxation
Individual taxation for business owners and/or for individuals with complex tax situations
Estate and trust taxation
Estate planning
Financial and business consulting
We believe cloud-based computing provides extensive benefits when utilized for accounting information systems, and we seek to incorporate it into
accounting information systems to better service our clients' needs.
Today, looking at professional credentials is like playing alphabet soup, and while most people have heard the term "Certified Public Accountant (CPA),"
there are still a lot of people who are not quite sure what that means. If someone does not clearly understand what it means, it is hard for them to even
know if they need a CPA.
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants states the following: "All CPAs are accountants but not all accountants are CPAs." In short, CPAs
are accountants that had to comply with a number of state-specific requirements for certification, and the reason behind the certification requirement is
to protect the public.
The following link lists the current requirements for CPA licensure in New Mexico:
NM RLD Requirements and Continuing Education
These requirements include items such as a minimum of 150 college credit hours and passing all four sections of the CPA exam, which is administered by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. In addition to the initial licensure requirements, CPAs must also meet a minimum number of Continuing
Professional Education requirements each year to maintain licensure, and CPA firms must undergo a peer review by another CPA firm every 3 years.
The IRS automatically allows active CPAs involved in tax practice to register for a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN), and active CPAs are granted
as broad of practice rights before the IRS as attorneys and enrolled agents (reference ยง10.3 of Subpart A of the Internal Revenue Service's Circular No. 230 at the following link: Circular No. 230).
While someone does not have to be a CPA, an enrolled agent, or an attorney to prepare tax returns, only CPAs, enrolled agents, and attorneys have broad
representation rights before the IRS.
It is important to know that the requirements for becoming a CPA and the requirements for maintaining CPA licensure are minimum requirements. Not all CPAs
are equal, and CPAs have different focus areas and areas of expertise. The best thing to do is to first outline your goals and decide what you are looking
for in a professional. For example, you could be looking for help in regards to both financial accounting and taxation, or you could be looking for help in
regards to taxation only. After deciding on your goals and on what you are looking for, talk to a few professionals, tell them your goals, and see which
one is the best fit for you.
More information on the CPA profession can be found at the following links:
AICPA - Become a CPA
360Degrees of Taxes - Choosing a Tax Preparer
