Enrolled agents (EAs) are America’s Tax Experts.  EAs are the only federally licensed tax preparers who also have unlimited rights to represent taxpayers before the IRS.

Enrolled Agents (EAs) are tax practitioners with technical expertise in taxation and are fully authorized to represent taxpayers before all administrative levels of Internal Revenue Service the (IRS) including audits, collections and appeals. All enrolled agents must pass an exam to use this designation and must also update their skills every year.

There are many issues that can arise between taxpayers and the IRS. If you are facing an audit, lien, or wage garnishment your future and reputation are at stake and you should take immediate action. But going it alone can be a time-consuming nightmare and sometimes result in a worse outcome. Our associates are uniquely qualified to resolve your tax problems and represent your best interests before the IRS and other tax authorities.

Staff Profiles

Katherine (Katie) Gudgel, E.A., Ph.D.

Katie grew up in Tempe, AZ and went to the University of Arizona where she received a B.S. in Physics and M.S. and Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering.

When she moved to Germany in 2001, Katie worked as a scientist, but soon became interested in the business side of product development and how to help businesses become more profitable.  In Chicagoland, she earned a degree in accounting and qualified to take the CPA exam. 

While in school, Katie gained practical experience preparing taxes by volunteering with Ladder Up’s VITA program (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance).  With this program, she progressed from volunteer preparer, to qualify reviewer, to site leader, to lead trainer.

Katie has been in the business of preparing taxes since 2011.  As an Enrolled Agent (EA), Katie is a federally-authorized tax practitioner who has technical expertise in the field of taxation and who is empowered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to represent taxpayers before all administrative levels – examination, collection, and appeals – of the Internal Revenue Service.

Continuing Education and Community Involvement

Katie is dedicated to continuing her education and assisting other financial professionals knowledgeable about the latest tax and financial technology developments.  In 2020, Katie was elected to the board of the Arizona Chapter of the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP) and has taught several webinars on Arizona tax laws, changes, and updates.  She is currently on Vice President and Chair of the Education Committee for the AZ Chapter of NATP.

Dedicated to increasing the recognition and training of Daily Money Managers (DMMs), Katie is an active member in the Arizona regional group for the American Association of Daily Money Managers (AADMM) and is the chair of the national AADMM Alliance Builders committee. Katie regularly shares her tax expertise with Daily Money Managers via national conferences and webinars, so that DMMs can better assist their clients in gathering documents for their tax return preparers (and are less likely to be audited).

In addition, Katie has been invited to speak at several local AZ groups including PASRS, retiree groups, and senior living communities.

Some of the topics that Katie has presented include:

• Presentations geared toward the general public:
  • Managing Money as you Age
  • Scams and Fraud
  • Do I still Need to Keep that Receipt?
  • Annual Tax Law Updates
• Presentations geared toward other tax and financial professionals:
  • Dependents and Filing Status
  • Community Property
  • Married Filing Separately
  • Itemized Deductions
  • Tax Planning and Financial Teamwork
  • As well as various topics specific to Arizona tax returns (Intro to the AZ-140, AZ Charitable Donations, and annual AZ Tax Updates)

As an Enrolled Agent, Katie is required to obtaining at least 72 hours of continuing education every three years.  Of that at least 2 hours each year must be ethics.  Between 2020 and 2022, Katie attended over 150 hours of education qualifying for IRS credits and many more hours related to Arizona, Practice Management, and other topics related to Daily Money Management.  Some of the classes she took include:

• Retirement Plans Under the CARES and SECURE Acts
• Tax Rules of Lump Sum Social Security Benefits
• RMB RBD QCD QLAC and More – the Alphabet Soup of Retirement Income Planning
• Charitable Contributions
• Divorce and Its Various Tax Implications
• Community Property US and Abroad
• Fiduciary Income Tax Returns
• Real Life Estate Planning
• Gift Tax Returns
• Representing Taxpayers Before the IRS
• Conflicts of Interest Getting Caught in the Middle
• and much much more!