If you haven't already heard, I thought I would let you know that I recently re-joined Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP (Baker Tilly) as the DC Office State and Local Tax Services leader.  I previously worked at Baker Tilly as the Minneapolis Office State and Local Tax Services leader.

BIG 4 SALT

After working at one of the Big 4 accounting firms for the last year and a half, the differences between working at the Big 4 in the state and local tax (SALT) practice, and leading a state and local tax practice for a large regional firm or any non-Big 4 firm are quite evident. 

For example, a Big 4 firm SALT practice may have 800 or more professionals across the country.  They also have specialty upon specialty; meaning, they have sales tax specialists and income tax specialists instead of just SALT specialists. 

There are pros and cons to this structure depending on the type of clients you are trying to serve.  For example, most middle market clients don't need this type of costly structure or resource.  What they need is a cost-effective, practical, "right-fit" solution to their issues. 

NON-BIG 4 SALT

Every non-Big 4 firm that has a SALT practice or would like to have a SALT practice has to build a different practice (size, structure, specialties, services, etc.) due to the type of clients, issues and experience of the SALT professionals.

Regardless of the type of SALT practice a non-big 4 firm has, they will  most likely never have 800 SALT professionals; hence, they need to specialize or have a strong network of SALT professionals in other firms of which they can contact to discuss complex issues.

LEVERAGE

If you are a non-Big 4 SALT professional or even a SALT professional in a corporation, and think it would be nice to have other SALT professionals to talk to about issues, please join my Leverage | SALT LinkedIn group, e-mail distribution list and/or contact me to discuss.

Let's provide each other with leverage!  (was that corny or cool? oh well).