Ralph Doggett, CFP, EA
Ralph started doing taxes out of frustration. As an investment advisor and financial planner he and his clients used some strategies in the 1980’s that were relatively new. Mutual funds started catching on, stock options were getting started, and futures and commodities were starting to be accessible. Retirement plans were the new hot topic.
The frustration started with his own return. “My tax preparer wasn’t keeping up with the times and didn’t have specific training in the investor’s tax return field. The CPAs did not specialize in investor’s returns unless they were business owners and they charged more than my clients and I felt appropriate.” This frustration continued until Ralph went to the first training class to become a preparer and opened his own practice in 1988 to help his clients get the specific tax information they needed for an investors return. He continued with the training and earned his Enrolled Agent status to practice before the IRS in tax court in 1990.
Ralph purchased his former preparer’s tax practice and that start of 60 clients and a one man show now has over 800 returns and a staff of 8 during tax season. We have expanded to include the estate tax issues of trusts and final returns for decedents as well.
We are still very specialized. We DO NOT handle corporate, partnership, or large business returns and accounting and payroll is referred to other specialists. Planning is a large part of what we do. Several other financial planners send their clients here for their tax returns because of our expertise in complex investor issues and Alternative Minimum Tax reduction.
Email Ralph at
RDoggett@rdtax.com
LaVeta Scherer, EA
LaVeta has worked in financial planning offices since 1995. She enjoys working with individual income taxes and has earned Enrolled Agent designation to help clients plan and prepare their taxes. Continuing her education has been a lifelong pursuit. Currently LaVeta holds a Bachelors degree in Business Management with Honors from San Diego State University and has earned her Certificate in Accounting from Washington State University in Vancouver.
Giving back to the community is an important aspect for LaVeta and she shows this through her involvement in professional and community groups. As a Director for the Washington State Chapter of National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP) LaVeta has helped start this new state wide chapter. She is currently a member of NATP and National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA). In the local community LaVeta volunteers with Evergreen Habitat for Humanity and her church.
Email LaVeta at
LaVeta@rdtax.com
Heidi Nutt
Heidi Nutt has been with Financial Advisors, Inc. since 2005. Heidi is a graduate of Linfield College with a Bachelors degree in Art. Since coming to Financial Advisors, she has successfully completed her Registered Paraplanner designation through the College for Financial Planning. She is currently working on obtaining her securities and insurance licenses. Her passion for helping others led to her career in the financial planning industry. Heidi's responsibilities include assisting Ralph Doggett with office administration duties, completion of financial plans, seminar preparation, editor-in-chief of "Thrifty Dogg" newsletter, and providing excellent customer service!
Heidi has lived in the Portland/Metro area all of her life, and moved to Vancouver five years ago. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Email Heidi at
HeidiN@rdtax.com
Sharon Lowe, EA
Sharon has an educational background in accounting and management principles and joins us for the tax season.With over ten years of experience in tax preparation she is currently licensed by IRS as an Enrolled Agent. Sharon ran successful small businesses and handles accounting for several small businesses. She provides a wealth of knowledge for our sole proprietors.
Vern Gortner
Vern is Ralph’s mentor and has been preparing taxes longer than Ralph has been alive!He is one of the most knowledgeable tax preparers around.He prepared his first tax return for pay in 1948 and has been self employed most of his life.Vern still enjoys preparing a proper and correct tax return for others. He does quality control and delights in finding things that Ralph does wrong before they go out the door.Vern has worked with Ralph for over 10 years. He is an active member of the Oregon Society of Tax Consultants (OSTC), Oregon Association of Tax Consultants (OATC) and a charter member of the Gateway Elks Lodge where he served for 5 years on the Grand Lodge Auditing and Accounting Committee.
Tania French
During tax season, Tania is one of our support staff.With her attention to detail, she is great at proofing the tax returns and working on the input of the information.Tania finished her Associates Degree in Accounting at Clark College and joined us when she graduated in 2001.
