A University of Pittsburgh graduate in Speech /Theatre Arts, Randy didn't originally plan to imitate her father, who spent his career with the IRS. After relocating to Southern California she left the theatre and worked as a tax auditor for the IRS for five years, during which time she obtained her accounting credits. For another eight years she worked for several small CPA firms, met and married her husband and became the mother of two daughters.

Randy observed that most people seeking tax help didn't get what they needed from a CPA firm. She saw that many CPAs do not know how to communicate in a way the client can understand. Over time she accumulated a list of things she felt she could do better.

On November 1, 1988, she opened her own practice, Randy Joseph, CPA in the old Seafirst Building in downtown Seattle.

"I have created a CPA firm that is highly skilled in tax law and very respectful of our clients," says Randy. "Our main job is to unravel the absurdly complex tax law, organize your records and prepare your tax return so that you get the maximum benefit from all possible deductions while protecting you from the IRS."

You will feel comfortable with Randy and with each member of her staff. You can count on us for expertise, personality, warmth and good communication skills. Continue on to read about clients that needed our help with their stock option plans and other services.

Hear Randy interviewed about issues her prospective clients wrestle with and how she looks to address these concerns. Click here

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

CASE STUDY – Susan Hausmann

"I never win anything or get money back," laughed Susan Hausmann, "at least I never did until I took my taxes to Randy Joseph’s CPA firm."

A job change brought Susan, a data analyst and statistician, to Seattle from the East Coast in 1998. Upon leaving her previous employer, she exercised her non-qualifying stock options and the company paid the money owed to her, minus the federal taxes.

Being new to the area, when tax time came, she asked around for a CPA and found someone. Like many people, Susan delivered her numbers and got her taxes filed on time. It was a non-eventful experience and got the job done.

In 1999 a friend told her about Randy Joseph CPA and highly recommended that Susan give the firm a try. She made an appointment and brought her records, including her 1998 return.

"You know how people speed read a page?" she asked. "Well, in about fifteen seconds after reviewing my return, Ter Claeys CPA said ‘wait a minute!’" Something wasn’t right. He discovered information was duplicated on the return and Susan had double paid taxes on the stock options. On her Washington state return he found that Susan, who was working as a consultant at the time, had overpaid her quarterly taxes.

The 1998 federal and state tax returns were corrected and filed again. The result was a check for $3,400 in federal taxes and another for $260 in state taxes; a total of $3,660!

Three years later, Susan Hausmann is still a client of Randy Joseph CPA and she wouldn’t switch. In fact, she refers her friends and family to the firm for its quality of service and quality of work.

"I trust them implicitly," said Susan. "I would recommend Randy Joseph CPA to anyone who wants experience and reliability. They are definitely the experts!"

What Clients Say About Joseph and Associates, PS

There is no better feeling than to call a client and tell them their IRS problems are over. We take each case very personally and have pride in the fact that the client has chosen Joseph and Associates, PS to help them end their IRS difficulties for good. When the solution is reached, clients say it’s like getting a new lease on life, a fresh start. Here are excerpts from letters received.

Now She Can Sleep
"I’m so happy to hear that I have an agreement with the IRS – I can sleep nights!" --T.W., Marysville, WA

Had Confidence in Joseph and Associates, PS
"Thank you so much for all your assistance in dealing with my tax problems. It was comforting to find someone to represent me with the IRS. With you I had confidence from the start that you would get me the best result possible." --D.O., Seattle, WA

Slab of Dread Gone
"We are both so pleased with your work. I felt as if a great slab of dread and responsibility dropped off me! What a relief!" --D.B., Seattle, WA

Difficult Situation Well Handled
"We would like to thank you again for all your hard work. You certainly took a very difficult situation and handled it very well. And you were a pleasure to work with." --D.D., Brier, WA

We offer the same kind of willingness to listen and findsolutions with all of our services.

A Letter from Ed Huneke

Randy Joseph, CPA. She is a woman in business, providing services from a downtown office. She is part of the main business community in Seattle. I have had occasion to utilize her services in a variety of situations including, sometimes, having a question about taxes, calculations, IRS "attitudes" and a number of facets. Sometimes my inquiries are short, quick, but I want an answer NOW, promptly, because the information seems to be the next step in a path of a project on which I am stalled until I get an answer. Sometimes my inquiries are more substantial and have required counseling and formal tax work. Other times the need for help or service is not mine but someone I am referring to her. In all these situations I, being a fairly critical person about this, am finely tuned to seeing how efficient the contact can be, both in making contact with Randy and in having her address my question or the need of a referred person. She is outstanding in these business practices and habits: "these" being "service." One need not compare her to some of the worst examples which are becoming more common every week, like calling a business, getting voicemail and a directory to another section, for more recorded messages and no person with whom to talk, referral on to another directory, and finally a "Hold" during which atrocious music plays too loudly in one's ear, with intermittent messages about how "important your call is to us." Randy, in her office, is very busy, but she is also available. Often, in the middle of an inter-office conference, she herself will answer a ringing phone, even if there are others or staff in the office who could also answer it. She will put aside her personal motion on a project and allow interruptions by clients and deal with them on the spot.

Professionally, Randy has had many past years as a staff person for IRS. Then, even more importantly, she has had many years serving people with IRS problems, usually at times when people are at the end of a line, facing immediate, drastic action by IRS against them. Randy has a gentle, clear, direct and especially knowledgeable confidence in facing the dilemma of the client. She knows the answers, and she knows the effective procedures to take, because she has been both inside and outside the IRS power for so many years.

Randy is also very aware of the importance to her business of having staff people who share her personal sense of kindness, care, attention, gracious behavior, and simply being available to clients and their needs. She selects staff people who match or work well with her own attitude.

In conclusion it is my impression that competence, knowledge and experience are unquestioned, to such a point that one knows that if she is asked about a topic about which she is unfamiliar, she knows the people who do know that topic. The feeling of confidence exudes from her, her staff and her entire office, and confidence in her abilities never seem to surface as a question. The greater part of her, though, is her client-service sense, in a day when customer service seems to be a joke. With Randy, having clients taken care of is her prime focus, and she will not let up on a task until she knows and believes that the client has received exactly the service they need, and that they understand that service.

I have been there, I have witnessed it first hand and also from the side. One needs to also realize that with this personal attitude of Randy's is an accompanying sense of what people can do to take care of themselves; she will advise, guide and assist, but clients are also expected to do their part in trying, meeting deadlines and requests or she will expel them as undeserving of her direct, personal and valuable attention. It is very rare that one sees that side of her, but she will not be strung along, nor is she one of whom one can take advantage. This perspective comes from a business association with Randy over the past 6-1/2 years.