Tax Experience with Mowery & Schoenfeld
Kristen Jacobsen
One of the biggest decisions a college student can make is where they will work after graduation. During my pursuit of an MAS degree at Northern Illinois University, I had the chance to interview with and field offers from many different firms. Key aspects of my decision were work/life balance and if I would be challenged by the workload.
Most firms tell you that they care about their employees maintaining a good work/life balance. I can say with confidence that the partners at Mowery & Schoenfeld mean it. The partners and managers set a great example of maintaining a good balance. Although you are expected to work hard, the pressure to stay late during busy season was much less than I thought it would be. I was asked many times throughout the season if I had too much work to do and how things were going.
During my first year I was able to work on many different kinds of clients including high-net worth individuals, Trusts, Private Foundations, Corporations, and Partnerships. One of the bigger projects was working with a Senior Manager on a group of 8 interrelated entities consisting of Partnerships, S Corporations, and a Trust with operations in various states. We met periodically to monitor and organize information as it was received from the client and ultimately complete the 8 tax returns. Although I was given challenging work, there was always someone to ask if I didn’t understand something. The senior staff, managers, and partners are very helpful and available when I have questions. For instance Jeff Mowery, the Managing Partner, recently took the time to show me a calculation I had not done before. I believe that this firm cares about its employees and their growth as professionals.
In the next year, management has indicated I will have the opportunity to take on more challenging work and be involved in more tax planning. I also look forward to becoming more involved in other aspects of the firm including recruiting.
