Preparing taxes for 30 different states, Travis Kunz, describes his profession as one without borders. With clients as far west as Alaska, modern technology has helped Kunz maintain and keep relationships with clients from all over the country. A goal for Kunz is to eventually open a Virtual Practice. Moving more and more from paper bankers’ boxes to cloud-based technology, “the internet has become a huge part in how we do business,” says Kunz.
Born and raised in the beautiful community of Preston, ID, Kunz describes how important it is to have a fast and reliable connection in a growing rural area. “It’s getting to where we are paperless because of modern technology, it’s made it easier for me to keep clients who move to different states because we can move information so quickly.”
Practicing for over 20 years and only recently, becoming full time in Preston, Kunz describes, “We don’t have the biggest building in the world but we just love being right here, on Main Street USA, and not having to go back and forth to Logan or Pocatello all the time. We are right here locally. Since 2014 I have had office hours in Preston. Just over two years ago I decided to go full time In Preston.”
With the shift in technology, Kunz saw how important it was to keep up with a fast paced growing society, Kunz said as soon as he was able, “we got in contact with our, internet guru, Brooke Allen, with Direct Communications, and he helped us get fiber internet.”
Kunz says, “Tax laws change, and things update, and technology has made it easy to stay up- to-date with all the changes that are being made both politically and from a technological standpoint.”
Travis says, “The internet has made it easier to be a professional, we are so dependent on the internet to do our jobs more efficiently.” Keeping up with a fast-paced growing society, Kunz says it’s very important to be accessible to our clients; fiber internet with Direct Communications does just that.”
With the internet and the advances in technology it can become easy to be a less personable society but Kunz describes himself saying, “I’m the type of tax prepper that even though I might not need to ask any specific questions because I have all your W2 information from you, I still like to call and say ‘hey did you go to school, did you get married, did you start a new job, any new kids’ and sometimes you just don’t know if something new has happened. Clients forget to tell you because they don’t think taxes every day. Even with the internet it’s important to email, text, call and communicate with our clients. It makes it easier for me to do my job and help my client get the best return they can.”
CPA’s are America’s most trusted advisors so it’s important to have a good rapport, “You get to know them, you get to know their families, you get to know their life. They undress before you financially and sometimes that bothers people and sometimes it doesn’t, but once you develop and build that trust, you don’t really want to be invaded by someone else. So, we have a lot of loyal clients who have become like family.”
A tagline of Kunz’s is, “Building relationships one tax return at a time.” He adds, “I know that might sound a little funny, but when someone comes in to get their taxes done and you get to know them over a few years as you interview and start talking each year, pretty soon you start to get close with people and you care about what they are going through.”
Technology has made it easier for Kunz to stay in contact with his clients. Travis describes, “You could text or email me while I was at a Utah State game or while I was up watching the Bengals play at ISU and say ‘hey Travis, I need my W2 from last year, I’m trying to fill out FAFSA so I can go back to school.’ I can access the cloud right from my phone and send you that W2 right then and there. The Internet is so important.”
Doing taxes for individuals, partnerships, businesses, and local farmers, Travis describes his profession as one of continually learning. CPA’s are required to get 40 credit hours a year of continuing education. In that process of continuing education, Kunz has received other credentials as a CPA. He is also a CFE, Certified Fraud Examiner, which is valuable as he works with local police departments in investigating white collar crime. Someone needs to be able to track checks down, investigate if something goes missing, and look into embezzlement. Travis is also an EA, Enrolled Agent, an enrolled agent has worked to pass the test administered by the IRS that shows you are competent in order to do taxes and it automatically licenses you to practice in all 50 states. So, an EA is kind of a cool designation to have coupled with a CPA because with a CPA he must get licensed in each state and pay fees, but with an EA Travis can practice in the nation.
With the diverse services that Travis Kunz offers, he appreciates Direct Communications dedication to bringing high-quality internet to the community of Preston, ID, while maintaining their hometown costumer service.
