Georgia Department of Revenue Archives

Using State Tax Credits to Reduce Your Income Tax Burden

August 22, 2018 by Mike

Gwinnett Studio

Using State Tax Credits to Reduce Your Income Tax Burden

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Craig Frankel, Brian Sengson, Peter Stathopoulos, Adam Gaslowitz

Brian Sengson/Bennett Thrasher

Brian Sengson is a Manager in the State and Local Tax practice with Bennett Thrasher. Brian specializes in helping clients reduce their effective state tax rates through multi-state tax planning, state credits, and economic development incentives. Brian also provides state tax consulting for M&A due diligence with an emphasis on income/franchise tax, sales and use tax, and unclaimed property.

Prior to joining the firm, Brian managed the tax litigation practice of a national consulting firm specializing in federal and state tax credits for small/medium sized businesses and Fortune 500 companies. Brian earned his Juris Doctorate with honors at Georgia State University and graduated from Lee University Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Business Management. Brian is a licensed attorney with the State Bar of Georgia, and is a member of the Bar’s Tax Law Section in addition to the American Bar Association (“ABA”).

Peter Stathopoulos/Bennett Thrasher

Peter Stathopoulos is a Partner and leads Bennett Thrasher’s State and Local Tax practice. Peter has been practicing in the area of state and local taxation and economic development incentives since 1993. Peter has extensive experience in helping clients reduce their effective state tax rates through multi-state tax planning and in resolving state tax controversies from the audit level through litigation in state trial and appellate courts.

Prior to joining the firm, Peter was a partner with a national law firm and practiced in the area of state and local tax controversy and litigation. Prior to entering private law practice, Peter was a principal consultant in the multi-state tax consulting practice of a Big Four accounting firm. Prior to joining Big Four accounting, Peter was a tax policy attorney with the Georgia Department of Revenue.

Peter has worked closely with state tax and economic development policy makers to represent the business community’s interests. In 2008, Peter helped draft a portion of the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act as well as legislation that expanded a variety of Georgia tax credits to apply to the broadcasting industry. In 2002, he co-chaired a joint Georgia Department of Revenue/State Bar of Georgia committee that help draft Georgia’s current consolidated income tax return regulations. In 2001, he served on the executive committee of the Business Council of Alabama that helped draft Alabama’s privilege tax scheme. In 1995, he was a tax policy attorney with the Georgia Department of Revenue and led the drafting of regulations for many of Georgia’s current tax credits and acted as a liaison with the Governor’s Economic Development Council.

About Gaslowitz Frankel:

Gaslowitz Frankel is an experienced trial practice firm specializing in all aspects of complex fiduciary litigation throughout Georgia and the Southeast. With a focus on representing individuals, companies, banks, and fiduciaries in dispute involving wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, businesses, and securities law, their experienced and highly qualified litigation attorneys have tremendous credentials and a proven history of success.

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Special Edition: Georgia Society of CPAs

November 7, 2014 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Special Edition: Georgia Society of CPAs

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Today’s episode features guests who are members of the Georgia Society of CPAs. We also welcomed into the studio a group of Ashish Sood’s students to observe the show.

Joel Pascaner/Stephen M. Berman & Associates

Joel L. Pascaner is a tax partner specializing in high net worth individuals, privately held entities, partnerships, S corporations, estates and trusts, not-for-profit organizations, and state and local tax matters. He also has extensive experience representing taxpayers before the IRS as well as numerous other taxing jurisdictions.

Joel is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, and The Leaderhship Team of the Tax Section of the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants. He has been an at-large member of the GSCPA Council. In addition, he has served as the Chairman of the Tax Section of the GSCPA as well as both the Federal Tax Legislation and the Georgia Tax Legislation Subcommittees of the GSCPA Tax Section, where he was involved in the drafting and introduction of proposed legislation. He is also a Past Chairman of the Depreciation Committee and the Tax Accounting Problems Committee of the NYSSCPA. Mr. Pascaner was a member of the GSCPA 2006 Tax Forum Planning Committee and served as Moderator at the Forum’s Luncheons with Georgia Tax Commissioner Bart Graham. He was awarded “2006 Distinguished Section Leader” by the GSCPA and served on their Task Force on Employment. Joel is a member of the Atlanta Tax Forum and the Atlanta Estate Planning Council. He is a graduate of the Philanthropic Advisor Leadership Institute and was awarded the “Best in Client Satisfaction Wealth Manager” by Atlanta Magazine for years 2009, 2010, and 2011.

Joel has authored numerous articles in professional and industry publications including the CPA Journal and the Taxation for Accountants.

He has served on the Board of Directors of the Interfaith Disabilities Network and is currently on the Board of Trustees of Georgia Shakespeare.

Prior to joining Stephen M. Berman & Associates, L.L.C., Joel practiced as a tax professional with Laventhol & Horwath and Peat Marwick.

Joel is a CPA and received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania as well as his Masters of Science in Taxation at the Long Island University.

John Masters, CPA, PC

John Masters earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1969, followed by his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business in 1975, and finally his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1979. During this period he was employed eight years in the Computer, Aerospace, and Electronics industries. During 1979 he was admitted to the Georgia Bar and received his certificate to practice as a Certified Public Accountant in Georgia and Alabama.

John has been active in professional, civic, and political activities throughout his career. He presently serves on the Georgia Society of Certified Pubic Accountants Professional Ethics Committee, and recently completed his term as Chairman of the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants Tax Section. He has served as a SBA Score/Ace Volunteer Consultant, taught in the Junior Achievement Program and been a Future Business Leaders of America sponsor. He administered the “Call the Expert” on taxation program for 21 years at WGST News Radio where he also appeared as Tax Series Guest/Host. He has participated in various other radio and television tax related programs, testified at administrative hearings including the Georgia Special Council on Taxation, and held positions in other organizations.

John has taught courses at Oglethorpe University, Clayton Junior College (now Clayton State College) and the Becker CPA Review Course. For the last several years he has been an active member of the Dekalb Peachtree Squadron, Georgia Wing, of the Civil Air Patrol where he currently holds the rank of Major, and has been an active member of the Northside Atlanta Jaycees and the Decatur Dekalb Kiwanis Club. His is currently a member of the American Bar Association, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Georgia Bar Association, Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants.

John practices in Atlanta, Georgia principally in the areas of taxation and accounting, taxpayer representation before administrative bodies and tax tribunals, and related fields.

Douglas MacGinnitie / Georgia Department of Revenue

Douglas J. MacGinnitie was appointed by Governor Nathan Deal to serve as Georgia’s State Revenue Commissioner on January 18, 2011.

Professionally, Doug was an executive in the insurance brokerage industry. He co-founded and served as COO of Beecher Carlson and was a senior executive at Hobbs Group.

Prior to that he worked as a corporate attorney at both Alston & Bird and Georgia-Pacific Corporation.

Doug grew up in Dunwoody, Georgia. He is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Dartmouth College, where he was also voted the Ivy League Soccer Player of the Year. Doug received his J.D. from Emory School of Law, where he was Woodruff Fellow.

Doug is a former member of the Sandy Springs City Council. Doug serves on a number of governmental and non-profit boards, including the Truancy Intervention Project, a non-profit based in Atlanta, and St. Martin’s Episcopal School.

Doug and his wife reside in Sandy Springs with their three children.

Michael Long CIO Georgia Department Of Revenue

November 7, 2014 by angishields

Atlanta Tech Leaders

Michael Long CIO Georgia Department Of Revenue

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Michael Long / Georgia Department of Revenue

Michael is currently Chief Information Officer for the Georgia Department of Revenue and was 2013 Georgia CIO of the year. Michael is responsible for enterprise wide information technology; infrastructure, operations, applications development, networking, support, IT governance, security and business development in support of the following revenue divisions:- Alcohol & Tobacco, Compliance, Special Investigation, Local Government Services, Motor Vehicle, Taxpayer Services, Tax Policy, Processing Center, Finance and Human Resources.

Prior to the Department of Revenue, he was Chief Information Officer and Vice President, Information Technology at USTravel, a large corporate and leisure Travel Company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Michael developed an overall corporate information vision and strategy, introduced a new CRM system and created a competitive business advantage through the use of leading-edge technology.

Prior to that, he was Vice President of Global IT Infrastructure & Operations at Knowledge Learning Corporation. In this role, Michael was responsible for the strategy, planning, direction and coordination of all activities associated with delivering reliable computer infrastructure, applications and networking services throughout the company. This includes voice and data networks, Windows systems, Computing Services, Change management and customer service, including Data Center Operations, Capacity Planning and Disaster Recovery.

Prior to that, he was Interim Vice President of Information Technology Service at WellPoint, a $40 billion healthcare insurance provider. There, he was responsible for the enterprise-wide IT and networking systems, from which he drove a total restructuring of the IT infrastructure and implemented a framework for financial reporting. Prior to WellPoint, he was SVP Information Systems for TCIM Services, there he managed 14 call centers with over 4,500 seats in the US and Canada, established strong relationships with vendors and maintained a 24-hour, 7-day a week call center. Prior to TCIM he was Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President of Group 4 Securicor, Plc where he designed and implemented a passenger tracking system for Delta and United Airlines and negotiated and implemented a new managed network service offering from a leading network vendor. Michael has also held key IT positions with Galileo International, one of the world’s largest providers of electronic global distribution services, connecting 44,000 travel agencies across the world and Carlson Wagonlit Travel, a $22 billion company with a network of more than 3,000 locations in 150 countries.

Jay Ferro / American Cancer Society

Jay is currently Chief Information Officer for the American Cancer Society (ACS), a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Cancer Society has more than 900 local offices nationwide and a presence in more than 5,100 communities. Jay is responsible for the people, strategy and operations of the Global Information Technology organization.

Prior to joining ACS in 2012, Jay served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AdCare Health Systems, a rapidly growing and recognized innovator in health care facility management. Jay spent the previous 7 years at AIG (American International Group), most recently as VP and CIO for AIG Aerospace, a leading global aerospace insurer. At AIG, Jay implemented numerous improvements that have delivered substantial value to the organization while managing significant organizational change in a turbulent market environment. In addition to his role as AVP of Information Technology with AIG Personal Lines, Jay was selected as CFO for Operations and Systems in 2006 and led multiple global IT Finance and Governance Standards initiatives that resulted in millions of dollars in savings for the organization.

Jay continues to be a thought leader in the Information Technology arena and is a frequent guest speaker and panelist, both in Atlanta and Nationwide. In recognition of his accomplishments, Jay was selected as Georgia CIO of the Year in 2011, and is currently serving as Chair for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association.

His commitment and dedication to community involvement is evidenced by the time and energy he contributes. In 2007, he founded the non-profit group, Priscilla’s Promise, in honor of his late wife, which raises funds for cervical cancer education and research, and currently serves as its Executive Director. In 2011 he was elected to the Board of Directors for TechBridge, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization which helps other nonprofits use technology to improve their capability to serve the community, and in 2013 was named Board Chair.

Jay earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and his Masters of Business Administration from The University of Georgia. Jay continues to be involved with his alma mater, both as a mentor for young alumni and as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors for the Terry College of Business.

Jay lives in the Metro Atlanta Area with his 3 sons: Trey, Connor and Alex.