What do I get out of it?

As a CPA, I have noted a common characteristic with other CPAs. We are always busy. The most common greeting I get from friends is the question “Are things slowing down for you yet?” That of course refers to tax season, but it also says something about us CPAs as professionals. We tend to be very involved with what we do for a living to the point that we neglect other things in our life.

I believe to be a whole person, you should take your talents and use them to give back to the community. As a CPA, I know something about taxes and accounting, so how do I use that to give back to the community? A very rewarding way I have found is to belong to volunteer organizations, in my case North Valley Community Foundation as a board member. I have met and worked with some very interesting people on the board and those served by NVCF that I would not a chance otherwise. NVCF has also helped build my knowledge of the nonprofit area, especially in the regards to planned giving. This knowledge, in turn, makes me more valuable to my clients.

In interest of full disclosure, I am a strong supporter of NVCF. Serving on any board can be rewarding, but I can say that being a member of the board of NVCF has given a lot back to me.

Joan Stoner is a CPA with her own practice: Stoner, Jeffers and Associates. Joan can be reached via email at joan_stoner@sbcglobal.net.