Seeking "Aggressive" accountant?

I have the same accountant issues

You need Poodlebrain. Best in Louisiana and regular on this board.

Any tips on how you educated yourself?

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I'm in a sales position where I am a producer and a manager.

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Are you managing other producers? If so, be prepared for the W-2/1099 split to end one day. The IRS is hitting hard on these arrangements, as they, in most situations, are not legal. For a company to give someone a W-2 (meaning they are an employee) and a 1099 (meaning they are an independent contractor) there generally has to be two completely different roles. For example, the classic is the receptionist who works 8-5 during the week as an employee, and on the side operates a cleaning company that has the company she works for during the week as an client. So she cleans the office on Sundays, whenever she wants, using her own supplies.

They may never catch your company, but don't be surprised if they do.

Most good tax CPAs will walk with their clients right up to the line, but won't cross it. There are two reasons for this. One, we want to keep you out of trouble, and two, it's not just you that gets in trouble if we go to far. The IRS can assess penalties on CPAs as well. If we sign a return that takes an unreasonable position, not only are you going to have to pay the tax with penalty and interest, but we can get assessed penalties as well. And if it happens too often, in extreme cases, we can lose our right to practice before the IRS.

And who is going to want a hire a CPA that has gotten in trouble with the IRS?

In any field, it's amazing with the locker room talk, who is getting away with deducting things. If all the stories were true, our fiscal affairs as a country would be a lot worse. Not to be mean, but of all the industries where there is this constant "my friend is doing this" talk, it is absolute worst among salesmen. I'm to the point where I have very few sales reps as clients, because I have either fired them because I am sure they are lying to me, or, they have fired me because I am not "aggressive" enough for them, i.e. I won't make stuff up.

A good CPA should be very clear in what is, and what is not, deductible. Just because you think something should be, doesn't mean the law allows it. A good CPA should take a wide view of deductions, and ask plenty of questions looking for things that can be deducted. But there are limits.

You may find some unlicensed guy that will be much more aggressive, just be careful.

My only other piece of advice is to just document everything. Every expense, have a receipt. Don't ever pay cash, use that credit card (that is only for business expenses) for every last expense.