Tax Manager Profile: Kate Phelps
Aug
Kate Phelps is a tax manager. In this role, she prepares and reviews various types of income tax returns including partnerships, s-corporations, c-corporations, individuals and trusts. She serves clients in a wide variety of industries including real estate, business and professional services, health care, distribution and manufacturing.
Kate joined WNDE as a tax junior in 2010. She has enjoyed working for the firm. She said, “Accounting is generally the same everywhere you go, but the people with whom I work make my work enjoyable.”
She was born in Overland Park, Kansas. She lived on a farm in Kansas for a time, then came to Orange County at age 14.
Kate first became interested in the accounting field at age 10. She participated in her mother’s “daughter work day”; her mother worked in the accounting department of a construction company. She recalled, “I met her boss and learned what he did and immediately was interested in that profession. I have always been a numbers person, so the idea of working with numbers all day was appealing.”
She earned a business finance degree from Cal State Fullerton in 2007, and an accounting certificate from Irvine Valley College in 2009.
While in college, she worked for Washington Mutual Bank. She opted to pursue a career in finance for five years, but saw more of a future in the accounting field. Additionally, her husband, Jason, was an auditor in public accounting. She related, “I saw the amount of complexity and fulfillment his career brought him and decided to pursue an accounting career for myself. I was more drawn towards tax and felt it would be a better fit for my personality. I enjoy solving Sudoku puzzles and a tax return in a way resembles that type of puzzle.”
Her work experience includes working as a banking operations supervisor in Ladera Ranch, and two years in sales and marketing for a medical equipment company in Chino.
Kate is a member of CalCPA and the AICPA.
She enjoys going to Disneyland with her husband and daughter and traveling. She is expecting a second child in October. The family lives in Anaheim Hills.
