Registered Tax Return Preparer & Accounting Associate

I was born and have lived my entire life in Habersham County, Georgia. I graduated from Habersham Central in 1971 and married Billy Welborn in 1974. We have two children, Misty & Jonathan and two granddaughters, Hope & Lexi and four great grandchildren.

I spent the next several years working at Fieldale Farms and Habersham Flowerland. While working at the florist, I helped in the H & R Block office during busy times. I never thought that was something I would be doing on a long term basis. When I worked there all the taxes were done by hand and written on the forms. All you used was a pencil and a calculator. I started working for Lou Ann in 1992 and have seen many changes in the way income taxes are done since then. The first year I worked, Lou Ann was the only one doing taxes and all the returns had to be mailed in. She did them by computer and printed off three copies of each return – one to the client, one to keep in our records and one to mail in. I spent the first tax season putting the copies together and getting them ready for the clients to mail in. The next year I got to move to the reception desk. I really enjoyed meeting and talking to the people that came in. When I had free time I would practice on the returns that were dropped off. The next thing I knew, I was sent to school, got my own office and was doing taxes. I can still remember those first returns I prepared, they scared me to death.

In 2012 I took the test to become a Registered Tax Return Preparer, which is given by the Internal Revenue Service.  I am glad to say that I passed the test.

I have had the opportunity to attend classes in Charlotte and Asheville, North Carolina thru NC State University, in Spartanburg, South Carolina and at the University of Georgia and Gainesville Junior College in Georgia. I have attended seminars in Florida and several different locations in Georgia.

Today, my favorite thing is still meeting and talking to all the clients. I like the satisfaction of helping them with their taxes or bookkeeping and catching up with them from year to year, just like with family.