Tax expert Randy Larson recently moved to Keremeos from Vancouver with his wife and he’s hoping the innovative way he offers tax services will attract more clients.

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Larson’s company Focused Bookkeeping Ltd. offers virtual taxation services, an option he began to explore after moving to Keremeos last December. Meeting online to file taxes is an accepted approach in the U.S., he said. He currently serves clients in seven different countries.

“We offer people the opportunity to meet online. This is through Skype or Zoom or FaceTime or whatever. This is great because we can see each other and that gives an opportunity for building rapport. It’s a very constructive approach because they don’t have to leave their home or office,” he said.

Additionally, Larson is looking to expand part of his business that offers tax services for U.S. citizens living in the Okanagan who need to file in the United States.

“Apparently, there is hardly anyone in the area who does that and we’d like to do that on a virtual basis so they don’t have to drive to get it done,” said Larson who said he is semi-retired. “They continue to need to file a U.S. tax return because they are a citizen or they have some status in the U.S. and it’s really difficult to get that done because there isn’t anyone with the knowledge or expertise.”

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“I’m ahead of the curve,” he said, adding that many traditional companies don’t offer online taxes. “I’m just offering something different. Tax clients seem to like something different and responsiveness and I’m good at that.”

He said so far some challenges have been people having difficulty adjusting to doing the entire process online, such as scanning documents and online conferencing. But the number is small.

“Ninety-five per cent of the clientele are very comfortable with it and have raved about it,” he said.

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