Started in 1984
Winter 1985 First income tax filing season
First Edgar County accounting firm to prepare income tax returns by computer "in-house"-1985
Employees: Dennis Thiel, CPA; Ross Willan; Dan Phipps; Bonnie Marrs;
Jeanne Thiel - payroll and reception; Margaret Thiel - reception
Began using Drake income tax software for all income tax returns. Began this period processing about 800 tax returns. The number of returns filed in 2010 was close to 1500.
All returns prepared on computer input sheets by preparers and keyed at one computer station in house by key-punch operator.
One of five firms in Illinois to begin Electronic Filing. (First accounting firm outside of Chicago area to offer electronic filing.)
Awarded the Professional Business of the Year for 2002 by the Paris Area Chamber of Commerce. First local accounting firm to offer free electronic filing
Installed personal work computers at all tax preparer work stations connected to central server for instant results at time of tax payer interview.
Employees: Dennis Thiel, CPA; Bonnie Marrs; Missy Stark; Dan Phipps; Ross Willan; Delores Gale; Rose McCormick; Penny Calles
Thiel Accounting moved to its current location at 514 Central Ave in Paris. The brick structure was completed in fall of 2010. There is 2000 feet of office space and a full size insulated basement. It is heated and cooled with a geothermal system. The floors are foam concrete to decrease the noise of foot traffic. The ceilings are 10 feet. Solid wooden doors are extra thick for privacy.
During this period the complexity of preparing income tax returns increased with new laws and regulations regarding ethics, tax preparer due diligence, and security of confidentiality of taxpayer information. Thiel Accounting kept abreast of changes through continued education.
Employees: Dennis Thiel, CPA; Bonnie Marrs, Melissa Stark, Dan Phipps, Betsy Higginbotham - tax prep; Jeanne Thiel, Rose McCormick -payroll; Sandy Randall, Penny Calles, Lewis Thiel - Reception and IT.
Services offered: Income tax preparation, bookkeeping, sales tax prep, payroll tax prep, financial services.
Change of business entity from sole proprietor to LLC.
Addition of Partner, Betsy Higginbotham.
Trade name is still Thiel Accounting.
Current staff: Dennis Thiel, CPA & Partner; Betsy Higginbotham, Partner; Dan Phipps - tax prep; Lewis Thiel - income tax prep and IT; Krista Krabel - tax prep;
Melissa Bradley - Payroll and reception