i am tHe vsCpa

COMeDiAn At heArt >> two minutes with Jay reiner, CPA

Jay Reiner, CPA, is a sole proprietor in Arlington. He is a graduate of the City University of New York, Queens College, and has been in public accounting for more than 30 years. When not helping clients or networking, he likes to travel and speak Spanish every chance he gets.

i AM PAssiOnAte ABOut... Food, fitness and my wife. We are food enthusiasts who love cooking delicious meals for friends and ourselves, and we could talk about food for hours. Given that passion, the only way to keep as trim as I am is to hit the gym, particularly during tax season. And my wife is my food buddy, travel buddy and best buddy on our life journey. Besides loving her, I really like her!

PeOPLe DOn’t KnOW this But… I was a lifeguard at a swimming pool for a few summers, and I actually saved somebody’s life.

iF i Weren’t An ACCOuntAnt, i WOuLD Be… A standup comedian. The people who know me know how much of a goofball I am, so if I could make a few bucks doing it (or get my own TV show about nothing), why not? If I couldn’t make a go of that, I would be a scuba instructor. I’ve got my Open Water Scuba Instructor certification and have taught people to dive. I love the underwater environment, and if I could dive every day, I’d be one happy guy!

MY ADViCe tO FeLLOW CPAs is… To quote that old deodorant commercial, “Never let ‘em see you sweat.” I can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve had clients in my office at the height of tax season, and they’ve remarked about how calm I am. I want my clients to feel confident that I’ve got their best interests in mind, and that everything is under control. That’s our job as CPAs. Never appear weak.

i neVer LeAVe hOMe WithOut… Two things. One, my smartphone. For better or worse, my life is contained in that darn thing! Two, reading glasses, so I can actually read all the emails and calendar entries on that phone.

i Wish CPAs KneW… How to make one plus one equal three. Imagine how much more valuable we’d be to our clients!

i’M A CPA BeCAuse… It’s way cooler than being an attorney, actuary or enrolled agent. n