Special Tax Update (E1702039)

Howard J. Bookbinder, CPA, practices in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, and is a former instructor of accounting and taxation at Rutgers University. Additionally, he frequently lectures on federal tax updates, payroll tax issues, ethics and Circular 230. Mr. Bookbinder has addressed many professional, civic and community groups in New Jersey, Ohio, New York, Alabama and Georgia, including the American Society of Women Accountants, Mended Hearts, Bergen County Bar Association, Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs, AARP, The Telephone Pioneers and NCCPAP. He has also lectured to firms on an in-house basis in the area of professional ethics and taxation. Mr. Bookbinder is a frequent lecturer at many tax seminars sponsored by the New Jersey Society of CPAs, the AICPA, Kean University, Rowan University and the Internal Revenue Service. He served as chairman of the Cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service for four years and is a current member of the New Jersey State Tax Committee. He has been involved with the Internal Revenue Service symposiums for IRS employees and tax practitioners for the past several years. He is a past president of the Bergen Chapter of the New Jersey Society of CPAs and a past trustee of the New Jersey Society of CPAs. He is a contributing author for the Bergen Record’s Tax Mailbag column, and has appeared on the cable TV program of the same name. Mr. Bookbinder is the author of Write-up Services for Small Businesses, a book published by the AICPA. Mr. Bookbinder is a graduate of Pace University and has attended the American Institute of Banking.

Richard J. Sapinski, J.D., LL.M., is a member at Sills Cummis & Gross, P.C. and is Vice-Chair of the Firm’s Tax Litigation Practice Group. His practice involves white collar criminal defense on both federal and state levels and civil and criminal tax litigation, as well as international tax planning and compliance issues. Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Sapinski was employed by the Office of the District Counsel, Internal Revenue Service, Newark, New Jersey as a trial attorney from 1977 to 1984 and later with the Office of the Regional Counsel Internal Revenue Service, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a Special Trial Attorney from 1985 to 1987. In the latter position, Mr. Sapinski was assigned responsibility for litigating in the United States Tax Court on behalf of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue in large and sensitive cases and for assisting IRS international examiners in developing international tax issues for litigation. He litigates matters in the United States District Court, U.S. Tax Court and the Superior Court and Tax Court of New Jersey and the Federal and State Appellate Courts. He also represents professionals before disciplinary and licensing boards and handles administrative matters involving the Examination, Collection and Criminal Investigation divisions of the Internal Revenue Service and their state counterparts.

He earned his undergraduate degree from Seton Hall University, his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and his LL.M. in Taxation from NYU.

Chris Vanderwolk is the Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for Gente Employee Benefits and HR Solutions. After a career as an interrogator in the Army, Mr. Vanderwolk worked for two Fortune 500 insurance carriers in a business development role prior to finding his home with Gente. Mr. Vanderwolk focuses on helping brokers solve complex problems, and provide clarity to their clients in the complicated post-reform world. Mr. Vanderwolk is fluent in Spanish, and is a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist through the International Federation of Benefit Plans and the Wharton School of Business. In addition, he has been Certified in Flexible Compensation by the ECFC, and is a credentialed Group Benefits Disability Specialist. He is an active member of the National Association of Health Underwriters and serves as the President Elect of the Central New Jersey Chapter.