Profile
Our professional staff is committed to providing all services in a timely, accurate, confidential manner. Each member of our staff is dedicated to serve our clients with integrity, competence and accountability, placing your best interests above all others. Our services are tailored to your specific needs and our goal is to aggressively deal with the IRS and State of California your trusted partner.
We recognize that your tax needs can be immediate and our attentive staff is available to answer your questions and ensure you meet your deadlines in a timely manner.
You can rest assured that when a need arises, our firm is ready and capable to handle everything for you so you can focus on what matters most to you.
Staff Profiles
Jon J. Hargis, EA, BA, NTPI Fellow
Jon has always had a knack for teaching. He comes from generations of teachers and wanted to continue the family legacy. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Education from California State University, Fresno. Jobs were hard to find at the time, so he went to work for a woodworking power tool company and used his teaching and communication skills to find success in the industry making the Presidents Club for outstanding performance each year.
Looking for the next challenge, he went back to college and took courses in computer science. He landed a job with a large computer firm marketing mid-range client server computer system to government entities. He achieved success with the firm and eventually the company was sold and merged into a Fortune 100 company which did extraordinarily little government business. At about this same time, the internet was just coming on-line and telecommunications with high-speed networks was the next frontier and Jon jumped at the opportunity to get into the market. Over the next 10 years, Jon worked for three major telecom firms marketing T and OC circuits to government entities as well as mid-to-large businesses. At some point, landline circuits had competition from wireless circuits and the wireless business was the new challenge Jon was seeking. Jon worked as regional manager for a large cellular firm and after years of service eventually retired from the tech world.
Not one to sit around in retirement, Jon began a search for a new challenge, something completely different from the tech world. He really wanted to challenge himself for an entirely new line of work. On the advice of a friend, he began looking for jobs in the public sector. Most of the available government positions were designated career advancement designed for current government employees. Jon discovered that the IRS was hiring and had some positions that were open to the general public. At the time, IRS employees that were hired in the 70’s were retiring enmasse and the IRS needed new recruits to fill all of the openings. Jon applied for the job of Revenue Officer and was hired immediately. The IRS training for a revenue officer take one year. During that year, he learned the tax business from the inside out. Jon was assigned to the Small Business and Small Enterprise (SBSE) division of the IRS. His case work focused on many of the small businesses in California’s Central Valley. He met with business owners and reviewed/audited their business and personal tax issues. His job was to educate and communicate compliance standards, a family trait, and also to collect taxes and unfiled tax returns as needed. Jon developed expertise with Federal tax law, the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), and the Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) which is used by IRS employees to ensure tax compliance. Jon was also a member of the National Treasury Employees Union and served as Shop Steward for two years.
Jon handled hundreds of tax cases over his 10 years as a journeyman Revenue Officer. He eventually reached retirement age and separated from public service. During his time as a revenue officer, he had the occasion to meet with tax professionals in the private sector who represented taxpayers to the IRS typically Tax Attorneys, CPAs and Enrolled Agents. He knew that, in some way, he wanted to help people with their tax issues and the way to do that, and use all of his experience, was to formally become an Enrolled Agent and be their representative.
Combining talents, education, and experience with an existing Enrolled Agent, Jon started Anchor Tax Relief, LLC to help clients resolve their IRS and California tax problems. He earned his Enrolled Agent status and then through a series of advanced tax courses, earned a NTPI Fellowship. He is currently a member of the California Society of Enrolled Agents, and the National Association of Enrolled Agents. Jon’s depth of tax knowledge enabled him to be one of the few selected to teach fellow Enrolled Agents through on-line courses sponsored by NAEA on representing taxpayers before the IRS. These courses carry IRS Certified Professional Education credits which are an annual requirement to maintain your Enrolled Agent status.
In his free time, Jon enjoys time on the water with his kayak and fishing.
Laura Strombom, EA, MBA, NTPI Fellow
Laura wanted to be a veterinarian. She graduated from UC Davis with a BS Degree in Animal Science. Because Laura planned on being self employed as a veterinarian, she took Accounting courses. She found she enjoyed the logic and process of Accounting. Upon graduation, Laura realized Vet School would not be a reality for her. She took a management position working for a major entertainment retailer where she learned corporate structure, function and culture, Human Resources rules and regulations, Loss Prevention, budgeting, and many other key business management concepts.
After several years of success in the retail entertainment industry she found a need to try something new. Her family operated several businesses in the trucking and construction industries. They asked her to come to work for them. She accepted their invitation and began working as a bookkeeper. Working closely with the company CPA, John Warner, she gained knowledge and confidence in her abilities. Soon she was functioning as a controller. As controller, she cut debt, raised profits and improved the business function. When it became clear her family was going to have to close the businesses due to medical reasons, Laura found herself unsure of where to turn or what to do.
Laura worked with the high school students at her church. Laura and the other women involved in the ministry would meet regularly for coffee and prayer. It was through these meetings that the idea for All About Numbers was born. Laura had asked for prayer regarding her job search. With an Animal Science degree and family as the main reference on her resume, it was hard to find an appropriately challenging position. The group of women she met with included a chiropractor, Angie Knowles, who asked her to help her with her business. Angie reported back to the group a solution for Laura: open her own business offering business services: bookkeeping, payroll, accounting software support and other related services. As Laura worked more with Angie, she found herself realizing this could be a possibility. On a leap of faith and a $785 tax refund, Laura began All About Numbers. She enrolled in a basic tax class to round out her offerings, and became certified in a number of software programs, including DacEasy, Peachtree and Quickbooks. She joined several leads clubs and networking groups and found herself a small growing business.
In 1998 Laura decided to go back to graduate school to shore up her business education. She graduated from Golden Gate University in April 1999 with an Executive Masters In Business Administration, EMBA. In order to pay back the student loans for graduate school she began teaching at Heald College immediately upon graduation. She taught Business and Accounting courses there for nearly three years. She then moved to University of Phoenix where she taught Accounting Courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels for another two years. She stopped teaching only because her business had grown too much for her to effectively teach and operate her business. She loves to teach, however, and looks for any opportunity to do so.
In 2000, Laura decided to take the next big step with her tax education. She wanted to be able to expand the level of services she could offer her clients, and decided to become and Enrolled Agent (EA). To become an EA requires either work for the IRS for 5 years in a capacity to administer tax law or to pass a rigorous examination on taxation. At the time Laura took the test, it was only offered once a year, all 4 parts simultaneously, and it had a low pass rate. Laura was very proud to have passed all four parts in her first attempt. As an EA, Laura was now able to represent taxpayers before the IRS in audit, appeals, and collections. To better her skills in these areas, Laura attended various continuing education courses on these topics, and eventually decided to become a Fellow of the National Tax Practitioner’s Institute. To become and NTPI Fellow, Laura had to complete 3 successive courses offered over three years through the National Association of Enrolled Agents. She received this designation in 2010. In 2022 Laura achieved the coveted non-attorney admission to practice before the United States Tax Court.
Laura was awarded the Stockton Business Person of the Year award in 2004. Laura was honored again in 2007 when she was named the SBA Champion of Woman in Business. Starting in 2013, Laura will be the California Chapter President of the National Association of Tax Practitioners. Laura is quite proud of these accomplishments!
When not busy with business, Laura enjoys spending time with her horses, dogs and cats.