Taxes can be 'lots of fun' for young adviser Treavor Dodsworth

Tax season is in full swing, which means aspiring accountant Treavor Dodsworth is especially busy. Mr. Dodsworth, 23, is about eight months into his tenure at NorthWest Financial Services Inc., where he's been putting his tax know-how to work. At the same time, he's chipping away at the four modules that are part of the uniform certified public accountant exam. So far, Mr. Dodsworth passed the first two sections and hopes to take the third and fourth in May and August, respectively. The exams won't stop there, however. “I'm taking the CFP at a different time, and in between the CPA and CFP, there are some smaller tests I'll take,” Mr. Dodsworth said. Those assessments include an insurance licensing exam, the Series 65 and the Series 7. (More: The more I learn about planning and taxes, the more interesting the job gets)

NUMBER-CRUNCHING

“Work is a lot busier now because we're doing taxes along with all the normal stuff,” he said. He's taking a closer look at clients' tax returns and learning how to go through them. Number-crunching has proven both challenging and enjoyable. “I enjoy doing taxes,” he said. “It's a big puzzle and lots of pieces are coming into play. It's lots of fun to get through.” Management at the firm also has given Mr. Dodsworth more responsibility, so he is now stepping up his game at client meetings. Not too long ago, a new client visited the office for a data-gathering session, and the soon-to-be accountant ran the entire meeting. It takes a light touch to get clients to share details, and sometimes they're not inclined to be naturally chatty, he said. “Some clients come in and play it very close to the vest, so you ask questions to get them to open up, trust you and share information,” Mr. Dodsworth said. His advice to people looking at a career in financial planning is to accept that you will make mistakes as you learn about the industry. “You can't be so scared to make mistakes that it hurts your productivity or your willingness to take chances,” Mr. Dodsworth said. “Be willing and accept that you're going to make mistakes and bounce back from them. If you make a mistake, just apologize and keep going. Do the best you can.”