Member Spotlight: The Tax Advice Man

Editor’s Note: This is part of a series of profiles highlighting the diverse interests and careers of VSCPA members. Know a member (including yourself) who would make for an interesting profile? Email VSCPA Communications Specialist Chip Knighton.

At this point, giving tax advice is second nature for Vince Nadder, CPA — and not just the “Let me ask you a question” variety that every tax practitioner has experienced. From the small screen to bigger crowds, he’s found a niche in helping others understand as much as they can about the tax code.

Nadder fell into that role as the leader of the volunteer team for the NBC 12 Tax Hotline shortly after joining Glen Allen firm Keiter. That made him a natural for his most recent tax endeavor — a tax presentation to high school and middle school educators on behalf of the VSCPA and the Virginia Council on Economic Education (VCEE).

“I thought it was a great opportunity to brush up on my public speaking skills and give back to the community in an interesting and different way,” he said.

Nadder, the youngest of seven children, followed his older brother into the accounting program at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), also the site of his recent presentation. A Richmond native, he took his first accounting class at Mills Godwin High School before continuing down that path in college.

“At the time I entered college, accounting graduates were in high demand,” he said. “I was fairly confident a job would be waiting for me the moment I graduated.

“… I have never really thought about an alternate career.  I started in this direction so early it has never occurred to me that I wouldn’t be a CPA.”

What he couldn’t predict was the ways he’s helped the public gain a greater understanding of taxes. Now he’s essentially a grandfather in tax advice terms, helping prepare teachers to pass his insights on to their students as part of Virginia’s financial literacy graduation requirement.

Nadder says his goal was to offer “tools with which [teachers] can teach their students the basic points about income and payroll taxes and other financial issues that will impact them. Since their students are the next generation of business leaders, I believe it is critical that they gain an understanding of these issues early in their careers. Even if they do not pursue careers in accounting or finance, the concepts we are teaching will add great value to them in the future.”

Nadder isn’t the only member of his family who is comfortable in front of a crowd. His daughter, Sophia, is becoming a go-to national anthem singer at area sporting events. She’s performed at numerous Richmond Flying Squirrels and VCU games and has dipped a toe into the “big leagues,” singing before a Washington Nationals game in June.

She’s scheduled to sing the anthem at the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway in September. Her father has enjoyed her singing exploits and jokes that her schedule “has seemingly taken over our lives.”

Joke or not, the “seemingly” was necessary, because the statement doesn’t do justice to all the work Nadder has done to educate Virginia citizens about their tax responsibilities. Whether it’s on TV or in front of a crowd of teachers, he’s given of himself to back the cause of financial literacy at every opportunity.