Simplified Tax

Description

As World War II ended in 1945, Mr. Charles Hosbein entered the bookkeeping business from his home on South Cedar Street in Lansing, Michigan. Records show that Mr. Hosbein seemed to operate as a divisional office of Simplified Tax Records, Incorporated, a New York business dedicated to providing bookkeeping and tax record systems for business use, and that he held exclusive rights to the Simplified name for the Lansing area. In 1950, Mr. and Mrs. Fred S. (and Kathryn S.) Vorn bought the business known as "Simplified Tax Records Company" from Mr. Hosbein. In 1955, necessitated by the new I-496 overpass, the company moved from their 3022 South Cedar Street location, constructing its own building at the current location of 4305 South Cedar Street. From 1955 to 1965, Simplified experienced phenomenal growth and at one time was known as the largest locally owned bookkeeping and tax service. Purchased in mid-1965 by Mr. Robert Jacoby, and incorporated later that year as "Simplified Bookkeeping & Tax Service, Inc," the company continued to expand, offering services in May 1968 to 880 business accounts. From her distinctive pink desk and file cabinet, Mrs. Irma Jacoby effectively managed 70 or so employees at Simplified during these years. A 1965 addition doubled the size of the existing building, and offered a separate tax office entrance to the lower level. Mr. Donald J. Burke, a C.P.A. from Grand Rapids, Michigan, purchased the majority interest in the company in 1983 from Bob Jacoby, and operated the company with his wife, Janet, until his untimely death in November 1989. His transitional tenure included establishment of a separate C.P.A. practice, accommodating needs of clients and employees, and the opening of an Owosso location. Judith M. Stegman, C.P.A., purchased the majority interest in Simplified from the Estate of Donald J. Burke in 1989, and during her years of ownership proceeded to update the building with the wiring and cabling demanded by the ongoing computer revolution. She added a new front entrance to the building in 1999, and completed the process of buying out the interests of minority shareholders who had invested in the company in 1965. Ryan Lowe, a young C.P.A., returned to mid-Michigan from Chicago to purchase the company in January 2004. A year later, his colleague from Price Waterhouse, Nikali Luke, moved to Lansing with his wife Nora, and became an equity partner in the company. Mr. Lowe and Mr. Luke completed an entire interior remodeling of the 4305 South Cedar Street location in 2005. During their ongoing tenure with the company, Simplified has opened branch offices in Williamston (2006), DeWitt (2007), and Charlotte (2009). In the mid 20th century, when Simplified was established, businesses manually maintained ledgers to track income and expenses; local, family-owned businesses were the norm; income tax returns were typed, summarized in just nine lines on page one, and due by March 15. Simplified's business reflected the market, catering to the many mom and pop businesses in local communities throughout all of Michigan, bordering cities, and beyond.

Products & services

Similar companies nearby