The Story of Open Palm Taxes
See Beyond the Fear
How a dedicated husband, father, and son decided to start a tax preparation business.
Mission Discovered
Growing up as the son of a minister (Dad) and social worker (Mom) in Cincinnati, Ohio, I watched as my parents focused on helping people. At the age of ten, my parents transitioned to Cleveland, OH and increased their impact, while me and my impressionable siblings tagged along. As Dad continued to pastor, Mom directed her attention to working with fathers who were trying to improve relationships with their children. Often participating in church outreach events and community service projects, I found myself slowly developing a passion for helping people as well. In fact, I eventually enrolled in the accounting program at Oakwood University (HBCU), where the motto is “Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve.”
At Oakwood I met a young woman. We got married a year after I graduated, and I began to focus my time and attention on taking care of her. Over the next decade, I worked in multiple fields, from customer service to banking, to sales, to auditing, to expense management, still aiming to take care of my family, which had grown to six.
How could I maintain my family while using the schooling and experience I gained over 20 years in business, and still serve a greater, altruistic purpose? How could I apply the lessons learned from watching my parents all those years? What problem could I address that plagued people in communities across Ohio and Georgia (where I currently reside), and beyond?
Although my parents loved helping people, there was one time of the year that they feared and needed help: tax season. It is with this revelation, and attitude toward serving people, that I have entered the tax preparation industry. I want to help people like my parents, see beyond the fear of taxes, and accomplish their financial goals. By using a simple process that’s easy to follow, Open Palm Taxes is my tribute to my parents’ lives of service.
Meet Shelton Palmer
I consider it a privilege to have your interest. As the story above is still unfolding, I'd like an opportunity to serve you. I understand that deciding who to have file your taxes is serious business. Although I have been processing my own returns (and some family members) for the past 15 years, you may have concerns. Let me give you a little more background on who I am in regard to business.
I have worked more than 20 years in businesses ranging from non-profit organizations to Fortune 500 companies, to the Department of Defense. I have worked three years or more in each of the following fields:
-Office Management
-Expense Management
-Project Management
-Quality Assurance
-Payroll Auditing
-Customer Service
-Marketing & Sales
-Non-Profit Leadership
Not only do I have a passion for serving people in this capacity, but I've also backed that up by completing two tax-prep courses to go along with my Bachelor of Science in Accounting. I am currently continuing my education with cpaacdemy.org while attending multiple tax bootcamps offered through my membership in a serious tax community. This community has given me the opportunity to build relationships with multiple influential people in the tax industry. I don't take my responsibility lightly, so I'm constantly working to keep growing in this industry so that I can better serve you. Thank you again for your consideration.
Shelton Palmer - Your Tax Expert