Category: Wesley Chapel

Thousands Get A Preview Of BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel!

Scooping his free Island Fin Poké Co. poké bowl into his mouth, Trey Walker paused for a second before answering the question of the day at BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel’s open house last month.

“I don’t like hospitals,” the Tampa truck driver said, smiling, “but if I ever need to go to one, I hope it’s this one.”

Walker was one of an estimated 4,000 people who took part in the area’s newest hospital’s open house on Feb. 18, which featured tours, food trucks, vendor booths and a kids area.

BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel was expected to open to at least emergency room patients today (Mar. 7). The 86-bed, state-of-the-art hospital is located on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. just south of S.R. 54.

BayCare Wesley Chapel president Becky Schulkowski was thrilled to finally unveil the hospital to the public.

“It’s just been extremely exciting, rewarding, and humbling seeing the response from the community,” she said. “I’m being thanked for coming to this community. It just feels like such a blessing…and we will live up to their expectations.”

*The new hospital features private rooms with Alexa-enabled services, and a Da Vinci Robotic Surgical System*. (*Photo: John C. Cotey*)

BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel boasts 318,000 sq. ft. of space, and will feature comprehensive medical services and health care resources, including an emergency department, an intensive care unit with virtual-monitoring beds, diagnostic services such as imaging and on-site lab services, and physical rehabilitation. BayCare is investing $246 million in the project, which will be the 16th link in the nonprofit’s chain, which has locations throughout Central Florida. The Wesley Chapel location will be just the second full-service BayCare hospital in Pasco County and will feature outstanding technology like the CT scanner and a DaVinci Robotic Surgical System.

The DaVinci robot drew a few oohs and aahs from those on the tour, its multiple arms coiled like a resting octopus. It allows for very precise incisions and techniques used by surgeons, including things like hernia repairs and colorectal surgery.

“So, if anyone with colon cancer needs to have parts of their colon removed, it can be done with the robot,” Schulkowski said. “The procedures with the robot really allows you to heal faster and get out of the hospital quicker. With some of those bigger surgeries, before we started using the robotic surgery, you would be in the hospital for five days (or more) after that procedure. Now, you can be home in one or two days.…and what most people want is to get out of the hospital and get home.”

Much of the planning that went into BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel was about comfort.

“We really thought about what it feels like to be a patient, and how much most people really don’t like to be in a hospital,” Schulkowski said. “So, we really tried to design it with that perspective in mind, and really make it a comfortable, healing environment.”

That means all of the patient rooms are private, and have integrated Alexa, a voice-controlled virtual assistant that allows you to call your nurse, dim the lights, raise the blinds or the thermostat and other things, with just your voice.

The hospital provides most general surgeries, orthopaedic surgeries, urology and a cath lab to diagnose any heart issues, Schulkowski said.

“We went all out to make sure we had the absolute best technology available for the community,” she added.

While 86 rooms may not seem like a lot, BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel is expandable. Schulkowski said the option is available to build a second tower directly above the ER if needed. “We can pretty much double everything,” she said.

Also planned is a 20-bed observation unit, which could be built next to the ER on the backside of the hospital, by 2027. “That will allow us to cohort what we call observation patients, patients that come in and maybe have chest pain, and we need to run a couple tests and see is it a heart problem? Or is it just really bad heartburn?,” Schulkowski said. “While you’re waiting for those tests, you don’t need to be up in the hospital, you’re just waiting on getting some test results. We’re gonna keep you comfortable, get those test results and then, hopefully, send you on your way.”

It was ten years ago that AdventHealth (then Florida Hospital) Wesley Chapel opened its doors, giving the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa areas newer (and closer) options for care. And, next up is Orlando Hospital Wesley Chapel, a 300-bed facility under construction on S.R. 56.

The nonprofit company that is opening BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel understands that there are options. Schulkowski said her staff is ready to meet the challenge. In fact, one of her pet projects was the sculpture out front — five ribbons coming together. Each ribbon has one of the five BayCare values engraved on it: Trust, Respect, Responsibility, Excellence and Dignity.

“I wanted the very first thing that our community saw when they came onto campus (were) the BayCare values, because that’s what we bring to this community,” Schulkowski said.

For more information, visit BayCare.org.

Three Wesley Chapel Girls The First To Join New Boy Scouts Program

*Katherine Traynor and Paisley Murphy (left and back), both 11 years old, pose with 10-year-old Lexi Zink. The Wesley Chapel residents became members of Scouts BSA in February.* ***(Photo: Libby Baldwin)***

Wesley Chapel just got a serious dose of girl power.

As of last year, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) began accepting girls into its Cub Scouts program, designed for ages 5-10, in the hopes that more families will get involved in the 107-year-old program that fosters leadership and outdoor skills.

The Boy Scouts program that has traditionally served boys 11-17 years of age officially changed its name to “Scouts BSA” in February to reflect the program’s first-ever inclusion of girls, who can now “cross over” from Cub Scouts in February at age 11. The change also allows girls to be eligible to become Eagle Scouts, a coveted title which boosts college applications and offers scholarship opportunities.

Two of the five BSA divisions, Venturing (adventure activities for ages 14-17) and Exploring (career skills for ages 10-20), were already co-ed, but many parents have been lobbying for their girls’ chance to become Eagle Scouts for years.

“It shows that they have leadership skills, that they can multitask on projects and serve their community,” said Robert Hall, scoutmaster of Troop 33, which operates out of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church on Collier Pkwy in Land O’Lakes. “It’s about more than just checking the boxes; they have to be Eagles in their hearts, concerned with others besides themselves.”

Lexi Zink, second from left, awaits her turn to make a campaign speech to become the first ever female Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 34. (Photo: Libby Baldwin)

Scouts must achieve the Life rank (BSA’s highest rank), earn 21 merit badges and execute a corporate-level service project before getting a chance at Eagle. They are judged by an adult review board before a final decision is made. Only four percent of all Scouts achieve the honor.

Hall’s troop of 52 young men expanded by 40 members when another Troop, Troop 34, crossed over from Cub Scouts during a formal ceremony in February. Three girls from Wesley Chapel – Lexi Zink, Paisley Murphy and Katherine Traynor — were among 11 girls to make history.

“Scouts BSA really empowers our girls to be whatever they want to be, that they’re just as capable as the boys,” said Brandi Zink, Lexi’s mother. “It takes them out of their phones and outside, and in today’s world, the lessons they’re learning are priceless.”

Lexi — whom Hall describes as “scrappy and outgoing” — felt right at home from the beginning.

“It’s not any different for her, because she hangs out with boys anyway,” said Brandi, who serves as assistant scoutmaster in her daughter’s troop. “She did a lot of this stuff with her brother when he did scouts, and she was always right there with him, digging in the dirt, going on camping trips.”

Zink’s 13-year-old son, Caleb, helped develop Lexi’s fearless attitude, which is readily apparent, despite her unusually small stature. He and several other boys include Lexi in their bike rides to the park, basketball games and other outdoor activities.

“Girls are always just as good as boys,” said Lexi, who plays on a traveling lacrosse team with much older girls and hopes a college scholarship to play lacrosse will help her become a veterinarian. “If there’s something that the boys can do, we can do it too, and we can probably do it better.”

Sharing The Spirit Of Adventure

Paisley Murphy and Katherine Traynor, both 11, also are new Troop 33/34 members hailing from Wesley Chapel. Unlike Lexi, they transitioned from Girl Scouts, longing for more adventure.

“Being in Scouts BSA feels better, because Girl Scouts was pretty boring,” said Paisley, whose uncle was an Eagle Scout. “They sing, do arts and crafts, play hopscotch . . . I wanted to do archery, canoeing and horseback riding!”

Paisley invited a friend of hers to join too, but the friend’s mother wouldn’t allow it.

Brandi Zink says she has received some negative feedback for allowing her daughter to join Scouts BSA. A neighbor down her street disapproves of letting girls do “boy things”; the parents of one of Lexi’s girlfriends asked if Brandi was trying to take a political stand.

“I could care less about making a point; she’s doing this because she’s a natural-born leader and she wants to,” said Brandi. “She likes arts and crafts fine, but she would just rather be doing them outside with a saw and hammer, instead of inside with glitter and glue.”

Katherine, whose dad and uncle were Eagle Scouts, says that other girls who want to make the leap shouldn’t be afraid to follow their dreams.

“In Girl Scouts, all we did was talk about cookies and cookie sales,” Katherine said. “We had a choice between camping for three days and going to Legoland for just one day, and they chose Legoland. It was sad!”

Troop 33/34 is the only one in the greater Pasco County area so far to include girls, and the troop’s weekly Tuesday meeting on March 26 was election night; Scouts BSA meetings are run entirely by the scouts themselves.

Lesser positions, such as historian/scribe, consist only of the candidates standing at the front of the room and determining the winner by applause.

Two young men competed for historian; one of them, fresh out of Cub Scouts, shook hands after the older one was chosen; the younger boy congratulated the winner for a job well done.

“After the Cub Scouts cross over (to Scouts BSA), they leave an adult-run structure and become the decision makers themselves,” said Hall. “We have a patrol leader committee, which will have girls, too, when they get into the swing of things. (The committee) runs the meetings, decides what trips we’re going on, stuff like that.”

The troop’s last decision of the night? Senior Patrol Leader, also known as SPL. This top-dog position — one for the girls and one for the boys — is the person the group looks to for leadership, conflict resolution and anything else that may arise.

Normal requirements for SPL are to be ranked first class or above and be at least 14 years old; but because this is the first year for the girls, those requirements were waived for them. A new SPL is elected every six months.

Lexi hadn’t realized the rules didn’t apply to her; when she discovered she could run after all, she lit up from the inside, and confidently decided to run, despite no preparation time.

The tiny tomboy stood tall at the microphone, making up a speech on the spot as to why she was the right one for the job. She answered some very intense, thoughtful questions from the more experienced boys;the process was strikingly similar to a presidential town hall debate.

“To me, it’s not as if they’re girl or boy scouts; (they’re all) just scouts, and I’m not going to treat the girls differently,” said Hall. “All our girls want to be Eagles, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they all get there.”

Despite her last-minute candidacy, Lexi was swiftly elected the troop’s first-ever female SPL.

For more information about Scouts BSA Troop 33/34, call Tina Raymond at (727) 858-5885 or visit ladyrosary.org/cub-boy-scouts. For general information about Scouts BSA, visit Scouting.org/scoutsbsa/.

boy scouts Girl Scouts Scouts BSA

Olympus Pools Is Growing, And Helping, In The Local Community

The team at Olympus Pools not only takes great pride in their pools, but also in their community service, like donating time and money to local schools, the New Tampa YMCA and organizations like Feeding Tampa Bay, where they filled carts of food and delivered them to the needy. (Photo: Alexis Staten)

Olympus Pools owners James and Alexis Staten are getting ready to bring their business closer to the community they’ve been part of for six years.

“New Tampa is our home,” says Alexis, who grew up in Coral Springs and has five children ranging between ages 9-15 with James, who was born in New Smyrna Beach. “We’re here for the long term and really take pride in being the main pool builder (in our area), so we want to invest in the area.”

Alexis says that more than half of Olympus’ custom-designed pools have been built in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area, including K-Bar Ranch, Meadow Pointe, Grand Hampton and many more, so requiring customers to travel to the current showroom near Tampa International Airport was something the Statens decided to fix.

“Plans are in the works for a new facility to open up in Lutz this summer, with a lot more space, so several customers can work with designers at the same time,” says James, who adds that he had worked every job there is in the pool business before opening Olympus. “Now when people are thinking about a new pool, they will be able to get to us in ten minutes or less.”

The bigger and better showroom will feature a slew of brand new features, cutting-edge design and of course, the latest technology in pools — something the Statens have always made paramount.

“Everything we do is digital,” says Alexis. “We want to do more than just build a pool; we’re providing an experience.”

The company uses a 3-D imaging AutoCAD system to bring the customer’s vision of a new pool to life before the Olympus Pools’ construction staff even breaks ground.

You can take a 360-degree tour of your pool on a high-definition screen. The technology even allows you to see what the pool will look like at dusk or at night, and can also give you a close-up view of what it will be like floating through the pool.

The Statens’ latest addition to their high-tech arsenal is a smartphone app that keeps customers informed about their pool project 24/7.

Users can receive daily updates via the project management app, pay bills and even ask staff questions that will be answered the same day (in most cases). Olympus employees use the app to post blueprints, photographs and more to keep you fully informed, even if you aren’t home.

“Our technology and in-house equipment helps us deliver the finished product faster,” James says. “Nobody’s ever sad when the construction is over.”

It doesn’t matter whether you’re budgeting for a $30,000 or a $300,000 pool, Olympus uses the same top-quality products.

“We use the best filters, best pumps and best salt systems included with every pool,” James says. “Even the most basic design gets the most premium quality money can buy.”

How About These Add-Ons?

Olympus Pools doesn’t just build pools to swim in, they specialize in delivering the entire pool experience, along with other customized offerings.

Built-in pool bars are a popular choice these days, because they save space that would normally be taken up on the pool deck, and they offer comfort and convenience. Olympus Pools can build something fancy or simple, and are able to accommodate virtually any design you can dream of, so customers and their family and guests can enjoy their food and drink without ever having to leave their pool.

And, if you want to keep the party outdoors, Olympus Pools also builds outdoor kitchens to enhance your pool time. From a refrigerator to a grill to a storage space, outdoor kitchens can be the ultimate entertainment space.
And, while Olympus is not a standalone kitchen builder, they can add them to your new pool construction project. Custom-designed kitchens, custom outdoor cabinetry, grilling islands with built-in grills, smokers and pizza ovens, fireplaces and fire pits and appliances are all available.

The Statens also take great pride in their staff, most of whom have been with them from the company’s birth in 2013. There are six designers and four project managers on staff, and more than 150 crew members in the field on a daily basis. James, Alexis and their senior employees have more than 200 years of combined experience in a steadily-growing industry. Olympus Pools designed and built just shy of 400 pools in 2018.

James says that the family-oriented, team environment in which everyone reaps the benefits of hard work is the key to Olympus’ success.

“We feel the most pride and satisfaction when a customer is thrilled with his new pool; that means a lot to us,” says James. “The best people in this industry can go anywhere, so we try to create an environment where we’re supporting our staff and helping them give the best customer service possible.”

Customer & Community Service

Olympus Pools employees, more than half of whom live and work in the New Tampa area, enjoy team-building events throughout the year and have enthusiastically joined the Statens in their mission to better the community they all love.

“Our kids are growing here, their lives are here,” says Alexis of the company’s community service efforts. “We have the means to help our community thrive, and we want to do that as much as we can.”

Three years ago, James began contributing a portion of Olympus’ profits to DonorsChoose.org, an organization that brings much-needed supplies and improvements to low-income Hillsborough County schools, and the company now sponsors a classroom about five times annually.
Students at those schools recently received new tablets and multimedia equipment to keep them on track with children in more affluent schools.

Olympus Pools has also supported local schools like Hunter’s Green and Pride Elementary and Turner/Bartels K-8 School with technology items the past few years, and the pool maker also supports student athletics by sponsoring several local Little League teams.

The Statens send their children to the Turner/Bartels K-8 School and Turner Elementary, and in 2018, James led the effort to remove a hazardous wooden structure outside of Turner. Olympus installed a new paver deck area and gazebo, creating a nice area where students can eat lunch outside.
The Statens also sponsored the school’s annual Winterfest fundraiser, participate in the Great American Teach-In each year and have supported the Hillsborough County Anti-Bullying initiative.

And, to celebrate Water Safety Month last May, Olympus donated more than $2,000 of that month’s profits to the New Tampa YMCA’s scholarship fund, providing swimming lessons to local kids who otherwise could not afford them.

The Statens’ 9-year-old son Jacob introduced them to Feeding Tampa Bay, a child-hunger nonprofit, when he asked for donations instead of gifts to mark his fifth birthday. He has done so every birthday since, and the organization has become a family favorite that now includes the entire Olympus staff.

“It’s very cool to see over 20 people filling their carts, loading and unloading pallets of food,” James says. “It’s fun for all of us, and it’s nice to have a hands-on activity rather than just writing a check.”

Alexis says that her employees work especially hard that time of year, because they know if they don’t sell enough pools, the funds to help won’t be there.

“We joke with them that if they don’t sell, children won’t eat,” said James with a smile. “But, they always come through.”

In 2018, Olympus raised enough for 2,200 meals and toiletries. The company has pledged to help even more as they continue to grow, creating one totally unique backyard oasis at a time for their customers in New Tampa and beyond.

For more info about Olympus Pools, visit “Olympus Pools” on Facebook or OlympusPoolsFL.com or call (813) 983-7854. Olympus works with clients in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Hernando counties. The company’s current design center is located at 4422 N. Lauber Way in Tampa, but the new Olympus showroom will open in Lutz sometime this summer.

community outreach Olympus Pools pool

Meadow Pointe Mom Scores Big At Earth Fare’s Opening!

(L.-r.) Kate, Addison, Jackson, Jessica, Brooke and Clay Herbert got to take home a $1,000 Earth Fare gift card at the Wesley Chapel/Lutz store’s Grand Opening event on Feb. 19. (Photo: John C. Cotey)

Waiting in a long line in the wee hours of the morning with her five children wasn’t on Jessica Herbert’s to-do list on Feb. 19.

Checking out the grand opening of the new Earth Fare grocery store, however, was.

Instead of lining up in the dark, which more than 100 eager shoppers did, she and her children rolled out of bed at their usual time — around 6 a.m. — and left their Meadow Pointe home at 6:45 a.m.

They missed the band, the cheerleaders and the ribbon cutting. They weren’t the first, 10th or 100th people through the doors.

However, for Jessica and her kids, their timing turned out to be impeccable. Of all of the gift cards handed out to the new store’s first 500 visitors by Earth Fare, Jessica got the most valuable one: $1,000.

Jessica’s mouth dropped wide open, then formed into a wide smile as she looked back incredulously at friends who were in what was, by then, a quickly moving line.

“Yes, really,” she said, holding out the card for them to see. “Wow!”

Her smile was contagious and was shared by her excited kids: Addison, 12, Kate, 10, Clay, 8, Jackson, 5 and 3-year-old Brooke.

“My kids were mad that I dragged them out so early,” Jessica said. “They thought we were only going to get a $5 gift card.”

Grabbing a $5 gift card actually was Jessica’s goal. She confesses to briefly thinking about the possibility of landing the big prize, but of course, she didn’t think it would happen.

“My goal was to get at least $5 to buy my kids some muffins for breakfast,” she said.

Feeding five kids an organic diet can be pricey, so the gift card will come in handy for Jessica.

“With five kids, that’s definitely a lot of food that we need, so we could definitely use this,” she says. “It’s nice to know that now, we can buy healthier ingredients for our family.”

Asked whether the kids would be getting a special treat for bringing a little luck to mom, Jessica chuckled and said, “I think we’re going to get something,” as Addison and Kate grabbed onto her to drag her into the store.

She’s Number One!

Velaina Clayart wasn’t quite as lucky — her gift card was for only $25 — but as the first shopper in line, she received lots of attention and a goody bag from the store, which she promptly shared with those in line behind her.

A Dade City resident, Clayart says that she arrived at around 1 a.m., set up her white plastic chair and quilt and killed time by gazing at the full moon and walking around looking at all of the adjacent new construction.

“It was a little lonely at first,” she said. “But, as people showed up, I would seek out conversation. I made some friends today.”

Why 1 a.m., which turned out to be a few hours before the next people in line? Clayart says that’s what her research told her.

“I watched every single grand opening that Earth Fare had posted on the internet, and one of them over on east coast said two women had gotten there at midnight and they were all by themselves up until about 3 a.m.,” Clayart said. “I couldn’t sleep because I was so excited. I got in my car at midnight and made my way here nice and slow.”

Clayart also said that she is fascinated by all of the growth in Wesley Chapel, and wanted to be part of a grand opening. She also says she lives an organic lifestyle, and is pleased to see a store offering such a large variety of healthy products within a short drive from her home.

And, she enthusiastically clapped and sang along with the cheerleaders from Cypress Creek High School, excitedly talked to passers by, cheered when Earth Fare CEO Frank Scorpiniti presented the New Tampa Family YMCA with an oversized check for $3,000 and shouted out the ribbon-cutting countdown with Pasco County District 2 Commissioner (and Wesley Chapel resident) Mike Moore.

“3…2…1…”

Earth Fare grocery store prize

Who Should You Call To Untangle The New Tax Laws? Murtha & Murtha, CPAs!

*Patrick Murtha (left) and his father Tom Murtha offer a plethora of accounting services for individuals and businesses from their office in the Seven Oaks Professional Park. (Photo: Gavin Olsen)*

Tax season is upon us (“Tax Day” is Monday, April 15), and with the new tax laws that have created more questions than ever before, it might be time to call in some experienced experts.

The father-and-son team of Tom Murtha, CPA, and Patrick Murtha of Murtha & Murtha, LLC, is ready to answer that call.

Partners and owners of their own firm in the Seven Oaks Professional Park off S.R. 56 (across from Sam’s Club), the Murthas have more than 50 years of combined experience in tax law, and they recently added three more employees, following a merger with another office in Zephyrhills, which is now called Henson & Murtha, CPAs.

“It was a good opportunity to grow the business and take our brand and implement that in Zephyrhills,” Patrick says.

With the addition of longtime CPA John Henson and three other employees in the Zephyrhills office, anyone signing up with the Murthas now has access to more than 100 years of combined experience in everything from accounting to tax preparations to mergers and acquisitions.

“Where we definitely shine with is handling complex issues you don’t see every day,” Patrick says. “Between all of us, we’ve seen everything.”

The Curious Case Of The Shrinking Tax Return

The current tax season promises to be an interesting one for Murtha & Murtha and other accounting firms, as clients are feeling the effects, good and bad, of last year’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Things like the doubling of the child tax credit, higher standard deductions and new limits on itemized tax breaks could create some thorny issues for those doing their taxes on their own and those using computer software.
So far, Patrick says that some people are finding out that their usual tax refund has been replaced by a new tax bill.

While there are still a lot of tax breaks in the new bill, “W-2 employees are finding their withholdings weren’t enough,” Patrick says, “so, when they’re used to getting a tax refund, we have clients who are getting a much smaller tax refund, and some that actually owe.”

How did that happen? Well, when the new tax law went into effect, Patrick says the IRS overestimated the tax savings that your average taxpayer was going to have. In other words, the IRS was less aggressive on the withholding than it should have been.

“So, what happened is people got bigger paychecks during the year, but that was in the form of withholding less tax for their tax bill for the end of the year,” Patrick says.

The Murthas say they are not completely surprised by this development. They say they started noticing while doing tax returns in 2018, just after the bill passed, that many of their clients said they were receiving bigger paychecks. As anyone on social media can attest, there were many posts from people praising the new tax law because it meant an extra $100 every week or two on their paychecks.

One of Patrick’s clients, a married couple, say they have never owed taxes before and usually get a refund of around $3,000. This year, they owe $2,500.

On the other hand, says Tom, Murtha & Murtha has another client, a business owner making more than half a million dollars annually, who they saved $30,000-40,000 in taxes.

“He made out like a fat rabbit,” Tom says, “and he was able to put the savings into retirement planning.”

While everyone is paying a little less tax, Patrick says the sweet spot this year seems to be those making between $150,000 and $400,000, due to the child credit being doubled and available to those who make up to $400,000, a generous qualified business income (QBI) deduction of 20 percent for business owners and “softer” tax brackets.

If using a firm like Murtha & Murtha sounds daunting and exorbitantly-priced, the Murthas promise that it’s not.

“Pricewise, were competitive with companies like H&R Block, we really are,” Patrick says. “I have clients who come in and I quote them a price and they say, ‘Wow, I paid $100 more at H&R Block and they messed up my return.’ We are able to provide a high level of service without pricing people out.”

That service, provided by Patrick, Tom and the firm’s senior accountant Kyle Flischel, CPA, is what they call the “Murtha & Murtha Difference.” They don’t have someone meet with you, pass off your return to someone different in a back office, and then deliver your results to you without explaining everything and rushing you out the door.

At Murtha & Murtha, the person you talk to is the person who does your tax return. Whether you’re a filer from a lower income tax bracket, a business bringing in $100,000 a year or someone with an $80-million stock portfolio, you get personalized treatment.

“We want our clients to view us as advisers,” says Patrick, “not just the guys who do their tax returns.”

Murtha & Murtha will go over your return, explain how the final result was achieved and offer advice on how to proceed in the future. If you’re unhappy with your refund or lack thereof, they can offer suggestions to avoid a repeat.

“We want to make them aware of what the new landscape is and how to deal with it,” Patrick says. “Retail companies train employees how to use the software, they don’t train them on tax law. We’re not just a tax return mill, we want long-term relationships with our clients.”

More Than Just Tax Returns

Murtha & Murtha can and does handle much more than just tax returns.
Tom, who earned his B.S. degree in Management from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY, in 1976, and his M.B.A. (Master of Business Administration) degree in Accounting from St. John’s University in Queens, NY, in 1981, has been doing mergers, acquisitions and business valuations since the 1990s.

Along with various accounting services, business valuations are another perk of being a Murtha & Murtha client. A good and accurate estimate of the worth of someone’s business is as important to a business owner as the appraisal of one’s home. Tom specializes in this field, “and not just the back of an envelope type of thing.”

In the long run, he adds, everyone wants (or has) to sell his or her business one day.

Murtha & Murtha also offers a “CFO Retainer Package,”which is designed to help businesses and those who are self-employed whose company may need a Chief Financial Officer but don’t have the budget to hire a full-time manager or accountant for that job.

For a fraction of the cost of a full-time CFO, the Murthas operate in an advisory position and can handle everything from accounting and book bookkeeping, setting up payroll and ensuring that all the income and expenses are classified correctly.

They also will put together a budget, which Patrick says hardly any other companies do but is needed, as it provides a “compass” to let you know if your business is headed in the right direction.

And of course, they will take care of all the tax preparation and planning.

If you follow Murtha & Murtha on Facebook, you also can find advice in the form of short videos that will help answer a number of common tax questions, from simple ones to those that are more complex.

“We offer the complete package,” Tom says. “When you are with us, you really do get a lot.”

Murtha & Murtha, LLC, is located at 2236 Ashley Oaks Cir., Suite 101, in Wesley Chapel. For more info, visit TampaTaxFirm.com or to schedule a free consultation, call (813) 991-1120. Henson & Murtha, CPAs is located at 5315 8th Ave. in Zephyrhills. For more information, call (813) 782-0580.

budget CPA tax season taxes