CAPLINGER TAX is focused on delivering value to clients through sales & use and tax and business license services. Michael brings his clients the keen insight and depth of knowledge that only many thousands of hours of problem solving can provide. Michael has been practicing exclusively in state & local taxes for nearly 25 years. He has helped many dozens of clients capitalize on state & local tax opportunities and resolve their state & local tax issues.

Michael traded-in his Partnership in the national accounting firm BDO Seidman, LLP to form CAPLINGER TAX after 5 1/2 years in BDO's Century City based State & Local Tax (SALT) practice. He joined BDO to help build its budding SALT practice after 6 years in "Big 5" public accounting and was BDO's SALT practice leader for the western region. His "Big 5" experience culminated in a primary role as Southwestern Regional Sales & Transactions Tax Practice Leader, as well as several national leadership positions.

Michael's career began "on the other side of the fence" as an auditor with the California State Board of Equalization. The 7 years he spent there planning, conducting, supervising, and reviewing sales and use tax audit examinations now benefit his current consulting practice clients. Michael understands the operations of state & local taxing agencies and uses this familiarity to appropriately promote his clients' interests and to protect their rights. He is well-versed in assessment appeal procedures, refund claim protocol, ruling requests & "no-name" negotiations, and business' many other state & local taxing agency interactions.

Michael is a California licensed CPA and a member of both the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California CPA Society. He is also a Certified Member of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation, the premier membership organization for state & local tax professionals. Michael often served as an educator for his firms' CPE programs during his public accounting tenure. He continues to provide SALT education through seminar instruction, technical article authorship, committee membership, and other activities associated with the above membership groups and other organizations.