Based in the Firm’s Washington, DC practice, Deborah is the National Director of the Firm’s Compensation & Benefits Solutions group. She provides executives and employers guidance on short and long term incentive compensation arrangements, both domestically and internationally; tax controversy issues related to employment taxes and compensation items; qualified retirement plans; health benefits including healthcare reform; and other fringe benefits such as expense reimbursement arrangements concentrating on federal tax consequences and achieving strategic business goals. 

Recognized as a trusted advisor with extensive experience beginning in 1976, Deborah also advises clients on compensation deductions in mergers and acquisitions; accounting methods for compensation items; financial statement reporting of compensation; and ESOPs. 

Prior to Cherry Bekaert, Deborah was a partner at two Big Four firms and Deputy to the Benefits Tax Counsel in the Office of Tax Policy at the U.S. Treasury Department, developing an extensive understanding of the creation of legislation and regulations. She is the author and co-author of many articles discussing compensation and benefits issues and has recently served as Chair of the AICPA Employee Benefits Conference, an annual conference for CPAs practicing in the employee benefits area.

Anne is a Director for Cherry Bekaert’s State & Local Tax practice for which she leads the Firm’s National State Credits & Incentives and Employment Tax practices. She specializes in assisting international and domestic companies with site selection, tax and financial location analysis, negotiating relocation and expansion incentive packages, and federal and state tax credits. In addition, Anne leads clients in all matters of federal, state, and local employment taxes, including issues related to withholding, unemployment, taxability, mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, payroll credits, controversy, and compliance. 

With Anne’s extensive background in employment taxes, she works with clients in the resolution of IRS, state, and local payroll and state business tax notices and in the development of processes and procedures to ensure proper payroll tax reporting. As a CPA and Certified Credits & Incentives Professional, Anne has more than 27 years of experience in federal and state employment tax compliance and consulting. She advises clients in all industry sectors. 

Prior to joining Cherry Bekaert, Anne spent her entire career in Big Four public accounting. She began her career in Charlotte, N.C., providing corporation and partnership tax compliance services. Anne later moved to Atlanta and led various large-scale federal income tax consulting projects.