Integrity & Ethical Standards

While Cooke & Company will strive to get our clients the best possible outcome on their taxes, we will only do so within the bounds of the law.  Put simply, we will not cheat for you.  Those tempted to "fudge" a little bit on their taxes must remember that they are legally responsible for contents of the return even if they used a paid tax preparer. 

Licensed tax practitioners such an Enrolled Agent, CPA, or attorney work for you, the taxpayer, not the IRS.  However, they are required to sign the return stating that it is true, correct and complete to the best of their knowledge and belief based on all information of which they have any knowledge.  Therefore, paid income tax preparers cannot ignore statements made by clients or other indications of unreported income, false expenses, or attempts to deduct personal expenses as business expenses.

We save our clients money the old-fashioned way, by knowing the law and how to apply it to your situation.

"I would like to electrocute everyone who uses the word "fair" in connection with income tax policies."
—William F. Buckley, American author and journalist (1925–2008)

Joseph Cooke, EA

Admitted to Practice before the IRS

Joe graduated from Bentley College in 1977 with a B.S. in Accounting and a B.S. in Economics-Finance.  He earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Babson College in 1981. 

He has held steady progression of positions ranging from Accountant to Vice President & General Manager at several banks and financial services companies. 

He began his current career in taxation in 2000 working with the late John Beck of Beck McCarthy & Associates in The Woodlands, TX preparing and amending tax returns for car salesmen.  He went out on his own in late 2003, opening Cooke & Company in nearby Oak Ridge North, where the company is still located.

He passed the 2003 Special Enrollment Examination (SEE) on his first attempt, and after a thorough background check by the U.S. Government became an Enrolled Agent in early 2004.  Having met the continuing professional education and other IRS requirements, his license has been renewed through March 2010.

His practice has expanded and the clientele has become more diversified as the base of satisfied automobile dealership employees (car salesmen, automotive mechanics, Finance Managers, etc.) referred their family and friends, who in turn referred their family and friends. The growth of the tax practice has been almost exclusively due to client referrals and word-of-mouth. (Until the launch of www.houston1040.com in May 2007, the only advertising was a simple listing in the Interfaith Telephone Directory of The Woodlands.)