For seven decades, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Tax Institute has equipped tax professionals across the state with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate an ever-changing industry. From certified public accountants to attorneys, thousands rely on the institute run by the College of Business Center for Executive and Professional Development for continuing education, ensuring their work meets the latest federal and state requirements.

Among its many success stories is Sandy Stimson, a tax preparer in Ogallala, Nebraska, whose career and passion for tax preparation have been shaped by the Tax Institute.

“I think it has helped me every time I've taken a class,” Stimson said. “Each time I attend, I learn something that will help one of my clients. Once in a while, that client has been me.”

Stimson’s journey into tax preparation began as a 15-year-old high school student in Valentine, Nebraska, where her natural knack for numbers led her to assist classmates in a business class and even help the owner of the local drive-in with payroll while she worked there. She recalls a pivotal moment discovering tax forms and instruction booklets at the post office, sparking what would become a lifelong interest in tax law.

“Taxes became a hobby for me, and I would help anybody fill out their own taxes. I bought a calculator and some pens and pencils and did them on paper with carbon paper in between, so there was a copy to keep,” she said. “At one point, I thought I could help people do their taxes as a way to make extra money. I kept copies of the instruction books and tax forms and then found out about the UNL Tax Institute.”

Over the years, she turned that hobby into a profession, relying on the Tax Institute for education and guidance as she grew her business, Sandy’s Taxes & Bookkeeping, even as life took her to Laurel and Columbus, Nebraska, and back to Ogallala. The institute’s annual seminars — held in multiple locations around Nebraska and later online — kept her up to date with complex changes in tax regulations, from payroll taxes to small business credits.

“The first time I took the classes, I felt so intimidated — everyone seemed so much older and smarter,” Stimson said. “But the instructors explained forms and returns I had no idea even existed. They made them seem easy to do.”

With her husband working for the state at the time, she leaped into doing her business full-time. The gamble paid off for her clients.

“The office was my dining room table, and working hours were when my husband was at work and eventually when my kids were in school,” she said. “Most of my clients were people who couldn’t read or write very well and needed help filling out their forms. Then I started getting people who had small businesses and farms."

She shared how she worked multiple part-time roles over the years and, eventually, as a truck driver to support herself. Later, she returned to tax preparation and became a registered tax return preparer.

“I started buying software because I really liked the speed a computer gave me — though, once I timed myself and I could do a simple federal form 1040EZ in a minute and a half if nobody was watching. The computer takes longer, but it helps check your work. With this designation, I needed more continuing education, so I added the IRS tax workshop to go along with the UNL Tax Institute."

Now in its 70th year, the Tax Institute continues to serve professionals like Stimson. The two-day seminars are tailored to meet various continuing education requirements, making them accessible to CPAs, IRS enrolled agents, preparer tax-identification number holders and more. This year’s sessions feature nationally renowned presenters Guido van der Hoeven and J’Nan L. Ensz, who guide attendees through the latest tax legislation updates.

Stimson, who plans to retire in 2025 after more than six decades of preparing taxes, credits the Tax Institute with helping her sustain a career she loves while building strong connections within Nebraska’s tax community.

"It was really scary when I realized I have been filling out tax returns for 63 years since I was 15. These classes have provided me with others I can call if I need advice,” she said. “I always felt like they had my back. I still plan to continue to take the classes even if I do retire in 2025.”

Professionals can still register for the remainder of this year’s seminars: Omaha, Nebraska, Dec. 2-3; Norfolk, Nebraska, Dec. 9-10; and Lincoln, Dec. 12-13, as well as online and self-study options. For more information or to sign up, visit taxinstitute.unl.edu.

As Stimson reflects on her career, she takes pride in the path she has paved for others. Five years ago, she sold Sandy’s Taxes & Bookkeeping to one of her employees with the option for Stimson to work as long as she wanted. She also looks forward to advising her nephew, who plans to launch his own tax firm next year.

“If it wasn’t for the UNL Tax Institute, I wouldn’t have had the career I have had,” she said. “It’s been quite the ride, but one I wouldn’t change if I could. This is a good profession to get into and I’m glad that my nephew and his son are going to be following in my muddy footsteps.”