Anchored in Excellence: 2025 Carolina Connection Makes Waves in Wilmington, NC
Posted on May. 27, 2025
Anchored in Excellence: 2025 Carolina Connection Makes Waves in Wilmington, NC
From the cobblestone streets of downtown Wilmington to the breezy decks of the Henrietta riverboat, the NCSEA 2025 Spring CE Event proved once again why the Carolina Connection is the gold standard for continuing education for Enrolled Agents in the Carolinas.
Held May 22–23 at the Hotel Ballast, this 20th Annual Carolina Connection event perfectly balanced advanced tax education, Society governance, peer networking, and coastal relaxation.
Day One: Exams, Appeals & Representation – Alpha to Omega
Presented by Allan “A.J.” Reynolds, EA
Program ID: VNKSH-T-00283-25-I | 8 Hours IRS Federal Tax Law Topics/Federal Tax-Related Matters
A.J. Reynolds started the conference with a dynamic full-day session covering IRS representation from start to finish. From filing returns to avoid triggering audits,
to handling audit letters, appeals, reconsideration, and even mediation, attendees were immersed in strategies that every representation-focused EA needs in their toolbox.
Key Learning Highlights:
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Understanding audit types (with an emphasis on correspondence audits)
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Effective pre-audit preparation
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Taxpayer rights and due diligence requirements
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Using audit reconsideration and mediation effectively
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Power of Attorney essentials and navigating IRS statutes
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Exploring IRS collections and client resolution options
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Real-world examples, including day care industry audits, brought context to theory
A.J.’s session emphasized technical competence and client advocacy, delivering what many attendees called “one of the most practical CE experiences of the year.”
Day Two: Federal Tax Issues You Need to Know
Presented by Alice Orzechowski, CPA, CMA, EA
Program ID: VNKSH-T-00282-25-I | 8 Hours IRS Federal Tax Law Topics/Federal Tax-Related Matters
On Friday, Alice Orzechowski took the stage with a masterclass in diverse and advanced federal tax topics, providing attendees with detailed instruction and hands-on examples. The day was split into four focused segments:
Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) – SECURE 2.0 Updates
Alice explained the new complexities of RMDs under SECURE 2.0, especially those related to inherited IRAs and plan distributions. Penalty scenarios and planning opportunities were key highlights.
Form 4797 – Hands-On Application
Attendees learned to navigate Sections 1231, 1245, and 1250 with confidence, prepare correct entries in tax software, and report a wide variety of business asset dispositions.
The Life Cycle of a Revocable Living Trust
From setup to dissolution, Alice explained income and estate tax treatment, EIN requirements, and how (and when) to make a Section 645 election.
Pen to Paper – Preparing Form 1041
This session covered the basics of preparing fiduciary tax returns, including Form 1041 differences from Form 1040, reporting income and deductions, and completing filing elections.
Welcoming Our 2025–2026 Leadership Team
2025–2026 Officers and Directors
The annual meeting included the installation of the new NCSEA board:
Officers:
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President: Emily White, EA
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Vice President: Laura Bennett, EA
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Secretary: Marche George, EA
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Treasurer: George Caesar, EA
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Immediate Past President: James Cox, EA
Returning Directors: Richard Reedman, EA, USTCP | Carlton Cavender, EA | Frank Broadway, EA | Sara Maddox, EA
New Directors: Beverly Henderson, EA | Hugh K. Jones, EA | Joshua Scott, EA
Dinner, Comedy, and Cape Fear Views
Thursday evening’s riverboat cruise aboard the Henrietta provided a chance to unwind.
Attendees enjoyed a catered dinner, laughs from comedian Jerry Adler, and one of the best views in Wilmington—the perfect setting to toast another successful day of learning.
Vendor Spotlight: Elevating Our Practice—Thanks to Our Partners
We extend our heartfelt thanks to this year’s vendors for their continued support of NCSEA and their commitment to serving the needs of tax professionals.
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ATOM Software – A trusted solution for practice management, ATOM Software continues to help Enrolled Agents streamline client engagement, workflow tracking, and document storage. Their platform is tailor-made for tax professionals who want to work smarter—not harder.
🔗 www.atomanager.com -
Novatax – Meet the simple, affordable tax news and research solution. Novatax keeps you on top of tax law changes with daily updates to federal and state libraries, curated by the editorial team at Tax Analysts®. Best of all, their intuitive platform makes it easy to get up to speed in minutes—no steep learning curve, just reliable tax intelligence at your fingertips.
🔗 www.novataxintelligence.com
NCSEA is proud to partner with companies that share our mission to elevate and empower the tax profession. Thank you, ATOM and Novatax, for being part of the 2025 Carolina Connection and supporting our community of Enrolled Agents.
Wrapping Up
Whether you came for the technical content, the networking, or the laughter on the river, the 2025 Carolina Connection delivered. Here's to 20 years of excellence—and many more to come.
Stay tuned for fall education events and webinars. Visit https://ncseaonline.com/meetinginfo.php for details.
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