I grew up on a nearby farm in Nyssa, Oregon, and loved the independence this way of living provided. I had worked in the accounting industry and strived to do more with my expertise. With my bachelor’s degree in accounting from a top school—BYU Provo—and marketable skills, I had the aspiration of creating my own accounting firm. My wife and I at the time were living in the basement of a home owned by an elderly lady off 32nd Street in Boise. We presented our interest in preparing taxes in the basement to her and her brother. They agreed, and thus began the start of this business.
The Start Of The Business
I filed for “Fast Tax Plus” as an assumed business name via the Idaho Secretary of State in early January 1999 and got my first cell phone programmed with a local number ending in F-A-S-T (3278). I still have this number to this day. I bought a card table and a few chairs, a laptop computer, a mobile printer, and some office supplies, and signed a preparation software agreement. I received more training and continued to study tax law. In those days, direct mail advertising was big, so we placed ads through Mailbox Merchants and Val-Pak in January, February, and March. My wife and I went door-to-door passing out flyers. I even knocked on apartment doors, asking if people were interested in having me prepare their return on the spot.
If they were interested, I showed them my secretary of state filing and my IRS approval to e-file returns. I unloaded my equipment from my briefcase and went to work. After the ads were placed, we waited for the phone to ring…and it did. By the time the April filing deadline had come and gone, I had prepared over 90 individual tax returns! I was amazed. The second year in business, I sublet office space from an existing accounting firm in Boise and the business continued to grow. The third year in business, we rented our own office in Boise, and my mom helped part-time as a receptionist. During the fourth and fifth years in business, we rented an office in Meridian, and I hired a seasonal receptionist.
Business continued to grow every year until 2008 and 2009 when the economy took a big hit.
I studied marketing ideas, bought a sales system, and hired a couple of part-time telemarketers to work in a spare room next to mine. The objective was for them to advertise to small business clients. We had scripts and rebutted concerns. They managed to set a high number of appointments, most of which were outside the office. I met with the owners, explained what we offered, and many signed fixed-rate agreements for us to do their bookkeeping, payroll, tax planning, and tax preparation work. At this time the business service component of our practice grew substantially and has ever since. We were pleased to be able to buy our own office in late 2020. Currently, as of 2024, we are pleased to say that business continues to grow, and we over 100 Google reviews with a cumulative 4.9-star rating. We focus our practice today on a holistic approach in conjunction with the legal, insurance, and overall financial situation of each unique client. We hope to see you soon.
-Jason W. Berrett, Founder
Berrett Tax & Finance
Meet Our Team
Jason Berrett
Jason is an Enrolled Agent, a special designation the IRS has for practitioners. This designation emphasizes tax law and individual, business, and estate tax preparation, with a special focus on retirement plans and ethics. As an Enrolled Agent, Jason can practice and represent taxpayers before the IRS and in all 50 states, which is uncommon for CPAs. In addition, he spends countless hours studying tax laws and implementing solutions customized to each of his client’s needs.
Jason loves the work he does and especially enjoys the relationships he develops with clients over the years as he sees their families, careers, and businesses grow. He loves to give his clients peace of mind and confidence that their accounting and finances are in good order.
Most important to Jason is his wife and two children. He is actively involved in his church and enjoys spending time with his family participating in youth sports, particularly soccer and ninja warrior. He also loves spending time in the great outdoors, painting, baking, and playing board and card games.
Renate Greenfield
Hailing from Oklahoma, Renate Greenfield has made Idaho her home for the past fifteen years. She received an associate’s degree in accounting and has been doing bookkeeping and payroll for almost three decades. She is an expert in QuickBooks desktop and online software and has substantial experience processing payroll in multiple states.
Renate enjoys helping her clients grow their businesses by either handling all their bookkeeping and payroll needs or through training them to use QuickBooks desktop or online programs. She always seems to be in a good mood and is a pleasant and delightful individual with whom to interact.
At home, she loves to spend time with her family and pets. Her hobbies include artwork, puzzles, and crocheting, along with playing card and board game
Jeremy Swenson
From his childhood, Jeremy Swenson has lived in the Boise area. He fondly recalls when anything west of Five Mile Road was “out in the sticks.” He graduated from Centennial High School and then attended Brigham Young University, where he received a Master’s degree in accountancy.
Jeremy does a little of everything at the firm. He assists with tax preparation, keeping books, and processing payroll. He loves his association with all of the professionals at Berrett Tax & Finance and enjoys interacting with the numerous clients the firm serves.
When not working, Jeremy enjoys spending time with his wife and four children, reading books, following his favorite sports teams (Go BSU and BYU!), and cooking.