Alanna Caplan: Take action and don’t be bound by stereotypes

By Regan Lipes

(AJNews) – Americans living and working in Canada are familiar with the yearly crunch to file taxes in both countries.  It can add even more stress to the already anxiety ridden task of income tax filing for one country.  That is where someone like Alanna Caplan can help. She has impressively earned accounting accreditation in Canada, United States, and United Kingdom, making her a unique number wizard ready to tackle the trickiest of taxation conundrums.  This single-mom has built a successful cross-border accounting firm, and models for her two daughters that determination and hard work will pay off.  She is a businesswoman respected within her profession as the founder and mastermind behind International Tax Services.

Caplan, born and raised in Calgary, is the product of a robust Jewish education and family life.  She is a proud graduate of the I. L. Peretz School and went on to send her daughters to the Calgary Jewish Academy.  A longtime congregant at Beth Tzedec Synagogue, Caplan also celebrated her bat mitzvah there and remains a staple of the Calgary Jewish community.  Education played a huge role in guiding the trajectory of her life, and after earning her undergraduate degree from the University of Calgary, she went on to achieve even greater scholarly success pursuing professional designations at the highest level of her discipline. “My Jewish values are inherent to my being. I like to help people, listen and live honestly.”

What sets Alanna Caplan apart from the other number-crunchers out there is her focus on the needs of the individuals who seek out her expertise. By taking each client’s unique circumstances into consideration, and being an active listener and problem solver, she can find innovative solutions that maximize her customers’ resources. Her aim is to determine the best options for each client.

Caplan is the founder of International Tax Services. She works to help a growing number of American expats in simultaneously filing US and Canadian income taxes.  According to Caplan: “US and Canadian tax legislation and cross-border tax compliance can be challenging due to the specialized, ever changing and complex nature.” This can leave many dual citizens and those with investments abroad feeling mystified and overwhelmed. “Navigating, coordinating, and ensuring compliance with the U.S. and Canadian tax systems is key to optimizing and protecting assets in order to avoid exposure to double taxation,” she explains.

According to their website those who would be especially interested in their services are people who are “departing or enter Canada or the US, investing in Canada or the US, on international assignment, American citizens abroad, Canadian residents and non-residents, US residents and non-residents, corporations with expatriate employees.”

Alanna Caplan believes in the value of community and maintains close ties with friends she made decades ago through BBYO and Jewish day school. Although her company serves the larger community, Jewish values and a deep sense of pride in where she comes from ensure that Caplan remains committed to supporting those who supported her on her rise to success.

“Raising and nurturing confident and loving daughters has been one of my main responsibilities, joys, and privileges to date,” Caplan elaborated. “I consistently emphasize to my daughters the importance of creating a world of their choosing, not being bound by stereotypes and taking action.”

Alanna takes pride in being prompt, effective, and thorough. Before founding her company, she enjoyed great success as a business analyst, but has found that she can make a helpful impact within surrounding communities through her accounting support. At the core of all she does are her Jewish values and admirable sense of duty to those who need her: both professionally and personally.

Regan Lipes is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.

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