Editor’s note: Answering  The Purcell Register’s five questions this week is Purcell CPA Katie Midkiff.

Q. What got you interested in accounting?

A. Growing up, I always had an interest in numbers and been good with managing money. I would exhaust my parents with questions on the price of things. I wanted to know how much they made, what our electric bill was, etc. For many, talking about money is taboo, but for me it was always just curiosity and wanting to try to figure out ways to make a dollar go further. It was suggested to me at a young age to go into the accounting field, so I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and my Master’s Degree in Business.

Q. What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

A. Taxes are not exactly something most people look forward to each year and it can be stressful for some. So getting to take some of that load off of our clients and ease their mind in knowing they are taken care of is a good feeling.

Q. What’s the most challenging part of your job?

A. The ever-changing tax code and the complexity is hard to keep up with at times. Not everything is black and white and it’s our job to tackle the grey areas that best benefit our clients.

Q. How has tax preparation changed since you got out of school?

A. It’s more a question of how has it changed since yesterday. Between working in the oil and gas accounting field and taking a few years to stay home with my youngest daughter, I was out of the tax world for a bit. During that time I would say the tax cuts and jobs act changed so many things I learned while in school and my first job, that I had to re-train my brain and my way of thinking.

Q. What are your hobbies and interests outside the office?

A. I spend a lot of time coaching my children’s little league basketball teams. All three of my kids are active so following them around is where most of our time is spent. We enjoy camping, hiking and exploring new places together. My husband and I own rental property as well and try to do most of the remodeling ourselves, so I am always learning new projects in that area. I do less of it lately due to our busy schedule, but I also enjoy doing photography. Creating lasting memories for people and seeing them hang their photos in their home brings me joy.