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The Beards Grown for the Tax Season Fail to Impress

Last week we told you about the Traphagen & Traphagen tradition of skipping on the facial hair hygiene for all of tax season. Sorry to say, but we were a little disappointed:


While we (and most likely all of you) had something more along the lines of ZZ Top envisioned, it’s more of a lumberjack look. We’ll give them credit for throwing appearance to the wind for 3+ months but we were hoping for some freakishly long beards and/or imaginative looks. Take note for next year people.

As Tax Season Ends, Accountants Shave off Beards [FINS]

One Firm’s Tax Season Tradition Ignores the “Beards Are Kept Trim” Mantra

All firms realize that tax season is a grind and put up with various silly/downright stupid traditions for the sake of employees’ morale. There’s no work/life balance to speak so concessions are made. In anticipation for the annual tradition that is tax professionals raging on April 15th, FINS has compiled a few interesting traditions that are carried on by various firms. The idea, however, that men are walking around the office sporting the Grizzly Adams defies comprehension.


For you purists of the white collar world, facial hair makes you ill. The sight of five o’clock shadow is downright repulsive and anyone that isn’t shaving at least daily (except for the flesh-colored beard types) will not be dealt with a swift manner.

Unless of course you work at Traphagen & Traphagen CPAs LLC where the tradition of tax season beards goes back 40 years. At that length, it may precede any NHL playoff tradition of funky facial hair, “”At the close of business, they’ll troop into a conference room and together shave the beards they’ve been growing since the end of January.”

As you might expect there are client requests to send the remains to the IRS but unfortunately the partners don’t honor these requests.

Thank God It’s Over — Let’s Party! [FINS]

We Are…ParenteBeard

Thumbnail image for quaker_1.jpgWe know you’ve been anticipating the new name of the merged firm of Parente Randolph and Beard Miller like it was the most recent offspring of Bragelina and we’re happy to report that the two Pennsylvania firms have finally made their decision.
The new firm, which was officially born on October 1st, will be known as ParenteBeard, LLC. Sadly, we were pulling for simply “Beard”, if for no other reason, in honor of Ken Lewis’s sporting of facial hair to work, but what the hell do we know about naming firms? Web CPA quotes their reasoning:

“We selected the name ParenteBeard after considering the collective strengths and attributes of both firms and the significance of this combination,” said [CEO, Bob] Ciaruffoli in a statement. “Our new name honors our histories, while positioning the union as one firm, ParenteBeard.”

Still not convinced about the choice but maybe we don’t know the whole story. Perhaps there’s a serious case of pogonophobia among the top brass. If you’ve got better suggestions for the new firm’s name or discuss your own fear of beards, chinstrap or otherwise, discuss in the comments.
Parente Randolph and Beard Miller Merge into ParenteBeard [Web CPA]