South County Profile: Tammy Hand

TAMMY HAND

Tammy Hand moved to Anderson with her family during her junior year of high school from Vista to be closer to extended family. After graduating from high school, Hand attended Shasta College taking classes in accounting. She then went to work for H and R Block for four years. After her time spent with the company, she started out on her own opening "Hands On Tax Preparation."

Hand has owned the company for 10 years. During the tax season, she works approximately 100 hours and week. In the slow season, Hand spends 30 hours a week and is able to spend her spare time with her family going to the lake, playing scrabble and riding quads.

Hand enjoys doing taxes because every return is different.

Some clients bring her a box a of paperwork and receipts to go through and find the important papers, which can take up to a week or more to do their taxes. Others are highly organized and take as little as 15 minutes to complete. Most of Hand's clients return every year for her to take care of their taxes.

"You can find out so much about a person by going through their financial papers. It makes my job interesting, It also makes my job easier the more organized they are," said Hand.

Over the years she has begun to see some of her customer's children come in to have her do their taxes. Hand enjoys being able to work with them and trying to save them money.

"It has been nice being able to work on the taxes of my customers children that I have been able to watch grow up. I only get to see them once a year, so we catch up quick," stated Hand.

In the future, Hand would like to get organized enough that she will be able to open up a second shop, employing another tax preparer to work with her. Hand's personal taxes are normally extended until October when she has a chance to work on them. Besides doing taxes, Hand does bookkeeping for many local businesses in the area.

Hand is a 1979 graduate of Anderson High School.

Name: Tammy Hand

Born where and when: Gutherie Center, Iowa, 1961.

Occupation: Tax preparer and bookkeeper.

Marital Status: Married for 20 years to my husband, Tom.

Family: One daughter, Kristy, 19, and one son, Kevin, 17.

Pets: A Dachshund named Pinto Bean.

My worst job: Trimming strawberry plants.

My first job: Working the snack bar at Anderson Race Track.

In my spare time I: Play Scrabble.

My favorite book: I don't have much time to read.

My favorite movie: Erin Brockovich.

My favorite recording artist: Anything Country.

My dream car: One that runs on air and needs no maintenance.

My friends like me because: I have a good sense of humor.

If stranded on a deserted island, I would want: A Scrabble board and someone to play with.

The one thing in life I've learned is: Patience.

The best advice my parents gave me: Work hard and don't burn your bridges.

My most embarrassing moment: I don't embarrass easily.

My most irrational act: I am not an irrational person.

My most valued material possession: Pictures of my kids growing up.

What I like best about the North State: I have lots of family that lives close.

My hero is: Judge Judy.

My pet peeve is: People who bother me between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. when I am trying to watch Judge Judy.

My fantasy is: To live longer than my kids.

If I could change one thing about myself I would have: Taken better care of myself.

The one thing Shasta County needs most is: More opportunities for kids.

The most enjoyable thing about life is: Time spent with my kids.