Chuck McCabe: Blue Collar to White Collar Through Tax Preparation

Tax business expert, Chuck McCabe
Tax business expert, Chuck McCabe

For many people, entering into the tax business is not something they decide to do straight out of college – it’s something they discover at a certain point in their life. This fact holds true for even our founder and CEO, Chuck McCabe.

Chuck was the second out of nine children in a dysfunctional family, and dropped out of High School in the10th grade. After his mother was committed to a mental institution and his father was killed in an auto accident, Chuck became responsible for his siblings. At the age of 18, he got a job as a freight brakeman for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Due to an accident at work, Chuck had to go on disability but still had to worry about providing for his younger siblings.

Chuck saw an ad for a tax preparation course through H&R Block, borrowed $60 from his fiancé Marilyn, and enrolled. He ended up working full-time with H&R Block and by the age of 26, advanced to regional director.

Chuck didn’t stop there; he went back to school to receive a formal education so that he could gain employment elsewhere. He earned his undergraduate at Adelphi University and then went on to earn an Executive MBA and his ABD in Management from Pace University.

He then went on to assist in opening a franchise of a national tax firm in Richmond, VA and was instrumental in opening a branch in Brazil as well. When things didn’t work out due to a reneging of the deal, he was left with a family and no job in Richmond. So he opened Peoples Income Tax – expanding to 26 offices in the Greater Richmond Area.

After rapid growth in his new company, Chuck realized it was necessary to start an income tax school in-order to recruit and train tax preparers for his offices throughout Richmond. He quickly realized that they had developed the only tax school in the country that was comparable to H&R Block’s tax school. This is how The Income Tax School evolved into what it is today.

Here are some life lessons that Chuck has learned throughout the years:

  • You can’t change what you have done in the past, but you can change who you choose to be in the future.
  • Believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to succeed.
  • Lifelong learning is essential for one to continue to grow personally and professionally.
  • Formal education is necessary to gain the academic theories that you can apply to real life situations.
  • Perseverance is the most important factor in succeeding as an entrepreneur.
  • In-order to survive, a business must constantly adapt and change to ensure growth in a competitive environment.

Amazing things can happen when you step outside of your comfort zone, challenge yourself, and try something new. The Income Tax School is an avenue for many people looking for a new career, or looking to make some extra money on the side. Check out our career packages or give us a call if you want to learn more.