Wind Down Wednesday | EA Leadership Academy
Bi-Weekly Live Sessions  ·  Wednesdays  ·  60 Minutes

Wind Down Wednesday: Stay Ahead of What's Happening in the Tax Industry

Every other Wednesday, the Tax Aunties go live for one focused hour to break down the hot topics shaping the tax industry right now. New IRS guidance, shifting legislation, and the real issues showing up in your practice. Current, credible insight from four practicing Enrolled Agents. No fluff, no textbook theory.

This is not a hustle. This is a career.

4+
Practicing Enrolled Agents
80+
Years combined experience
Free
To attend, every session
Next Session
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
6:00 PM ET  │  60 minutes
Next session topic
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Free to Attend
No credit card required
Bi-Weekly on Wednesdays
One Focused Hour
Led by Practicing Enrolled Agents
Free to Attend
What It Is

A standing conversation about what matters now

The Format

One hour. One topic. Four practicing Enrolled Agents breaking down what changed, why it matters, and how it affects your practice. No open Q&A, no sales pitch — just focused, real talk.

The Cadence

Every other Wednesday at 6:00 PM ET. Bi-weekly sessions give you time to absorb and apply what you learn, while keeping you current with a profession that never stops moving.

Wind Down Wednesday is our bi-weekly live conversation about what is actually happening in the tax industry. Every other Wednesday, the Tax Aunties spends one hour on a single timely topic, the kind of development you need to understand before your clients start asking. We unpack what changed, why it matters, and how it affects the way you practice.

It is not an open Q&A and it is not a sales pitch. It is a focused, real talk discussion built to keep you informed, sharp, and confident in a profession that never stops moving. Come wind down with peers who take this work seriously, and leave knowing exactly what to watch.

Why Attend

Stay current without the overwhelm

📈

Stay Ahead of Trending Topics

Tax law and IRS priorities shift fast. We surface what is moving now, so you are informed before your clients are.

🎓

Learn From Practicing Enrolled Agents

Sessions are led by four active EAs with more than 80 years of combined experience, not academics reading from a manual.

⏱️

One Focused Hour

Every session is a tight, 60-minute discussion built around a single high-value topic. Show up, get current, get back to work.

📰

Industry Perspective, Not Just Rules

We connect the headlines to your day to day: what a change means for your clients, your pricing, and your practice.

🤝

Join a Serious Community

Connect with Enrolled Agents and tax professionals who treat this work as a career, not a side hustle.

🚀

A Clear Path to Go Deeper

Each session points you toward your next step: our membership and our 5-Day Bootcamp for pros ready to level up.

How It Works

Three simple steps

1

Register

Save your seat and get the Zoom link plus the full bi-weekly schedule.

2

Show Up Live

Join us live every other Wednesday for one focused hour on a trending topic.

3

Stay Current and Go Deeper

Walk away understanding what changed, what it means, and where to go next.

Topics

A fresh topic every session

Wind Down Wednesday follows the industry. Each session zeroes in on one trending subject.

Session After
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
6:00 PM ET  │  60 minutes

Four Promoters, One $40M Shelter: Lessons From the Layered Trust Conviction

The Talk

A plain-language breakdown of the June 2026 Colorado conviction of four abusive trust shelter promoters, the red flags behind an "own nothing, control everything" pitch, and the due diligence and Circular 230 duties that protect you and your clients.

Why Now

A fresh federal conviction is a timely, on-brand way to talk ethics and how to spot a too-good-to-be-true shelter before a client brings one to you.

And Then
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
6:00 PM ET  │  60 minutes

The 2026 Itemized Deduction Shake-Up

The Talk

The new 35% cap on the value of itemized deductions for top-bracket filers, plus the 0.5% of AGI floor on charitable giving. What it changes for year-end planning.

Why Now

These rules take effect this year, so planning conversations need to start now.

Looking Ahead
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
6:00 PM ET  │  60 minutes

Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TBOR)

The Talk

An overview of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TBOR) and the ten fundamental rights every taxpayer has when interacting with the IRS. Learn how these rights apply during audits, collections, appeals, and other tax matters.

Why Now

Understanding taxpayer rights helps practitioners respond confidently to IRS actions, avoid unnecessary disputes, and ensure fair treatment.

Rotating Theme Bank

OBBBA in PracticeTips, overtime, the higher standard deduction, and the brackets made permanent
2026 Itemized Deduction CapThe new charitable giving floor and what it means for planning
SALT Cap Jump to $40,000Who it actually helps and how to advise clients
Estate & Gift ExemptionRaised to $15 million per person — planning implications
Trump AccountsThe new tax-deferred savings vehicle for children
Ethics & Circular 230The IRS alert on using artificial intelligence in tax practice
Data Security & WISPThe requirement every preparer must meet
Trending Resolution & CasesRepresentation strategies and notable tax court cases
Fresh IRS GuidanceFederal Scholarship Tax Credit, clean energy credits, and more
Meet the Tax Aunties

Led by practitioners, not academics

The Tax Aunties are active tax professionals who bring current, real-world experience to every session. Four practicing Enrolled Agents, more than 80 years of combined experience.

Leri Lewis, EA, CTRS, NTPI Fellow
Founder · EA Leadership Academy
Leri Lewis, EA, CTRS, NTPI Fellow
Owner, Infinity Tax Solutions
Owner of Infinity Tax Solutions. More than 30 years in tax, specializing in tax resolution, IRS and state representation, and small business.
Tax ResolutionIRS RepresentationSmall Business
Katrina L. Martin, EA, CTA, MBA
Founder · EA Leadership Academy
Katrina L. Martin, EA, CTA, MBA
Founder, WOW Tax & Advisory Services · WealthFlow365
U.S. Air Force veteran. Expertise in entity structuring, S-corp strategy, partnership taxation, and real estate tax planning.
Entity StructuringS-Corp StrategyReal Estate Tax
Valaise Smith, EA
Founding Member · EA Leadership Academy
Valaise Smith, EA
CEO, Tried and True Financial Services, LLC
More than two decades of experience helping entrepreneurs gain clarity, confidence, and control. Author of Bookkeeping for Business Owners.
Financial StrategyBookkeepingCompliance
Camea Franklin-Daney, EA, MBA, CTC
Founding Member · EA Leadership Academy
Camea Franklin-Daney, EA, MBA, CTC
Financial Educator & Tax Strategist
Over 20 years of experience in tax compliance, resolution, and small business strategy, with a focus on the music, media, and creative industries.
Tax ComplianceCreative IndustriesSmall Business
Where Wind Down Wednesday Leads

Ready to go deeper?

Wind Down Wednesday is your front-row seat to the conversation. When you are ready for more, we have two ways forward.

EA Leadership Academy Membership

Ongoing education, IRS-approved continuing education, session recordings, and a community built for serious tax professionals. This is where the learning becomes a habit.

Explore Membership

The 5-Day Bootcamp

An intensive, hands-on experience for tax pros ready to sharpen their skills fast. Wind Down Wednesday gives you the preview. The Bootcamp gives you the deep dive.

Get Bootcamp Details
Register

Reserve your seat for Wind Down Wednesday

Join us live every other Wednesday for one focused hour on the topics shaping the tax industry. Save your seat and we will send the Zoom link and calendar invite.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Every two weeks on Wednesday, the Wind Down Wednesday cadence, starting July 1, 2026. You will receive the full schedule when you register.
One hour.
No. Each session is a focused, real talk discussion on a current, trending tax topic. You are welcome to suggest topics when you register, but the format is led conversation, not an open question line.
No. Wind Down Wednesday is a free industry discussion and does not offer continuing education credit. If you need IRS-approved CE, explore our membership, which includes full CE courses from an IRS-authorized provider.
Enrolled Agents, EA candidates, CPAs, accountants, bookkeepers, and tax firm owners who want to stay current with the industry.
No. Wind Down Wednesday is open and free. It is also a great first look at what our membership and 5-Day Bootcamp offer.
Yes, but only inside EA Leadership Academy membership. Live attendance is open to everyone, free. If you want to revisit a session or catch one you missed, session recordings are a member benefit.
Join the Conversation

Wind Down. Tune In.
Stay Ahead.

Join tax professionals across the country who rely on EA Leadership Academy to stay current, sharpen their craft, and build a real career in tax. This is not a hustle. This is a career.

🗓️ No credit card required
🔄 Bi-weekly on Wednesdays
⏱️ 60 minutes, 6:00 PM ET