In this episode, we talk to US tax accountant Derren Joseph about his work with high-net-worth individuals in the real estate investment industry. He also shares his thoughts on how the recent changes to US tax law will affect foreign investors, and what steps they should take to plan for the future.
Derren specializes in international tax issues for high-net-worth individuals and their families. He has more than 20 years of experience with corporate, trust and individual taxation and is a CPA. He works closely with clients on a range of issues, including international mergers and acquisitions, offshore trust structures, international real estate transactions, expatriate employment, estate planning, and more. He is a frequent speaker on international tax topics and has written several articles for professional journals.
Before joining the department, he worked as a federal law enforcement agent in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General, where he led investigations that uncovered millions in fraud and abuse in programs and operations. He later served in management roles in state government, overseeing the Office of Processing Services and the Contact Center Division.
John leads a team of more than 170 employees—teams of peace officers, auditors, investigators, and paraprofessionals—whose mission is to detect noncompliance and evasion of New York State taxes. He uses a regulatory and investigative approach that deters noncompliance and increases voluntary compliance and confidence in the fairness of the State’s tax system.
During his career, Chris has held numerous positions in the administrative, legislative, and executive branches of state government. Most recently, he managed the State’s $57 billion debt portfolio at the New York State Division of Budget. He was part of the team that helped the state contend with the 2008 financial crisis by restructuring billions in variable rate instruments and interest rate swaps. He has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Albany.
In her role as Chief Financial Officer, Valerie DeBerry is responsible for our finances, including managing our budgets, treasury and cash management, and debt and investments. She also works with our operating units to develop strategies that support the department’s strategic goals, including improving the taxpayer experience by focusing on simplicity and clarity in communications. She has extensive experience in manufacturing operations, insurance and financial services, and information technology consulting from her time at companies like Proctor & Gamble, Computer Task Group, Kaleida Health, and Graphic Controls. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University at Buffalo. She is also a certified project management professional.