Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Certification
Community Service
Timeline
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Tara Allen

Tara Allen

Liberty,TN

Summary

Experienced Accountant with 18 years of proven success in maintaining accurate accounting information for large-scale financial organizations. Skilled in collaborating with financial teams to manage diverse financial functions, tax management, and reporting. Detail-oriented professional dedicated to ensuring precision and efficiency in all financial operations.

Overview

17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Accountant

Allen Solutions Inc.
01.2014 - Current
  • Categorized income and expenses in QuickBooks to deliver accurate financial reporting
  • Calculated payroll tax deductions for Federal, Medicare, Social Security, FUTA, and SUTA taxes to ensure compliance
  • Prepared quarterly form 941 along with Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet statements
  • Filed annual documents including W-2s, 1099s, 941s, 940s, and S Corporation taxes to accurately and timely

Benefits Retirement Specialist

Cummins Inc.
06.2014 - 09.2021
  • Facilitated the implementation of the payroll system, 401(k) portion, for over 43,000 employees, enhancing operational efficiency
  • Led an initiative to streamline the reconciliation of weekly 401(k) contributions using a rigorous three-way reconciliation process, improving financial reporting accuracy by 20%
  • Spearheaded the verification process for the 401(k) plan, ensuring accurate calculations and seamless processing of eligibility
  • Prepared quarterly compensation and contribution calculations, reconciling eligible pay, employee and employer 401(k) contributions, and contributions for over 43,000 employees
  • Collaborated with third-part vendors to resolve discrepancies in three-way reconciliation and ensure accurate compensation calculations
  • Verified compliance of all transactions and corrections with ERISA and SOX regulations
  • Implemented comprehensive documentation system for auditors, resulting in 20% faster query resolution and improved audit accuracy by 10%
  • Reviewed Power of Attorney documents to ensure legal alignment, leading to a 15% increase in expedited processing timelines
  • Collaborated with IT to enhance files, reducing reconciling time

Benefits Accounting Analyst

Cummins Inc.
05.2010 - 06.2014
  • Trained and supervised five summer interns, enhancing financial modeling and data analysis skills, resulting in 20% increase in project completion efficiency
  • Completed month-end close activities, ensuring accurate journal entries for fringe benefits and workers' compensation allocations
  • Reconciled monthly balance sheet accounts from $10K to $85 million, including payroll taxes, concur, stock options, and 401(k), resolved variances
  • Coordinated with Cambridge, Travelers, Sedgwick, and Corporate to reconcile third-party administrator accounts monthly
  • Prepared quarterly calculations and journal entries for RSP cash and share match charge-back allocations, completed Six Sigma project to improve process
  • Calculated US funding for RSP, CRP, ESPP, and ASP contributions; managed worldwide funding for workers' compensation claims
  • Uploaded weekly US and Canada concur journal entries, while correcting applicable accounts to maintain accurate records

Tax Accounting Specialist

Cummins Inc.
08.2009 - 05.2010
  • Established a reconciliation process for complex tax account reducing reconciliation time by 50%, and achieving SOx compliance for the first time
  • Examined tax amendments, payroll runs, and funding reports to resolve approximately 500 variances quarterly
  • Transformed payroll data into state unemployment insurance and COBRA journal entry allocations, coding hundreds of accounts accurately
  • Balanced refunds from taxing authorities exceeding liabilities totaling $995,706 within one quarter
  • Executed month-end close for Intercompany department, balancing 146 accounts under strict deadlines
  • Managed intercompany collections for invoices over ninety days past due, resolving disputes efficiently

Accounting Intern

Cummins Inc.
05.2008 - 08.2009
  • Analyzed and reconciled tax documents, closed 1,086 variances appropriately
  • Directed international and intercompany journal entries, overseeing UK pension cross-charge journal entries, enhancing financial accuracy
  • Collaborated with payroll team to resolve variances, reducing errors by 55%
  • Implemented reconciliation procedures that saved 20 hours monthly
  • Examined unclaimed property trends using predictive analytics, preventing $300,000 in potential losses

Education

Bachelor of Business Administration - Accounting, Business Administration

Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, TN
05.2009

Skills

  • GAAP compliance and standards
  • General ledger reconciliation and analysis
  • Microsoft Office Suite proficiency
  • Advanced Excel functions; formulas, VLOOKUP, pivot Table
  • Account reconciliation and analysis
  • Oracle ERP experience
  • Financial statement preparation
  • Journal entry management
  • Month-end and year-end closing
  • Internal and external auditing
  • QuickBooks expertise
  • Data analysis with Discoverer
  • Payroll tax reconciling and compliance
  • Budget forecasting techniques
  • Variance analysis strategies
  • ADP Crystal Reports proficiency
  • ADP PCPW and Report Smith skills
  • Proprietary accounting systems knowledge
  • Database utilization expertise
  • Attention to detail
  • Critical thinking and problem solving
  • Process improvement strategies
  • Effective communication skills
  • Vendor management expertise
  • Document workflow management

Certification

Six Sigma, Green Belt certification, 05/2015

Community Service

  • Habitat for Humanity – stocked/organized shelves
  • Homeless Shelter – Fixed food for the homeless
  • Youth Learning Center – Cleaned Youth Center in preparation of grand opening
  • Holiday Stockings for Lakeshore Heartland – Stuffed stockings for children

Timeline

Benefits Retirement Specialist

Cummins Inc.
06.2014 - 09.2021

Accountant

Allen Solutions Inc.
01.2014 - Current

Benefits Accounting Analyst

Cummins Inc.
05.2010 - 06.2014

Tax Accounting Specialist

Cummins Inc.
08.2009 - 05.2010

Accounting Intern

Cummins Inc.
05.2008 - 08.2009

Bachelor of Business Administration - Accounting, Business Administration

Middle Tennessee State University

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