About
MANAGING PARTNER
JAMES E HELMUS
James E. Helmus is the Managing Partner of The Helmus Group, based in New York City. Mr. Helmus has nearly 30 years of experience as a nationally recognized state and local tax specialist. He is a leading consultant on all areas of state and local taxation including income, franchise, net worth, gross receipts, sales, use, property, payroll and realty transfer. He has assisted many companies on a variety of state and local tax matters, including representation in audit defense and controversy matters, voluntary disclosures to taxing authorities, formulating and implementing state and local tax minimization strategies, and compliance enhancement. Mr. Helmus also has significant experience in securing and negotiating valuable business incentives with state and local governments on behalf of companies in a variety of industries.
Mr. Helmus also works extensively with businesses in providing transaction advisory and due diligence services regarding property acquisitions and dispositions. He has consulted on many of the most significant real estate transactions in New York City’s history involving recognized, iconic, properties, including Rockefeller Center, the Met Life Building, Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village and the Chrysler Building.
Prior to starting The Helmus Group in 2011, Mr. Helmus spent 6 years with the New York office of FTI Consulting/Schonbraun McCann Group, where he directed its State and Local Tax Practice. Prior to that, Mr. Helmus spent 10 years with the New York office of Ernst & Young, where he served as the National Leader for Real Estate State and Local Tax Services. He also spent a combined 10 years in the New York office state and local tax practices of both Arthur Andersen and KPMG.
Mr. Helmus is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars around the country and has been quoted on several occasions in The Wall Street Journal and other related publications. Some is his topics have included “The Importance of State & Local Tax Due Diligence” “Reactivated New Jersey Real Estate Transfer Fee Rules”, “New York State Sales & Use Tax: A Hidden and Costly Pitfall” and “Complying with State Pass-Through Entity Withholding Rules”.
Mr. Helmus has a B.B.A. in Accounting from Adelphi University and is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.
He is also a member the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) and a member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT). Mr. Helmus is also a member of the NAREIT State and Local Tax Subcommittee. He is also the former co-chair of the NAIOP NYC Chapter Government Affairs Committee, and served on the NAIOP National Tax and Finance Committee and The Business Council of New York State Tax Committee.
DIRECTOR OF TAX COMPLIANCE AND REPORTING
ANN M HAMILTON
Ann Hamilton is the Director of Tax Compliance and Reporting with The Helmus Group. Ms. Hamilton has over 11 years of experience as a state and local indirect tax compliance specialist. Ms. Hamilton has worked with a broad range of clients in industries including automotive, leasing, manufacturing, retail, and other business services. She specializes in multi state tax compliance and reporting obligations, including gross receipts, business and occupancy, sales, use, property, commercial rent and realty transfer.
Prior to joining The Helmus Group, Ms. Hamilton was a Manager at FTI Schonbraun McCann Group in the firm’s Business Tax Advisory Group within the State and Local Tax Practice. Prior to that Ms. Hamilton was a Manager with the Atlanta office of ThomsonReuters/Tax Partners in the financial services group of State and Local Tax Compliance. She also spent a number of years in the Florida office state and local tax practices of both Palm Beach Lincoln Mercury and AutoTech Leasing Inc. as an Asst. Comptroller.
Ms. Hamilton has a B.S./M.S. in Accounting from Long Island University- Brooklyn Campus. She is a member of the International Honor Society for Business- Sigma Beta Delta, and a Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the National Association of Black Accountants.
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To find out more about us, our relevant experience, and our ability to help you and your business, please reach out to us. We will always take the time to understand your issues and concerns to provide a suggested course of action and identify where we can help. The Helmus Group – The leading advisors to the leaders in business.