Teri Klaehn opens accounting office in Preston

By Jade Sexton
jade@fillmorecountyjournal.com

Fri, Sep 21st, 2012
Posted in Preston Features

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Teri Klaehn feels at home in her new Preston office.

Teri Klaehn worked almost four years as a tax preparer and accountant with AgStar/Lookout Ridge Consulting. She can still be found in Preston, but now in her own office downtown as Teri Klaehn CPA, LLC.

In May, Klaehn was laid off from her position at AgStar as part of downsizing. She loved working in Preston, and she loved helping the farmers in the area, so she opened her own accounting business on July 9.

Klaehn didn’t make the choice to become an accountant until the age of 27, at which time she went back to college and received her Bachelors Degree in Accounting from Winona State.

“I took an accounting class in high school, and I thought it was awesome,” shared Klaehn.

Klaehn loves working with numbers, and she has been balancing her mom’s checkbook since the age of 12. She worked as an accountant at Mayo Clinic, for an architectural and engineering firm, and at her own office in Adams, where she lives with her husband Bryan.

The job at AgStar was a good fit for Klaehn. “I was raised on a farm, I’m married to a farmer,” she said. “I speak the language, if you will.”

Klaehn loved it in Preston, and loved helping farmers with their accounting needs. Since she was laid off from AgStar, she cannot contact her client list from there, but she has gotten calls from many of them that still want her services. She has received a good response from the advertising she has done so far.

Klaehn does a lot of tax preparation and planning with people, and she also offers payroll and accounting services for businesses. She has been told she must be crazy to enjoy doing taxes, but it makes her happy.

“I don’t want tax prep season to be stressful,” said Klaehn. “I like to help my clients get the best possible outcome.”

Klaehn’s logo, a square peg in a round hole, fits her personality well. The stereotypical image of a stuffy, boring accountant crunching numbers all day is not what you will find when you meet her, as she likes to help out on the farm, and she and her husband enjoy riding their Harley Davidson motorcycles.

The tax laws change every year, so Klaehn has to be on her toes and update her knowledge all the time. She has to take 120 credits every three years to maintain her Certified Public Accountant license. With the changes come the challenges of finding new and creative ways to make sure her clients get the best possible experience from what can be a stressful time for everyone.

The office is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9am-3pm, and other times by appointment. Klaehn can be reached at 507-765-3696 or 507-438-1837.

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