Patti Burquest retired from RSM in April of 2023 after 12 years with the firm. She was a principal in the tax controversy group and led RSM’s Washington National Tax team from 2017- 2022.
Area of Focus
Patti Burquest retired from RSM in April of 2023 after 12 years with the firm. She was a principal in the tax controversy group and led RSM’s Washington National Tax team from 2017- 2022.
Patti has more than 35 years of experience handling Internal Revenue Service examination and appeal matters. As an attorney with a Master of Laws in taxation, her experience includes seven years with the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, where she coordinated litigation matters and served as an advisor to the special counsel (large case).
Patti is passionate about helping clients solve complex tax issues. Her procedural knowledge and deep understanding of the inner workings of the IRS provide her with the right set of skills to problem-solve for clients. Her technical skills, advanced education and extensive experience complement her natural abilities to listen well and develop solutions to meet client needs.
Patti's core area of focus is handling IRS issues, including refunds, carrybacks, collections, abatements and penalty resolution.
Patti’s career has spanned several public accounting firms, including 13 years at a Big Four firm from which she retired as partner in 2011. She joined RSM to help grow the IRS controversy practice. She is a frequent speaker at national programs, including the Tax Executives Institute.
As a female leader in the firm’s tax practice, Patti is a champion of women in leadership positions throughout the firm. She achieves this through her actions as team lead, as well as through her membership in the firm’s STAR employee network group (ENG), formed to identify, develop and ensure the success of high-performing women at RSM. She has also gained valuable insights as part of the firm’s AACE ENG to support Black professionals. She has participated in the group’s book club on racial understanding and has engaged in courageous conversations to deepen interracial dialogue.
Patti is the mother of three daughters, including a set of twins. She is married to her high school sweetheart whom she met in their hometown of Sarasota, Florida. He is also an attorney involved in tax controversy work, and they enjoy traveling back to Sarasota to spend time outdoors paddleboarding and riding bikes.
