2023 Up & Coming Attorneys: Matthew Wildes

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CLAW Tax Group and Wildes at Law LLC

The joy of solving financial problems is why Matthew Wildes is an attorney and a CPA.

Some of his inspiration came from his father, who was once a CPA. Wildes double-majored in legal studies and accounting at Hamline University and discovered that his interests overlapped in tax law.

That led to law school at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. His volunteer service at Prepare + Prosper, a nonprofit that provides low- or no-fee tax preparation, financial planning, and other services, refined his interest in solving complex problems for clients.

Today, Wildes works for two firms: CLAW Tax Group, which he runs with his business partner, and Wildes at Law LLC. He handles IRS audits, back tax matters, criminal tax defense, and tax planning.

In one case, Wildes helped a Minnesota man who gambled extensively to handle nearly six years of back taxes. “He probably gambled a million dollars a year, and his net losses were $10,000 or $20,000, but he was unable to deduct those [under the AMT],” Wildes said. As a result, his taxes were higher than his wages each year.

Wildes helped his client get a settlement that reduced his back taxes to a fifth of what they had been. He also helped him demonstrate that he had rendered custody of his accounts to his brother and gone to rehab for his gambling addiction.

Wildes’ pro bono work has been extensive as well. Many of his cases involve systematic errors at the IRS that require representation to resolve. The work is meaningful but difficult because the errors often flow from antiquated systems. “It’s just frustrating that [clients] need this kind of help,” he said.

Wildes’ plans involve growing both firms, particularly Wildes at Law. “It’s difficult to give everyone proper care when it’s just a one-man operation,” he said.