Walt Maxwell, CPA
Partner
The Value of Having Someone Beside You
For Walt Maxwell, good advice isn't always delivered in a single conversation.
Sometimes a client needs another perspective on a decision. Sometimes an issue takes several meetings and phone calls to work through. And sometimes the most important thing an advisor can provide is the reassurance that someone will be there as the situation unfolds.
"It's not one phone call. It's not one Zoom call. It's not one meeting," Walt says. "It’s knowing you've got someone beside you to help you through those issues... there's a value there."
That steady, hands-on approach has developed over more than 25 years in public accounting, including the past decade at Templeton. Working across audit, tax, strategic planning, and consulting has exposed Walt to organizations of every size and challenges that rarely fit neatly into a single category.
Looking Beyond Today's Question
Walt believes solving the immediate problem is only part of an advisor's responsibility. Experience should also help clients recognize what's coming before it becomes the next problem.
"A great advisor really foresees past just what the current issues are," he says. "Not predicts the future, but anticipates the future."
For Walt, that means looking beyond the work that needs to be completed today and considering risks, decisions, and opportunities that may be further down the road.
"It's that stuff that you see down the road that really makes a difference," he says. "Advising on the questions that aren't asked."
Seeing the Work Behind the Numbers
While Walt works across several industries, nonprofit organizations have been a consistent part of his career from the beginning. In fact, one of his first assignments out of college was preparing a nonprofit tax return.
The connection has become more personal over time.
For Walt, understanding those clients means occasionally getting away from the financial statements and seeing their work firsthand.
"It's good to attend their events and see their mission rather than just doing their work," he says.
Watching how organizations serve others and tell their stories puts his own role into perspective. Walt may consider Templeton a small part of what those organizations accomplish, but being part of it matters to him.
Trust Is When They Call About Something Else
One of Walt's longstanding client relationships connects him directly to Templeton's earliest years.
That continuity reflects how Walt measures a successful client relationship.
"It's enlightening whenever you get a call and they first say, 'Well, I'm not calling about the audit or the tax return. I've got something else I want to run by you.'"
Those calls tell Walt something that doesn't need to be said explicitly.
"You know it's a sign that they trust you."
Leaving It Better
Long before Walt was the person leading client meetings, he was the young professional sitting in them and watching.
Early mentors made a point of bringing staff into meetings, even when they weren't expected to speak. Walt learned by observing how experienced professionals treated clients, presented information, prepared for difficult conversations, and remained composed when those conversations became challenging.
Today, he makes a point of providing younger professionals with that same exposure.
"They're going to be there one day," Walt says. "I'm not going to be here forever. So the earlier they have that exposure, I think, the better."
It's part of what Walt hopes his own career leaves behind.
He still remembers conversations with mentors and small lessons from former bosses that continue to influence how he works today. His hope is that something he's said or demonstrated might someday do the same for someone else.
"Everyone wants to leave it better than when they arrived," he says.
For Walt, that applies to clients, colleagues, and the professionals who will eventually take his seat at the table. The impact doesn't always have to be dramatic. Sometimes it's a piece of guidance, an example worth following, or simply being the person beside someone when they need another perspective.
"Making an impression on others means a lot to me," Walt says. "Maybe it's something small, but maybe something that continues to guide them in the future."
Areas of Focus
- Auditing Financial Statements
- Income Tax Planning &
- Compliance
- Strategic Planning
- Business Consulting
Education & Professional Affiliations
- Florida State University, B.S.
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Community Involvement
- Leadership Palm Beach County - Class of 2014
- Boys & Girls Club of Palm Beach County - Former Finance Committee Member
- Alzheimer’s Community Care - Former Audit Committee Member