Kemberley Washington, CPA

Former Tax Expert and Journalist

22

Years of tax experience

CREDENTIALS

Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

EXPERTISE

Individual income taxes
Tax strategy and planning
U.S. tax policy
Small-business taxation
Personal finance

EDUCATION

Southern University and A&M College, Bachelor of Science, Accounting
Southern University and A&M College, Masters of Accountancy

After six months of training on how to shoot guns, arrest people and conduct speed chases as an IRS criminal investigator, I knew that carrying a gun wasn't for me! However, my IRS experience gave me the opportunity to help others with tax and finance issues. Today, I continue to share tax tips through my writing, news appearances, and volunteering in the community.
— Kemberley Washington, CPA

Kemberley Washington, CPA, is a former tax expert and journalist for Bankrate, and a former IRS agent with over 20 years of experience in tax policy. She started her career as a revenue agent and criminal investigator with the IRS. However, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, she began writing and teaching about taxes and personal finance to help her community during a devastating time.

Her stories have appeared in Yahoo Finance, Jet Magazine, Black Enterprise, Fox Business, Forbes and more. She frequently appeared on many national and local television shows, including NBC's WDSU and Good Morning America 3.

She has authored several books, including "It All Starts with a Budget," "The Ten Commandments to Financial Healing" and "21 Days of Powerful Breakthroughs." Some of her books are featured on the YouVersion Bible App.

Kemberley beyond Bankrate

What you need to know to file your taxes

Last-minute tax tips

Common tax filing mistakes that can cost you

How to avoid owing taxes at tax time

Expert tips and tricks for filing a last-minute tax return

Last-minute tax tips as deadline looms

After six months of training on how to shoot guns, arrest people and conduct speed chases as an IRS criminal investigator, I knew that carrying a gun wasn't for me! However, my IRS experience gave me the opportunity to help others with tax and finance issues. Today, I continue to share tax tips through my writing, news appearances, and volunteering in the community.
— Kemberley Washington, CPA

Kemberley's latest articles

Trump’s temporary tax breaks: 5 ‘big beautiful bill’ provisions that may not stick around for long

Under the sweeping new tax law, timing is everything. Here are five new tax breaks that won’t last long.

5 min read Jul 11, 2025
Electric vehicle (EV) tax breaks may hit a dead end under Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

Under the current law, taxpayers can claim the electric vehicle tax credit if they meet specific income and purchase requirements.

4 min read Jun 21, 2025
5 tax breaks for dads to help celebrate Father’s Day

There are many tax breaks that may apply for fathers, from claiming dependents, saving for your child’s education or looking to lower your taxable income.

4 min read Jun 13, 2025
IRS Direct File will be cancelled if Republican tax bill becomes law

The popular IRS Direct File program, which lets you prepare and file your return for free, will be cancelled if the Republican tax bill becomes law.

5 min read May 22, 2025
A $2,500 child tax credit could be coming, but millions of children may be excluded

The child tax credit could get boosted to $2,500 under a Republican proposal. But millions of children would be excluded.

4 min read May 15, 2025
The Best Tax Services for 2025

Choosing a tax service doesn't have to be daunting. Use our list of the latest and greatest to find the tax services that are best for you.

1 min read Jan 01, 2024