PRO CONNECT
I am a semi-retired CPA living in Palm Desert California. Although I am a U.S. citizen, I’ve lived most of my life in Canada where I hold a Chartered Accountant (CA) designation. My undergraduate degree was in English. My business career has spanned the last half-century during which I wrote 15 books on Canadian taxation and financial planning, several of which were best sellers. At the moment, I am virtually unknown in the United States. I keep myself occupied by training Canadian Chartered Accountants who would like to obtain a U.S. CPA designation.
Back in 1984, I joined forces with a 17-year-old computer genius and we developed what became Canada’s foremost income tax software. Intuit, which operates Turbo Tax and Quicken, owns my former business today. In 1991, my partner and I sold our company and I was able to retire. My last book on financial planning was written in 1993. Until recently, I never thought that I would have anything more to say. Recently, I discovered that I have a great deal to day! Hence, "The Enlightened Capitalism Manifesto". I was reasonably well connected in “the day”. I was listed in Canadian Who’s Who and was on a first-name basis with two Canadian Prime Ministers.
I am an avid softball player and baseball fan . I am the author of a baseball novel "Designated Hitter" which is self-published as an Amazon eBook.
“...Zimmer is uniquely qualified to compare and contrast the benefits and shortcomings of both countries’ governments and policies.”
– Kirkus Reviews
A sweeping call for broad reform by a semiretired CPA/CA and experienced author of fifteen books on taxation and financial planning.
Inspired in part by President Barack Obama’s open invitation for suggestions for change during his 2012 campaign, Zimmer (Canadian Tax and Investment Guide, 1993, etc.) tackles a broad array of issues in his 11-chapter book, ranging from financial planning to educational reform. Drawing on both his United States citizenship and his longtime residence in Canada, Zimmer is uniquely qualified to compare and contrast the benefits and shortcomings of both countries’ governments and policies. However, the primary focus in this work is his promotion of enlightened capitalism—i.e., capitalism without greed or excessiveness. The direct opposite, he says, of enlightened capitalism is unbridled capitalism, the spell under which the U.S. has fallen in recent years, as the gap between the haves and have-nots widens. Zimmer’s common-sense approach and unaffected writing style make for a quick read, unburdened by complicated jargon or technical language. In fact, he avers that despite having worked for decades as an accountant, he never used more than the most basic algebra—perhaps confirming the beliefs many high schoolers have that they’ll have little use for what they learn in advanced math. No issue is too big or too controversial for Zimmer—he gives his views on everything from banking to gay marriage—and the sweeping political and social changes he suggests seem logical, if not logistically impossible to implement. Most useful are Zimmer’s suggestions in his area of particular expertise—financial planning. He advocates living within one’s means, paying off one’s mortgage as quickly as possible and never accumulating unnecessary debt, even if banks and tax laws make it easy and desirable. He invites readers to share their opinions on the issues he raises via his website so that cumulative results may be seen.
Like having a chat with an erudite, opinionated uncle; even if readers don’t agree with all his views, they’ll recognize the value of his experience.
Pub Date:
Publisher: Dog Ear Publisher
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2014
The Enlightened Capitalism Manifesto
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