In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate, Brandy Spears sits down with Dave Haase, CPA, entrepreneur, and founder of Juno, for a timely conversation about AI, automation, and the future of tax practice. Dave shares why he first saw AI as both a threat and an opportunity after watching ChatGPT complete a tax return, and how that moment pushed him to rethink the way firms handle busy work, client communication, and tax season pressure.

Dave explains why most firms are still doing the same work the same way they did 15 or 20 years ago, and why that model only survives because tax professionals burn themselves out for months at a time. He breaks down how automation can help firms reduce repetitive data entry, avoid duplicated work, improve document collection, and free up staff to focus on higher-value advisory.

This conversation is not about replacing tax professionals. It is about helping them become better advisors, communicators, and strategic partners. Dave also shares what firms need to know about data privacy, SOC 2 compliance, vendor security, and the risks of allowing AI tools to train on client data.

Learn why Dave believes enrolled agents are uniquely positioned to benefit from AI, how small firms can start using tools like ChatGPT or Claude without overcomplicating it, and why the future belongs to tax pros who combine technical knowledge, technology skills, and real human connection.

Why Listen

How AI can reduce busy work without replacing tax professionals
Why outdated workflows are fueling burnout during tax season
How automation helps with data entry, review, document collection, and client explanations
Why the client relationship should never be fully automated
How EAs can use AI to create more time for advisory and planning
What firms must ask before trusting AI tools with client data
Why future tax pros need tech fluency, attention to detail, and people skills

In This Episode:

[00:00:00] Welcome to The Enrolled Agent Advocate
[00:00:49] Meet Dave Haase and the AI conversation shaping tax practice
[00:01:41] The ChatGPT moment that changed Dave’s view of the profession
[00:03:03] What tax season revealed about outdated workflows
[00:05:06] How automation empowers staff instead of replacing them
[00:07:51] Using Juno to extract tax data and push it into tax software
[00:09:03] How AI can explain year-over-year tax changes in minutes
[00:10:20] Why Dave is not worried about AI eliminating accountants
[00:11:13] The advisory opportunity most firms are missing
[00:15:07] Balancing automation with human client relationships
[00:18:15] What should never be fully automated
[00:19:37] Why EAs are positioned to benefit from AI
[00:27:56] Claude vs. ChatGPT and why the best tool keeps changing
[00:34:28] Data privacy, SOC 2, and vendor security
[00:36:03] Why firms must ask if AI tools train on client data
[00:37:32] How AI may reshape tax workflows in the next five years
[00:40:23] The skills future tax professionals will need
[00:51:16] Where to follow Dave and learn more about Juno

Our Guest

Dave Hasse, Founder & CEO, Juno
David Haase is a forward-thinking tax professional and entrepreneur who bridgesthe worlds of finance and technology. Since founding his tax firm in 2015, he has built a practice serving emerging startups, established businesses, and individual clients with a focus on innovation and efficiency. With an MBA from Stanford University and a CPA license, David combines strategic business acumen with deep technical expertise to help organizations modernize their tax operations and embrace AI-driven solutions.

Resources and Links

EA Advocate podcast:
https://www.naea.org/eapodcast/

Brandy Spears
LinkedIn

Resources:

• Juno.Tax - https://juno.tax
• Claude AI - https://www.anthropic.com
• ChatGPT - https://chat.openai.com
• Nano Banana (visual AI) - https://nanoidbanana.com

Guest Links:

David Haase:

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/davidhass

Juno Tax- https://juno.tax