Connect with our team
Partner
Anthony T. Francis
Anthony T. Francis is the owner and principal of the firm. He has over twenty years of experience in the tax industry. However, this wasn’t his original path. Upon graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 1988, he made a beeline to Wall Street. He spent a decade working as a financial reporting, regulatory accountant, and accounting manager on Wall Street for Oppenheimer & Company, Bankers Trust Securities (currently Deutsche Bank), and Nations Banc Capital Markets (now Bank of America). During those years, he used his free time to moonlight for a public tax accounting firm, where he learned about taxation. After ten years of working with institutional markets and clients, he left Wall Street and devoted full time to the individual and small business tax industry. The years he spent moonlighting provided a valuable foundation for his future business. He has been providing service to a worldwide clientele since then.
He is an Enrolled Agent (E.A.) federally licensed to prepare tax returns under Circular 230 before the IRS. He is also a financial professional who holds his Series 7 and Series 63 with Securities America, Inc. Securities are offered through Securities America, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, and advisory services are offered through Securities America Advisors, Inc. He also holds his Life Insurance, Health Insurance, and Annuity licenses.
In recent years, he has been seen on New York City’s ABC Channel 7 Eyewitness News giving tax tips for individuals. He has also been seen on multiple occasions as part of a panel of experts discussing tax law changes on cable TV’s Fox Business News.
Senior Tax Associate
Lisa Banks
Lisa Ocasio-Banks has been providing tax-related guidance and support over the past 20 years. She has engaged high-net-worth clients to provide a seamless customer experience. In addition to tax and accounting services, Lisa has a proven track record of delivering balanced budgets and bookkeeping expertise. Her experience spans the financial services industry, where she has worked for several reputable tax/accounting firms in the Tri-State Area. Lisa has also held leadership roles within health care, acting as a Case Manager at New York Presbyterian Hospital and New York Auto Injury Solutions. These experiences provided her with a broad perspective on understanding customer needs and offering a high level of customer satisfaction.
Prior to working in the Tax and Accounting field, Lisa served as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) within the New York Fire Department for 2.5 years. This experience developed Lisa’s ability to think critically under stressful conditions. It also instilled a strong sense of empathy for patients in need of guidance, especially amid potentially life-changing events.
Lisa has studied through Phoenix University and is currently a National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP) member. With a strong passion for finance, she will be expanding her bookkeeping credentials in 2024.
Office Manager
Giovanni Restrepo
Giovanni Restrepo has over six years’ experience working as an Office Manager at A. Francis and Associates Inc. During that time, he has been responsible for working with staff in multiple arenas.
From scheduling the tax season appointments, to providing end of year and current year tax documents to tax agencies, to reviewing all types of tax returns with clients prior to submission, to working with our bookkeepers and some corporate clients to facilitate QuickBooks, to working with our retail business clients for NYS Sales tax filings, he has played a vital role as a utility player within the organization.
He has a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration. He is a Colombian Immigrant that moved to the USA over 25 years ago and is fluent in Spanish and English, which comes in handy with our diverse global clientele. Prior to coming to A. Francis and Associates he worked at H&R Block as a Tax Preparer for their Small Tax Return unit.