Sidney Kess, a renowned tax accountant, attorney and educator, died at the age of 97 on Sunday.
The venerable tax expert was still active and working as of counsel at the New York law firm Kostelanetz LLP, as well as planning to speak at his annual tax conference. Kess authored or co-authored hundreds of books and led hundreds of AICPA tax workshops, audio, and video programs, and received the AICPA Distinguished Lecturer Award.
He was frequently named on Accounting Today’s annual lists of the Top 100 Most Influential People. Kess edited a column on “Tax Tips” for the New York Law Journal for 50 years. His most recent column appeared in July. He was editor of the AICPA’s CPA Client Bulletin and CPA Client Tax Letter.
Kess was formerly national director of tax at KPMG Main Hurdman and a tax partner at KPMG Peat Marwick. He received the AICPA’s Special Recognition Award for his many years of contributions to the institute’s continuing professional education program and was elected to the Estate Planning Hall of Fame by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils for his distinguished service to the field of estate planning. He also received the AICPA’s Gold Medal Award, which is the highest award in the accounting profession. He also recently received the AICPA Personal Financial Planning Distinguished Service Award.
“Sidney was a giant of the accounting profession, receiving every major award it had to offer,” said Ed Mendlowitz, a partner at WithumSmith+Brown and columnist at Accounting Today. “His untiring energy, ideas and innovations were an inspiration to everyone that knew him. He worked until the end, particularly organizing the AICPA Engage conference next June and the 54th Annual Sidney Kess New York Estate, Tax and Financial Planning Conference hosted by the UJA Federation of New York on October 18, 2023, where he was also scheduled to speak with me.”
Mendlowitz wrote two columns about his friend: “Sid Kess: Tax educator extraordinaire” and “Lunch with Sid Kess and Chaya Siegfried.”
The AICPA established the Sidney Kess Award for Excellence in Continuing Education, to recognize individual CPAs who have made significant and outstanding contributions in tax and financial planning and whose public service exemplifies the CPA profession’s finest values and ethics. He was the first recipient of the award. He was inducted into the New York State Society of CPAs’ Hall of Fame.
Kess received his B.B.A. from Baruch College, his J.D. from Harvard University School of Law, and his LL.M. from New York University Graduate School of Law.
Speaking personally, Sid was unfailingly kind, wise and admired and respected by all who knew him.
Funeral services are scheduled for 3:00 p.m. today at Beth Moses Cemetery in 1500 Wellwood Ave., West Babylon, New York.
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