Silencing the tax returns

The calculator and computer would typically be going non-stop this time of the year with Roger Borchardt at the keyboard crunching numbers to help people file their tax returns.
But Borchardt, who has become known around Owatonna as the Tax Man, is calling it quits, silencing the returns that he has so passionately prepared for a half century. Health reasons have finally forced the 84-year-old into retirement.
About two years ago Borchardt suffered an ear infection, which led to vertigo. And a few months later he became inflicted with macular degeneration, which causes loss in the center of field of vision.
“It’s kind of time,” Borchardt said last week from his living room recliner. “I really have had a tough time this year.”
Borchardt had a friend who retired from the tax business at age 85. The only reason he retired was because he became blind. “I must be following in his footsteps,” Borchardt said. “Time doesn’t go any faster, it just takes you longer to do things.”
To make matters worse, Borchardt’s wife, Doris, has also been battling medical issues of her own. Since June she has been a resident of Benedictine Living in Owatonna. The Borchardts have been married 62 years and have two children and three granddaughters. He makes a point to visit his wife every day while carefully planning those visits around his morning coffee at Hy-Vee and a few other routines.
“Let’s see, there is Price is Right at 10 o’clock and the news at 11,” said Borchardt, who grew up in East Chain, Minn. and moved to Owatonna in 1962. On Fridays and weekends, he enjoys watching gospel and country western music shows. He also takes part in Bible studies during the week.
Borchardt began preparing tax returns part time in 1971 while working as a controller for Gandy Company in Owatonna. In those early years, he served about 200 clients.
The first returns were done for $6 to $10 each. “Everybody thought I was really low,” he said. In the end, Borchardt charged $100 to $125 for most returns.
On Feb. 1, 1989, Borchardt went full time with the tax business, which eventually swelled to peak of 650 clients. In recent years, he still was preparing returns for 500 people. He worked out of his home.
A couple big milestones over the years included 1980 when he bought a copy machine and in 1993 when he became computerized. “I put four White Out companies out of business,” Borchardt said with a laugh.
In 1998, Borchardt began e-filing the tax returns.
Computers, Borchardt said, made his job much easier, though he doesn’t think the paper savings was as much as it should be. He previously used nine cases of paper each tax season and in recent years he cut down to six. “I thought the computer was supposed to save paper, but I don’t think it did,” he said.
“I won’t miss the tax part,” Borchardt said. But he quickly added, “I’ll miss the relationships I’ve had with the people.”
Borchardt’s favorite aspect of tax preparation was helping clients determine their tax withholdings. “The year before you would estimate withholdings, and the next year you would see how close you came,” he said, adding “it was rewarding when you came close.”
For Borchardt, honesty became an important part of the job over the years. He said the challenge became trying to determine if someone was “shooting off the top of their head” or using legitimate numbers. “I tried to get the returns as accurate as we could with the information I had,” he added.
He has always prided himself on being a numbers guy. “It’s just a gift from God,” Borchardt said. “God gave me the ability to remember numbers.”
The business has been taken over by Michelle Pleschourt of Medford.