Andrew Blackman

Andy earned a BSBA in Accounting at Boston University's School of Management in 1975, graduating Magna Cum Laude. He earned a MBA in Taxation at Fairleigh Dickinson University graduating with honors in 1979.

Andy holds several professional licenses. He has active CPA Licenses in New York (since 1978), California (since 1979), and New Jersey (since 1991). He held a California Real Estate Broker's License between 1985 and 1993 and has had an active New Jersey Real Estate Broker's License since 1991. In 2006, Andy obtained a New York Life, Accident, & Health License and has since been licensed in several other states.

In 1988, Andy was an early adopter, as he was the 106th CPA accredited as a Personal Financial Specialist (PFS). In 1991, Andy successfully challenged the first Certified Financial Planner (CFP) comprehensive exam and was later asked by the CFP Board of Standards to develop questions for future exams. Andy was admitted as a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Accounting (DABFA) in 2000 and subsequently earned Fellow status in the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute (FACFEI) and on December 31, 2008, he qualified for the AICPA's Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) credential.

As a partner with Shapiro Lobel LLP in New York City, Andy's efforts are devoted to the development and growth of the business management practice for performing and creative artists. He has been at the firm since 1992, but previously was also a partner in Freedman & Blackman Accountancy Corporation, a Los Angeles CPA firm. While his career focus has been personal financial planning (PFP), at Shapiro Lobel LLP his predominant clientele have careers in screen, television, and live stage, including several nominees and winners of Academy, Emmy, and Tony Awards, the firm has also represented other established talents, such as authors, photographers, painters, musical performers, songwriters, models, and athletes. Additionally, he has developed an expertise in the representation of nonresident alien performing and creative artists; presently the firm represents over a dozen British artists.

The financial media has often acknowledged Andy's expertise. For several consecutive years Worth named him one of the nation's Best Financial Advisers, as did Accounting Today by including him as one of the 50 Name$ To Know In Financial Planning; Consumers' Research Council Of America also listed him in their Guide To America's Best Financial Planners. Andy's profile has also been selected numerous times for inclusion in Who's Who in America. Furthermore, his financial and tax advice has appeared in dozens of publications including The Wall Street Journal, Investor's Business Daily, USA Today, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Daily News, The Star Ledger, The Record, The Arizona Republic, Newsweek, Business Week, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Worth, Financial Planning, Dow Jones Investment Advisor, and Accounting Today and he has been a featured guest on ABC, Fox, CNN, E!, and Bloomberg among others.

Andy served a three-year term on the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) PFP Executive Committee and founded and chaired its PFS Credential Committee. He has also served on and chaired committees in the areas of Entertainment, Sports, and PFP for the state CPA societies of California, New Jersey, and New York. Additionally, he is a founder and a past President and a past Vice-President of The All-Star Financial Group, LLC, a dynamic "think tank" and national organization for advanced CPA financial planners.

Andy co-authored the AICPA publication Guide To Planning For Performing And Creative Artists and edited the AICPA course Tax Considerations For Professional Athletes And Entertainers. He also appeared in the AICPA video Education Funding. He assisted the AICPA in planning its Certificate of Educational Achievement program in PFP, as well as planning and lecturing at several of the AICPA's PFP Technical Conferences and PFP Investment Conferences. He has also edited PFP materials for The CPA Journal, as well as for other professional publications and has lectured throughout the country on the subjects of PFP and his specialty of representing performing and creative artists. He is proud to have assisted the New York State Society of CPAs in developing their Task Force to provide pro bono assistance to victims of the September 11th disaster and of creating and developing, as well as serving as the chairman of, the Disaster Recovery Conference held in New York City February 4 and 5, 2002. More recently, Andy has served as one of the leaders in an ad-hoc, web-based, watchdog organization, known as CPAs Reforming Our Profession (CROP; www.cpas4reform.com) that comments on the state of the CPA profession and its national Institute, the AICPA.Andy holds several professional licenses. He has active CPA Licenses in New York (since 1978), California (since 1979), and New Jersey (since 1991). He held a California Real Estate Broker's License between 1985 and 1993 and has had an active New Jersey Real Estate Broker's License since 1991. In 2006, Andy obtained a New York Life, Accident, & Health License and has since been licensed in several other states. In 1988, Andy was an early adopter, as he was the 106th CPA accredited as a Personal Financial Specialist (PFS). In 1991, Andy successfully challenged the first Certified Financial Planner (CFP) comprehensive exam and was later asked by the CFP Board of Standards to develop questions for future exams. Andy was admitted as a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Accounting (DABFA) in 2000 and subsequently earned Fellow status in the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute (FACFEI) and on December 31, 2008, he qualified for the AICPA's Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) credential. As a partner with Shapiro Lobel LLP in New York City, Andy's efforts are devoted to the development and growth of the business management practice for performing and creative artists. He has been at the firm since 1992, but previously was also a partner in Freedman & Blackman Accountancy Corporation, a Los Angeles CPA firm. While his career focus has been personal financial planning (PFP), at Shapiro Lobel LLP his predominant clientele have careers in screen, television, and live stage, including several nominees and winners of Academy, Emmy, and Tony Awards, the firm has also represented other established talents, such as authors, photographers, painters, musical performers, songwriters, models, and athletes. Additionally, he has developed an expertise in the representation of nonresident alien performing and creative artists; presently the firm represents over a dozen British artists. The financial media has often acknowledged Andy's expertise. For several consecutive years Worth named him one of the nation's Best Financial Advisers, as did Accounting Today by including him as one of the 50 Name$ To Know In Financial Planning; Consumers' Research Council Of America also listed him in their Guide To America's Best Financial Planners. Andy's profile has also been selected numerous times for inclusion in Who's Who in America. Furthermore, his financial and tax advice has appeared in dozens of publications including The Wall Street Journal, Investor's Business Daily, USA Today, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Daily News, The Star Ledger, The Record, The Arizona Republic, Newsweek, Business Week, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Worth, Financial Planning, Dow Jones Investment Advisor, and Accounting Today and he has been a featured guest on ABC, Fox, CNN, E!, and Bloomberg among others.Andy served a three-year term on the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) PFP Executive Committee and founded and chaired its PFS Credential Committee. He has also served on and chaired committees in the areas of Entertainment, Sports, and PFP for the state CPA societies of California, New Jersey, and New York. Additionally, he is a founder and a past President and a past Vice-President of The All-Star Financial Group, LLC, a dynamic "think tank" and national organization for advanced CPA financial planners. Andy co-authored the AICPA publication Guide To Planning For Performing And Creative Artists and edited the AICPA course Tax Considerations For Professional Athletes And Entertainers. He also appeared in the AICPA video Education Funding. He assisted the AICPA in planning its Certificate of Educational Achievement program in PFP, as well as planning and lecturing at several of the AICPA's PFP Technical Conferences and PFP Investment Conferences. He has also edited PFP materials for The CPA Journal, as well as for other professional publications and has lectured throughout the country on the subjects of PFP and his specialty of representing performing and creative artists. He is proud to have assisted the New York State Society of CPAs in developing their Task Force to provide pro bono assistance to victims of the September 11th disaster and of creating and developing, as well as serving as the chairman of, the Disaster Recovery Conference held in New York City February 4 and 5, 2002. More recently, Andy has served as one of the leaders in an ad-hoc, web-based, watchdog organization, known as CPAs Reforming Our Profession (CROP; www.cpas4reform.com) that comments on the state of the CPA profession and its national Institute, the AICPA.

Appearances