Debbie Gordon is a principal and leader of the Washington National Tax excise and energy tax practice for RSM US LLP. She is a nationally recognized professional with nearly 20 years of government and private sector experience advising clients in the energy, transportation and manufacturing industries.
Debbie Gordon leads RSM’s energy credit, sustainability and excise tax practice. She is a nationally recognized expert with nearly 20 years of government and private sector experience. Debbie regularly consults with clients in the transportation, energy, industrial products, and consumer products industries. Debbie’s advisory services include tax consulting and assistance with Internal Revenue Service controversies.
Debbie advises clients on clean energy tax incentives including those in the Inflation Reduction Act. She specializes in consulting with respect to clean fuels. She also advises clients on other credits from renewable energy such as wind, solar, combined heat and power cogeneration and geothermal as well as qualifying advanced energy projects, carbon capture and sequestration and electric vehicles.
Debbie also covers a complete range of excise taxes, including air transportation, manufacturers taxes (e.g., petroleum products and motor fuel; tires; sporting goods; firearms; ammunition), retail taxes (e.g., alternative fuels; heavy trucks and trailers) and environmental taxes (Superfund, ozone-depleting chemicals, oil spill) as well as the excise taxes administered by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
Prior to joining RSM, Debbie led the excise tax practice in the Washington National Tax office of a Big Four accounting firm. Debbie also worked in the Excise Tax Branch in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel where she was responsible for published guidance on excise taxes, technical advice to the IRS excise tax agents, and letter rulings to taxpayers. Debbie is the principal author of fuel excise tax guidance including Notice 2006-92, Notice 2005-80, Notice 2005-62, Notice 2005-24, Notice 2005-4 and a CCA on fuel used in aircraft auxiliary power units. Prior to joining the IRS, Debbie served as an attorney-advisor to the Honorable Juan F. Vasquez, United States Tax Court.
Debbie’s thought leadership has been published in the tax press including Tax Notes, Daily Tax Report AICPA’s Tax Adviser and the Tax Executive. She also speaks at national programs including those of the Tax Executives Institute and the American Bar Association.
