There’s always something in the “In” box for Dr. William Raabe, Samford’s best-selling tax writer.
If it’s not a textbook chapter to revise, or a journal article to edit, it’s a web site for one of his tax books that needs updating. Dr. Raabe is author of the nation’s most widely-used textbooks on federal taxation and federal tax research.
While most texts are updated only every three years, Raabe’s field requires annual revisions. “With tax books, it’s never a done deal,” says Raabe, who joined the Samford School of Business faculty in January. “But I rather like it this way. It’s very energizing.”
Raabe is the author of 11 books and dozens of articles on taxation. One of his books, West’s Federal Taxation, claims 65 percent of the nation’s undergraduate market. Another title, West’s Federal Tax Research, is used by 75 percent of the nation’s graduate business programs.
Raabe’s Multistate Corporate Tax Guide, published by Aspen Publishers, is the largest seller for the professional market of accountants, attorneys, “Fortune 500” companies and “Big Six” accounting firms. He updates it twice a year.
In addition to West and Aspen, he has published titles with Prentice-Hall and Harcourt Brace and its subsidiary, Dryden. He serves on the editorial board of “The Journal of State Taxation” and “Advances in Taxation.”
This summer, Raabe will add a new title, Taxation of Business Entities, which will teach tax from the viewpoint of companies rather than individuals, the more traditional approach.
“This should help business students with their employability,” says Raabe, who teaches corporate taxation and income tax procedures. He came to Samford after 17 years as Wisconsin Distinguished Professor of Business Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Raabe approaches his annual updates in a systematic fashion.
“The first priority is to update changes in the law,” he says. “The time required varies, but some years, this is all you can do.
“Secondly, I write about new topics, such as international tax, or new techniques, such as researching off the Internet.
“Finally, if there’s any time left, I try to rewrite, to make the writing better.”
Raabe writes in his office, in the Lucille Stewart Beeson Law Library (“a valuable resource”) and at home. Federal Express is a frequent visitor.
Chosen as one of “Milwaukee’s Most Interesting People” by Milwaukee Magazine, Raabe holds interests in classical music and college sports. He sang with the Milwaukee Athletics Board and as UWM faculty athletics representative to the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Despite a full schedule of teaching and writing at Samford, he also finds time to sing in the Samford MasterSingers and to enjoy life with his wife Nancy, fine arts writer for The Birmingham News, and their children, Margaret Elisabeth, 6, and Martin William, 5.