Achieving a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license, a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA), and owning a CPA Firm takes drive, determination and direction – qualities of the type of CPA a business owner wants on his or her team. Cara Bowling, CPA, has the qualifications and the vitality to help you manage your money responsibly, whether you’re a business or an individual taxpayer.

Born and raised in Streator, Illinois, Cara Bowling earned her Bachelor’s degree in 2000 from Eastern Illinois University. After graduating, she worked for Country Financial based in Bloomington, Illinois.

Upon completing her MBA from Illinois State University in 2008, Cara married Jeff Bowling and moved to McLeansboro, Illinois and began working for the accounting firm of Little & Associates. Realizing that she had an affinity for managing facts and figures, Cara completed additional accounting classes at the University of Southern Indiana and passed the CPA exam in 2013.

Cara began Bowling & Associates, CPA Firm, in 2014. 

Outside of hustle and bustle of the office, Cara enjoys the quiet of living in the country with her husband and two children. 

A native of Hamilton County, Illinois, Lynn Smith is a Certified Public Account with two Bachelor’s degrees – one in Accounting and the other in Finance – another high-achiever you’ll want on your accounting side. A graduate of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and Hamilton County Senior High alum, Lynn has an innate local business perspective that is rooted in the farms and small enterprises that comprise the southern Illinois economy.

With her interest in tax codes, her bookkeeping acumen and her desire to help guide clients on the road to financial freedom, Lynn began working with Bowling & Associates, CPA Firm, in the fall of 2014. Soon thereafter, she received her CPA certification in January of 2017.

In between tax seasons, Lynn enjoys reading, crafting, gardening and sports. She and her husband, Kane, have one child and reside in McLeansboro, Illinois. 

Honest Accountancy – We Are Ethical

Paying taxes is a good thing. It means you’re making money. How much you pay in taxes is our responsibility. Bowling & Associates will help to minimize your tax liability – legally and ethically. Through continuing education, our CPAs stay up to date on the latest tax codes, tools and programs to keep your money working for you. Our CPA firm is founded on honest practices and strong values.

Focused and Organized – We Meet Deadlines

The ability to manage and meet deadlines, especially during tax season, requires a strong work ethic, healthy habits and disciplined organizational skills. Our clients don’t like extensions, and neither do we. Bowling & Associates provides a tax planner to help you organize income and expenses to make tax season less taxing.