I had been unhappy with my tax person for several years. So glad I finally made the switch. Chika…read morewas exactly what I wanted. Responsive, she kept me up to date on her progress, and reminding me to get my stuff together, not the other way around... She answered my questions (my taxes aren't particularly simple), everything was done digitally (Dropbox, Docusign), such a breeze. And she's nice, too, which isn't mandatory for a good CPA, but nice to have :) As an added bonus, my taxes were actually filed on time, first time in several years. Frustration free.

I spoke to Chika on the phone regarding my issues with my taxes for 2016 and 2017. Chika was…read moreincredibly pleasant on the phone and immediately followed up with an email and invoice with instructions on how to get my documents to her. I really appreciate her punctuality and kind attitude. My only issue with this particular service was the fee she was going to charge me: $750 for 2016 and $650 for 2017 taxes! After our call I did some research and called several tax services in the Bay Area, and every estimate I received I was quoted under $350. I felt like I was being weaseled and that made me question many other things. $400 difference is ridiculous! I have no doubt that Chika is incredible at what she does. Based on how quick she was to respond to my inquiries I am sure she gets things done and can meet deadlines.

I have never written a review for a CPA before. What I can say is that Donna is a rock star. She…read moredoes an amazing job with such a great confidence. I always feel taken care of and impressed with the results she gets.

I am in the market for a tax preparer so, of course, I do what we all do and look to yelp for some…read moreguidance. While doing so I came upon reviews for the last company that I had do them -the one I am reviewing now. Well...as you can see I am not quite as enamored as the other 4 reviewers. Thus I tend to believe that there might be some home cookin' or home-town fans involved. So I had to put in my 2 cents. It was true that Ms. Hankins was very personable and we talked quite a bit about my situation. So I gave her my info a full 2 months before the deadline. A week before the deadline- nothing. When I called I got the distinct feeling that she had forgotten completely. On tax day I get the call that they are ready. I go over and discover that I owe hundreds of dollars more than what I was told it would cost. HUH! Of course I was upset and asked to speak with her but she would not make time for me. So what is there to do? So I pay up but mention to the receptionist that I would write a review that reflected the experience. I guess it wasn't that important to me at the time but now after seeing all the red stars I thought I should let the yelp community know that I am not a home-town fan. I did deliberate as to whether this review merited one or two stars but what-the-hell. You know what they say about Karma....

I have a spouse who has an LLC partnership. I have been together with said spouse for a decade…read more This review is my story. Each spring, said spouse would begin to carry the world weariness of someone who is paying an accountant, but then secretly having to fact-check the accountant so much that he winds up doing his own taxes. To be fair, these are not easy taxes - LLC, multiple states, multiple employees, etc. - but still. Disappointment was frequent: try as they might, accountants simply couldn't get it right. I grew concerned. Surely - SURELY - there was someone out there who might be the right fit? We had outgrown folks who do this part-time, but weren't big enough for some of the fancy agencies. A search led me to Cathy Root. A quick call with her immediately got my spouse on board. And then... peace! Blissful, competent, brilliant PEACE! Spring 2021 found hope creeping back into our lives so many ways: vaccinations, of course... but also, for the first time ever, an amazing experience working with an incredibly talented, dazzlingly skilled professional. Friends, our taxes are DONE. It's early March. And not only are they done; Cathy has been outstanding every step of the way. We, too, have clients; Cathy treated us the way we hope we treat others - and that's the highest aspirational compliment I can give. I daresay, we will actually look forward to doing taxes next year.

Cathy Root is a highly skilled, experienced and responsive Oakland-based CPA and tax advisor…read more Definitely 5 Stars.

Deborah Bell is the Director at the tax department of this Williams Adley office. I've been self…read moreemployed and/or run companies including international multi-million dollar companies overseas and have 30 years of business experience and I've dealt with a number of CPAs over that time. Deborah and her team are simply the best I've ever encountered. her meticulous attention to detail, unwavering integrity and dedication to her clients is remarkable. I've recommended Deborah and her team to every one of my acquaintances without hesitation and continue to do so. Deborah mastery of accounting and deep understanding of the tax system has on numerous occasions help dissipate the panic that comes with a letter from the IRS. She rocks. Really!

I had high hopes of working with Deborah Bell Fisher, the Director at the tax department of this…read moreWilliams Adley office. However, after she stood me up for two appointment times that I scheduled with her to do an initial phone consult, I gave up. I spoke to her initially long enough to explain the services I needed and we agreed to do an initial phone consult for 30 minutes on a specific day at 9:00am. I called her at the agreed upon time (~9:01am) and she didn't pick up the phone so I left her a vmail. I had previously explained to her that I had a hard stop at 9:30am. She did call me back around 9:25am but by then I was transitioning to my next meeting for the day. She left a vmail apologizing for not being in the office to take my call. I understand that things can happen to make someone be late or miss an appointment from time to time, so I was willing to give it a second try. I called a couple of days later and spoke to her again and rescheduled for another specific day at 9:00am. On that day, I called her at 9:00am and she didn't pick up again. I thought surely this time she would call me back within minutes given that she missed our first appointment to speak. The fact is, it's now been a week and I still have not received a return call. Deborah has certainly not lived up to the positive reviews here on Yelp or on Berkeley Parent's Network. I don't know what's going on with her but at this point I have zero confidence that she can execute and push things along to conclusion. With me, she never even got out of the starting gate.

I had pleasure of meeting JoAnn few years ago as she notarized some very important documents for…read moreme. Joann is extremely patient, kind, thorough and pays attention to every detail. Her knowledge and expertise in her service are impeccable. To date JoAnn is my Notary and Tax preparer. I highly recommend her services and I know you will not be disappointed.

I've been a client of Mickele for almost 5 years and she has done a great job on my taxes every…read moreyear. Definitely recommend!

I've been coming to Mickele for several years now. She's helped me navigate some relatively…read moreconfusing and tricky tax situations. Highly recommend!

Charlotte has helped me stop dreading tax season. She is personable and takes the time to…read moreunderstand your current financial state and help you realize where you want to be. She sets you up with a plan for financial success. Working with her gives me peace of mind because I know she is extremely knowledgable on the tax and financial rules and regulations. In addition to tax services, Charlotte also offers workshops for personal and business financial planning, organizing, investing and community work.

Charlotte is quick with your taxes and gets the job done. Her services are convenient. All you have…read moreto do is schedule an appointment and pay for the time spent. We have a choice to make an appointment through Zoom or in person, no matter how complex the situation.

Finding the right fiduciary/enrolled agent can take time but save you a lot…read more Barbara Simon has provided amazing insight and follow through for our family's trust since 2017. It was clear upon our consultation that Barbara is a font of knowledge regarding all aspects of one's fiduciary responsibilities complemented with an equally high skill set as an enrolled agent. Within that first meeting Barbara made recommendations that initially seemed outside the box but were within the legal rights of the trustee. Hindsight being 20/20, Barbara's initial assessment saved a lot of unnecessary headache and heartache. Early on Barbara identified a tax bill from 3 years prior that had been paid. The end result was a reimbursement from the IRS which covered her services(up to that point) with a net positive in the trust coffers. The positive experiences which followed are countless and Barbara has the gift of making the difficult and complex seem effortless. Barbara gets a 5 star review because of her -Professional demeanor -Knowledge based on decades of experience -Follow-through -Organization -Efficiency in communication -Integrity -Attention to detail She leaves no stone unturned and surrounds herself with professionals of similar caliber. Barbara Simon is the right choice.

Barbara Simon, of Simon Associates, is the most knowledgable, caring and conscientious fiduciary…read morefor the Elderly that I have ever met. She has worked many years in all capacities of senior needs; Trusts, Conservatorships, Home Care, Tax Services, Financial Planning, and organizing the needs of her clients. She is extremely honest and holds very high standards of care and integrity. I would not send any of my elderly clients needing assistance to anyone else but Simon Associates. I trust her skills completely!