This was my first year with GEI Tax Services, and I can't say enough good things about them. From the very beginning, Thom, Iliana, and the entire GEI team made the process smooth, clear, and even pleasant lol... which I didn't think was possible for tax season! They took the time to understand my S-Corp and freelance situation, patiently answered every question, and found deductions I would have completely missed on my own. Iliana was especially fantastic & sharp -- she responded quickly to every email and was so kind and thorough in her explanations. Thom didn't just file my taxes--he took the time to educate & honestly empower me about scary topics & gave me real/ straightforward strategies for my S-Corp and LLC so I could plan smarter for the future. He explained complex topics in a way that was easy to understand & gives such level to detail, it gave me confidence and made this learning curve less overwhelming. The support the team gives you is truly unmatched. I left feeling confident, cared for, and seriously impressed. If you want a team that's professional, approachable, and genuinely invested in helping you succeed, I highly recommend the GEI team. They turned what used to be a stressful chore into an easy, reassuring experience. Thanks so much!!! read more

My wife and I have been having our taxes prepared by Thom and his staff for over 20 years. Thom is excellent in having the most up to date tax information and in communicating with us about our yearly tax filing. Over the years as our financial situation changed with property acquisitions, rental management, mortgage elimination and sale of property, we were always confident that GEI had our best interest at heart and would do exceptional work for us. We have had a long and successful relationship with GEI and Thom. read more

I think I've been going to GEI for at least 10 years now. Tom and Iliana are incredible as is their entire team. Every year I file for returns with them. My husband and I, our LLC and our S Corp. They do a phenomenal job! They always answer the phone and the email and record time. Every year, I email them tons of questions because I'm bad at taxes and they always respond quickly. Not only are they very responsive, but they seem to always be happy about helping us. I used to go to someone who was much cheaper, but I did not get great service like this - AT ALL. I am so happy that I'm with GEI that I will never look anywhere else. They are a family and they make you feel like family. They take care of us and every way possible! My husband is an actor and I work in real estate and they are extremely knowledgeable about both industries. Give them a shot and I promise they will exceeded your expectations! read more

Great company! Leslie De Lazaro was super helpful recently with a Secretary of State issue I was having. Amazing competence and customer service. Really appreciate her due diligence. Thom is a no nonsense guy and also kind. I highly recommend using this company for you tax needs. read more

Okay, I hear you folks and I see your reviews, the good and the bad. Thom came recommended by a colleague and I wanted to meet him for myself~ I wondered who could this guy be that is creating such disparate reviews? What is the story, the real story? As we all know finding the right tax guy is like finding a needle in a haystack. Such a gamble and even after you have chosen, you wonder if you did the right thing. So, we call Thom and a Saturday afternoon and his office is closed for the day, but he is there working. We say we would like to meet him in person and he invites us to come by his office~~~EVEN though this is a super busy time for anyone that does taxes. I am already thinking YES, how kind. Then he invites us in to his office and begins to really help us understand taxes AND LIFE. This guy is a SAVANT. He knows taxes and he knows all about life and living well. He pushes you to be the BEST you can be and live a full life. I know you must be thinking, HE IS A TAX guy not a personal coach...YES, that is true, but taxes are connected to life and living. So, why the bad reviews? My analysis after meeting with him for ONE HOUR on a Saturday when his office was CLOSED is this: Thom is THE MAN, he is knowledgeable, caring, and a superstar. He wants the best for his clients and challenges you and your fears related to self-limiting beliefs. This is going to make some feel uncomfortable and they will kill the messenger that is Thom. No good deed goes unpunished and Thom is filled with good deeds for his clients and loved ones. If this is your tax man, consider yourself so lucky. We do~FOR SURE~ THANK YOU Thom~~~~ xoxo read more

Thom and team are the best. We have used them for years. We had an audit and it was a nightmare. Afterwards we found GEI and life has been a breeze. Thom put on the right path and we have had no problems since then. Great and speedy service. read more

OMG WORST PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES!!!!! HR BLOCK IS WAY BETTER, although I wouldn't go to HR due to the capacity of my Bussiness needs. Let me start off by saying they are very disorganized, unprofessional don't value customers and they just don't care about your business do yourself a favor run and go!!!!! Horrible experience read more

If you need a new Tax or Financial Guy - Thom Swick, the owner of GEI is a complete financial genius. I believe he was a former IRS agent. He knows every tax law out there. He will teach you what is tax deductible, how to track your categories, and give you financial advice that is the best tax-appropriate. He specializes in working with therapists, clergy, entertainment industry people, and anything self-employed. But don't worry about the category if I didn't list you, nor how much or little you make. His services are worth every penny and as your finances grow, you will see his support has really helped you to improve your financial standing. A few years ago, I was randomly pulled for the tax audit. It was soooo scary. I had to work my ass off to organize things for tom, provide documentation, but he's the one who analyzed my numbers and represented me at the tax visit. They just called me on the phone and asked some clarifying questions. Best part, the IRS guy agreed to leave my return as is. It's called a "no change" return. A few of these in your life and the IRS will never audit you again. So, one down and hopefully I won't have to do it ever again! It's a lot of work to learn all this, but his staff are incredible, very reliable, and very helpful. I always get a very healthy return each year, then add that to my savings or purchase something big that I need for my business. Oh, and even though GEI is located in La Canada, I live in Ladera Heights near Culver City and LAX. I never have to go in person after the first return. Year after year, we send everything via mail and fax. GEI really knows what they are doing! read more

I personally think Thom should have his own show, he is like an encyclopedia when it comes to tax law and getting you the most savings on your taxes. He has been doing my returns since around 2005-2006. I always trust what he does and it is pure magic! When I incorporated, he actually taught a class about it and the differences in corporations, plus understanding the financial implications. He also shared stories about things he does personally around his own finances, which is pretty amazing to learn (one of the reasons for my suggestion he have his own show). I feel fortunate to have had him in my financial corner thru all the peaks and valleys and I highly recommend him to almost everyone I meet. p.s. He genuinely cares about his clients, he is very hands on...and fast. This man knows his stuff! read more

Simply the best in the business.... and a teacher who will help you plan and prepare your personal affairs to your benefit. I have recommended over a dozen people, all of whom echo my feelings. I moved from California several years ago and I still seek his help on my taxes as well as advice. read more

I was fully employed at a fortune 100 company, rented an apartment and had no deductions. Single state. Not sure what complexities you believe I had. It was also 10 years ago and you're just now responding. I sincerely doubt you remember our meeting. read more

Thom is amazing. My husband was referred to him through a colleague. He makes himself available evenings and weekends to answer our questions. He's extremely knowledgable. He takes pride in his work and values his clients. I feel we have gained Thom and his wonderful family as friends in the process. We moved out of California and still use his services. I highly recommend using him. read more

Thom Swick and his team are without question the most skilled tax preparers as well as most honest group anywhere. Our taxes for a S corporation, a charity tax return, a separate C corporation and our personal returns all have been in Thom Swicks hands for over 20 years. We have always been well advised and well protected even in a very difficult one time audit. Thom met with the IRS and proved that his numbers were all justified. I simply do not understand a couple other one star yelps as I can assure you Thom will not let anyone down so there is definitely another side to those stories that have nothing to do with GEI Tax Services period. He is a tax teacher, great family man and a friend as well who has saved our family tens of thousands of dollars with good tax advice, planning and detailed tax returns. His prices are always very reasonable and more than fair. read more

PLEASE READ THIS!! DO NOT USE THIS MAN FOR TAXES!!!!! BEWARE!!!! My husband had been going to this man for years (way too long) when we got together.....I didnt feel confident with this Thom man from the beginning and voiced this to my husband...he NEVER saw him and he charged him a crazy amount to do his taxes at his leisure.....then my husband would owe VERY little at the end of the year.....it made no sense..... When we got married, I put my foot down to this nonsense and we went to a REAL CPA (where we still go) with a big tax firm....well she did our COMBINED TAXES (we actually had an appointment and SAW HER) she ADVISED us on things...something Thom NEVER did...please keep reading......and her fee was 1/3 the price of this hack!!! How can this be??!! Well I guess if you are willing to paying high prices for sub-par work....THOM IS YOUR MAN! As it turns out (shocker) my husband was audited....and we made the HORRIBLE mistake of letting him represent (if you want to call it that) my husband because he did the taxes after all....well to start out with he made him pay a HUGE deposit upfront and told him there may be more.....well this audit was DRAGGING on....I decided to call him and not be as nice and understanding as my husband is.....he really didnt have much to say except point the finger at mu husband and admit to missing a deadline for something, but then blamed that on the IRS......I told him from now on all contact was to be had with me.....he agreed. Well all the calls we ever got from him were asking if WE HEAVE HEARD FROM THE IRS!!?? Im sorry, isnt that what we are paying you for!!???? I asked our CPA and others who have been audited and they NEVER got calls from their CPA's asking these idiotic questions....I guess thats the difference between a TAX GUY and a CPA!! Well his office called my husband YET AGAIN ( and Thom had been informed he was working out of town and we agreed that he contact me) so my husband called me to handle it....well I called and (firmly) asked him what about our agreement to contact me....he freaked out....told me he will not be yelled at (which I was not...just irritated) when i tried to speak again he HUNG UP ON ME!! I tried calling back...answering machine...HOW PROFESSIONAL!!! 2 days later we got all of my husbands files (just stuffed in boxes after my husband had them in order) and he told my husband HE QUIT!!! Not after taking the thousands of dollars from him and telling him he wanted more but was being generous and not making him pay the extra thousands!!! This man didnt get us ONE PENNY off the audit and pretty much DID NOTHING except take thousands of dollars....it was offensive, unprofessional, rude, and a little bit of a blessing at the same time..... We now know why he was audited......Thom put my husband in a HUGE RED ZONE with deductions and NEVER advised him on any of it! I asked him why he never advised him, his response to me was "its not my job to advise him, I just do the taxes" HEY JERK! THAT IS YOUR JOB!!!! So we now have a qualified CPA to take care of the audit....she said she will not be calling us asking if we have heard anything over and over...and wait for it.....SHE IS SO MUCH LESS MONEY!!!!! If Thom reads this, he will respond with lies (as he has over and over) or make a fake profile pretending one of his "clients" is defending him....... I hope anyone who uses this POS reads this, as well as potential clients considering using him and goes with a REAL CPA!!!! You will save money, have better taxes and not get screwed if you get audited...... LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES!! DO NOT GET YOUR TAXES DONE HERE!!! We are currently in talks with an attorney to see if there is anything we can do.......which may or may not be the case.....however Im just happy this HACK is out of our lives FOR GOOD! read more

Thom has done my taxes for my sole proprietorship, then my S-corp since the mid 1980's!! For a while, I followed my bookkeeper's advice to switch to use a CPA in Pasadena who charged less, but boy did that cost us -- a lot ! [a huge basic error by that CPA firm led to later IRS liens and IRS taking money from bank account and having to get big loans from our IRA's and life insurance policies to pay the overdue taxes due to the stupid error- it was ugly!] I'm so so glad I went back to Thom for straightup honest advice and correct tax returns and his office admins are friendly, fast, helpful, and Thom makes himself so available for questions, always teaching, always sharing his vast knowledge of tax policies, trends, and legal ways to take advantage of the tax code! His webinar for small businesses at the time of the CARES Act was invaluable. I don't know where I would be without him and his wonderful service-oriented business. read more

I would like to thank my accountant, Thom Swick, and his company for their services. He has helped me several times and was able to resolve my difficult tax situations along with his very qualified tax team. If someone is looking for an excellent CPA, please contact him at (818)243-4300 Helen Elliott President H.E.E. Consultants read more

I started getting my taxes done with GEI in 2008. I made the same amount of money in 2007 as in 2008 and had basically the same living situation as the previous years but prepared my taxes with another tax guy and was charged only $100. But in 2008 after preparing my taxes with GEI, the difference in my return was about $3,000. Thom really knows EVERYTHING about the tax code and how to get the biggest LEGAL return you can get. When I sit down with him to do my taxes he explains everything thoroughly and if you don't understand something he'll kindly go over it again until you get it. I was originally recommended to him by a co-worker and I am VERY satisfied with his services and feel obligated to do my due diligence and recommend him to everyone!. Yes, he does charge more, but it's worth every penny. I paid him about $450 last year but again, if he's getting me a return that's $3,000 more than the previous year, what's the extra $350? What's so great about him too is that he'll have set days when he'll go out to Fullerton or San Diego for a day and prepare your taxes closer to where you live. To me that just shows that not only is he committed to his clients, it shows me that people from all over Southern California know GEI and trust him with their taxes. I'm not saying everyone will get a $3,000 increase in their return, but what I'm saying is that you'll get your taxes done thoroughly and whatever you get back or owe will be the right amount. read more

This is the best place to go to for taxes and especially for corporations. Thom has so much experience and expertise, he is worth every single cent! He is the only tax person we've had that actually cares about us as people, and not just trying to make a dollar. He is incredible helpful, and has saved us TONS. His expertise alone is worth it all. My husband and I recommend him to everyone we meet. I honestly created a Yelp account JUST to Yelp him because of how helpful he has been to us! I highly, highly, highly recommend him! read more

My family owns a business and refered my husband to Thom, he is awesome! Before Thom, my husband payed through the nose, but thanks to Thom the expert those days are gone!!! We reccomend him to all our friends and family. read more

I really enjoy working with Thom Swick and his staff. He is there to answer all of my questions any time of the day free of charge...just a phone call away. His knowledge of the field is extensive. Tax season for me is very stressful, but I know that I will be well taken care of with GEI Tax and Financial Services. read more

I happened to be on the site today and saw the review from Aneesa H. I wasn't surprised. I'VE BEEN USING GEI FOR YEARS; THEY'RE GREAT AND WORTH EVERY PENNY AND MORE! They have saved me a great deal of money. I was there picking up my taxes when she was in their office. She stood out in my mind because she was so rude to me when I asked Magdalena a question. She came in thinking she would owe a great deal of money and said that her taxes were simple. Magdalena spent a great deal of time with her trying to reduce what she would probably owe. I left the office shortly there after, feeling a bit lousy over this women's rudeness. Anyway, after seeing her review, I called GEI and asked them what happened. They wouldn't say much but informed me that they were mislead as to how complex and how many forms this women had. After completing the return, GEI had gotten her back quite a few thousand dollars. However, because the return had many more forms than what the women had told them - they had the courtesy (after having completed her work) of letting her know the results and telling her that if she wasn't happy with the fee, she could get her materials back and go elsewhere. They didn't have to make this offer since they had completed the work; never having been told to stop. This woman probably isn't too bright. If I thought I was going to owe thousands and instead I got back thousands, I wouldn't mind paying more to the preparer because they had to do more forms to save me money. Oh well, it takes all kinds! I recommend GEI greatly and their kindness, education and thoroughness are unmatched! read more