Faruk was a pleasure to work with! As we wanted to plan further for our future, our goal was to…read moreidentify areas where we are doing well and can improve upon. From the start, Faruk was personable and clear in communicating his services along with having a genuine interest in what our expectations were from this exercise. Fast forward a month, we have gained invaluable clarity and actionable next steps for our finances. Today, we still reference learnings and information shared by Faruk to help influence any financial decisions we may or will make. 100% would recommend Faruk to any family looking to understand their finances.

Faruk is a fantastic guy. I feel very fortunate to have crossed paths with him. He has been great…read moreat setting up our investments to be positioned well, even when the market is volatile. He has consistently grown my investments since working with him (not by single digit percentages either). He is very attentive and always takes the time to explain goals/positions clearly. Faruk is also very friendly, approachable, and genuinely cares about my financial goals. I trust his judgment and appreciate his proactive approach. I highly recommend him!

I have been to this bank a few times. I think the employees are very kind and knowledgeable! Seems…read morelike team work! BC I know customers service u have to be on your p&q! The supervisor Niki seems to be kind and also very knowledgeable. Thank you BMO bank. Great team work!

As lawsuits pile up on BMO for illegal activity you need to bail out of this bank before they steal…read moreyour money. I deposited a ton of cash today and then was told the computer froze and the funds won't be ready until they call me back and say it's ready. I asked for the money back and they refused claiming it's not in the computer. BMO is a one big ponzi scheme. The branch manager is the rudest woman I have ever encountered in my life. Get out while you can. As of March 20, 2025, here's an overview of pending lawsuits involving Bank of Montreal (BMO) based on available information: 140+ Customers' Class Action for Transfer Fraud (2024) Over 140 BMO customers are pursuing a class-action lawsuit, claiming the bank failed to prevent fraudulent transfers totaling more than $1.5 million. Reported in April 2024, victims allege cybercriminals accessed their accounts via malware or phishing, executing unauthorized e-transfers, wire transfers, and bill payments. BMO has denied liability, asserting the transactions used correct credentials, and the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) largely sided with the bank. There's no public update on whether this suit has been formally filed or certified as of today. Vacation Pay Class Action (Certified 2024) In March 2024, the Supreme Court of British Columbia certified a class action against BMO on behalf of private wealth consultants and mortgage specialists over unpaid holiday and vacation pay. The case, involving non-unionized, commission-based employees, awaits minor amendments to the plaintiffs' pleadings. It alleges breaches of contract and duty of good faith. No resolution has been reported yet. Plan Forfeiture Lawsuit (Filed 2024) Filed in November 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, this suit accuses BMO and its benefits committee of misusing forfeited 401(k) plan assets under ERISA rules. Plaintiff John Shulak claims BMO used these funds to reduce employer contributions rather than benefit participants. BMO intends to defend vigorously, but the case remains pending. Whistleblower Retaliation Lawsuit (Filed 2024) In September 2024, former employee Todd Saran sued BMO in California's Contra Costa County Superior Court, alleging wrongful termination after he reported overcharging in BMO's "Treasury Now" FX portal. Saran claims retaliation for whistleblowing, seeking $2 million-plus in damages. BMO denies the allegations, and the case is ongoing.

We've been using Edward for several years, so this review is long overdue. He handle's our S-Corp…read moretaxes every year. We've been in business for almost 15 years in Berkeley and are so happy we've finally found Signature CPAs. Edward is not only knowledgeable, but takes the time to explain any questions we have. The advice he has to offer is excellent. His attention to detail is 11/10. We've been with several other CPAs over the years (why is it so hard to find a good one?!). Edward gets it, and gets it done quickly! Highly, highly recommend. Thank you Sig CPAs!!

This review specifically pertains to Cecily. I was not happy with the service I received recently…read morewhen I went in seeking advice on a letter I received from the IRS. Despite the fact that Cecily provided some useful information (hence the 2 and not 1 star review), her attitude and personality was abrupt and, some might say, hostile. I was stressed about the letter, and rather than try to put me to ease and reflect an attitude that "we would be able to figure it out," she was very aggressive and demanding in her questioning. I felt like I was being interrogated and this was not AT ALL what I wanted or needed as someone who was relatively new at filing my taxes and receiving my first letter from the IRS. She honestly had zero bedside manner and even if I had made a completely egregious error on my filing, I did not feel as though her approach was appropriate or skilled in any way. It's very possible that I misread Cecily and that she was trying to be helpful and this was her way of doing that but I honestly think she might want to know that her clients may very well have this reaction to her given that she likely deals with a large client base. To be fair, I will say that I was with my Fiancé during the meeting and she did not have the same intensely negative reaction as me, however I usually do not feel this way after receiving face-to-face services and therefor feel compelled to write this review. I was also not prepared for the $135 she charged me for a 22 minute meeting. She was not up front about this prior to the meeting when I spoke with her over the phone. I understand now that this is her consultation fee but was confused because I know that places like H&R Block meet for free in advance of services agreed upon during the consultation. This was the worst customer service I have received in a very long time.

Professional and Reliable Property Management I have been…read moreworking with The Cal Agents since 2025 to manage my house rental in the Bay Area, and it has been a consistently positive experience. Key Highlights: 1. Exceptional Team: I've had the pleasure of working with Wilsen, Ahyeza, Chris, Patricia, Jana, Fiona, Nikki, and Ramiro. They are professional, attentive, and easy to collaborate with. 2. Problem Solvers: One of their greatest strengths is that they never shy away from a hard problem. Whether it's a maintenance issue or a tenant concern, they tackle it head-on with a level of responsiveness that is hard to find. 3. Trusted Partnership: When you are looking for a partner to manage an investment property, creating an empathetic and caring relationship with the tenants is the most important factor. They have proven themselves to be reliable stewards of my property. Pro-Tip for Owners: Because they manage a diverse portfolio of both condos and houses, I found that providing clear context on my specific expectations for house-level marketing and maintenance from the start created a great feedback loop. Their receptiveness to this high level of communication is exactly why our partnership works so well; it ensures everyone is aligned from day one. Overall: If you need a team that is responsive and capable of handling the complexities of the Bay Area rental market, I highly recommend The Cal Agents.

So I am in the process of finding an agent or company to rent out a family home. I put the need out…read moreon Yelp and received several responses. I spoke to one agent, then made an appointment to have calls with others. The Cal Agents called me, and in less than a minute I realized it was someone from a Philippine call center. What a slap in the face. Outsourcing is a hot button issue, and I will NEVER share personal information with someone overseas, but also: WHY? Are they too busy for a two minute call to make that connection? Introduce themselves? Answer relevant questions? And perhaps MOST CLOYING: is this the same company that employs those same call centers to make masked cold calls asking to buy our property? HARD PASS.

Exceptional! I…read morereached out to Kenny about multiple insurance products - long term care, term life, whole life. Let me step back and say this first - My family has a long history of buying all sorts of insurance over the last 30 years. In that time, we have met many people in the insurance industry across various roles. With that context in mind let me say this. Kenny is amongst the most thorough, knowledgeable, and helpful people I have ever met. He is not trying to just "sell you something." Instead he works hard to understand why it is that you think you need the insurance you have asked him about, he uses his intellect and creativity to suggest other options if they are appropriate (his feedback many times proved better than my own initial assumptions and work), and wants above all to help you. He is responsive, razor sharp, and high integrity. I started this review with the word "exceptional" - well, there is "exceptional" and then there is "truly exceptional" and then there is "rarely seen level of exceptionalism" - and for me, Kenny is just that.

Was overwhelmed with trying to figure out my financial future, and Kenny took the reins. He was…read morepatient, comprehensive, and extremely helpful in providing lots of options. Definitely a trusted provider that I can't recommend enough.

Pedram has been managing my property for some years now. Insurance in California has become a…read morenightmare and we had to jump through so many hoops including replacing all the electrical and a large number of punchlist items all within a 30 day period or we were going to be cancelled. He handled the entire list well before the deadline. A ton of logistics to say the lease!!

My husband and I rented from BEM for 3 years. Pedram and his team were excellent in handling all of…read moreour needs throughout the time we spent with them including an apartment flood. We highly recommend working with BEM for any future residents or landlords in the Bay Area!

I can't recommend Lilia and her financial classes enough. She's fabulous! She's caring, thorough…read moreand supportive. She really knows her stuff: long and short term investing and how the markets work. I made $6,000 in one day using an Options Earnings strategy I learned in her workshop. I first met Lilia through Albany Adult School. She was teaching 3 levels of finances. I learned all about the dow jones, technical analysis, different kinds of investments, tax planning, how ipo's work, and much more. She specializes in options trading. She left the adult school to open her own investment academy. She now teaches online. Check out her website: MoneyAndLilia.blogspot.com. There's info on her classes plus tons of links for other financial information. There's a lot to know in the world of finances, and it's easy to make mistakes... and to get taken advantage of! Remember Bernie Madoff?? I'm so glad I understand how money works. It's essential to know! Lilia is a high quality teacher. Don't miss an opportunity to learn from her.

From the owner: Lilia's Investing Academy offers online, private training in basic investing (in the stock market)…read moreand in options trading. With options, you can generate additional monthly income or protect your portfolio from a potential downturn in the stock market.