*Note: CPAs may specialize in different areas. Be sure to check credentials and service offerings.*
If this is your first time working with a CPA, don’t worry — most professionals offer a free consultation and will walk you through what to expect. You may be asked to complete an intake form, share financial documents, or set clear goals for your session.
*Note: Every CPA operates a bit differently. Don’t hesitate to ask questions before committing.*
*Tip: Organize your documents in advance to save time and ensure accuracy.*
*Note: Preparation helps you make the most of your CPA’s expertise.*
*Note: Every CPA is different — take time to find one who fits your goals and style.*
7825 Fay Ave #140
La Jolla, California 92037
We first met Jim from Canter Wealth at a retirement class at Miramar College. We were so impressed with his knowledge and personable personality that we signed up to hear in person what he could do for our portfolio. Needless to say, we are so happy and relieved to have our retirement in Jim?s hands. Canter Wealth has been a huge relief for our financial future and the entire staff is beyond kind, fun and knowledgeable. So professional. Thank you Canter Wealth! Thank you Jim!
This is THE place to go to get your finances in order. One on one review with Jim was what I needed. He was very patient and thorough. I thought I had my finances in order and found out I didn't. No hassle review was done and I feel more positive about my money and where I have it. Thanks, Jim. Great job! And a shout out to Landon for our initial conversation. Go see Canter Wealth and you will be glad you did!
We initially met Jaron and Landon when we attended a Tax & Retirement course they gave at a local HS. We found the course very informative and took up Jaron's offer at a closer look at our finances and retirement preparedness. It was complimentary with no expectation to use Canter Wealth to manage our assets. Again the personal meeting was very informative and gave us a great view of our overall financial health.
Canter Wealth's Aiden Cox provided us a comprehensive, well thought out, and insightful assessment of our financial situation. His recommendations were ones we could implement effectively right away while planning for the next phase in our financial planning journey. Thank you!
I had two great experiences working with Jaron. He was super knowledgeable and really took the time to understand my situation. I liked the his approach and the detail he provided.
Having had experiences with other financial groups and individuals, I found Landon Flynn at Canter Wealth to be exceptional in all aspects. His attention to detail in telling me about the classes and what to expect made me well-prepared for the meetings, which I found extremely informative. His upbeat tone on the phone was matched by his genuine enthusiasm when meeting him before classes began. He is a great welcoming ambassador for his company.
I am so happy that I took the opportunity to take the Retirement and Tax class. It's an amazing price for the information provided, the book and the private appointment they offer you. All the information has help me feel more empowered and ready for retirement. Th staff is profession and helpful. Landon did a great job of sending information about the class and creates a welcoming atmosphere. Jim leads a great info session and goes the extra mile for his clients. Don't miss out on taking this class!
I'm grateful for the excellent service, advice, and planning Aiden provided. He helped me put things into perspective and assisted in preparing me for a more successful retirement. I first attended his 'Tax & Retirement Planning' class. It was informative and it covered a complete overview of key Financial & Tax planning, Investments, and Retirement Income concepts. Aiden is an incredibly knowledgeable and communicative professional. He answered all my questions in a clear and concise manner that even a fi
We are incredibly grateful to Jaron and Mike at Canter Wealth for the time and care they put into understanding our unique financial situation. From the start, Jaron made us feel heard, patiently walking us through every detail and ensuring we were comfortable with the process. We were especially impressed with the detailed analysis and report they created for us, which provided clarity on where we stand financially. Their thoughtful advice helped us map out a clear path to achieve our goals. Jaron and M
Michael Bernier and the entire Canter Wealth team (like Min Jo) have been awesome to work with. They're everything you could ask for?attentive, helpful, on top of everything, and they make sure you are, too! The service Michael has provided has been so much better than we received from the private client team at the big banks. His advice has helped us clean up more than we ever expected. We're really looking forward to implementing his long term plan, and more so, we're looking forward to working with him t
There are not enough starts to rate Canter Wealth. I've had the privilege of working with Michael Canzone. He has been an integral part of my mindset, financial journey, and planning for my future. He is very knowledge and has a desire to truly help you reach your financial goals. As a result, he has made things easier for me to understand. He was very prompt with his responses and made sure I understood everything we discussed prior to moving on with our conversation. His expertise, support, and guidance i
My husband and I met with Bobby and he was very knowledgeable about everything we discussed - we were impressed! It meant a lot that he took the time to truly understand our financial / life goals and I would recommend Canter Wealth to anyone looking for a skilled team who actually cares!
I met Jim Mellon at Canter Wealth, He was highly recommended by my tax preparer. Jim and the team at Canter Wealth are very professional and great to work with, and they explain the process so I could understand it. And if I have questions he is always there to answer, or get the answers! Thank you Jim!
The tax and retirement course that Landon Flynn and Luke Podbury hosted taught me so much about finances and investing for retirement and how much tax also impacts our retirement. Luke met with me individually to answer all my questions and to help me develop a solid financial plan to support my future. I highly recommend the course and Canter Wealth for your finance advice. They truly care and went the extra mile to ensure I was educated about finances and had a plan to move forward with to be successful.
I attended the Tax & Retirement Planning Education course taught by Michael Canzone. I found the course informative, relevant, clear, and concise. Included with the course is a one-on-one session, which was fantastic. Michael's advice is straightforward and sensible. On top of that, he is also a really nice guy and clearly enjoys his profession. I am extremely satisfied and happy that I decided to take the course and visit the office for the personal session. I would definitely recommend Michael to others l
This review is dedicated to Luke P who deserves five stars. I had only met with a financial advisor once before and being a novice in financial planning, I was impressed by Luke's ability to simplify complex systems. Within the first five minutes, he provided me with valuable insights. Our conversation went on for over an hour and Luke was able to present a simple and effective plan that catered to my needs, introducing me to concepts I had not heard of before. If you plan on visiting Canter Wealth, I hig
My husband, Bob, and I have been with Canter Wealth since 2019. We met our financial advisor, Jim Mellon, at a retirement strategy class he taught at USD. He was so easy to understand, very knowledgeable, and had a great sense of humor. After our free consultation, we knew we would love to have Jim as our financial advisor. He helped both of us with the myriad decisions as we both transitioned into retirement. He did many three way calls to our employers, gave advice and brought questions to his team to hel
I attended a Tax and Retirement Planning Education course taught by Jim Mellon and it was the best course that I have ever attended!! His discussion was at a level where everyone could have a significant benefit from this course no matter what your age is and how close you are to retirement. I have 28 years as a tax professional and I have started my own Personal Financial Planning journey to become a Certified Financial Planner in the future and this course covered my entire eight semester course Persona
Jim and his team have done a fantastic job helping us with our finances. They Always explain everything in a very understandable way. Jim takes all the day to day worry out of our finances for us so that we can concentrate on enjoying our lives.
My husband and I have been retired for 3 years. Jim Mellon at Canter Wealth has been instrumental in guiding us through this exciting time in our life. With Jim's help and the support from Canter Wealth we have been able to make informed decisions about our financial future. We have found Canter Wealth's guidance on investments and tax strategies invaluable. Jim has made himself available to answer all of our questions at anytime. He has also helped educate us on the complexities of the ever changing stock
It has been a pleasure and comfort to work with Michael Canzone at Canter Wealth to ensure our families financial security. His expertise as well as his caring manner is what we were looking for in someone to help guide us in our financial investments and planning for the future. He took the time to get to know us and our goals for our future. His knowledge has given us peace of mind to know he is looking out for our best interest and is always there to answer any questions which is why we highly recomme
I've been working on my retirement plan with Luke Podbury at Canter Wealth since completing the Tax & Retirement Planning Education course which he taught. The course was very informative and detailed. It covered retirement topics including financial basics, retirement income (SS benefits, traditional IRAs, pension plans, 401k, etc), investments, risk management, and estate planning. After several one-on-one sessions with Luke, I've gained invaluable information, specifically how to move assets from one poo
After having taken a "retirement class" led by Aiden Cox, my wife and I had the pleasure of also having Aiden review our finances to assess whether we were ready to retire and what that would look like. He did an amazing job identifying areas that we'd never considered such as the bite taxation takes even in retirement, how to re-structure savings to avoid taxation, insurance needs, long term care considerations, where investment risk should be placed etc. He was extremely polite, attentive and knowledgea
I took the Financial Strategies for Successful Retirement class recently and it was well worth my time and a great value. Michael talks fast, but explains with such detail that he is easy to follow and understand. I was interested in learning more about how I am doing with retirement in the future, I'm in my 50s now, and after taking the class and then meeting with Michael for the complementary hour-long one-to-one meeting I better understand what I should be doing over the next several years. I have a son
The team at Canter Wealth are exceptional at what they do everyday! This is what I believe to be the highest level of customer service, support, and products. Thank you all. Landon, Jim and Min Jo. R Michael
Working with Canter has been helpful and very informative. I feel they have my best interests in mind and will guide me safely into retirement. I can't tell you the sense of relief and comfort this gives me looking toward my future/next chapter.
We have been working with Mike for about 10 years . Because of Mike?s careful planning and Canter Wealth?s investment strategy we are able to enjoy our new freedom as retirees ! Mike is knowledgeable , calm , helpful and developed a comprehensive plan that took into account everything we needed to achieve our financial goals. He is very easy to work with and we would recommend him highly 5 stars from us . Fred and Lora
I'm very happy with the personal attention and assistance that I received from Canter Wealth. I inherited some complicated accounts that I didn't want and the office helped me figure out how to get out of them. They also keep great records for me and made doing my taxes much easier.
Our experience with Canter Wealth has been unlike any other wealth management firm we have worked with. The team at Canter Wealth has been incredibly helpful in creating a balanced investment strategy for our family that helps us today and equally as important, the future. We have already recommended several friends to work with Canter Wealth and will continue to do so.
Professionalism and attention to our individual needs is the key to Canter which was demonstrated in all our meetings with Jaron Beach. They provided a thorough review and guidance toward our desired plan and targets. Highly recommend them!
My family and I recently went online looking for an Advisor/Firm to advise my family's complicated situation. We were immediately contacted by a man who very professionally asked about our situation and what we were looking for in an advisor. He then explained how they worked as a company and how they could help us. Without feeling any pressure, he set an appointment for us to meet with one of their advisors, and we are so happy we did. The entire Canter team has gone above and beyond!
Our interactions with Canter Wealth have been consistently excellent! We feel confident with our retirement plan and have peace of mind that we are financially secure. Responses to our requests are prompt and professional from every person that has helped us. Thank-you Bobby, Joe, and Min Jo!
The team at Canter Wealth is the incredible. I highly recommend using them for all of your wealth management needs. They take the time to get to know their clients, understand their goals, and carefully and thoughtfully build a plan to achieve them. My wife and I have been very impressed by the team, their communication and the overall experience. 5 stars all the way.
Great, personalized service by Landon and Aiden. It was a good move for me as I move closer to retirement.
My family has been with Canter Wealth for three years, but has been with Mike Bernier of Canter Wealth for about seven years. Mike is extremely knowledgeable, remembers everything you tell him, is always on top of things, is accessible, and explains things clearly. I no longer have to worry about whether we have enough to live on when we retire. For its clients interested in learning more about investments, Canter Wealth holds periodic webinars. And, its clients have the benefit of interacting with the
We took an in person Tax & Retirement Education Class and it was great!! We learned so much and were able to get a full evaluation of where we are currently. With some years to go before retirement, all this information will help guide us to make the best decisions in the near future..which will definitely help create a better and more comfortable retirement for us!! Thanks for the wealth of knowledge and the time spent showing us all the right things to do. Definitely Recommend this group!!
In a sea of deceit and mistrust between client and wealth manager, the advisory business is a challenging one to navigate for anyone, even if you are a savvy investor. It's akin to the old "car mechanic swindler" in your local community. It is truly refreshing to share that Canter Wealth Management (the entire team, Bobby & Min particularly) differentiates themselves by truly placing the goals of the client first, even if they stand to not profit or make any gains. The consultative and authentic advisory ap
I highly recommend Canter Wealth. I attended their retirement planning workshop and it was extremely helpful in allowing me to plan for my early retirement. Michael Canzone provides top-notch advice and truly cares about your success!
Excellent company. Our experience has been great. They are courteous, professional, always keep us updated, and are available whenever we call with a question or need clarity on anything. We highly recommend them. We appreciate Jim Mellon who is amazing.
Landon at Canter Wealth, to put things simply, is a great guy. Honest, ethical, and personable. A sociable guy with particular knowledge of the financial services industry. I would trust him with my money.
Michael provided us great information and confirmation about our retirement strategy. In a friendly, low key, and trustworthy sessions. Thank you Michael!
Had a pleasant and productive introductory zoom call with Micheal. Micheal is knowledgeable, down to earth, and attentive. Looking forward to our follow up meeting. Thank you, Jim
As long-time clients of Cantor Wealth we have enjoyed and appreciated the attention to our financial planning through many life changes these past several years. The team is committed and responsive to our questions and our goals.
My family and I have been so pleased and impressed with the entire Canter Wealth team. So professional and have treated us like family throughout the entire time that we've been working with them.
The absolute best decision my family and I ever made was working with Canter Wealth. The entire team is amazing! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!
We have had Canter Wealth as Our Financial Advisor going on Four Years . The Team they're directed by B. Gahvari has always been attentive to our account and helpful in planning for our future. Michael B.
I met with Michael C. via their financial planning course and I was so impressed with his professionalism, knowledge, and desire to provide assistance. I never got a hard sell and he provided a wealth of information that has put me in a better place for my financial future.
Michael was courteous, knowledgeable and very direct. Appreciated his candidness and easy to talk with. Gave great advice and knowledgeable. Great source for information. Highly recommend.
I have been a client of Jim Mellon for years now. The entire firm is very caring and Jim, especially has gone above and beyond when helping with my finances. I would highly recommend Jim and Canter
The Canter Wealth team has been helping my wife and I manage our investments for over 5 years now. They are a knowledgable and trustworthy crew!!
I've been with Mike Canzone at Canter Wealth for many years and have been very happy with his advice and help with my financial planning.
It was a pleasure working with Luke. He was very thorough in his assessment and easy/pleasant to talk to.
I was able to get some insights about tax reduced and inflation adjusted core investment along with more riskier investments that suits my style. Planning to follow up in a few months.
Jim Mellon went above and beyond to save my friend and his client from a shady financial situation. My friend is back on track financially.
Michael is a go to guy. He gave me all options clearly and what to do next. I recommend him for sure.
Jim Mellon is sincere, hard-working, and honest.
Everyone there super helpful and patient. Always available to answer questions and we know our investments are in good hands.
Canter Wealth is progressive, intelligent and trustworthy. 5 star service.
Jim Mellon is great to work with professional, informative and personable.
It's been a pleasure to work with this amazing team.
I found these guys online and I'm so glad that I did!
Great group, very positive
Very professional and we learnt a lot.
Look for a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license, which ensures they’ve passed rigorous exams and meet state requirements. Check for relevant experience in your industry, additional certifications like CFA or CMA, and membership in professional organizations like the AICPA. Verify their credentials through state licensing boards.
Use online directories like the AICPA, CPAverify, or state CPA societies. Search platforms like Yelp or Google for local CPAs with reviews. Ask for referrals from business associates, friends, or financial advisors. Local chambers of commerce can also provide recommendations.
A CPA is a licensed professional who has passed the CPA exam and met state requirements for education and experience. An accountant may lack this certification and could have varying levels of expertise. For complex tasks like tax audits or financial reporting, a CPA is typically more qualified.
Ask about their experience with your specific financial needs, such as tax preparation, small business accounting, or estate planning. Review their website or LinkedIn for case studies or client testimonials. Inquire about their client base to ensure they handle similar financial situations.
Yes, reviews provide insight into a CPA’s reliability, communication, and performance. Check platforms like Google, Yelp, or the Better Business Bureau for client feedback. Look for patterns in reviews, but verify their authenticity, as some may be biased or outdated.
Visit your state’s Board of Accountancy website or use CPAverify.org to check a CPA’s license status. Confirm their license is active and check for any disciplinary actions or complaints. This ensures they’re in good standing and meet professional standards.
Ask about their experience with your financial needs, fee structure, availability, and communication style. Inquire how they handle tax filings, audits, or financial planning. Ask for references or examples of similar work to assess their expertise and fit.
Fees vary based on location, services, and complexity. Basic tax preparation may cost $150-$500, while business accounting or audits can range from $1,000 to $10,000+. Request a detailed fee structure upfront and compare quotes from multiple CPAs.
Yes, many CPAs offer remote services through secure online platforms for document sharing and virtual consultations. Ensure they use encrypted tools for data security. Remote CPAs can be effective if they understand your local tax laws or business regulations.
During consultations, evaluate their ability to explain complex financial concepts clearly. Ask sample questions about taxes or financial strategies and note their responsiveness and clarity. Good communication ensures you understand their advice and fosters a productive relationship.
Beware of CPAs who guarantee specific tax refunds, lack a valid license, or have disciplinary actions on record. Avoid those with poor communication, vague fee structures, or negative reviews highlighting unethical behavior. Always verify their credentials independently.
Large firms offer more resources and specialized teams but may charge higher fees. Solo practitioners often provide personalized service and lower costs but may have limited availability. Choose based on your needs, budget, and preference for personalized attention.
For individuals, annual meetings for tax preparation may suffice. Businesses may need quarterly or monthly check-ins for bookkeeping, tax planning, or financial reporting. Discuss your needs upfront to establish a meeting schedule that aligns with your financial goals.
Yes, many CPAs handle both, but confirm their expertise in both areas. Ask about their experience managing personal taxes and business accounting simultaneously. Ensure they can balance both without compromising attention to your specific financial needs.
Discuss concerns directly with your CPA to resolve issues. If unresolved, check your contract for termination terms. Seek a new CPA by researching reviews, credentials, and referrals. Request your financial records to ensure a smooth transition to a new professional.