*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.*
7964 Arjons Dr H200
San Diego, California 92126
I had an excellent experience working with Darryl at Top Hat Tax & Financial Services on my 2024 tax return. From start to finish, the process was smooth, professional and incredibly thorough. He took the time to answer all my questions, explain the details clearly, and made sure everything was filed accurately and on time. What really stood out was the level of care and attention to detail. I felt confident that I was in good hands the entire time. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, trustworthy CPA wh
I've file my taxes with Darryl , and I couldn't be happier with his service. He's knowledgeable, professional, and always goes the extra mile to make sure you get the maximum refund you're eligible for. Not only is his work excellent, but his rates are also very affordable. Darryl takes the time to explain everything clearly, answers all your questions, and makes the entire tax process stress-free. I truly appreciate his attention to detail and the care he puts into making sure nothing is missed. Highly re
If you're looking for someone who truly knows their stuff when it comes to tax preparation and financial advice, look no further than Darryl A. Hale, EA, owner of Top Hat Tax & Financial Services. As a professional and former business owner myself, I can truly appreciate working with someone like him. He has been fantastic in managing my tax preparation and providing valuable financial insights. He always files my tax returns on time, even when I occasionally send my documents a bit late. His willingness to
I've been doing my taxes with Top Hat Tax & Financial Services for 15 years, and I can't recommend them enough. Darryl is incredibly professional, knowledgeable, and always prompt. Even after I moved out of state, he continued to work with me seamlessly, which speaks volumes about his dedication and reliability. Year after year, he makes the process smooth and stress-free. It's rare to find someone so consistent and trustworthy ? I truly appreciate the excellent service I've received. If you're looking for
My previous CPA of 15+ years suddenly retired due to health problems and I needed a new CPA I could trust. I searched longer than I should have, but it was worth the effort. After meeting referral references that did not work out, I found Top Hat online and set up a meeting with Darryl. We discussed my current financial situation and I felt comfortable with his knowledge and business process. We met in person a few times when needed, but all correspondence was handled through secure messaging and file t
Darryl at Top Hat is a Top Notch tax preparer/financial consultant. He makes you feel very much at home. He takes his time and explains the process to which you can understand it. This was our third year getting taxes done and it's definitely has changed our lives for the better. Thank you Darryl and staff for all that you do. I highly recommend this establishment for your financial needs
Darryl At Top Hat has been doing my taxes for 5 years and he has made the process which once was nerve wracking very easy. I came to him after doing my complicated personal taxes for years and they were a mess!... He was patient and very competitive in his initial work guiding me through the corrections needed. After that first year I knew I trusted him with my taxes going forward. I met Darryl while living in San Diego, CA. Since I've moved to another state and he has continue to do my taxes each year.
Darryl has done my taxes for years and his professionalism, knowledge, and friendly demeanor always puts me at ease. I recently retired and he took the time to explain best practices re: estimated tax payment procedures which was very helpful. I have reached out to Darryl regarding tax questions many times and he has never failed to provide me the answers I need in a timely manner. When it's that time of year...go see Darryl at Top Hat Tax...
Darryl has been preparing my taxes for about 20 years now. Even when I had job transfer out of state for few years, did those too. One year my govt employer made a huge error on my W2 (which I did not know it was at the time). This was extremely stressful for me as they were claiming I owed that a huge amount of $. Darryl immediately handled it to eliminate any additional stress for me with a positive end result as I did NOT owe them anything. He is knowledgeable, efficient, patient, easy to communicate
Darryl is awesome! He responds quickly and really knows his way around the tax code. I've struggled for years to find someone great to help me with my taxes and was thrilled to find Top Hat! Highly recommend.
Top Hat Tax has been a reliable accounting service for me both personally and professionally. They've handled my personal taxes, as well as those of two of my businesses, with accuracy, clarity, and outstanding service for four years. They are knowledgeable, responsive, and always take the time to explain things in a way that makes sense. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for reliable and professional tax support!
My wife and I have been going to Darryl for our taxes for several years now. He's the most down to earth person to work with and very transparent as well. We enjoy coming to Darryl yearly and seeing him work his magic. You will be in good hands!
I need a good tax professional for filing my first business tax return for the first time and Darryl at Top Hat was recommended. He made the process very easy with their secure portal to upload documents, review and sign. Very professional environment with complimentary snacks :) Top Hat is now my CPA for all of my accounting needs. Oh and he also review a previous year tax return because of an audit and is saving me over $5K in tax payment.
I had a great experience working with Darryl at Top Hat Tax & Financial. He was very kind, helpful and responsive?especially when I had some last-minute requests. Highly recommend!
Darryl did a great job on my taxes!! He answered all my questions whenever I called. Very nice guy and always in his office. My last tax preparation lady would never talk on the phone!
Darryl is very knowledgeable and takes the time to explain clearly anything we don't understand or have questions about. He's also very personable and was able to schedule to see us very quickly. We highly recommend his tax services!
Darryl at TopHat tax was excellent. He was patient and thoughtful with my questions and helped me gain a better overall understanding of things. Friendly and professional through and through. Definitely consider him for your tax/accounting needs!
Darryl at Top Hat has done our taxes for the last few years. He is the best ever. My wife is a retired CPA and wasn't a tax CPA but reviews the work. We have had numerous tax return companies over many years including CPAs, Tax Lawyers, and others. None have been satisfactory and my wife has corrected serious errors with previous firms. At close to filing time our previous Tax Law Firm did such a poor job we cancelled with them and found Top Hat. Darryl met with us and reviewed the return that was not
Top Hat is top notch. Darryl is always quick to answer your questions and does an amazing job keeping my taxes in order. I recommend him often and alwayget positive feedback.
When our previous tax guy retired we were at a loss as to who we could trust to do our taxes. We are so lucky to have found Darryl at Top Hat Tax & Financial. Thank you so much Darryl for helping us out!
Finances and taxes started getting too complex to manage confidently. Have been working with Daryl for a couple years now, he has made managing our finances simple and easy in our end. If you're looking for some help in this area I would recommend sitting down for a consultation.
Top Hat has been doing our taxes for 2 years now and the service has been excellent! Daryl is very kind and knowledgeable, taking great care to provide a painless filing experience.
Top Hat Tax and Financial, Darryl A. Hale, EA, came to our rescue when we had a difficult tax issue that TurboTax and other sources could not address. Darryl is efficient, professional, knowledgable AND a pleasure to work with! We recomment Top Hat completely.
Darryl Hale is excellent and thoughtful in his approach. We're so glad we found Darryl in a very complicated tax situation. He has been a great resource and we continue to lean on his support and expertise.
Darryl and his team at top hat tax have been the best. We went through a nightmare years ago with our previous tax guy . Darryl helped us with tons of mistakes our other tax guy did. Since then its been so smooth and a pleasure working with darryl
First time I used Top Hat tax services. I found them to be very reliable, responsive and dedicated to filing my return on time and accurate. They are easy to work with and exchange information so the process is smooth.
Daryl Hale ( Top Hat Taxes), Has been doing our taxes for a good ten years. He has always been very professional and very through with our taxes. When he first started doing our taxes we lived in the San Diego Da area. We moved to Phoenix Az area a little over 3 years ago. He continues to do our taxes.
My husband and I have been using Darryl for 10+ years now. He is very perfessional and efficient with our taxes. Wouldn't go to anyone else. Highly recommend!!!
We had a good experience having our tax done with Darrly. He was very responsive to our questions patient and understanding and quick with our taxes with great future suggestions in our small business.
?I can't recommend Top Hat Tax enough. I was in a tough spot with my taxes and feeling overwhelmed, but they stepped in with calm professionalism and deep expertise. They not only resolved the issue quickly but also explained everything clearly along the way. Truly a lifesaver!?
I reached out to Darryl last year to help me with a new, more complex tax situation that I had no business figuring out on my own. I'm very glad I did and will continue to use Top Hat Tax in the future!
Darryl was very knowledgeable and answered many questions and made my tax filing a breeze. Will definitely be using again next year.
Darryl Hale is very responsive and professional. He's always been great to us. Highly recommend.
Darryl is great to work with. He's really transparent about what needs to be done and can be easily reached. ??
Top Hat is an excellent tax service. All was done in a few days and was easy and painless. We highly recommend Top Hat Financial Services.
I always had a very good experience with Darryl. He is knowledgeable, informative and very patient in explaining the details. Highly recommend him
I've been working with Top Hat Tax for 5 years and it's been great. Always a good service and trustworthy. I highly recommend it.
I been using Top Hat for many years, he is so detail and courtesy on every detail, a professional company that I highly recommend.
I've had my taxes done with Top Hat for 3 years now and I couldn't be happier. Will definitely be back again next year!
Mr. Hale is a consummate professional, just an amazing person and an incredible accountant. The only person (and company) that I trust with my taxes.
Patient, professional, prompt and extremely knowledgeable. They are available locally and virtually which makes life that much easier. 10/10 recommend
Darryl, is awesome! Flexible and thorough; honest man and veteran too! Thanks Darryl!
I love doing my taxes with Darryl. Its fast, efficient, and great customer service!
Great company.All my needs were taken care of professionally in a timely manner.I recommended them to some friends and they all loved their experience as well.
Top hat tax made filing my taxes quick, easy , trustworthy and accurate. Will definitely be using this service again next year.
I've been working with this firm for the past two years and they've been great! Friendly knowledgeable staff. Will continue to work with them.
My wife always did our complicated taxes and when she suffered with a terminal illness I was lost and in such a big mess. It was such a tough time but Darryl helped us more than I can say and I am forever grateful.
TOP HAT HAS BEEN VERY GOOD. I HEARTILY RECOMMEND THEM. I HAVE BEEN USING THEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
I've been with Top Hat Tax for over 20 years!!! The relationship is priceless, I've always been treated like family. Darryl works overtime to make sure I receive the most in my tax return and offers awesome money management advice. Darryl and his team members always keep the customer first. Choosing to work with Top Hat Tax is the best decision you can make for yourself.... especially during these unprecedented times. Darryl will always translate to his customers what the current changes (tax laws) are and
Always very helpful in all of our conversations and try to get the best returns on our taxes
After 5 years of having my taxes prepared by Darryl, I can easily recommend his services. He is more than willing to answer all of you questions and his knowledge of the tax system and the IRS is top notch. I'm very satisfied with my decision to trust Darryl with my taxes.
Very accommodating and helpful when I was in a tight timeline! Thank you for your help and follow up all this time!!
I've been a loyal customer of Top Hat Tax & Financial Services for 15+ years -- from delivering my paperwork in person to uploading documents directly online. From day one I've been impressed with the business and the quick results I experience every income tax season. Even moving to the Las Vegas area has afforded me the opportunity to stay connected thanks to the owner, Darryl A. Hale. If you need a financial consultant, contact Mr. Hale!!!
In 2017 the IRS said we owed them $53 K. Fast forward, my husband passed away 2/18/2019. I was consumed with grief. After a month I knew I had to get our tax situation taken care of. Upon recommendation from my tax accountant, I called Darryl Hale at Tp Hat Tax & Financial Services. After my initial conversation with Darryl, I gathered up some stuff and sent it to him via FAX. Darryl called me back about a week later. I was combative and negative and repeatedly told him the IRS was trying to get blood out o
Darryl Hale helped our family with tax preparation and negotiation of back taxes owed. We were completely satisfied with his ability and service, and we have come back to him a few years now.
Knowledgeable, patient, efficient and kind Highly recommend
Always available and very detailed!
Best Ever!!!! highly recommended
very professional and informative
Excellent experience and fast turnaround!
Absolutely phenomenal service working with Darryl. I was 6 years behind on taxes for 3 entities, my sole proprietorship, my S Corp and my multi-partner LLC. Nobody wanted to take my case and I honestly was so overwhelmed and wasn't sure how I was going to find a solution because the thought of how long I've neglected this scared me so much that I didn't want to look at it. Darryl pointed me in the right direction to get back on the path with my taxes, taught me how to properly do P&L statements to maximiz
Darryl was referred to me by someone who has been getting their taxes done by him for over a decade. I had recently gone through a few big life changes which required the knowledge and experience of someone like him. His whole set up is great as I can see what he is exactly working on and talking about when he's explaining what works and doesn't work for my taxes. I felt confident afterwards and went back to him for a second year after the initial visit. I'll be going to Darryl for my taxes and any tax qu
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.