Expertise.com
2024

Last updated:

Best Accountants in Alameda

Our Recommended Top 5

We did the research for you!

  • Licensing
  • User Reviews
  • Mystery Shopping Calls

Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Alameda Accountants on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.

21

Reviewed

14

Curated

5

Top Picks

Learn about our selection process.

Providers

featured provider = Featured Provider

Website
San Francisco, CA 94112

Why choose this provider?

Carlos A. Ausejo, EA is an enrolled agent offering tax preparation and bookkeeping services to clients in the San Francisco Bay Area. Carlos launched the business in 1980, and he has more than four and a half decades of professional training and experience. He earned his bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University and immediately began a 10-year stint as an auditor for the Department of Corporations in the state of California. Carlos entered the private sector in 1980, then launched his own business in 1991. He is a member of the National Association of Enrolled Agents, National Association of Public Accountants, and California Society of Enrolled Agents.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.2
Yelp
4.0 / 5 (5)
Facebook
5.0 / 5 (1)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
2.5
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
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Detail
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Website
600 El Camino Real, San Bruno, CA 94066

Why choose this provider?

Daniel J. Ross Accountancy Corporation is a firm that specializes in personal and business tax returns for clients in San Bruno and the surrounding communities of San Mateo County. Owner Daniel J. Ross earned his degree from Golden Gate University, and in addition to his work serving the financial needs of attorneys, consultants, contractors, and other industries, he volunteers at local charities. He opened the business in 1988, and he has served the Peninsula and Greater San Francisco Bay Area for three decades and counting. Other services include estate/fiduciary returns, business valuations, estate valuations, and family law litigation support/court accounting.

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
3.3
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail
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Website
950 Taraval Street, San Francisco, CA 94116

Why choose this provider?

Cho Chan CPA Inc. is the accounting firm of certified public accountant Cho Chan, who has more than a quarter-century of experience serving individuals and businesses in Mill Valley and the surrounding area, which includes all of Marin County and the San Francisco Bay Area. Cho’s specialties are accounting, auditing, and bookkeeping services. He opened the business in 1990, and since that time has helped companies with challenging decisions such as valuations for sale or purchase, IRS representation, succession planning, and forensic accounting. He also can help clients better manage their debt and evaluate the best financing options for their situations.

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
3.8
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail
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Website
4095 19th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132

Why choose this provider?

Aigul & Associates is a full-service accounting firm located in San Francisco that focuses on business and personal accounting as well as tax, consulting, and payroll services. Owner/founder Aigul Myekyei, CPA, EA is a certified public accountant and enrolled agent in the state of California. She also can assist clients with mortgage and loan services with double-certification through the state of California and National Mortgage Licensing System. She has a master’s degree in finance, a bachelor’s in economics, and she is fluent in five languages. In her native Mongolia, Aigul served as internal auditor and fraud investigator for the Central Bank of Mongolia.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.7
Yelp
4.5 / 5 (11)
Google
5.0 / 5 (5)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
4.5
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
2390 15th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94116

Why choose this provider?

Dickson & Associates, CPA is a San Francisco-based accountancy firm owned and operated by Marc Dickson, CPA, a certified public accountant with more than a quarter-century of experience in accounting, consulting, and tax preparation/planning. Dickson earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from San Francisco State University. Dickson stays actively involved in his community through local service organizations and speaking engagements. Lauren Rath, EA joined the firm in 2009, and she brings Intuit-certified training as a QuickBooks ProAdvisor, enabling the company to do setup, implementation, and training on the industry-standard accounting system.

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Introduction

    Four main types of accountants are available to serve the accounting needs of individuals, large organizations, small businesses, and government agencies. These types of accounting include corporate, forensic, government, and public.

    • Corporate accountants maintain and file financial information for corporations. The focus is on keeping the corporation in legal compliance with tax laws and financial reporting requirements.
    • Forensic accountants gather and recreate financial data that isn’t readily available. These accountants might do that as part of a criminal investigation or if key financial information has been lost and needs to be recovered for legal reasons.
    • Government accountants work for government agencies, such as the IRS or a state tax department. They might also be found working in government offices in positions such as city treasurer or county auditor.
    • Public accountants are the accountants most likely to work with individuals or smaller businesses. These accountants manage financial statements, file tax returns, and record financial transactions. Preparing and filing tax returns are tasks these accountants might do for individuals. For companies, these accountants might handle payroll or bookkeeping besides preparing tax information for reporting purposes.

  • What does an accountant do?

    Accountants maintain financial records and interpret financial information. An accountant at one firm might maintain financial ledgers, while another might take on payroll management duties. Accountants can also specialize in specific areas, such as tax codes.

  • What is the difference between an accountant and a CPA?

    Accountants and CPAs handle many of the same accounting tasks. However, a CPA is an accountant who has passed a state exam to become a certified public accountant. A CPA is typically more trusted in an advisory position when in a business setting.

  • Does everyone need an accountant?

    Most individuals don’t need to hire an accountant, except for when tax season arrives. A small business owner is more likely to need an accountant than an individual because business owners have more complex record-keeping requirements.

  • What does a forensic accountant do?

    Forensic accountants use generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to investigate and solve financial mysteries that are typically related to uncovering or resolving suspected criminal activity, such as embezzling. These accountants may work for individuals, businesses, and government agencies.

  • What does a payroll accountant do?

    Processing payroll and employee benefits are key roles of payroll accountants. Some other duties performed by payroll accountants include using software and handling financial statements. These professionals might also analyze financial ledgers, prepare and present reports to management, and advise regarding investment opportunities.

  • Do I need an accounting major to become an accountant?

    You can work as an accountant without majoring in it. However, earning a degree and becoming a CPA offers more earning potential. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, certified public accountants who have received at least a bachelor’s degree earn a median annual wage of $73,560.