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  1. JanPlanning monthsQ4 estimated tax due Jan 15
  2. FebFiling season, planning continuesTax season begins
  3. MarFiling season, planning continuesBusiness returns due Mar 15
  4. AprFiling season, planning continuesIndividual returns due Apr 15Q1 estimated tax due
  5. MayPlanning months
  6. JunPlanning monthsQ2 estimated tax due Jun 15
  7. JulPlanning months
  8. AugFiling season, planning continuesExtended tax season begins
  9. SepFiling season, planning continuesBusiness extended returns due Sep 15Q3 estimated tax due
  10. OctFiling season, planning continuesIndividual extended returns due Oct 15
  11. NovPlanning monthsNow
  12. DecPlanning months

Licensed CPAs for real estate investors and business owners Your tax bill is decided months before April.

We find the strategies that keep more of your money in your pocket, then file the return that claims them.

Book your free discovery call Watch Andy and Liz

Six quick questions first. A tax expert reviews your answers before the call, and if we’re not the right firm, we’ll tell you who is.

Andy Lam and Liz Hernandez, the founders of Real Deal CPA

Sound familiar01

Your paycheck says you paid your taxes. It doesn’t tell you whether you paid more than you needed to.

How would you reinvest earnings that you didn’t have to send the IRS?

  • You earn more every year, and every raise sends a bigger share to the IRS.
  • Your April bill came in higher than anyone warned you it would.
  • Your shares vested, and what was withheld didn’t cover the tax.
  • You bought a rental, and nobody told you which real estate strategies apply to you.
  • You asked your accountant about a strategy you’d read about, and got a no without a reason.

Each of those has the same cause: nobody planned the year.

We’re Andy Lam and Liz Hernandez, the CPAs who founded Real Deal CPA. We start with how your year is going, then plan it while the numbers can still change, wherever in the country you live.

Why “Real Deal”: we started in real estate, where every transaction is a deal. Your CPA should be the real deal, too.

What sets us apart

  • We invest too

    We own rental property, and we’ve opened, run and sold businesses of our own.

  • A tax expert on your first call

    They review your last return before you talk, so the call starts with your year.

  • Planning all year

    Tax Planning clients get a call when they need one, updated projections, and answers through our secure portal within 72 hours.

  • Prices up front

    Our starting prices are on this page. You get your exact price on the first call, before any work starts.

Strategies02

Six ways we bring your tax bill down, and when each one counts

Tax law changes every year, and a federal law passed in 2025 changed a lot of it. Keeping up is our job, so you hear about what works this year while it can still help.

If you invest in property

  1. When you buy

    Write the building off sooner

    A cost segregation study finds the parts of a building that wear out faster. For property bought after January 19, 2025, those parts can be written off in full the first year.

    Counts this year if the building is in service by December 31

    Section 168(k), in brief

    A building is written off over decades. The parts a study separates out have recovery periods of 20 years or less, so they can take the special depreciation allowance. IRS Publication 946

  2. While you own it

    Let rental losses count

    Run a short-term rental yourself, or have one spouse work in real estate full time, and rental losses can offset a salary.

    The hours count for the year you work them, through December 31

    Section 469, in brief

    A rental whose guests stay seven days or less on average is not a rental activity under the passive loss rules. A real estate professional spends more than 750 hours a year, and more than half of all their working time, in real estate businesses they materially participate in. IRS Publication 925

  3. Before you sell

    Put off the tax when you sell

    A 1031 exchange rolls the gain into your next property. Plan it before you list, because the deadlines start the day you sell.

    No calendar date: the deadlines start the day you sell

    Section 1031, in brief

    You name the next property in writing within 45 days of the sale, and receive it within 180 days, or by your return’s due date if that comes first. Since 2018 it applies only to real property held for business or investment. Instructions for Form 8824

If you hold equity or run a business

  1. When your shares vest

    No surprise in April

    We check what was withheld against what you’ll owe, and time your sales, since shares held more than a year are taxed at a lower rate.

    A sale counts in the year it happens, through December 31

    The holding period, in brief

    Sell shares you have held for more than one year and the gain is long-term. Sell after one year or less and it is short-term, taxed as ordinary income, like a salary. IRS Topic 409

  2. As the business grows

    The right structure

    We work out with you whether to be an S corporation, what salary to pay yourself, and whether California’s pass-through election helps.

    No calendar date: it starts when the business is ready

    Reasonable compensation, in brief

    An S corporation has to pay an owner who works in it a reasonable salary before taking other distributions. California’s pass-through entity elective tax is available through 2030, and each year’s first payment is due by June 15 of that year. IRS, S corporation compensation, FTB, pass-through entity elective tax

  3. Before the business files

    A bigger retirement deduction

    A cash balance plan can put away far more than a 401(k), and the business deducts what goes in.

    Can be set up until the business’s return is due

    Defined benefit plan, in brief

    A cash balance plan is a type of defined benefit plan. Each person in it has a hypothetical account that grows with contribution and interest credits. A business can set one up by its tax filing due date, though the IRS advises against waiting past the plan’s minimum funding due date. IRS, retirement plan definitions, IRS Publication 560

The first-year write-off: IRS Publication 946 and the Form 4562 instructions, checked 20 September 2026. The 2025 law: IRS, One Big Beautiful Bill provisions, checked 24 September 2026. The rule under each strategy: the IRS or FTB page it links to, checked 6 October 2026, and Publication 560 on 8 October 2026.

Examples03

What planning can be worth, worked to the dollar

We show every step of the arithmetic. Your numbers will be different. Results may vary based on changes to the tax code, accuracy of information we receive, and proper implementation of strategies throughout the year.

Married filing jointly$400K to $750KOne rental

A couple with vesting shares buys a short-term rental and runs it themselves

Illustrative$70,000Federal tax not owed this year, for the study and the hours

See the arithmeticClose

Say the couple’s taxable income is $720,000, and this year they bought a $1,050,000 short-term rental: $800,000 of building on $250,000 of land. They run it themselves, the average stay is under seven days, and they can show more than 100 hours on it this year. Tax year 2026.

A cost segregation study finds the parts of the building that wear out faster: fixtures, finishes, site work. Say it finds a quarter of it
25% of $800,000 = $200,000
Bought after January 19, 2025, so all of that is deducted this year under the 100% special depreciation allowance
$200,000 deducted this year
The average stay is under seven days and they do the hours, so the loss is not passive: it offsets their salaries, in the 35% bracket
35% of $200,000 = $70,000
Federal tax not owed this year, for the study and the hours
$70,000

Part of it comes back when the property is sold, when the amount written off is taxed again. California has its own depreciation rules, so the state figure is worked separately. The hours have to be real and recorded. Planning decides whether the study pays before it is bought.

Federal income tax only. Sources: IRS Publication 946 and the Form 4562 instructions (the 100% special depreciation allowance for property acquired after January 19, 2025); IRS Publication 925 (the seven-day rule and the 100-hour test); IRS, tax year 2026 inflation adjustments. Checked 20 September 2026.

Single$500K+No rentals

A medical practice owner sets up multiple retirement contribution plans

Illustrative$67,865Approximate federal tax savings, on $193,900 of contributions

See the arithmeticClose

Consider a 52-year-old S corporation owner filing as single in 2026, earning $190,000 in W-2 wages and having $560,000 in taxable income before retirement contributions. Assuming the retirement plans permit the contributions and all amounts are deductible, the owner could contribute $32,500 to a traditional 401(k), including an $8,000 catch-up contribution, while the S corporation contributes an additional $11,400 (6% of W-2 compensation) to the 401(k) and $150,000 to a cash balance pension plan, subject to actuarial approval. This results in $193,900 in total retirement contributions, potentially generating approximately $67,865 in federal income tax savings at a 35% marginal tax rate. This illustration assumes the owner’s 2025 W-2 wages from the S corporation were $150,000 or less, as they would be if the practice first became an S corporation in 2026, so the catch-up contribution can be made on a pre-tax basis, that all contributions are deductible, and that the contributions do not change the applicable marginal tax rate. Actual tax savings depend on individual circumstances, plan eligibility, and applicable tax rules.

Employee 401(k) deferral, including the $8,000 catch-up
35% of $32,500 = $11,375
Employer 401(k) contribution, 6% of $190,000 of W-2 pay
35% of $11,400 = $3,990
Cash balance contribution
35% of $150,000 = $52,500
Approximate federal tax savings, on $193,900 of contributions
$67,865

It is deferral, not avoidance: the money is taxed when it comes out in retirement, usually at a lower rate, and it grows untaxed until then. The two staff have to be covered too, which is part of the cost, and the contribution is a commitment for several years. Planning designs the plan for the income instead of taking the default.

Federal income tax only. Sources: IRS, 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026 (the deferral and the $8,000 catch-up); IRS, 401(k) and profit-sharing plan contribution limits (the $72,000 limit on what goes into one account in 2026); IRS, combined limits under section 404(a)(7) (an employer contribution of no more than 6% of pay sits outside the combined deduction limit); IRS, catch-up contributions (from 2026, catch-up contributions are Roth when the prior year’s wages from the employer were over $150,000); IRS, tax year 2026 inflation adjustments (the 35% bracket, from $256,225 to $640,600 for a single filer). The cash balance contribution is an assumption; an actuary sets the real one. Checked 10 October 2026.

Married filing jointly$750K+Three or more rentals

One spouse goes full time on real estate, and they buy a fourth building

Illustrative$170,200Federal tax not owed this year, for the study and the hours

See the arithmeticClose

Say their taxable income is $1,500,000, and the fourth building costs $3,000,000: $2,300,000 of building on $700,000 of land. Tax year 2026.

A cost segregation study finds the parts of the building that wear out faster. Say it finds a fifth of it
20% of $2,300,000 = $460,000
Bought after January 19, 2025, so all of that is deducted this year under the 100% special depreciation allowance. It sits under the $512,000 of business loss a couple can set against other income in one year
$460,000 deducted this year
One spouse is a real estate professional, so the loss offsets the other’s salary, in the 37% bracket
37% of $460,000 = $170,200
Federal tax not owed this year, for the study and the hours
$170,200

Part of it comes back when the building is sold, unless it is exchanged into the next one. The hours have to be real and recorded. Planning runs this before the purchase closes, so the study, the hours and the loss limit are all known going in.

Federal income tax only. Sources: IRS Publication 946 and the Form 4562 instructions (the 100% special depreciation allowance); IRS Publication 925 (the real estate professional tests); IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (the 2026 limit on excess business losses); IRS, tax year 2026 inflation adjustments. Checked 20 September 2026.

Find your numbers

How it works04

Three steps. The first takes five minutes.

  1. Step 1

    Answer a few questions

    No account and nothing to download. If we’re not the right firm for you, we’ll tell you who is.

  2. Step 2

    A free thirty-minute discovery call

    A tax expert takes the call, and they’ll have reviewed your last return first. You upload it to our secure portal when you book.

  3. Step 3

    Get a plan for your year

    What we’d do, what it costs, and whether it’s worth it. Sometimes the answer is that your setup is already fine.

Pricing05

Two ways to work with us

Tax Preparation closes the year you had. Tax Planning decides the year you are about to have.

Tax Preparation

February to April, and August to October.

$2,000starting price, per return

Your return, prepared by CPAs who know real estate and business, and walked through with you on video before it’s filed.

The best fit if

  • You invest in real estate or own a business, and want your return prepared by CPAs who know where the tax savings are in:
    • Real estate professional status
    • Short-term rentals
    • Cost segregation
    • 1031 exchanges
    • Wholesaling
    • Fix and flips
    • Syndications
    • Passive activity losses
    • Partial asset dispositions
    • S corporations
    • Partnerships
  • You want to avoid compliance mistakes that could draw an audit or be a headache to fix later.
  • You’d like your proactive tax advisor and your tax preparer to be working together under the same company to ensure that the tax-savings strategies you implemented properly flow to your return.
See how it works, step by step

Tax Planning

All year, including the months between filing seasons.

$5,500starting price

A written plan to lower this year’s tax, built with you, and a CPA in your corner while you carry it out.

The best fit if

  • Too much of your income goes to the IRS, and it feels like you are penalized for earning more.
  • You invest in real estate and want advice from CPAs who focus on it.
  • You are not sure your current CPA is doing everything they could to lower your tax.
  • You want a CPA in your corner all year, not just at filing time.
See how it works, step by step

You get your exact price on the first call, before any work starts.

Right for you?06

Is Real Deal CPA right for you?

This is for you if

  • You’re an aspiring or established real estate investor or business owner.
  • Your income has grown, and you’re unsure why your accountant isn’t doing more for your growing situation.
  • You only hear from your accountant once a year when your return is due.
  • You want someone planning the year ahead as well as filing the year behind.
  • You’ll act when the plan says to: buy, restructure, or change how you pay yourself.

This is not for you if

  • You want the lowest-cost way to file a tax return.
  • You’re not open to investing in tax-advantaged assets that make sense for your long-term goals.
  • You want strategies that wouldn’t hold up if the IRS asked about them.
  • You want advice, but you don’t plan to act on it.

If the first list sounds like you, the next step takes five minutes.

Book your free discovery call

More services07

Bookkeeping and Tax Resolution

Two more ways we help for clients who need them. Like everything else, each is quoted upfront for max transparency.

Bookkeeping

Books for your businesses and rental properties, kept current, so your numbers are ready whenever planning or filing needs them.

$250 a month, starting price, for rental properties$500 a month, starting price, for operating businesses

You might need this if

  • Your books are behind, scattered across accounts, or living in a spreadsheet.
  • You own rentals or a business and want numbers you can trust without hiring a bookkeeper of your own.
  • You want your tax preparation and bookkeeping under one roof so your tax preparer and bookkeeper are always on the same page.
See how it works, step by step

Tax Resolution

Help when the IRS or your state is already involved: an audit, a bill you can’t pay at once, penalties, a lien or a levy.

You might need this if

  • You have an audit letter from the IRS or your state.
  • You owe taxes you can’t pay in full.
  • Penalties have been added to what you owe.
  • The IRS has filed a lien or levied one of your accounts.
  • Your wages are being garnished.
See how it works, step by step

People08

Who you’ll work with

Real Deal CPA is a tax firm built by business owners and real estate investors, for business owners and real estate investors.

Led by Andy Lam, CPA, and Liz Hernandez, CPA, our team combines advanced technical expertise with firsthand experience owning multiple businesses in various industries and investing in real estate. Both founders are licensed California CPAs and hold Master’s degrees in Taxation. Collectively, Andy and Liz have delivered tax returns and advised hundreds of real estate investors and business owners.

Andy Lam, CPA

Andy Lam, CPA

Founder · Tax strategy and planning

Andy runs the tax strategy—from your written tax plan to the calls that help implement your plan during the year. He holds a Master of Business Taxation from USC Marshall, and has opened and sold a gym business of his own.

More about Andy

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Liz Hernandez, CPA

Liz Hernandez, CPA

Founder · Tax preparation and compliance

Liz oversees the tax returns and ensures you’re in good standing with the IRS and state agencies. She invests in real estate herself and owns several properties. She holds a Master’s in Taxation from Golden Gate University, and consults in Spanish as well as English.

More about Liz

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Cielo Paw

Cielo Paw

Operations Manager

Cielo keeps the firm’s day-to-day operations running. She has managed operations at seven-figure CPA firms, leading teams, streamlining processes and coordinating tax season, so work goes out accurate and on time and clients are well looked after. She holds a degree in accountancy from the Philippines and is a CPA.

Check any California CPA license on the Board of Accountancy’s own lookup (opens in a new tab)

Clients09

What our clients say

“Elizabeth responded very quickly to every question and made the entire process smooth and stress-free for us.”

Gustavo Dominguez

“Make sure to make your appointment in advance, she is becoming very busy.”

Melissa Hernandez

Questions10

Questions people ask us the most

Who is Real Deal CPA, and who are Liz Hernandez and Andy Lam?

Real Deal CPA is a California-based CPA firm specializing in proactive tax planning and preparation for real estate investors, business owners, and high-income individuals. Elizabeth (Liz) Hernandez, CPA, is bilingual in English and Spanish and holds a Master’s in Taxation from Golden Gate University. As an active real estate investor with long-term and mid-term rental properties across multiple states, she brings firsthand investment experience to her role overseeing tax return preparation and ensuring tax strategies are accurately reflected in clients’ filings. Andy Lam, CPA, holds a Master of Business Taxation from the University of Southern California and brings entrepreneurial experience from building and selling his own gym. He leads the firm’s tax advisory services, developing personalized tax-saving strategies and helping clients implement them effectively throughout the year.

Liz and Andy each bring over a decade of experience providing tax and accounting services, the majority of which were spent primarily helping real estate investors. Throughout their careers, they’ve collectively worked on thousands of tax returns, helping individuals, business owners, and real estate investors navigate complex tax situations, identify tax-saving opportunities, and make informed financial decisions. Together, they combine their extensive tax preparation experience with specialized real estate tax expertise to provide proactive, year-round tax planning and personalized accounting services.

Where do you work, and do you serve clients only in California?

Real Deal CPA is a modern CPA firm that works with most clients remotely, serving individuals, business owners, and real estate investors throughout California and across the United States.

While our firm is based in Orange County, with a Northern California office on the way, our clients live, work, and invest in multiple states. Through our secure online portal, virtual meetings, and digital collaboration tools, we provide the same personalized, proactive tax planning and tax preparation services you would expect from a local CPA—without the need to visit an office.

Whether you’re located in California or managing investments across state lines, our team is equipped to help you navigate your tax obligations wherever life and business take you.

How do I get started with Real Deal CPA?

Real Deal CPA starts with a complimentary 30-minute discovery call for real estate investors, business owners, and high-income individuals. We will discuss your tax situation, goals, and whether our firm is the right fit for your needs. Be prepared to tell us about your income sources, businesses, properties, and upload your most recent tax returns for us to prepare. If we are not the right fit, we will tell you and, if possible, refer you to another professional we trust.

My CPA only files my return. Can Real Deal CPA give me a second opinion?

Absolutely. If your current CPA primarily focuses on preparing and filing your tax returns, Real Deal CPA can provide a fresh perspective and help identify tax-saving opportunities that may have been overlooked.

Our proactive tax planning services go beyond annual tax preparation. We review your overall federal and state tax situation to identify potential strategies involving real estate depreciation, passive activity losses, entity structuring, estimated taxes, and other opportunities relevant to your financial goals.

You don’t have to switch CPAs to work with us. We can serve as your dedicated tax planning advisor while your existing CPA continues preparing and filing your returns. With your authorization, we’ll coordinate directly with your tax preparer to help ensure our recommended strategies are properly reflected in your filings. While we cannot control another preparer’s work, we strive to make the process as seamless as possible.

And remember, seeking a second opinion doesn’t mean your current CPA has done anything wrong. Tax preparation and proactive tax planning are different services, and having a dedicated tax planning advisor can provide valuable insight even when your returns are being prepared accurately.

Do you only work with real estate investors?

No. Real Deal CPA specializes in real estate taxation, but we also help high-income W-2 earners, business owners, and professionals with tax preparation and proactive tax planning. We look at your personal income, businesses, investments, and entities together to come up with the best holistic plan for you rather than treating each component in isolation. If a matter falls beyond our expertise, we will recommend an appropriate specialist.

What types of real estate investors do you work with?

Real Deal CPA works with real estate investors across single-family and multifamily long-term rentals, short-term rentals, commercial properties, developments, flips, and syndications. We work with investors across all states, but we are especially knowledgeable to advise on California real estate tax because we are based in Southern California, with a Northern California office on the way. We advise first-time investors as well as established owners with multiple properties and LLCs, along with agents, brokers, developers, and other real estate business owners. Common planning topics include depreciation, cost segregation, passive activity rules, entity reporting, and property sales.

In short: we spend a lot of time thinking about real estate and taxes—and we like it that way.

How much does it cost to work with Real Deal CPA?

Real Deal CPA’s tax preparation starts at $2,000 per return, and proactive tax planning engagements start at $5,500. Preparation pricing depends on the type and complexity of each return; separate business or entity returns may increase the total cost. Planning pricing depends on the scope and level of ongoing advisory support. Bookkeeping and tax resolution pricing depends on your situation and will be custom quoted for you. We will explain the engagement period, deliverables, and total fee before work begins. Book a complimentary 30-minute discovery call for a personalized quote.

I’ve never paid this much for a CPA. What makes your service different?

Real Deal CPA focuses on proactive, year-round tax planning rather than only preparing returns after the year ends. Depending on your engagement, our tax planning service may include tax projections, planning around property purchases or sales, entity decisions, and coordination with your financial advisor or attorney. Our goal is to help you make informed decisions before deadlines pass—not to promise a particular tax savings amount. If you only need basic filing, a different service may be more appropriate.

What’s the difference between tax preparation and tax planning?

Tax preparation reports what already happened and produces your federal and state tax returns. Tax planning evaluates decisions before they happen, when there may still be time to change the tax result. For example, 2027 planning may address estimated payments, business structure, retirement contributions, or a planned rental acquisition or sale. Real Deal CPA offers both services, so we coordinate our tax planning recommendations with the tax returns we prepare, giving you peace of mind that your tax planner and tax preparer are on the same page.

When does tax planning make sense for me?

Tax planning is especially useful before buying or selling real estate, starting or restructuring a business, exercising stock options or receiving substantial RSUs, recognizing a large capital gain, or responding to an unexpectedly large tax bill. Real Deal CPA works with clients at different stages, including both first-time real estate investors and experienced real estate investors. Many tax decisions must be made before year-end or before a transaction closes, so earlier planning usually offers more options. If tax preparation alone is sufficient, we will tell you.

Will I receive a written tax plan?

Real Deal CPA will provide tax plan recommendations, assumptions, and next steps as part of a formal tax planning engagement. A useful written plan identifies the proposed actions, relevant deadlines, estimated tax effects where reasonably calculable, and implementation steps. We explain those deliverables before engagement; tax savings are estimates, not guarantees.

What happens after I hire you for tax preparation?

Real Deal CPA schedules a kickoff call for new tax preparation clients to explain the process, timelines, and required documents. Our tax preparation team organizes and prepares the return, resolves questions, and routes matters for appropriate professional review before filing. Your engagement materials identify the responsible professionals and approval process. We will ask you to review and authorize the completed return before electronic filing.

How late can I hire you to prepare my tax return?

You can contact Real Deal CPA at any time, but acceptance near a deadline depends on our capacity and the completeness of your records. For calendar-year taxpayers, partnership and S corporation returns are generally due March 15, with extensions generally to September 15; individual returns are generally due April 15, with extensions generally to October 15. Weekend, holiday, and disaster relief rules can change exact dates. An extension extends filing time, not payment time. If there is insufficient time to prepare an accurate return, we may recommend an extension or discuss late filing and related penalties.

Will you review my previous tax returns for mistakes or missed opportunities?

Yes. When appropriate, Real Deal CPA reviews prior-year federal and state returns for errors, depreciation, carryforwards, elections, rental activity treatment, and missed planning opportunities. The IRS generally allows you to file amended returns within 3 years after the return filing date to claim a refund. The number of years reviewed and whether the review is included or separately priced depends on your engagement. We explain any material findings and whether a correction or amended return may be worthwhile; not every issue requires an amendment.

Do you offer bookkeeping and accounting services?

Yes. Real Deal CPA offers QuickBooks Online setup and ongoing bookkeeping and accounting services for real estate investors and small businesses. Rental property bookkeeping starts at $250 per month, and business bookkeeping starts at $500 per month. Accurate records support tax projections, rental property reporting, business decisions, and a smoother tax preparation process. Service frequency, deliverables, and fees are quoted based on your business and the condition of your books; ask us about monthly support during your discovery call.

Are you accepting new clients?

Real Deal CPA is currently accepting new clients whose needs fit our services, subject to capacity. We limit new engagements to maintain service quality and responsiveness. Start with a complimentary 30-minute discovery call. If we cannot serve you well, we will be candid and, where possible, suggest another firm.

Once I’m a client, how quickly will you respond to my emails?

Real Deal CPA aims to respond to client emails within 1–3 business days because we know that you need proper information in a timely manner before making business decisions. Your assigned team contact will help route questions to the appropriate professional. Meeting frequency and direct CPA access depend on your engagement and are clarified before you sign. If you receive a time-sensitive IRS, California Franchise Tax Board, or other state agency notice, identify the deadline in your message so our team can assess its urgency.

Do you provide support if I receive an IRS or state tax notice?

Yes. If you receive a routine IRS, California Franchise Tax Board (FTB), or other state agency notice relating to a return Real Deal CPA prepared, we can help you understand the notice and determine the next steps. More extensive correspondence, appeals, or audit representation may require a separate engagement and fee. Please forward the complete notice promptly, including its response deadline, so we can assess the scope.

Do you provide audit support if I sign up for tax planning?

Do you provide audit support if I sign up for tax planning?

For a tax planning client whose examination concerns a strategy Real Deal CPA recommended in writing, our stated service includes reasonable support for routine IRS or state examinations at no additional professional fee. This may include responding to notices, gathering records, communicating with the agency (IRS, Franchise Tax Board, etc.), and representation within the agreed scope. Unusually lengthy or complex examinations may require a separate engagement. This service does not guarantee an audit outcome.

How does your team stay current with changes in tax law?

Real Deal CPA’s Certified Public Accountants complete continuing professional education required by the California Board of Accountancy and use professional tax research resources to monitor IRS guidance, California Franchise Tax Board updates, legislation, and court decisions. In addition, our entire team receives continuing training on complex tax issues, such as evaluating federal-versus-state bonus depreciation rules that may produce more depreciation on federal returns than California returns.

Are your CPAs licensed, and how can I check?

Real Deal CPA’s partners, Liz Hernandez (License No. 147338) and Andy Lam (License No. 151774), are licensed California Certified Public Accountants. You can independently verify a California CPA license and its status using the California Board of Accountancy’s public license lookup at https://www.dca.ca.gov/cba/consumers/license-lookup.shtml

Do you offer tax preparation and tax planning in Spanish?

Yes! Real Deal CPA proudly serves Spanish-speaking individuals, business owners, and real estate investors throughout California and across the United States.

Our bilingual team offers personalized tax preparation and proactive tax planning services to help you navigate complex tax matters with clarity and confidence. Whether you need assistance with rental property taxes, business tax strategies, IRS or California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) matters, or year-round tax planning, we’re here to help.

Spanish-language consultations with Liz Hernandez, CPA, may be available upon request. Simply let us know your language preference when scheduling your complimentary discovery call.

Will I work directly with a CPA, and how often will we meet?

Your day-to-day contact and the frequency of CPA meetings depend on the service package you select. Tax preparation clients have a CPA manager review their return, while tax planning engagements include scheduled calls and tax projections with a dedicated CPA advisor. Upon signing with us, we will identify your point of contact and how CPA-level questions are handled.

How do we exchange tax documents securely?

Real Deal CPA uses TaxDome, a secure online client portal, to safely exchange tax documents, financial records, and sensitive information.

TaxDome uses AES-256 encryption, TLS encryption, and SOC 2 Type II security standards to protect your data. Through the portal, you can securely upload documents, sign forms electronically, communicate with our team, and access your tax returns—all from anywhere, at any time.

Offices11

Clients in all 50 states

We work with clients in every state, most of them by video and through our secure client portal. The Orange County office is there when you would rather sit down in person.

Office
Orange County
Address
9741 Bolsa Ave, Suite 201Westminster, CA 92683
Hours
Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM PST. By appointment only.

A Northern California office is on the way.

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