Did I mention how amazing Bert Roman is ? Oh ya, I did in my previous review. Well, its tax time again so I feel the need to reiterate it. Bert pays amazing attention to all things related to your taxes. His attention to detail is top notch and he remembers everything. He's great at his job and goes out of his way to make sure you're happy (or as happy as one can be when filling taxes) at tax time! Many happy returns and by the way see Bert Roman. Tell him Dallas sent ya! :) read more

I am a pretty smart guy. I have done my taxes since I graduated from college. Year after year, city after city and job after job, no situation was too complex for me to figure out. Then, last year, I got hit with a 'Haha. So You Think You Can Do Taxes?' letter from the IRS and I sorta backed off from my taxes-doing ways. Not wanting to go through the dangers, toils and snares again, I came to Yelp in search of... help. Dallas H provided me with all the info I needed. It was off to Bert Roman, I went. He's awesome. I mean, CPA super powers aside, talking and doing my taxes with him reminded me of doing them with my dad. He's very calm, measured, affable, and patient. He listens to you and discovers how to match your future needs with your current situation. Not only did he make sure to ask every minute question to maximize my return, we discussed ways in which I should change things up to maximize my return for next year and ways in which I can increase my finances by smart saving, accounts I didn't know existed and strategies for becoming a more money-savvy adult. He enjoys what he does and he's very good at it. Plus, he takes time to golf. Priorities. He's got 'em together and he worked with me to get mine in line as well. This was an entirely pleasant experience. As time goes by and life (and taxes) gets more complicated, I know that I'll be back to hand Mr. Roman all my scattered papers, unopened statements, random receipts, and scribbled-on notes. read more

After reading all the rave reviews I thought I'd give Bert Roman a try after starting a new business. The first time I came over to his funky-looking office unannounced I was told to make an appointment first, which I completely understand. If I'm going to entrust someone to do something as important as my taxes I want to know who I'm dealing with face-to-face and before committing to a business relationship. When I came back he didn't remember talking to me, in reality it was only 4 weeks later ?? He started off by asking me a few questions, including how much I made last year and where I worked, so forth and so on. When I asked him questions I didn't feel he was being upfront or particularly helpful to me as he could've been and once I left his office it was with an unfavorable impression. Suffice to say I did not use his services. Sorry but I don't think he's as good as the other Yelp reviews say he is! read more

Bert Roman you're da man, and many thanks to Dallas H. for recommending him to me! Taxes are the most wonderful time of the year! [Yeah that statement was written in sarcasm font, just in case you didn't get it.] And being a person of communications both of the spoken and written kind, as well as, event management, let's just say my numbers leave a bit to be desired. Plus, I have this big fear that if I do my own taxes I will get them totally wrong, which will flag the IRS and they'll come pounding on my door trying to collect thousands of dollars in back taxes that I supposedly owe and don't have. Since, I don't want this nightmare to come true, I seek out passionate and professional number crunchers. Even though I've been living in Chicago for six years, I have been sending my W-2's, 1099 INT's, and all those other necessary tax documents to my CPA in New York State for the past five. And while he's done a good job, this year I wanted to actually have a sit down discussion and ask some financial questions, which is where Bert Roman comes in. Bert is very passionate about numbers, you can tell that just by talking to him. He wasn't afraid to answer any of my questions that I had and on top of it all, he gave me great financial advice. He even told me that I qualified for a deduction, which I wasn't eligible for last year, but am this year, so whoo hoo! There's no way I would of figured it out on my own, so paying a reasonable fee for this kind of great customer care was certainly worth it, especially for the peace of mind it provided me with. When we were done, I felt as if a big weight had been lifted and now I can enjoy my vacation next week, without the fear of taxes hanging over my head. Here's to you Bert! Thanks for everything and I can't wait to do taxes with you next year! [This statement was not written in sarcasm font because now that I have Bert on my side, I'm really not afraid of tax season anymore]. read more

I am the kind of person who really gets stressed out by the little details in filing my tax returns. So last year, I decoded to seek some help and asked my workmates where I could get some assistance. One of my colleagues told me about Bert Roman's expertise and how he had been using him for five years. So I booked an appointment on a Friday and paid him a visit. The rest is history. Bert is thorough and knows every rules end regulation in the book. What's even better is that he advices you accordingly and not just on taxes but different aspects of life including financial advice and how to cope with many other challenges that you are facing. His rates are the best and he'll even throw in a snack from his restaurant downstairs. Staff are friendly and helpful. If you really want your burden lifted for the rest of your life and want to make some good savings, work with Bert. read more

Bert was recommended to me three years ago by a friend who knows 'money stuff'. I checked out his reviews, was suitably impressed, and made an appointment. I haven't considered going to anyone else since. Sometimes I think maybe there is a cheaper deal out there. There probably is. But Bert is so thorough and calm and comforting, that someone like me -- who has money stuff anxiety -- feels totally taken care of. And I don't know about you, but I flat out love getting my taxes done above a restaurant and inside a travel agency. It adds a certain...je ne sais quoi...to an otherwise annoying to-do. Three cheers to Mr. Bert Romano, who is a good man. read more

Another year of awesome help from Roman. This is now my third year of doing taxes with him and everything always goes better than expected. I cannot recommend enough to get a CPA involved in your financial life. My taxes are a little more complicated then the average person. I have some freelance work and 1099-MISC forms, which helps me deduct more than if I only had a W-2. This year I only owed 40 bucks! (by my own miscalculations, I thought I was going to owe like 2-3k). You might not need someone like Roman (or a CPA in general) if you only have a regular W-2 and no deductions. This goes for a lot of the general population. It will be expensive to file with him if you are only doing a plain old W-2. Remember, you are paying for HIS TIME, not just his services so he has to make a minimum payment just for seeing you. Do not expect his time to only be worth the same 40 dollars you could of used on Turbo-Tax or whatever. I still recommend him though no matter what. Its worth the money and peace of mind. read more

Bert Roman is truly a great gentleman. I had a somewhat complicated issue with the IRS for a 2005 return. The IRS actually reached into my personal savings account and took a lot of money from me that they thought I owed. I took this issue to Bert and today, I am happy to say, the IRS gave me all my money back, plus fees and interest! I can not say how grateful I am for his help. Besides being a tax ninja, was the kindest man I met this side of the Mississippi. During our consultations he would offer me food from his restaurant downstairs, not taking no for an answer.. almost like a Greek or Spanish mom. He felt so bad for my tax situation he said he wouldn't charge me unless he was able to get the money back for me. I am happy I found such an honest man and I will use him for all future tax needs. read more

I have a complicated tax return, it is over 50 pages. my former accountant retired and the firm that took over took over a month to get me my 2008 return; so I needed a new accountant. Bert took over 4 hours for my return, even preparing in case of an audit. He wasn't cheap, but then his fee is deductible. Make sure you have your receipts totaled, for example all your medical expenses, charity contributions and job expenses. I would also recommend you sitting on the YELLOW chair in his office as opposed to the chair with the arm rest. read more

Alberto is amazing! He was so incredibly nice and patient. I had about 8 million questions, because this was the first year I had somebody else do my taxes, so I wanted to make sure I understood what he was doing. He had tons of really helpful advice and encouraged me to be more responsible with money (you know all that IRA and HSA stuff). He was very friendly and asked a lot of questions to make sure that I wasn't forgetting something. There was some stuff that I failed to bring to our appointment and he let me mail it to him, so that I didn't have to come up again. So helpful and accommodating! And the price was amazing - as much or may be even less than one of those strip mall places, but you would never get this kind of service there. I will definitely be coming back! read more

Mr. Roman is indeed a very cordial, fatherly man and I felt good asking him my tax questions. He even went over some questions I had from last year's taxes and made sure they were correct. I was just very very shocked when he charged me $325 to do my taxes, after the woman who made my appointment told me it would be about $75-$150, depending on how complex they were. I'm not a business owner and my taxes were not very complicated, but since I'm a new homeowner I wanted to make sure some of the details related to real estate taxes and the tax credit were correct. I had everything ready when I went in, and I helped tally up some of the numbers (medical expensies, etc.) to save time. We really didn't spend that much time together, maybe a little over an hour. I think I'd recommend him if you need his expertise, if you have a complex tax situation. I know he's a CPA and not just some person H&R Block put through a training seminar to churn out returns, so I'm glad I went to him, but I'm a public school teacher and can't afford to go back to him next year. read more

Per the positive the reviews I found during my research on Yelp, I finally made an appointment with Bert Roman to get my taxes done. Definitely a "no-frills" office space, however, the guy was SO nice, very intelligent (gave me a ton of helpful financial advice - which believe me, I need!), and on top of that had a great sense of humor. His prices are very reasonable, considering what a thorough job he does. Getting your taxes done isn't exactly what I'd consider a 'fun" activity, however, he managed to make our session somewhat enjoyable. Would highly recommend Bert for taxes - I know I'll be returning next year for sure. read more

5 years ago I found Bert through Yelp, and he's been my accountant ever since. You just KNOW he's got the kind of knowledge that other accountants call him for advice. He is a straight arrow and always believes that honesty is the best policy. If you're trying to hide income and wiggle more than you should, Bert isn't your guy. If you want perfect books with no worry of an Audit, Bert is THE man. read more

I found Alberto on Yelp based on the other positive review. At first, I was a bit skeptical, wondering if his rave review was a plant. When I mentioned to Alberto about Yelp and his great review, he was totally unintriqued... "that must have been Dallas... she's great... and it must be positive or you wouldn't be here," was his response. Wow. I would be all over the internet, checking out what people said about me. His self confidence is well-deserved. I moved from Minnesota, had multiple W-2s from two states, had renters income from back home and deductions from my new job in Chicago. Alberto was super patient and takes his time to go through EVERYTHING in your financial world. He'll make recommendations and ask tons of questions to ensure you get the greatest tax benefits possible for your situation. You could go to one of those chains-stores and get them to file your taxes, but Alberto is a full-service, one stop accountant. For the same price (if not a bit less cost), I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to get more than just a tax filer. He's great. read more

My wife, Paige, and I found out about Bert here on Yelp due to his outstanding reviews. Let me say this: the reviews are entirely accurate. Bert is as knowledgeable as he is kind. He's helped us with an Illionois tax mixup, and he's now working on our 2010 return. To us, he's worth every penny! read more

Yep, 3rd year in a row and I'm still loving Mr. Roman! In & out in about 30 minutes with completed, correct taxes compiled by the nicest guy around. If you need a tax professional definitely go to this guy. The reviews don't lie. read more

Bert is great! He is an exceptionally nice man, who genuinely CARES about YOU. I recently had to get a CPA because I went freelance. He guided me thorough the entire process and warned me about all potential pitfalls. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a good honest person to do their taxes. He even bought me and my wife a beer after we did our taxes! read more

I found Bert very professional and easy to deal with. His rates were fair also.

Mr. Roman is down to earth and most helpful. NO frills, good old fashioned and modest business person. Mr. Roman knows his stuff and has been in business many years. He offers practical solutions and suggestions. You do not feel pressured or rushed, very down to earth. Mr. Roman assisted us with our taxes, which include multiple properties and stock investments. The man knows his stuff. I definitely recommend. You pay for his services, NOT his office decor. read more

I found Mr. Roman through Yelp and I am glad I called him. I set up an apt. and he did my taxes in less than one hour and a half. I left him my checks for the govt. and he mailed them. He asks a lot of questions and reasonably tries to get you good deductions. He also offers you advice about things you can do to that can help your taxes like opening an IRA accounts, etc. I like that and he is a nice, honest, knowledgeable person. I paid $275 for my personal taxes, which I though it was reasonable. When I called him over the phone to do follow up , he was very willing to help me . I will return next year. He earned my trust . read more

I needed to find an accountant to execute a mock tax return in order receive a tax reimbursement under a federal education loan forgiveness program. Mr. Roman had never done one before, but he agreed to help me out even though the feds limit his reimbursement to $100. I don't have a simple tax situation, so that was great. He was extraordinarily thorough, followed the procedures to a T, and explained everything to me in detail. It was based on taxes I had filed myself the year before, which meant my documents and receipts were all jumbled together. I was so happy with his work (and the fact that I walked out with my previous year's tax file beautifully organized), I decided to forgoe the yearly headache and have him file my taxes this year. Brilliant. read more

Preaching to the choir here. In the past I've done my own taxes (using Turbo Tax), but I had very complicated taxes for 2010, having to file in two states, renting out a house I own, having both freelance and w-2 work. I put together spreadsheets of my possible and actual deductions, income, etc. with accompanying receipts and he got through it in 90 minutes. He says he's conservative. He will try to get you all of the deductions he can while being above board and knows when it's best to amortize, what to depreciate, and what can be deducted. What I thought would be a painful process was actually pretty painless. I'm going to use him again for 2011 taxes. He was also helpful with 2011 quarterly filings. read more

I placed a phone call because I have questions regarding renting out a room in my condo. It was only a five minute phone call, so maybe this isn't the most 'knowledgeable' review. But in five minutes, these common courtesies were ignored: There was no formal greeting. My name was not asked for. I was not given a name to either of the two men that I spoke to. After a few minutes of trying to ask questions and not getting straight forward answers, I decided to seek elsewhere. read more

I went to him for a tax addendum and he seemed very nice over the phone but didn't follow through. I called a week after I emailed some forms for an update and was told he'd update me the next day. When he didn't I called myself for an update; he had forgotten my file, and asked for my number even though it was provided in the email. Overall disappointing, will be looking for another CPA. read more

I'd been going to Mr. Roman for my income tax preparation for many years now. He remains the same over the years. Very helpful, fatherly and is very thorough with his work. His office is as unpretentious as he is. No frills but is comfortable. I always enjoy going there. He also have a travel agency in his office. His staff are the most helpful people this side of Chicago. I bought plane tickets many times from them. These people will go far and beyond to help you get the best price. They seem to enjoy helping people. I highly recommend Mr. Roman and his travel agency for your tax and travel needs. I love these people. - Rodel, Chicago, illinois read more

Woohoo! Mr. Roman is really as good as it gets! I have been doing my own taxes for years because I was was soo turned off by tax preparers who just uses the generic software and rush you because it's like a tax factory. I thought I was doing myself a favor by just using turbo tax until I found Mr. Bert Roman! This is my second year of going to him. It is beyond compare. He's very thorough, he gives good advice not just about taxes but in life in general. Good man! Offered me a beer too, who does that?! That's Mr. Roman for you. You will feel good leaving his office. Thank you, thank you, thank you! read more

We've been coming to Bert for 3 years now, and would not consider another CPA to do our tax returns. His pricing is fair, and his expertise is very good. We file for both our business and person returns which can get complicated. It can be a little bit hard/sketchy to find his office, but don't let that intimidate you, it's well worth it. read more

Yeah, pretty much incredible. This guy really knows his business. He took his time, answered every question I had and did everything he could to get me a good refund while still keeping me out of trouble with the IRS. I just got home from his office and already I've called most of my friends to recommend him...and not just because of the referral bonus! In fact, I tweeted about it in his office before I even heard of the bonus part. Listen to these other reviews, this guy is the tax man...I won't be going anywhere else from now on. This is as good as it gets. read more

First Yelp review, but Bert was so amazing that I had to pass it along. He is soooo nice and knowledgeable. This was my first time going to an accountant and he made it easy. As expected I had to pay this year. He explained why and then to soften the blow took me downstairs to his restaurant for a meal and a beer. It did make me feel better about the whole thing. He just makes you feel at home. read more

I have been shopping around for a tax professional after an unpleasant experience at H&R Block last year. I was so impressed by the reviews for Alberto Roman, I picked up the phone right away to call! I have only ever done my taxes on my own, or been to H&R Block, so I was curious what the price difference might be for a CPA. I'm a graduate student currently pinching pennies, and I'm also not very tax-savvy, so I really just wanted a ballpark estimate. Too bad whoever the woman Alberto Roman has answering his phones was so completely rude. She said only until I make an appointment with him could we talk price. I explained to her as nicely as possible that I'm shopping around, and don't really have time to make an appointment before I can have an idea about price. (I mean, would you? I feel like I'd be walking in there blind! I also work 2 jobs on top of graduate school) ANYWAY she told me he is very busy, and that he has a lot of clients. She repeated, "He has a lot of clients" so many times that I was beginning to feel like I was being told, "He doesn't really need you as a client." She told me I could try calling back at 6pm and maybe I could speak to him before she hung up on me. I know tax season can be tense all around, and I'm sure she's had her fair share of disgruntled people calling her, but I was not one of them. It would have been nice to have been shown the courtesy and respect I showed her. It also would have been nice to find out for myself if Alberto Roman is really the awesome CPA everyone says he is! Especially because this year's taxes is complicated for me, and I could really use the help. But...the man does have a lot of clients. So....guess not. read more

Being new to the city and starting a new career as a Realtor I needed some help with my tax return. I figured it would be a good measure as I have used Turbo tax for the last 6 years. Well I was pleasantly surprised my return was much larger than what Turbo-tax has said it would be about 3-400 more. The office is very easy to find and there is parking that is super easy to find out front. It is on the second floor and i don't think the building has an elevator. Although I hadn't set up a formal appointment Bert still met with me for a couple minutes to make sure everything was in order with my paperwork. He offered me a beer, wine or water as I waited. He is super friendly and told me his nickname when he was younger was James Bond(My name is also James). Its nice that the times that I called for updates I was able to speak with Bert and hear about the progress directly from him. He had said it would take about 1-2 weeks to get it done. He had it done in under 7 which was awesome. Always good to under promise and over deliver. I also like that I have the reassurance that my tax return is being double checked by Bert and that everything is done to code to reduce my chances of an audit. He even pointed out things that I shouldn't write off to decrease my chances of getting and Audit. Altogether an A+ Performance. You will be seeing me next year. Thanks Again Bert(James Bond)! read more