I have been going to Sean for my taxes since I turned 19. Mind you, I'm pushing 30, this will be my 11th year with him and I'd like to share my experience with this company as a whole, Sean as an individual, and my experience in integrity. - Applied Tax and BookKeeping as a company - I have come to appreciate the communications I receive from them. I get reminders to be diligent about timely filing, I get communication on changes in tax laws, they disclose to me when my taxes are filed, if it was accepted by IRS, and I am provided a folder of the information/ services provided. No issue so far. And I don't feel "harassed" though I am sorry for those who've experienced that. I have never though. -Sean as an individual - Upon reading other reviews, I think that people should go to a business for business. Not friendship. I'm not trying to crack a drink with the man. I just want thorough and cordial service and so far he has provided that. He's direct. But so am I and I would be VERY clear in letting people know if I felt disrespected at any capacity. But I don't. I personally don't take offense to stoic personalities but I can understand how some folks are used to having everything dipped in sugar to make it palatable for them. - integrity - I haven't had an issue with shady filing. I have NO problem being forward about my issues but I haven't had any so far. I've been able to take advantage of my EV incentives. I'm a student so he made that count for something. Like there's a reason I've come here my entire adult life. I will say that the price can be just a tad steep depending on your circumstances, and as a nursing student I understand completely. But admittedly, Sean has been flexible with me. I have only ever needed leniency like twice (in the form of a payment plan as life had hit when I was to pay for the service) but he's allowed for it and we have been in good standing. Thats really all I gotta say. Thanks for your time. read more

As a small business owner, I needed someone who understood both bookkeeping and taxes. Samir went above and beyond to help organize my records and make sure everything was handled correctly. Excellent service. read more

This rating and review is specifically for the experience we had working with Shahab Syed (Sean) at Applied Bookkeeping and Tax Services to prepare our tax returns. It does not apply to any other staff at this business. As a result of our experience, we highly DO NOT RECOMMEND Sean for tax purposes. Based on our experience working with him, we found that Sean is incompetent and unreliable as a tax accountant. His business practice does not serve the best interest of the client because of lack of professionalism, transparency, self-accountability, truthful communication and timely responsiveness, and compels customers to pay unreasonable, previously undisclosed, fees to finalize tax documents. His lack of responsiveness resulted in us missing the deadline to file our business taxes. Now we have to endure the financial burden in the form of late fees and interest as he would not take any accountability for causing us to miss the deadline; claiming that it is the client's responsibility to "...communicate with their accountant, and ensure timely filing." He failed to fully disclose all the fees to prepare and file tax returns, or that invoice must be paid to review "draft" tax documents at the onset of communication. And would not provide "draft" tax documents to review unless invoices are paid. He charges additional fees to revise "draft" tax documents, which appears to be redundant and inconsistent with standard business practice. Therefore, despite paying $1,100 for tax return documents he prepared, which required additional revision because of the inconsistencies we as clients identified (not him as a tax person), we elected to not complete the filing of our tax returns through Sean. read more

I went to this tax service because it was close to my home and the ratings were pretty good. Unfortunately, I did not read the reviews. If I had I would have never got involved. Upon making an appointment I was connected with their tax preparer, Shahab Syed (Sean). To make a long story short during our first meeting he asked to review our tax returns from the two prior years. He reviewed our documents and claimed there were mistakes on both of them. He said he could redo them and get us a refund. Being naive we believed him and agreed to let him do our taxes for 2023, 2024, and 2025. After our second meeting everything changed. He did not appear to be prepared and after going over the tax returns for 2023 we would now owe more! When I asked about 2024 and 2025, he said let's work on one at a time. He saw I was not happy and closed the file. He then said let me see what else I can do and rushed us out of his office for his next appointment. After leaving his office and thinking about what occurred I called and told him I no longer want his services and asked for a refund as the services he promised were not rendered. He refused to give a refund claiming all services were completed! Not only did he refuse to refund my down payment he was demanding we pay his entire fee. Note: At that time, he had only done work on the 2023 tax return. We informed him we would pay for the work he did on the 2023 tax return, but it was unreasonable and unfair for him to expect anything else. He demanded we pay him in full in a cashier's check or cash and refused to return my tax documents. I am now in the process of taking legal action against him to get all my documents and a refund on the service not rendered. There were definitely red flags that we ignored. The biggest was he did not have any contract for us to sign indicating the service he would be completing and the amount he was charging. The most unprofessional company I ever dealt with to date. STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY AS POSSIBLE! read more

This company is a complete scam. They demand payment upfront without providing any services, and they claim to be able to handle your tax filing even though they are not qualified. Absolutely do not use this company for your tax filing. read more

Be VERY VERY WARY of SEAN! This guy should NEVER be in business. I summarized the NEGATIVE reviews on YELP and exactly what i had experienced. "Unprofessional and Fraud. Harmful to Welfare of the Public"- Bart L. "Arrogant, Boastful, prefers his customer to be ignorant, disgraceful and indignant, No moral character, dishonest"- John B. "Rude and judgmental"- Alani G. AS a woman business owner, Sean will BELITTLE and treat you as SECOND class. Makes you look like you do not know anything about taxes and accounting. That was how i felt when I asked him about tax questions. He told me I was WASTE OF HIS TIME. Push you to the door out. I FIRED HIM last year after 1 1/2 years of doing business because he asked me to donate to his "RELIGIOUS CHARITABLE INSTITUTION". He sent me threatening emails that he will ruin my business and NO tax preparer can maximize one's tax return more than him. He even said he recommends this charity to his special clients and to hand him the money and he will write it off in your taxes. This guy is a FRAUD. "Horrible customer service and his prices are extremely high" - Sharyn A. "Not professional and petty" - Tiffany N. "Not educated, does not know his stuff" - Eric I. He CHARGES MORE than a real, CPA. This man claims to be a "CPA CANDIDATE" and NOT a CPA. DO NOT BE DECEIVED. I do not mind paying if the job is done right but to claim that you know what you are doing and then finding out his incompetency is unacceptable. I would ask him some documents for my Worker's comp audit and he would question what i need the documents for? REALLY? "He'll tell you he's filed things and cause you to owe money to the IRS" - Jessica T. "He is rude. He is liar and does not do the services he'll do" - Jennifer O. HE WILL RUIN YOUR BUSINESS. For a year and a half he was doing my taxes, he MISSED my BUSINESS RETURNS, DID NOT FILE taxes timely, and filed INCORRECT TAX FORMS. I ended up getting penalized by IRS and State. I sent him emails prior if the forms were filed and I will send him notices from IRS and State and tells me it was already filed. He even CHARGES ME EXTRA for the job he was supposed to do. When I asked to correct his mistakes now, he said he'll only do it if i pay him the "supposed" balance i owe. He CHARGES ME FOR A JOB HE NEVER DID AND NEVER TOLD HIM TO DO. This guy has the NERVE! He will never be accountable for his mistakes and the nerve to ask money for it. What a THICK-FACED. Lastly, this is what I anticipate a response from him: "Accusing of owing a balance and intimidating to pay" = Amber G. I received a lot of THREATENING EMAILS and HARASSMENT from this guy for the balance I "supposedly" owe him. I have proof and KEPT EVERYTHING IN WRITING. He does not even give you an invoice for the services unless you ask. PLEASE THINK TWICE AND READ REVIEWS BEFORE YOU HIRE APPLIED BOOKKEEPING & TAX !!! read more

Be VERY VERY WARY of SEAN! This guy should NEVER be in business. I summarized the NEGATIVE reviews on YELP and exactly what i have experienced. "Unprofessional and Fraud. Harmful to Welfare of the Public"- Bart L. "Arrogant, Boastful, prefers his customer to be ignorant, disgraceful and indignant, No moral character, dishonest"- John B. "Rude and judgmental"- Alani G. AS a woman business owner, Sean will BELITTLE and treat you as SECOND class. Makes you look like you do not know anything about taxes and accounting. That was how i felt when I asked him about tax questions. He told me I was WASTE OF HIS TIME. Push you to the door out. I FIRED HIM last year after 1 1/2 years of doing business because he asked me to donate to his "RELIGIOUS CHARITABLE INSTITUTION". He sent me threatening emails that he will ruin my business and NO tax preparer can maximize one's tax return more than him. He even said he recommends this charity to his special clients and to hand him the money and he will write it off in your taxes. This guy is a FRAUD. "Horrible customer service and his prices are extremely high" - Sharyn A. "Not professional and petty" - Tiffany N. "Not educated, does not know his stuff" - Eric I. He CHARGES MORE than a real, CPA. This man claims to be a "CPA CANDIDATE" and NOT a CPA. DO NOT BE DECEIVED. I do not mind paying if the job is done right but to claim that you know what you are doing and then finding out his incompetency is unacceptable. I would ask him some documents for my Worker's comp audit and he would question what i need the documents for? REALLY? "He'll tell you he's filed things and cause you to owe money to the IRS" - Jessica T. "He is rude. He is liar and does not do the services he'll do" - Jennifer O. HE WILL RUIN YOUR BUSINESS. For a year and a half he was doing my taxes, he MISSED my BUSINESS RETURNS, DID NOT FILE taxes timely, and filed INCORRECT TAX FORMS. I ended up getting penalized by IRS and State. I sent him emails prior if the forms were filed and I will send him notices from IRS and State and tells me it was already filed. He even CHARGES ME EXTRA for the job he should do. When I asked to correct his mistakes now, he said he'll only do it if i pay him the "supposed" balance i owe. He CHARGES ME FOR A JOB HE NEVER DID AND NEVER TOLD HIM TO DO. This guy has the NERVE! He will never be accountable for his mistakes and the nerve to ask money for it. Lastly, this is what I anticipate a response from him: "Accusing of owing a balance and intimidating to pay" = Amber G. I received a lot of THREATENING EMAILS and HARASSMENT from this guy for the balance I "supposedly" owe him. I have proof and KEPT EVERYTHING IN WRITING. He does not even give you an invoice for the services unless you ask. PLEASE THINK TWICE AND READ REVIEWS BEFORE YOU HIRE SEAN and his Company APPLIED BOOKKEEPING & TAX !!! read more

My wife and I have been going to Applied Bookkeeping & Tax Services for many years now. Shahab (Sean) is passionate about his work and the services he provides for his clients. He is very knowledgeable and personable. For the year 2021, I started doing stocks and cryptocurrency. There are not a lot of tax preparers who have the knowledge and who consistently study the new policies and regulations the government and IRS put in place every year regarding taxes. Sean has guided me and knows exactly how to process stocks and cryptocurrency. He is versatile and has many skill sets all around. There is never a time in doing business with Sean that I have felt lost or not understand what is going on with my taxes. He answers every question I send his way and I am grateful for his service. If you dread tax season, and looking for someone who is dependable , efficient and want to get your taxes done in a promptly manner , this is the place to go !!! When Sean completed our taxes a couple weeks ago , he provided my wife and I coffee/drinks cups as an appreciation for being a client. They are great quality and it's amazing to receive this , knowing he spent money out of his pocket to ensure his clients are appreciated and completed satisfied. My wife and I are grateful for Sean's services and this review is the least I can do for the countless tax returns that we receive nice returns. Despite every year that my wife and I think we are going to owe thousands of dollars , he makes a way for us to leave the door with a smile . Get your taxes done here , you won't regret it read more

Applied Bookkeeping & Tax Services - Great coffee/drink cups for my wife and I from Sean after he prepared our taxes for 2021 - Payroll Services Near Me - Elk Grove, California

I just had my taxes filed here and had a great experience. I was able to ask questions about my taxes to understand what was taking place. These place is cheaper than H&R block and I feel good that things were being done properly which is why I avoid doing my taxes online. See you guys next year! read more

We started going to Sean last year for taxes and so glad we did. He's super knowledgeable and cares about his clients. Much recommended!

Have been going here for the last few years and would not go anywhere else. Shahab Syed is a tax pro and super knowledgeable. He makes sure he takes care of his loyal clients preparing their return accurately. read more

To start, Sean is very arrogant and not as competent as he boastfully suggest. I met with Sean to prepare my 2021 taxes- at that time he indicated to me that my 2020 taxes were improperly prepared. He immediately denounced the previous company and told me the charge to amend the 2020 taxes, and file my personal and business tax would exceed $2000. All the while he presented a sense of urgency, and lack of time to explain his findings. The total time I spent in his office was literally 5 minutes (I have emails to prove) not to mention part of that 5 minutes was spent making a debit payment. I left his office extremely troubled by my experience but optimistic that all will be fine. When I was summoned by his office to return to sign the taxes Sean prepared, I also decided at this time to work with him as my book keeper. However, while at this visit, I asked questions pertaining to the book keeping services and, Sean literally dodged every questions as it suddenly became painfully obvious that Sean prefers to keep his customers ignorant. He literally told me to focus on my business "You were born to do what you do, and I was born to do this." I was completely appalled by such a disgraceful and indignant statement. At this moment I decided against any further business transactions. Now, months later I became aware that my 2020 taxes were not filed-The taxes I paid Sean $2000 to file! So, I emailed Sean inquiring about the status of that filing. Sean emailed back that everything was fine- later that morning, I received an email indicating my 2020 taxes were filed at around 2 a.m. I've sent emails asking questions regarding the filed taxes and those questions went unanswered, literally! And again, I sent follow up inquiries pertaining to the taxes that were supposed to be filed months ago (having now been filed at the end of April) and he still refused to answer- instead, he responded to only one of the request for a copy of the filed taxes. This guy is weak as a business owner and shows no moral character when owning his mistakes. His arrogance and poor accountability will gradually loose every hard working citizens' trust and, that will be just enough to close his doors permanently. I sincerely hope anyone reading this review will strongly consider taking their trust and hard earned money to a more honest and reliable tax and book keeping service. Don't be assume each bad review was an isolated incident. Now in hindsight, the reviews made by other customers clearly shows a nasty pattern of dishonesty, poor communication, and extremely high service rates- paid upfront etc. save yourself the trouble. As another customer stated " you've been warned" read more

I Was trying to get an estimate with Turbo tax as I did not have much money to spend but decided to go with Syed instead and im so glad I did, he gets you the Max refund possible, Double the Amount turbotax was getting me. . He is Honest, affordable and works with you! read more

I'm with Sean since 2015. He always does his best to give me a good tax refund. He is always concerned about his clients finances well-being. Highly recommend read more

Bad experience. I went there to do my taxes and he didn't ask me a single question about my expenses and if I do something on the side. He just took my papers and straight up said " where do you want your refund" As a tax consultant one should be able to consult their client on how they can get maximum income or they do anything else that you can write off as deductible but he was not helpful at all. read more

Went in for a consult regarding my business. The accountant was not helpful at all. He was rude and came off as very judgmental.

My husband and I will definitely recommend the services of this company. We had our taxes done today. Sean was very professional and able to help us with our taxes. It was definitely a stress-free service that he provided. He was also able to give myself and my husband advice on the things that we need to do in the future for our taxes. We will definitely be coming to him again next year. I am very grateful for his help! read more

Avoid at all costs!!!!! Sean (a bookkeeper) accused me of owing a balance that I did not owe and proceeded to intimidate me to pay his "alleged" balance. There are other options out there. You've been warned. read more

I got my taxes done by Sean again for the 3rd year now and I can honestly say that he is one of the best ones out there. He's very patient and got everything done quickly and without any hassles. I will definitely keep coming back to him. read more

I asked for pricing when I made the appointment and was told $175 for simple joint tax return. We showed up to our appointment and there were client documents all over his desk. He asked us a few questions and then took down our phone numbers and told us he needed to discuss pricing. He said returns start at $450 and if we did not like it we were welcome to go somewhere else. I was very disappointed at the waste of our time and his as we would never have booked the appointment if we had been given that pricing. He seemed surprised that I picked up my documents and went to another company. This man was not professional and very petty. read more

Quick and Awesome service by Sean. Highly recommend this place. Everything was as promised.

Our second year having our taxes submitted by Sean. He is prompt, efficient and professional. I would highly recommend Applied Bookkeeping & Tax Services for all of your tax related needs. read more

I like Sean and his services! I even referred my fiance! We have been going for years!

Sean the owner is out of damn control and threaten me. I used their restroom as I waited for my appointment and the toilet got clogged. I spent over 5 minutes trying to unclog it before I went to the front desk and asked the front desk guy if they had another plugger I could use. I even offered the front desk guy that I would do the work myself if he got me another plugged but he told me to just go into my appointment. Sean went to the bathroom to check on the front desk guy and he came back hella mad. He started yelling at me and calling me an idiot. I told him to calm the hell down and tried to explain that I was trying to unclog it. He started threatening me and said I had 10 seconds to get out of his office or he'll f me up. Even as I was walking out he yelled out "I'll come to your house and f you up." Wow what a great business owner. Not only getting in my face and threatening me, but stating that he's going to track me down and come to my house and F me up. Stay the hell away from this guy and his business read more

Sean is very knowledgeable in his field. I am very grateful for his assistance and recommend his services to anyone looking for an honest and helpful accountant read more

Poor customer service. When you call in there seems to be a young boy answering the phone that hasn't been trained on how to properly schedule appointments and assist customers. The owner and tax person is a con artist. He tells you he's filed things and doesn't and causes you to have to owe money to the IRS. This man needs to be out of business. read more

You guys, I NEVER do reviews. This is very rare for me but people need to know about this business before they end up in a similar position as me. Yes, I was one of those people who ignored negative reviews because I am always so optimistic but this is one of those time that I wish I would have listened. My ignorance has costed me thousands of dollars working with this company. He is rude, he is a liar, and does not do the services he says that he'll do. Grab your popcorn because I had a story to tell.. Sean has lied to me continuously and costed me thousands of dollars! I do not know where to begin with his incompetence. I came to Sean as a new small business owner who didn't have a clue about where to start with my taxes. Firstly, I've paid him thousands for my 2021 taxes in which he was to file my business, personal, and dissolve an old LLC. He was late to filing my business taxes that were supposed to be filed in March. He claimed then that he had put in an extension to do this, which was later proven to be a lie. He didnt notify me until May or June that he needed more information from me to file the taxes and did not ultimately file them until October. This left me with a $2,000 penalty from the IRS. As far as that old LLC that he was PAID to dissolve, he told me back in September of 2022 that this had been done already. I contacted the Secretary of State, Pennsylvania and they informed me that this LLC was still very much open and active. I personally had to file to have it dissolve myself, today, June 2023. A lie. Lastly, I attempted to use his services for my 2022 corporate taxes. I had been inquiring about his services for months prior to its due date in March. He informed me that he had not done them by its due date but had filed an extension to have it done at a later date. He then suddenly refused to respond to any of my emails or calls. He told his receptionist that he won't speak to me until I submit a payment for him to work on my corporate taxes. I informed him that I had no issue with doing this, I simply wanted a invoice or binding agreement stating what he was doing and what I'd be paying for. He ignored my requests and insisted his receptionist take a $500 payment over the phone. That is not good business, especially because he did not want to give me an invoice. Today I spoke to the IRS to check on this "extension" to find out no ext had been filed and I will have another penalty for this return. Another lie and more money lost and owed. I'm warning you folks, take your business elsewhere. There are better priced and efficient tax professionals out there. read more

Sean is amazing , he did a great job filling my taxes. He know what he is doing and he will do his best to maximize your tax returns he is very knowledgable ,i am glad that i choosed him to file my taxes , And i sent my girl friend to do her taxes with him and i will recommend more people because he deserve it . Thank you sean read more

Best services ever! Sean the accountant is a kind, marvelous & selfless man who loves to help. Very wise and trusting. He keeps the job simple and fast. No questions asked I would recommend him to do any bookkeeping/taxes etc. read more

I have been going to Applied Tax for a couple of years now. Shahab is very knowledgeable, personable, and will do everything he can to get you the best tax return possible. Shahab has been very patient with me and answered any questions I had and explained to me anything needed clarification on. The first year I went to him, I had to amend my previous year's taxes and Shahab was able to help me do that. He amended my file and even packaged it up in an addressed envelope so all I had to do was take it to the upost office. If you dread tax season because of how long it takes to get your taxes done, come to Applied Tax, because you'll be in and out in a timely manner. They also appreciate loyalty and referrals, which translate into discounts . I'll be back next year! read more

I was looking for a good regular place to go to every year to get my taxes done. Yelp helped me come across this place just few minutes from my house. I had made an appointment here for later in the evening. I had to wait a few mins even though I arrived before my time. Other than that, I don't have any complaints about this place. The Owner, Sean was very patient with me, gathered all my documents and answered all my questions. I wasn't even sure if I would be getting anything back this year due to my business but Sean told me not to worry and got me a good amount to my surprise. I was ecstatic. Took care of me and service was fast once the ball got rolling. I will be definitely coming back here again and also I have recommended people to come here as well. If I had known before they were in business more than 4 years in my area I would have came sooner. Thank you!! read more

Sean was a nice guy. He helped me a few times and he definitely saved me money for a few years. However, this review is based off a recent experience with him that left a bad taste in my mouth. I recently got into back door ROTH IRAs in 2020 to help with retirement. When I reached out to him before my taxes, he said he is familiar with them so I decided to plan todo taxes with him for that year. I saw him for 45 minutes and he charged me about 500 dollars for my taxes. Yes, 500 dollars. That's a lot for stock investing and filing together with my wife, I know. Anyways, during that brief interaction, he notified me that back door roth ira doesn't exist and I made a big mistake with my taxes. Google backdoor roth ira, it does exist. Trusting my gut and I felt something was fishy, 1 hr after my appointment with him , I notified sean right away to put a pause on my taxes and not further work on my taxes until further notice because he is still has some unfinished business. I got a second opinion from another tax expert who endorse my back door roth IRA and I decided to file with her company. My gripe with this review is that he is not educated on back door roth IRA despite him endorsing he is. He is CPA, he should know this stuff. To add further insult to injury, I tried asking for partial refund for unfinished work with my taxes which he reluctantly agreed to but never followed up on the refund. After multiple emails, I was pretty much ghosted by him and never got a partial refund even though he initially agreed. I just felt it was a typical bait and switch. So tax filers who are interest in investing be leery before filing taxes with him. read more

This guy had horrible customer service and his prices are extremely high. We arrived on time for our appointment but he was running late. During our appointment, I was getting offended by his smart remarks about how we shouldn't have used Turbo Tax or how my employer should've told me this and that...then THIRTEEN MINUTES LATER try to charge me $250 to file my taxes. When I told him we were quoted a different amount he replied with "ok just pay me $200....happy?!" At this point, I just walked out. Take your business elsewhere to someone who cares and will take their time with you. read more

Sean was great! Very personable and highly efficient. My husband and I will definitely be going to him next time we need to get our taxes done. We highly recommend him. read more

I called Applied Accounting & Tax Services on Sunday April 8, spoke to Sean (Shahab) and he made an appoint for the next day. He took me and my mom. My experience with him was very pleasant, also his wife was kind also. He did my taxes right there less than 30 minutes, so me and my mom was out there with completed taxes under an hour. ( didn't have to come and pick them up)as I read all the positive reviews, I have to agree. He did give me a discount which I was very appreciative. Me and my mom were very much satisfied. I would definitely recommend going to him. We need to support our small business in the city we live. Thanks Sean read more

I went in to get my taxes done by Sean. I handed him the paperwork and he would follow up once he had taxes completed for signing. As other reviews said you have to pay the day you hand in paperwork. So his receptionist called around a week later and said to bring my daughter for signing. He originally told me the first time I went there to bring my wife for the signing and possibly my daughter, I don't recall. So I called the receptionist back and asked her to confirm with Sean that only my daughter had to come in rather than my daughter and wife. The receptionist called me back and said only my daughter and I had to come, therefore I only brought my daughter. Then he proceeded to tell me my wife was supposed to be there too. I called him out on it and he said I told you the first day that your wife had to sign. So I recommended he have better communication with his receptionist and he got really pissed off at me as we argued back and forth. If he had any customer skills, he would have showed empathy since the customer is always right no matter what. Also Sean talked down to me and when I asked questions he got annoyed. I believe Sean knows what he's doing as far as taxes but do not recommend as he is very rude and horrible customer service. read more

Worst place ever!!!! I called them to ask for some help with small business tax prep and explained to the guy what I wanted help with he said yes make an appointment. He specifically told me he charges $79 an hour but not to worry about that he will charge me $25 a form. When I went in for my appointment he told me I didn't have all the necessary documents for him to help me and to come back again with all the documents and IF he has time he will help me. The TOTAL TIME HE SPENT TALKING TO ME WAS ( 15 ) yes 15!!! Minutes and he charged me $79!!! Unbelievable total fucking rip off!!! To top it off through out the 15 minutes he was talking he kept making smart comments about how people think they're smart when they do their own taxes but are really not! Gee thanks dude for indirectly calling me stupid!!!! The most shitty place ever!!! read more

I really should have looked more closely at all the reviews of Sean and his business services. Especially the ones about how terrible of an experience it is working with him. If I did, I would never have tried him out. I called the office to ask about setting up an LLC and possibly have someone do my bookkeeping and taxes. I just wanted information if they were able to provide the services and what fees and options were offered. Of course I had done research online with CA state offices to check the fees and have seen the prices of online services. I had also spoken to other CPAs who were able to give me a 5min chat and tell me their fees. Most bookkeepers and CPA are rather busy right now due to tax season so they couldn't take the extra work until after May 15th. The receptionist at Applied Bookkeping insisted I would have to schedule an appointment to speak to Sean because he was also very busy. "Okay, when is he available?" I ask. "Anytime this week or next, just give me a time you can come in." she says. That should have been my first red flag. I scheduled an appt for the next day at 3pm and arrived on time to his empty office. The receptionist was NOT wearing a mask and didn't even acknowledge me when I walked in. I told her I was there for a meeting with Sean and she didnt even look up, just told me to wait and he would come get me when he was available. About 10min later Sean walks out of the open office door next to the reception area, WITHOUT a mask and tells me to come in and sit down. He gets behind his large empty desk, crosses his arms and says. "What do you want?" He didnt even know what I was there for. I explained to him I was looking for an accountant/cpa to help me register a business and possibly do some bookkeeping. I had a list of questions written out so as not to waste anyone's time. But he kept just giving me short yes or no answers to my questions without any elaboration. He told me I was opening the wrong type of business entity and that whoever told me to do it that way was not qualified to give business advice. I asked about his fees to help start a business entity and he pulls out an old photocopied lisat of services and proceeds to cross out some of the prices and increase them on the paper. The fees he was changing included the standard fees from the state of CA which I had just checked the day prior. When I asked if I can keep a copy of his services he said no because of competition. I asked about filing quarterly taxes for my business and what kind of deductions were available he said he would only discuss that if I used him to do the taxes. I had enough in the 10 minutes I was in there with him. I thanked him and told him I would consider doing business with him after I spoke to a few other cpa's I was going to interview. He said this 'consultation' would cost me $79 because his time was valuable. What a WASTE of time. I got nothing out of his consultation other than his condescending tone and a possible case of covid. Avoid this guy at all costs. He is not busy at all during tax season and his fees are questionable. All his positive reviews are either friends or people that just hand over their paperwork and dont ask questions. . As everyone always says, I wish I could give this guy 0 stars. Good luck. You've been warned read more

Sean always does a great job! He responds quickly and efficiently to complete the taxes and saves you as much as possible! I will continue to use Sean in the future! read more

I made a phone call today about asking for their services and to see if they're taking walk ins but before finishing asking questions the receptionist hang up on me ! How rude ! Please train your employees with customer service please! Don't do business with these people! They are mean & racists! I do believe the owner called me back trying to explain me that it was their phone having problems etc etc trying to excuse themselves! I said it fine & he asked me if he could ask me a favor & I said nope! I thinking he was trying to ask me to delete my review on their website! He got mad & told me why I don't learn English better! Is that called discrimination or racism? Thank you for welcoming new people to Elk Grove! I'm sure do have an accent as well! God bless your business! read more