I had a very poor experience with Gary's tax preparation services and would not recommend him. In my opinion, he presented himself as having specialized expertise, but my experience was that the service was disorganized, unresponsive, and ultimately cost me time, stress, and money. I hired him to reduce the stress and risk of preparing my taxes, but the engagement became difficult and required constant follow-up. Many emails went unanswered or received incomplete responses, and I often had to chase basic information. After payment, the lack of responsiveness and professionalism became even more noticeable. I prepared checklists and detailed notes for him, but I did not feel they were meaningfully reviewed or incorporated. On calls, he often seemed exhausted and disengaged, which was not reassuring from a tax professional handling a higher-income return with trading activity. I was also concerned by what I viewed as an overstatement of his familiarity with Trader Tax Status and Section 475(f). During the engagement, I had to raise basic issues myself, including deductions for trading-related expenses, equipment, home office use, education, fees, and margin interest. A later tax professional reviewed the same situation more carefully, identified issues, and saved me thousands of dollars. My understanding is that he confused Trader Tax Status with the Section 475(f) mark-to-market election, which are not the same thing. Section 475(f) has specific timing and account-tracking implications and generally cannot be applied retroactively to prior losses. Given that this was a major reason I sought professional help, I found this extremely disappointing. I was especially troubled by Gary's handling of a possible security/phishing incident involving sensitive tax documents and personal information. His assurances that my information was safe were not supported, in my view, by logs, evidence, or a meaningful technical explanation. I have a PhD in computer security, and the response I received did not give me confidence that the issue had been handled with the seriousness or transparency it deserved. Instead, I felt brushed off. Overall, I found the service careless, unresponsive, and far below the standard I expected for the fee paid. The fee was substantial, and I later recovered far more value from a more careful tax professional. Based on my experience, I would strongly caution others before using this service, especially if they have complex tax issues, trading activity, or basic security competence involving sensitive documents. He will be reported to every agency. read more

I recently scheduled a 15-minute consultation with Gary Wong, and I can absolutely see why he receives such outstanding reviews. Even when I needed to reschedule with very little notice, Gary was extremely accommodating and flexible, which immediately set a positive tone. From the moment we began talking, he was both professional and approachable. Gary has a way of making complex financial topics feel much less intimidating. He listened carefully to my questions and concerns, and then walked me through the different options in a clear and thoughtful manner. He didn't rush me or overwhelm me with jargon. He genuinely made sure I understood the choices in front of me. As someone who is brand new to the world of financial planning and investing, I can't overstate how reassuring that was. Knowing that I can openly discuss my concerns and have them addressed by someone who is both highly knowledgeable and patient gives me a real sense of security. Financial planning is a lifelong process, and having a trusted advisor like Gary makes that journey feel a lot more approachable. I left the consultation not only better informed, but also more confident about my next steps. I highly recommend Gary Wong to anyone seeking a financial advisor and CPA who combines professionalism with genuine care for his clients. read more

I cannot recommend Gary Wong highly enough. I filled out the online request form for a free initial consultation on his website, after researching East Bay tax CPAs and reading his excellent reviews on Yelp. However, I wasn't hopeful that I would even get a response, given that it was less than two weeks before the tax deadline, but much to my pleasant surprise, Gary responded that same day, and I was easily able to immediately schedule a free initial Zoom consultation with him. Gary is helpful, kind and hardworking, and clearly cares about helping the average taxpayer. Even though my case was not very complicated, and I had only a few questions about whether I had entered certain things correctly into Turbo Tax, Gary agreed to review and provide expert feedback on my draft tax return for a VERY reasonable price. Gary also is very knowledgeable and professional (with many decades of experience), and he was able to save me several hundred dollars this year and avoid future tax headaches. Best of all, he reviewed my tax documents and provided feedback within only a couple of days, so that I had plenty of time to make corrections. The process was simple and easy and entirely virtual, and Gary was 100% a pleasure to deal with all around. If I could give him 6 stars, I would! read more

If you're looking for a CPA who combines unmatched expertise with genuine care for his clients, look no further than Gary! His years of experience truly shine through in everything he does. He has a deep understanding of the numbers, but what really sets him apart is how much he cares about his client's individual needs. Gary doesn't just see you as another file or another number - he sees you as a person and takes the time to understand your unique situation. Whether it's guiding you through the complexities of tax season or offering thoughtful advice on long-term financial planning, Gary's insights are always spot-on. He is patient and always ready to explain things clearly, making even the most complicated financial concepts easy to grasp. Could not recommend him enough! read more

I have known Gary Wong for over 19 years as a result of common business and faith interests. Gary is very meticulous, reliable, and he is very honest. He is very easy to work with. Gary will go beyond of what is required of any particular assignments. Over the many years Gary has helped us for our tax and financial needs. He has done an excellent job. It is my honor to give a strong and positive recommendation of Gary Wong for personal and business' tax and financial needs. Gyan Pantha, Founder and President Children Rescue Mission read more

Gary has been doing my taxes since I bought my first house. He not only provided financial advise long term, but provided solutions and action plans to better myself for the following years. I'm now a proud owner of multiple homes and can always rely on Gary to provide me the financial advise to better myself. I wouldn't trust anyone else with my tax services and planning read more

Gary's expertise in tax laws is exceptional, keeping me well-prepared for any future changes. He's always willing to hop on a Zoom call for any quick questions, making him incredibly accessible and helpful. Whether for simple filings or complex issues, Gary's professionalism and dedication make him the best in the business. Highly recommended! read more

Gary is very knowledgeable and helpful. He understands your issues and has good recommendations for your tax situation. He advised me on my small business and kept me from making things too complicated and spending way more money than I should. He explains things well and provides notes. I absolutely recommend Gary. He's great! read more

Gary is excellent in all he does. I recently had some changes to me business structure and he expertly guided me through the bureaucratic morass. He also dues my personal taxes, where there also have been complications. His calm, knowledgeable approach is unparalleled. I recommend him without reservation. read more

Gary C. Wong, CPA provides outstanding service. He is an expert you can depend upon for his knowledge in tax laws. Gary's dedication is evidenced in his commitment to be on top of changes to tax law and is diligent to keep you aware of these changes. I can't recommend Gary enough for his professionalism. read more

I had a zoom appt. with Gary Wong. It related to a tricky category in my taxes that was stopping me from being able to e-file. He walked me through each question about business details and helped me answer all correctly. I was then able to "Smart Check" and all was correct! Thank you Gary!! read more

We have been so fortunate to have Gary help us with our accounting needs. He goes above and beyond to help us with our taxes and more. He is very knowledgable and responds quickly with requests or questions. I highly recommend him. read more

He was very, very helpful and gave me some valuable advice, honest and decent man...I recommend him highly