Financial Advising near El Cerrito, CA

“Trust can be hard to define, especially when you’re dealing with life savings and security for the future. My wife and I have invested (literally) with Jason Draut for many years now, from the launch of his new business, the addition of a partner in Santa Cruz and we have always listened and trusted his advice on money matters. He has our best interests at heart.”

“Jaime Quintero is the best tax advisor I have been to. I have been doing taxes for years and came across Jaime about 2 years ago and it has made taxes a little less stressful. Jaime is super knowledgeable and takes the time to explain and walk you through anything you need. Jaime is also bilingual and since knowing Jaime have also referred my parents to him and they were very pleased with his services. I would recommend Jaime and his team at Ayuda Financial to anyone.”

“Working with Rick's team at Financial Zen has far exceeded my expectations in every way! Before selecting Rick, I talked with 10+ financial advisors, and no one came close to the quality and value he offers.

I just finished Financial Zen's six-month onboarding program, in which Rick and his team helped me transform my finances from sorta disorganized to 100% streamlined. As an operations and UX professional, I am a harsh judge of customer experience, but I have only effusively positive things to say about Rick's approach to working with clients. He visibly cares about creating a top-quality, high-ROI client experience — and it shows in every aspect of his work. In the time I've worked with Rick, he's also been building out his team and has ensured that every member of Financial Zen delivers the same level of excellence.

Beyond getting clear on my cash flow and streamlining my financial accounts, Rick's program includes tasks that other advisors considered out of scope (or would charge extra for), like auditing my insurance, reviewing tax returns, and jointly working with an estate lawyer. He has thoroughly and thoughtfully designed every aspect of his program, like having comprehensive to-dos managed through a Monday dashboard, plus weekly modules complete with helpful videos and a workbook.

In addition to the program's standard curriculum, Rick has enthusiastically worked with me to address bespoke topics and to-do's for embarking on creating a solopreneur business. To me, this is the ultimate testament to Rick's commitment to helping people with all aspects of their financial health. Other advisors had zero interest in helping me with my new venture because it fell outside of their usual offerings, whereas Rick was super pumped about the opportunity. His expertise, support, and excitement surpass anything I could have hoped for.

This brings me to my last point: Rick and his team are a joy to work with. He's passionate about helping people through his business, and his enthusiasm is infectious. Rick clearly believes that helping people attain financial zen is the work he's meant to be doing, and it shows. I am grateful to Rick and his entire team at Financial Zen for being my personal CFO, and I wholeheartedly recommend them!”

“Very detailed, very attentive, my taxes were meticulously explained and I have been advised over the years how to best manage my finances in order to not over pay or under pay yearly.”

“We have been using KB for our financial advisory and tax preparation for ~10+ years and have been very happy with our partnership. Landon and Chelsea are a joy to work with - kind, straightforward, and pragmatic with their advice, and always available when we need their support!”

“I’ve had an exceptional experience working with Hanke & Apolonio Wealth Advisors. From the very beginning, their team demonstrated a deep understanding of financial planning, blending technical expertise with a truly personalized approach.

Manny Apolonio, in particular, has been instrumental in helping me navigate key financial decisions with clarity and confidence. He takes the time to explain complex concepts in a way that’s easy to understand and always aligns strategies with my long-term goals and personal values. His ability to combine financial acumen with a coaching mindset has made a huge difference in how I think about wealth management.

The firm as a whole operates with transparency, integrity, and a genuine commitment to their clients’ financial well-being. I highly recommend Hanke & Apolonio to anyone looking for a wealth management team that goes beyond just numbers—they truly care about their clients’ success.”

“Anne has been a rock-solid advisor to our family for decades. On taxes and real estate matters, she shares her experience and ensures we get the best outcomes possible. A sincere and detail-oriented practice, we have had no issues and have always felt taken care of.”

“Having Citrine handle our financial plan has been an incredible investment in our family's stability, confidence, and overall happiness. We began working with Nick at Citrine about nine months ago, and in those nine months our financial wellbeing has improved dramatically. It's an incredible service and team. Highly recommend!”

“We’ve worked with Asti Financial twice on personal finance scenario-planning. They are easy to work with, welcoming, and straightforward. Highly recommend, regardless of your level of financial knowledge. They provided us with helpful plans and guidance that we refer to often. We also appreciated their transparent pricing. Thank you Julie & team!”

“Lee Accountancy Group sets the personalized needs of their clients as their number one priority. Mr. Lee is extra knowledgeable. His genuine good natured humor, creates a very positive environment for all the members of his staff, who are kind, respectful, skilled, and attentive, in helping to make the whole tax preparation process as stress free, as possible.”

“I have known Mark for many many years he is great. He has done my parents trust who are no longer living, my sister trust and my trust. He is very knowledgeable and helpful. He has a passion for helping people.”

“Thank You Charles Schwab for being the investment firm that’s helping our communities build Firsts families of generational wealth in Rural Hill, Tennessee.??????????????
Love ❤️ the energy in the photos, we look forward to visiting:)
P.S. May God continue to Bless the integrity of those in charge of managing Our Pension accounts.
“Rebuking American ?? Greed In The Mighty Name of Jesus!!!”
Amen.??
beyond Grateful CHASEBANK/Charles Schwab ???❤️??????”

“I'm a mom with two older teens in the early years of college, living at home. They can't support themselves yet & I'm having to borrow from the bank to keep afloat. Amie Shapiro gave me a clear plan for saving money on everyday things like our phones and our food and gave me options on where to put some of the borrowed money in a high yield savings account or money market. This plan will help me stay alright for the next critical years while I hold on for retirement. I'm so grateful for Amie!”

“(Translated by Google) Margarita and her very professional and friendly team helped me perfectly with a notary service.(Original)Margarita y su equipo muy profesional y amables, me ayudaron en un servicio notarial perfectamente.”

“We have had several financial advisors over the past 30 years. Our relationship with Brighton Jones began in 2009 and, after the first year, we transferred all of our investments to them. The big difference in them is that they have provided a comprehensive approach to our financial planning. They have given us terrific advice regarding investments (stocks, bonds and exclusive BJ products) and assistance with buying and selling several homes, including mortgage and insurance referrals. We also like that they have three independent arms which we have continuously used-investments, taxes and estate planning.”

“I am always pleased with the professional, competent and responsive services I have received for over 20 years. Carl Uratsu ensures my taxes are completed with the utmost attention to tax law. I am grateful to have such an outstanding team working on our family's behalf. I highly recommend PH Tax & Wealth Solutions as the best firm around.”

“Over the past year I have worked with Sunita Joseph and Erik Erikson. Both have been helpful and professional. They have guided me into organizing my finances and making plans for the future of my retirement. I was informed about options but was never pushed in any direction. After working with them I have more peace of mind, knowledge and organization.”

“I've been trusting Seth and his team for the past 3 years and I couldn't be more pleased with their work. I always feel heard and taken care of and know my data is being handled professionally and promptly.”

“Great Charles Schwab location with very helpful and friendly people. Opened an account and they walked me through it and even let me use their chromebook to make sure everything was all setup before I left.”

“First Class customer service. A classy and a very efficient modern bank yet a full-pledge broker dealer too. Offers Full array of financial products & services, with a unbiased portfolio recommendation. This is how personal banking should be. Been a long time customer. In short, gold standard Bar none!”

“I'm writing this about Fidelity Investments in general, not the Montgomery St office in particular. I saw all of these bad reviews (while looking for lunch restaurants near that office) and think a corrective is important. I don't like the Montgomery St office either. The staff is under-informed and has been rude to me on multiple occasions. However, the location is not why I still have money with Fidelity. This point needs to be made. Fidelity is a very safe place to keep your money. It's very easy to trade online. Fees are among the lowest, if not the lowest, in the industry. I have accounts with other banks and brokerage houses, so I can compare. Their phone service, while imperfect, is also good compared to other brokerages. You can usually sort out problems quickly.You have to accept the weak points. Montgomery St staff are like time-share sales people: they always push hard, repeatedly, for you to invest in something that you don't want. (Before it was annuities; now it's some sort of private-investing tax-loss-harvesting scheme.) So when you meet with any of them 1-on-1, you have to be prepared for it to be 80% unwanted sales pitch. But the other 20% is often useful information.Montgomery office staff are also horrible snobs. On my last visit the guy told me in no uncertain terms how little my amount of money means to Fidelity, and how much money his important clients have. Got it. BUT he also showed me how to quickly increase the amount of interest I'm getting on my core account. I had to put up with the obnoxious snobbery, but I got something valuable from it. That's not the first time.In short, yes, the Montgomery office is awful. Going there today and maybe once again they will sneer at me because I'm not going in a suit and tie. But the Montgomery office is not Fidelity.”