Brokstein & Rosen, CPAs

I came to Ken in a near panic state about my tax problems — mostly relating to a long string of un-​filed returns, and as a small business person, I was getting away with it because I was off the books so to speak and had no official forms such as 1099’s or W-2’s and so forth. So when I finally decided to get straight and clean things up, Ken made it easy. Advice was clear and complete: what kind of paper work to pull together out of bare bones records for certain years, and how to put it together. Most important was the process of filling out all the necessary forms and picking what forms were applicable and what were not, while keeping everything above board and honest while taking various deductions that were legally mine to use. He knows all the tools and can access information quickly. We busted out the entire mess in less than 2 hours.
After my session with Ken, his secretary Annibel followed up by finishing up all the paper work and put various instructions on each separate return, enclosing all copies of all forms, more instruction on which envelope went with which voucher and the amount to write, which were E-​filed, each envelope had the proper address for its particular tax return; State or Fed, and so on. It could not have been easier, I had a week to go to the post office and take my time using the automatic system to weigh and get the correct postage for each… and finally a weight off my shoulders. The final bill for everything was way less than expected considering how many returns were filed. Ultimately my voluntary filing was the correct move, and my total outlay was surprisingly low thanks again to Ken’s ability to know the tax code in detail.
It pays to go to someone with nearly 25 – 30 years experience who has helped folks like me with same problems all too often.

Annise Brokstein is fantastic. She is always willing to take pity on us as every year with our lack of knowledge and she ends up spending hours with us helping figure it all out. Annise is kind, professional, knowledgeable and friendly. As horrible and stressful tax time always is, she makes the bitter pill taste a little better. It feels more like going to your mothers house for help and some lunch than going to visit your accountant.

I spoke with Ken on the phone (first of all, i’ve been making calls all day and he was the first receptive CPA i’ve spoken with). Ken is extremely knowledgeable about tax, AMT, stock options… etc. I had a very specific scenario and Ken was able to give really sound advice on what to do and what to avoid. He has been doing this for many years and is also very easy to speak with (he actually listens to what you have to say, which is very important if you want to get the best answers).
The charges are very reasonable because they are for middle class-​upper class (also they would do well even if you didn’t have much to file for tax).

I met Ken Rosen this last summer and I have to tell you he is the best!
He has helped me though enormous difficulties and solved them with total ease.
He definitely knows what he is doing.
I sold a condo that was out of state and thought I had to pay thousands in taxes.
He was able to work it so whatever I paid in taxes was minimal
The office staff is great, they are so professional.
I would give them 10 stars if I could!!!

I met Annise Brokstein in very difficult times when I thought everything was lost. Annise took the time to listen to me and the issues that I was facing. After my first meeting with Annise, I immediately knew that I not only came to the right office but to the right person. The way in which Annise explains things are easy to understand, you immediately know that she is well prepare and the awards and certificates on her walls speak for themselves.
Before coming to Annise, I looked and talk to many CPA’s but no one was really concern about my financial needs and in the situation that I was facing at the time, other than another client and many wanted large deposits in advanced. Annise took me in as a new client knowing my financial situation and the risk that she was taking with me and needless to say, I am still her client after 7 years and I look forward to many more years to come. There is no one day that goes by that I am not thankful for what she has done for me and the fact that she is my CPA and financial advisor.
For what it is worth; take the time to think what your CPA is doing for you other than planning and preparing your taxes and take the time to spend 20 minutes with Annise Brokstein.
The difference is in the financial and emotional results.

Ken Rosen has been my accountant for years. Ken graduated from UC Berkeley and used to work for PricewaterhouseCoopers (the accounting firm that counts the ballots for the Academy Awards). He has incredible knowledge and doesn’t treat you like you should have taken Accounting 101 to understand what he’s talking about. He’s a wizard when it comes to income taxes, has a great website, and responds well to email if you have a financial question. He’s a little pricey, but he’s never screwed up my taxes!

Ken Rosen is a real pro! I had a very complex tax situation involving AMT, stock options, and recent changes to the codes. Other accounts I’ve worked with had little understanding of these aspects of the tax laws and didn’t take the time for analyze. However, Ken really dug into the situation, reconstructing multiple years of transactions and tax returns. The net result was a huge tax savings for me. I also liked the fact that Ken was easy to work with.
While not inexpensive, Ken’s expertise and diligence was well worth it!

Annise Brokstein has been my accountant for over 10 years and I have nothing but good things to say about her. Annise is actively involved in the California Society of CPAs and, of course, stays up to date on recent changes to the tax law. She also takes a personal interest in her clients and I often feel like I’m chatting with a friend rather than purchasing professional services.
Annise strives to keep costs to her clients as low as possible. She often spends only 30 – 60 minutes of her own time preparing my (somewhat complex) return while delegating the majority of the work to her less expensive staff.
Go see Annise Brokstein if you’re in need of some highly knowledgeable and friendly tax advice.