Shawn was excellent to work with on a complex real estate transaction involving a number of tax and financial considerations. He was extremely responsive, knowledgeable, practical, and very easy to collaborate with. He did a great job helping us work through the tax implications of the transaction, explaining the issues clearly, and coordinating with the attorney and the rest of the team so that the tax treatment and transaction documents stayed aligned. I especially appreciated how accessible and responsive he was throughout the process. He was a real asset to the team, and I would definitely work with him again and recommend him to others.
Mitch Roye, Google reviewThe firm
LaviCPA is a 10-person CPA firm at 7707 Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles. Elias Lavi, CPA founded the practice about 40 years ago. Shawn Lavi, CPA, the firm's principal, has been with the firm since 2003.
We prepare tax returns for real estate investors, syndicators, family offices, and business owners, for every kind of entity. We also advise on 1031 exchanges, cost segregation, and real estate professional status, and we prepare and file property tax appeals. We're rated 4.7 on Google (14 reviews).
Los Angeles CPA for Real Estate Investors
1031 without the scramble.
1031 timeline control, cost segregation, appeals, and S-Corp salary that holds up under exam.
I’ve been working with Shawn Lavi for over 20 years, and I can’t recommend him highly enough. He’s not just incredibly responsive, he’s proactive. He brings deep knowledge of tax law and consistently shares strategies that save me money year after year. Shawn tailors every recommendation to my specific goals and needs, never using a one-size-fits-all approach. He’s meticulous, trustworthy, and forward-thinking, always a step ahead when it comes to planning and compliance. Beyond his technical expertise, he has a calming presence during stressful tax seasons and communicates in a clear, understandable way. If you’re looking for an accountant who combines decades of experience with personalized attention and creative tax solutions, Shawn is the one.
Hooman Shabatian, Google reviewI highly recommend filing taxes with this CPA. Mr. Lavi is very efficient and communicative with his clients and I always appreciate his guidance. 10/10 quality.
Elijah Amirianfar, Google reviewShawn is great, he helped me save a lot of money on taxes. He's always diligent, organized and timely. Highly recommend.
Ron Sinai, Google reviewKey Dates
Important Upcoming Dates
Key federal and California tax deadlines. If a date falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day. Mark your calendar, or book a planning session before each date.
30Nov 2026
CaliforniaCA Property Tax Appeal Deadline
Assessment Appeals Board filing window closes (Los Angeles County)
15Jan 2027
EstimatedQ4 Estimated Tax Payment
Federal and CA Form 540-ES Q4 installment due
15Mar 2027
FilingS-Corp & Partnership Deadline
Form 1120-S / 1065 and CA Form 100S / 565 / 568 due
15Apr 2027
EstimatedQ1 Estimated Tax Payment
Federal and CA Form 540-ES Q1 installment due
Practice Areas
Seven practice areas. One firm.
Each area connects to the others — so your returns, your deals, and your exit plan line up.
01
Tax & Accounting
Full-ServiceEvery return. Every strategy. Every entity.
Comprehensive tax planning, preparation, and filing across all entity types — from individuals and partnerships to complex real estate structures and multi-state operations.
Tax planning & strategyTax prep & filingRE Professional StatusSyndication TaxesCost SegregationSTR LoopholeMultiState Taxes1031 ExchangeCreative Financing TaxBusiness Taxes
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02
1031 Exchanges
Like-KindThe 45-day clock, under control.
A 1031 exchange with the 45-day clock under control — identification, the intermediary, DST and TIC, reverse and improvement deals.
Identification & timeline managementQualified intermediary coordinationDST & TIC structuringReverse & improvement exchanges
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03
Real Estate Tax
Full-Cycle OptimizationAcquisition to exit, optimized.
Entity choice at purchase, a cost segregation study when it pays, depreciation at hold, and the exit planned before you list.
Cost segregation studiesDepreciation recapture planningInstallment sale structuringEntity selection & structuring
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04
OBBBA
One Big Beautiful Bill ActPlan for the law in front of you.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed July 4, 2025, brought back 100% bonus depreciation for property acquired after January 19, 2025, raised the SALT cap to $40,000 for 2025 ($40,400 for 2026) with a phase-down at higher incomes, and made the QBI deduction permanent. We plan your structure around the law as it stands now.
Bonus depreciation maximizationQBI deduction optimizationSALT cap workaroundsPass-through entity elections
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05
Property Tax Appeals
Assessment ChallengesChallenge unsupported assessments with evidence.
Assessments can exceed supportable market value. We compare your assessment to recent sales and income data and prepare and file the appeal.
Assessment valuation analysisComparable property benchmarkingPrepare and file the appealPortfolio-wide audit programs
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06
AI Consulting
Where it helpsWhere it actually saves time.
Help using automation on tax and planning work where it actually saves time.
AI-powered document processingAutomated tax position analysisWorkflow automation designData pipeline architecture
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07
Virtual CFO
Embedded StrategyCFO-level strategy. Without the overhead.
We act as your embedded CFO year-round — driving financial strategy, scenario modeling, and investor reporting without the cost of a full-time hire.
Financial strategy & planningBudgeting & forecastingCash flow managementEntity structuring for tax efficiencyInvestor & board reporting
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AI IntelligenceBETA
Real estate tax questions,
answered in plain English.
Select a topic
Select a topic for your intelligence brief
AI-generated responses are for general information and do not constitute tax, legal, or accounting advice. Consult a qualified CPA before acting on anything here.
Tax Intelligence
News & Insights
Tax law moves fast. Stay ahead.
Featured
Real Estate
Use REPS to Deduct Real Estate Losses from Your Income
Turn rental losses into tax savings by qualifying for Real Estate Professional Status. We explain the two tests, how it works when only one spouse qualifies, the grouping election, and common audit triggers.
September 13, 20262 min read
Tax Strategy
Maximize Your Commercial Solar Savings With the 50% ITC Stack
You can combine three federal tax credits to cover 50% of your commercial solar installation costs. We explain exactly how to claim these bonuses correctly.
Oct 11, 2026 · 8 minTax News
A fire insurance check does not erase the tax question
An Indiana couple deducted a $315,000 fire loss after insurance was already paying. The deduction was wrong, and a good-faith mix-up did not stop the penalty.
Oct 4, 2026 · 4 minReal Estate
Maximize Your After-Tax Returns on Mixed-Use Properties
Streamline your taxes and protect your income by organizing your mixed-use property correctly. Use these strategies to handle depreciation and entity structure with confidence.
Oct 4, 2026 · 9 minTax News
Keep More Cash With the Permanent 2026 Mortgage Insurance Deduction
New tax laws allow you to deduct mortgage insurance premiums starting in 2026. Learn how this permanent change impacts your taxes.
Sep 27, 2026 · 4 minReal Estate
Keep Your Low California Property Taxes When Transferring Real Estate to an LLC
Learn how to move your property into an LLC without triggering a costly reassessment. Use these specific rules to protect your Prop 13 tax savings.
Sep 20, 2026 · 2 minVirtual CFO
CFO-level strategy.
Without the overhead.
Every engagement begins with a complimentary evaluation to understand your financial architecture. We then act as your embedded CFO — driving strategy, not just compliance.
Common focus areas we address from day one:
- Financial Strategy & Long-Range Planning
- Budgeting, Forecasting & Scenario Modeling
- Cash Flow Management & Optimization
- Financial Reporting & KPI Dashboards
- Capital Structure & Debt Advisory
- Entity Structuring for Tax Efficiency
- Investor Reporting & Board Presentations
CL
We're closing on a $4M acquisition next month — can you model the tax impact across three entity structures before we sign?
CFO
Absolutely. I'll have a comparative analysis ready by Thursday, including depreciation schedules and projected cash-on-cash returns for each.
Real-time strategic access, year-round
Year-round
CFO Access
< 24 hours
Response
minimums
No retainer
The Firm
Built for investors
who think in decades.
We work with real estate developers, syndicators, family offices, and portfolio holders — people whose tax position is too involved for a generalist and too important to leave until April.
Each area of the practice connects to the others, so the return, the deal, and the exit plan line up.
Philosophy
Plan first. Returns that hold up — not year-end paperwork.
Approach
Every engagement begins with the exit in mind and works backward.
Edge
Cost segregation, 1031 timelines, assessment appeals, and S-Corp salary reviewed against the code and the case law.
Our standard
Every recommendation is reviewed against the code, the case law, and your actual numbers — not a template. If a strategy does not hold up on examination, we do not recommend it.
Shawn Lavi, CPA · PrincipalElias Lavi, CPA · Founder
Licensed CPAs, California Board of Accountancy7707 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046323-463-2600
The Principal
You work with a Lavi.
Not a call center.
Shawn Lavi, CPA is the principal of LaviCPA. His father, Elias Lavi, CPA, founded the firm and is its co-owner. Elias began as a chartered accountant in England and has spent more than 40 years building the Los Angeles practice. There are no account managers and no hand-offs. If the question is your 1031 window or your cost seg study, you talk to Shawn or Elias directly.
A recent engagement
In one multifamily engagement, a third-party cost-segregation study reclassified approximately $900,000 of eligible basis. Based on that client's federal tax profile and ability to use the resulting deductions, the implementation produced an estimated current-year federal tax benefit of approximately $315,000. California depreciation was tracked separately. Results vary based on property basis, placed-in-service date, tax rate, participation, and other limitations.
Engage
The first conversation
is always without obligation.
Complimentary new-client introduction. We take a limited number of investors each year — we will tell you if the fit is right.
Response TimeWithin one business day
ConsultationComplimentary new-client intro
CoverageNationwide
