.jpg)
Natalie C. Papagni, CPA - Tax, Planning & Advisory Services
A Different Kind of CPA Firm
Multi-year tax strategy, planning, preparation and advisory for high-income individuals, physicians, executives with equity compensation, and owner-entrepreneurs who expect and deserve more.
or Call: (858) 754-8277
Natalie C. Papagni, CPA - Tax, Planning & Advisory Services is a modern, forward-focused La Jolla CPA firm serving individuals, high-income earners and businesses in La Jolla, Greater San Diego and throughout California.
Providing Clients with What They Want, Expect and Deserve:
The technical depth found at leading firms, coupled with the direct access, responsiveness & unhurried attention of boutique firms — without the expensive hourly fees.
Why Clients Choose Natalie C. Papagni, CPA
BEST of LA JOLLA 2026 - Accounting Category
Times of San Diego - La Jolla Village News Readers' Choice Awards
Leading-Firm Expertise.
Boutique-Firm Service, Responsiveness & Unhurried Attention.
Fixed Fees - Agreed Upon in Advance.
With 15+ years of experience as a CPA specializing in tax for individuals and high-income earners, professionals & executives with equity compensation, physicians & healthcare professionals, owner-entrepreneurs and privately-held businesses, Natalie C. Papagni architects tax strategy, guides advanced planning, and personally prepares and signs her clients' individual, business and trust tax returns. No handoffs to junior staff.
A licensed California CPA and AICPA member, Natalie brings the technical depth and precision found at large firms, with the direct access, responsiveness and unhurried attention found at boutique firms.
Natalie’s focus on multi-year advanced planning allows clients to make intentional, well-informed decisions - and avoid expensive and unexpected surprises.
Clients value the direct access, high level of responsiveness and availability Natalie provides, with the peace of mind of knowing calls and emails will be returned within 24 hours and early evening and weekend meetings are available.
With fixed fees agreed upon in advance, Natalie and her clients focus on value-driven initiatives throughout the year rather than on the clock; hourly rates may be discussed for select engagements.
Most large firms are built for high volume: hourly billing with uncertain fees, handoffs to rotating junior staff. Many small CPA and EA practices are led by generalists with limited to no specialized expertise and focused on high volume tax preparation versus multi-year tax planning to assist clients achieve deep and meaningful tax minimization goals. Many provide limited communication and only general advice throughout the year — leaving clients to make key financial decisions with little or no guidance, overpay taxes and experience significant delays.
Natalie C. Papagni, CPA - Tax, Planning & Advisory Services
was specifically built for clients who expect and deserve more.
Clients We Serve
Individuals & Families
Multi-year strategic tax planning, quarterly tax management, tax preparation and advisory effective in minimizing tax liabilities and effective tax rates - with confidence & clarity.
Multi-year tax planning and tax preparation for professionals and executives with RSUs, ISOs, NSOs, ESPP and restricted stock in La Jolla, greater San Diego and throughout California.
We model federal and California AMT separately, sequence ISO exercises to minimize AMT, and build AMT credit recovery plans. We also plan around a move out of California, where the timing of a sale decides whether California can still tax your options. Projections are updated at least quarterly as fair market values change, so your plan stays current.
Multi-year tax planning, quarterly tax management, tax preparation and advisory for physicians and healthcare professionals with W-2, 1099 locum tenens and private practice income, from residency through retirement, in La Jolla, greater San Diego and throughout California. For physicians & healthcare professionals operating a professional corporation with an s-corporation tax election, we also engage in multi-year s-corporation tax planning, prepare and file the 1120S, 100S federal and state tax returns.
For new professional medical corporations, we assist with post-formation setup, reasonable compensation analysis, accountable reimbursement plan design and year-round guidance on shareholder basis and distributions, QBI, the California PTET election, retirement plan(s) selection, and more.
Tax planning and tax preparation for business owners in La Jolla, greater San Diego and throughout California, starting with the right entity choice: sole proprietorship, LLC or S-corporation. Services include post-formation S-corporation and LLC setup packages, business financial management, multi-year tax planning, and the preparation of the owner-entrepreneurs personal and business tax returns.
Privately-held Businesses
Professional Medical Corporations
Integrated strategic tax planning, quarterly tax management, personal and 1120S & 100S tax preparation and advisory for physician shareholders and their practices in La Jolla, greater San Diego and throughout California. Year-round guidance & support in areas including shareholder basis & distribution planning, the PTET election, depreciation strategies and more.
Integrated multi-year strategic tax planning, quarterly tax management, Form 1120S, California 100S and multi-state tax filings and advisory for new and existing S-corporations and their shareholders in La Jolla, greater San Diego and throughout California. 1120S, 100S and multi-state tax filings.
For new S-corporations, our post-formation set-up package includes Form 2553 filing, reasonable compensation analysis, accountable plan design, and year-round guidance & support in areas including shareholder basis & distribution planning, the PTET election, depreciation strategies and more.
Integrated multi-year strategic tax planning, quarterly tax management and tax filings for owners and their single-member and multi-member LLCs (Schedule C, Form 1065 or Form 1120-S, Form 568 and multi-state tax filings) for clients in La Jolla, greater San Diego and throughout California.
For new LLCs, our post-formation set-up package includes tax election selection, comparing default treatment (a disregarded entity for single-member LLCs, a partnership for multi-member LLCs) with an S-corporation election.
Partnerships
Integrated multi-year strategic tax planning, quarterly tax management, federal Form 1065, California Form 565 and multi-state tax filings and advisory for new and existing partnerships and their partners in La Jolla, greater San Diego and throughout California.
We prepare partner K-1s and track partner basis and capital accounts, so every distribution and loss allocation is supported. Guaranteed payments and distributions are planned together with each partner’s personal tax picture. Each year we model whether the California PTET election pays, and we time estimates to keep year-end free of surprises.
Natalie C. Papagni, CPA
Tax, Planning & Advisory Services
4275 Executive Square
Suite 200
La Jolla, CA 92037
(858) 754-8277
Tax Preparation vs Tax Planning:
What the Difference Means for High-Income Earners →
Your Equity Comp, Explained:
ISOs, NQSOs, Restricted Stock & RSUs→
The ISO AMT Trap:
How Incentive Stock Options Trigger AMT - and How to Plan Around It →
The ISO 100k Rule:
When Your Options Aren't as "Incentive" as You Think →
Choosing Your Business Entity:
Entity Selection & Tax Election Explainer →
Should Your Practice Elect S-Corporation Status?
A Physician's Decision Framework→
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do you work primarily with high-income earners?
Yes. Clients we typically serve have household incomes in the $250,000 to $2 million range and have evolving financial structures. Clients include professionals and executives with and without equity compensation (RSUs, ISOs, NSOs, founder stock), physicians and healthcare professionals, owner-entrepreneurs, and the S-corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and successful sole proprietorships they own and control. Our business is built on clear and efficient communications, proven processes, and trust.
What is the best way to contact Natalie C. Papagni, CPA - Tax, Planning & Advisory Services?
You can book a complimentary 30-minute consultation with Natalie C. Papagni, CPA — Tax, Planning & Advisory Services online at lajollataxcpa.com by calling (858) 754-8277 or by emailing npapagni@lajollataxcpa.com.
Do you work with clients throughout California, or only in La Jolla and San Diego?
Natalie C. Papagni, CPA serves clients in La Jolla, greater San Diego and throughout California, notably the San Francisco Bay Area. When appropriate, Natalie travels to meet clients outside Southern California. The firm also works regularly with clients in California and out of state through Zoom, phone and email, supported by a secure client portal with bank-level encryption, so location is never a barrier.
What does a proactive CPA firm do differently in California?
A proactive CPA firm plans ahead rather than simply recording what already happened. Instead of meeting once a year to file returns, it builds multi-year projections, reviews them quarterly, and recommends moves before deadlines pass, such as timing stock option exercises, making the California PTET election or funding retirement plans. Clients work directly with the CPA, not a rotating staff, and know their tax picture before year-end. Natalie C. Papagni, CPA in La Jolla works this way for every client, for a fixed fee agreed in advance.
Which La Jolla CPA firm can handle my personal and business tax planning and tax preparation needs?
Natalie C. Papagni, CPA – Tax, Planning & Advisory Services, located in La Jolla, coordinates personal and business tax planning and tax preparation for owner-entrepreneurs and the their business entities. As the financial and tax implications are integrated and aligned, planning activities are performed ensuring we optimize for tax minimization across the personal and business tax returns.
What is your fee structure?
Natalie C. Papagni, CPA – Tax, Planning & Advisory Services offers fixed-fee arrangements. For select services, we may determine an hourly fee arrangement is more appropriate.
Can the firm fix mistakes made by a previous tax preparer?
Yes. Natalie C. Papagni, CPA reviews returns prepared by prior CPAs and preparers, and handles remediation directly: amended individual and business returns, corrective filings for retirement plan contribution errors, and penalty abatement requests where reasonable cause exists.
What questions should I ask before hiring a new CPA firm?
Ask these six questions before engaging any CPA firm, and pay attention to how directly they're answered:
(1) Who will actually prepare my return—you, or staff?
(2) Who reviews and signs it?
(3) How long has that person been with the firm?
(4) Will I have direct access to a CPA, or does communication go through staff or admin?
(5) Are fees fixed and quoted in advance, or hourly?
(6) Is any part of the work outsourced? The first three questions expose the leverage model: at many firms, the person selling you the engagement is not the person doing the work. You should leave the initial consultation knowing exactly one name: the person responsible for your work. If you leave with a team org chart instead, the relationship will be diluted from day one.
At Natalie C. Papagni, CPA – Tax, Planning & Advisory Services, you have direct access to Natalie C. Papagni, CPA, the Principal of the firm. Natalie C. Papagni, CPA will work closely with you to architect your tax strategy, guide you through advanced tax planning initiatives, and prepare and sign your individual and business tax returns. You will not be handed off to junior staff or experience rotating staff year after year.
How can I contact a CPA planning and advisory services in San Diego?
You can sign up for a complimentary 30-minute consultation with Natalie C. Papagni, CPA — Tax, Planning & Advisory Services online at lajollataxcpa.com by calling (858) 754-8277 or by emailing service@lajollataxcpa.com. Consultations are available by phone, Zoom or in person at 4275 Executive Square, Suite 200, La Jolla, with evening and weekend times available by appointment. The firm provides tax planning, preparation and advisory services to clients throughout San Diego County and California.
