Law & CPA offices of Zaher Fallahi

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12/25/2025

🎄✨ Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! ✨🎄

Wishing you and your loved ones joy, good health, and peace this holiday season, and a New Year filled with success, happiness, and new opportunities.

Warmest wishes for a bright and prosperous year ahead! 🌟🥂

12/20/2025

Happy Shab-e Yalda 🌙🍉
On this longest night of the year, we celebrate Shab-e Yalda—an ancient Iranian tradition with roots tracing back more than four thousand years to the earliest civilizations of the Iranian plateau. Since antiquity, families and friends have gathered on this night to welcome the rebirth of light, the triumph of warmth over darkness, and the promise of longer days ahead.
May this Yalda night bring you light, health, joy, and togetherness, and may the coming days be filled with peace, hope, and renewal for you and your loved ones.
Shab-e Yalda Bar Hamaeh Farkhondeh Baad.
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شب یلدا مبارک 🌙🍉
در این بلندترین شب سال، شب یلدا را گرامی می‌داریم؛ آیینی کهن با پیشینه‌ای بیش از چهار هزار سال در سرزمین ایران. از دیرباز، خانواده‌ها و دوستان در این شب گرد هم آمده‌اند تا زایش نور، غلبه روشنایی بر تاریکی، و نوید روزهای بلندتر را جشن بگیرند.
امید که این شب یلدا برای شما و عزیزانتان سرشار از نور، سلامتی، شادی و همدلی باشد و روزهای پیش‌رو با آرامش، امید و تازگی همراه گردد.
شب یلدا بر همگان فرخنده باد
Baa Sepaas,
Zaher Fallahi

12/17/2025

Happy Hanukkah! May the lights of the Menorah spread hope, peace, and understanding across the globe this season and always.

12/08/2025

2025: A Window of Opportunity for Charitable Tax Planning Before New Rules Take Effect
By Zaher Fallahi, CPA, Attorney at Law
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“OBBBA”) will significantly reduce the tax benefits of charitable giving starting January 1, 2026. By contrast, 2025 offers far more favorable rules, creating a unique opportunity for donors to maximize deductions before the changes take effect.
For many individuals, especially high-income taxpayers and those with multi-year giving plans, 2025 may be the ideal year to accelerate charitable contributions, including through Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs).
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What Changes in 2026
• New 0.5% AGI “floor” for charitable deductions
Beginning in 2026, itemizers can only deduct charitable gifts that exceed 0.5% of adjusted gross income (AGI).
Example: A taxpayer with $1,000,000 AGI loses the deduction on the first $5,000 of charitable giving.
2025 advantage: every deductible dollar counts.
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• Deduction value decreases for high-income taxpayers
Under current law, charitable deductions offset tax at approx. 37%.
Starting in 2026: value drops to approx. 35%.
This makes giving more expensive beginning in 2026.
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• New above-the-line deduction for non-itemizers
Up to $1,000 (single) or $2,000 (married filing jointly) for cash gifts to public charities.
(Not available for DAFs or supporting organizations.)
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• 60% AGI limit for cash gifts becomes permanent
Helpful but partially offset by the new AGI floor and reduced marginal deductibility.
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Why Many Donors Should Give in 2025
• No AGI floor—enhanced deductibility
• Higher marginal deduction value under 2025 tax brackets
• Ideal alignment for those expecting unusually high 2025 income (liquidity events, QSBS, business sales, stock options, trust distributions)
• Greater control and efficiency for multi-year giving strategies
Any gifts deferred into 2026 or later will be subject to the new restrictions and lower tax benefit.
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Using a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) in 2025
A DAF allows taxpayers to secure a full 2025 deduction while distributing to charities over future years.
Benefits of funding a DAF this year:
• Capture higher 2025 tax benefit
• Avoid the 2026 AGI floor
• Invest contributions tax-free within the DAF
• Maintain complete flexibility over future grants
• Support consistent annual giving while maximizing a single-year deduction
Example:
A donor intending to give $50,000 per year for five years may contribute $250,000 to a DAF in 2025, deduct the full amount now, and recommend $50,000 in grants annually beginning in 2026.
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Advanced Giving Tools: Charitable Trusts
For long-term and high-impact planning:
• Charitable Lead Trusts (CLTs): income stream to charity first, remainder to heirs.
• Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs): income to donor/heirs first, remainder to charity.
Both can create meaningful deductions and integrate with estate planning.
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Action Steps Before December 31, 2025
• Review whether accelerating gifts into 2025 increases tax savings
• Consider establishing and funding a DAF
• Model 2025 vs. 2026 outcomes with your CPA or financial advisor
• Confirm AGI projections and timely obtain charitable receipts
Charitable planning should be tailored to each taxpayer’s financial and estate planning goals.
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Zaher Fallahi, CPA, Attorney at Law (California and Washington, D.C.)
Zaher Fallahi is a dual-licensed Tax Attorney and CPA with extensive experience in tax law and audits, cryptocurrency taxation, and foreign inheritance and gift compliance. He represents clients nationwide.
Tel.: (310) 719-1040 | (714) 546-4272 | (877) 687-7558
Websites: zflegal.com | zfcpa.com
Email: [email protected]

12/05/2025

Don’t Let Holiday Gift Card Scams Ruin Your Season
By Zaher Fallahi, CPA, Attorney At Law
The holiday season inspires generosity and connection, but unfortunately, it also provides fertile ground for scammers, particularly those who use gift card fraud to target taxpayers. Since 2019, the IRS has received more than 1,000 gift-card-related phishing emails, and fraudulent activity is rising year after year.
One fact, however, remains constant:
The IRS does NOT request or accept tax payments through gift cards — ever.
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How Gift Card Scams Typically Work
Scammers adapt quickly, especially during the holidays when gift card purchases are common. They may:
• Impersonate the IRS or another government authority
• Send messages from hacked or spoofed email accounts
• Request “urgent” or “confidential” gift card purchases
• Claim the taxpayer is linked to criminal activity or owes a penalty
• Create fear and urgency to force immediate action
Criminals often ask victims to buy gift cards from multiple stores, then request the numbers and PINs. Once received, scammers drain the funds instantly, leaving taxpayers with no recourse.
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How to Know When It's NOT the IRS
Tax professionals and taxpayers alike should remember that the IRS will never:
• Demand immediate payment by gift card, prepaid debit card, or wire transfer
• Call to demand payment before mailing an official notice
• Threaten arrest, deportation, or license suspension
• Ask for financial information through email, text, or social media
If any of these occur, communication is a scam.
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What Taxpayers Should Do if Targeted
Victims or potential victims should:
• Report the incident to TIGTA via the IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting webpage or at 800-366-4484
• Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
• Forward suspicious emails to the IRS at [email protected]
Increased awareness during the holiday season can prevent significant financial losses and emotional stress.
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Final Thoughts
As CPAs, tax advisors, and financial professionals, we play a crucial role in educating taxpayers about fraud risks—especially those that spike during the holidays. A timely reminder can protect clients, families, and colleagues from falling prey to well-crafted schemes.
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About the Author
Zaher Fallahi, CPA, Attorney At Law, assists taxpayers nationwide with Cryptocurrency Taxation, Anti-Money Laundering compliance, Foreign Gifts & Inheritance reporting, Delinquent FBAR filings, IRS Audits, Tax Preparation, Offers-in-Compromise, and international tax matters.
📞 (310) 719-1040 | (714) 546-4272 | (877) 687-7558
🌐 zfcpa.com | zflegal.com
📧 [email protected]

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Costa Mesa, CA

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