Our Team
Our team of experienced professionals are at the center of what we do at Light Tax & Financial Consulting. Together, we have decades of experience in both financial planning and tax planning. Our knowledge, experience, and commitment to our clients’ success makes them feel confident about the Lightup Tax & Financial team.
We believe in taking a team-centered approach to handle every client’s financial needs. We use our entire team’s wealth of skills and specialties striving to ensure you always receive the best possible service. With the deep trove of knowledge out team possesses, we take pride in being able to not only select the appropriate financial solutions for you, but to also educate you in a way that allows you to feel confident with every financial decision.
Ocean Pan, CPA
- Managing Partner
- Capital Gain Deferral Tax Strategist
Ocean obtained her B.S. degree in accounting and M.S. Degree in Taxation. After graduation, She worked at Ernst & Young Silicon Valley office, one of the Big Four accounting firms. Ocean has over ten years of experience in real estate investment, tax law, and asset management.
In 2010, She decided to leave the accounting firm to start her own tax consulting business. In addition to her CPA license, Ocean has obtained a California real estate license, an FINRA Series 65 license as a registered investment advisor, and a California life and health insurance license.
Her expertise lies in providing comprehensive planning services for both companies and high net worth individuals. For more than a decade, Ocean has been focused on helping investors with tax saving strategies, finding suitable real estate projects and alternative investments, and providing insurance products to help clients maximize their benefits.
Jeff Lin
- Managing Partner
- Financial Planner
Jeff has been in the financial advisor and insurance industry since 2018. He holds both FIRNA Series 6 License and Life and Health Insurance License.
He seeks to establish lifelong professional relationships and trust with clients; and works closely with tax and legal professionals to provide customized financial planning, life insurance, retirement planning, tax optimization strategy and estate planning solutions.
Previously, Jeff had a successful career as a senior software engineer and tech lead in one of the global leading cloud computing companies.
He holds 13 U.S. patents for my innovation in AIOps and Cloud Management Platforms. Jeff received his Bachelor in Electrical Engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Master in Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence from Oregon State University.
Carina Luo, CPA
- Real Estate & Investment Tax Strategist
Carina is a US. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Tax Coach (CTC) boasting over a decade of in-depth tax experience in both public accounting and private equity sectors. Alongside her diversified educational background, a B.S. in Engineering and an M.S. in Taxation, Carina is also the tax partner at LightUp Tax PLLC, a professional CPA firm.
Carina’s deep-rooted expertise lies predominantly in the realms of real estate, investment funds, and pass-through taxes. Her practice heavily emphasizes the firm’s real estate and construction sectors, with a vast experience spanning developers, contractors, private equity investment funds, REITS, property managers, brokers, property owners, and closely-knit family groups. Among the specialized services in her portfolio are entity formation, tax-deferred exchanges, state and federal tax incentives, business succession and exit strategies, cost segregation, and multi-state consulting. Carina is committed to guide both businesses and individuals through the intricacies of taxation, providing unparalleled tax optimization planning solutions.
Iris Sui
- Insurance Solution Specialist
- Business Development
Iris has great passion for Financial Planning. She holds both Life and Health Insurance License.
She’s dedicated to assisting her clients to build solid financial structure during different stages of their lives, from family protection, education fund to retirement planning, estate planning. She is knowledgeable in a variety of financial topics, and has a great understanding of her clients’ financial needs and goals.
Previously, Iris had a successful career as production planner and supply chain manager in several leading manufacturing companies. Iris received her Master in Business Logistics Engineering from Ohio State University.
Nancy Liu, CPA
- High Income Tax Saving Expert
- Business Solution Strategist
Nancy is a California Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with a B.S in Finance and an MBA in Accounting.
With an impressive professional journey spanning over 14 years, Nancy has honed her skills at industry giants like Uber, PayPal, and a pivotal role as CFO in a late-stage startup company, as well as a top-tier CPA firm Grant Thornton.
Nancy takes a holistic approach to understand her clients’ distinct needs and objectives, factoring in elements such as financials, future goals, and investment and lifestyle preferences. She is dedicated to creating personalized strategies, covering a range of areas from tax strategies, business solutions to retirement and estate planning, all aimed at helping clients achieve their financial aspirations.
Nancy is also committed to giving back to communities through financial knowledge education. She firmly believes that everyone should have an easy access to essential financial and tax knowledge, empowering them to plan effectively for their goals.
Sophia Yu, CPA
- Small Business Tax Strategist
Sophia is a distinguished professional in the field of accounting and taxation. With her dedication and expertise, she has become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the United States and holds the prestigious title of a Certified Tax Coach.
She earned her Master of Accounting degree in 2013, and since then, she has accumulated nearly a decade of invaluable experience in serving the tax needs of small businesses.
She founded Aspen Tax Group LLC, a prominent CPA firm specializing in providing tax services to small businesses, with a particular focus on those in the dynamic hospitality industry. She specialize in small business restructures, pass-through taxes, and comprehensive tax planning. She possesses a profound understanding of the unique challenges that small businesses face and leverages her expertise to optimize their financial strategies. Her mission is to help small businesses navigate the complex tax landscape, ensuring they not only meet their obligations but also make the most of tax-saving opportunities.
