A San Diego CPA You Can Actually Talk To
Tim Whelan, CPA
TITLE
Principal
HOMETOWN
Boston, MA
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
12
EDUCATION
To be successful you don't need to do extraordinary things, you just need to do ordinary things extraordinarily well
— John Rohn
Tim’s decision to become an accountant was unsurprising given that he was “born into it,” with his father being a CPA. After working at both a large national firm and a mid-sized regional firm in the Boston area where he grew up, he found Dark Horse to be the perfect stable for his skill set. Around the same time, he also found San Diego a better fit for his lifestyle. He is passionate about working with small businesses and their owners, educating them and working with them to proactively improve their tax and financial situation. He felt his talent and passion could be best put to work at Dark Horse.
Tim earned his bachelor’s degree from UMass Dartmouth, where he ran track and cross country. After hanging up his running shoes, he began running into his career, albeit in dress shoes this time. During this career, he has amassed over a decade of experience serving small businesses and their owners. His experience working with and listening to clients across many industries has made him a trusted advisor that his clients rely upon.
Off the clock, Tim can be found hiking, camping, reading, or planning his next trip. Though he is an avid Boston sports fan, he has recently embraced the San Diego Padres. He is always on the lookout for a good California Burrito (although it may be harder to find a bad one in San Diego). Mexican food wasn’t the reason he moved to San Diego, but it may well be the reason he stayed.
Specialties
Strategic Tax Planning
Business & Personal Tax Strategy
Closely Held Entities
Reporting & (KPIs)
GAAP Financial Statements
Industries
Architecture & Engineering
Professional Services
Sole Proprietors
Food & Beverage
Retail
eCommerce
Your San Diego CPAs for Tax, Accounting & CFO Advisory
San Diego’s dynamic economy—driven by biotechnology, defense, tourism, real estate, and a thriving small business community—requires financial expertise that goes far beyond tax season. Whether you need proactive tax planning, strategic accounting support, or CFO-level guidance, your dedicated San Diego CPAs, Tim Whalen and Mike Grimasauskas, are here to help.
As Principals at Dark Horse CPAs, Tim and Mike deliver more than compliance. They specialize in tax advisory, outsourced accounting, and Fractional CFO services tailored to San Diego entrepreneurs, professionals, and families. From simplifying day-to-day accounting and managing IRS filings to providing forward-looking strategy, budgeting, and cash flow insights, they offer the high-touch expertise of trusted advisors and CFO-level partners—without the cost of full-time executives.
TIM WHELAN, PRINCIPAL
The complexities of tax compliance make it critical for businesses and high net worth individuals to partner with a CPA they can trust. The upfront pricing, emphasis on client service and 1-to-1 collaboration between client and CPA that Dark Horse offers, made it a tremendously appealing model to me. I’m provided with the resources that I need to focus my efforts on providing my clients with the level of service they deserve."
Accounting Solutions for Businesses.
The Problem: Business owners aren't getting timely, accurate and actionable data from their financials. Even worse, they're not receiving tax planning advice from their, "tax pro," which is costing them untold amounts of money. This is just plain wrong. We believe you deserve a better small business accounting firm.
TIM WHELAN, PRINCIPAL
“The outsourced accounting services that we provide at Dark Horse are accurate and timely, allowing business owners to focus more of their valuable time on other critical tasks. By thoughtfully building accounting engagements, we can provide the level of service that clients need, at a fixed fee that they can budget for each month.”
Tax Services for People.
The Problem: It’s not until you file your personal tax return that you feel the sting of your tax situation. Whether it’s an unwanted surprise in the amount owed or refunded, or the realization that you left significant tax savings on the table, the sting hurts. We believe in No Surprises, especially the bad kind. This is why we work collaboratively with our clients to ensure they plan for and reduce taxes wherever possible. We make sure every engagement requires a level of Tax Planning with your CPA, period.
TIM WHELAN, PRINCIPAL
"What sets Dark Horse apart is giving people options. We encourage proactive and strategic tax monitoring throughout the year. This approach helps clients decrease taxes and avoid last-minute surprise payments."
Nancy R.
I have used James Larsen as my CPA for many years and am confident in his work ethic and tax knowledge.
Blogs and Pods
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Blog
Why It's So Hard to Find a Good Accountant and Who is Taking on New Clients?
VLOG
Transforming the CPA Landscape: Darkhorse CPA’s Innovative Model for Growth and Success
Podcast
SPEED ROUND: 1031 Exchanges
Get an expert Tax & Accounting CPA who will partner with you to achieve unparalleled results.
