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About us

Cannabis is all we do.

Canna CPA Masters is the cannabis practice of Rivas & Associates LLP, a California CPA firm.

Grow your business with us, our team works with owners and executives to set up their accounting backoffice, organization structures, prepare financials and tax returns.

As Cannabis businesses have unique challenges with Federal regulations such as 280E, partnering with the right business advisor to find the optimal solutions is key.

Right from the start Cannabis owners and executives need to think about the right business structure. Keeping business lines that are non-plant touching as separate companies will help limit the 280E burden, setting up your books to maximize COGS by employing a 471(c) strategy is a must.

Position your company for growth by setting up processes that can easily scale up. Accounting can be difficult, but it does not have to be messy. Find a Controller/CFO/CPA that understand all aspects of the accounting process.

  • Sales → collectionsOrder to Cash
  • Purchasing → payablesProcure to Pay
  • Payroll and peopleHire to Retire
  • Close → financialsRecord to Report

These are processes that encompass all the business leading to complete books and records.

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Accounting processes diagram: order to cash, procure to pay, hire to retire, record to report
How the accounting cycles feed the general ledger
Example structure: holding company with plant-touching, shared services, branding and real estate entities
Keeping non-plant-touching lines in separate companies limits 280E
Our approach

Hands on, plain spoken, cannabis only.

  • We are a firm of highly experienced individuals with years of business, accounting, and tax experience. We work hands on with our clients to come up with solutions to specific problems, such as how to maximize COGS to minimize federal income tax or developing a go to market strategy.
  • We work with clients within all verticals (wholesale and retail) and at every stage in the business life cycle. Our clients operate in multiple states and develop some well-established brands.
  • Serving only the cannabis industry has allowed us to define ourselves as subject matter experts in accounting, finance and tax matter in the industry.
  • Wielding a wealth of Corporate experience to guide small business owners through GAAP requirements and tax regulations. We are the one-stop solution you are looking for. Our firm helps to design accounting departments, the general ledger structure, month-end closing process, and financial reports.
  • Our goal is always to help save you money from paying less taxes (i.e. take a 471(c) strategy), or make you money (i.e. claim the ERC).
Values we live by

What keeps us rooted

Our philosophy

To grow within the Cannabis industry and to be a complete finance solution. Whether you are looking for CFO/Controllership services or need help with a specific business problem, we deliver solutions.

Our focus

We are a finance & accounting firm serving the Cannabis industry, and ancillary companies in the US, Mexico & Canada. We operate on the mastery of finance, accounting, and taxation needs for the Cannabis entrepreneur.

The team

Meet the team

Robert Rivas, CPA

Robert Rivas, CPA

Robert has over twenty years of experience working in Finance, Accounting, Tax, Audit. He works directly with business owners and executives to manage their business, complete M&A deals, and other advisory assistance. Robert worked for over 8 years as a Deloitte auditor, reviewing the books and records for large to medium size corporations and providing advice to C-suite level executives over the business finances. He has held roles within large corporation managing accounting shops, designing policies and procedures and serving as the internal advisor to executives.

Roles
  • Business advisor to executive and business owners
  • Controller in large and small businesses
  • Tax preparer
  • Prior Deloitte Auditor
Education

California State University, Fullerton

Nona R

Nona R

Nona worked for 27 years as an auditor and criminal investigator for the California Franchise Tax Board, including 7 years on a specialized IRS Task Force. She has extensive experience in complex personal, partnership and corporate audits, state and local taxation, as well as sales tax issues. Nona has a deep understanding of the taxing authorities and can use her background and expertise to help her clients.

Roles
  • State tax auditor
  • Tax preparer
Education

California State University, Fullerton, B.A., concentration in Accounting

Certification

Certified Fraud Specialist

Olga Bolanos

Olga Bolanos

Olga has over 15 years of experience in external audit, internal audit, IPO-readiness, SOX compliance, internal controls, risk management, business process improvements and bookkeeping. She began her career at KPMG, where she led financial statement audits and SOX compliance engagements for publicly traded companies, and later brought that experience in-house through internal audit roles at Fortune 500 organizations, including Qualcomm. Throughout her career, Olga has worked closely with executives, finance and accounting teams, IT, and external auditors to identify business and financial risks, strengthen internal controls, improve processes, and develop solutions to complex compliance issues.

Roles
  • SOX & Internal Controls
  • Financial & Operational Audits
  • Risk Assessment
  • Business Process Improvement
  • Accounting month-end close management
  • AR and AP management
  • Reconciliation of bank and cash
  • Prior KPMG Auditor
Education

B.S. Accounting, San Diego State University

MBA, Organizational Leadership, University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC)

Liliana Galvez

Liliana Galvez

Liliana has over ten years of experience working in accounting as a bookkeeper and staff accountant for large corporations. She is experienced in maintaining the company books in QuickBooks, Xero, and other mid-tier accounting systems. Liliana works directly with management to help streamline the bookkeeping process.

Roles
  • Accounting month-end close management
  • AR and AP management
  • Reconciliation of bank and cash
  • Design and implementation of accounting controls
Education

B.S., concentration in Accounting

Peter Abrams, BS

Peter Abrams, BS

A strong accountant who has 8 years of accounting experience managing accounting processes for small businesses and the overall bookkeeping activities. He is also experienced with a variety of accounting software including QuickBooks.

Roles
  • Full cycle accounting
  • Internal audits and controls
  • Forecast and strategize capital use
Education

BS Finance (Colorado State University)