Christopher H. Gaynor, CPA, MS
CONSULTING PRINCIPAL
Christopher Gaynor is a Consulting Principal of KROST. His level of expertise ranges from retirement planning to tax controversy. Chris has successfully performed hundreds of tax audits during his career.
Chris earned his undergraduate degree in political science at UCLA, and then finished his formal education with a Master of Science in Accounting at California State University, Northridge.
Chris resides in Pacific Palisades with his wife, Rose. They have two children, Nicole and Scott.
Professional Experience
- KROST, Consulting Principal (2022 — Present)
- KROST, Principal (2019 — 2021)
- Gaynor & Umanoff, Partner (2005 — 2018)
- Gaynor, Handelman & Gaynor, Partner (1978 — 2004)
- Price Waterhouse (1975 — 1977)
Education
- Master of Science with Emphasis in Business Administration and Accounting, California State University, Northridge
- Bachelor of Arts with Emphasis in Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles
Professional Affiliations
- Member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
- Member of California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA)
- The conference planning committee for UCLA's annual Tax Controversy Conference
Extracurricular Activities
- Member of The Westwood Village Rotary
- President of The Westwood Village Rotary Club (1993 — 1994)
- Extensive Foreign Travel
- Tennis
Tax Thought Leadership

California Changes Tax Legislation for Incomplete Non-Grantor Trusts
September 18, 2023Prior to January 1, 2023, California residents were able to avoid California taxation for any income earned

FinCEN Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting Rule
August 15, 2023Starting January 1, 2024, business owners will face additional reporting requirements enforced by the Financial Crimes Enforcement

Get Organized with KROST’s Will & Trust Asset Legacy Planner
June 28, 2023Have You Heard About KROST’s Will & Trust Asset Legacy Planner? We understand the difficulty when losing

Understanding Deductibility of Interest Expense and Simplifying The Interest Tracing Rule
June 21, 2023As most people know, not all interest that an individual pays is deductible. A common misconception about

Tailored Solutions for Financial Services Industry: Discover the KROST CPAs Advantage
June 20, 2023At KROST, our professional team has in-depth knowledge and expertise in the Financial Services industry. Our focus

KROST is Attending the Trusted X LA Technology Summit
June 8, 2023Our Sports & Entertainment industry professionals, Stacey Korman, Brad Pauley, Alan Lo, and Andrea Bonilla, are attending

Loan-Out Corporations – Maximizing Tax Savings & Financial Flexibility for Sports & Entertainment Professionals
June 7, 2023Loan-out corporations are widely used by sports and entertainment professionals as a tax and financial strategy. These

Take Advantage of Lifetime Exclusion While You Can
May 9, 2023When a person passes away, the deceased’s assets are subject to federal estate tax if the total

Estate & Trust Planning Strategies: Power of Appointment and Disclaimer Trust Explained
April 5, 2023In one of our previous articles, we covered the topic of disclaimers as an excellent post-mortem tax

Update #3: IRS Tax Relief on California Storm Victims
March 29, 2023The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has once again extended the tax relief to California storm victims. The