So Sum Lee, CPA
PRINCIPAL — TAX
REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY LEADER
So Sum Lee, CPA is a Tax Principal at KROST. So Sum has over 20 years of experience in public accounting and has a wide range of experience in Taxation, as well as servicing high-net-worth clients. So Sum’s area of expertise includes industries such as wholesale, real estate investments, and restaurants.
So Sum has a degree in Business Economics with a minor in Accounting from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Professional Experience
- KROST, Tax Principal (January 2019 — Present)
- KROST, Tax Director (September 2005 — December 2018)
- Hsu, Yim, Leung & Koo LLP (August 1996 — September 2005)
Education
- Bachelor of Arts, Business Economics with a Minor in Accounting, University of California, Los Angeles, 1996
Professional Affiliations
- Member of California Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Member of Real Estate Roundtable Associates Council
- Chair of KROST Real Estate Industry Group
So Sum's Thought Leadership

More on the State Tax Deduction Workaround (AB 150)
December 22, 2021Over the weekend, we received clarification regarding a couple of the many unanswered questions regarding the implementation of the State Tax Deduction Workaround. First, we are being advised that a Grantor Trust is eligible to participate in making the election to pay tax on a partnership/LLC or S corporation. Second, since it is unlikely that Read the full article…

Did You Miss Your State Tax Deduction?
December 16, 2021If you are a shareholder of an S Corporation, partner/member of a partnership/LLC, you might be able to get some of your state tax deduction back. As you may remember, the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduced the amount of the SALT deduction individuals can claim on their federal tax return to $10,000 starting Read the full article…

Tax-Saving and Advisory Services for the Real Estate Industry
November 30, 2021The real estate market can be volatile, full of risks and challenges. Real estate professionals should enlist an expert to ensure compliance and navigate the specifics of real estate tax and accounting. At KROST, we provide specialized real estate accounting services to a diverse range of clients in the real estate industry, including developers and Read the full article…

Going Green for the Green: Federal Tax Incentives for Energy Efficient Building
May 11, 2021This is one of the articles in the new KROST Quarterly Real Estate Issue, titled “Going Green for the Green: Federal Tax Incentives for Energy Efficient Building” by So Sum Lee There are several tax incentives available to the real estate industry. Whether you invest in, build, design, or make significant renovations to real estate, a Read the full article…

Qualified Improvement Property (QIP) Technical Correction and Bonus Depreciation
March 16, 2021This is a preview of one of the articles in the new KROST Quarterly Real Estate Issue, titled “Qualified Improvement Property (QIP) Technical Correction and Bonus Depreciation” by Elvira Frencillo and So Sum Lee The coronavirus has turned the world upside down. It has cost so many lives and caused agony to individuals and businesses. To Read the full article…

The Latest COVID-Relief Package – Time to go Green
January 27, 2021On December 27, 2020, Congress passed a $900 billion COVID-relief package, along with a $1.4 trillion spending package, that funds the government for the 2021 fiscal year. The spending bill includes several tax extenders; Section 45L tax credit for multifamily and residential developers, 179D tax deduction for commercial and government buildings, as well as 25C Read the full article…

Real Estate Related COVID Relief Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA)
January 14, 2021The Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (the Economic Aid Act) as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the 2021 CAA) was signed into law on December 27, 2020. The CCA is a $2.3 trillion package that provides additional funding to the PPP program and includes several key provisions that Read the full article…

California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program
December 24, 2020As part of the assistance package that was announced by Governor Newsom in September 2020, the State of California is providing $500 million in grants to small businesses that are impacted by COVID-19. Small businesses with annual gross revenue of less than $2.5 million can receive up to $25,000 in the grant. There will be Read the full article…

Challenges Facing the Real Estate Industry in the Wake of COVID & the Election
December 15, 2020This is a preview of one of the articles in the new KROST Quarterly Real Estate Issue, titled “Challenges Facing the Real Estate Industry in the Wake of COVID & the Election” by So Sum Lee It’s no question that the economy as a whole was (and continues to be) stressed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now Read the full article…

California Small Business Hiring Tax Credit
November 20, 2020A lot of people lost their jobs in 2020 when businesses were forced to shut down or had to furlough their employees due to COVID. To help Californians get back to work, California’s governor signed a new tax bill to give tax breaks to small businesses that increased hiring during the second half of 2020. Read the full article…