Understanding Today’s Financial Environment
Welcome, I’m Michael A. Chester at Mesa Verde Consulting, Inc., a tax and financial service company in Costa Mesa, California. We provide personalized services to meet your Accounting, Tax, and Financial Goals based on your needs, wants, and objectives.
Whether you require assistance with your financial and retirement needs, tax preparation, business consulting and planning, we will customize our services to your needs.
We have been serving Southern California for over 26 years and look forward to working with you through all stages of your life.
Please review our list of services and the other educational and information areas of our website. Give us a call at (714) 557-0992 or send us an email (mverde114@aol.com) to help us get started.
Helpful Content
The Facts About Income Tax
Millions faithfully file their 1040 forms each April. But some things about federal income taxes may surprise you.
Emotional vs. Strategic Decisions
Information vs. instinct. Are your choices based on evidence of emotion?
Social Security Fairness Act's New Chapter
Learn how the Social Security Fairness Act boosts benefits for eligible public sector workers and their families.
Preparing for the Expected
You can plan ahead to protect yourself and your family against the financial consequences of deteriorating health.
Variable Universal Life Insurance
Variable Universal Life is permanent insurance in which the policyholder directs how premiums are invested.
Inventorying Your Possessions
Creating an inventory of your possessions can save you time, money and aggravation in the event you someday suffer losses.
The Half Million Dollar Baby
The true cost of raising a child may be far more than you expect.
The Big Pause
This handy interactive explains which essential government services are affected by a shutdown.
Do Our Biases Affect Our Financial Choices?
Even the most seasoned investors have biases affecting their financial choices.
View all articles 
What Is My Net Worth?
Get a snapshot of your overall financial picture by calculating your total net worth.
College Savings
See how much you may need to save now to cover future college costs for your child.
How Much Home Can I Afford?
Estimate how much home may fit within your budget based on income and expenses.
How Long Will My Savings Last If I Become Disabled?
See how long your current savings might last if a disability interrupted your income.
My Retirement Savings
See how your current savings rate and contributions may grow into retirement income.
Comparing Investments
Compare two different scenarios side by side to see how they stack up over time.
View all calculators
The Fed and How It Got That Way
Here is a quick history of the Federal Reserve and an overview of what it does.
The Wild West of Data Theft
Learn about cyber liability insurance in this entertaining video.
What Smart Investors Know
Savvy investors take the time to separate emotion from fact.
18 Years Worth of Days
The average retirement lasts for 18 years. What will you do with your days?
Rightsizing for Retirement
What does your home really cost?
Consider These 3 Things Before Driving Off the Lot
Here are 3 quick tips to keep in mind when buying or leasing your next vehicle.