Zane Zent

Financial Life Planner    |    CFP®, CPA
CRD License #7959426

(310) 643-7472 ext 0123 zane@cradvisors.com

Zane Zent is dedicated to helping people build a secure financial future and prepare for retirement. As a fully licensed financial advisor and Certified Public Accountant (CPA), he follows California Retirement Advisors’ holistic planning methodology and leverages his expertise in tax planning, retirement strategies, equity compensation, and wealth management to guide his clients.

Before becoming an advisor, Zane’s life journey was shaped by both challenges and achievements. Born and raised in Southern California’s Redondo Beach, he learned the value of community and resilience at a young age. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Penn State University, graduating in 2020, and began his career with PwC, a Big Four accounting firm, as a CPA. During this time, he also experienced the loss of close family members — a hardship that brought emotional and financial burdens and strengthened his resolve to help others plan for the unexpected.

Zane ultimately transitioned from public accounting to financial life management at CRA after obtaining his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) certification. By age 26, he became one of the youngest professionals in the world to hold both the CPA and CFP® designations, an accomplishment that makes him extremely proud. He draws upon both his technical financial expertise and his personal experiences to advise clients with empathy and insight.

Despite his professional success, Zane’s greatest fulfillment comes from serving his community and loved ones. Now living in Santa Monica, he remains closely connected to the South Bay area where he grew up — volunteering as a youth basketball coach and helping organize a local beach flag football league. He is very active and enjoys practicing yoga and going on runs along the beach to stay healthy. Zane also never forgets his family roots — he frequently visits relatives in Colombia and gives back to his mother's hometown of Obando by donating clothes, money, and supplies to those in need. Having been through personal hardships himself, he wants his clients to know they can always count on him; Zane strives to be the advisor they trust and can turn to in times of need.

“My mission is to help empower people to envision and implement their own personalized, tax-efficient financial plan, so they feel comfortable and secure in their financial decisions both now and in retirement.”

Who I Serve

I work closely with ambitious young professionals, entrepreneurs, and families, helping them improve their financial literacy and implement tax-efficient strategies that will set the foundation for a secure financial future and a successful retirement. Being in my twenties, I particularly understand the opportunities and challenges that younger generations face, and I am passionate about guiding them early on the path to financial freedom.

Who can I benefit most?

“I have a passion for helping motivated professionals who want to save money on taxes, make the most of their equity compensation, and plan ahead for their future — because I believe it’s never too early to start building a solid financial foundation. As an accomplished young professional, I know how valuable it is to start early and take advantage of every financial opportunity. Having also experienced the loss of close family members, I understand how life’s unexpected hardships can create both emotional and financial turmoil, and that drives me to ensure my clients always have someone to turn to. My dream is for each of my clients to feel just as confident and secure in their financial future as I do in my own.”

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