About Cal Budget Services · San Diego
Cal Budget Services Inc. is a woman-owned, San Diego-based financial services firm founded by Shahin Setayeshgar in 2001, offering affordable insurance, tax preparation, DMV auto registration, LiveScan fingerprinting, surety bonds, and notary public services for hard-working Californians. The company operates from the Balboa Mesa Shopping Center at 5935 Balboa Avenue in San Diego and is an IRS-authorized Electronic Return Originator, a California DOJ-approved LiveScan fingerprinting site, and a licensed insurance broker working with 15+ carriers. Shahin, a University of Oklahoma Business Administration graduate who spent 14 years as a Business Banker at Wells Fargo, leads a small team that serves individuals, families, and small businesses across San Diego, La Jolla, Poway, and the surrounding region.
Cal Budget Services Inc. has been serving Californians since 2001 from its single San Diego office inside the Balboa Mesa Shopping Center at 5935 Balboa Ave (Suite within the center). Founded by Shahin Setayeshgar — a University of Oklahoma Business Administration alumna who spent 14 years as a Business Banker at Wells Fargo — the firm was built around a straightforward promise: bring professional-grade financial and licensing services to ordinary working families at affordable rates. Today Cal Budget bundles five core service lines under one roof: independent insurance brokerage (auto, home, condo, rental, landlord, umbrella, motorcycle, life/retirement, business/commercial, workers' comp, commercial auto, rideshare, SR-22), surety bonds, tax preparation (IRS Authorized E-File Provider / Electronic Return Originator), LiveScan fingerprinting (California DOJ-approved vendor), DMV auto registration, and notary public services. The insurance desk shops more than 15 carriers in California to find clients the lowest rates, while the LiveScan desk uses the latest DOJ/FBI-grade equipment to deliver results fast. The office is family-run and small — Shahin and her staff are repeatedly described in reviews as warm, transparent, knowledgeable, and patient, particularly around complicated small-business returns and fingerprint appointments that occasionally need extra time. The firm primarily serves San Diego, La Jolla, Poway, and nearby communities and is publicly identified as women-owned and Latinx-owned on third-party local-business listings.
- In business
- Established 2001 (25+ years of experience as listed on the official site)
- Owner
- Shahin Setayeshgar (founder and President); University of Oklahoma, Business Administration; former Wells Fargo Business Banker (14 years)
- Serves
- San Diego, La Jolla, Poway, and surrounding San Diego County communities in Southern California
- Rating
- 4.5 stars on Yelp (45 reviews per Yahoo Local listing, 41 five-star and 4 one-star); multiple five-star Google reviews cited on the official testimonials page.
About Cal Budget Services Inc.
Cal Budget Services Inc. is a San Diego, California-based, woman-owned financial and licensing services firm founded by Shahin Setayeshgar in 2001. The company positions itself as 'San Diego's Leader in Affordable Services for Hard Working Californians' and operates a single office inside the Balboa Mesa Shopping Center at 5935 Balboa Avenue, San Diego, CA 92111. Shahin is described on the official site as a fully independent insurance broker who personally shops more than 15 California insurance carriers to find clients the best rates. The firm's motto is to deliver personal, transparent, and affordable service across insurance, taxes, LiveScan, DMV, surety bonds and notary work — all under one roof.
- Founded 2001 (25+ years of experience per official site)
- Founder & President: Shahin Setayeshgar
- Single San Diego office in Balboa Mesa Shopping Center
- Independent insurance broker (15+ California carriers)
- Listed by third-party directories as women-owned and Latinx-owned
Founder: Shahin Setayeshgar
Shahin Setayeshgar, the founder and President of Cal Budget Services Inc., graduated from the University of Oklahoma in Business Administration. Before launching Cal Budget, she spent 14 years at Wells Fargo Bank as a Business Banker, giving her deep experience in commercial lending and small-business finance. Per her public professional profiles and PTIN registration, Shahin is an IRS-registered tax preparer (Shahin S. Setayeshgar) and is the primary point of contact for clients across insurance, tax, LiveScan, DMV, and notary services at the firm. Reviews across Google and Yelp consistently describe her as friendly, patient, transparent, and thorough — especially on complex small-business tax returns and difficult fingerprint appointments.
- University of Oklahoma — Business Administration
- Wells Fargo — Business Banker (14 years)
- IRS-registered tax preparer (PTIN)
- Public point of contact for insurance, tax, LiveScan, DMV, notary
Insurance Services
Insurance is the flagship service line at Cal Budget. As an independent broker, the firm is not tied to a single carrier and instead shops more than 15 California insurance companies to find affordable coverage for individuals, families, and small businesses. Shahin and her staff help clients compare and bind policies for auto, home, condo, rental, landlord, umbrella, motorcycle, life/retirement, business, workers' comp, commercial auto, rideshare, and SR-22 situations.
- Auto insurance (liability, comprehensive, collision, rental, rideshare, SR-22)
- Home, condo, rental, landlord, umbrella insurance
- Motorcycle insurance (on-road and off-road, 5 major carriers)
- Life insurance and retirement plans
- Business / commercial insurance
- Workers' compensation insurance
- Commercial auto insurance
- Free insurance quotes — call 858-278-0300 or use the website quote form
Tax Preparation & IRS E-File
Cal Budget Services is an IRS Authorized E-File Provider / Electronic Return Originator. Shahin S. Setayeshgar is registered with the IRS as a tax preparer (PTIN) and assists individuals and small businesses with federal and California state income tax returns, tax questions, and tax problem resolution. The firm is recognized on both the IRS E-File Provider search and PTIN.org's directory of California tax preparers, and handles both straightforward personal returns and more complex small-business filings.
- IRS Authorized E-File Provider
- Personal income tax preparation
- Small-business income tax preparation
- Tax problem resolution and IRS/state notice help
- Listed in IRS E-File Provider index (Cal budget Services, 5935 Balboa Ave, San Diego CA 92111)
LiveScan Fingerprinting
Cal Budget Services is an official California Department of Justice LiveScan fingerprinting location. The firm uses the latest-model LiveScan equipment to electronically transfer fingerprint images to the DOJ and FBI so clients receive their results quickly. The DOJ listing confirms a rolling fee of $50.00, weekday operation by appointment from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and accepted payment methods of billing accounts and credit cards. LiveScan at Cal Budget is widely used by applicants needing background checks for employment, licensing (guard cards, nursing, real estate, teaching, contractors), immigration, and school placements. Reviews repeatedly mention same-day walk-in availability and a quick, clean process overseen by Shahin personally.
- California DOJ-approved LiveScan vendor (rolling fee $50.00)
- LiveScan operation hours: weekdays by appointment, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
- Electronic transmission of fingerprints to DOJ and FBI
- Used for employment, licensing, guard card, school, and immigration background checks
- Same-day and walk-in service frequently cited in reviews
DMV Auto Registration
Cal Budget Services provides DMV auto registration services as an alternative to visiting a California DMV field office. Clients can bring their vehicle paperwork to the Balboa Avenue office and the staff will handle the registration filings for them. The firm recommends calling 858-278-0300 for details or stopping by the office directly.
- California DMV vehicle registration
- Call 858-278-0300 for details
- Walk-in service at the Balboa Avenue office
Notary Public Services
Cal Budget Services offers onsite notary public services in San Diego at the California state-authorized rate of $15 per signature. The notary service is often used by clients who are already coming in for tax preparation, insurance paperwork, or LiveScan fingerprinting, allowing them to complete multiple document needs in a single visit.
- Onsite notary public services in San Diego
- $15 per signature (state-authorized rate)
- Convenient add-on to tax, insurance, or LiveScan visits
Surety Bonds
Cal Budget Services writes surety bonds for California individuals and businesses. Surety bonds are commonly required for contractors, licensing, court matters, and other state-regulated transactions, and the firm's insurance desk can quote and issue them alongside its other insurance products.
- Surety bond quoting and issuance
- Commonly paired with contractor, license, and court-related requirements
Office Location, Hours & Contact
The Cal Budget Services office is located inside the Balboa Mesa Shopping Center at 5935 Balboa Ave, San Diego, CA 92111. General office hours are Monday through Friday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and closed Sundays. The main phone line is 858-278-0300, the fax line is 858-278-0333, and a separate tax-preparation line is listed as 858-373-7833 on the IRS E-File directory. Email follows the first-initial pattern (e.g., [email protected]). The LiveScan desk operates by appointment on weekdays from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
- Address: 5935 Balboa Ave, San Diego, CA 92111 (Balboa Mesa Shopping Center)
- Phone: 858-278-0300 — Fax: 858-278-0333
- Alternate tax line: 858-373-7833
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 10 AM–6 PM, Sat 10 AM–4 PM, Sun closed
- LiveScan hours: Weekdays by appointment, 9:30 AM–4:30 PM
Client Testimonials & Reputation
Cal Budget Services displays client testimonials from Google, Yelp and Facebook on its official site. The majority of reviews are highly positive, praising Shahin's honesty, transparency, knowledge of California tax law, and quick turnaround on fingerprinting and tax appointments. The Yelp profile aggregates to 4.5 stars across 45 reviews (41 five-star, 4 one-star). Common themes across reviews include: long-term loyalty (clients returning 5–6+ years), appreciation for clear explanations of tax changes, low wait times for LiveScan, and a warm, family-run atmosphere. Negative reviews tend to center on isolated insurance outcomes rather than service quality.
- Yelp: 4.5 stars across 45 reviews (41 five-star, 4 one-star)
- Google: multiple 5-star testimonials featured on official site
- Long-term clients returning 5–6+ years
- Praised for transparent pricing and California tax-law expertise
- LiveScan described as fast, clean, and walk-in friendly
Service Area & Ownership
Cal Budget Services primarily serves clients across San Diego, La Jolla, Poway, and the broader San Diego County region. Third-party local business directories (Loc8NearMe, Yahoo Local) describe the firm as women-owned, Latinx-owned, and open to all. With 25+ years of operation and a small team led by Shahin and her staff, the firm positions itself as a personal alternative to large national chains and online-only brokers.
- Service area: San Diego, La Jolla, Poway, San Diego County
- Women-owned business
- Latinx-owned business
- Open to all clients