California's Startup tax specialists
Your Startup's Taxes
Are Different.
Your Accountant
Should Be Too.
Most CPAs serve everyone: individuals, small businesses, restaurants, retail. We connect California founders with our trusted CPA partner, a firm that serves startups exclusively, with flat-fee pricing and zero hourly billing, from pre-revenue through Series C.
No commitment. No hourly billing. Just answers.
Why This Matters
Legacy Local Accountants Are Costing California Startups Money.
Here's what happens when a founder hires a legacy local CPA: they get advice designed for established businesses, not early-stage companies. They miss research and development (R&D) credits they qualified for. They get hit with California Franchise Tax penalties they never saw coming.
They find out six months too late that their Delaware C-Corp had additional filing requirements they ignored. It happens more often than founders realize.
California is the most complex state in the country for startups. You're dealing with the Franchise Tax Board, Delaware incorporation requirements, potential multi-state nexus issues, and one of the most aggressive state tax authorities in the U.S., all while trying to build a company.
You need a specialist. Not a generalist with a startup checkbox on their website.
What Your Startup Needs
Startup Tax and Accounting Services in California
All services are fixed-price and à la carte. No bundling required. No binding contracts. Cancel anytime.
Federal Income Tax
Flat-fee annual tax subscription covering federal and state income tax returns, 1099s, Delaware Franchise Tax Reports, payroll software setup, and unlimited tax support.
R&D Study
California startups can claim up to $500,000 in refundable R&D tax credits annually. Our trusted CPA partner uses an AI-enabled study to capture every qualifying expense at a fraction of what large firms charge.
BOOKKEEPING
Monthly bookkeeping on QuickBooks Online, Puzzle, or Rillet. Setup, monthly reconciliations, and financial statements on the accrual basis your investors require, handled by our trusted CPA partner.
Sales Tax
Registrations, filings, nexus studies, voluntary disclosure agreements, and reverse sales tax audits. Our trusted CPA partner handles sales tax compliance so you can stop guessing.
california-specific
California Has More Startup Tax Traps Than Any Other State.
Here's What Trips up most Founders.
O1
The $800 Minimum Franchise Tax Nobody Warned You About
California LLC and corporation, including those incorporated in Delaware and registered to do business in CA, owes the Franchise Tax Board a minimum of $800 per year. Miss it, and you owe penalties on top. A startup-specialist CPA makes sure this never catches you off guard.
O2
Filing Your Federal Return Late Can Cost You $500,000
Startups with foreign founders face automatic IRS penalties of $10,000–$25,000 for late filing. The refundable R&D tax credit, worth up to $500,000, is only available to startups that file on time. Miss the deadline, and you're not just paying a penalty. You're walking away from a credit you already qualified for.
O3
Thinking of Moving Your Startup Out of California? Read This First.
California is aggressive about pursuing tax revenue from companies that leave. If your startup has employees or operations in California, you may still owe CA taxes even after incorporating in Texas or Nevada. Most founders discover this after the fact.
O4
The Water's Edge Election
Most International Founders Never Heard Of
California can tax your startup's worldwide income, not just U.S. income, if you have foreign subsidiaries and never filed a Water's Edge Election. This election limits your California filing to U.S.-sourced income only. Most internationally founded startups miss it entirely. By the time they find out, they owe back taxes on income they never expected to be taxed on.
The process
From Your First Question to Filed Returns - Here Is How It Works With Our Recommended Partner
1. Book a Free Appointment
Schedule a no-commitment consultation with the team we recommend. They will assess your startup's situation, explain exactly what you need, and give you a straight answer on pricing. No hourly clock running.
2. We Onboard and Get to Work
Once you sign on, they set up your books, review prior filings, and build a clear picture of your compliance requirements - federal, state, and California-specific.
3. Filed, Accurate, and Done
Your returns are prepared, reviewed for accuracy, and filed on time. You get a final review before anything goes to the IRS or Franchise Tax Board. No surprises.
Transparent Pricing
Flat fees. No hourly billing. No surprises.
Every service is flat-fee and quoted upfront, based on scope and complexity, not billed by the hour. You pay after filing, not before. No binding contracts, no forced bundles. If you have a question mid-year, that's already included.
Federal Income Tax
Federal + state filing, 1099s, DE Franchise Tax Report, payroll software setup, unlimited tax support year-round
R&D Study
Federal + state R&D study, audit-ready documentation, AI-enabled software
Bookkeeping
QBO/Puzzle/Rillet/Xero setup, monthly bookkeeping, reconciliations, financial statements
Sales Tax
Registrations, filings, nexus studies, voluntary disclosure agreements, reverse audits
Where We Work
Currently covering Riverside, CA, with more California cities coming
We built this resource for California founders. Our current focus is Riverside and the Inland Empire, one of California's fastest-growing startup regions, home to UC Riverside's innovation ecosystem, ExCITE Riverside, and a growing base of cleantech, healthtech, and AI companies
Coming Soon to more California Cities
Quick Answers
Common Questions From California Startup Founders
Do I need to file a corporate tax return if my startup has no revenue yet?
Yes. If you're a C-Corporation, which most funded startups are, you're required to file Form 1120 with the IRS every single year, even with zero activity. You also likely have California filing requirements. Failure to file is a disclosable event during due diligence and can put future fundraising at serious risk.
Can I ask tax questions outside of tax season without getting charged?
Yes. Our trusted CPA partner's federal income tax service is a flat annual fee, so you can call or email with questions throughout the year. No one's watching the clock. No hourly billing, ever.
Does your trusted CPA partner work with foreign founders or startups with international subsidiaries?
Yes. Our trusted CPA partner specializes in U.S. tax compliance for companies with foreign founders, foreign shareholders, and international subsidiaries. They handle the U.S.-based entity and make sure all reporting requirements, including the ones with serious late-filing penalties, are handled on time.
Is coverage limited to certain California cities?
No. Our trusted CPA partner serves California startups remotely across the entire state: San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, Riverside, and everywhere in between. You never need to come into an office. Everything is handled digitally, with same-day responses on urgent filings.
Stop Guessing on Your
Startup's Taxes.
One conversation is all it takes to know exactly where your startup stands, on California Franchise Tax, corporate filings, R&D credits, and everything in between. The appointment is free. The hourly clock never starts.
No commitment required. We serve startups from pre-revenue through Series-C.