Tax filing · California
Business tax filing in California, prepared by a team of Certified Accountants, CPAs and Enrolled Agents
Federal returns (1120, 1120-S, 1065, Schedule C) and your California state return, prepared from New York and Mumbai for a flat fee quoted upfront, from $99.
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- 447 Broadway, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10013
- Certified Accountants, CPAs and Enrolled Agents
- Flat fees quoted upfront
- Replies within 8 hours
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What California asks of a business
California has personal income tax from 1% to 13.3%, a 8.84% corporate income tax and a 7.25% state sales tax (about 8.99% combined with local rates). An LLC in the state faces a minimum franchise tax of $800, due 15th day of the 4th month of the tax year. The table below is what we check first on every California engagement.
| California at a glance | What applies | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Personal income tax | Personal income tax from 1% to 13.3% | Graduated brackets (2025 table) |
| Corporate income tax | A 8.84% corporate income tax | Flat corporate rate (2026 table) |
| Sales tax | A 7.25% state sales tax (about 8.99% combined with local rates) | Combined figure is the population-weighted average with local rates (2026 table) |
| LLC fees | Formation $70; A minimum franchise tax of $800, due 15th day of the 4th month of the tax year | Plus an LLC fee from $900 once total income passes $250,000, and a $20 Statement of Information every two years |
| Corporation fees | Formation $100; Minimum franchise tax $800, due 15th day of the 4th month | Plus a $25 Statement of Information every year |
| S-corp election | Federal election recognised | Recognised, but S-corps pay a 1.5% entity-level tax (minimum $800); a pass-through entity tax election is available |
Figures checked 2026-09 against California Franchise Tax Board and California Secretary of State. Rates and fees change; we confirm the current numbers for your entity before we quote.
What we prepare for California businesses
- Form 1120 (C-corporation) and Form 1120-S (S-corporation)
- Form 1065 with Schedule K-1s (partnerships and multi-member LLCs)
- Schedule C with Form 1040 (sole proprietors and single-member LLCs)
- California state income tax return, filed with the federal return
- Form 5472 with pro forma 1120 for foreign-owned single-member LLCs
- Sales tax registration and returns where California nexus exists
- 1099-NEC filings and extension requests
- Late and unfiled years, with penalty-relief requests where reasonable cause exists
Things California owners get wrong
California charges every LLC an $800 minimum franchise tax each year, on top of a gross-receipts fee once revenue passes $250,000, and taxes S-corps at 1.5% of net income. Anyone who runs a business from California, even one formed elsewhere, is treated as doing business in the state.
The federal return is only half the job. California's personal income tax from 1% to 13.3% reaches pass-through owners through their personal return, and the entity itself faces a minimum franchise tax of $800, due 15th day of the 4th month of the tax year. Recognised, but S-corps pay a 1.5% entity-level tax (minimum $800); a pass-through entity tax election is available.
Nobody sets out to miss these. They are missed because a seasonal preparer handles the federal return in April and nobody owns the state calendar for the rest of the year. We keep the calendar.
Who we file for in California
- California LLCs and S-corps owned by residents
- Foreign-owned California LLCs (Form 5472 filers)
- E-commerce sellers with California inventory or customers
- Agencies, consultants and professional practices
- Businesses behind by a year or more
- CPA firms that need white-label preparation capacity
How it works
- Free 30-minute call, or the form on this page.
- Fixed quote in writing, by entity and complexity.
- Secure document upload.
- Draft return for your approval.
- Filed, with confirmation and copies.
Pricing in California
Business returns from $99, quoted by entity and complexity before any work starts. California state or entity filings are quoted with the federal return, so there is one number, not a list of add-ons. Late years are priced per year. Catch-up bookkeeping, where needed, is a fixed project quoted after a free review.
We do not write "guaranteed", "maximum refund" or "IRS-approved" anywhere, because no honest preparer can. We prepare returns correctly and keep the confirmations.
California questions people ask first
Do I need to file a California state return for my LLC?
Usually yes. California has personal income tax from 1% to 13.3%, so LLC and S-corp income flows to the owner's California return, and the entity may have its own filing. We prepare both with the federal return.
When is my California business return due?
Federal 1120-S and 1065 returns are due March 16, 2026 (September 15 on extension); 1120 and Schedule C returns April 15 (October 15 on extension). California entity filings run on their own calendar: a minimum franchise tax of $800, due 15th day of the 4th month of the tax year. We track both.
I own a California LLC but live outside the US. What do I file?
A foreign-owned single-member LLC files Form 5472 attached to a pro forma Form 1120, which cannot be e-filed and carries a $25,000 penalty if missed. We prepare it, fax-file it and keep the transmission report. Multi-member LLCs file Form 1065 with K-1s.
Does California recognise my federal S-corp election?
Yes. Recognised, but S-corps pay a 1.5% entity-level tax (minimum $800); a pass-through entity tax election is available
What if I am behind by a year or more?
We prepare each open year, rebuild the books if needed, and include a written reasonable-cause request for penalty relief where one applies. Penalty relief is the IRS's decision; we prepare the request and do not promise the outcome.
Who prepares and signs my return?
A team of Certified Accountants, CPAs and Enrolled Agents working from New York and Mumbai. A US-credentialed preparer reviews and signs. Replies within 8 hours, one point of contact.
Ready for a fixed quote in California?
Two sentences from you. A written price within 8 hours. No obligation, no long-term contract.
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