Articles
Plain-English articles on California LLCs.
Cornerstone articles on the questions California small business owners actually have — formation, operating agreements, multi-member LLCs, the law that governs all of it. Written for owners, not for other lawyers.
-
The $800 California LLC Tax: Who Pays, When, and Why It Surprises
Every California LLC owes the state $800 a year, regardless of revenue, activity, or whether the LLC is making money. The first-year exemption that existed from 2021–2023 has expired. Here is what the tax is, when it is due, what happens if you miss it, and the workarounds that do not actually work.
Read article → -
California LLC vs. S-Corp Election: When It Saves Money, and When It Does Not
S-corp is a tax election, not a separate kind of company. Most California small business owners hear 'should I be an S-corp?' and assume it is an entity decision. It is not. It is a tax-treatment decision applied on top of an LLC, and whether it saves money depends on income level, payroll cost, and what the LLC actually does. Here is the structure of the decision, and the situations where the math goes the other way.
Read article → -
Spouses and California LLCs: Community Property and Why It Matters
California is a community property state. That fact quietly shapes how LLCs owned by married people work, even when only one spouse is on the formation paperwork. Here is what community property actually means for an LLC, the two paths most California couples take, and the situations where the choice between them matters.
Read article → -
What Is RULLCA? California's LLC Law in Plain English
Every California LLC is governed by a body of law called RULLCA — the California Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. Knowing what it does (and what your operating agreement can override) is the difference between an LLC that operates the way you intended and one that operates the way California's defaults assume you intended.
Read article →
Where are you?
Three paths beyond reading articles, depending on where you are in the process.
Ready to form
Book a Formation Call
A short intake call to confirm scope, package, and timing for your California LLC.
Book a Formation Call →Comparing options
See pricing and scope
Flat-fee packages with what is and is not included published openly.
See Pricing →Researching
Get the California LLC Checklist
A practical checklist of what California small business owners should think through before forming an LLC.
Download the Checklist →