Online tax preparation for California
Tax Preparation Services in California
We prepare your federal and California returns together, for individuals, freelancers, LLCs and corporations. You see the scope and fee before any work starts, and nothing is filed until you approve it.
Rated 4.6 out of 5 in client reviews, with 1,000+ returns filed. Consultations with a US CPA start at $59.
What do you need help with?
Five services cover most people and businesses filing in California. Each one starts with a quote, so you know the fee before work begins.
Accounts outside the US? See FBAR, FATCA and PFICIndividual tax returns
Employees, retirees and households
Your federal Form 1040 and your California Form 540, 540 2EZ or 540NR, prepared and reviewed together.Get an individual quote
Self-employed and freelance
1099 contractors and sole proprietors
Schedules C and SE, business income on your California return, and estimated payments planned for the year ahead.Get a self-employed quoteEstimate your self-employment tax first
Business tax returns
LLCs, partnerships, S corporations and C corporations
Federal entity returns and K-1s, California Forms 565, 568, 100S or 100, and the LLC annual tax and fee.Explore business tax filing
Tax planning and consultation
A decision, a move or an entity choice
A 30-minute session with a US CPA on your question, from $59. Useful before you form an entity, move states or change how you're paid.Book a consultation
Bookkeeping and accounting
Businesses that want filing-ready books
Monthly categorization, reconciliations, catch-up months and financial reports, so year-end filing starts from clean numbers.Explore bookkeeping
Which returns will you file?
Pick the closest fit to see your federal return, your California return, and the other California filing that usually comes with it.
Federal return, IRS
Form 1040
Your annual federal return, with wages, retirement income and investments.
California return, FTB
Form 540, 540 2EZ or 540NR
Form 540 for full-year residents, or the shorter 540 2EZ if you qualify. Form 540NR for part-year residents and nonresidents.
Also watch
April 15 payment
The filing extension to October 15 is automatic, but tax is still due by the original date.
Federal return, IRS
Form 1040 with Schedules C and SE
Business profit and self-employment tax on your personal return.
California return, FTB
Form 540 or 540NR
Business income flows through your federal AGI onto your California return. A sole proprietorship files no separate California entity return.
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Uneven estimated payments
California splits estimates 30%, 40%, 0% and 30%, so the June 15 payment is the largest of the year.
Federal return, IRS
Owner's Form 1040
Disregarded by default, unless the LLC elects to be taxed as a corporation.
California return, FTB
Form 568
A single-member LLC is disregarded federally, but it still files Form 568 in California. Its income is reported on the owner's return.
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$800 tax and the LLC fee
The $800 annual tax is due every year, plus an LLC fee once total California income reaches $250,000.
Federal return, IRS
Form 1065 or 1120-S
An entity return, with a K-1 for each owner.
California return, FTB
Form 565, 568 or 100S
Partnerships file Form 565, multi-member LLCs Form 568 and S corporations Form 100S, taxed at 1.5% with an $800 minimum. Due March 15.
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PTE elective tax
Both can elect to pay 9.3% on qualified net income at the entity level. For 2025, electing required a June 15 payment.
Federal return, IRS
Form 1120
The corporate income tax return.
California return, FTB
Form 100
Taxed at 8.84%, with an $800 minimum franchise tax. Due April 15 for calendar-year filers; the extension to November 15 is for filing only.
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Minimum tax and SOS filing
New corporations skip the minimum tax in their first year. Stock corporations file a $25 Statement of Information every year.
These are typical paths, not a filing determination. Elections, ownership, residency and where you earn income can change what you file; your consultation confirms it.
Filing in California: what's different
The rules that most often change a California return, checked against California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) guidance on 27 October 2026.
Nine income tax rates, plus 1% over $1 million
California taxes individual income at rates from 1% to 12.3%. Taxable income over $1 million also owes the 1% Behavioral Health Services Tax, so the top combined rate is 13.3%.
- 1%First $11,079Joint: first $22,158
- 2%Over $11,079Joint: over $22,158
- 4%Over $26,264Joint: over $52,528
- 6%Over $41,452Joint: over $82,904
- 8%Over $57,542Joint: over $115,084
- 9.3%Over $72,724Joint: over $145,448
- 10.3%Over $371,479Joint: over $742,958
- 11.3%Over $445,771Joint: over $891,542
- 12.3%Over $742,953Joint: over $1,485,906
- +1%Over $1,000,000Health tax, all filers
Thresholds are for single and married/RDP filing separately returns. Below $100,000 of taxable income, the FTB tax table is used instead.
Which California return?
- Form 540
- Full-year residents.
- 540 2EZ
- A shorter form for full-year residents with simple income who meet all of its conditions.
- Form 540NR
- Part-year residents, and nonresidents with California-source income.
Moved in or out during 2025? Form 540NR taxes all income received while you lived in California, plus California-source income from the rest of the year.
Key dates for calendar-year filers
Mar 15
Partnerships, LLCs taxed as partnerships and S corporations file Form 565, 568 or 100S. S corporations pay their tax, and the PTE elective tax is elected on these returns.
Apr 15
Individuals file Form 540 or 540NR. C corporations file Form 100. Most LLCs pay the $800 annual tax for the current year.
Jun 15
LLCs expecting $250,000 or more of total California income pay the estimated LLC fee. Individuals make the second, 40% estimated payment.
Oct 15
Extended individual returns are due, along with extended partnership and most LLC returns. The extension is automatic; no form is needed.
Nov 15
C corporations file extended Form 100 returns. The tax was due by April 15.
A business due date on a weekend or holiday moves to the next business day. Extensions are automatic and cover filing only (S corporations to September 15); tax is due by the original date.
Starts from your federal AGI
Line 13 of Form 540 brings in your federal AGI, and Schedule CA (540) records where California income differs. Your federal return is prepared first, so the two match.
LLC annual tax and fee
Every LLC doing business or organized in California pays $800 a year until it cancels, plus a fee from $900 to $11,790 once total California income reaches $250,000.
Sales tax
The statewide base rate is 7.25%, and many cities, counties and districts add their own. If you sell taxable goods, we confirm your seller's permit and local registrations during scoping.
Official sourcesFTB 2025 tax rate schedulesFTB 2025 Form 540 instructionsFTB individual due datesFTB business due datesFTB limited liability companiesFTB 2025 Form 100 bookletFTB pass-through entity elective taxCDTFA tax rates (Publication 51)
Accounts or assets outside the US?
US taxpayers with foreign bank accounts, investments or non-US funds can have three separate reporting duties: the FBAR, Form 8938 and Form 8621 for PFICs. Each has its own rules, and filing one doesn't satisfy another.
| FBARFinCEN Form 114 | Form 8938FATCA reporting | PFICForm 8621 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filed with | FinCEN, electronically through the BSA E-Filing System. Not part of your tax return. | The IRS, attached to your income tax return. | The IRS, attached to your income tax return, with a separate form for each PFIC. |
| Who it covers | US persons, including citizens, resident aliens and domestic entities, with foreign financial accounts. | Specified individuals and certain domestic entities with specified foreign financial assets. | US persons who hold shares, directly or indirectly, in a passive foreign investment company. |
| Threshold if you live in the US | Accounts total more than $10,000 at any time in the year. | Single: over $50,000 at year-end or $75,000 at any time. Joint: over $100,000 or $150,000. | No general minimum. A $25,000 exception ($50,000 joint) can apply when there were no distributions, gains or elections to report. |
| Due | April 15, with an automatic extension to October 15. | With your tax return, including extensions. | With your tax return, including extensions. |
A PFIC is a foreign corporation with at least 75% passive income or at least 50% passive assets. Many mutual funds and ETFs registered outside the US, including Indian mutual funds, can qualify, so we check each holding. Form 8938 thresholds are higher if you live abroad. Sources: IRS comparison of Form 8938 and FBAR requirements, IRS instructions for Form 8621.
How it works
Four steps, all online. You can stop after the second one if the fee doesn't suit you.
Tell us what you need
Pick a service, or describe your situation and we'll point you to the right one.
No documents needed yet
Confirm scope and fee
A short call maps your federal and California returns, entities and any other states.
Fee agreed up front
Share documents securely
Upload W-2s, 1099s, statements and prior returns to your encrypted workspace instead of email.
Access limited to your team
Review, sign and file
Your expert prepares and reviews the returns and walks you through them.
Nothing is filed until you sign
One team for your federal and California returns, fully online, with the fee agreed before any work starts.
- Client rating
- 4.6/5
- Returns filed
- 1K+
- CA and CPA experts
- 30+
- Serving clients since
- 2019
Savetaxs internal records, Jan 2023 to Sep 2026. Ratings from client reviews.
Hatim Dudhiyawala
US Certified Public Accountant
- IRS PTIN
- P03362186
- Experience
- 5+ years
- Practice
- US tax filing, compliance and planning
- Encrypted documents. Access is limited to your assigned expert and authorized team.
- Clear scope. You see the recommended service and fee before you proceed.
- Online by design. Video or phone consultations, flexible across time zones.
Know the fee before you commit
A consultation has a fixed price. Filing and bookkeeping are quoted for your situation, because a single W-2 return and a multi-owner S corp are different jobs.
Tax consultation with a US CPA
from $59one-time, 30 min
For a specific question, a move, an entity decision or a second opinion. Book a consultation
Tax preparation and filing
Quotedper return
Depends on your forms and schedules, the states you file in, your entity type and the condition of your records.
Bookkeeping and accounting
Quotedmonthly
Based on transaction volume, number of accounts and any catch-up months.
Consultation fees are separate from filing and bookkeeping fees.
Request a filing quote
A few details. No documents or tax IDs.
Request received
- A tax expert reviews your request and the service you picked.
- We email you at to confirm scope and ask anything we need.
- You receive a quote before any work starts.
Nothing is charged until you accept a quote.
Questions about filing in California
Something specific to your situation? Ask a US CPA in a 30-minute consultation.
Can Savetaxs prepare both my federal and California returns?
Yes. We prepare federal returns for individuals and businesses together with the matching California returns: Form 540, 540 2EZ or 540NR for individuals, and Forms 565, 568, 100S or 100, with the LLC annual tax and fee, for businesses. Your consultation confirms which returns apply to you.
The work is done online, by video or phone, with documents shared through an encrypted upload.
Do I need to request an extension for my California individual return?
No. The Franchise Tax Board grants an automatic extension to October 15, 2026, with no application needed. It extends the time to file, not to pay, so tax due should be paid by April 15, 2026 to avoid a late-payment penalty and interest.
I moved to or from California this year. Which form do I file?
Part-year residents file Form 540NR. California taxes all income you received while you lived in the state, plus California-source income from the part of the year you were a nonresident. Other states may need their own returns, and we map each one during scoping.
Does my single-member LLC file its own California return?
Yes. Even though the IRS disregards a single-member LLC, California requires it to file Form 568 and pay the $800 annual tax, plus the LLC fee if total California income is $250,000 or more. Its income is still reported on the owner's return.
The LLC also files a $20 Statement of Information with the California Secretary of State every two years.
Can my partnership or S corporation use the pass-through entity elective tax?
Yes, if it qualifies. A partnership or S corporation can elect to pay a 9.3% tax on qualified net income at the entity level, and qualified owners claim a credit on their own returns. The election is made on a timely filed original return and can't be revoked for that year.
For 2025, the election required a payment by June 15, 2025. The election now runs through tax year 2030; from 2026, a missed June payment reduces the owners' credit rather than blocking the election.
How is pricing determined?
A consultation with a US CPA starts at $59. Filing is priced per return, based on forms and schedules, the number of states, your entity type and the condition of your records. Bookkeeping is priced on monthly volume. You see the fee before you proceed.
I have bank accounts or mutual funds outside the US. What do I need to file?
Possibly one or more of three forms. The FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) applies when your foreign financial accounts total more than $10,000 at any time in the year, and it is filed with FinCEN, not with your tax return. Form 8938 has higher thresholds and is attached to your income tax return. Filing one does not replace the other.
If you own shares in a non-US mutual fund or other passive foreign investment company (PFIC), Form 8621 may also be required for each fund. See our foreign asset reporting service.
Start with a 30‑minute consultation.
Talk through your federal and California filings with a US CPA, get a clear scope and fee, then decide.
Savetaxs is a part of Hornet Dynamics Private Limited. Services are delivered online. Savetaxs is a private firm and is not affiliated with the IRS, FinCEN, the California Franchise Tax Board, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, the California Secretary of State or any government agency.
Information on this page is general and is not tax advice for your situation. © 2026 Savetaxs.com