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California Business Formation

Business Formation

Formation that starts with understanding your goals and delivers everything you need to operate with confidence from day one.

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Why Work With an Attorney

Get It Right
From the
Start

Formation sets the foundation for everything that comes after — your liability protection, your tax treatment, your ability to operate with confidence. I make sure that foundation is solid from day one.

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How I Do It

  • Start With a Real Conversation

Before I file anything, we talk through entity selection, ownership structure, and all your pre-incorporation questions. You make informed decisions — I handle everything from there.

  • CPA Coordination

Entity selection has legal and tax implications. I handle the legal side and coordinate directly with your CPA on the tax side. Nothing falls through the cracks.

  • California-Specific Documents

Your bylaws and operating agreements are drafted for California law and your situation — not generic templates that leave gaps in your liability protection.

  • Ongoing Support

After formation, you get a post-incorporation checklist covering everything your business needs to do. Then the Corporate Wellness Program keeps your entity maintained year after year. Questions come up? No hourly billing.

The Process

01

WE START WITH A CONVERSATION AND GET ALIGNED

Consultation & entity selection

We discuss your business, goals, and ownership structure. I coordinate with your CPA on entity selection and timing so the legal and tax sides work together. You make informed decisions — I handle everything from there.

02

I PREPARE & FILE EVERYTHING — You SIT BACK

Formation & filing

Name clearance, formation documents, governance documents, state filings — I handle all of it. You just review and sign.

03

YOUR BUSINESS IS READY & YOU'RE SET UP FOR SUCCESS

Corporate record book & client portal

You receive your complete corporate record book, post-incorporation checklist, and access to your secure client portal where you can view all documents anytime.

What's Included

Everything you need to form your California LLC, Corporation, or Professional Corporation — plus your first year of the Corporate Wellness Program.

  • Entity selection consultation — coordinated with your CPA
  • Business name availability search with Secretary of State
  • Articles of Incorporation or Organization filed
  • Custom bylaws or operating agreement — California-specific
  • Organizational resolutions (initial board or member actions)
  • Stock or membership certificates and ledger
  • EIN (federal tax ID) application preparation
  • S-corp election (Form 2553) preparation when applicable
  • Initial Statement of Information filed
  • Corporate record book with all documents — accessible anytime in your client portal
  • Post-incorporation checklist for next steps
  • First year Corporate Wellness Program included
  • Registered agent service for state of formation

Professional corporations include documents compliant with California professional corporation requirements.

Common Questions

Basic information: your proposed business name, business address, ownership structure, and goals. I'll guide you through everything else.
Yes — I require clients to have a CPA or tax advisor. Entity selection has real tax consequences, and I want to make sure we're making decisions that work for your full financial picture, not just the legal side.
Standard processing with the Secretary of State is typically 5-7 business days. Once the filing comes back, I prepare your complete corporate record book and documents. If you're on a tight timeline, expedite options are available: 24-hour processing for an additional $350 state fee or same-day processing for $750.
Both provide liability protection, but they differ in management structure and ongoing formalities. LLCs offer more flexibility and fewer formal requirements. Corporations have a defined structure (shareholders, directors, officers) and more established legal framework. The right choice depends on your situation — we'll cover this in the consultation, and your CPA can advise on the tax implications of each.
An S-corp election is a tax designation filed with the IRS — it's not a separate entity type. Both LLCs and Corporations can elect S-corp status, but they must meet eligibility requirements: no more than 100 shareholders/members, only U.S. citizens or resident aliens as owners (no partnerships, corporations, or foreign owners), and one class of ownership with identical distribution rights. Whether S-corp status makes sense for you is a tax question for your CPA. If you're making the election, I'll prepare Form 2553 and make sure the timing and eligibility requirements are met.
California charges $70 to file LLC Articles of Organization or $100 to file Articles of Incorporation. The initial Statement of Information is $20 (LLC) or $25 (Corporation). These fees are paid directly to the Secretary of State and are not included in my service fee.
California imposes an $800 minimum annual franchise tax on LLCs and Corporations. Your CPA can advise on how this applies to your situation.
In addition to the $800 franchise tax, California LLCs with total income of $250,000 or more pay an additional annual fee based on revenue. This fee ranges from $900 to $11,790 depending on income. Your CPA can advise on how this applies to your situation.
You get a post-incorporation checklist covering everything your business needs to do next — even the things I'm not handling. You also get access to your secure client portal where you can view your corporate record book and all documents anytime. Your first year of the Corporate Wellness Program is included: state compliance filings, annual meeting minutes, twice-yearly wellness checks, year-end business review, registered agent service, and unlimited questions. After year one, it renews at $499/year. You just pay state filing fees as they come up.

Understanding Your Options

Each entity type offers liability protection, but they differ in structure, formalities, and management. Here’s what to know from a legal perspective — your CPA can advise on tax implications.

LLC

Ownership: Can be formed with a single member or multiple members.

Management: Can be managed by members or designated managers.

Governance: A written operating agreement is strongly recommended. Any limitations on manager authority are not effective against third parties unless documented.

Formalities: No required annual meetings, but maintaining liability protection requires treating the LLC as separate from yourself — documenting decisions and keeping finances separate.

Note: Attorneys, accountants, architects, engineers, and land surveyors cannot form LLCs under California law.

Corporation

Ownership: Shareholders hold stock. Different classes with varying rights permitted.

Management: Shareholders elect directors, who appoint officers for day-to-day operations.

Governance: Must adopt written bylaws. Shareholders may also enter into “buy-sell” agreements restricting transfers.

Formalities: Annual meetings of shareholders and directors, documented resolutions, and regular filings. Governed by well-established California corporate law.

Transferability: Stock may generally be transferred more easily than LLC interests.

Professional Corporation

What it is: For licensed professionals who cannot form LLCs — attorneys, accountants, architects, physicians.

Management: Same structure as regular corporations. All shareholders and directors must hold the required license.

Liability: Protection from corporate debts, but not from your own professional negligence or misconduct.

Governance: Bylaws and agreements drafted to comply with California professional corporation requirements.

Not sure which is right for you? That’s what the consultation is for.

Let's Do This

Ready To Get
Started?

$995

Includes first year of the Corporate Wellness Program. Renews at $499/year.

State filing fees ($70 LLC / $100 Corp) paid separately to Secretary of State

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