Bookkeeping across California
California bookkeeping, tax, and planning, in one place.
Cleared serves consultants, agencies, and private-practice owners across California. California has the highest combined state-and-federal tax rates on consulting income in the country, AB 5 contractor rules, and a 1.5% S-corp franchise tax with an $800 minimum. Entity, retirement, and PTET decisions are unusually consequential here.
Who we serve in California
Service-based businesses earning $80K+ in net profit.
Independent consultants, marketing agencies, fractional executives, IT consultants, therapists, psychologists, and group-practice owners. The common thread is service-based revenue where entity choice, quarterly estimates, and retirement plan design materially change what you keep at the end of the year.
What's included
Books, tax, and planning,
from one desk.
Monthly bookkeeping
Bank and credit-card reconciliation, transaction categorization, monthly P&L and balance sheet, and year-end tax-ready financials. $449/month, flat.
Tax preparation
Federal and state returns prepared by an Enrolled Agent (the IRS's federally-licensed tax practitioner) with full representation rights if anything is ever questioned.
Tax planning
S-corp election timing, reasonable salary, Solo 401(k) and SEP-IRA design, quarterly estimate recalculation, and PTET coordination where it applies.
Cities we serve in California
California cities served by Cleared.
We work remotely with clients in every Californiacity below, plus surrounding communities. If your city isn't listed, we still serve you. These are simply the markets where we already have an active client base.
- Bookkeeping in Los Angeles →
- Bookkeeping in San Francisco →
- Bookkeeping in San Diego →
- Bookkeeping in San Jose →
- Bookkeeping in Sacramento →
- Bookkeeping in Oakland →
- Bookkeeping in Berkeley →
- Bookkeeping in Santa Monica →
- Bookkeeping in Pasadena →
- Bookkeeping in Beverly Hills →
- Bookkeeping in Palo Alto →
- Bookkeeping in Irvine →
- Bookkeeping in Long Beach →
- Bookkeeping in Newport Beach →
- Bookkeeping in Santa Barbara →
Common questions from California business owners
Do you serve clients in California?
Yes. Cleared works with consultants, agencies, and private-practice owners in California and across the U.S. Everything is handled remotely (secure document portal, video calls, e-signature) so we work with the same depth in California as we would in person.
Do I need a local California accountant, or is a remote service fine?
Federal tax law is federal, and modern bookkeeping is cloud-based, so a remote service is generally as effective as a local one, often more so, because you're not limited to the few firms within driving distance. For California-specific items (state filings, sales/use or franchise/excise taxes, PTET elections), we handle them remotely just like we handle the federal return.
What does Cleared cost for a small business in California?
Monthly bookkeeping is $449/month, which includes monthly reconciliation, P&L and balance sheet, year-end tax-ready financials, and advisor access. Tax preparation and tax planning are quoted based on entity type and complexity. We don't charge an hourly rate or surprise you with a year-end invoice.
What kinds of businesses in California do you work with?
Independent consultants, marketing agencies, fractional executives, IT/software consultants, therapists, psychologists, group practice owners, and other licensed professionals. The common thread is service-based revenue and net profit roughly $80K and up, the point at which entity, retirement, and quarterly-tax planning meaningfully change after-tax outcomes.
Is the founder a CPA?
Cleared is led by Raman Singh, an Enrolled Agent (EA) and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®). An Enrolled Agent is the IRS's federally-licensed tax practitioner, with the same federal authority to represent taxpayers as a CPA, with a tax-only specialty. The CFP® adds retirement plan design, S-corp election strategy, and integrated planning that most CPA firms don't offer in-house.
How do I get started?
Apply for a spot using the link below or book a short intro call. We'll review your situation, scope the work, and quote it before you commit to anything.
Run the numbers
The true cost of DIY bookkeeping.
Most owners price DIY bookkeeping at zero because they don't bill themselves. Once you value your time at your billable rate, the math usually flips. See what your hours are worth, then compare against Cleared's flat $449/month.
Hours/month on bookkeeping
8 hrsYour hourly rate (or billable equivalent)
$200/hrWhat an hour of your time is worth — your billable rate, or what you'd earn doing client work instead.
Result
Annual savings with Cleared
$13,812
Plus 96 hours per year reclaimed for client work or your life.
Ready for accounting built for California?
Apply for a spot and we'll reach out within one business day, or book a short intro call.