California Small Business Financial Recovery
California small businesses lose $50K–$250K/yr to missed credits, AB-5 misclassification, and the $800 franchise trap. Find yours in 3 minutes.
How California taxes small business
1-13.3% individual income tax, 8.84% corporate, $800 minimum franchise tax for every entity.
Where California businesses lose money
California Competes Tax Credit missed
$20K–$5MQuarterly application window for income tax credit on hiring and investment. Most CA businesses don't apply.
AB-5 contractor misclassification
$8K–$80KStrict ABC test reclassifies 1099 contractors as W-2 employees. EDD audits trigger back wages + 25% penalty.
CA R&D credit not stacked on federal
$10K–$1M15% credit on QREs over base amount, refundable for some startups. Stacks on top of federal R&D credit.
State-specific incentives most California owners miss
- California Competes Tax Credit
- California R&D Tax Credit
- Employment Training Panel
- California IBank Loan
Plus all federal programs (R&D credit, Section 179, WOTC, QBI deduction, SBA loans).
California businesses face the highest combined tax burden in the US. Leaks compound: missed PTE election + missed CA Competes + AB-5 exposure typically totals 3-5% of revenue annually.
Find what you're losing in California →From first question to recovery — 4 steps
- 01
Quick conversation
Answer 5 questions about your California business — type, revenue, costs, and tools.
- 02
Instant analysis
We compare your structure to California state benchmarks and run 4,200+ leak detectors.
- 03
See your leaks
Get your Financial Health Score and a breakdown of every recoverable dollar.
- 04
Fix it
We hand off to a vetted US partner or run the recovery on contingency. You only pay if money actually comes back.
Find what your California business is losing
3 minutes. No credit card. No commitment. Just a clear picture of where the money is leaking.
Start my free California scan →