Connect with credible accounting companies in Los Angeles, specializing in medical accounting, fund management, and state and local tax laws, from Beverly Hills to Long Beach. Filter your search by budget, specialty, and team size to find your partner.
Find the Best Accounting Firms in Los Angeles
2 Companies-Rankings updated: September 10, 2026
DesignRush reviews each listed accounting firm in Los Angeles for its accreditations, expertise, and verified client reviews. Some listings may be paid.
Accounting Excellence for the Entertainment Sector
Media Services is an entertainment payroll, production accounting and software enterprise with over 45 years’ experience in the United States and abroad. With a dedicated focus on providing resources and information for clients and future clients alike, Media Services was the first entertainment payroll...
Top Services:
Accounting
Location
Los Angeles, California
Number of Employees
250 - 499
Minimal Budget
Under $1,000
Media Services Services
Accounting
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
Media & Communications Industry
Fiannce Industry
Entertainment Industry
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile
Media Services Reviews & Testimonials
Johnny Macallan Review from Google
5.0★
Johnny Macallan's Review Sourced from Google
We've been working with Media Services and Framework Financials for almost all of our production payroll for the past three years. We found them through Framework and couldn't be happier. We tend to get last minute jobs and our MS contacts always go out of their way get us set up and WC covered asap for our shoots. They're quick, attentive, honest, helpful, and come highly recommended by our accounting firm, which itself is high praise.
Jared Rider Review from Google
1.0★
Jared Rider's Review Sourced from Google
Incompetent and negligent. Their employees will get back to you at their own discretion and will find any way to try to put any wrongdoing or mistakes back on the client or yourself. They have cut corners with my own payroll that I've had to correct after multiple discussions and confirmations on the very subject. That after having to fight for nearly 2 months to even get the correct timecards posted and onboarding paperwork approved. An absolute joke of a company. Use anyone else, for your own, and for your employees sake.
Reviews verified by DesignRush and sourced from the agency's profile View All Reviews
Fineman West & Company provides a full spectrum of accounting, tax, and business advisory services backed by unrivaled expertise, an unsurpassed passion for understanding our clients’ stories, and a commitment to helping our clients achieve and maintain financial success...
Top Services:
Accounting
Business Consulting
Location
Los Angeles, California
Number of Employees
Under 49
Fineman West & Company Services
Accounting
Business Consulting
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
Frequently Asked Questions About Accounting Firms in Los Angeles
What are the typical services of an accounting firm in Los Angeles?
An accounting firm in Los Angeles typically provides bookkeeping, payroll management, financial reporting, audits, reviews, and compilations, internal control analysis, and IRS representation. They also offer state and local tax preparation and filing for businesses, individuals, and estates.
Many also offer business consulting and advisory services, including new business formation, business valuation, CFO advisory, and forensic accounting.
What industries do they specialize in?
Accountants in Los Angeles support a dynamic range of industries due to the city’s position as one of the largest economies in the world, reporting a GDP of $1.295 trillion in 2023. However, these are the most common sectors that they’re known to specialize in:
Media and entertainment: With the presence of Hollywood and major studios, Los Angeles accounting companies are adept in royalty/residual reporting, production workflows, and entertainment-specific tax planning and filing, such as California’s Film and TV Tax Credit Program.
Real estate: Known for neighborhoods like Beverly Hills and Malibu, many local accountants are experienced in development accounting, 1031 exchanges, and navigating California/local property tax considerations.
Technology and SaaS: Due to its proximity to Silicon Valley, many tech and SaaS companies operate in Los Angeles. As a result, LA accountants specialize in R&D tax credits, managing patents and intangible assets, and fractional CFO services for venture-backed startups.
Healthcare: The largest and fastest growing sector in the city, LA accountants are proficient in medical accounting, revenue cycle reporting, and managing multi-entity groups and complex payer mix.
Nonprofit: The 4th largest private employer in California. As such, local firms have strong skills in fund accounting, managing donations and grants, and ensuring record traceability and compliance.
Many accounting companies in Los Angeles also specialize in startup and small business accounting, helping these organizations maintain profitability, comply with regulations, and determine eligibility for programs, like BTRC and Small Business Exemption.
What is the difference between a CPA and a bookkeeper?
In broad strokes, a bookkeeper has a more limited scope, often only recording and managing a business’s daily transactions. In contrast, a certified public accountant (CPA) provides more comprehensive services, spanning financial reporting, auditing, and advisory services, together with daily recordkeeping.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of each:
Certified public accountant
Bookkeeper
Focus
Financial recording, reporting, and analysis
Tax planning
Audits and assurances
Transcribing, organizing, and managing payroll and daily transactions, such as receipts and invoices
Training and licensing
Holds a degree in accounting
Has a CPA license from the California Board of Accountancy
No degree or license required
May have certifications, like Certified Bookkeeper from the NACPB (optional)
Best for
Long-term financial strategies and in-depth advisory services
Organizations in highly regulated environments
Routine data entry tasks
Can an accountant in Los Angeles represent you in an audit by the City of Los Angeles Office of Finance?
Yes, an accountant in Los Angeles can represent you in audits if they have a California CPA license and the proper power of attorney.
A qualified LA accountant can guide you through the highly technical audit process, compile the necessary documents and evidence, and assist with negotiations and next steps. In doing so, they can help you manage risks and liabilities.
What activities could trigger the California or Los Angeles nexus?
Activities that trigger nexus in California and Los Angeles depend on your tax or filing obligation and connection to the state or city, such as where you operate, what you sell, who works for you, and how much revenue you generate. These include:
California sales and use tax: Triggered by physical presence (employees, offices, and other properties, like warehouses and inventory) or economic nexus through a specific sales threshold in California.
California income/franchise tax: Conducting business in the state through sales, payroll, or property levels, without needing to have a physical presence
City of Los Angeles: Having business within the city limits, often tied to requirements, such as the Business Registration Certificate (BTRC)
While the city and state nexus can be complex, an experienced accountant in Los Angeles can help you adhere to the requirements, reducing the chance for potential penalties, fines, and back taxes.