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.
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Top Services:
- Accounting
- HR Outsourcing
- Business Consulting
- Location
- Los Angeles, California
- Number of Employees
- 100 - 249
- Average Hourly Rate
- $100/hr
- Minimal Budget
- Under $1,000
Related Services in Los Angeles
Accounting Firms Near Los Angeles
Popular Services
Everything You Need to Know Before Hiring the Best Accountant in Los Angeles
How can a local accountant in Los Angeles help your business?
A local accountant in Los Angeles is proficient in the laws and regulations of Los Angeles and California governing businesses that operate in these localities. These include the Annual Franchise Tax, California’s Employment Development Department, and the Los Angeles Sales Tax.
As such, they can help your business proactively strategize your finances, specifically regarding taxes and compliance measures.
A seasoned accountant in Los Angeles can also reduce execution risk by improving the close process, strengthening internal controls, and implementing advanced accounting systems that support more accurate reporting and timely filings.
According to Gartner, 73% of accountants say that regulation changes result in workload pressure and higher errors, highlighting the need for proper controls and processes.
Additionally, accounting firms in Los Angeles provide more insight into your financial health, enabling you to have more control over your expenses, cash flow, and billables. More importantly, you can make better business decisions to optimize resources and improve your bottom line.
Another benefit of local accounts is that they can help identify and apply for financial programs and grants, increasing tax savings and supporting overall business growth. These include the Los Angeles Small Business Exemption, LACBT, and Creative Artists Exemption.
Recent studies show that outsourcing accounting delivers the following benefits:
- 65% of businesses say it increases internal productivity and efficiency
- 63% report higher financial accuracy
- 60% scale operations faster
- 51% gain access to more advanced tech
- 48% improve compliance measures
When should you outsource your accounting or do it in-house?
While in-house and outsourced teams have their own advantages, the right choice will depend on your internal capacity, complexity, growth stage, and risk tolerance.
Consider outsourcing when:
- Accounting work is pulling leadership away from core operations.
- You need specialized expertise (e.g., multi-entity consolidation, crypto accounting, and nexus).
- Your team is stretched due to growth or acquisitions and requires experienced support quickly.
- You want faster access to better processes and tech, such as controls and reporting cadence, without the overhead costs of hiring an internal team.
Consider keeping it in-house when:
- You have a capable internal team that can reliably manage your regular accounting needs.
- Transaction volume and cash flows are stable and predictable.
- You require tighter operational control and prefer direct oversight of financial workflows.
- Your business handles highly sensitive financial data, and you want more control over access and systems.
How much do they charge?
Accounting companies in Los Angeles charge $100-$400 per hour, depending on the level of expertise, service type, scale, complexity, frequency, and business entity.
Here’s an approximate cost of Los Angeles accounting services:
- New business setup: $500-$1,500
- Bookkeeping: $300-$600+ per month
- Payroll: $70-$200 per month per employee
- Tax preparation: $2,500-$5,000 per filing
- Audit: $2,000-$10,000
- Financial consulting: $150-$400+ per hour
Generally, small businesses allocate about $1,500-$6,000 annually on accounting, while enterprises may spend between $12,000 to over $100,000 per year.
What should you look for in an accounting firm in Los Angeles?
When hiring for an accounting firm in Los Angeles, look for the following signals of credibility and reliability:
- Good standing record: While not necessary, an LA accountant with a California CPA license can provide more comprehensive services, especially in terms of audits and assurances. For tax filings and IRS audits, look for accounting companies with a PTIN.
- Proven experience: Confirm the accountant's experience in your sector, entity, and requirements by asking for client references and case studies, particularly for Los Angeles businesses.
- Service breadth and depth: Search for firms that can accommodate your future business growth by selecting those that provide strategic advisory services, multi-state capabilities, and proactive tax planning, as well as scalable teams.
- Verifiable references and reviews: In addition to positive reviews and client testimonies, seek firms that provide you with client references you can contact. This way, you gain insight into their work ethic rather than just a polished statement on their site.
- Compatibility: Choose firms that are transparent, responsive, collaborative, efficient, and professional, and align with your team dynamics and work culture.
What questions should you ask?
Ask these questions when looking for an accountant in Los Angeles to verify their expertise and experience:
Relevant Background
- What licenses and accreditations do you and your team have?
- Can you provide examples of Los Angeles businesses in my sector and with a similar structure?
- Do you also provide multi-state accounting? How do you handle nexus in different cities?
Services and Processes
- Can you walk me through your end-to-end accounting process?
- What is your approach to data security and privacy? How do you prevent fraud?
- How do you handle tax filing issues and errors in financial records?
Related to Your Business
- Who will be on my team, and what is the reporting cadence?
- How can you help me manage cash flow and improve my bottom line?
- How will you prepare my business for tax season and potential financial audits? Can you help me identify potential tax programs, credits, and deductions?
Sources
DesignRush sustains a directory of over 30,000 agencies categorized by service category, location, expertise, and reviews. We build our database in two ways:
- Our dedicated team of agency experts actively searches the web for top-performing companies. We then pull information from their websites, online presence, and client testimonials to verify their status and qualifications prior to listing.
- The agencies listed get notified of their profiles on the website and they can choose to claim it or not, which suggests their availability for more collaborations.
Agencies can also reach out to DesignRush and must go through the verification process prior to being listed.
Why companies trust DesignRush
Every agency is independently vetted before it can be listed or ranked
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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 |
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| Training and licensing |
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| Best for |
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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.
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