Tax Services
Tax Preparation & Planning in Santa Clarita, CA
We take care of the tricky stuff, so you don't have to lose sleep over it. From year-round tax planning to annual filing and IRS resolution support, our CRTP-certified preparers help individuals and small businesses in Santa Clarita, and across all fifty states, file accurately and keep more of what they earn.
5.0Trusted by Santa Clarita businesses since 2012
Quick Answer
What does RM Business Solutions' tax service actually include?
RM Business Solutions provides three connected tax services: proactive tax planning to reduce your liability and make the most of your credits before the year ends, annual individual and business tax return preparation by CRTP-certified preparers, and tax resolution support if you receive an IRS or California state tax notice. Our filing service is available to clients nationwide, even though our office is based in Santa Clarita, CA.
What Is Tax Preparation & Planning?
Tax preparation is the process of accurately calculating and filing your federal and California state tax returns, whether that's an individual return, a small business return, or both. Tax planning is the work that happens before filing: looking at your income, expenses, and business structure ahead of time so you legally owe less when the deadline arrives. At RM Business Solutions, both are handled by CRTP-certified preparers who treat tax as a year-round conversation, not a once-a-year appointment.
Who Needs Tax Preparation & Planning?
Self-employed freelancers and contractors
Without an employer withholding taxes for you, quarterly estimated payments and deductible expenses get complicated fast, and mistakes here get expensive.
Small business owners
Entity structure, payroll, and deductible expenses all affect what you owe, and a preparer who understands how your business runs can catch what a once-a-year filer misses.
Anyone who received an IRS or state notice
A notice comes with a response deadline. Having someone review it and respond correctly usually resolves things faster and with far less stress.
Landlords and rental property owners
Rental income, depreciation, and property expenses each have their own rules, and getting them wrong can mean paying more tax than you actually owe.
Common Problems We Solve
Most people find us in one of a few moments, and none of them feel great at the time. Maybe a filing deadline is coming up fast and you're not sure what happens if you miss it. Maybe you opened an envelope from the IRS or the state and your stomach dropped a little, because you don't know how serious it is. Or maybe you're a small business owner with a nagging feeling that you're paying more tax than you should, but nobody has ever walked you through what's actually deductible. Penalties and interest on late or unfiled returns do add up over time, but there are usually options: an extension, a payment plan, a penalty abatement request. The earlier you act, the more of those options are still on the table.
A tax notice is not the same thing as an audit, even though it can feel that way when you're holding it. Most notices are resolvable once someone actually reads what the IRS or the state is asking for. The biggest mistake we see, and it's an easy one to make when you're anxious about opening the mail, is letting a notice sit past its response deadline. That's what limits your options. We help clients read the notice correctly, respond on time, and, when representation makes sense, speak with the IRS or the California Franchise Tax Board directly so you don't have to.
For small business owners, the more common problem is that tax only gets a moment's thought once a year, at filing time, instead of being part of how the business runs. Real savings come from decisions made well before December 31: timing a large purchase, choosing the right entity structure, tracking deductible expenses as they happen, putting money into a retirement account while there's still time. That's why we treat tax planning as an ongoing part of working together, not a single appointment you have to remember to book.
What's Included
Tax planning throughout the year
A proactive strategy to reduce the income tax you owe and catch credits and deductions you might otherwise miss.
Individual tax return preparation
Accurate, complete personal returns filed by a CRTP-certified preparer who keeps up with changes in the tax code.
Small business tax filing
Business tax returns prepared with real attention to your entity structure and the deductions specific to your industry.
IRS and state tax resolution support
Someone to review your notice, help you respond within the deadline, and work with you toward a resolution.
Prior-year and back-tax filing
Help catching up on unfiled returns from previous years and sorting out any notices that came from them.
Remote filing, nationwide
Secure document exchange and phone or video consultations if you're outside of Santa Clarita.
How It Works
1
Free 30-minute consultation
Tell us what's going on, whether it's an upcoming filing, a notice you received, or a planning question, and we'll walk you through next steps.
2
Document gathering & assessment
We give you a clear, plain-language list of what's needed and review your prior returns, income sources, and deductions to build an accurate picture.
3
Filing or resolution
We prepare and file your return, or, if you're dealing with a notice, respond to the IRS or state within the required deadline on your behalf.
4
Ongoing planning & support
We stay in touch year-round so tax decisions get made while they can still help you, not after the year has already closed.
What to Expect
Timeline & Pricing
Timeline: Most individual returns move quickly once we have your documents in hand, typically within a couple of weeks, though complexity and how busy the season is can shift that. Business returns and tax resolution cases usually take longer, since they involve more documentation and, in the case of a notice, a response deadline set by the IRS or state rather than by us. Tax planning is ongoing by nature and works best as a conversation that continues throughout the year rather than a single meeting.
Pricing: What you pay depends on the type of return, how many income sources or schedules are involved, whether you're filing as an individual or a business, and whether you need ongoing tax planning or one-time resolution help with a notice. Every engagement starts with a free 30-minute consultation, where we look at your actual situation and give you a specific quote. We don't publish flat rates because two returns that look similar on the surface can take very different amounts of work underneath.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I miss the tax filing deadline?
Take a breath first. Missing the deadline can trigger penalties and interest that grow the longer a return goes unfiled, especially if you owe tax, but it's rarely the end of the world. You still have options. Filing an extension before the deadline buys you more time to file, though not more time to pay. If the deadline has already passed, filing as soon as possible and requesting penalty abatement can often reduce what you owe. What matters most is not letting it sit. Every week a return goes unfiled tends to cost you more.
How can a small business reduce its tax liability legally?
Real savings come from planning throughout the year, not scrambling in April. That means tracking deductible expenses as they happen, choosing the right business structure, timing major purchases or income with some intention, and staying on top of credits your business may actually qualify for. A preparer who understands how your business runs can spot opportunities a once-a-year filer would miss. That's the whole reason we treat tax planning as an ongoing conversation instead of something we revisit once a year.
What do I do if I get an IRS or California state tax notice?
First, don't ignore it, and try not to panic either. It's a lot more common, and a lot more fixable, than it feels in the moment. Every notice comes with a response deadline, and missing it narrows your options, so read it carefully and respond on time, even if your first response is simply asking for more time. Most notices are routine and resolvable once someone reviews them. Having a person who understands tax resolution look it over and, when appropriate, speak with the IRS or state on your behalf usually gets you to a resolution faster and with a lot less stress than facing it alone.
Do I need a CPA, or is a CRTP-certified preparer enough?
For most individual returns and small business filings, a CRTP (California Registered Tax Preparer) is fully qualified. CRTPs are registered with the California Tax Education Council, complete continuing education every year, and stay current on federal and state tax law changes. A CPA tends to be the better fit for complex audits, certain corporate filings, or attestation work. Every preparer on our team is CRTP-certified.
When should tax planning start? Is it too late once the year is over?
Ideally, tax planning is a year-round conversation. Many of the moves that actually help, timing income and expenses, retirement contributions, entity structure decisions, need to happen before December 31. That said, it's rarely completely too late. Even after year-end, a few deadlines and elections can still affect what you owe, so it's worth a conversation before you file rather than assuming the window has already closed on you.
Can you help if I haven't filed taxes in a few years?
Yes, and you're not alone in this. Unfiled prior-year returns are more common than people think, and the sooner they get addressed, the more options you generally have for resolving penalties and putting together a manageable path forward. We can help you gather what's needed, get those back-year returns filed, and work through any notices that have come from the IRS or state as a result.
Do you only work with clients in Santa Clarita?
Our office is in Santa Clarita, CA, but our tax filing service is available to clients across all fifty states. A good number of our tax clients work with us remotely, sending documents securely and meeting by phone or video.
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