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Eric Hunt CPA

16133 Ventura Blvd, Suite 700, Encino, CA 91436
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Serving Individuals and Businesses Since 1999

Tax Preparation Services in Los Angeles

If your income does not fit neatly on one W-2, tax season gets complicated fast. Our tax preparation services in Los Angeles are built for people with real financial complexity: freelancers juggling 1099s, actors moving between studio gigs and side income, business owners, and families who want their return done right.

Eric M Hunt, CPA, holds a Master of Science in Taxation and has spent more than 20 years handling federal, state, and multi-state returns for Southern California clients. Every return is reviewed by a licensed CPA, not a seasonal preparer.

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Satisfied Clients

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Our Services

What Our Tax Preparation Services in Los Angeles Include

Here is what a typical engagement covers.

Federal and California Returns

Form 1040 and CA 540, prepared and e-filed for individuals and families.

1099 and Self-Employed

Clean Schedule C returns for contractors, sole proprietors, and single-member LLCs.

Business and S-Corp Returns

Including the loan-out corporations common in the entertainment world.

Multi-State Returns

Nonresident filings for work done outside California, with credit for taxes paid elsewhere.

Quarterly Estimates

A number for each due date, so April does not catch you off guard.

Back-Tax Cleanup

Reconstructing and filing prior years if you have fallen behind.

IRS and FTB Notices

We respond to letters and represent you before the tax agencies.

Year-End Review

Setting up deductions and estimates before the year closes.
The Detail Others Miss

The Deduction Most Los Angeles Filers Miss

Here is something most chain preparers and tax apps will not flag for you. Since 2018, W-2 employees can no longer deduct unreimbursed job expenses on their federal return, and the 2025 federal tax law made that change permanent. If you are an employee who pays for your own tools, training, or professional dues, that federal deduction is gone.

California did not follow the federal rule. The Franchise Tax Board still allows unreimbursed employee business expenses as an itemized deduction on Schedule CA (540). For someone with real out-of-pocket career costs, that gap between federal and state law can mean a California refund a generic preparer leaves on the table.

Think of a performer paying agent commissions and union dues, a musician buying gear, or a teacher covering classroom supplies. Federally, those costs are lost. On the California return, many of them still count. It is an itemized deduction with its own rules, so whether it helps depends on your full picture. That is exactly the kind of thing we check.

A Real Example

A Real Example of How This Plays Out

Say you are a working actor in Los Angeles with a mix of studio and freelance income. Numbers below are illustrative.

W-2 wages (episodic TV)

$ 0

1099 voiceover income

$ 0

Career costs for the year

$ 0

State deduction others miss

$ 0 +

That $9,000 covered a 10% agent commission, headshots, coaching, and SAG-AFTRA dues. The 1099 side is straightforward: the voiceover costs tied to that self-employment go on Schedule C, which lowers both your federal and your California tax.

The W-2 side is where most preparers stop. The share of your expenses tied to employee work, roughly the union dues and part of the commissions, gets no federal deduction at all. On your California return, those same costs can be claimed as itemized employee expenses. Depending on your bracket, that can put a few hundred dollars back in your pocket at the state level, money you would lose if someone just typed your W-2 into software and called it done.

The point is simple: mixed W-2 and 1099 income needs a preparer who knows where each dollar belongs. You can read more in our guide for accountants for actors.

Who We Help

Who We Help

Eric works with individuals, families, and businesses across Los Angeles, with deep experience in a few areas.

Freelancers and 1099 Contractors

Clean Schedule C returns and quarterly estimates for people paid with no tax withheld.

Small Business Owners and S-Corps

For owners who want their books and their taxes to line up.

Entertainment Professionals

Actors, musicians, writers, producers, and directors with irregular income.

Content Creators

A CPA for content creators earning across YouTube, streaming, podcasts, and brand deals.

Parents of Young Performers

Coogan accounts and child performer taxes handled the right way.

Individuals and Families

People who simply want an accurate return and a real person to call.
How It Works

How Our Tax Preparation Process Works

Working with us is simple.

Step 01

Free Consultation

We talk through your income, your situation, and what went right or wrong last year.

Step 02

Document Checklist

We send a clear list so you gather everything once, not in five rounds.

Step 03

Preparation and Review

Eric prepares your return, then reviews every line himself.

Step 04

Walkthrough

We explain what you owe or are getting back, and why, in plain language.

Step 05

E-File and Plan Ahead

We file electronically and set up estimates and deductions for next year.

Dates That Matter

Tax Deadlines Los Angeles Filers Should Know

A few dates worth putting on your calendar.

A few dates worth putting on your calendar
Deadline What is due
April 15 Federal and California individual returns, plus the first quarter estimated payment
June 15 Second quarter estimated payment
September 15 Third quarter estimated payment
January 15 Fourth quarter estimated payment for the prior year
October 15 Extended individual return deadline if you filed an extension

If a deadline lands on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day. California sometimes grants disaster-related extensions, so confirm the current year with us or check the IRS page on estimated taxes.

Why a CPA

Why Choose a CPA Instead of a Chain or App

Software and seasonal chains work fine for simple returns. Once your income gets layered, they start to cost you. Choosing a tax preparation service in Los Angeles is really about trust and fit, and here is the difference a CPA makes.

Credential and Accountability

A CPA is licensed and regulated. Eric holds a CPA license and a Master of Science in Taxation, and he signs the returns he prepares.

Year-Round Access

You can call in July about a big contract, not just in April.

Representation

If the IRS or Franchise Tax Board has questions, a CPA can represent you before them.

Planning, Not Just Filing

The real savings usually come from decisions made during the year, from entity choice to retirement planning.
Who prepares it What it means Can represent you at the IRS
CPA State licensed, with exam, education, and ongoing training requirements Yes, without limitation
Enrolled agent Federally licensed by the IRS, tax focused Yes, without limitation
Unlicensed preparer Registered to file returns, with no licensing exam Limited or none

If you want proactive guidance beyond one return, Eric also works as a financial advisor for clients who want a longer view.

Eric M Hunt, CPA, tax preparation in Los Angeles
Who You Work With

Why Work With a Licensed CPA

Plenty of people can type numbers into tax software. A CPA is held to a different standard. Eric M Hunt is a licensed Certified Public Accountant with a Master of Science in Taxation, which means state licensing, continuing education, deep tax training, and the authority to represent you before the IRS and the Franchise Tax Board.

Over more than 20 years in Southern California, he has worked in management roles at CPA and business management firms, and he prepares and reviews every return himself. If your income moves around from year to year, that mix of planning skill and credential is what you want in your corner.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Every engagement starts with a free consultation. Your fee depends on how complex your return is, so a simple individual filing costs less than a multi-state return with business income and a loan-out corporation.
Yes. If you shot on location, toured, or took contracts outside California, you may owe tax in those states. We prepare nonresident returns and make sure California gives you credit for taxes paid elsewhere, so you are not taxed twice on the same income.
It depends on whether the income is W-2 or 1099. Self-employed (1099) costs like equipment, a home studio, and business travel go on Schedule C for both federal and state. Employee (W-2) costs like union dues and agent commissions are no longer deductible federally, but California still allows many of them as itemized deductions. We sort out which bucket each expense belongs in.
Not always. A loan-out corporation can help higher earners deduct business expenses and manage taxes, but it comes with payroll, a separate tax return, and the $800 minimum California franchise tax. It usually makes sense above a certain income level. We can run the numbers before you set one up.
Bring your W-2s, any 1099s, records of business income and expenses, your prior-year return, and details on major changes like a home purchase or a new dependent. After your consultation we send a checklist tailored to your situation, so nothing gets missed.
Yes. Back taxes are common, especially for people with irregular income. We reconstruct the missing years, file what is owed, and deal with any IRS or Franchise Tax Board notices. The sooner you start, the more options you have.
If your return is a single W-2 and nothing else, software is fine. Once you have 1099 income, multiple states, a business, or W-2 job expenses, software tends to miss the California deductions and planning moves that save real money. That is where a CPA pays for itself.

Talk to a Los Angeles CPA Before Your Next Filing

You do not have to guess your way through tax season. If you want tax preparation services in Los Angeles from a CPA who understands income like yours, book a free 15 minute call with Eric M Hunt, CPA.

Book Your Free Call Call 213-753-1219