How can Moontree Tax Service help my San Jose business minimize its tax liability?

We perform proactive tax strategy identifying missed deductions, optimizing owner compensation ratios, and deploying legal entity structures to lower federal and California state liabilities.

I receive RSUs, ISOs, or NSOs in Silicon Valley. How do you help manage the tax implications?

We reconcile brokerage Form 1099-B data to correct adjusted cost basis figures and model exercise scenarios to mitigate Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) exposure.

Do you handle California Pass-Through Entity (PTE / AB 150) Tax elections?

Yes. We manage elective PTE tax payments for qualifying S-Corps and Partnerships to bypass the federal $10,000 SALT cap.

North Marin Life Science & Commercial CPA Hub

Novato CPA & Business Real Estate Tax Accountant

Proactive tax preparation, corporate restructuring, Section 174 R&D capitalization strategy, and wealth preservation for Novato small business owners, biotech leaders, commercial contractors, healthcare practices, and North Bay real estate investors. Stop overpaying on self-employment taxes and capital gains.

Schedule Your Novato Tax Strategy Session →

Bespoke CPA Advisory for Novato’s Commercial & Life Science Ecosystem

Positioned as the northern anchor of Marin County, Novato provides a dynamic commercial hub hosting biomedical research giants like the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, bio-tech firms, specialty trade contractors, and expanding light industrial business parks along the Highway 101 corridor. Managing commercial revenues alongside R&D tax credits, high-bracket executive equity, and North Bay real estate requires specialized tax execution.

From restructuring sole proprietorships and LLCs via our LLC to S-Corp tax conversion hub and deploying the California AB 150 PTE tax election to overriding brokerage $0 basis reporting errors on Form 1099-B, we help Novato taxpayers preserve their wealth. We serve local business owners, contractors, biotech researchers, and tech executives across Novato, San Rafael, Petaluma, and Santa Rosa using targeted RSU cost basis adjustments, ISO AMT tax modeling, and ESPP disposition strategies.

The Novato Commercial Contractor & Biotech S-Corp Play

The Income Event: A Novato commercial specialty contractor, medical practice owner, or biotech consultant nets $340,000 in business profit as an LLC.
The Tax Drag: Faces 15.3% self-employment tax on 100% of profits alongside top California personal income tax rates and federal $10,000 SALT deduction caps.
Moontree CPA Solution: We execute an S-Corp election, establish an audit-proof reasonable officer salary split, make the CA AB 150 PTE election, and perform a cost segregation study on commercial industrial space.
The Result: Saves ~$11,800 in self-employment taxes and captures ~$10,200 via the SALT workaround—saving over $22,000 every year while accelerating paper asset depreciation write-offs.

Full-Service CPA Tax Solutions for Novato

Small business tax advisory, corporate S-Corp compliance, and commercial real estate wealth strategies.

Small Business & S-Corp Advisory

For Novato trade contractors, medical practices, and commercial business owners, we handle corporate tax filings (1120-S, 1065), optimize officer compensation, and deploy California AB 150 PTE elections.

Individual Tax Prep & Tech Equity

We manage complex high-income 1040 returns for Bay Area commuters and remote workers living in Novato, overriding brokerage 1099-B $0 basis errors during individual tax preparation.

Real Estate Rental & REPS Strategy

Investing in Marin or Sonoma real estate? We pair commercial, multi-family, and residential rental properties with Real Estate Professional Status (REPS) and engineering cost segregation studies.

Property Transfers & 1031 Exchanges

Protecting family commercial or residential property? We coordinate California Prop 19 reassessment exemptions and structure tax-deferred 1031 property exchanges.

Serving Novato, North Bay & Regional Corridors

We deliver specialized CPA tax planning across major Northern California business and technology hubs. Explore our service locations:

Silicon Valley Core

East Bay Corridor

Peninsula & SF

North Bay & Inland

Frequently Asked Questions for Novato Taxpayers

How does the City of Novato requirement apply to local commercial businesses and contractors?

All businesses, independent contractors, S-Corporations, and home-based consultancies operating within Novato city limits must maintain an active City Business License. Annual fees are determined based on business classification and gross receipts generated locally or employee headcount.

How much is the Real Property Transfer Tax when transferring real estate in Novato?

Real property transfers in Novato are subject to the standard Marin County Documentary Transfer Tax rate of $1.10 per $1,000 (0.11%) of property value transferred. Unlike San Rafael, the City of Novato does not levy a separate municipal transfer tax on top of the county rate. By local custom, this tax is typically paid by the seller at closing.

How can Novato business owners and biotech founders bypass the federal SALT cap?

By electing into California’s Pass-Through Entity (PTE) tax workaround under AB 150, eligible Novato S-Corporation and partnership owners pay an elective 9.3% state tax directly at the business entity level. This transforms state tax payments into an above-the-line federal business deduction, completely bypassing the personal $10,000 SALT deduction limit.

Optimize Your Novato Tax Strategy Today

Schedule a 1-on-1 strategy session with Brandy Phuong, CPA to review your business entity, biotech venture, or real estate portfolio and protect your wealth.

Schedule Your Novato CPA Strategy Session →