Milestone Certified Public Accountants logo — boutique CPA firm Pleasanton CA
Business Formation & Restructure

The right entity before the wrong tax bill.

Entity selection, multi-entity structuring, holding company design, and restructuring for tax efficiency and asset protection — set up right the first time, not patched later.

The Milestone Difference

Why owners switch to us.

Nationwide Practice

Multi-state work across all 50 states.

Flat-fee Engagement

Price scoped upfront. No hourly meter.

24-hour Response

Answers within one business day.

Year-Round Access

Available beyond tax season. Quarterly check-ins.

How We Work

Four steps. No mystery.

Every engagement follows the same disciplined path. You always know what is next, and you always know who is doing it.

01

Discovery Call

A complimentary 30 minutes. We scope what you actually need — and tell you straight if we are not the right fit.

02

Engagement Letter

Clear scope, deliverables, and a flat fee quoted upfront. No surprises. No hourly meter spinning in the background.

03

Onboarding & First Close

Discovery session covering your goals, partners, and exit horizon. Entity recommendation memo within 14 days. Filings + coordination with attorney within 30 days.

04

Quarterly Strategy

Quarterly check-ins through the first year of new entity life — operating agreement reviews, distribution policies, and tax-position fine-tuning as the business takes shape.

My attorney recommended an LLC. Milestone modeled four structures, walked through five-year tax outcomes for each, and we landed on a holding company with two operating subsidiaries. Saved $90K in year-one self-employment tax alone and gave us clean structure for the partner buy-in we did 18 months later.

— Co-Founder, Bay Area Professional Services Firm

Two-partner structure · Milestone formation client since 2024

Questions We Get a Lot

Before we talk.

When should I think about entity structure beyond a single LLC?+

When you have multiple lines of business, real estate alongside operations, partners with different stakes, IP that could be licensed separately, or any expected exit/sale. A single LLC works for solo service businesses; complexity beyond that usually justifies multi-entity.

What is the difference between formation and restructure?+

Formation = setting up entities from scratch. Restructure = changing what you already have (LLC to S-corp, partnership to corporation, or consolidating/separating existing entities). Restructure often triggers tax — timing matters.

Do you handle the legal filings, or do we need an attorney?+

We design the structure and prepare the tax elections (S-corp, partnership classification, etc.). Articles of incorporation, operating agreements, and buy-sell agreements go through a business attorney — we work alongside yours or recommend one.

How does this interact with my personal tax situation?+

Significantly. The right entity choice can save 5–35% on combined federal + state tax, depending on your bracket and the work being done. We model your business and personal returns together, not separately.

What if I want to convert from LLC to S-corp?+

Common and often beneficial above $80K of profit. We model the breakeven, file the S-election (Form 2553), restructure compensation, and set up reasonable salary policies. Typical project: $3,500–7,500 flat fee.

Can you handle multi-state entity structures?+

Yes — about 40% of formation engagements involve multi-state operations. We handle the nexus analysis, foreign qualification, and ongoing multi-state compliance.

An invitation

Don't see your or restructuring?

A complimentary 30-minute call. Tell us where you are and where you want to be — we will tell you straight whether your current structure works, and what restructuring would actually cost vs. save.

Call directly: 925-320-0309