Appraisers and inspectors run independent professional practices with project-based income, mobile work patterns, and licensing obligations that drive specific tax considerations.
Appraisal and inspection income tends to vary with the real estate cycle. Quarterly estimated payments and cash flow planning need to reflect that reality.
Field-based work means significant vehicle use, equipment purchases, and travel deductions — all of which need to be documented and structured correctly.
Many appraisal firms work with sub-contracted appraisers. Classification (employee vs. 1099), AB 5 compliance, and contract structuring matter.
Appraisers and inspectors who work across state lines need to track nexus, state licensing implications, and apportionment correctly.
We work with Bay Area appraisers, home inspectors, and commercial inspection firms on the financial side of running an independent professional practice.
S-corp, LLC, and sole-prop analysis with awareness of licensing-board requirements.
Actual-expense vs. standard-mileage analysis, Section 179 for equipment, and audit-defensible documentation.
Estimated payment modeling, cash flow forecasting, and tax planning that reflects the real-estate-cycle income pattern.
AB 5 classification analysis, 1099 issuance, and contractor agreement structuring.
Nexus analysis, state apportionment, and coordination with state licensing obligations.
Practice bookkeeping, project-cost tracking, and tax-ready year-end coordination.
Most CPAs treat appraisers and inspectors as generic small businesses. The independent professional pattern — project-based income, vehicle-heavy deductions, multi-state work, sub-contractor structures — has enough nuance to deserve a CPA who has seen it before.
A complimentary 30-minute consultation. We review your situation and tell you honestly whether Milestone is the right firm.
