Business Owner Guides

Short answer: These are my plain-English guides to California business law for owner-operators and family businesses. They’re grouped by the question you’re facing: which entity to pick, how to keep it in good standing, how to close it, how to hire and sign contracts, what to do when owners change, how to sell, and how the business fits into your estate plan.

  • Every guide is written to California law, with links to the statute or agency page behind each rule.
  • Each section below starts with a pillar guide that gives the overview and links to the rest of that topic.
  • Entity formation is a flat fee. Other business work is $500 per hour. See fees.

Most of the business owners I work with don’t need a lawsuit. They need the paperwork set up right before a problem shows up: the right entity, an operating agreement that matches how the owners actually work, a buy-sell agreement with a way to pay for it, and a business interest that sits inside the living trust instead of heading to probate. These guides cover that ground, one question at a time.

Choosing an entity

Start here: LLC vs. S Corp in California. How the $800 minimum tax, the LLC fee, the 1.5% S corporation tax, and payroll change the math.

Staying in good standing

Start here: California LLC Annual Requirements. The yearly filings, taxes, and deadlines on one calendar.

Closing a business

Start here: How to Dissolve an LLC in California. The vote, winding up, the final return, and the filings that stop the $800 tax.

Contractors, contracts, and leases

Start here: Employee or Independent Contractor in California. The ABC test, its exemptions, and what misclassification costs.

Partners and ownership changes

Start here: Buy-Sell Agreements for California Businesses. What triggers a buyout, how the price gets set, and how it gets paid.

Buying and selling a business

Start here: How to Sell a Small Business in California. The steps, the state clearances, and who does what.

The owner’s estate plan

Start here: Business Succession Planning in California. Who runs the business after you, and how the ownership moves.

Frequently asked questions

Do you handle business litigation?

No. I form entities, draft and review the agreements owners sign, and fold the business into the estate plan. If a dispute is already in court, or a partner breakup has turned adversarial, you need a litigator, and I can refer you to one.

What does business work cost?

Forming an entity is a flat fee: $2,500 for a single-owner LLC, $5,500 with co-owners, and $4,500 for a professional corporation. Contract review, buy-sell agreements outside a formation, and ongoing advisory are $500 per hour. The fees page has the details.

Do I have to come to an office?

No. My practice is fully remote. We meet by Zoom or phone, and entity formation needs no notary and no courthouse, so it’s handled start to finish without anyone driving anywhere.

Are these guides a substitute for advice on my business?

No. They explain how California law works in general. The right answer for your business depends on facts only you and your CPA have, so use the guides to get your questions ready.

Talk to Eric

Book a consultation at ridley.click/eric-60 or call 805-244-5291. I work with business owners in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles counties by Zoom or phone.

Please read: These guides are general information about California law as of September 2026. They aren’t legal, tax, or financial advice, and reading them doesn’t make you my client. An attorney-client relationship starts only with a signed engagement agreement.

Want a straight read on where you stand?

Talk to Eric. A free 30-minute call, no pitch. He’ll tell you where you’re exposed, what it would cost to fix, and what you can skip.

Talk to Eric