What it is
The filings a business owes locally rather than to the IRS or the state: the city's business tax or business license, renewed every year, and the county's property tax reporting for the equipment, furniture and fixtures the business owns.
Who needs it
- A business operating in a city that charges a business tax or requires a business license
- A business whose equipment, furniture and fixtures total $100,000 or more at their original price
- A business that has received a Business Property Statement from the county assessor
What we do
- Register the business for city business tax and file the yearly renewal
- Prepare the Business Property Statement (Form 571-L) for the county assessor: it is filed by April 1, with a 10% penalty if filed after May 7
- Check the property tax bills that follow against what was reported
What to bring
- Any notice or form from the city or the county assessor
- Last year's city renewal and Business Property Statement, if filed
- A list of the business's equipment, furniture and fixtures, with cost and date bought
What happens next
Each city sets its own rules and deadlines, so the first step is to confirm which ones apply where the business operates.
