CPA Firm Name Rules in California (Necessary Requirements)

If you are a CPA who wants to set up your accountancy firm, you need to follow established rules with respect to naming and incorporation or organization. The CPA firm name rules in California are pretty clear-cut and definitive. However, there is still room for misinterpretation.

That is why you need to contact a top business lawyer when establishing a name for your accountancy firm and establishing it as a business. By having a legal advocate on your side, you can conduct business without worry about liability or non-compliance.

Table of Content


No. Content
1. CPA Firm Names Rules in California – What You Need to Remember

  1. Use a Name that Is Simple or Unique to Remember and Spell
  2. Use an Online Name Generator
  3. Check with an Attorney First about CPA Firm Name Rules in California before Filing Your CPA Firm’s Name
  4. Check Domain Names
  5. File Your New Name with the Secretary of State’s Office
2. Some More Tips on CPA Firm Name Rules in California
3. Adding the Word Professional Corporation or P.C.
4. Listing Your CPA Firm as an LLP
5. Mistakes You Want to Avoid When Following CPA Firm Name Rules
6. How to Stay Out of Trouble – Get Legal Advice about CPA Firm Names Rules in California
7. What Happens Next?

Contact my firm today. Book a call to speak to us here: https://mollaeilaw.com/start. Also, read the following information. It will give you a better idea of what to expect.

 

CPA Firm Names Rules in California – What You Need to Remember

When you follow the guidelines for CPR firm name rules in California, you need to do the following:

 

1.Use a Name that Is Simple or Unique to Remember and Spell

If you want to attract ongoing business, you need to think up a unique name that is simple to remember and spell. The last thing you want is for a potential lead to forget your name. Even a unique name can spark a person’s memory. 

 

2. Use an Online Name Generator

If you have trouble brainstorming, use one of the name generators online to give you some inspiration. However, you still have to remember to comply with the law. That means you don’t want to mislead the public with the name you select. 

 

3. Check with an Attorney First about CPA Firm Name Rules in California before Filing Your CPA Firm’s Name

If you work with an attorney, as myself, you can run your name selection by me to ensure you are not breaking any CPA firm name rules in California. You can contact me directly anytime at sam@mollaeilaw.com.

I can also help you with establishing a fictitious business name or D/B/A name for your CPA firm.

 

4. Check Domain Names

Once you have the name selected, make sure you can find a domain name of the same name. Not only do you want to be found easily off-line, you want to make it is simple for you to be located online. 

 

5. File Your New Name with the Secretary of State’s Office

Once you select a unique name, you are ready to file the name with the Secretary of State’s Office, or SOS. Again, you need to work with a legal representative to ensure that everything goes as planned.

I can file your new name and help you incorporate your professional corporation at the same time. You will need your new name to file your Articles of Incorporation. Why not make things easier by collaborating you efforts with a top business attorney?

You can also use my guidance and support, as you begin to build up your business and expand its services. My legal team and I are ready to help. Book a call to speak to us here: https://mollaeilaw.com/start

 

Some More Tips on CPA Firm Name Rules in California

To follow CPA firm name rules in California, you also have to think about what keywords might be included in your new name. These words might include “tax,” “income,” or “virtual.” For example, you might come up with the following names:

  • Jay Jones Tax and Income Services, Inc.
  • U.S. Virtual Tax and Income, P.C.

 

Adding the Word Professional Corporation or P.C.

Make sure, as a professional corporation, that you include some form of “corporation” in your new name. Corporation may take the form of the word itself, or may take an abbreviated version, such as “P.C.” Again, you need to consult with an attorney to make sure you are complying with the law in this respect.

 

Listing Your CPA Firm as an LLP

Contact me at sam@mollaeilaw.com for further details about naming and incorporation. You may also want to know more about listing your business as an LLP. Many CPA firms are listed as limited liability partnerships that work as a partnership. I can discuss the advantages and disadvantages for you professionally and personally.

 

Mistakes You Want to Avoid When Following CPA Firm Name Rules 

The main thing to keep in mind when following CPA firm name rules in California is not to mislead or deceive the public with the name you choose. For example, you don’t want to add “Bureau” or “Agency” in your name, as this implies that you are affiliated with a government agency. 

In addition, you want to make sure you do not make the name sound exclusionary, or that you are the only accountant who offers certain services. Any deceptive references can get you in trouble fast – not a good start for beginning a practice.

Email sam@mollaeilaw.com or to book a call to speak to us here: https://mollaeilaw.com/start

 

The best way to comply with CPA firm name rules in California is to be clear about the structure of your firm and the services you offer. That way, no one can make inferences about the services you offer or your business’s structure or affiliations. 

Also, remember, a professional corporation is different than a traditional “C” corporation, as you are setting up the firm under the state’s licensing requirements. Keep this in mind while naming your new enterprise. 

While you can name your CPA firm and file a name with the SOS, you are much better off to obtain legal advice. I can give you the edge you need to name your business and incorporate it according to California guidelines. 

You will need to a name to draft and submit your Articles of Incorporation to the SOS. You will also need to obtain a service of a registered agent to take care of receiving correspondence from the SOS.

This same individual or entity will need to be used in the future to take care of legal correspondence for your accountancy firm.

Don’t get mired in the details of forming a P.C. Instead, talk to a legal specialist. My firm and staff can recommend the best ways for your CPA firm to succeed.

Remember, you can reserve a name for your firm, but that does not mean that the name has not been taken. 

That is why you need to make sure you always have legal support. Give me a call now at sam@mollaeilaw.com to discuss your firm’s goals and start-up plans.

 

What To Do Next

The above information gives you a quick run-down of what you need to know about CPA firm name rules in California and professional incorporation. However, you still will need legal guidance now and in the future. No start-up can expect to survive without competent legal help. 

Book a call to speak to us here: https://mollaeilaw.com/start

When you collaborate with a lawyer, you can stay one step ahead of the competition and more easily proceed with any start-up plans.

Email sam@mollaeilaw.com or to book a call to speak to us here: https://mollaeilaw.com/start

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