Equity Compensation
ISOs, NSOs, RSUs, RSAs, and ESPPs — 83(b) elections, vesting schedules, and ISO alternative minimum tax planning, handled before the deadlines, not after.
Virtual CPA firm · San Diego, CA & Chattanooga, TN
Keep more of what you earn — on purpose.
We're a virtual CPA firm for founders, small-business owners, and people paid in equity. Year-round tax strategy, preparation, bookkeeping, and CFO support — with our prices published right on this page.
Free · 15 minutes · by Zoom — the first step for every new client.
- CPA · 25+ years of experience
- Certified Main Street Pro Tax Advisor
- QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor
“Julie, I've been looking for you for a long time!”
Best of 2025 Certified Public Accountant · Rancho Bernardo — BusinessRate
“Working with Julie has made our first year as business owners so much easier!”
Equity compensation specialty
The 83(b) Window
When you receive restricted stock, the IRS gives you exactly 30 days from your grant date to file an 83(b) election — postmarked, with no extensions and no second chances. Miss it and the election is gone for good. Take the race yourself:
3 · When you're ready — or when the calendar says you have to be — mail it.
Day 0of 30
File by —
- 30 days, postmarked. The clock runs from your grant date — not from when someone mentions it.
- No extensions. The IRS does not grant more time for a late 83(b), whatever the reason.
- Mailed = filed. Send it certified, keep the receipt, and keep a copy with your records.
Running a real clock right now? Don't guess your way through it.
Who we help
Built for people whose taxes aren't simple
If your income comes with equity, entities, properties, or PCS orders, a once-a-year filing isn't enough. These are the clients we plan with all year:
S-Corp Owners
Election, payroll, and reasonable-salary strategy, plus year-round optimization so the S-corp keeps paying off long after setup.
Small Businesses
Advisory, preparation, and bookkeeping under one roof — one team that knows your numbers and plans around them.
Real Estate Investors
Rental and investment property taxation, from a single door to a growing portfolio, with planning before you buy or sell.
Military Families
Multi-state moves, residency questions, and the tax life that comes with service — from a founder who has lived the military-spouse moves herself.
High W-2 Earners
When a paycheck comes with bonuses, equity, and K-1s, filing is the floor. We plan the year so April holds no surprises.
Also in the practice: new business setup · estates & trusts · gift tax returns
State specialists CA · NM · FL · GA · TN · TX
We're a strong fit if…
- You want strategy before the year ends, not surprises after it
- Your pay includes equity, or your business is outgrowing its structure
- You'd rather see the price list before the first call
- You want one firm across prep, bookkeeping, and planning
We're not the right fit if…
- You need a non-profit return — we don't prepare them
- Your filings are in New York
- You run a farm or agricultural business
- You're an expat filer or a non-US-owned entity
If that's you, ask us anyway — we'll point you toward someone who specializes in it.
Published pricing
Our prices are on the page. No quote games.
Most firms make you sit through a sales call to learn what anything costs. We publish our schedule — the same numbers we'd give you on a call.
Tax Preparation
Individual returns from $1,200
Our minimum — rising with complexity: rentals, equity compensation, K-1s, multi-state filings.
| Up to $1M revenue | $1,500 |
| $1–2M revenue | $2,000 |
| $2–5M revenue | $3,000 |
| $5–10M revenue | $4,000 |
| $10–15M revenue | $5,000 |
| Over $15M revenue | Ask us |
Gift tax returns, too. Every return includes a customized video walkthrough of your results, recorded by our team.
Tax Advisory
Year-round planning tracks, built on the Trifecta framework and a 90-minute Comprehensive Consultation.
- Strategist Track from $1,750/yr Mid-year and year-end planning sessions.
- Momentum Track from $4,000/yr Quarterly planning sessions for growing businesses.
- VIP Advisory Track Custom Monthly advisory — the only track that includes preparation and bookkeeping.
Not on a track yet? The Comprehensive Tax Consultation is $1,475 — a working session that stands on its own.
Monthly Bookkeeping
Example pricing — your level is set by scope, in the open.
- Level I $500/mo 1–2 bank accounts + 1 card, up to 50 transactions, quarterly statements, year-end tax package.
- Level II $700/mo Most Popular Up to 5 accounts, up to 250 transactions, a payment gateway, bills, invoices & receipts.
- Level III $900+/mo 6+ accounts or 250+ transactions, payroll management, weekly classification.
QuickBooks Online setup, clean-up, and catch-up are priced by scope after a strategy call.
Fractional CFO & project work
The projects owners ask us for between tax seasons:
- Gusto payroll setup
- S-corp strategic setup — reasonable-salary analysis, accountable plan, retirement matching
- QuickBooks Online setup
- Hiring your spouse or kids, implemented properly
- 1099-NEC filings
- LLC setup & dissolution — including a white-glove walk-through for CA single-owner LLCs
We integrate your stack
QuickBooks Online connected to the tools you already run:
- Shopify
- Square
- PayPal
- Gusto
- TSheets
- Bill.com
- Zapier
- Kajabi
How working with us starts
Three steps, in the open
Book the free discovery call
Fifteen minutes on Zoom to hear what you need and tell you honestly whether we're the right firm for it. It isn't a consultation — no specific tax answers — just a clear next step.
Book a Free Discovery CallBuild the plan
The Comprehensive Tax Consultation ($1,475) is a 90-minute working session with Julie: your situation, your options, and a clear plan for what happens next — whether or not you engage us further.
See what's included →Stay ahead all year
Preparation, bookkeeping, or an advisory track keeps the plan moving. Everything lives in your secure TaxDome portal — documents, messages, and signatures in one place.
Already a client? Log in to TaxDome →
Meet Julie
The CPA behind the firm
Julie R Merrill began her career in public audit, then spent years inside venture-backed startups — scaling their accounting as they grew — before running an e-commerce business of her own. In 2020, after her husband retired from active-duty military service, she pivoted to tax full-time and launched this firm.
As a military spouse who moved with her family again and again, she built the firm she couldn't find: virtual by design, proactive by default, and honest about prices. Today the firm works from San Diego and Chattanooga with clients whose tax lives don't fit in a once-a-year box.
- CPA · 25+ years of experience
- Certified Main Street Pro Tax Advisor
- QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor
The team behind Julie
- Denesha Dore, E.A.Tax Manager
- Xander SparksTax Associate
- Briana OgletreeOffice Manager & Client Support Specialist
- Mary ScelfoBookkeeping Manager
Our team includes Main Street Tax Pro certified advisors.
Client words
What clients say about working with us
“After a previous, very frustrating year with my former accountant, Julie Merrill demonstrated tax preparation does not have to be painful. Her on-line tax organization system made this year's process much less stressful. She was prompt with inquiries, prep work and updates to my business, personal returns. Julie is also a pleasure to talk with. I highly recommend her if you are looking for someone new.”
“I highly recommend Julie! She came in just in time for my husband and I and assisted us with our bookkeeping, creating lines of accounting, and filing our taxes in a timely manner for our business. We considered many other professionals for the job, but Julie stood out because we knew we could trust her and she was honest about the entire process.”
“Clear, concise, friendly, knowledgeable and available to your needs.”
“Julie is an excellent Accountant for our business last year and did our taxes in record time. Communication is also excellent. She answered all of our questions for our rental income small business. She also did our personal taxes as well. We will continue to use her every year. We highly recommend!”
“Julie is a tax wizard. She is absolutely savior to my small business. Being women owned small business, I am not accounting or tax savvy. Julie was very helpful to every step of my business. I highly recommend her to anyone who operate business or regular tax filing. She is very knowledgeable. I am grateful that I was introduced to her from another woman owned small business”
“Julie is the absolute best. She helped me understand and set up systems for managing my S-Corp! For the first time, I don't feel stressed or confused, because Julie's competent support has changed how I do accounting and taxes.”
“Julie is fantastic to work with! She handled the entire process to setup my LLC from start to finish, and made every step feel easy and straightforward.”
“We love the quick turnarounds, tax tips, video reviews and the fact she's always available for questions. The ability to use the secure, provided TaxDome app to communicate and scan/upload our documents is huge plus.”
“Julie is amazing! We are return clients this year and very happy with the experience. Due to a TON of factors this year, our paperwork and feedback was extremely delayed. She was a pleasure to work with, and will be back next year (on time). Thanks for everything Julie!”
Questions
Before you book
How does working with a virtual CPA firm work?
Everything happens online. We meet by Zoom, and you send documents, sign forms, and message us through your secure TaxDome client portal — no office visits, no paper shuffling. Our offices are in San Diego, CA and Chattanooga, TN, and every appointment is virtual.
What's the difference between the free discovery call and a consultation?
The free discovery call is a 15-minute conversation to see whether we're the right fit for each other — it's the first step for every new client, and it isn't a consultation, so we won't be answering specific tax questions on it. When you need real answers and a plan, that's the Comprehensive Tax Consultation: a working session priced at $1,475.
What does tax preparation cost?
Our prices are published, not quoted case by case. Individual returns start at a $1,200 minimum and rise with complexity — rentals, equity compensation, K-1s, multi-state filings. Partnership and S-corporation returns are based on revenue, from $1,500 for businesses up to $1M. The full schedule is on this page.
Who do you specialize in helping?
Founders and small-business owners, people paid in equity (ISOs, NSOs, RSUs, RSAs, ESPPs), real estate investors, military families, high W-2 earners, and owners setting up or optimizing an S-corp — plus estates and trusts. Our state-specialist bench covers CA, NM, FL, GA, TN, and TX.
What work do you not take on?
We're a focused firm, and we'd rather tell you up front: we don't prepare non-profit returns, we don't file in New York, we don't serve farms or agricultural businesses, and we don't work with expat or non-US-owned entities. If that's you, we'll happily point you toward someone who specializes in it.
What happens after the discovery call?
If we're a fit, we map your next step together — usually a Comprehensive Tax Consultation to build your plan, then preparation, bookkeeping, or a year-round advisory track depending on what you need. You'll get your TaxDome portal set up so everything from there is organized in one place.
Let's make next tax season the calm one.
Start with fifteen free minutes. We'll listen, tell you honestly whether we're the right fit, and map the next step — no pressure, no quote games.