Guides
One guide for each kind of work we do: a short answer up front, the key numbers, a rules table and the common mistakes, then how we can handle it for you. Tax, business, accounting, cross-border and our own software tools, updated as we add more.
Individuals & Families2
When are estimated taxes due, and how much do I have to pay to avoid a penalty?
$1,000Expect to owe at least this much for the year? You generally need to pay estimated tax.How we help: We've calculated and paid estimated taxes for clients for years
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/1040esDo I have to mail my original passport to the IRS to get an ITIN?
Keep itYour original passport stays with you when you apply through a CAAHow we help: We're an IRS Certifying Acceptance Agent and handle a high volume of ITIN applications every year
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/itin
Business & Self-Employed7
Form 1099-NEC: who has to file it, and how do I report one I received?
$600Filing threshold for payments made in 2025How we help: We file 1099s for businesses and help freelancers keep more of what they earn
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/1099necWhich state should I form my U.S. company in?
$70–$3002026 state filing fees for an LLC across the 7 states here: California $70 at the low end, Texas $300 at the high endHow we help: We form companies in North Carolina, Delaware, Wyoming and other states for clients in the U.S. and abroad
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/llcWhen is my company's state annual report due, how much does it cost, and what if I missed it?
April 15Due date for North Carolina LLCs (starting the year after formation) and calendar-year NC corporations. 2026 online fees: LLC $203, corporation $21How we help: We keep track of every company's annual reports, in every state
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/annualWhat is a Registered Agent, why does my company need one, and how do I change it?
60 daysIn North Carolina, going more than 60 days without a Registered Agent is grounds for administrative dissolutionHow we help: We serve as or arrange your Registered Agent in NC, DE and WY, with a plan that fits your company
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/raWhat payroll taxes does a small business owe, and which forms does it file?
$184,5002026 Social Security wage base (6.2% each from employer and employee)How we help: We run your payroll, deposits and filings every pay period
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/payrollNorth Carolina sales tax: how do I register, what's the rate, and when is Form E-500 due?
4.75%North Carolina's state sales tax rate, before county and transit taxHow we help: We file North Carolina sales tax and county food tax for clients every period
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/salestaxHow do I get an ABC permit for a restaurant or grocery store in North Carolina, and what does it cost?
$400State fee for each beer or wine permit (on-premises and off-premises are separate permits), and the annual registration fee after thatHow we help: ABC applications usually stall on company and tax issues. We fix those first.
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/liquor
Cross-Border4
How much FIRPTA withholding applies when a nonresident sells a U.S. home?
15%The general rate, applied to the sale price (not the gain)How we help: We've handled FIRPTA withholding with many agents and brokerages
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/firptaDo I report a foreign gift on Form 3520, and when does a gift I make need Form 709?
$100,000Gifts or bequests from foreign individuals or estates in one year; above this, file Form 3520 (related donors, like both parents, are combined)How we help: We understand how Chinese families move money, and we report it correctly
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/giftMy IRS refund check was mailed overseas and never arrived. What do I do?
9 weeks / 4 weeksHow long after the issue date you must wait before tracing a check mailed to a foreign / U.S. addressHow we help: Lost or returned refund checks, handled from the IRS records to your door in China
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/refundcheckI invest in U.S. stocks from overseas and too much tax was withheld. How do I get it back?
30% → 10%Default withholding on U.S. dividends, and the U.S.–China treaty cap for residents of China with a valid W-8BENHow we help: From reading your 1042-S to the refund in your hands
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/1042s
YCL Tools3
Is getting contracts and tax forms signed a hassle? E-signatures without the high price
No accountSigners don't create an account or download an app. They open a link on a phone or computer.How we help: We get signatures every tax season, so we built a better way
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/signSpending too much time on invoices and chasing payments? Invoice in one sentence, with automatic reminders
1 sentenceWho, what, how much and when it's due is all it takes to draft an invoiceHow we help: Invoicing, collections, bookkeeping and taxes, handled by one team
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/invoiceToo many receipts and no time to sort them? Snap a photo and get tax-ready books
AnytimeSnap or upload receipts, invoices, bills and statements whenever you think of itHow we help: We keep the books and file the returns, so your books are ready to file
Read the guide →yclcpa.com/tidy