State Enterprise & Federal Zone Information

There are 42 Enterprise Zones located throughout California. All businesses that are located in an Enterprise Zone are eligible for program benefits. Some of the cities that have Enterprise Zones are: Los Angeles, Long Beach, Wilmington, Compton, South Gate, Santa Ana, Pasadena, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, Fresno, and many more. California also has 7 Federal incentive zones.

Our average client savings is $250,000. These programs can take a high-tax state and turn it into a low-tax state.

Hiring and Sales Tax Credits

Special hiring tax credits are available for wages paid to certain employees over a five-year period—up to $35,000 per employee! There are also credits available for purchasing certain types of equipment, including computers, manufacturing/processing and pollution or energy control equipment. Due to the complexities in the law and the perceived administrative burden, most taxpayers fail to get their fair share of these benefits. We have documented over $30 million in credits and other EZ benefits that were overlooked by local businesses and/or their CPAs. We also have the technology to maximize your federal credits.

Why HCVT?

HCVT is the leading tax incentive CPA firm in the state, the largest CPA firm headquartered in Southern California and has been performing incentive credit studies for two decades. We have built a solid reputation in assisting taxpayers and their CPA's in documenting EZ and other state and federal benefits. Our partners have assisted in drafting EZ legislation, and regularly work with the FTB and local cities in managing their EZ programs. Our fee structure is fair and flexible.

Success Stories - $30,000,000 and Counting

On many engagements, we have been very successful, despite the client/tax preparer's belief that they were already taking full advantage of these credits. The following is a small sample of our results:

Company Profile	% of Qualifying Employees	Original Tax Benefits	HCVT Tax Benefits	Increase
Mid-Tier Bank	18%	$69,000	$6,329,300	9,173%
Community Bank	19%	$0	$189,400	%
Restaurant	34%	$0	$704,200	%
Franchised Restaurants	30%	$0	$240,000	%
Healthcare Management	16%	$105,000	$1,072,100	1,021%
Medical Services	25%	$0	$636,000	%
Food Processor	45%	$1,115,000	$3,227,500	289%
Beverage Retailer	20%	$0	$620,100	%
Grocery Retailer	33%	$2,000	$1,265,100	63,255%
Manufacturer	16%	$61,000	$1,080,600	1,771%
Advertising services	20%	$0	$862,800	%
Steel Processor/Distributor	35%	$2,000	$1,190,400	59,520%

Please note that certain industries such as manufacturers, processors and franchised restaurants have higher rates of employees qualifying for the Enterprise Zone credits.

Years of Experience

HCVT personnel have two decades of expertise in maximizing state and federal tax refunds and credits associated with Enterprise Zone and federal incentive programs. We know what to look for and have assisted in developing proprietary software applications to fully analyze client data and expedite administrative filing requirements, while saving time and reducing your cost for services. We have also established professional relationships with many of the state agency coordinators, allowing us to expedite the process of qualifying employees for the credit.

Federal Tax Credits

In addition to state credits available in California and other states, we can also identify federal tax credits (Empowerment Zone, Indian Tribal Lands, Renewal Community, and WOTC/WtW), which range from $1,500 to $8,500 per qualified employee, for your business. Unlike many “boutique” firms, once the credits have been quantified, we also have the expertise to help you maximize the utilization of the credits at both the entity and equity-holder levels. We have developed a number of planning techniques to maximize refunds and utilize future credits.

Tax Audit Assistance

The California Franchise Tax Board routinely audits amended returns reflecting refunds in excess of $10,000. HCVT has developed a comprehensive documentation system, which results in clients receiving an “audit ready” report at the conclusion of our studies. In addition, we have expertise in the controversy area as it relates to these tax incentives and can assist taxpayers undergoing examinations dealing with hiring credits, sales & use tax credits, or net interest deduction issues. Oftentimes, we end up identifying additional benefits in the examination process when we are assisting a taxpayer in defending benefits that were initially identified by either the taxpayer themselves or their current consultant/CPA.

Project Efficiency

We know that your time is very valuable, so we have structured our process to minimize the amount of time required from you and your employees. In most circumstances, we can complete your project within a few weeks.

Flexible and Cost-Effective Fee Arrangements

We offer a variety of fee options and will work with you to find a program that fits your budget and cashflow position. We can often tell you-at no charge-if you are eligible for the credits and give you a solid idea of the credit potential after only a brief telephone conversation.

For additional information, please contact Blake Christian or Victor Gonzales at (562) 590-9535. You can also visit us at www.hcvt.com or write us at: