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YCL CPA · Tax, Accounting, Advisory

Certified CPA firm · 15+ years of experience · Multi-state CPA

Clarity in your numbers.
Confidence in every filing.

Tax, accounting and advisory for business owners, professionals and families across the United States and around the world. Licensed CPAs, deep cross-border and multi-state experience, one secure portal.

Request a quoteBook a free 30-minute consultation
30 minFree first consultation
1 dayWritten quote in hand
Multi-stateCPA licensed
What can we help you with?Choose a starting point. We will take it from there.
File my taxesKeep my booksRun payrollStart a businessResolve an IRS noticeReport foreign assets
Something else? Book a free 30-minute call.Book now

Trusted by

Memberships, partners and clients who know us best

  • Licensed CPAMulti-state
  • AICPAMember
  • NCACPAMember
  • CalCPAMember
  • NATPMember
  • FIGS of Wake CountyTreasurer
  • NCCBAClient
  • PIX MOVINGClient
  • White Crane Inc.Partner
  • Chengzhu DesignPartner

Services

One firm for tax, accounting and the decisions in between

View all services

Tax Preparation

Individual, business, estate and trust returns prepared by a CPA who also plans ahead with you. We handle multi-state filings and the forms many preparers will not touch.

Accounting & Bookkeeping

Clean monthly books in QuickBooks Online, reconciled to the bank, with financial statements delivered on a fixed schedule so tax season is a formality.

Payroll

Payroll run on your schedule, tax deposits made on time, and quarterly and year-end filings completed without you thinking about them.

Business Formation

Choose the right entity before you file the paperwork. We model the tax outcome of each option, then handle the registrations end to end.

IRS Problem Resolution

A notice in the mail is not an emergency once a CPA is handling it. We review the letter, respond on your behalf and negotiate the outcome.

US–China Cross-Border Tax

Income, accounts and family ties on both sides of the Pacific bring filings most preparers never see. This is our core specialty, handled in English and Chinese.

Cryptocurrency Tax

Every exchange, wallet and chain reconciled into one cost-basis record, so your Form 8949 holds up if the IRS asks.

Advisory & Consulting

A CPA on call for the decisions between filings: buying or selling a business, a large equity event, moving states, or a plan to reduce next year’s bill.

Why YCL

Small enough to know your file. Credentialed enough to sign it.

2013Serving clients since
15+ yrsU.S. tax and accounting
Big FourWhere our CPAs trained
10+ yrsChina–U.S. cross-border tax

CPA-led since 2013

Big Four trained CPAs licensed in multiple states, with AICPA, NCACPA, CalCPA and NATP memberships. Every return is reviewed and signed by a CPA, and every engagement starts with a written quote and no hidden fees.

Complex cross-border and multi-state tax

Income earned in several states or countries, foreign-owned U.S. companies, new immigrants and overseas firms opening U.S. subsidiaries. The complicated files are our everyday work.

Foreign asset reporting

FBAR (FinCEN 114), Form 8938, Form 5471 and Form 3520 for bank accounts, companies, gifts and inheritances abroad, including bringing prior years back into compliance.

U.S. and Shanghai offices

Our U.S. team and our Shanghai office work your file across both time zones, backed by more than ten years of China–U.S. tax experience.

Responsive, careful, and we listen

We reply quickly, treat every file with care, and listen before we advise, so you understand your options and the reasons behind them.

Nonprofit formation, accounting and tax

Forming the organization, applying for 501(c)(3) status with Form 1023 or 1023-EZ, restricted-fund bookkeeping, payroll and annual Form 990 filings, from a team that has long supported community nonprofits.

How it works

From first call to filed in three steps

01

Book a consultation

Pick a time on our calendar. We listen first and tell you honestly what you need and what you do not.

02

Receive a written quote

A clear fee for the work in scope, sent within one business day. No surprises on the invoice.

03

Onboard in the portal

Your checklist, uploads, e-signatures and messages live in one secure place from day one.

Questions

Before you book

Anything not answered here is a good reason to use the free 30 minutes.

Do I need to come to the office?

No. Consultations happen by phone, WeChat, WhatsApp or video, or in person at our office if you prefer. Every document moves through the secure client portal instead of email.

How much will it cost?

Every engagement is quoted in writing before work starts. Request a quote and you will have a fee within one business day. Fees depend on the forms involved and the volume of records, never on the size of your refund.

Can you work in Chinese?

Yes. Our team works in English and Chinese, by phone, email, WeChat and WhatsApp. Explanations, checklists and messages in the portal can be in either language.

I live outside North Carolina. Can you still file for me?

Yes. We serve clients across the United States and overseas. Returns are filed electronically, documents move through the portal, and consultations happen by phone or video, so location does not matter.

How do I switch from my current accountant?

Send us last year’s return and your most recent financial statements through the portal. We review them, tell you what we would do differently, and handle the transition. Your previous accountant does not need to be involved.

Who we serve

Built for people whose finances cross state lines and borders

Find your situation
Business ownersRestaurants, clinics, e-commerce, real estate and professional practices.
ExecutivesEquity compensation, RSUs and stock options, relocation years.
Independent professionalsConsultants, contractors and single-member LLCs.
FamiliesHouseholds with rental property, investments, education and estate questions.
Cross-border clientsNew immigrants, students, overseas investors and foreign-owned U.S. companies.
NonprofitsFormation, 501(c)(3) applications, bookkeeping and Form 990 for community organizations.

Typical client situations

Situations we sort out every week

Composite examples drawn from the cases we handle most often, with details generalized. They are not client reviews, and every case’s outcome and timing depend on its facts.

Real case study: an IRS penalty of $25,000 reduced to $0
Foreign assets · individuals & familiesOne of our most common cases

Years of bank accounts and funds in China that were never reported

How we usually handle it
  • Confirm the lapse was non-willful and choose the path: Streamlined Domestic (SDOP) if you live in the U.S., Streamlined Foreign (SFOP) if you live abroad.
  • File three years of returns and six years of FBARs; Chinese mutual funds are usually reported on Form 8621 as PFICs.
  • Prepare the non-willful certification (Form 14654 or 14653). SDOP carries a one-time 5% penalty on the foreign assets; SFOP usually has none.
  • Led from start to finish by Gloria Liu, CPA.
Typical timelineAbout 4–8 weeks once records are in hand
Related service
Small businesses · restaurants

A restaurant two years behind on its books gets an NC sales tax notice

How we usually handle it
  • Read the notice the same day and contact the NC Department of Revenue to show it is being handled.
  • Rebuild the books month by month from bank statements and POS reports, and reconcile sales.
  • File the missing E-500 sales tax returns and request penalty relief on Form NC-5500 where it applies.
Typical timelineNotice response in 1–3 days; two years of catch-up in about 3–6 weeks
Related service
Individuals & families

Parents in China sent $200,000 toward a house. Does it have to be reported?

How we usually handle it
  • Gifts from a foreign person above $100,000 in a year are reported on Form 3520. The gift itself is usually not taxed.
  • Check whether the accounts the money passed through also need an FBAR.
  • If the deadline has passed, file late with a reasonable-cause statement to ask that penalties be waived.
Typical timelineAbout 1–2 weeks
Related service
New immigrants & students

Changed from F-1 to H-1B and filed as a full-year resident in tax software

How we usually handle it
  • Determine whether that year was a dual-status year and which residency tests apply.
  • Amend to the correct dual-status or nonresident filing, and fix the state return with it.
  • Check whether Social Security and Medicare tax was withheld during F-1 time and help request a refund.
Typical timelineAbout 1–2 weeks
Related service
Executives & high earners

RSUs sold, the 1099-B shows a $0 cost basis, and the tax bill jumps

How we usually handle it
  • Find the correct basis in the broker’s supplemental statement.
  • Adjust it on Form 8949 so the same income is not taxed twice.
  • If the return was already filed, amend it and recover the overpaid tax.
Typical timelineAbout 1 week
Related service
Self-employed & freelancers

Rideshare plus freelance design, $90,000 of 1099 income, and a surprise bill in April

How we usually handle it
  • Pull together mileage, equipment, phone and other deductible expenses.
  • Work out self-employment and income tax, and set up this year’s quarterly estimates.
  • Once income is steady, model whether an S corporation election would lower the tax.
Typical timelineReturn in about 1–2 weeks; estimate reminders all year
Related service
Real estate investors

About to sell a rental and just learned depreciation was never taken

How we usually handle it
  • Depreciation you were allowed to take is recaptured at sale whether or not you claimed it.
  • Catch up the missed depreciation on Form 3115 instead of amending year by year.
  • Project the gain, recapture and state tax before choosing when to sell or whether to use a 1031 exchange.
Typical timelineProjection in about 1–2 weeks before the sale
Related service
Cross-border businesses

A China-based owner’s U.S. LLC skipped Form 5472 for years and got a $25,000 IRS penalty letter

How we usually handle it
  • Review the notice and the company’s records, and respond to the IRS before the deadline.
  • File the missing Forms 5472 with pro forma Form 1120 for each year.
  • Build the timeline and documents, and request penalty abatement for reasonable cause.
Typical timelineFilings in about 2–4 weeks; IRS decisions usually take several months
Related service
Crypto investors

Years of trading across exchanges, nothing reported, and IRS Letter 6173 arrives

How we usually handle it
  • Respond by the date on the letter and explain the returns are being corrected.
  • Export exchange and wallet records and rebuild the cost basis of each trade.
  • Amend prior-year returns with Form 8949 and Schedule D.
Typical timelineAbout 2–6 weeks, depending on trade volume
Related service
Nonprofits & community groups

A community association missed Form 990-N three years in a row and lost its tax-exempt status

How we usually handle it
  • Confirm the revocation date and whether retroactive reinstatement is still available.
  • Bring state filings and records up to date, then apply for reinstatement on Form 1023-EZ or 1023.
  • Set up annual Form 990 reminders so it does not happen again.
Typical timelineApplication in about 1–2 weeks; IRS approval usually takes several months
Related service

Insights

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Client reviews

What clients say

I've been working with YCL Accounting for over a decade, and it's been an incredibly pleasant experience. Their team consistently provides fast, accurate, and reliable tax filing services, always customizing the best and most affordable solutions based on my needs. I've recommended many colleagues and friends to YCL, and they've all been extremely satisfied with the service.
Emily R.
Working with Gloria has been amazing. She's incredibly patient, professional, and efficient. Deadlines are always met, and the reports are crystal clear. I'm so grateful to have someone who truly understands my business and helps me make decisions quickly. A++
James L.
I absolutely love working with Crystal. Finally, someone who's on the ball, understands the reporting I need to run my business, and is always organized and punctual. Thank you. If you're looking for someone to manage QuickBooks, look no further.
David M.

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