Los Angeles, CA · Fractional CFO Services
Find a Fractional CFO in Los Angeles, CA
Senior finance leaders on a part-time basis — typically 10–60 hours per month. Forecasting, fundraising support, board reporting, and strategic finance without the cost of a full-time hire. Serving Los Angeles, CA and the surrounding region — LA's accountants specialize in entertainment, real estate, and creative-industry tax planning.
Why Los Angeles clients hire fractional cfo
Local context for fractional cfo services in Los Angeles, CA
Dominant local industries
- Entertainment & media (film, TV, music)
- Real estate & development
- Creators, talent & loan-out corps
- Hospitality & restaurants
- Fashion, beauty & e-commerce
California tax climate
California has the country's highest top marginal personal income tax rate at 13.3%, an 8.84% corporate income tax, and an $800 annual minimum franchise tax on most entities. The state aggressively asserts residency and nexus, making multi-state and remote-work tax planning a recurring engagement.
Key local deadline
Mar 1
Los Angeles City Business Tax renewal due (LA City Office of Finance).
When to hire
- Revenue is $1M–$25M and a full-time CFO ($250K+) isn't justified yet
- You're preparing for a capital raise, acquisition, or sale
- You can't trust the financials going to your board
- Cash flow is unpredictable and surprises keep happening
- Your founder/CEO is doing finance work that should be delegated
What they do
- 13-week cash flow forecasts and rolling annual budgets
- Monthly board packages with KPIs, variance analysis, and commentary
- Fundraising support: model building, data rooms, investor diligence
- Banking, lender, and investor relationships
- Hiring, evaluating, and managing the finance/accounting team
Typical fees
What it costs
Low end
$3,000
per month
High end
$15,000
per month
Notes
Light engagement (10–20 hrs/mo): $3K–$6K. Standard (20–40 hrs/mo): $6K–$12K. Active fundraising or transaction: $10K–$25K+.
Compare
Fractional CFO vs Controller
| Factor | Fractional CFO | Controller |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Forward-looking strategy and capital | Historical accuracy and close |
| Board / investor work | Owns it | Supports |
| Forecasting and modeling | Primary deliverable | Reviews, doesn't build |
| Typical engagement | 10–60 hrs/mo | Full-time or part-time staff |
| Monthly cost | $3K–$15K | $8K–$15K loaded for part-time |
Questions to ask
- How many companies do you serve concurrently, and at what stages?
- What industries and revenue ranges fit you best?
- Do you build the model from scratch or work in our existing tools?
- What's included in the monthly fee vs. billed separately?
- Have you led capital raises, and at what stage (seed, A, B+)?
- Will you sit in board meetings and own the board package?
Red flags
- Has never built a 3-statement model from scratch
- Has only worked as a controller — never a CFO
- Can't articulate unit economics for your business model
- Won't commit to a defined cadence or deliverable list
- Charges hourly with no scope cap
Documents to prepare
- Last 3 years of P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow
- Current month YTD financials and any existing forecast
- Cap table and any prior fundraising materials
- Banking, credit, and major vendor/customer contracts
- Org chart and any existing finance team responsibilities
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FAQ
Fractional CFO Services in Los Angeles — common questions
How much does fractional cfo services cost in Los Angeles?+
Los Angeles fractional cfo services typically charge $3,000–$15,000 per month. Light engagement (10–20 hrs/mo): $3K–$6K. Standard (20–40 hrs/mo): $6K–$12K. Active fundraising or transaction: $10K–$25K+.
Do I need a California-licensed CPA to work with a fractional cfo services in Los Angeles?+
For California state filings, your preparer should hold a CPA license from the California Board of Accountancy or be an Enrolled Agent. Out-of-state pros can prepare your federal return but should not sign as a CPA on California returns. California has the country's highest top marginal personal income tax rate at 13.3%, an 8.84% corporate income tax, and an $800 annual minimum franchise tax on most entities.
What does a fractional CFO actually do day-to-day?+
Builds and maintains the forecast, owns the monthly close-to-board-package cycle, runs cash management, leads fundraising or banking conversations, and manages the finance/accounting team.
When should I upgrade from fractional to full-time CFO?+
Common triggers: revenue $25M+, complex multi-entity structure, active M&A, IPO preparation, or when the workload consistently exceeds 60 hours per month.
How does a fractional CFO differ from an outsourced controller?+
A controller owns historical accuracy — close, reconciliations, financial statements. A CFO owns forward-looking strategy — forecasting, capital, board, KPIs. Many companies need both, often from the same firm.
Do fractional CFOs help with fundraising?+
Yes — model building, data room prep, investor diligence support, and term sheet negotiation are core deliverables for many engagements.
What's the typical engagement length?+
Most engagements run 6–24 months. Some are project-based (fundraise, audit prep, system implementation); others continue indefinitely until a full-time hire is justified.