Full Cycle Accountants

10/04/2026

California’s average cost of living is about $67,565 a year — third-highest in the country — and the top state income tax rate is 13.3%.
That’s why Full Cycle Accounting and Business Planning doesn’t just file the return. We help California owners price the work, plan the cash, and keep more of what they earn.

The Golden State offers lots of temptations. If you suspect that the cost of living in California is high, you’re correct. Here are the costs by category.

10/02/2026

Wow!

Starting today, Oct. 1, sales tax rates are going up across Los Angeles County cities (plus Perris in Riverside County)! 🛒💵

Thanks to Measure ER, LA County's baseline sales tax jumps to 10.25%, pushing combined rates in cities like Santa Monica, Pasadena, Long Beach, and West Hollywood to 11% or higher—with Lancaster and Palmdale topping out at 11.75%.

While essentials like groceries and prescription meds remain exempt, local shoppers are already feeling the pinch at the checkout counter amid high gas prices and local inflation. MORE BELOW ⬇️

09/23/2026

It’s harvest time, and too many California growers are facing unsold fruit and tough choices. Our thoughts are with the families working through it.

It’s harvest time in California w**e country, but many growers are struggling to sell their grapes as Americans cut back on drinking.

09/22/2026

California’s property-tax rate is below the U.S. average. The bills are high because the houses are.

California is known for a lot of things, but affordable housing isn't often among them. What catches many homeowners and prospective buyers off guard is that property taxes in the state can quietly eat into thousands of dollars a year, even though California's effective tax rates look fairly modest....

09/21/2026

Average American paid $1,395 in state income tax in 2023. Oregon: $3,123. California: $2,460.

Oregon collected the most state income taxes in 2023, while nine states collected no income tax at all.

09/21/2026

Itemizers lose a slice of their charity deduction in 2026. Non-itemizers finally get a small cash-gift write-off: $1,000 single, $2,000 joint.

The Joint Investment Trust (JIT) was developed to pool the investing strength of Disciples ministries for cost efficiencies and professional fund management.

09/21/2026

Gas prices are climbing again in the U.S., and electric vehicles are seeing renewed demand.

According to Cox Automotive’s August data, Americans bought an estimated 78,895 new EVs, up 2.5% from July. The used EV market grew even faster, with 44,350 sales, a 25.9% jump from the previous month and 14.7% higher than a year earlier.

At the same time, gasoline averaged around $4.06 per gallon in August, putting additional pressure on the cost of driving a gas-powered vehicle.

EV prices are also moving in a more competitive direction. The average new EV transaction price fell to about $54,754, narrowing the price gap with comparable gasoline vehicles to 9.7%.

At $4+ a gallon, would you still choose a gas-powered car over an EV? 🙂

09/18/2026

Grand Jury: SB County extra property-tax charges add up to ~$90 million a year — and in some cases they couldn’t find how the money was spent.

That small line item on your property tax bill may be easy to overlook — but collectively, those extra charges add up to nearly $90 million a year, and a

09/18/2026

Santa Barbara’s hotel tax came in 7.3% over budget. Tourism is carrying more of the load than City Hall planned.

The City of Santa Barbara collected $3.4 Million in Transient Occupancy Taxes for May 2026, the eleventh month in the City’s fiscal year.

09/17/2026

Raising rates doesn’t make prices go up. It makes borrowing more expensive so people and businesses spend less. Less demand is what is supposed to slow inflation.

The catch is the timing. Your mortgage, car loan, and credit card get hit first. Groceries and rent usually come down last. That lag is why a lot of people feel squeezed even when the Fed says it’s fighting inflation.

Both can be true: the payment just got harder, and the goal is still cooler prices later.

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter of a point, the first hike in three years. It comes as the war in Iran continues to put pressure on prices and is the first major move by Fed Chair Kevin Warsh to combat elevated inflation. Geoff Bennett discussed more with economist Julia Coron...