Free help, this week

These are things we can help with right now, at no cost, with no ask attached.

A confusing government letter or form

Permit renewal notices, tax letters, and compliance forms are often written in dense official language. Send us a copy (no account numbers or ID numbers, please — just the form itself) and we'll reply in plain English with what it actually says and what, if anything, you need to do and by when.

Permit questions

Not sure which city or county office handles a permit, or what a renewal actually requires? We'll help you find the right office and the right form before you spend a trip finding out the hard way.

Forms and help in your language

If English isn't the easiest language for a form or notice, tell us which language you'd prefer and we'll do our best to explain it that way.

Check if the state is holding money for your business

California's State Controller holds unclaimed property — old refunds, uncashed checks, forgotten deposits, vendor payments — for thousands of businesses that don't know it's there. It costs nothing to check, and claiming it directly from the state costs nothing either.

Search your exact business name and any former names (a prior DBA, a dissolved entity, a name before a merger). If you'd rather we do the search for you and just send you the result, contact us with your business name.

What we don't do

We don't file anything on your behalf for a fee, we don't ask for payment information, and we're not a law firm or accountant — for anything with legal or tax consequences, we'll point you to a free clinic or tell you plainly that you need a licensed professional.