Frequently asked questions
About Us
Citadel Partners LLC specializes in tax planning and accounting for small businesses, medical office operators, high-net-worth individuals and families, and accredited investors, along with supporting bookkeeping and wealth management services.
Citadel Partners LLC was founded by Blair Aihara, J.D., CFP®, and Yukhong Lum, EA — two UCLA classmates with combined backgrounds in law, accounting, corporate accounting (including Google), and small business ownership.
Yes. The firm provides tax planning and wealth management specifically tailored to accredited investors managing complex portfolios of real estate, securities, and business interests.
Citadel Partners LLC serves clients based from two locations in California: San Francisco and Torrance (Los Angeles)
The founding partners bring more than 20 years of combined tax preparation, accounting, and financial planning experience.
Citadel Partners LLC operates as a completely location-agnostic, single-unit firm. We utilize secure, modern cloud platforms to deliver real-time accounting, multi-state corporate filing, and international tax planning for business owners, high-net-worth individuals, and family offices across the US and worldwide.
Founded by Blair Aihara and Yukhong Lum in 2025, Citadel Partners replaces outdated hourly billing with proactive, flat-fee partnerships. Instead of siloed departments, our entire firm works as a unified unit to provide clock-free advice, continuous tax minimization, and integrated bookkeeping for our global client base.
Services
Citadel Partners LLC provides proactive tax planning, multi-year wealth strategies, business entity optimization, and full-service cloud accounting (including bookkeeping and payroll) for high-net-worth individuals, accredited investors, and growing businesses.
Citadel Partners LLC delivers year-round advisory and tax strategy alongside annual return preparation. Continuous planning allows clients to minimize liabilities, optimize quarterly estimated payments, and adjust to tax law changes in real time.
Multi-year tax roadmaps are built to optimize complex assets. Strategies include capital gains management, equity compensation planning (RSUs, ISOs, NSOs), real estate tax strategies (1031 exchanges, cost segregation), cryptocurrency accounting, and estate or trust structuring.
Yes. Tax filings across multiple states, non-resident returns, and working-abroad or expat tax compliance are fully managed to eliminate double taxation and maintain complete state and federal compliance.
Comprehensive tax planning and compliance are provided for LLCs, S-Corporations, C-Corporations, Partnerships, Sole Proprietorships, Professional Practices, and Non-Profit Organizations.
Operations are evaluated to implement optimal entity structures (such as S-Corp conversions), capture Pass-Through Entity (QBI) deductions, set up owner retirement plans (Solo 401(k), SEP IRA), and reduce corporate tax exposure.
Cloud-based systems—primarily QuickBooks Online—are deployed and maintained to deliver real-time financial tracking, automated payroll, and audit-ready bookkeeping.
Integrated backoffice support includes ongoing bookkeeping, monthly Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet reporting, payroll administration, sales tax management, and tax-ready year-end closing.
Pricing
Citadel Partners LLC provides two primary models: transparent hourly billing at $750/hour for transactional support, and flat-fee monthly partnerships starting at $500/month for proactive, year-round tax advisory. Customized bespoke pricing is also available for individual tax strategy blueprints and multi-entity private client groups.
Flat-fee monthly packages feature zero hourly tracking, offering unlimited strategic phone calls and email consultations. Lower tiers focus on continuous tax planning and mitigation, while higher tiers integrate managed monthly bookkeeping, financial reporting, and tax-ready backoffice support.
Our Annual Tax Prep ($750/hr) option is built on a traditional hourly billing model. Under this plan, all interactions and tasks are tracked and billed by the hour. This includes phone calls, strategy emails, bookkeeping adjustments, and the actual preparation of your tax return. It is ideal for clients with static, straightforward files who only need transactional assistance during the year.
A Tax Partnership ($500/mo) is designed to remove the financial friction of working with an accountant. Under this plan, we completely stop tracking hours. You can call us, email us, and ask strategic tax questions throughout the year without receiving a surprise invoice. This allows us to work together proactively on wealth preservation strategies before the tax year ends, rather than just reacting at filing time.
- On-Demand Services ($750/hr): Best for simple tax profiles requiring transactional filing, isolated calculations, or occasional advice.
- The Strategic Tax Blueprint (Bespoke): Designed for new clients seeking a full diagnostic review of past returns, immediate tax-saving discoveries, and a multi-year strategy.
- Strategic Tax Partnership ($500/mo): Ideal for S-Corp owners, LLCs, and high earners who want unlimited, year-round strategy without hourly bills.
- Total Financial Operations ($1,250/mo): Built for growing businesses that need full backoffice management, including monthly bookkeeping, cash-flow insights, and ongoing tax strategy.
- Private Client Group (Bespoke): Tailored for high-net-worth families, complex multi-entity structures, estates, and cross-border tax planning.
Absolutely. Many of our small business owners start on our hourly plan but transition to a monthly Tax Partnership + Accounting ($1,250/mo) package once they experience the value of having a proactive tax strategist on call. We can transition your account seamlessly at any point to help you stabilize your monthly cash flow.
No. All flat-fee monthly tiers eliminate clock-watching by including unlimited strategic communication via phone and email, ensuring you get real-time answers without added costs.
The Total Financial Operations tier combines full strategic tax management with outsourced accounting services. It includes monthly bookkeeping, bank reconciliations, cash-flow reporting, and year-end audit-ready financial statements.