Tax and accounting for venture-backed startups
The finance team you don’t have to hire yet.
We run bookkeeping, tax filing, R&D credits, 409A valuations and Delaware compliance for tech startups from incorporation through Series B. One monthly fee, a named CPA, and straight answers.
- Delaware C-Corps and LLCs
- Pre-seed through Series B
- Founders in the US and abroad
- All 50 states
Delaware franchise tax
Same 10M-share seed-stage startup, recalculated with the assumed par value method.
83(b) mailed, day 4 of 30
What we take off your plate
Everything between the cap table and the tax return.
How it works
Switching firms takes about two weeks.
Most teams come to us mid-year with books that are a few months behind. That is normal. We start wherever you are.
- 01
A 30-minute call
Tell us where things stand: entity, state, stage, what is overdue. We tell you what we would fix first and what it costs. No deck, no pressure.
- 02
Two weeks of cleanup
We connect your bank, cards, payroll and billing, rebuild the books on an accrual basis, and catch missed filings before the IRS or Delaware does.
- 03
Then it just runs
Books closed by the 10th, filings out before deadlines, a reminder before every 83(b), 409A refresh and franchise tax bill. Your CPA answers within one business day.
Straight answers
What founders ask us most.
Short version here. The linked guides have the forms, numbers and deadlines.
Where do I mail my 83(b) election?
To the IRS service center where you file your personal return, which depends on your state. Mail it by certified mail within 30 days of the stock grant, keep the receipt, and give a copy to the company.
IRS addresses by state →How much does a Delaware C-Corp cost?
Formation runs a few hundred dollars in state and registered agent fees. Year to year, budget the $50 annual report fee plus franchise tax, which for an early-stage startup with modest assets is often the $400 minimum once it is calculated with the assumed par value method.
Every fee itemized →What is the California corporate tax rate?
California taxes C-Corps at 8.84% of California-apportioned net income, with an $800 minimum franchise tax. A Delaware corporation doing business in California owes it too.
What startups actually pay →Do I need to file Texas Form 05-158?
Only if your Texas revenue is above the no-tax-due threshold. Most early startups file a Public Information Report (05-102) or Ownership Information Report instead, and owe no franchise tax.
Texas 05-158 and 05-164 explained →Can a pre-revenue startup use the R&D credit?
Yes. Companies with under $5 million in gross receipts and no receipts before the last five years can apply up to $500,000 of credit against the employer share of payroll taxes.
The payroll offset, step by step →LLC or C-Corp for a startup?
If you plan to raise venture capital or grant options, a Delaware C-Corp. Investors expect it, and only C-Corp stock can qualify for the QSBS gain exclusion.
Full comparison →Free calculators
Run the numbers yourself.
New on the blog
Fresh every weekday.
Get your evenings back.
Thirty minutes with a CPA who works with startups every day. You will leave with a list of what is overdue, what can wait, and what it would cost us to handle it.
