329 tagged with "Entrepreneurship"
Financial guidance and accounting tips for entrepreneurs and startups
ROBS Rollover for Business Startups: How to Use Retirement Funds to Finance a Small Business Without Tax or Penalty
A working guide to Rollover as Business Startup (ROBS) arrangements — the five required steps, why only a C corporation qualifies, the Form 5500 and prohibited-transaction rules, IRS-documented failure rates, and when alternatives like SBA loans or 401(k) participant loans make more sense.
Form 5471 Decoded: A US Shareholder's Guide to Filing Categories, Schedules, and Avoiding Six-Figure Penalties
Form 5471 carries automatic $10,000-per-corporation initial penalties capped at $60,000 per year for U.S. persons who own, control, or serve as officers of foreign corporations. Covers the five filing categories, modular schedules, GILTI's rename to NCTI for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025, and the Streamlined and Delinquent Submission routes back into compliance.
SAFE vs Convertible Note: A Founder's Guide to Choosing the Right Early-Stage Financing
A SAFE is a contract granting future equity with no maturity or interest, while a convertible note is a loan with 4–8% interest and an 18–24 month maturity that becomes due if no priced round closes — and Y Combinator's 2018 post-money SAFE locks each investor's ownership at Investment ÷ Cap, dilution that hits founders, not prior SAFE holders.
The Proposal Letter That Wins: A Template and Playbook for Closing More Business
A section-by-section proposal letter template with a real fractional-CFO example, win-rate data on customization and speed, the five mistakes that quietly lose deals, and a seven-point pre-send checklist.
Price Increase Letter to Clients: A Service Business Playbook
A practical playbook for writing a price increase letter that retains clients — covering timing (30/60/90-day notice), the six required elements, industry-specific phrasing, two adaptable templates, and a 60-day rollout timeline for service businesses.
Scope of Work Template: A Freelancer and Small Business Guide to SOWs That Prevent Scope Creep
A practical scope of work template with seven required sections, the difference between SOW and statement of work, and the ambiguous verbs that turn signed contracts into billing disputes.
Startup Costs Tax Deduction: How to Write Off Up to $10,000 Your First Year
Section 195 lets new businesses deduct up to $5,000 of startup costs and another $5,000 of organizational costs under Section 248/709 in the first year, with the remainder amortized over 180 months. Phase-out begins at $50,000 and eliminates the immediate deduction at $55,000.
Inflation Reduction Act for Small Business Owners: What You Need to Know
The Inflation Reduction Act doubled the R&D payroll tax credit for qualifying startups to $500,000, expanded commercial clean energy credits, and boosted IRS enforcement funding—here's what each provision means for your small business tax strategy in 2025 and 2026.
Business Bank Account: The Complete Guide for Small Business Owners
How to open and manage a dedicated business bank account — covering account types, required documents by business structure (sole proprietor, LLC, corporation), fee comparisons, and the common mistakes that cost small business owners time and money at tax time.
Can Your Small Business Afford a Bookkeeper? (Probably More Than You Think)
A practical cost-benefit analysis of hiring a bookkeeper for small businesses — with real pricing data ($200–$500/month), opportunity cost math, and 5 concrete signs it's time to stop doing your own books.
Micro Loans for Small Business: The Complete Guide to Getting Started
A practical guide to micro loans for small businesses — covering the SBA Microloan Program (up to $50,000, average $13,000 at 8–13% interest), CDFIs, Kiva, and five qualification steps for entrepreneurs who can't access traditional bank financing.
Minority Business Loans: The Complete Guide to Funding Your Business
Black-owned businesses face a 39% loan denial rate versus 18% for white-owned firms. This guide covers every major minority business loan program—SBA 7(a), Community Advantage, CDFIs, MBDA, and more—plus eligibility requirements and strategies to improve your approval odds.