Start-up Advising
ASL Is Committed to Start-Ups
Here are some of the many ways we help entrepreneurs:
- Setting up accounting systems
- Structuring the entity for tax and legal advantage
- Registering with Regulatory Agencies
- Obtaining necessary business permits
- Attracting funding resources
- Identifying federal, state, county and local agency incentives
- Providing chief start-up advisor services
- Strategic business planning
- Valuing your start-up
- Defining and articulating your business purpose
- Implementing best practice procedures
- Advising on risk management and insurance
- Implementing internal controls
- Understanding personnel issues and comprehensive incentives
Questions to Ask Yourself
Considerations: Selecting the optimal business structure can significantly reduce the tax burden on your business income and exit proceeds and make it easier to do business in key areas. On the other hand, selecting the wrong business structure can make it more difficult to raise capital, pursue M&A deals, win customers, comply with government regulations, and minimize the company’s tax burden. Analyze your business goals, available resources, and business projections. If you know where you are going, we can help you get there.
Taxes are often the largest expense that any business or business owner pays and can factor into a business’s valuation. But there are myriad opportunities to save taxes through appropriate planning. For example, research & development credits can offset startup payroll taxes; California offers sales tax exemptions for manufacturing and for research & development businesses; and proper state and international tax planning can substantially decrease the compliance burden, the risk of an audit or tax assessment, and the ultimate amount of tax paid. Assess whether your current CPA firm is providing compliance-only services or is actively working with you on these issues.
You probably already have a product, marketing plan, and goal for your company. However, you need the right service providers to help you with accounting & assurance to raise capital and satisfy investor requirements, to provide tax planning strategies that will reduce business taxes and founder taxes on an eventual exit, and to steer you clear of the pitfalls in expanding a business. You need expertise that is focused on you and your business. Determine if your current service provider has the needed experience and expertise, and if they make you a priority or if their bigger clients come first.
