Tax & Compliance
Founder Personal Finance
Collated by Aparna Devalla, CPA
Curated by Rubric Financial
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Tax Obligations Most Founders Miss
- Estimated tax payments: founders with equity income, consulting income, or S-corp distributions must make quarterly estimated payments to avoid penalties
- State tax obligations: if you moved from California to Texas for tax reasons, California may still claim you as a resident for up to 18 months based on ties
- 83(b) election: must be filed within 30 days of receiving restricted stock — missing this deadline can cost hundreds of thousands in taxes later
- Self-employment tax: founders paying themselves through an LLC owe 15.3% SE tax on all net income — S-corp election can reduce this significantly
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