STARTUP ACCOUNTING · LOS ANGELES
Startup accounting in Los Angeles — seed through Series B, done by CPAs.
Delaware C-corp bookkeeping, SAFE and note tracking, investor reporting, 409A and cap-table coordination. QuickBooks Online, CPA-reviewed. Delaware franchise tax filed by our firm. One monthly price. Never outsourced overseas.
BOOK A CONSULTATION →What we do
Startup accounting is not just small business accounting with more Slack channels. The books have to answer investor questions, not just tax questions. The chart of accounts has to survive due diligence, not just close cleanly. Convertible notes and SAFEs need to sit on the balance sheet correctly. Equity comp expense has to reconcile to the cap table and the 409A valuation. And when Delaware sends a franchise tax bill for $85,000+ because the default calculation used authorized shares, someone has to know to file the alternative calculation.
We are a Los Angeles CPA firm — Beverly Hills–based, LA startups since 2008. What monthly startup accounting looks like:
- Monthly close on QuickBooks Online — bank and credit card reconciliation, accrued expenses, prepaid amortization, deferred revenue, and a locked period. - CPA review before delivery. A licensed CPA signs off — not a bookkeeper checking a bookkeeper. - SAFE and convertible note tracking on the balance sheet, with clear treatment through conversion at priced rounds. - Stock-based compensation expense booked monthly, reconciled to the cap table and 409A valuation. - Investor reporting package — P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, burn and runway, KPI dashboard, monthly written commentary. Formatted the way investors read it. - Delaware franchise tax filed by our firm. David Meyer, CPA handles Delaware franchise tax filings — including the alternative "assumed par value capital" calculation that saves most early-stage C-corps from a five-figure surprise. - R&D tax credit basics. IRC §41 credit qualification review, coordination with a specialist study when the numbers warrant one, and Form 6765 preparation. - Sales tax nexus review for SaaS and consumer startups selling across state lines. - Year-end federal and California returns on ProConnect — coordinated with books, not a separate scramble.
One monthly price. No hourly CPA fees. All staff U.S.-based. We never send your private data to foreign countries. 24/7 access to books via QuickBooks Online.
Who this is for
- Delaware C-corps headquartered in LA — the standard venture-backed structure.
- Seed-stage founders post-first-check, pre-Series A, who need books an investor will actually read.
- Series A / B startups with a controller hire on the roadmap but not yet in seat.
- LA-based SaaS, consumer, biotech, hardware, and services startups with venture or angel investors.
- Founders converting an LLC or S-corp into a Delaware C-corp in anticipation of institutional funding.
Deliverables
- Monthly close on QuickBooks Online, CPA-reviewed, fixed calendar day delivery.
- Monthly investor reporting package — P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, burn/runway, KPIs.
- SAFE, convertible note, and equity comp expense tracking reconciled to the cap table.
- Delaware franchise tax filing using the alternative calculation where beneficial.
- California franchise tax and state return on ProConnect.
- Payroll coordination through ADP or Gusto with GL integration.
- Bill pay through Bill.com.
- R&D credit qualification review and coordination with a specialist study where warranted.
- Annual federal and California tax return through ProConnect.
Frequently asked
Q: Do you handle Delaware C-corps headquartered in California?
A: Yes — that is the standard startup structure. Delaware C-corp for the equity story, California registration and franchise tax for actually operating in the state. We handle both sides: Delaware franchise tax (with the alternative calculation where it saves money), California §17942 franchise tax, and the California return.
Q: Do you file Delaware franchise tax for us?
A: Yes. David Meyer, CPA files Delaware franchise tax returns for the firm's Delaware C-corp clients — including the alternative "assumed par value capital" calculation that most early-stage C-corps qualify for. Default authorized-shares math frequently produces a $50,000–$180,000 annual bill on a $400 liability. We check the math.
Q: How do you handle SAFEs and convertible notes on the books?
A: SAFEs are generally treated as equity or as a liability depending on facts and post-money terms — we make the call in coordination with your startup counsel, book the balance sheet treatment monthly, and roll everything into the equity waterfall at a priced round.
Q: Can you coordinate with our 409A provider?
A: Yes. We coordinate with Carta, Pulley, Shareworks, or any independent 409A appraiser. Stock-based compensation expense (ASC 718) is booked monthly and tied back to the valuation and cap table.
Q: Are you an audit firm?
A: No. We do not perform audits or reviews under GAAS. When a startup reaches the stage requiring an audit (typically Series B+ or when a bank/investor covenant triggers it), we prepare audit-ready books and coordinate with the independent audit firm handling the engagement.
Q: Do you handle R&D tax credits?
A: Basic qualification review and Form 6765 preparation, yes. For material claims — where a specialist study will substantiate a larger credit and defend it on exam — we coordinate with an R&D credit specialist. Not every startup needs a specialist; we tell you which lane fits.
Q: What is the fee structure?
A: One monthly price for recurring work — books, close, reporting, payroll coordination, bill pay, tax coordination. Delaware franchise tax, California return, and federal return are included in the annual scope. Extraordinary projects (audit support, R&D specialist study, financing due diligence) are quoted separately.
Books your investors will actually read.
LA startup accounting — Delaware C-corp bookkeeping, SAFE tracking, investor reporting, 409A coordination, R&D credit basics, Delaware franchise tax filed by our firm. One monthly price.
BOOK A CONSULTATION →CALL (866) 222-6060