The AG Accounting blog
Startup finance, tax & accounting, plainly explained.
Specific, checkable writing for founders: payroll, compliance, runway, and the accounting stack behind venture-backed growth.
Partner Spotlight: Nicole of Prism Edge, the Fractional CFO Who Builds for the Exit
A profile of Nicole of Prism Edge, the fractional CFO and M&A advisor AG Accounting partners with for strategic finance, fundraising, board prep, and exit readiness.
Read article →409A Valuations: When You Actually Need One and How Fundraising Affects It
A 409A sets your option strike price and shields employees from tax penalties. When you need one, how safe harbor works, why a round resets it.
Read article →The 83(b) Election: Why 30 Days Can Save You Six Figures
The 83(b) election has a hard 30-day deadline with no extensions. What it does, the tax math behind it, and how to file it in 2026.
Read article →Top 10 Finance Automation Tools in 2026
A finance team's honest guide to the best finance automation tools in 2026, covering month-end close, AP/AR, reconciliations, and the financial close. Compared by use case, strengths, and fit.
Read article →QSBS After the 2025 Overhaul: The New Section 1202 Rules
The 2025 OBBBA expanded QSBS: a tiered 3–5 year holding period, a $15M exclusion cap, and a $75M asset limit for stock acquired after July 4, 2025. What founders and investors should know.
Read article →Deferred Revenue and Prepaid Credits for AI Startups
Deferred revenue for AI startups: how to track prepaid credits, committed-use contracts, and credit expiration without overstating run-rate.
Read article →Section 174A: Full R&D Expensing Is Back for 2025
The 2025 OBBBA created Section 174A, restoring immediate expensing of domestic R&D for tax years after 2024. What changed, the small-business catch-up for 2022–2024, and foreign R&D.
Read article →Usage-Based Billing and Revenue Recognition for AI Companies
How ASC 606 applies to usage-based billing: recognizing per-token, per-call, and per-credit revenue as customers consume, without overstating it.
Read article →The R&D Tax Credit Payroll Offset: How Startups Claim Up to $500K
Pre-revenue startups can apply up to $500,000 of the federal R&D credit against payroll taxes each year. Who qualifies, how much, and how to claim it on Form 6765 and 8974.
Read article →When Does a Startup Need a Fractional CFO?
Most startups don't need a full-time CFO; they need one at specific moments. The signals that you're ready, what a fractional CFO does, and quarterly vs monthly.
Read article →Accounting for AI Startups: What Actually Changes When Compute Is Your Biggest Cost
Accounting for AI startups: how compute-as-COGS, usage-based revenue, and prepaid credits reshape your books, gross margin, and runway.
Read article →Delaware Franchise Tax for Startups: How to File It Yourself in 15 Minutes
Delaware quotes startups ~$85,000 in franchise tax; the real bill is usually a few hundred dollars. Here's how to calculate it right and file it in 15 minutes.
Read article →AI Bookkeeping for Accounting Firms: How We Scaled to 250+ QBO Clients Without Adding Headcount
Most accounting firms manage dozens of QBO logins and hope for consistency. Here is how AG Accounting automated bookkeeping across 250+ startup clients
Read article →The Money Is Already Yours. Asking for It Shouldn't Be This Hard.
Most founders avoid chasing overdue invoices, and that hesitation is expensive. Two free tools for founders tired of leaving money on the table.
Read article →2026 California Payroll Tax Rates: SDI, SUI, FUTA & Why They Jumped
2026 California payroll tax rates: SDI 1.3%, new-employer SUI 3.4%, ETT 0.1%, plus the FUTA credit reduction: what each costs per employee and why they rose.
Read article →Every Tax Deadline Your Delaware / California Startup Needs to Know in 2026
Every federal, Delaware, California, and SF tax deadline a startup needs in 2026, organized month by month across all three jurisdictions.
Read article →Your AI Startup Burns Differently Than SaaS. Here's the Math.
AI startups burn 2x what SaaS companies spend on infrastructure. Five formulas and seven moves to model runway when GPU compute is your biggest cost.
Read article →Your Startup Is Probably Violating ACA Rules. The Fix Takes an Afternoon.
Reimbursing employees for health insurance without an ICHRA? That's $100/day per employee under the ACA. The compliant fix is simpler than a group plan.
Read article →What AI SaaS Founders Actually Need From an Accounting Firm
Most accounting firms aren't built for AI SaaS. What to evaluate (ASC 606, R&D credits, 409A timing) and the questions that reveal if a firm has done it before.
Read article →H-1B Hiring in Northern California: What Startups Need to Know About Prevailing Wages
H-1B is now wage-weighted. What Northern California startups need to know about prevailing wages by city and role, and the traps that sink early offers.
Read article →The Accounting Tech Stack in 2026: What Modern Firms Actually Use
The modern accounting tech stack, layer by layer: the GL, practice management, billing, sales tax, payroll, and AI tools high-growth firms actually use in 2026.
Read article →Running a Startup in San Francisco: The Compliance Reality
San Francisco offers startups world-class talent and capital, plus compliance obligations that catch founders flat-footed. What you owe the city and the state.
Read article →CalSavers in 2026: Every California Employer Now Has a Retirement Obligation
CalSavers 2026: every CA employer with 1+ W-2 employee must register. The 2026 contribution limits, default 5% rate, deadlines, and per-employee penalties.
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