Accounting for Chicago startups: financial clarity, not guesswork
Running a startup or small business means making decisions quickly – often without complete information. You shouldn’t have to guess where your cash is going, how long your runway will last, or whether your accounting is set up correctly.
Based in Chicago and serving clients nationwide, we’ve worked closely with founders and startups since 2014. Get accounting and tax support from a dedicated CPA team that understands how startups and small businesses operate.
Startup accounting and Tax Services
We know startups
Whether you’re pre-revenue, raising a seed round, or scaling to Series A, we provide accurate financials and explain things in plain language.
Pre-revenue startups
We help you get set up correctly from the beginning. Selecting the right entity type, establishing a clean accounting system, and creating financial visibility before the first dollar comes in.
Early-stage startups
We track your spending and burn rate, keep your financials organized, and plan taxes proactively. You always know where things stand and what your numbers mean.
Small businesses
We support day-to-day financial operations and long-term strategy. From spending, hiring, payroll, growth investments, and tax planning – you’ll have the information you need when those decisions are being made.
Rob has been incredibly helpful as the accountant for my startup – balancing practicality with learning, so that I’m able to understand what is most important without requiring me to spend too much time on it!
– Jake E.
How we help startups and small businesses stay organized and grow
Accurate bookkeeping and payroll processing
Challenge
Making confident decisions is hard when your numbers are unclear or weeks behind.
Solution
We work in QuickBooks Online and other cloud platforms to accurately track income, expenses, and cash flow. Your monthly financials clearly show burn rate, runway, and cash position. Payroll is painless with our integrated services.
Tax planning and compliance
Challenge
Tax planning feels reactive, and entity decisions have long-term consequences.
Solution
We guide entity structure decisions, identify credits and deductions, and plan quarterly payments to avoid penalties. From federal filings to multi-state compliance for distributed teams, tax planning throughout the year means less stress at filing time.
Cash flow management & forecasting
Challenge
Cash decisions feel risky without understanding runway impact.
Solution
We build financial models that show how growth scenarios affect your runway. Spot cash issues before they become urgent and make smarter decisions about spending, hiring, and raising capital.
Financial reporting & fundraising preparation
Challenge
Financial statements need to hold up under scrutiny. Not just for investors, but also banks, lenders, strategic partners, and for your own planning.
Solution
We prepare your books for due diligence, create GAAP-aligned statements, and present key performance metrics clearly. We support cap table accounting, equity compensation tracking, and reporting for metrics like MRR, CAC, and LTV.
Expert CPA support for startups and small businesses in Chicago and nationwide.
Contact us to speak with a CPA who understands the unique needs of startup finances.
What our clients say
Questions? Book a complimentary 20-minute consult call with Rob.
Our Approach
Work with the same CPA team year-round. Our people understand your operations, respond quickly, and explain things in plain language.
How we work with startups & entrepreneurs
Since 2014, we’ve provided startup accounting and tax services. We understand the unique needs of founders running a small business. Learn more about our values.
1
Book a complimentary call
We discuss your current accounting processes and answer your questions to determine the right service level for your firm’s needs.
2
Month to month engagement
Consistent, year-round access to a dedicated CPA team who understands your startup’s financial situation. We provide personalized video talk-throughs that explain where you are, how you got there, and what’s ahead.
3
Year-round support
We return calls and emails promptly with get real answers in plain language. More than a bookkeeper, we are proactive – flagging issues early and helping stay compliant and profitable.
Ask a CPA
Startup resources and FAQs
Entity structure determines how your business income is taxed, what deductions are available, and how you can distribute profits. Sole proprietorships and partnerships pass income through to owners’ personal returns. S corporations provide self-employment tax savings through reasonable compensation requirements.
C corporations face double taxation but offer advantages for retained earnings and certain fringe benefits. The right structure depends on your income level, growth plans, and ownership structure. We evaluate all factors to recommend the optimal entity for your situation. See how the QBI deduction affects pass-through entities
You might also need coordinated individual tax preparation to optimize your personal and business tax positions together.
Right at the beginning. We help you pick the right business structure, set up your books correctly, and avoid expensive mistakes. Choosing the right entity structure early can save you thousands in taxes as you grow. Learn more: LLC vs S Corp: A Guide for Business Owners
Most early-stage startups pay between $500 and $2,000 per month for bookkeeping, financial reporting, and tax planning. We provide pricing plans so you can budget accurately.
Yes. We provide startup accounting in Chicago and work with companies across the country using cloud tools and video calls. We handle multi-state taxes for distributed teams.
Yes. We prepare investor-ready statements, clean up your books for due diligence, and help you present the metrics investors want to see. We also handle cap table management and equity compensation accounting.
We typically recommend QuickBooks Online because it’s affordable, cloud-based, and integrates well with other tools. For complex needs, we also work with Xero and other platforms.
Yes. We review your product development activities to identify qualifying expenses and claim credits that reduce your tax bill. This often saves startups thousands in their first years.
Self-employed retailers or wholesalers who stash products at home – you can write off the part of your home used for regularly storing inventory or product samples, provided the residence is the sole fixed location of your business. Unlike with home offices, the space needn’t be used exclusively for storage. There are 2 methods to figure the write-off: you can allocate actual costs or deduct $5 per square foot of space used for inventory storage (up to 300 square feet). Using your home as a storage unit for business records doesn’t qualify for the write-off. (*Kiplinger Tax Letter)
If you use your car for business, you can deduct vehicle expenses from your taxes—but only for business use. If you use your vehicle exclusively for business, you can deduct the entire operating cost (with limits). If you use it for both business and personal purposes, you can only deduct the business portion.
There are two methods to calculate your deduction. The standard mileage rate method multiplies your business miles by the IRS rate (70 cents per mile for 2025). This method works best if you drive frequently for business but have low maintenance costs. The actual expense method tracks all operating costs—gas, insurance, repairs, registration, depreciation—and deducts the business-use percentage. This method typically benefits vehicles with higher operating costs.
Whichever method you choose, detailed recordkeeping is essential. The IRS closely scrutinizes vehicle deductions, so maintain complete mileage logs and expense records. Note that commuting to your regular workplace doesn’t count as business use, but travel between business locations does. Parking at your place of business isn’t deductible, but tolls and parking for business visits are.
Below is a link to a list of companies that offer lines of credit and term loans to start-ups and small businesses. We will continue to refine and add to the list.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WrG3_6ZEC7dW25at4lYYzgkugUkCrkJ0lYgsaxnMFwk/edit?usp=sharing