Tax & Compliance for Startups
The monthly, quarterly, and annual filings that keep a startup in good standing – handled by people who actually file them, not just advise on them.
By CA Vijay R Singh, FCA
ICAI Membership No. 153926 | FRN 136869W | Practising since 2013
Quick Summary
Every Pvt Ltd, LLP, or OPC carries a recurring compliance load – GST returns, TDS returns, ROC filings, ITR, audit, board meetings, FEMA filings if there is any foreign capital. Miss any of these and you accumulate late fees, interest, and ROC strike-off risk that hits you at the next funding round during due diligence. This retainer keeps all of it on time.
Strategic Fit: Is this right for you?
Pvt Ltd / LLP / OPC
First 3 years of operation, building the compliance foundation.
Pre-Funding Round
Founders preparing for due diligence where compliance hygiene becomes a deal-blocker.
Foreign Capital
Companies with FDI - FC-GPR, FLA, ECB compliance bolted on.
DPIIT Startup
Recognised startups using Section 80-IAC tax holiday.
No In-House Finance
Founders without an internal compliance / finance team yet.
Multi-State GST
Companies with multi-state GST registrations needing coordinated filings.
Final Deliverables Checklist
Everything you receive at the end of the engagement.
- Monthly TDS deposit + GST returns (GSTR-1, GSTR-3B)
- Quarterly TDS returns (24Q, 26Q, 27Q) + Form 16A
- Annual ITR + statutory audit + tax audit (where applicable)
- Annual ROC filings (AOC-4, MGT-7)
- Compliance calendar customised to your entity
- DPT-3, MSME-1, INC-22A annual filings
- Event-based filings (FC-GPR, FC-TRS, ESOP PAS-3)
- Monthly MIS pack to founders (P&L, BS, cash flow, AR/AP)
UNDERSTANDING THE THREE TIER RETAINER
Starter Tier
Pre-revenue or sub-Rs 50 lakh turnover. Monthly TDS + GST + book-keeping + annual filings. No FDI, no transfer pricing, no statutory audit complexity.
Growth Tier
Rs 50 lakh to Rs 5 crore turnover. Adds advance tax, tax audit, monthly MIS reviews, FEMA filings, ESOP filings.
Scale Tier
Rs 5 crore+ turnover. Adds dedicated review cycle, transfer pricing (if applicable), DPT-3, MSME-1, board meeting support, due diligence preparation.
The Engagement Lifecycle
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Statutory Basis
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Transparent Pricing Structure
Statutory & Third-Party Costs – pass-through, NOT our fees
These are paid directly to government departments, certifying authorities, and banks. They are not VRS professional fees.
- All TDS, GST, ITR, ROC government fees: nil (statutory filings are free)
- ROC late fees: Rs 100/day per form if delayed (avoid by filing on time)
- GST late fees: Rs 50/day per return (Rs 20 for nil returns)
- ITR late fees: Rs 5,000 (Rs 1,000 if income under Rs 5 lakh)
- Penalties for missed filings: case-by-case under Companies Act / Income-tax Act
Engagement & Fees
We handle your statutory compliances end-to-end — ROC filings (AOC-4, MGT-7), TDS, PF/ESI, Profession Tax, and MCA event-based filings — scoped to your entity and calendar during an initial scoping call.
Fees are confirmed per engagement after the scoping call, based on the scope and complexity involved. You receive a clear, written quote before any work begins — no hidden charges.
Quoted per Engagement
The final quote depends on the scope, volume, and statutory complexity of your specific engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you handle our auditor too, or do we hire one separately?
We handle the audit (since we are a registered CA firm). For VC-backed companies where the cap table requires an independent auditor (different from the compliance CA), we coordinate with the auditor.
We are pre-revenue. Do we still need this?
Yes. Even pre-revenue Pvt Ltds need monthly TDS, annual ROC filings, ITR, and INC-20A within 180 days. The Starter tier is built for exactly this.
We are on Zoho Books / Tally / QuickBooks - do we have to switch?
No. We work with whatever you already use. Most startup clients are on Zoho Books.
What happens if you find old non-compliance from before we started?
We audit the backlog upfront. If we find missed filings, unpaid TDS, late GST returns – we surface it, quantify the exposure, and propose a clean-up plan.
Do you sign as our auditor?
For Pvt Ltds and OPCs under audit, yes – we are appointed under Section 139 and issue the audit report with UDIN.
Can you also handle our payroll?
Yes – TDS on salary, PT, EPF/ESIC challan filing, Form 16 issuance. Some clients keep payroll in a separate HR platform (Razorpay X Payroll, Zoho People); we coordinate either way.