San Francisco Tax Advisory
- Financial
- Accounting
- Stock Options
- Taxes
- for tech people and founders
ABOUT US
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San Francisco Tax Advisory was founded to serve the financial and tax needs of tech employees and founders.
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Stock options, RSU's, company formation and capitalization, and all of the tax issues that go along with these.
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Every principal/shareholder of the firm has at least 2 degrees, "Big 4" on their resume, and is a CPA.
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We know it, we get it done. Period.
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Background note: did your tax advisor discuss with you how to exempt from capital gains tax, the first $10m of gains? We will. IRS code section 1202.
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"When you need to see the light at the end of the financial tunnel."
OUR SERVICES
Financial
If it's financial, and it's tech, we probably have experience dealing with it.
Accounting
Accounting issues come up with IRS and FTB tax authorities. That's where we can help.
Stock Options
There are many issues in today's equity compensation, including stock options (ISO and non ISO), RSU's, vesting schedules, and regulatory taxes. As our client, our job is to make sure it gets done right.
Taxes
Calculating what you owe, and not a dollar more, is our job. And making sure all of the required tax returns get filed too.​
INTRO AND OUR SERVICES IN DETAIL
​ Our firm offers premier tax preparation, planning, and advice primarily for tech employees and founders across the US, with current tax filing capabilities in CA, AZ, DC, MA, MD, NJ, NY, OR, VT, and WA. The founders previous professional experience was with the San Francisco office of global accounting firm, EY, with clients in Tech, Real Estate, and BioTech. It started with helping friends and family in the tech industry who needed the best professional advice/counsel for their specialized tax issues, and were not getting it. Realizing the need for professional services in this area, SFTA was founded in 2023 as a full-time firm to assist tech industry members with their taxes.
Intro calls are complimentary; please book intro calls at sf-ta.com/#contactus or email info@sf-ta.com for more information.
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Tax Preparation:
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Federal and state filing for personal tax returns and SMLLCs, including estimated payments
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Equity compensation tax filing support
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RSUs
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ESPP
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Options (ISOs and NSOs)
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QSBS
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Extension filing
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Estimated Payments
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Tax Planning and Advisory:
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Tax saving strategies
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401k contributions (including Mega Backdoor Roth)
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HSAs
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Tax loss harvesting
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Itemized deductions
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Charitable donations
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Mortgage interest
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And many others
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Inquire for more information on tax savings
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Estimated payments and withholdings analysis
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Manage tax liabilities to avoid surprise tax bills
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Reduce penalties and interest related to under withholding, a common issue for tech employees
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Additional Expertise Complex Tax Areas:
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equity compensation
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investments (long term vs short-term capital gains/losses)
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QSBS stock - IRS 1202 capital gains exclusion on first $10m ($15m for stock acquired after 7/04/2025)
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crypto
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rental properties
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K-1 investments
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multi-state, and other situations
CASE STUDIES
Case Study #1: Stock option exercise, 6 figure tax bill
Tech client had a preliminary tax bill of 6 figures on exercised stock options.
Solution: We were able to properly document the cost basis in the stock and ISO vs non ISO status, establishing a more favorable cost basis to the client, lowering their tax bill to 5 figures., a significant savings.
Case Study #2: Correcting disallowed Roth IRA contributions
New client came to us after realizing had an over contribution tax issue within a Roth IRA.
Solution: We were able to fix the issue, file the necessary paperwork with IRS, including the appropriate amended tax return, and work with the client’s investment manager. Saved the client numerous penalties, successfully keeping IRS penalties to a minimum.
​Case Study #3: The importance of understanding your stock option vesting schedule. Are you leaving money on the table?
Solution: Saved client from leaving $350,000 on the table.
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Case study #4: Cap table re-pricing, how does this affect your stock options?
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Solution: Early stage employee and consortium, was able to convince management to get a 409A valuation report and issue newly priced options.
Savings=client recouped 6 figures of stock value.
Case study #5: Exercise window of stock options, and if you leave the company before they are fully vested.
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Key takeaway: Know your exercise window, when you initially accept a job offer with your new company, not when you are leaving the company.
Solution: In this case, we were able to show our client that they could still exercise their options, 1 year after exit, and would not have to forfeit them.
Savings=saved the client 6 figures.
