409A Valuation: The Complete Guide for Startup Founders (2026)
If you're issuing stock options, you need a 409A valuation. Here's what every startup founder needs to know about the process, the safe harbor rules, and the costly mistakes to avoid.
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SAFE Agreements: What Every Startup Founder Needs to Know
SAFEs are the dominant instrument in pre-seed and seed financing, but "simple" doesn't mean uncomplicated. Learn how SAFEs actually work, what can go wrong, and what you need to know before you sign one.
Stock Option Exercise Timing: Planning Before Washington's 2028 Income Tax
Washington's new 9.9% income tax takes effect January 1, 2028. For startup employees and founders with stock options, 2027 is the last full year to exercise without state income tax.
ING Trusts Won't Save You from Washington's Income Tax. Here's What Might.
ESSB 6346 includes explicit anti-avoidance provisions that pull ING trust income back into the grantor's Washington taxable income. ING trusts are dead for Washington tax purposes — but other trust strategies may still work.
Tax Loss Harvesting to Manage Washington's $1 Million Income Tax Threshold
Washington's new 9.9% income tax has a hard threshold at $1 million AGI. Tax loss harvesting can help you stay below it — here's how to use realized losses strategically before and after 2028.
Roth Conversions Before 2028: The Window Is Closing for Washington Residents
Washington residents with large traditional IRAs have a 21-month window to convert to Roth tax-free at the state level. Once the 9.9% income tax takes effect in 2028, that window closes.
Crypto and Digital Assets Under Washington's 9.9% Income Tax: What You Need to Know
Washington's new 9.9% income tax reaches crypto gains, DeFi income, staking rewards, and NFT sales. If you're a Washington resident with digital assets, here's what you need to know.
Installment Sales and Structured Exits: How to Spread Gain and Manage Washington's 9.9% Income Tax
Selling a business or large asset in Washington? An installment sale can spread gain across multiple years and keep you below the $1 million income tax threshold. Here's how it works under ESSB 6346.
Deferred Compensation and Washington's New 9.9% Income Tax: What Executives Need to Know
RSUs, stock options, and deferred comp plans all create income recognition events that could push you over Washington's $1 million threshold. Here's how the new 9.9% tax changes executive pay planning.
C Corp vs. S Corp vs. LLC: How Washington's New Income Tax Changes the Entity Choice Calculus
Washington's new 9.9% income tax fundamentally changes the entity choice calculus for founders. C corps, S corps, and LLCs are now taxed very differently — and the old default advice no longer holds.