Compliance, explained
Practical guidance on GST, TDS, PF/ESI, ROC/MCA and legal compliance for Indian SMB and startup founders — deadlines, penalties, and what actually applies.
Diligence-Ready in 30 Days: The Founder's Pre-Round Compliance Sprint
A term sheet is coming and you're not sure your compliance holds up. Here's a 30-day sprint to get diligence-ready — what to fix in week 1 through week 4, in priority order, before the investor's lawyer looks.
11 Aug 2026Startup diligenceThe Complete Compliance Calendar for an Indian Startup (FY 2026–27)
Every recurring compliance deadline an Indian private limited startup owes across the year — GST, TDS, advance tax, PF/ESI, ROC and FEMA — in one month-by-month calendar. Bookmark it.
10 Aug 2026Startup diligenceCompliance for SaaS and D2C Startups: What's Different for Each
SaaS and D2C startups share the core compliance set but differ where it counts — SaaS on exports, place of supply and data; D2C on e-commerce GST, e-way bills and product rules. Here's the split.
9 Aug 2026Startup diligenceCompliance for Fintech and RBI-Regulated Startups: The Extra Layer
Fintech startups carry all the usual compliance plus an RBI-regulated layer — licensing/registration, KYC/AML, data localisation, and payment rules. Here's what that extra layer means and why it's non-negotiable.
8 Aug 2026ROC / MCAESOP Compliance (Not Just Tax): The Documents and Filings You Must Keep
An ESOP is more than a tax event — it's a set of documents and corporate filings you must get right: a board-approved plan, shareholder approval, grant letters, a register, and perquisite TDS at exercise. Here's the compliance side.
7 Aug 2026FEMA & FDIFC-TRS: Reporting a Share Transfer Involving a Foreign Investor
When shares transfer between a resident and a non-resident — a secondary sale, an investor exit, a founder selling to a foreign fund — you must file FC-TRS with the RBI. Here's when it applies and the timeline.
6 Aug 2026ROC / MCAAppointing and Rotating Your Auditor: ADT-1 and the Companies Act Rules
Every company must appoint a statutory auditor and notify the ROC in Form ADT-1. Here's the appointment timeline, the five-year term, when rotation applies, and the filing deadline.
5 Aug 2026ROC / MCAMGT-14: Which Resolutions You Must File With the MCA, and When
Certain board and shareholder resolutions must be filed with the MCA in Form MGT-14, generally within 30 days. Here's which resolutions trigger it, the deadline, and why a missed MGT-14 surfaces in diligence.
4 Aug 2026ROC / MCABoard Meetings and Minutes: The Governance Record Diligence Checks
A private limited company must hold a minimum number of board meetings each year and record proper minutes. Here's the cadence, what must be minuted, and why board records are a standing diligence checkpoint.
3 Aug 2026Startup diligenceScheduled Reminders and Escalation: Never Let a Client Filing Go Overdue
A once-a-day digest isn't enough to keep a book of clients clean. Here's how scheduled, deadline-anchored reminders plus an escalation ladder stop client filings going overdue in a CA firm.
2 Aug 2026Startup diligenceThe Document Chase: Fixing the Founder↔CA Loop That Delays Every Filing
Most late filings aren't the CA's fault or the founder's — they're stuck in the document chase. Here's how to fix the founder↔CA loop so documents arrive on time and filings stop slipping.
1 Aug 2026Startup diligenceWhite-Label Diligence: Investor-Ready Packs Under Your Firm's Brand
When a CA firm hands a funded client an investor-ready compliance pack under the firm's own brand, it deepens the relationship and wins referrals. Here's how white-label diligence-readiness works for a practice.
31 Jul 2026Startup diligenceHow to Price a Compliance Retainer for Startup Clients
Pricing compliance by the form is a race to the bottom. Here's how CA firms price a compliance retainer for startup clients by value and scope — tiers, what to include, and how to add a diligence-readiness upsell.
30 Jul 2026Startup diligenceClient Onboarding for CA Firms: From Engagement Letter to a Live Compliance Calendar
A slow, manual client onboarding costs a CA firm its first impression and its first month. Here's a clean process from engagement letter to a live, accurate compliance calendar — and how to make it repeatable.
29 Jul 2026Startup diligenceThe Jr→Sr→CA Review Workflow: How Firms Stop Filings Slipping
Most missed filings in a CA firm aren't knowledge gaps — they're handoff gaps. Here's how a clear preparer → reviewer → partner workflow, with escalation, stops client filings slipping through the cracks.
28 Jul 2026Startup diligenceWhy Indian CA Firms Are Moving Off Spreadsheets for Compliance Tracking
Tracking dozens of clients' filings in spreadsheets and WhatsApp breaks down as a practice grows. Here's why Indian CA and CS firms are moving to a single control room — and what it changes for the practice.
27 Jul 2026Legal & contractsPrivacy Policy, Consent and Data: A Startup's DPDP Readiness Checklist
A practical, do-this-now checklist to get your startup ready for India's DPDP Act — data mapping, consent and notice, privacy policy, security safeguards, breach response and data-principal rights.
26 Jul 2026Legal & contractsThe DPDP Act: What Indian Startups Must Do About Data Protection Now
India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act is here — the Rules were notified on 13 November 2025, with the core obligations in force from 13 May 2027 and penalties up to ₹250 crore. Here's what startups must start doing about data protection.
25 Jul 2026TDS & income tax15CA/15CB: What You Must File Before Paying a Foreign Vendor
Before remitting money abroad above the threshold, you generally need Form 15CA (an online declaration) and often Form 15CB (a CA certificate). Banks won't process the transfer without them. Here's how it works.
24 Jul 2026TDS & income taxTDS Sections Every Startup Hits: 194C, 194J, 194Q and 194I
Paying contractors, consultants, rent or large suppliers? You probably have to deduct TDS. Here's a plain-English guide to the TDS sections a startup hits most — 194C, 194J, 194Q and 194I — with rates and thresholds.
23 Jul 2026TDS & income taxITR Filing for a Private Limited Company: Forms, Dates and What's Needed
Every private limited company must file an income-tax return each year — ITR-6, generally by 31 October if audited. Here's the form, the deadline, what you need, and why non-filing is serious.
22 Jul 2026TDS & income taxDoes Your Startup Need a Tax Audit? Section 44AB Thresholds Explained
A tax audit under Section 44AB is required once turnover crosses ₹1 crore (₹10 crore if cash transactions are minimal) — separate from your statutory audit. Here's who needs it, the thresholds, and the deadline.
21 Jul 2026TDS & income taxAdvance Tax for Startups and Founders: The Four Instalments and 234B/234C
If your tax liability for the year exceeds ₹10,000, you must pay advance tax in four instalments — 15 June, 15 Sep, 15 Dec, 15 Mar. Miss them and Sections 234B/234C charge interest. Here's the schedule and the math.
20 Jul 2026GSTReverse Charge (RCM): The GST You Owe on Purchases You Didn't Expect
Under reverse charge, the buyer pays GST directly to the government instead of the supplier — on certain services, imports, and purchases from unregistered suppliers. Here's when RCM hits a startup and how to handle it.
19 Jul 2026GSTLUT for Exporters: Charge Zero GST on Your SaaS and Service Exports
A Letter of Undertaking lets GST-registered exporters supply goods or services abroad without charging GST. Essential for SaaS and service exporters — here's what it is, how to file it, and the annual renewal.
18 Jul 2026GSTGSTR-9 and GSTR-9C: The Annual GST Return and Reconciliation, Explained
GSTR-9 is the annual GST return; GSTR-9C is the reconciliation statement above ₹5 crore. Here's who files each, what they consolidate, the deadline, and why they're a diligence checkpoint.
17 Jul 2026GSTQRMP: Should Your Startup File GST Quarterly?
The QRMP scheme lets businesses with turnover up to ₹5 crore file GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B quarterly while paying tax monthly. Here's who's eligible, how it works, and when it's worth switching.
16 Jul 2026GSTInput Tax Credit: The Rules That Decide Whether You Can Actually Claim It
Input Tax Credit lets you offset GST paid on purchases against GST collected — but only if the credit appears in your GSTR-2B, the supplier filed, and it isn't a blocked credit. Here are the rules that decide.
15 Jul 2026GSTGST E-Invoicing: When It Applies to Your Business (₹5 Cr) and How to Comply
GST e-invoicing is mandatory once your aggregate annual turnover crosses ₹5 crore. Here's who it applies to, what changes in your billing, and the consequence of raising a non-compliant invoice.
14 Jul 2026GSTGST Compliance for Indian Startups: Registration, Returns & the Deadlines That Matter
A complete GST compliance guide for Indian startups — when you must register, the monthly and annual returns you file, the key deadlines, and the penalties for missing them.
13 Jul 2026Startup diligenceYour CA Files. Who Makes Sure Nothing's Missed — and Proves It?
A great CA files your returns. But filing isn't the same as a complete, evidenced, diligence-ready record. Here's the difference between a filer and a compliance system of record — and why funded startups need both.
11 Jul 2026Startup diligenceThe Real Cost of a Compliance Gap: Penalties, Stalled Rounds, Repriced Term Sheets
The fine is the smallest part. The real cost of a compliance gap for a funded startup is a delayed round, a repriced term sheet, or a deal that dies in diligence. Here's how to size the true exposure.
10 Jul 2026Startup diligenceBuilding a Startup-Compliance Practice: Why CAs Are Productising Diligence-Readiness
Funded startups will pay for the confidence that diligence won't surface surprises. Here's how CA and CS firms are turning compliance and diligence-readiness into a repeatable, higher-margin service line.
8 Jul 2026Payroll & labourProfessional Tax Is State-Specific — and Most Startups Get the Cadence Wrong
Professional tax, Shops & Establishment and Labour Welfare Fund vary by state, and a company operating in several states owes them in each. Here's why one default cadence breaks, with Tamil Nadu as an example.
6 Jul 2026Payroll & labourStartup India Self-Certification: The Labour-Law Shortcut You're Not Using
DPIIT-recognised startups can self-certify compliance under specified labour and environmental laws — cutting inspections and paperwork. Here's what it covers, how it works, and the catch.
4 Jul 2026Startup diligenceDPIIT Recognition: The Compliance Side Founders Overlook
DPIIT recognition unlocks benefits — but it also comes with a certificate to keep, self-certification you must actually use, and reporting to maintain. Here's the compliance side, and where to claim the 80-IAC tax holiday.
3 Jul 2026TDS & income taxGot a GST or TDS Notice? What the Clock It Starts Actually Means
A tax notice isn't a penalty — it's a deadline. Here's how to read a GST or TDS notice, the response window it starts, what to gather, and when to escalate to your CA before a manageable query becomes an expensive problem.
2 Jul 2026Startup diligenceRunning Compliance for 40 Startup Clients Without Losing Track
Managing compliance across dozens of startup clients in spreadsheets and WhatsApp breaks down fast. Here's how a CA/CS firm can run one control room across its whole client book — fewer missed deadlines, evidence in one place.
1 Jul 2026ROC / MCAStatutory Registers: The Unsexy Folder That Fails Diligence
Every company must maintain statutory registers under the Companies Act — members, directors, charges, SBO and more. They're easy to neglect and a common diligence gap. Here's what to keep and why it matters.
30 Jun 2026Startup diligence5 Things Your CA Won't Proactively Tell You Are Overdue
A great CA files your returns — but the things outside the monthly tax rhythm often go unwatched. Here are five compliance items founders assume are handled but frequently aren't, and how to see the whole picture.
29 Jun 2026ROC / MCADPT-3 by 30 June: Does Your Startup's Loan or Convertible Note Count?
DPT-3 is the annual MCA return of deposits and outstanding loans, due 30 June. Many startups don't realise their director loans, inter-company loans, and convertible notes need to be reported. Here's what counts.
28 Jun 2026ROC / MCADIR-3 KYC Season: The ₹5,000 Mistake That Deactivates Your DIN
Every director with a DIN must file DIR-3 KYC by 30 September. Miss it and your DIN is deactivated — blocking every board resolution and filing — with a ₹5,000 fee to reactivate. Here's who files and how.
27 Jun 2026Startup diligenceCap Table & Equity Docs: The Folder Every Acquirer Opens First
The cap table and the equity documents behind it are the first thing investors and acquirers verify. Here's the full equity-document set — SHA, SSA, term sheets, founders' agreements, share certificates and ESOP records — and what each one proves.
25 Jun 2026Startup diligenceEvidence, Not 'Filed': The One Habit That Makes Diligence Painless
A task marked 'done' is not the same as a task you can prove. Here's why keeping the filed acknowledgement as evidence — not just ticking a box — is the single habit that makes due diligence fast.
24 Jun 2026Startup diligenceHelping a Startup Client Pass Diligence: A CA's Prep Checklist
A practitioner's guide to getting a funded startup client diligence-ready — the documents to assemble, the filings to bring current, and where founders most often self-sabotage before a round.
23 Jun 2026Startup diligenceIP Assignment: The Founder Mistake That Re-Prices Rounds
If your founders, employees and contractors haven't formally assigned their IP to the company, you may not own your core asset — a top diligence red flag. Here's what IP assignment is, who needs to sign, and how to fix it.
22 Jun 2026Startup diligenceWhat an Investor Sees When They Open Your Data Room (and How to Make It Boring)
A well-run compliance data room makes diligence fast and forgettable. Here's how investors read a data room, what 'boring is good' means, and how to structure yours so the compliance section raises no questions.
21 Jun 2026Startup diligence7 Compliance Gaps That Blow Up Series A Diligence
The seven compliance gaps most likely to delay, reprice, or complicate an Indian startup's Series A — ranked, with what each one signals to an investor and how to close it before the round.
20 Jun 2026Startup diligenceThe Series A Due-Diligence Compliance Checklist (India)
What a VC's lawyer actually checks in a Series A diligence — corporate, cap table, IP, employment, tax, FEMA and contracts — organised as a Red/Amber/Green checklist with the exact artifact each item needs.
19 Jun 2026FundingAngel Tax Is Abolished — So What Actually Applies When You Raise at a Premium Now?
Angel tax (Section 56(2)(viib)) was abolished from FY2025-26. But raising at a premium still triggers a valuation, PAS-3, FC-GPR for foreign money, and more. Here's what survived the headline.
18 Jun 2026FEMA & FDIFEMA for CAs: The Startup-Client Filings You Can't Afford to Miss
A practitioner's checklist for advisors with funded startup clients — FC-GPR, FC-TRS and FLA triggers, the document reconciliation that prevents AD-bank rejections, and the LSF exposure to flag before diligence does.
17 Jun 2026ROC / MCAWhat a Missed PAS-3 Does to Your Cap Table at Diligence
PAS-3 is the MCA filing that legally records a share allotment. File it late and you get additional fees now — and a cap-table credibility problem when an investor's lawyer runs diligence later.
16 Jun 2026FundingYou Closed the Round. Here's Every Filing Due in the Next 30 Days
Raising a round triggers a burst of dated MCA and RBI filings — PAS-3, MGT-14, a Rule 11UA valuation, share certificates and (for foreign money) FC-GPR. Here's the post-raise compliance checklist with deadlines.
15 Jun 2026FEMA & FDIFLA Return Explained (Due 15 July) — The Annual RBI Filing Funded Startups Forget
If your startup has any foreign investment, you must file the FLA Return with the RBI by 15 July every year — reporting your foreign assets and liabilities as of 31 March. Here's who files, what's needed, and the penalty for missing it.
14 Jun 2026FEMA & FDITook Foreign Investment? Your FC-GPR Clock Started the Day the Money Hit
FC-GPR must reach the RBI within 30 days of allotment, and shares must be allotted within 60 days of receiving foreign funds. Here's the timeline, the documents, and what a late filing costs.
13 Jun 2026FEMA & FDIThe Complete FEMA Compliance Guide for Funded Indian Startups
Took foreign investment? Here are the FEMA filings every funded Indian startup owes the RBI — FC-GPR, FC-TRS and the annual FLA Return — with deadlines, penalties and a worked timeline.
12 Jun 2026Startup diligenceThe Post-Incorporation Compliance Map: Month-by-Month for an Indian Pvt Ltd
Just incorporated? Here's the compliance timeline for a new Indian private limited company — INC-20A, first board meeting, GST, first hires, ROC annuals and funding-round filings — laid out by when each one is due.
4 Jun 2026ROC / MCAThe ROC Annual Filing Calendar for a Private Limited Company
Every annual MCA/ROC filing a private limited company owes — AOC-4, MGT-7, DIR-3 KYC, DPT-3, ADT-1 — with due dates, penalties, and why missing them is serious. The 2026 calendar.
3 Jun 2026Payroll & labourPF and ESI for Your First 10–20 Hires: When They Apply and What's Due
Hiring your first employees? Here's exactly when PF and ESI become applicable, the 15th-of-the-month deadline, contribution rates, and what a late deposit costs.
1 Jun 2026TDS & income taxTDS Due Dates and the Three Penalties Founders Confuse
TDS has three separate failure points — late deduction, late deposit, and late return — each with its own cost. Here's the deposit deadline, the quarterly return dates, and what each slip costs, with a worked example.
27 May 2026GSTGST late fees and interest, explained for SMB owners
Filed a GST return late? Here's exactly how the ₹50/day late fee and 18% p.a. interest are calculated — with a worked example and how to avoid them.
20 May 2026