Avoiding $25k Tax Mistakes: What International Founders Need to Know

Today’s webinar is a special one: a four-person panel built specifically for international founders who incorporated a U.S. Delaware C Corp to raise capital, build credibility with U.S. investors, and scale globally - but want clarity on how not to get blindsided by compliance.

‍Watch the Full Episode here

No slides, no jargon, no product walkthroughs. 

Just real patterns we’ve seen across thousands of startups.

You’ll hear from Zoeb Salehbhai, Head of Tax at Mercury, bringing experience from Big Four and high-growth startups. 

From Fondo, Lisa Hope, CPA and Senior Director of Tax & Accounting, who has helped thousands of founders navigate U.S. compliance. 

Sara Conde, Fondo’s Head of Sales, who’s often the first call when a notice shows up and confusion turns into urgency. 

And David Phillips, Founder & CEO of Fondo, connecting the operational dots between bookkeeping, filings, and what happens when those dots don’t line up.

The core misunderstanding we see? Founders assume that no revenue or no activity means no filing requirement. In the U.S., compliance generally starts at incorporation - and international ownership can introduce additional disclosures with meaningful penalties if missed. 

We break down what those filings are, when they’re due, and what actually triggers risk.

We also unpack Delaware franchise tax - why invoices can look catastrophic at first glance, how the calculation works, and what founders need to understand before panicking.

This is not tax advice. It’s not a product pitch. And it’s not a technical deep dive.

It’s clarity.

By the end of this conversation, you should understand:
• What you’re required to file
• Which deadlines truly matter
• What typically causes penalties
• What can wait - and what cannot

If you’re an international founder operating a U.S. Delaware C Corp, this episode is designed to replace confusion with context - and context with confidence.

In this episode:

00:57 What this session covers: international founder tax traps + how “$25k mistakes” happen

03:20 The 3 tax categories founders run into: payroll, sales, corporate

04:07 The biggest misconception: “no activity” still requires filing from incorporation

04:51 Why the IRS requires annual filings even with $0 revenue (info + reporting)

05:53 The workflow that makes taxes possible: transactions → books → financial statements

06:39 Common early-stage mess: personal + business commingling and why it explodes later

09:27 Why “I only need taxes” doesn’t work: accounting and tax are inseparable

10:00 Delaware franchise tax basics: deadline, who owes, and what matters (not revenue)

11:19 What Delaware franchise tax is actually based on (shares + gross assets)

13:33 Why founders get terrifying Delaware bills (and how method choice changes everything)

14:44 Real-world recalculation outcome: six-figure notice reduced to a normal amount

15:25 Operational compliance: building a system for notices, mail, and state portals

18:33 The address problem: how missed mail creates avoidable penalties and lost refunds

19:09 Why international founders face “enterprise-grade” penalties even when tiny

20:03 Foreign ownership reporting: the filing that can trigger $25k penalties per shareholder

21:13 Foreign subsidiaries: what gets reported and the $10k-per-year risk

23:14 Foreign bank accounts (FBAR): threshold-based reporting and common surprises

25:05 If you’re behind: fixing past years and building an abatement case

30:27 Diligence + exits: how missing compliance impacts fundraising, acquisitions, and valuation

32:34 Startup tax credits: what the R&D credit is and when it applies

35:18 Global teams + Section 174: why foreign R&D spend can create taxable income unexpectedly

00:41:32 Choosing the right help: why generalist firms miss startup international filings

00:43:56 Closing takeaway: why specialists + systems beat last-minute scrambling

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For informational purposes only. This is not legal or tax advice. Please consult your own legal or tax advisor regarding your specific situation.

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Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC.

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For radically different banking, visit Mercury.com and Mercury.com/for/accountants