83(b) elections, early exercise options, and QSBS tax benefits - how to find specialized tax attorney?

You're definitely right to look for someone specialized in these areas. 83(b) elections and QSBS qualifications are very specific tax topics that many general practitioners don't have deep experience with. Instead of Google Maps, I'd recommend looking for tax attorneys who specifically mention startup equity, stock options, or venture capital experience on their websites. The State Bar Association in your area might have a referral service where you can specify expertise in securities and tax law. Another good approach is asking for recommendations from people in your network who've worked at startups before - especially founders, early employees, or anyone who's had a successful exit. Your company's investors might also have connections to attorneys they recommend to portfolio companies. Don't just look at tax attorneys - some securities attorneys who work with startups have excellent knowledge of 83(b) elections and QSBS requirements too. The key is finding someone who regularly handles these specific issues rather than someone who just knows general tax law.

I went through the same struggle last year when joining my startup. After months of confusion with my regular accountant who kept giving me contradictory advice about my stock options, I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was a game-changer for navigating 83(b) elections. Their system analyzed my offer letter and stock option agreement, then explained exactly what I needed to know about filing the 83(b) election and the potential QSBS tax benefits. They even have specialized knowledge about startup equity that my regular CPA completely missed. The best part was getting matched with a tax pro who specifically handles startup equity issues rather than just general tax stuff.

Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after seeing it recommended here. I was initially just looking for help with my 83(b) election, but they ended up helping me with my entire equity situation. The document analysis identified several issues with my option agreement that I wouldn't have caught (including some language that could have affected my QSBS eligibility). The tax specialist they matched me with had worked with several companies in the same industry as mine and immediately understood my situation. She spotted that my previous company's options had some unusual vesting acceleration terms that required special handling for tax purposes. Definitely worth checking out if you're dealing with startup equity tax questions!

If your main concern is getting the 83(b) election filed correctly (which has to be done within 30 days!), don't forget you'll likely need to talk to the IRS directly to confirm they received everything properly. That became a nightmare for me - spent days trying to reach someone at the IRS to verify my filing. After wasting hours on hold, I tried Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and was shocked when they actually got me through to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Saved me from the anxiety of not knowing if my 83(b) election was properly filed before the deadline passed.

I need to follow up here because I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway since my 83(b) election deadline was approaching fast and I had questions about how it would interact with my AMT calculation. The service actually works exactly as described. They got me through to an IRS representative in about 20 minutes (I had previously spent 3+ hours on hold before giving up). The agent confirmed exactly what documentation I needed to include with my 83(b) filing and answered my questions about QSBS documentation requirements. Saved me a ton of stress during an already stressful equity decision process!

Another approach: check with your startup's law firm. Our company uses Wilson Sonsini, and they offered a reduced rate consultation for employees dealing with 83(b) elections and option exercises. Many of the big firms that work with startups (Cooley, Gunderson, etc.) have programs specifically for startup employees. For QSBS specifically, you need someone who really understands the qualified small business stock exclusion rules. That one's trickier since you're looking 5+ years ahead at potential tax savings, and the requirements are super specific about business types, asset limits, and holding periods.

Don't forget about specialized accountants too! I found my tax person by looking for CPAs who specifically listed "startup equity" or "stock option planning" on their websites. Ended up finding someone who had been handling 83(b) elections for startup employees for 15+ years. Cost was WAY less than an attorney ($250 for an initial consultation, then about $650 to handle the whole 83(b) filing process including all documentation). He also helped me understand the potential QSBS benefits and what records I needed to maintain.