Three-Number Check for Your Fourth Estimated Payment at a 7% Rate
Use a safe-harbor worksheet to size the fourth estimated payment before the underpayment rate turns a small gap into daily interest.
In this edition
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110Minutes
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401(k) Pay Checklist: October 1 Safe Harbor
3 MINA bootstrapped founder can use a 401(k) as a pay control if the plan is live by October 1 and the election is on file before pay is earned.
Run this 401(k) cash test before replacing a distribution
3 MINA higher 401(k) deferral can replace a taxable distribution only if the business can still pay payroll, debt, and a cash cushion.
Pay Yourself Without Burning Cash: Survival Pay and Profit-Linked Pay
3 MINA fixed survival salary plus a capped variable payout tied to cash or profit lets a bootstrapped founder pay themselves without draining the bank.
Bootstrapped Founder Salary Rule vs VC CEO $165K
3 MINSet your founder salary from recurring cash after fixed costs and a buffer, then use the VC CEO benchmark only to size the gap.
Prepay, Renew, or Move to Managed When Your Server Bill Jumps
3 MINTreat a server price jump as a cash decision: compare the locked prepay monthly cost against the best managed or usage alternative before committing.
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Set 401(k) deferral and match from bank balance, not the 31% norm
3 MINTreat the plan as a cash policy: defer only what the bank balance can carry, and match only what payroll can pay for a year.
Profitable SaaS Exit Value: Clean ARR and No Option Overhang
3 MINA buyer pays for current clean ARR and a clean cap table, so keep both current before you price a profitable, un-diluted company.
Two-Day Checklist to Make the September 15 Q3 Tax Payment Without a Penalty
3 MINTest safe harbor first, size the penalty gap, and treat the new 1099-NEC threshold as paperwork, not relief.
Grow Spend or Thicken Cash: A Quarterly Buffer Test
3 MINUse a simple buffer test before adding spend: if your months of cash stay above your floor after the increase, grow; if not, thicken the buffer.
Cap Atlassian meters and lock the old price before October 13
3 MINTreat the Atlassian renewal as a cash-control date: audit usage, cap the new meters, and lock an eligible quote before the invoice changes.
Keep Half of Revenue: The Software-to-Headcount Mix
3 MINTurn repeatable service work into software, price the rest at fully loaded cost, and add people only when product revenue can pay the salary.
Recover the Failed-Payment Cash Leak in Your Billing Report
3 MINA failed payment is a cash leak you can close before it becomes product churn.
Cash-First Hiring: When a Drop in ARR per Employee Is Good
3 MINUse cash runway, pricing, and growth band to decide whether a lower ARR-per-employee ratio is a healthy hire or a warning.
How to fix the retention leak behind your improving Rule of 40
3 MINYour growth-plus-margin score can look better while your base quietly shrinks. Audit gross and net retention before you spend more on growth.
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