Resources

Business compliance guides

Plain-language explainers built for clear next steps — current requirements checked and reviewed by qualified professionals before we publish.

What Counts as "Wages" for PF, ESI and Gratuity — and the 50% Rule

Accounting & Payroll

What Counts as "Wages" for PF, ESI and Gratuity — and the 50% Rule

The contribution rates did not change when the Labour Codes commenced. The base they apply to did. Section 2(y) of the Code on Wages pulls excluded allowances back into wages once they exceed half of total remuneration — and ESIC runs a completely different wage test on top of that. Here is both, with the arithmetic worked out.

19 Aug 202618 min
Gratuity Under the Social Security Code: Section 53, and the Ceiling Nobody Has Notified

Accounting & Payroll

Gratuity Under the Social Security Code: Section 53, and the Ceiling Nobody Has Notified

The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 was repealed on 21 November 2025. Gratuity now lives in Section 53 of the Code on Social Security — five years' service with four exceptions, 15 days' wages per year on the wages last drawn, and a maximum that Section 53(3) leaves to a notification we could not find. Here is what is settled and what honestly is not.

19 Aug 202613 min
Monthly Accounting Services for Startups

Accounting & Payroll

Monthly Accounting Services for Startups

Year-end accounting is where startups discover their numbers were wrong all along. Monthly accounting fixes that. Here's why startups should account monthly, and what a good package covers.

30 Jul 20262 min
Payroll Compliance Checklist for Indian Employers

Accounting & Payroll

Payroll Compliance Checklist for Indian Employers

PF, ESI, professional tax and salary TDS — thresholds, the monthly and annual calendar, a CTC-to-net-pay worked example, and what actually changed when the four Labour Codes came into force on 21 November 2025.

30 Jul 202630 min
Bookkeeping Checklist for Small Businesses

Accounting & Payroll

Bookkeeping Checklist for Small Businesses

Clean books don't happen by accident. Here's a practical monthly bookkeeping checklist for small businesses — what to record, reconcile and review so your filings always tie out.

23 Jul 20262 min
GST Accounting Explained: Keeping Books and Returns in Sync

Accounting & Payroll

GST Accounting Explained: Keeping Books and Returns in Sync

GST touches every sale and purchase, so your books and your GST returns have to agree. Here's how GST flows through your accounting — and how to keep input credit from slipping.

21 Jul 20262 min
Virtual CFO Services for Startups: When You Need One

Accounting & Payroll

Virtual CFO Services for Startups: When You Need One

A Virtual CFO gives startups senior finance leadership without a full-time hire. Here's what a VCFO actually does, when you need one, and how it differs from an accountant.

20 Jul 20262 min
PF Return Filing Guide: Monthly EPF ECR, Step by Step

Accounting & Payroll

PF Return Filing Guide: Monthly EPF ECR, Step by Step

PF registration is one-time; PF returns are monthly. Here's how the EPF ECR works, the due date, what happens if you're late, and how to keep employees' credit clean.

19 Jul 20262 min
ESI Return Filing Guide: Monthly ESIC Contributions

Accounting & Payroll

ESI Return Filing Guide: Monthly ESIC Contributions

After ESI registration, contributions are a monthly job. Here's how ESI return filing works, who's covered, the due date, and how to keep your team's benefits intact.

18 Jul 20262 min
Professional Tax Return Filing Guide: PTRC, Schedules & States

Accounting & Payroll

Professional Tax Return Filing Guide: PTRC, Schedules & States

If your state levies professional tax, filing the returns is a recurring job with state-specific schedules. Here's how PT return filing works, who files what, and the deadlines.

17 Jul 20262 min
Legal Documents Every Startup Needs

Accounting & Payroll

Legal Documents Every Startup Needs

Most startup disputes trace back to a missing or weak document. Here are the legal documents every startup should have in place — from founders' agreements to employment contracts and NDAs.

16 Jul 20262 min
Board Resolution Format and Use Cases

Accounting & Payroll

Board Resolution Format and Use Cases

Companies record decisions through board resolutions — for banks, the ROC and more. Here's the typical format, common use cases, and how to pass one correctly.

15 Jul 20262 min