Legal & Compliance
QSBS
Qualified Small Business Stock — a tax exclusion allowing founders and investors to exclude up to $10M (or 10x basis) of capital gains on qualifying startup investments.
QSBS (Qualified Small Business Stock) under Section 1202 of the Internal Revenue Code allows non-corporate investors to exclude 100% of federal capital gains (up to $10M or 10x the original investment, whichever is greater) on gains from qualifying C-corporation stock held for more than 5 years. To qualify: the company must be a domestic C-corp, have gross assets under $50M at time of issuance, operate in a qualified trade or business (software, tech, most startups qualify — professional services typically don't), and the investor must acquire stock at original issuance. For founders holding large equity stakes, QSBS can save tens of millions in taxes. QSBS stacking strategies allow family members to each claim the exclusion. Consult a tax attorney early — missing QSBS qualification has significant consequences.