Fiscal Umbrella Accountants
SEIS and EIS advance assurance handled before your investor conversation
SEIS and EIS advance assurance helps technology startups explain the tax relief to angels before a raise.
What matters is whether the company, investment and planned use of funds fit the rules. That needs checking before an investor relies on the relief. Fasih faced the same decision with his own software company.
Fiscal Umbrella prepares SEIS and EIS advance assurance for startups across the UK from its Luton office. Fees are fixed in writing. Fasih handles the work in house and has obtained SEIS advance assurance for his own software company.
I was stuck with my R&D claim, but Fiscal Umbrella helped me navigate it smoothly. They're professional, efficient, and truly know their stuff.…Cartel Media
- Fasih Khan ACCA
- Fixed fees in writing
- Luton office
- UK-wide remote
What advance assurance changes before the raise
Know whether SEIS or EIS fits
The company and proposed investment are checked before the relief becomes part of your investor conversation.
Give angels an answer they can use
Fasih explains how the relief applies and can speak directly with an angel already considering the company.
Keep the raise tied to the rules
The application, year end and relevant reliefs are handled by the same qualified person.
Where advance assurance starts to matter most
The problem usually appears when an investor asks a question the current accountant cannot answer.
- Timing
“We started investor talks, then found nobody had checked whether we were inside the three-year SEIS window.”
That leaves the investor waiting while the company works out whether the proposed relief is realistic.
- Investor
“Our angel asked how the relief worked for them, and our accountant sent us a general link.”
A general answer leaves the investor to decide how the rules apply to this raise.
- Raise
“We planned the raise around SEIS, but nobody had reviewed the company or the proposed investment.”
The pitch can move ahead while an important eligibility question remains unresolved.
- Day 90
What changes once the advice is in the room
The eligibility questions are dealt with before they hold up an investor conversation. Your angel gets an explanation tied to the proposed raise. You can plan the next step without treating the relief as an assumption.
Quick check · no email
If your accountant cannot explain whether SEIS or EIS fits, what the application needs, and what your angel should hear this week, you have the wrong accountant
Answer these questions about the support your current accountant can provide now.
Question 1 of 3
Could they tell you this week whether SEIS or EIS is the realistic route?
Could they explain what the advance assurance application still needs?
Could they explain the relief directly to an angel already considering your company?
The gap is real because the raise is moving without the tax position being checked. The set-up review is the next sensible step.
Part of the work is covered, but one unanswered question could still reach the investor. Fasih faced this process with his own software company.
Your current accountant appears to have the main points covered. Read the guides if you want to check the wider R&D and patent box position.
What changes when advance assurance is handled in house
Routine year-end work and advance assurance answer different questions during a raise.
Year-end support
Prepares the annual accounts and corporation tax return.
Works mainly from transactions that have already happened.
May refer specialist relief work elsewhere.
Usually speaks to the founder about filing deadlines.
Advance assurance support
Checks the proposed raise before the investor relies on relief.
Connects the application with the company’s current tax position.
Keeps the work with the person handling the year end.
Explains the relief to an angel already in the conversation.
What needs checking before the application goes in
A strong application starts with questions that should already have clear answers.
- 01
Is the company inside the relevant SEIS window?
The incorporation date and planned raise need checking before SEIS is presented to investors.
- 02
Do you need investors or turnover in place before you ask?
No. Any founder looking at SEIS or EIS funding can enquire. Fiscal Umbrella does not find or introduce investors.
- 03
Is the applicant a trading limited company?
This service is for limited companies. They do not need turnover or investors in place yet.
- 04
Can the proposed raise be explained clearly?
The application should match what the company plans to do with the investment.
- 05
Can someone explain the relief to the angel?
Fasih can speak directly with an angel who is already considering the company.
- 06
Has the route from SEIS to EIS been considered?
The order of the reliefs should be discussed before the raise moves ahead.
- 07
Have R&D and patent box also been screened?
Related reliefs are checked against the company’s work and registered intellectual property.
- 08
Are the year end and tax position connected?
Fiscal Umbrella keeps advance assurance and the wider company tax work together.
What sits around the advance assurance application
The application works better when the wider tax position is handled alongside it.
Advance assurance before the raise
The company and proposed investment are checked before SEIS is discussed as part of the investor case.
The next relief considered early
EIS is reviewed as part of the funding route rather than left until the next raise begins.
Investor questions answered by Fasih
Fasih can explain how the relief works to an angel already considering the company.
Entry 01
How Fasih handled advance assurance for his own raise
The process is familiar from the founder’s side of the table.
What clients say
How the work moves from eligibility to investor
Each stage answers the next question before it reaches your angel.
Know whether the route is realistic
The free eligibility check looks at the company, funding position and timing before any application work begins.
Build a case the investor understands
Fasih prepares the advance assurance case around the company and the proposed raise.
Give your angel a straight explanation
If needed, Fasih speaks with an existing angel about how the relief applies to them.
Keep the tax work connected
The year end, R&D position and patent box questions stay with the same qualified person.
Who this advance assurance service is built for
Any founder looking at SEIS or EIS funding can enquire, including companies with no turnover and no investors yet.
The business must be a limited company.
Fiscal Umbrella does not find, arrange or introduce investment.
Companies asking to defer payment until trading improves are outside the service criteria.
The free eligibility check will tell you whether the next step is realistic before any work begins.
What founders ask before advance assurance begins
What does the monthly accounting fee include?
The scope is agreed in writing before work starts. It can cover year-end accounts, corporation tax, payroll and the founder’s personal tax. SEIS or EIS advance assurance is included when the written proposal says so. Any separate work is agreed first, so the company knows what Fasih will handle.
Can Fiscal Umbrella help if we already have an accountant?
Yes. Fiscal Umbrella can handle the advance assurance work while your current accountant continues with routine filings, if responsibilities are agreed. Fasih will need the company information and tax position required for the application. If wider accounting gaps could affect the raise, he will explain them before any work starts.
Do we have to move to different accounting software?
No software change is automatic. Fasih first checks what you use and whether it provides the information needed for the application. If a change would improve the year end or future claims, he will explain why. The decision and scope are agreed before work begins.
What happens with our current accountant if we switch?
If you switch the wider accounting work, Fiscal Umbrella contacts your current accountant and requests the company files. The handover is managed around filing deadlines. For advance assurance alone, responsibilities can be split clearly. Fasih will tell both sides what he needs, so the application does not depend on assumptions.
How long does SEIS and EIS advance assurance take?
Advance assurance timing depends on how complete the company information is and on HMRC’s own process. Fiscal Umbrella does not promise an HMRC response date. Fasih first checks whether the application is realistic, then agrees the work in writing. Investor conversations should allow for that uncertainty.
Does SEIS advance assurance mean the investment will qualify?
No. Advance assurance is HMRC’s view based on the information provided before the investment. The company still has to follow the relevant conditions. It also does not secure funding or introduce investors. Fasih prepares the application and can explain the relief to an angel who is already in the conversation.
Three ways to take the next step
Start with the SEIS eligibility check
Answer a few quick questions, get a personalised recommendation and, if there is a fit, arrange the free review.
Check if you fit 02 · A question firstNeed to ask Fasih first?
Send your question and explain where the company is in its funding plans.
Ask Fasih a question 03 · Still decidingStill deciding whether advance assurance fits?
Read the guides for the wider questions around startup tax, R&D and patent box.
Read the startup guides →