Verify your Fondo setup is working: check that bank transactions are syncing, payroll data is flowing, and your company qualifies for R&D tax credits.
Navigate to Fondo Dashboard > Transactions:
Fondo automatically categorizes transactions:
| Category | Examples | Tax Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll | Gusto payments, contractor 1099s | Deductible, R&D qualified |
| Software | AWS, GitHub, Figma | Deductible, R&D qualified |
| Office | WeWork, office supplies | Deductible |
| Travel | Flights, hotels, meals | Partially deductible |
| Revenue | Stripe payouts, customer payments | Taxable income |
| Transfers | Between own accounts | Not taxable |
Review and correct any miscategorized transactions in Dashboard > Transactions.
Fondo Dashboard > Tax Credits > R&D Assessment
Eligible if ALL apply:
✓ US-based employees (W-2, not just contractors)
✓ Developing new/improved products, processes, or software
✓ Technical uncertainty exists in the development
✓ Systematic experimentation/iteration to resolve uncertainty
Average startup credit: $21,000/year
Maximum (payroll tax offset): $500,000/year
Dashboard > Payroll Integration
→ Confirm employee count matches your payroll provider
→ Verify salary data for R&D credit calculations
→ Check contractor payments are categorized separately
After 48 hours of setup:
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| No transactions appearing | Check Plaid connection status, allow 24-48h |
| Wrong categorization | Manually recategorize, Fondo learns patterns |
| R&D credit shows $0 | Verify W-2 employees doing qualifying work |
| Payroll data missing | Re-authorize payroll provider OAuth |
For development workflow details, see fondo-local-dev-loop.