IndianTip credit
A two-location Indian restaurant claims the tip credit it had been missing
Servers reported their tips correctly, but the owner had never claimed the FICA tip credit on Form 8846.
≈ $15k / yr
Tax · Bookkeeping · Payroll · Advisory
Your kitchen runs on passion. Your books should run on expertise.
EliteNine brings Big Five-level tax, bookkeeping and payroll expertise to restaurants, grocery stores and the families who run them — and to every individual and business that needs a partner they can trust.
- Practice areas
- 6
- Specialized services
- 41
- Food & retail specialties
- 7
- Bilingual website
- EN · ES
Monthly rhythm
3/3- Bookkeeping & financial statements
- Payroll services
- Sales tax filings
Compliance calendar
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KBNPY
EA · CPA · CA · CISA- Indian restaurants
- Mexican restaurants & taquerías
- Grocery & specialty markets
- Food trucks & catering
- Convenience stores & gas stations
- Bakeries, sweet shops & cafés
- Franchise & multi-unit owners
- Individuals & every business
- Tax Services
- Business Services
- Tax Resolution
- Tax Compliance
- International Services
- Client Advisory
Our focus
Built for restaurants and grocery stores
We serve every taxpayer — individuals, families, corporations and non-profits. But we've built a specialty around food businesses, where thin margins, cash tips, sales tax and high-turnover payroll make the details matter most.
Indian restaurants
From tandoor to takeout, we understand family-run kitchens with ties on both sides of the world.
- Monthly bookkeeping with food-cost and labor reporting
- Payroll, tip reporting and the FICA tip credit
- India tax returns, FBAR and the India–U.S. tax treaty
- Entity setup and S-Corp elections for growing owners
- Catering contracts and deposits tracked correctly
Find your fit
What do you need help with?
Three quick questions and we'll point you to the right services.
Step 1 of 3
Which best describes you?
Where food businesses lose money
We handle the details that hurt margins
Sales tax that's actually right
Prepared meals, grocery staples, alcohol and catering are often taxed differently. We map taxability and file every return on time.
Cash tips & tip credits
Employee tip reporting, Form 8027 for large food establishments, and the FICA tip credit (Form 8846) many owners never claim.
Payroll for busy crews
Accurate, on-time pay for high-turnover teams, with quarterly 941s, W-2s and state filings handled for you.
Inventory & food cost
Clean cost-of-goods tracking so you can see food cost, waste and true margin every month — not just at tax time.
POS & delivery-app reconciliation
We reconcile POS deposits and delivery-platform payouts, fees and refunds to your bank so nothing slips through.
Equipment & build-out deductions
Depreciation strategies for kitchen equipment, coolers and remodels, planned before you buy — not after.
Free tax tools
Are you leaving the tip credit on the table?
Many restaurant owners pay FICA on employee tips and never claim it back. Move the sliders to estimate yours.
$
$
The credit equals 7.65% of tips above the amount needed to bring pay up to $5.15 an hour (Form 8846).
Estimated tip credit
$14,504
per year
- Creditable tips
- $189,600
- Tips used to reach $5.15/hr
- $60,400
Missed it in prior years? Credits for open years can often be claimed on amended returns.
Estimates for illustration only, using simplified federal rules. Not tax advice — your actual result depends on your full situation.
How we work
A clear path from first call to filed
- 1
Discovery call
We learn your business, locations, POS and payroll setup, and where things stand with the IRS and your state.
- 2
Clean-up & catch-up
We reconcile your books, close gaps in prior filings and fix sales tax or payroll issues before they grow.
- 3
Monthly rhythm
Bookkeeping, payroll and sales tax run on a predictable schedule, with reports you can actually read.
- 4
Plan & file
Year-round planning, on-time returns and representation if a notice or audit ever arrives.
What to expect
Your first 30 days with EliteNine
No black box. Here's how a typical new engagement unfolds, so you always know what's next.
- 1
Day 1
Discovery call
A focused conversation about your business, your filings and anything urgent — like a notice or a looming deadline.
A clear scope and quote
- 2
Week 1
Secure onboarding
You upload documents through our client portal, and we request access to your POS, bank and payroll reports.
A personalized document checklist
- 3
Weeks 2–3
Review & clean-up
We reconcile your books, check prior returns and sales tax, and flag risks and missed savings.
A findings summary in plain language
- 4
Week 4
Plan & first close
We walk you through the plan, the calendar of deadlines and your first set of monthly reports.
Your compliance calendar
- 5
Every month
Steady rhythm
Bookkeeping, payroll and sales tax on a predictable schedule, with a quick check-in when it matters.
Monthly financial statements
Typical timeline for a new business client. Individual returns usually move faster.
Use cases
What working with us looks like
Common situations we see across restaurants, markets and families — and how we approach them.
Illustrative examples based on common situations — not specific client results.
Compliance calendar
The deadlines a food business can't miss
Federal dates for a typical year. We track state deadlines for you as well.
Every month
Sales tax returns for monthly filers (the 20th in Texas) and payroll tax deposits.
Jan 15
Q4 estimated tax
Final estimated payment for the prior year.
Jan 31
W-2s, 1099s, Forms 940 & 941
Year-end payroll forms and Q4 payroll return.
Dates move to the next business day when they fall on a weekend or holiday. State due dates vary.
What we do
Complete financial services under one roof
01
Tax Services
Comprehensive returns for individuals, businesses and non-profits.
Personal tax returns
Federal and state filing, tax planning for high-income households, cross-border income and maximized deductions and credits.
Business tax returns
LLCs, S-Corps, partnerships and sole proprietors — quarterly filings, year-end preparation and multi-state returns.
NGO & trust tax returns
Form 990 for tax-exempt organizations, trust income reporting and grant-fund accounting.
Amended & prior-year returns
Fix errors, claim missed credits and catch up on unfiled years — before the IRS asks.
Multi-state & part-year returns
Moved, work across state lines or own locations in several states? We file everywhere you owe.
Rental & real estate income
Schedule E reporting, depreciation and planning for landlords and property investors.
02
Business Services
The monthly back office that keeps a restaurant or store compliant.
Bookkeeping & financial statements
Reconciled books, monthly, quarterly and annual statements, real-time cloud reporting, forecasting and budgets.
Payroll services
Full-service payroll, benefits administration, federal and state payroll tax filings, direct deposit and digital pay stubs.
Business formation & compliance
Entity selection and formation, annual state and federal filings, licenses, permits and registered-agent services.
Sales tax filings
Multi-state compliance, return preparation, sales tax audit representation, nexus and product-taxability strategy.
Catch-up & clean-up bookkeeping
Months or years behind? We rebuild your books from bank statements and POS data, then keep them current.
Tip reporting & Form 8027
Employee tip reporting, tip allocation and the annual Form 8027 for large food or beverage establishments.
1099 & W-2 information returns
Vendor W-9 collection, 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC filing and year-end W-2s — on time, every January.
03
Tax Resolution
Calm, experienced representation when the IRS comes calling.
IRS audit representation
A thorough review of your records, direct communication with the IRS and a strong defense against inaccurate claims.
Streamlined filing procedures
Catch up on overdue returns and undisclosed foreign accounts while minimizing penalties.
IRS notices
We analyze the notice, build a response plan and negotiate with the IRS on your behalf.
Payment plans
Installment agreements that fit your cash flow and stop collection pressure.
Penalty abatement
First-time abatement and reasonable-cause requests to remove penalties you shouldn't have to pay.
Offer in compromise
When a balance truly can't be paid, we evaluate whether settling for less is realistic.
State sales & payroll tax audits
Representation in state audits, including sampling reviews of sales and exempt transactions.
04
Tax Compliance
Elections, identification numbers and certificates — done right.
ITIN applications
For owners, spouses and dependents who need to file but aren't eligible for an SSN.
S-Corp election
Pass-through treatment and a reasonable owner salary that can reduce self-employment taxes.
Tax Residency Certificate (TRC)
Prove residency to claim treaty benefits and avoid double taxation.
Mark-to-Market election
Annual reporting of gains and losses that can simplify PFIC rules for foreign investments.
EIN, permits & state registrations
EINs, sales tax permits, state payroll accounts and local licenses set up correctly from day one.
FICA tip credit (Form 8846)
Recover the employer Social Security and Medicare tax paid on employee tips — including open prior years.
05
International Services
Cross-border compliance for owners with ties abroad.
FBAR & FATCA compliance
Accurate reporting of foreign accounts and assets to avoid steep penalties.
Foreign entity reporting
Forms 5471 and 5472 for U.S. owners of foreign companies and foreign-owned U.S. corporations.
Repatriation & overseas investment
Bring foreign income home and invest abroad (ODI) in compliance with U.S. and host-country law.
India-specific tax services
India tax returns, India–U.S. treaty benefits and India business formation.
Nonresident & dual-status returns
Form 1040-NR and first- or last-year dual-status returns for visa holders and new arrivals.
Foreign tax credits & treaty positions
Credit for taxes paid abroad so the same income isn't taxed twice.
PFIC reporting (Form 8621)
Foreign mutual funds and similar investments, reported correctly with the best available election.
06
Client Advisory
Year-round planning so April holds no surprises.
Tax planning & saving strategies
Proactive, year-round strategies for deductions, credits and long-term tax efficiency.
Entity structure
Choosing between LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp or partnership for tax, liability and growth.
Financial planning & analysis
Profitability analysis, investment and retirement planning, and cost management.
Cash-flow management
Monitoring, forecasting, reserves and expense control — essential for thin-margin businesses.
Menu pricing & prime-cost reviews
Food, beverage and labor cost analysis so every menu price earns its place.
Loan-ready financials
Clean statements and projections for SBA loans, bank lines and equipment financing.
Buying or selling a business
Financial due diligence, deal structure and the tax impact of an asset or stock sale.
Retirement plans for owners
Solo 401(k), SEP and other plans that save tax while you build for the future.
Client stories
Trusted by families and business owners
They were super helpful with my first return in the US… His team patiently explained what was done and why, and educated me immensely on the nuances of the US income tax engine.
We have had the distinct privilege of partnering with Kumar Bacchu and team for the last 6 years, and our experience has been nothing short of exceptional.
Let's take the first step toward financial clarity.
Tell us about your business and we'll get back to you with clear next steps — no obligation.