Terms & Conditions

Terms & Conditions

1. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS

These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) constitute a legally binding agreement between you (“Client,” “you,” or “your”) and Startup Books (“Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), a bookkeeping services company based in Illinois, USA, operating through startup.aitaah.com.

By accessing our website, scheduling a consultation, or engaging our services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms, our Privacy Policy, and our Refund Policy, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

2. ABOUT STARTUP BOOKS

Startup Books provides professional bookkeeping, financial recordkeeping, and related advisory services exclusively to startups and small businesses across the United States. We are not a Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm and do not provide:

  • Certified Public Accounting (CPA) services
  • Auditing or attest services
  • Legal or tax advice
  • Tax return filing (we prepare tax-ready records for your CPA)
  • Investment advice or securities-related services

Our services are limited to bookkeeping, financial record maintenance, management reporting, historical cleanups, and related financial organization services as described on our website.

3. SERVICES OFFERED

3.1 Monthly Bookkeeping

We provide monthly transaction categorization, bank reconciliation, accounts payable/receivable management, and delivery of Profit & Loss statements, Balance Sheets, and Cash Flow reports.

3.2 Historical Cleanup

We offer catch-up bookkeeping for clients who are behind on their records. Pricing is assessed per month of cleanup needed and quoted separately.

3.3 Management Reports

We produce clear financial reports and KPI dashboards to assist your business decision-making.

3.4 Virtual Bookkeeper

Dedicated remote bookkeeping support tailored to your startup’s needs and growth stage.

3.5 Add-On Services

Additional services including 1099 contractor filing preparation, sales tax tracking, CFO advisory sessions, and payroll coordination are available at an additional fee.

4. SUBSCRIPTION PLANS & PRICING

Startup Books offers three flat-rate monthly plans: Starter, Growth, and Scale, priced based on your transaction volume and business needs. All plans are subject to the following:

  • Fees are billed monthly in advance
  • No long-term contracts — you may cancel at any time
  • Plan upgrades or downgrades take effect at the next billing cycle
  • Prices are in USD and subject to change with 30 days’ notice
  • A 30-day satisfaction guarantee applies to all new subscriptions

We reserve the right to reassess your plan tier if your transaction volume consistently exceeds the limits of your current plan. We will notify you before any change.

5. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

To enable us to deliver accurate bookkeeping services, you agree to:

  • Provide timely access to your accounting software (QuickBooks Online, Xero, Wave, FreshBooks, or Zoho Books)
  • Grant read/write access to relevant financial accounts as required
  • Respond to bookkeeper queries within 5 business days
  • Review and approve monthly reports within 10 business days of delivery
  • Notify us of any business structure changes, new accounts, or unusual transactions
  • Ensure all information you provide is accurate, complete, and not misleading

You acknowledge that our service quality is dependent on the accuracy and timeliness of information you provide. Startup Books is not liable for errors resulting from incomplete or inaccurate client-provided data.

6. NOT A CPA — IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

Startup Books is a bookkeeping service, not a Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm. Our team does not hold CPA licenses and does not perform accounting, auditing, or tax filing services regulated under the Illinois Public Accounting Act (225 ILCS 450/).

Nothing in our services, reports, communications, or website constitutes:

  • Legal advice
  • Tax advice or tax return preparation
  • Audited, reviewed, or compiled financial statements per AICPA standards
  • Investment, financial planning, or securities advice

We strongly recommend that you engage a licensed CPA for tax filing, financial audits, and complex accounting matters. Our deliverables are designed to assist your CPA, not replace one.

7. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All content on startup.aitaah.com, including text, graphics, logos, templates, and software, is the exclusive property of Startup Books and is protected under U.S. copyright and intellectual property laws.

You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works from our content without prior written consent. Your financial data and reports generated from your data remain your property.

8. CONFIDENTIALITY

Both parties agree to maintain the confidentiality of the other’s non-public information. Startup Books will not share, sell, or disclose your financial data to third parties except:

  • As required by applicable law or legal process
  • To our service providers bound by confidentiality agreements (e.g., cloud software platforms)
  • With your express written consent

This obligation survives termination of your engagement with us.

9. DATA SECURITY & GLBA COMPLIANCE

As a business handling personal financial information, Startup Books complies with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), which requires us to implement a written Information Security Program. We maintain:

  • Encrypted data storage and transmission (SSL/TLS)
  • Access controls limiting data access to authorized personnel only
  • Regular security assessments and monitoring
  • Secure third-party service provider agreements
  • An incident response and breach notification plan

In the event of a data breach affecting your personal financial information, we will notify you as required under both GLBA and the Illinois Personal Information Protection Act (815 ILCS 530/).

10. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law:

  • Startup Books shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
  • Our total liability for any claim arising out of or relating to these Terms or our services shall not exceed the total fees paid by you in the three (3) months preceding the claim
  • We are not liable for losses arising from your reliance on our reports for tax, legal, or investment decisions

Some jurisdictions do not allow certain liability limitations. In such cases, our liability is limited to the fullest extent permitted by law.

11. INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Startup Books, its officers, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from: (a) your use of our services; (b) your breach of these Terms; (c) inaccurate or incomplete information you provided to us; or (d) your violation of any applicable law.

12. TERMINATION

Either party may terminate the service engagement at any time by providing written notice. Upon termination:

  • You will be billed for services rendered up to the termination date
  • We will deliver a final set of books and reports within 10 business days
  • We will retain copies of your financial records for a minimum of 7 years as required by law
  • You will retain access to your accounting software and all data within it

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate services immediately if you breach these Terms or engage in fraudulent activity.

13. GOVERNING LAW & DISPUTE RESOLUTION

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Illinois, USA, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes shall first be attempted to be resolved through good-faith negotiation. If unresolved within 30 days, disputes shall be submitted to binding arbitration in Cook County, Illinois, under the rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA).

Class action lawsuits and jury trials are waived to the fullest extent permitted by law.

14. MODIFICATIONS TO TERMS

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email or a prominent notice on our website at least 30 days before taking effect. Your continued use of our services after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

15. CONTACT INFORMATION

For questions about these Terms, contact us at:

Startup Books | startupbooksusa.com | Illinois, USA