WASHINGTON, D.C. / ACCESS Newswire / March 13, 2026 / Ryan J. Dobens is calling on entrepreneurs and venture capital investors to prioritize tax structure education before growth accelerates.

Dobens, a CPA and non-practicing attorney based in Washington, D.C., has spent more than a decade advising partnerships, limited liability companies (LLC), and venture capital funds within the national tax practices of leading global accounting firms. He says one issue appears repeatedly across early-stage businesses: waiting too long to understand the tax structure behind the company.

"Most tax problems are not created in year five," Dobens explains. "They're created in year one. By the time a company scales or prepares for an exit, the structure is already locked in."

Why Early Structure Matters

Partnerships account for millions of tax returns filed annually in the United States. At the same time, U.S. venture capital investment continues to total hundreds of billions of dollars per year. Yet surveys from small business organizations consistently show that many founders feel underprepared when facing complex tax planning decisions.

Dobens believes this knowledge gap creates avoidable risk.

"Partnership taxation, basis tracking, and allocation mechanics are not minor details," he says. "They directly affect how income is reported, how losses are used, and how investors are treated."

He also notes that qualified small business stock, commonly referred to as QSBS, is frequently misunderstood.

"I've seen situations where founders could have benefited significantly from proper QSBS structuring," Dobens says. "But small documentation mistakes or ownership issues limited the benefit. Those are preventable outcomes."

The Cost of Waiting

The consequences of delayed planning often surface during funding rounds, audits, or exit events.

Tax and regulatory considerations remain among the most common friction points in late-stage transactions. In addition, IRS scrutiny of complex partnership structures has increased under the centralized partnership audit regime established by recent federal legislation.

"Partnership audits are more centralized than they used to be," Dobens says. "If you are part of a fund or an LLC structure, you need to understand who has authority and how adjustments flow through."

He emphasizes that tax law continues to evolve at the federal, state, and local levels.

"You can't assume that what worked five years ago still applies without review," Dobens explains. "Regulatory interpretation changes. Guidance changes. That environment requires awareness."

What Founders and Investors Can Do

Dobens is not calling for alarm. He is calling for preparation.

He encourages entrepreneurs and investors to take practical, proactive steps:

Learn the basics of your entity structure.
Understand whether you are operating as a partnership, "S" corporation, or "C" corporation and what that means for taxation.

Ask questions early.
"If you don't understand how profits and losses are allocated," Dobens says, "ask before signing documents. Not after."

Review ownership and equity documentation carefully.
This is especially important when stock incentives, venture capital funding, or convertible instruments are involved.

Understand QSBS requirements from day one.
"QSBS benefits can be powerful," Dobens notes, "but eligibility is not automatic. It requires careful structuring and the right entity choice."

Maintain organized records.
Keep clear documentation of capital contributions, distributions, and investor communications.

Dobens stresses that education does not require advanced technical training.

"You don't need to become a tax expert," he says. "You need to become informed enough to ask better questions."

A Call for Greater Financial Literacy

Beyond individual companies, Dobens believes stronger tax literacy would benefit the startup ecosystem as a whole.

"Entrepreneurs are builders," he says. "They think about product, hiring, and growth. That's good. But structure supports growth. It's not separate from it."

His perspective reflects a layered professional background. Dobens grew up in New Hampshire and earned his undergraduate degree in accounting from Plymouth State University, graduating summa cum laude. He became a certified public accountant (CPA) in 2010, later earned a Master of Science in Taxation from Northeastern University, and completed his Juris Doctor at Northeastern University School of Law before being admitted to the Massachusetts bar. He is currently a non-practicing attorney.

"That layered education helped me see both the accounting and legal sides of tax," Dobens says. "It taught me that details matter. Small details can change outcomes."

He often draws on his background in track and field when speaking about preparation.

"In track, you don't wait until the last lap to think about pacing," Dobens adds. "You prepare before the race starts. Business structure works the same way."

Call to Action

Dobens encourages entrepreneurs, fund managers, and individual investors to take one concrete step this month: review their entity structure and ownership documentation and schedule a conversation with a qualified professional if something is unclear.

He also urges founders to invest time in understanding the fundamentals of partnership taxation and equity structuring before their next funding round.

"Clarity early saves stress later," Dobens says. "Strong foundations make scaling easier."

To read the full interview, visit the website here.

About Ryan J. Dobens

Dobens is a CPA and non-practicing attorney, based in Washington, D.C. He has more than a decade of experience in national tax office roles at leading "Big Four" accounting firms, where he has focused on the taxation of partnerships and limited liability companies. He also has advised venture capital funds and investors on QSBS matters.

Contact:

Info@ryan-j-dobens.com

SOURCE: Ryan J. Dobens