Finta (YC23)
Finta (YC23)
Tax-Optimised Spend Visualisation
Tax-Optimised Spend Visualisation
Helping founders move from tax compliance to tax optimisation
Helping founders move from tax compliance to tax optimisation
INTRO
Finta is a YC-backed fintech product that automates accounting and tax preparation for startups, helping founders stay compliant and financially organised without manual bookkeeping or heavy accountant dependency.
Finta is a YC-backed fintech product that automates accounting and tax preparation for startups, helping founders stay compliant and financially organised without manual bookkeeping or heavy accountant dependency.
While Finta handled compliance exceptionally well, I noticed a gap common across most finance platforms: they tell founders what happened, but rarely help them make better decisions going forward. This project explores how Finta could proactively guide founders toward a more tax-efficient spending strategy throughout the year.
While Finta handled compliance exceptionally well, I noticed a gap common across most finance platforms: they tell founders what happened, but rarely help them make better decisions going forward. This project explores how Finta could proactively guide founders toward a more tax-efficient spending strategy throughout the year.
Problem
Founders can see their expenses, but:
Founders can see their expenses, but:
-Spending data is presented retrospectively, not prescriptively
-There is little clarity on what “good” spending looks like from a tax perspective
-Tax optimisation is deferred to accountants at year-end, when it’s often too late to act
-Spending data is presented retrospectively, not prescriptively
-There is little clarity on what “good” spending looks like from a tax perspective
-Tax optimisation is deferred to accountants at year-end, when it’s often too late to act
As a result, founders miss opportunities to optimise deductions month-to-month.
As a result, founders miss opportunities to optimise deductions month-to-month.
Opportunity
What if Finta could go beyond compliance and help founders actively optimise their tax position? The idea was to layer:
What if Finta could go beyond compliance and help founders actively optimise their tax position? The idea was to layer:
-Category-aware insights (e.g. food, software, travel)
-IRS-aligned benchmarks and thresholds
-Lightweight nudges, not heavy dashboards
-Category-aware insights (e.g. food, software, travel)
-IRS-aligned benchmarks and thresholds
-Lightweight nudges, not heavy dashboards
The goal was not to replace accountants, but to help founders make incrementally better decisions throughout the year.
The goal was not to replace accountants, but to help founders make incrementally better decisions throughout the year.
Solution
Progressive guidance over prescriptions
Progressive guidance over prescriptions
Avoid telling users what to do; instead show where they stand relative to an optimal range.
Avoid telling users what to do; instead show where they stand relative to an optimal range.
Category-first thinking
Category-first thinking
Spend optimisation differs significantly by category, so the interface allows focused analysis.
Spend optimisation differs significantly by category, so the interface allows focused analysis.
Clarity over density
Clarity over density
No complex dashboards—just enough context to inform a decision at the right moment.
No complex dashboards—just enough context to inform a decision at the right moment.
Design Approach
Category filters
Category filters
Allow founders to isolate spend (e.g. food, software, travel) and analyse each independently.
Allow founders to isolate spend (e.g. food, software, travel) and analyse each independently.
Editable spend ranges
Editable spend ranges
Ideal ranges are suggested by Finta (based on IRS thresholds) but can be adjusted for internal policies or accountant guidance.
Ideal ranges are suggested by Finta (based on IRS thresholds) but can be adjusted for internal policies or accountant guidance.
Optimised spend zone
Optimised spend zone
A clearly marked band shows where spending is considered tax-efficient, making over- and under-spend immediately visible.
A clearly marked band shows where spending is considered tax-efficient, making over- and under-spend immediately visible.
Monthly spend markers
Monthly spend markers
Each data point represents total spend for the selected category, colour-coded to signal alignment with the ideal range.
Each data point represents total spend for the selected category, colour-coded to signal alignment with the ideal range.
Contextual nudges
Contextual nudges
Subtle messages like “You’re at 70% of the optimum tax deduction zone” provide encouragement without alarm.
Subtle messages like “You’re at 70% of the optimum tax deduction zone” provide encouragement without alarm.
Time range control
Time range control
Founders can review patterns monthly or across longer periods to spot trends.
Founders can review patterns monthly or across longer periods to spot trends.
Actionable hovers
Actionable hovers
Hover states explain why a month is flagged (e.g. “$200 above recommended spend for June”), adding clarity without clutter.
Hover states explain why a month is flagged (e.g. “$200 above recommended spend for June”), adding clarity without clutter.
Some shots of recent works and UI experiements
Some shots of recent works and UI experiements
