A boutique tax consultancy built for technical depth.

Positioning

TaxUp is structured as a boutique — a deliberate decision, not a marketing label. Every project is led personally by a senior partner from initial diagnostic to final delivery. No layered associates, no rotating juniors between meetings, no work offshored to lower-cost jurisdictions. The partner who scopes the matter at the diagnostic is the same one who signs the opinion, defends the structure in CARF, and sits across from the auditor when the inspection comes.

That continuity is the core deliverable, not a marketing claim. It is also what justifies why our model is optimized for situations where technical depth matters more than scale — and why we are explicit about cases where another type of firm fits better (rotational accounting, low-complexity Simples Nacional operations, mass routine tax filing).

What we do

Seven integrated practice areas cover the full corporate tax cycle of a Brazilian company or a foreign group with Brazilian operations:

• Brazilian Tax Reform 2026—2033 — adaptation to CBS, IBS, Selective Tax and the dual-system transition;
• Transfer Pricing — full OECD-aligned compliance under Brazilian Law 14,596/2023 (Local File, Master File, CbCR);
• Expanding to Brazil — foreign founder and CFO brief: structure, WHT, Pillar 2, CBS/IBS, compliance;
• Recovery of tax credits — PIS/COFINS (Theme 69 STF), ICMS, excise tax — recoverable up to 5 years retrospective;
• International tax planning — WHT, dividend taxation, JCP, repatriation, treaty application;
• Tax litigation — defense in tax assessments, CARF appeals, judicial proceedings (Portuguese-language counsel coordinated with foreign tax directors);
• Tax compliance — SPED, NF-e 5.0, BEPS Action 13 reporting (Portuguese-language back-office coordinated bilingually).

How we work

Every engagement starts with a 30-minute free diagnostic with a senior partner — no commitment. We map the tax landscape, identify applicable opportunities and indicate the technical path forward — independently of whether the company continues with us.

When there is fit, the engagement is designed case by case. There is no off-the-shelf playbook — each structure is built from the company's specific diagnostic, sector, and acceptable risk profile. Every tax structure is validated against current CARF, STJ and STF precedent and designed to survive an inspection, not just reduce tax in the short term.

Fee structures are proposed after the diagnostic, aligned with scope: fixed fee for defined-scope projects, success fee tied to recovered amounts when applicable, or monthly retainer for ongoing matters.

Who we serve

The boutique model is optimized for engagements requiring technical depth in complex tax matters. Typical client profile:

• Brazilian companies with annual revenue between BRL 50 million and BRL 2 billion;
• Multinationals with headquarters abroad and a Brazilian subsidiary (any size from market entry to mature operation);
• Family groups with structured assets (holding companies, succession planning);
• Foreign founders entering or expanding in Brazil — bilingual service from day one.

We serve clients across multiple sectors — manufacturing, retail and e-commerce, technology and SaaS, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, agribusiness, and foreign-capital companies operating in Brazil.

TaxUp vs Big 4 vs general accountant

The boutique positioning becomes clearer when compared directly with the alternatives most Brazilian companies (and foreign groups with BR operations) consider:

Big 4 (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC)

Strengths: global scale, international presence, large teams for massive projects, brand recognition in IPOs and M&A.

Limitations: hierarchical layers (partner on sale, managers and juniors in execution), high fees, long commercial and administrative cycles, smaller projects may receive disproportionate junior attention.

Best fit: external audit of large companies, complex IPO/M&A due diligence, multinationals requiring global coordination from a single firm.

General accountant

Strengths: low cost, day-to-day operational proximity, knowledge of routine accounting and tax filing.

Limitations: limited depth in tax theses, reduced capacity to handle complex litigation (CARF, STJ, STF), little experience with OECD-aligned Transfer Pricing, Pillar 2, international holdings.

Best fit: ongoing accounting and tax filing routine, microenterprises and small companies in Simples Nacional, companies with simple tax operations without material disputes.

Boutique tax firm (TaxUp)

Strengths: senior partner on execution (no delegation to juniors), technical depth on complex theses, fast commercial and operational cycles, bilingual service, quantitative modeling of each recommendation.

Limitations: we do not perform external audit (independence), we do not handle accounting routine (focus is on tax theses), operational capacity smaller than Big 4 for extraordinary-scale projects.

Best fit: mid-market and large Brazilian companies with tax complexity, inbound multinationals, foreign founders, family groups with structured assets, any situation where technical depth and response time matter.

Technical principles

Six principles guide every recommendation, regardless of matter or client:

1. Sustainability over short-term savings — structures are designed to survive an inspection, not to reduce tax today and generate exposure tomorrow. "Tax savings is a consequence, not the sole objective" — critical principle in all recommendations.
2. Quantitative modeling of each recommendation — there is no "abstract legal opinion". Every tax recommendation is supported by a numerical scenario — material impact, implementation cost, comparison with alternatives, recovery timeline. The client decides with data.
3. Precedent validation — before implementing any structure or filing any appeal, we validate against consolidated CARF, STJ and STF case law — not only the majority thesis but also recent trends in each chamber/panel.
4. Contemporaneous documentation always — elisive structures are accompanied by minutes, independent technical opinions, economic viability studies — documentation that protects the client in a future inspection.
5. Transparency on risk — theses with weak precedent, strategies with relevant exposure or paths with long horizons are communicated clearly to the client, who decides with full risk understanding.
6. Alternative recommendation when there is no fit — if the client is better served by another type of advisory, we indicate. The model is designed to be useful — including by saying "this is not our space".

Where we are

Three physical offices in Brazil and remote service for clients across the country and abroad:

• São Paulo (headquarters) — Rua Sader Macul, 96, Itaim Bibi · 04542-090
• Rio de Janeiro — Av. das Américas, 4200, Bloco 01, Sala 305, Barra da Tijuca · 22640-907
• Brasília — SHS Quadra 06, Complexo Brasil 21, Asa Sul · 70316-000

To start a conversation, book a free 30-minute diagnostic with a senior partner.