List investment capital and ordinary business operating costs apart from government filing fees, legal and document-preparation services, and family or travel expenses. Confirm current official fees and the exact scope of any professional engagement in writing.
Know what each payment is actually for
Ask which costs form part of the substantiality analysis and which are unrelated preparation expenses. Review refund and cancellation terms in the purchase or loan agreement rather than assuming every dollar spent automatically helps eligibility, and keep independent commercial and tax diligence as its own line item. A transaction is vulnerable when funds remain freely retractable, practical control is missing, or the forecast lacks documentary support.
Tie every claimed business expense to its invoice and payment record. For costs, separate purchase price, inventory, leasehold work, working capital, professional diligence, and personal moving expenses. The decision is which commercial expenditures belong in the documented investment and which remain outside it, rather than adding every outlay indiscriminately.
Hypothetical example: An indoor climbing training studio pays deposits, equipment costs, and personal relocation costs; the investor must distinguish business commitments from household spending.