Distinguish business expenditure — platform build, hosting, equipment, premises, staff — from the cost of preparing the immigration case itself. The two are treated differently, and the actual characterization of each item deserves review rather than a blanket rule. Government fees change, so confirm current amounts at the time of each step.
Budget for the service year you already sold
Prepaid revenue funds obligations that run for twelve more months, so a spending plan that consumes it in the first quarter leaves the company unable to serve its own subscribers. Ask your advisers for an itemized scope covering eligibility review, evidence assembly, and any dependent assistance, and ask what happens if review shows the structure needs changing before filing. No fee buys an approval or a return on the money invested.
The funds irrevocably committed to acquiring and operating the enterprise: the purchase price actually paid, franchise transfer fees, inventory and equipment, and working capital placed at risk. Rebuild the first year as a cash schedule rather than an annual total: rent, payroll, inventory or equipment, insurance, professional services, and the proposed draw, set against realistic collections. Ask the adviser to separate three budgets: the investment, the immigration costs set by the USCIS or consular fee schedules plus professional fees, and the household relocation.