Form 10-K is probably the number one thing that keeps companies from ever going public in the first place.

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A complex set of documents and financial statements, Form 10-K is an annual report required by the SEC for most publicly traded companies.  
 

It provides the public with a comprehensive look at your company's operations, risk factors, financial results, risk factors, legal matters, and corporate governance — all of which is subject to audit, legal review, and SEC scrutiny. 

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The Hidden Complexity Behind a 10-K

 

According to the SEC, preparing a Form 10-K takes the average company 2,250+ hours — and that doesn't include XBRL tagging, EDGARization, or auditor review.

Get your first EDGAR filing for free >>

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For smaller companies or newly public issuers, it's often the single most challenging and time-consuming filing of the year, and one that's well worth planning for as early as Q2.​

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Here's 5 Things Every Company Should

Know Before Filing a 10-K

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1. You're Filing a Narrative, Not Just Numbers

 

Yes, your 10-K will need to include audited financial statements, but that's just Part II.

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You will also need to tell the complete story of:​​

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• What happened in the fiscal year reported

• What risks you're facing

• What you expect in the future

• And how management is responding to all of the above.

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2.  Deadline Dates Are Based on Your Filing Status

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Missing this deadline can delay your next capital raise, or even cost you your

S-3 eligibility and ability to raise cash faster.  Having the right finance and legal team in place is obviously important, as is having a competent EDGAR filing agent available to you at all times and ready to assist.

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Repeated delays in your 10-K filings can also result in serious fines and even delisting.​

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3.  You'll Need More Than An Auditor Available to You

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Although your auditor signs-off on your financial statements once the audit is complete, they don't:

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• Do the pre-audit preparation, bookkeeping, or accounting.

• Write your MD&A

• Draft your Risk Factors

• Format the EDGAR submission

• Handle XBRL or iXBRL tagging

• Certify CEO/CFO disclosures

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Thats where filing agents and CPA-led accounting teams like ours come in. For more than 25 years, we've helped guide publicly traded companies like yours through the entire 10-K process, quickly, efficiently, and accurately.

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Click here if you need help filing a 10-K >>

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4. Every Word and Section Matters

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There are four major parts to Form 10-K:

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• Part I:  Business, Risks, and Legal Matters

• Part II: Financial Statements, MD&A, Market Risk

• Part III:  Officers, Governance, Compensation

• Part IV: Exhibits and Certifications (302, 906, XBRL)

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Each part includes dozens of sub-disclosures, all subject to SEC and/or audited review.  Having the right Plan in place to help manage your 10-K filings throughout the year, step-by-step, is a crucial factor towards filing your Annual Report on time, with the least amount of stress possible.

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View Form 10-K Instructions on SEC.gov here >>

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5. Build a Filing Plan — Not Just a Filing Calculator

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A successful, smooth-as-possible 10-K isn't just about meeting deadlines.  It's about building a system that helps you:​​

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• Coordinate across accounting, legal, audit, and disclosure teams

• Avoid last minute bottle-necks

• Reduce filing stress and rework

• Stay in good standing with investors and the SEC

 

Most experienced issuers develop a 10-K project plan in Q2 or 3 with checklists for:​

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• Financial Close

• Disclosure drafting

• Audit coordination

• EDGAR formatting and XBRL tagging

• Internal review and signoff​

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What's Inside Form 10-K?​

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Here's a simplified breakdown of the major sections:

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Part I — Business Overview & Risks​

• ​Company description

• Material Risks

• Legal Proceedings

• Properties and unresolved SEC comments

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Part II — Financial Data & Disclosures​

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• ​MD&A

• Audited financials

• Market Risk

• Controls and procedures

• Forward-looking statements

 

Part III — Governance

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• ​Director and officer bios

• Executive compensation

• Beneficial ownership

• Code of ethics and auditor fees

 

Part IV — Exhibits

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• ​Signed certifications (302/906)

• Financial statement schedules

• All relevant exhibits (contracts, bylaws, etc.)

 

Need Help Preparing or Filing Your 10-K?

 

Contact us.  At PubCo Reporting, we've helped public companies successfully prepare financial statements and file their SEC reports for more than 26 years.

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Our team includes:

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• CPA's, CFA's, and CFO-level expertise.

• Full EDGAR/SEDAR support

• XBRL/iXBRL tagging and HTML conversion

• Accounting and disclosure review

 

Whether you're a small-cap, startup, shell, SPAC, or a late filer ...

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We know how to get the Regulatory Compliance and Financial Reporting off your plate and get it filed.

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​Contact us to schedule your free 10-K filing consultation today >>

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Related Resources

• SEC:  Official Form 10-K PDF >>

• EDGAR Filer Manual Volume II (Sept 2025) 

• SEC Fast Answers: Form 10-K >>

• Nanuk Warman, CPA, CFA >> 

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