Are You Confused By Vehicle Tax Deductions?

Many business owners are stumped by the question of how and when to deduct vehicle use from their yearly income, and we know this because it’s one of the questions we hear most. The answer can be quite convoluted and vague when trying to research a solution from the IRS website and forums. The truth […]

Should I Use a Certified Public Accountant or a Tax Preparation Firm?

We’ve already talked about how using tax preparation software can lead to all sorts of problems on your tax return, including a potential audit. Even though the software might be helping you along, it does not have an actual brain to advise you on deductions or expenses. In which case you may be thinking—“You’re right! […]

How Do I File My Taxes with a Short Sale or Foreclosure

Many people have asked me recently: How do I report my property when I’ve had a short sale or foreclosure? There’s no easy answer, even though there’s a lot of information out there, for sure. But even true professionals don’t know how to handle foreclosures in a tax-return situation correctly. For example: I told a […]

Independent Contractor or Employee: How Do You Know?

Last week we discussed how important it is for a business owner to be classifying their workers appropriately or risk increased penalties from the IRS. But how do you know how the IRS classifies an individual working for you? How can a business owner determine the business relationship between themselves and an individual, and how […]

How To Classify Your Employees and Why: SB 459

Many business owners have a lot to deal with on a day-to-day basis, whether it is managing staff, dealing with clients, working through administrative paperwork—there are few California business owners who have the time to look at every Senate Bill that gets passed. Here’s one that we think you should all know about: California Senate […]

Should You Use Tax-Preparation Software, or Not?

You’ve seen infomercials boasting about free software programs that allow you (yes, you!) to file your own tax returns. But the question is: How reliable are these programs, and should you use them? The answer is pretty simple. If you have a general understanding of the US tax law and if you have enough common […]

How Do I Find the Accountant That’s Right For Me?

Don’t be fooled—April may seem like a long way off, but those sneaky taxes will creep up on you before you know it. Don’t wait until the very last minute to look for a tax preparer—begin looking now.  Where do you start? Here’s a beginner’s guideline on what to look for when on the hunt […]