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“ I make money but I don’t know where it going” The excitement a business owner feels is much different than the tas to work on their business. Most business owners wait too long to get financial help. They push through the stress, the late nights, the “I’ll catch up on it this weekend” routine — until something breaks. In 2026, with tax laws shifting, more digital reporting, and tighter IRS oversight, the businesses that grow will be the ones with real financial systems, not just spreadsheets and guesswork. If you’ve been wondering whether it’s time to elevate your support, here are five clear signs your business is ready for an outsourced accounting department. 1. Your Books Fall Behind More Than You’d Like to Admit If your bookkeeping gets pushed to the back burner month after month, that’s a sign you’ve outgrown DIY financial management. Late books create: Missed deductions Cash flow confusion & choas Stress during tax season Inaccurate decisions Lack on opportunities to strategies When your numbers aren’t up-to-date, every other part of the business wobbles . 2. You’re Making Big Decisions Without Real Data Hiring, pricing, new services, equipment purchases are decisions that should be guided by accurate financial reports. When business owners say: “I think we made money last month…” “I feel like we’re doing better…” “I hope we can afford that…” Business growth and expansion will not come from feelings but from real data! That’s a sign the business is growing faster than the systems supporting it. You deserve real clarity, not guesswork. 3. Tax Season Feels Like a Surprise Every Single Year Employees are aware of taxes every time they receive a paycheck. This is because taxes are withheld with every payment. This is the same mindset for a business owner. If you’re shocked by how much you owe, or you scramble every January to get organized, that’s not a tax problem — it’s an accounting system problem. An outsourced accounting department: Prepares you year-round Tracks your deductions properly Helps you manage estimated taxes Gives you ongoing guidance Tax season becomes predictable, not painful. 4. Your Business Is Growing, but Your Profit Isn’t More clients. More revenue. But somehow… the bank account doesn’t show it. This usually means: Hidden expenses Improper pricing Cash flow leaks Inefficient operations No financial review process A strong accounting department spots money leaks before they drain your growth. 5. You’re Doing Work That Isn’t CEO-Level Work If your evenings or weekends look like: Catching up on QuickBooks Reconciling bank accounts Creating invoices Following up on unpaid bills Sorting receipts Trying to “figure out the numbers” Then you’re operating like your own back office, not the CEO of a growing company. Your business deserves a financial team that supports your vision, not one that drains your time and energy. Pause and ponder: When you step away from juggling all of the business balls into CEO-level clarity, everything shifts — confidence, profits, decisions, and peace of mind. An outsourced accounting department is not just “help with bookkeeping.” It’s a support system that helps you grow with precision, not pressure. If you’re starting to see your business in any of these signs, it may be time to explore a solution that gives you clarity, confidence, and control over your numbers.

Closing out the year doesn’t have to be stressful. Year-end is simply about getting clarity, tightening up your numbers, and setting your business up to win going into the new year. Here’s a practical, checklist to help service-based business owners close out the year with confidence. 1. Clean Up Your Books Make sure all of your income, expenses, and accounts are accurate and reconciled. Clear out any ‘uncategorized’ items so your numbers tell the truth. If you don’t have clean books – call our office. 2. Review Your Profit and Loss Statement Look for trends: pricing, profitable services, rising expenses, and any blind spots that need attention. 3. Verify Contractor and Payroll Compliance Confirm W-9s, 1099 amounts, employee wages, bonuses, and year-end payroll adjustments. Clean records now prevent problems later. 4. Capture Every Deduction Don’t miss mileage, home office, subscriptions, equipment, travel, meals, or education expenses. Small details protect big dollars. 5. Review Estimated Taxes Compare what you’ve paid to what you likely owe. Adjust if needed to avoid penalties or surprises. Remember you have until January 15 th of the next year to make your last estimated tax payment. 6. Evaluate Your Goals from this year Reflect to see if you accomplished your financial goals from last year. If not, refocus on how you can accomplish those goals or has your objective changed for your business. 7. Review Your Cash Flow Understand where your money went this year so you can plan how it needs to flow next year — savings, payroll, reinvestment, or debt payoff. 8. Update Your Processes Review onboarding, invoicing, workflows, and communication systems. Tighten what didn’t work and strengthen what did. 9. Set Financial Goals for the New Year Decide your revenue targets, focus services, and monthly checkpoints. Walk into the year with clarity. 10. Meet With Your Tax Advisor A quick year-end review ensures accuracy, reduces stress, and positions you for a stronger start next year.

Doesn’t it seem like every year during the holiday season: clients get distracted, projects slow down, and revenue dips right when expenses seem to rise. It’s normal — but it doesn’t have to feel stressful. Slow months don’t mean something is wrong with your business, it simply means your need to have a strategy. With the right approach, the holiday season can actually become your most strategic, profitable setup period for the new year. Here’s how to handle slow months with clarity and confidence. 1. Start With the Truth: Know Your Numbers Before you react, look at the facts. Pull a quick view of: Cash on hand Outstanding invoices Upcoming expenses Revenue booked for the next 60 days Most business owners feel more anxiety than necessary because they don’t have a clear snapshot. When you know your numbers, your decisions get calmer and stronger. 2. Tighten Your Spending Without Starving Your Business You don’t need to “cut everything.” You just need to be intentional. Prioritize: Payroll Operating essentials Software you actually use Marketing that brings real ROI Pause any “nice to have but not necessary” spending until January. A small reset now protects your cash flow later. 3. Speed Up Money Already Owed to You A slow month feels very different when you get paid faster.Try: Sending reminders on all open invoices Offering a small incentive for early payment Requiring deposits for January projects Adding payment links to every email and invoice Clients usually aren’t withholding money intentionally — sometimes they just need a nudge. 4. Create Holiday or Year-End Offers This time of year is perfect for: Quick-turn services Clean-up services Year-end review packages January prep bundles Gift-card or prepaid service packs Tax-readiness sessions People will buy during the holidays — but usually things that solve urgent problems or get them ready for the new year. 5. Build Your Cash Buffer for Q1 Even if you’ve been in business for years, January can still be unpredictable. A small cash buffer gives you space to breathe. Plan for: 1 month of expenses (minimum) Start with a fixed weekly transfer, even a small amount Label the account “Operating Reserves” so you’re not tempted to touch it Your goal: predictable peace, not perfection. Pause & Ponder Slow months don’t define your business, do don’t be discouraged when slow months come! What matters is how you prepare, plan, and respond. When you understand your numbers, manage your cash flow intentionally, and use quiet seasons strategically, you position your business to enter the new year with clarity and momentum — not fear.

The IRS recently reminded taxpayers that home testing for COVID-19 (coronavirus) is a qualified medical expense for various medical spending and savings accounts. The cost of home testing may be paid or reimbursed with tax-protected funds from an eligible account. Specifically, you may use a health flexible spending arrangement (FSA), health savings account (HSA) or certain other cafeteria plans to pay or receive reimbursement for testing expenses. Other COVID-related eligible medical expenses include the cost of personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes. The equipment must be used primarily to prevent or reduce the spread of coronavirus in order to qualify for FSA, HSA or other medical cafeteria plan reimbursement. You can maximize the tax benefits of your FSA or HSA by making expenditures or accepting reimbursements at well-chosen times. A tax advisor can help you formulate the best strategy for using your account.

The CARES Act of 2020 included provisions to make it easier for taxpayers to donate to charities. Congress and the IRS have extended these temporary rules through tax year 2021. One key rule raises the deduction limit for charitable contributions, while another allows taxpayers to deduct certain donations even if they don’t itemize deductions on their tax returns. Standard IRS rules limit the deduction that taxpayers who itemize deductions can claim for charitable donations to at most 60% of adjusted gross income (AGI). However, under the extended special rules, these taxpayers may elect to claim a deduction of up to 100% of their AGI for qualified monetary donations made during calendar year 2021. Taxpayers who claim the standard deduction ordinarily cannot deduct any charitable donations on their tax returns. However, the special rules allow these taxpayers to claim a deduction of up to $300 (up to $600 for joint filers) for qualified monetary contributions made to charities in 2021. You may claim this deduction in addition to the standard deduction for your filing status. Only monetary contributions qualify for these special tax benefits. Monetary contributions include donations to qualifying charities made by cash, check, digital payment or credit card, as well as by paying unreimbursed expenses while doing volunteer work. Donations of goods, property (including virtual currency) or labor do not qualify for these temporary deduction rules. The extended special rules are set to expire at the end of 2021. A tax professional can help you plan your charitable giving for the rest of the year to take advantage of the available tax benefits. The IRS search tool for nonprofit organizations (link below) can help you find eligible charities that accept qualifying monetary contributions. IRS Nonprofit Search: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/search-for-tax-exempt-organizations

Both major life events and small changes to your work or family routines can have an impact on your taxes. These events and changes often occur during the summer, especially this summer with the economy reopening. If your life circumstances take either a planned or unexpected turn this summer, you may want to take a few extra steps to prepare for tax season next spring. If you get married, you should report any name or address change to the Social Security Administration, IRS and post office to ensure that you receive important tax documents. If your child returns to in-person day camps or daytime education programs, some of the cost may qualify for the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Make sure to save records of all fees paid. Seasonal and part-time work create a variety of record keeping and tax reporting challenges. If you are a student and do not earn enough money to owe federal income tax, you may need to file a 2021 tax return to claim a refund of any tax withheld from your pay. Those who earn side income from a part-time job or gig economy work may need to adjust their paycheck withholding for their primary job to make sure enough tax is withheld. You can use the IRS Withholding Estimator tool to check where you stand. Also keep in mind that income earned as a freelancer or independent contractor may be subject to self-employment tax. Figuring out whether you are officially an employee or an independent contractor can get tricky for temporary work. A tax professional can help you determine your status, and plan for self-employment tax if appropriate.

Millions of U.S. households received their first advance payments of the 2021 Child Tax Credit (CTC) in July. While these payments will help many families, some taxpayers may come out better by unenrolling from the advance payment program. If the advance payments add up to more than your total credit for 2021, you may end up owing tax for the year. In most cases, the IRS bases CTC advance payments on the taxpayer’s 2020 federal tax return, or their 2019 return if their 2020 return has not been processed. Certain life changes during 2021 could reduce your CTC amount, or even make you ineligible for the credit. Therefore, you may wish to consider opting out of advance payments if any of the following occur: A qualifying child who lived with you in 2020 (or 2019) will not live with you for more than half of 2021. Your income increases significantly in 2021. Your filing status changes in 2021. You previously met the CTC residency requirement, but will not live in a U.S. state or D.C. for more than half of 2021. In this case, unenrollment may be required. You can also choose to unenroll from advance payments simply because you want to receive your entire 2021 CTC when you file your tax return in the spring. To unenroll for any reason, use the IRS Advance CTC Update tool (link below). A tax professional can help you determine whether receiving advance payments or opting out makes more sense for your circumstances. Note that for married couples filing jointly, both spouses must unenroll from advance payments. If only one spouse opts out, the other will still receive monthly advance payments equal to half of the original payment amount calculated for the household. IRS Advance CTC Portal to unenroll: https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal

A special tax rule enables many businesses, including sole proprietors and independent contractors, to take larger meal expense deductions in 2021 than the IRS usually allows. Ordinarily, deductions for food and beverage costs cannot exceed 50% of the actual expense. However, the 2021 rule enables businesses to deduct 100% of the cost of food and beverages from restaurants in certain cases from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022. The provision defines a restaurant as a business that prepares food or beverages for retail customers to consume on-site, pick up, or receive by delivery. This definition excludes most grocery and convenience stores, unless the store contains a separate restaurant or cafe area. In addition, facilities overseen or owned by the employer claiming the deduction, such as a workplace cafeteria, generally do not qualify as restaurants under this rule. In order for meal expenses to qualify for this special deduction, the following conditions must be met: The business owner or an authorized employee is present when the food and/or beverages are provided. The expense is paid to a restaurant, based on the definition above. The food and beverage costs are not lavish or extravagant for the circumstances. The activity must also meet all the standard criteria for business meal deductions. Your tax professional can help you determine whether your food and beverage expenses comply with IRS rules, and whether they qualify for a 100% deduction in 2021.