Organized Business Records Save Time and Money
Here are some suggestions to help you master the art of documenting and organizing your business now and in the future. Document policies and procedures. Write down daily responsibilities, skills needed to complete tasks related to these responsibilities, and the location of all paper and electronic files. Appoint and cross-train backup staff to ensure these daily…
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PPP Loan Expenses Are Now Tax Deductible
If you or your business received funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the recently passed Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020 will help to dramatically cut your tax bill. Here’s what you need to know. Background The PPP program was created by the CARES Act in March 2020 to help businesses which were adversely…
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Turn Your Home Office Into a Tax Deduction
If you are working from home for the first time in 2020, you may be wondering if your home office is tax deductible. The bad news? If you’re working from home for an employer, you normally can’t deduct your home office expenses. Here’s a quick look at the basic requirements to be able to deduct…
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How to Walk the Tightrope When Raising Prices
Raising prices can be fraught with risk during good economic times. So what happens if you try to raise prices during bad economic times? As Hamlet would say, “Ah, there’s the rub.” If you raise prices, you risk losing clients to competitors. If you don’t, decreasing revenue or rising costs can capsize your company. So…
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Don’t Make These Business Website Mistakes
Your company’s online presence leaves a lasting impression—positive or negative. When people check out your homepage, will they stick around? Will they buy? Will they return? Make your website easy to use and current, and new orders may be just a click away. Annoy visitors and they’ll flee to a competitor. Steer clear of the…
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Should You Incorporate Your Business?
You may have started your business as a simple sole proprietorship that files its taxes as a Schedule C on your Form 1040. As your business grows, you may want to change the structure. Here are several scenarios where it may make sense to do just that. Reasons to Create Business Entities Establishing limited liability. The…
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Build a Fortress Defense for PPP Loan Forgiveness
More than 70% of small businesses in America now have loan proceeds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to help retain employees during the current pandemic. The entire amount of a PPP loan is eligible to be forgiven if the funds are used for qualified expenses. Recent legislation liberalizes the terms of loan forgiveness for…
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Small Business Owners Get Good News on PPP Loan Forgiveness
Small business owners, self-employed workers and freelancers received some welcome news when Congress recently passed the Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act. This new law clarifies how businesses can qualify to have all or a portion of its Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiven. Here is what you need to know: December 31, 2020 is the new…
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Ideas to Help Local Businesses
Shuttered businesses are realizing that lifting lockdown restrictions doesn’t mean a return to business as usual. Social distancing guidelines and a public wary of venturing into crowded environments means light customer traffic for many businesses. Here are several ideas to help local businesses financially as they re-open their doors: Continue buying gift cards. For many small…
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New W-4 Creates Questions for Human Resources
With the major Form W-4 overhaul for 2020, you may field questions from your employees. While it’s not your responsibility to provide tax advice to your employees, it’s good to be prepared to help answer common questions about the new IRS form. Here is a summary of the W-4 changes and answers to some common…
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