Pay IRS now if you still owe taxes If you still owe taxes and missed the April 15 deadline for filing and payment, you could be incurring interest and late penalties as you read this. File and pay the IRS pronto! If you file your federal tax return late and owe taxes with the return, these two main penalties could … Read More
7 strategies for growing your business
Now you want a growth plan? What could go wrong? Here are seven common areas where we regularly see mishaps when businesses try to develop and execute a growth plan: Concentrating resource. A good sales strategy looks at all available resources and concentrates them on a few carefully chosen options. Once that’s done, you can move those chosen target markets … Read More
5 essentials for QuickBooks users
Tips for better use of lists, templates, and integrated modules from your Certified QuickBooks Pro Advisors 1. Sense-check your QuickBooks reporting set up If the data presented in your QuickBooks reporting doesn’t make sense or is erroneous, seek our professional help in fine-tuning and correcting it. 2. Properly understand the features and flow of transactions When you use QuickBooks’ templates … Read More
6 ways to avoid an IRS audit
Like so many things in life, the tax-filing process has become less ‘human’ and more automated. That means all you need to do is type one key wrong on your computer, and you could be an IRS person of interest. And, with the increase of ‘robo-audits,’ it’s becoming more important to leave no guesswork on your returns, because computers are … Read More
5 tips for making a knockout business plan
While most business owners may find it hard to come up with new ideas, there is really no excuse for having a poor business plan. During the early days of your startup journey, you should be able to do two things better than anything else: 1) give a straightforward and persuasive 30-second elevator pitch; and 2) develop a concise and … Read More
Tax season record-keeping stressing you out?
For most of us, tax season means taking that annual trip to ‘the abyss’ That place where filing cabinets, storage containers and even shoeboxes overflow with dusty receipts, insurance records and old tax returns. Considering the sheer volume of record-keeping required by individuals and business owners, here are four tips on which records to keep and for how long: 1. … Read More
10 handy QuickBooks home page tips
You probably have the basics down already, but did you know you can click these 10 things on the QuickBooks home page and be even more productive? QuickBooks logo Why it’s useful: one click takes you back to the home page, no matter where you are. Welcome Guide Why it’s useful: get step-by-step instructions on basic QuickBooks Online tasks. ‘X’ to … Read More
4 things you should ask before hiring a tax preparer
With a few weeks left before the April 15 tax filing deadline, it’s that dreaded time of year for those who’d rather give the task of preparing their taxes onto someone else. If you’re one of the 60% of tax filers who plan to hand over your tax affairs to a financial professional, here are four questions you should ask … Read More
7 strategies for actually achieving your goals
We all want to stay focused on our goals, but that can be hard with all of life’s twists and turns. With all of your professional and personal demands, you might feel like you don’t have enough time to relax, have fun or plan for the future. Before long, your goals can seem out of reach. Good leaders know that … Read More
Using SWOT analysis to grow your business
6 tips to help you understand, evaluate and take advantage of your SWOT analysis when applying it to the growth plan of your business. The use of SWOT Analysis allows you to identify the strengths of your business, minimize its weaknesses, take advantage of opportunities and overcome threats. It helps you improve your business success by addressing three key issues, … Read More