For those that own a business or are considered self-employed by the IRS – begin preparing for tax season now. There’s a mountain of documentation to collect. Waiting until the last minute can result in fines and other penalties.

Organize Documents

A substantial amount of tax reporting begins in January. There will be a variety of final documents that must be available when preparing a tax return. Preparation is especially important for small business owners and those considered by the IRS to be self-employed.

Prepare Early

Business owners can begin their returns as soon as they have the necessary documents. They can utilize personal tax software or use online filing sites, but the best solution is to hire a tax professional. Even though tax returns can be prepared early, the IRS won’t begin accepting them until a time the entity will announce.

Documentation

It’s far less stressful and more cost effective to have a tax professional do the work. The expert will need to understand the business and its financials. Individuals should be prepared with their employer ID number, along with receipts from sales and services, expenditures, and bank accounts, to name a few.

All of these documents and more are required for a tax professional to ensure a client is receiving all the deductions and credits to which they’re entitled, and to take advantage of any new state or federal tax laws. They can also ascertain if the business would benefit from itemizing expenses and calculate projected payroll taxes.

Extension

If necessary, a tax professional will be able to file for an extension, which gives business owners an additional 6 months of leeway to submit their tax return. An extension provides a grace period in which to file the return, but business owners will still have to pay any taxes that may be due on time.

An extension can be especially beneficial if any clarification is needed or if all of the essential documents aren’t immediately available. For those in some industries, there may be compliance and regulatory issues to consider.

At Peavy and Associates PC our mission is to assist you with all your tax preparations, payroll and accounting needs.  We provide our clients with professional, personalized accounting services and guidance in a wide range of financial and business needs. Give us a call today and discover why our clients return to Peavy and Associates, PC year after year!

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Many people are confused about how to list their business. Many think that one type provides more protection from lawsuits, when in fact, both offer protection against liability for business obligations.

LLC stands for limited liability company and Inc. is an indication that a business is a corporation. The difference between LLC and Inc. is the way in which each is owned, managed and taxed, along with reporting requirements and record-keeping methods.

Ownership

Owners of an LLC are called members instead of shareholders. Each member holds a specific percentage of the company called a membership interest. If an LLC wants to transfer shares/percentages, it’s more difficult. In some states, unless otherwise specified, if an LLC member leaves the organization, the LLC must be dissolved.

In contrast, a corporation issues shares of its stock to owners that are called shareholders. Transferring stock is a relatively simple process. If a stockholder leaves or sells their stock, it typically has little impact on the corporation’s future operations.

Taxation

The taxation structure in an LLC is flexible. If a single person owns the LLC, they’re taxed as a sole proprietorship. LLCs owned by multiple members are taxed as a partnership. An LLC can be taxed as a C or S corporation. The difference is that a C represents a business entity and the S is a tax classification used to protect assets from double taxation. Profits can be claimed on the owner’s individual tax return.

Corporations are taxed as C corporations by default, pay income taxes on corporate profits, and shareholders pay tax on dividends they receive. If the corporation chooses to be classified as a C corporation, stockholders avoid being double taxed and the corporation doesn’t pay corporate income taxes – providing it meets specific requirements.

Management

LLCs can be managed by its members or a managerial group. A corporation has a board of directors that makes rules, policies, and oversees the way its run. Officers manage day-to-day affairs and shareholders typically aren’t involved in the day-to-day operations.

Records and Reporting

An LLC has less formal record keeping requirements than corporations. They may be required to adhere to a standard of minimal record keeping and the entity doesn’t have to file annal reports. Corporations are required to hold an annual shareholder’s meeting and provide notice of the meeting. Minutes of the meeting must be kept and corporations may be required to file annal reports.

At Peavy and Associates PC our mission is to assist you with all your tax preparations, payroll and accounting needs.  We provide our clients with professional, personalized accounting services and guidance in a wide range of financial and business needs. Give us a call today and discover why our clients return to Peavy and Associates, PC year after year!

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Small businesses rely heavily on their books. Without them, they cannot make ends meet or successfully conduct day to day operations. Therefore, it is imperative that any accounting firm that wishes to be selected for any small to medium-sized business should have the ability to maintain the books of every individual client.

Not every accounting firm provides all types of accounting services, and therefore, business owners must interview different firms to find out which is the perfect match for the business’ specific needs. TIP. Many accounting firms provide bookkeeping and payroll services, with some offering only payroll, while others will also offer tax preparation, business valuation and other niche services only. It is important to know what services each bookkeeping firm provides before making a final decision.

Business owners often have a large number of invoices, monthly or yearly, that need to be processed. A good accounting firm services provider understands the importance of accurately preparing and filing financial reports so that these reports provide accurate, up-to-date information for decision makers. Without accurate financial reports, small business owners can make costly mistakes in their business decision making process. In addition, accounting firms perform additional services like providing payroll management, cash flow analysis and marketing tools for managing expenses. These additional services often make accounting firms well worth their initial investment.

Financial Planning

Not all accounting firms offer financial planners. Small business owners often prefer to deal with an accountant or financial planner to help them successfully achieve their business goals.  In addition, even with accounting help, small business owners may be at a loss when it comes to effectively identifying potential opportunities for growth or expansion. A financial planner can assist them in this process by providing them with advice about which projects should be initiated first, how long they should take to complete each task and what resources should be dedicated to each project.

In order for accounting firms to become successful, they must be able to provide excellent client service.  Good accounting clients should be interested in learning more about your business model, goals and objectives, the current financial situation and what obstacles you expect to come up. With these goals and objectives in mind, they will be able to create a customized CPA accounting plan to meet all of your requirements.

Tax Benefits

The best accounting firms are also aware of the various tax benefits that they can provide to their clients. They often offer tax planning services to their clients in order to help them minimize the potential tax liability that they face in their business operations. In addition, they may also provide assistance with estate planning, assistance with retirement plans and other financial issues. All of these services can make great business sense for small businesses. When accounting professionals are hired by small businesses, they are able to focus on the most critical aspects of their business while their team provides outstanding support, guidance and services that help grow their clientele and increase profitability.

At Peavy and Associates PC our mission is to assist you with all your tax preparations, payroll and accounting needs.  We provide our clients with professional, personalized accounting services and guidance in a wide range of financial and business needs. Give us a call today and discover why our clients return to Peavy and Associates, PC year after year!

Contact Us Today