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At times while running your business, there will be a need for a person and their skills that are special to one specific area, but the funds might not allow for you to hire someone on as an employee. There’s also the chance that the funds are there, but a full workload isn’t. Do you hire someone part-time? Or work with an independent contractor?

First, what are independent contractors? These are people you hire for their specific set of skills, and they work under a contract that you create. Contractor positions range from creative like social media writers, graphic designers, and photographers to seasonal positions like lawn care, snow removal, florists, and landscapers.

One would typically hire a contract worker when the need for a full-time or part-time employee isn’t there, or the funds restrict it. Reaching out to a contractor ensures you’ll be saving money while also getting the most for your dollar. Hiring an independent contractor is also a form of outsourcing.

If you use QuickBooks Online (QBO), you probably know about the seemingly endless number of apps that are available for your use. You simply connect the app(s) to your QuickBooks Online account and all of your information will sync, so when you update information in one place, it’s updated everywhere else, as well.

These apps can help you with any number of things, but their main purpose is to make running your business easier. Would you like your payroll automated? There’s an app for that. Would you like your invoices to be synced to your calendar? There’s an app for that. Would you like to manage your inventory directly from your phone? Yes, there’s an app for that. Which area of your business is causing you stress? There’s likely an app for that.

Startup businesses often make the same mistakes that lead to the decline of their business. As an entrepreneur or business owner, you put too much time, money, and effort into your business for it to fail. Learn from the mistakes of other businesses and work to adapt accordingly.

One big mistakes startups make is not working with a CPA to plan, predict, and broadcast. CPA’s will point out important items to keep an eye on, and help you create a complete plan. This includes tax planning. Don’t forget about taxes or this will cost you down the road.

If you’re just starting to navigate your books, you may be unsure of some of the lingo. It’s like a different language for those outside of the accounting world, but the more you work with your books, the quicker you’ll catch on. What’s important is to think of everything in terms of your business; these terms provide you with vital information about your company’s standing. Let’s go over some common terms you’ll frequently hear and need to use in order to discuss and understand your books.

If you do your own bookkeeping, it’s important to double-check your records to make sure everything is correct. Here are five easy and important ways to make sure your books are in order.

1. Do your deposits match?

Your bank account and your books should have the same number. If not, check QuickBooks to make sure your deposits weren’t added on multiple lines. This can happen even if the deposit hasn’t reached the bank yet.

2. Is any income double-recorded?

Obviously we don’t want income recorded twice. Sometimes we have clients mark invoices as paid and move them to Undeposited Funds. After they go to the bank, they record an additional entry for depositing the money, but this is wrong. This double records your income - once in Undeposited Funds and once as a deposit. After you deposit money in the bank from Undeposited Funds, you need to make an entry in QuickBooks moving the money from Undeposited Funds to the bank. This will move the money, not double-record it.

3. Are any credit card transactions double-recorded?

You never want to be charged twice! Mistakes can happen when you allow automatic downloads to record all transactions. That’s why you need to check in. We’ve seen clients record two different transactions when they use their credit card - one payment from the bank to the credit card AND one payment from the credit card to the bank. In result, the money is taken out of the bank twice and the credit card is paid

If your books aren’t up to snuff, it’s time to outsource. To make accurate and informed decisions on your business, it’s important to reference your bookkeeping. If they’re a mess, it means you don’t have the full story on your business. Making blind decisions is always a risk (one never worth taking!). Let’s talk about three signs it’s time to outsource.

You have a pile of receipts and papers left unrecorded, going back months.

If you have one or many folders stacked with receipts and papers from past months that haven’t been logged, it’s time to outsource. If you don’t put the time into your books, you’re neglecting your company as a result. As a business owner, it’s important to know where you stand financially, and this can’t happen if your unlogged receipts are collecting dust on your desk.

QuickBooks is the number one accounting software used by businesses with 5.6 million users worldwide. Aside from he convenience, efficiency, and ease of using the program, they also have multiple plans to choose from so you can pick the one that’s right for your business. With differing features and purposes, each of these plans has its own benefits and not all companies should have the same plan. Four of the five plans are for managing your books, and the fifth is for the self-employed tracking their own expenses.

Does your business use cash basis accounting or accrual accounting? What makes the two methods different is the timing of when sales and/or purchases are recorded in your accounts. Cash basis only recognizes income and expenses when money has been actually been exchanged. Accrual recognizes income and expenses as they’re earned/billed, whether they’ve been paid or not.

Let’s talk about reconciling your account(s) on a regular basis and why it’s necessary for not only your bookkeeping, but your business. First, what does it mean to reconcile your account? This means you compare your books to your bank accounts over a period of time to make sure everything aligns perfectly (example: comparing your records to your bank account from March 1 - 31, 2019). If there are any discrepancies, you can catch them and act on it. Also, note that you only need to reconcile your accounts if you use the accrual method of accounting. If you use cash basis accounting, then every transaction is recorded at the same time as the bank, so there are no discrepancies.

In a perfect world, all of your clients would pay you on time, which, in result, would help you manage your cash flow more effectively. That’s not always the case, though. Not every client will pay you on time - that’s the harsh truth of it. What steps should you take when an invoice remains late and unpaid?

Something we love about QuickBooks is how much they appreciate their users. How do we know? They show us by staying up-to-date with new features to help make everyone’s bookkeeping quicker and easier. In case you missed it, here’s the rundown on the newest features added to QuickBooks through the first quarter of the year.

We always say you should be paying constant attention to your books, so we decided to break it down based on what you should be doing daily, weekly, and monthly. What you do in these short periods of time can impact the overall state of your books and your knowledge of your company’s financial standing. The more often you work in your books, the less time you’ll have to spend on them come the year’s end. You’ll thank yourself come December! If not, we’re here to help.

Tax season can be a stressful and overwhelming time. Sitting down with your tax preparer should bring you answers, solutions, and an understanding of your financial being.

Before setting foot into your tax preparer’s office, ask them what you should bring. This will ensure you have everything you need for the tax return process. Set yourself up for success by coming prepared.

Talk with your preparer about their history with doing taxes. Beware of false credentials or fraudulent activity. If your preparer promises you a huge return or makes up false information on your return, they may be a fraud. If it sounds too good, it probably is. Remember: even though your tax preparer is filling in the form, it’s legally your responsibility what’s on it.

If your knowledge of accounting and accounting lingo is minimal, it’s never a bad idea to do some research before meeting with your tax preparer. If a term is used that you don’t understand, don’t hesitate to ask them to explain. It’s their job to help you! You can also reference our past blog that touches on some of the common terminology in the accounting field.

If you’re unsure what your tax preparer is saying to you about your money, you need to ask. The most important thing you can do with your money is understand what it’s telling you and what you should do with it. A tax preparer should assist you with this, and if you’re uncertain what’s being said, stop the conversation and ask before moving forward. If

Let’s talk about the difference between accounts payable (A/P) and accounts receivable (A/R). It’s easy to get these two confused, but they’re important components to your books. They’re the primary indicators of the financial health of your company, which means they’re constantly changing to keep up with all the moving pieces. Let’s focus on the basics.

Account Payable is a company’s liability account where they record the amounts they owe to vendors or suppliers for their goods or services the company received on credit.  

Accounts Receivable is a company’s current asset account where they record the amounts they have a right to collect from customers who have purchased their goods or services on credit.

First things first, what is an asset? An asset is a resource that your company owns that is used for a function of your business operations. It can be something tangible (vehicle, furniture, equipment, etc.) or intangible (goodwill, intellectual property, patents, etc.). Assets will always have a useful lifespan of greater than one year, and they may or may not go up in value. For example, buildings and land usually go up in value, but the large piece of machinery you have in the shop will likely decrease in value.

Your books will either be your best friend or your worst nightmare. Depending on much attention you give them, they’ll treat you accordingly. They’ll help you only as much as you allow. The information you feed them, and how often, makes all the difference. Some common bookkeeping questions being with, “how often should I…” Let’s ensure you and your books are on the same page.

How often should I be adding to my books?

Truthfully, you should be adding to your books every single time there is a cost or income. However, that’s just not always realistic. We recommend sitting down daily, bi-weekly, or weekly. If you sit down for a few minutes at the end of the day or week, to enter your debits and credits, this will ensure your books have the latest numbers and are as up-to-date as possible.

How often should I see my bookkeeper?

If you don’t do your own books, it is vital to communicate with your bookkeeper. Your bookkeeper can only do so much if you’re not consistent in communication, whether it’s phone or email. So long as you are sending your bookkeeper fresh information, keeping them in the loop, it is not necessary to meet with your bookkeeper very often. Reaching out on a regular basis (we’re talking weekly or bi-weekly) can do wonders for your books.

How often do I need to run reports?

We recommend running reports monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually. Running reports, like profit and

It’s not uncommon for small businesses, or those just getting started, to use personal bank accounts. However, we recommend splitting your business and personal finances into two separate accounts - sooner rather than later. Some business owners think they don’t make enough money or have enough activity for an account, but that simply isn’t the case.

An important part of running a business is keeping it safe. This includes from fraud. Simply put, it’s best to remain cautious. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Be smart with who you share information with and why. Here are five easy ways to combat fraud:

New year, new rules on deductibles. Before you sit down to work on your taxes (or with your accountant), remember that some of the deductibles revolving around meals and entertainment have been UPDATED. We want to keep you up-to-date with the most recent information possible. Use the handy chart below to know what you can deduct and what’s not an option anymore.

You’ll notice that the majority of changes are with business trips or meals. Your good ‘ole office snacks and beverages are still 100 percent deductible. It’s important to be honest with your deductibles. Use them to your advantage, but use them honestly.

Are there things you just don’t have time for? Or the knowledge to complete? That thing that always sits on your to-do list waiting to be crossed off, but it just never seems to happen. You know what we’re talking about. We all have that one thing we just don’t want to do, whatever the reason may be.

This is where outsourcing becomes your best friend. For small to mid-size businesses, hiring someone full-time, or even part-time, just isn’t an option sometimes. The funds might not allow it. This is when outsourcing comes into play. Hiring someone outside of the company to do that one thing you don’t want to do saves you money. How? Simple. Rather than paying an hourly or salary employee for being in the office 9 to 5, you can pay someone for only the time they spend doing what you need.

With tax season in our midst, it’s time to get it together and figure out who needs to be issued a 1099.  These are to be sent out each year by January 31st. It can be kind of confusing to figure out who to issue a 1099 and who doesn’t need one. The basic rule is that you must issue one whenever you pay an independent contractor who provides you a service.

In a previous blog, we discussed the five types of accounts every business should have in their books. If you missed it, circle back and check it out before continuing with this one. As a reminder, the five types of accounts are assets, equity, expenses, liabilities, and revenue. Now, let’s talk about transactions. A financial transaction is the activity that impacts your company’s assets, liabilities, and equity.

There are four categories that a transaction can be categorized as: sales, purchases, receipts, and payments. Each of them involves money in some way and is recorded in your books in two locations. To make things simpler for you, we will break down what each of the transactions are and the two places it should be recorded in your books. Now, let’s dive in! We’ll talk each of the four transactions and the two places they should be recorded in your books.

If you’re a small to midsize business, you need to be using QuickBooks Online (QBO) to manage all of your finances. QuickBooks Online makes life easier by helping you, not adding to the stress in your life. With just over 5.6 million users, it’s hard to deny it’s benefits.

So, what’s the big deal? There seem to be an endless number of efficient features in this accounting software, so we

Whether you run your own business or just work on the books, it’s imperative to know all the lingo. When you work on your books, these factors will tell you quite a bit about your business’s financial health. We know there seem to be an infinite number of terms in the accounting and bookkeeping world. It’s almost like a different language!

If you’re serious about making your dream a reality, it’s time to get real about what you’ll be encountering. From one small business to another, it’s no easy feat and you’ll face what seems to be endless challenges. Not only do you need to have motivation and perseverance, but here are six tips to help you on your journey.