Florida bookkeeping firm: If you have ignored that advice this far, it might be a good time to start doing your research before you dig the hole any deeper, because a bookkeeping service does more than just record payables and receivables, they guarantee the security, power and success of your business. Next is the full-charge bookkeeper. We all know the basic duties of a bookkeeper: to track payables and receivables and keep all your business’s financial transactions documented. Sounds simple enough, but there’s a lot more to this job than meets the eye.
Review Tax Filings From Previous Years: For most people, the changes from one tax year to the next are relatively slight. Previous tax returns are excellent reminders of areas you can easily overlook, such as interest or dividends, capital loss carry-forward balances, and infrequently used deductions. I keep paper copies as well as scanned copies of past years’ returns, in addition to four spreadsheets detailing my income and expenses for each year. One spreadsheet contains the information from Form 1040, while the others have previously filed data for Schedules A, C, and D. This allows me to quickly check whether I’ve overlooked an income or expense item, as well as the year-to-year changes in amounts. For example, if I received dividends from one security holding or interest from a particular bank in prior years, but the amount is missing or substantially changed for the current year, I know to check for the reason behind the omission, increase, or decrease before completing my tax filing.
Make 401(k) and HSA Contributions: People can make tax deductible contributions to traditional IRAs up to April 15 of next year. However, the door closes on Dec. 31 for 401(k) and health savings account contributions. “It’s a hard stop,” says Wendy Barlin, a Los Angeles-based CPA and author of “That’s Deductible!: Simple Tips and Tricks to Find More Business Tax Deductions.” “Whatever opportunities you have at work (for retirement savings), make sure you maximize them before the end of the year,” she says. Taxpayers with a qualified high-deductible family health insurance plan can deduct up to $7,000 in contributions to a health savings account. Individuals with self-only coverage can deduct $3,500. Those age 55 or older are eligible for an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution. Tax deductible contributions to a traditional 401(k) are capped at $19,000 for 2019. Workers age 50 and older can make an additional $6,000 in catch-up contributions.
Don’t make financial decisions based on potential tax breaks: The IRS offers a slew of tax credits and deductions that have the potential to reduce your tax liability. But if you’re spending money strictly for the tax break, you may end up losing money on the deal. For example, you can deduct charitable contributions you make throughout the year if you itemize your deductions and donate to qualified charitable organizations. But if you donate $1,000 solely to get a tax deduction, and don’t first ensure your contribution meets deduction requirements, you could be out $1,000 with no tax break to show for your donation. Read even more info on Bookkeeping Services.
After the employee’s debt has been paid, the procedure for stopping the garnishment will vary depending on the type of garnishment. For federal levies, employers will receive a 668-D form, for child support the employer will receive a notice or letter from the state, and creditors will send employers a “Notice of Termination/Release of Wage Garnishment Order” for creditor garnishments. Employers should have a basic understanding of garnishments and a plan in place to respond when they occur. Consider working with a professional to ensure your plan and procedures are compliant with applicable laws based on your specific situation. Using a garnishment payment service can help you remit funds to the correct agency and help protect against undue liability and lawsuits.
Out-of-pocket charitable contributions: It’s hard to overlook the big charitable gifts you made during the year by check or payroll deduction. But the little things add up, too, and you can write off out-of-pocket costs you incur while doing good deeds. Ingredients for casseroles you regularly prepare for a qualified nonprofit organization’s soup kitchen, for example, or the cost of stamps you buy for your school’s fundraiser count as a charitable contribution. If you drove your car for charity in 2019, remember to deduct 14 cents per mile. Jury pay paid to employer: Some employers continue to pay employees’ full salary while they are doing their civic duty, but ask that they turn over their jury fees to the company. The only problem is that the IRS demands that you report those fees as taxable income. If you give the money to your employer you have a right to deduct the amount so you aren’t taxed on money that simply passes through your hands.
Learning QuickBooks fundamentals can be very challenging and requires training since it contains thousands of features to handle all types of industries and businesses. In order to fully comprehend the features, it would be advised that one not only understood the technical basics but had some experience in accounting and bookkeeping. Our accounting and bookkeeping firm has been using Quickbooks for clients for over 20 years. QuickBooks is one of the most comprehensive and widely used premier accounting software for small businesses. One of the most widely used versions of QuickBooks is QuickBooks Online which provides access for the accountant and the client at the same time. Discover additional information on this website.