Coral Springs bookkeeping services for small businesses: The controller increases the company’s overall financial accountability and checks and balances. A controller reviews the bookkeeper’s ledger for accuracy while also maintaining the integrity of the accounting data file in the future so that adjustments can’t be made without approval. Lastly, a controller issues monthly financial reports highlighting any critical issues that you need to understand and possibly address.

Do (a Little) Research: Since tax laws and interpretations are continually changing, you should attempt to be as informed as possible. Even if you use a tax advisor, it’s wise to understand the tax issues and treatments that affect you as thoroughly as possible so you can make the best decisions. It’s not difficult to spend an hour or two online researching specific taxable situations or relative conditions. For example, entering the words “freelance income tax” in a search engine reveals numerous sources about the tax treatment and filing of freelance income. A search of the words “home rental income tax” delivers a similar number of sources about the treatment of home rental income. You can never know too much about income taxes. After all, it’s your money that you keep by minimizing your tax liability.

Harvest Your Capital Losses: If you own stocks that have lost money, you can sell them and deduct up to $3,000 on your federal taxes. Just be careful not to violate the wash-sale rule, which would disallow the deduction. This rule states you cannot purchase the same or a substantially similar stock within 30 days before or after the sale. “Some people think it’s OK if I do it using two accounts,” Zollars says. They may think they can sell a stock from a taxable account and then immediately purchase similar securities in an IRA. However, this is not allowed. “That’s not the way the rule works,” he says.

Keep track of your charitable contributions: When you do good for others, you deserve to get some tax benefits. While you can include charitable contributions to qualified organizations in your itemized deductions, doing so may require a little extra documentation. For example, you can’t deduct a contribution of more than $250 unless you have a written acknowledgment from the organization. Also, noncash contributions may require different records, such as a description of what you donated and its fair market value. Be sure to get the full tax benefit of your generosity by keeping good records of all your charitable contributions to qualified organizations throughout the year. Discover more info at Lauderhill bookkeepers.

Employers are typically notified of a wage garnishment via a court order or IRS levy. They must comply with the garnishment request, and typically start withholding and remitting payment as soon as the order is received. IRS wage garnishment and levy paperwork will walk you through the steps of completing the wage garnishment. Paperwork should also include any relevant contact information, which you should not hesitate to use if you have any questions. This is certainly one scenario where it’s in your best interest to contact many people rather than attempt to guess and create possible errors.

Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit: A tax credit is so much better than a tax deduction—it reduces your tax bill dollar for dollar. So missing one is even more painful than missing a deduction that simply reduces the amount of income that’s subject to tax. But it’s easy to overlook the child and dependent care credit if you pay your child care bills through a reimbursement account at work. The law allows you to run up to $5,000 of such expenses through a tax-favored reimbursement account at work. Up to $6,000 in care expenses can qualify for the credit, but the $5,000 from a tax favored account can’t be used. So if you run the maximum $5,000 through a plan at work but spend more for work-related child care, you can claim the credit on up to an extra $1,000. That would cut your tax bill by at least $200 using the minimum 20 percent of the expenses. The credit percentage goes up for lower income households.

Business Bookkeeping Help, a Coral Springs bookkeeping and accounting firm, has a team of bookkeepers, accountants and small business experts who specialize in bookkeeping and a full range of accounting services for corporations and small businesses. Our bookkeepers are also accountants. Our accountants are here to help you understand and help educate you about the tax laws and help you find tax deductions to lower your taxes. Just give our accountants a call and we will try to answer your tax questions for free. This will help you be aware of the tax deductions to save you money on your taxes. Find even more information on Affordable Bookkeeping.