As a tax professional, you are well aware that every one of your business clients has two main goals at tax time: Calculate as many deductions as possible Avoid an IRS audit They’re counting on you for help. Most of them are unable to do this on their own, so your guidance is priceless. This is especially true for small businesses—and most vulnerable to RED FLAGS are home-based businesses. Knowing how to advise your clients about what to deduct when filing taxes is … [Read more...]
Pro’s and Con’s of Starting and Growing an Accounting and Tax Business
Whether you’re just entering your accounting career or reinventing a tired business, the road ahead can seem quite long. Starting and growing an accounting and tax business from the ground up (like building any other business) can take time and hard work. Finding those first few regular clients can be a daunting task, and many would-be entrepreneurs throw in the towel and go to work for someone else before it ever happens. Buying an Existing Business The alternative to starting and growing an … [Read more...]
Tax Business Tips for Success
It takes more than a thorough knowledge of tax law to build a successful tax business. In fact, some of the markers of success for your business will have little – if anything – to do with your knowledge of taxes. And, while every tax business is different, there are certain common threads that seem to run through those businesses which have been able to stick around. Here are some of the common characteristics of a successful tax business: The owner of a successful tax business is … [Read more...]
Top Tips For Effective Time Management for Accountants
Time is money, and this is especially true for accounting professionals. The more efficiently you operate your schedule, the more money you’ll make and the less work you’ll have to do. Yet, time management is something that most accountants struggle with at one point or another, and something that almost all of us could stand to improve. Effective time management for accountants means more money and more time to spend on the things that truly help to grow your business. Time management for … [Read more...]
9 Action Steps to Take to Create a Website That Converts
Have you ever wished you had the key to converting more of your leads into paying clients? We’ve got good news for you. Today we’re going to identify 9 action steps to take to create a website that converts. Step 1 - Determine what “conversion” means to you Before you can build a website that converts, you first need to be able to answer the question “what is a conversion?” Simply put, a conversion is when a website visitor does what you want them to do. In your case, a conversion … [Read more...]
Are Your Clients Taking Advantage of Sellable Tax Credits?
State governments realize the economic benefit of spending billions of dollars on tax credits. Are your clients taking advantage of this? Many are not due to low tax liability. Nonprofit organizations or start up businesses that generate very little income are among them. Some states have found a solution. They have created a secondary market by enticing these types of businesses with transferable or sellable tax credits. The secondary market incentives are sophisticated and growing at a … [Read more...]
Why Your Database Is Your Most Powerful Asset
As the old saying goes, it takes money to make money. Sure, your small business owner clients can bootstrap their new business to a certain extent. However, when it's time to scale and make substantial investments in property and/or personnel, in most cases, outside capital has to be acquired. And truth be told, many of the entrepreneurs you know simply don’t know how to get their hands on the capital they need. On the flip side, investors are always looking for ways to grow their portfolio. … [Read more...]
6 Ways To Decrease Business Expenses
The clarity and direction you derive from analyzing financial statements is powerful. The problem is, most small business owners struggle to make any sense out of these documents. Profit and loss statements, balance sheets, cash flow projections…oh my! It’s all so confusing—especially to the right-brained side of the entrepreneurial world that would rather do anything EXCEPT analyze numbers! This is where you come in. Your number-crunching ninja powers are something most of your clients … [Read more...]
Creating a More Efficient and Secure Practice Through Client Portals
Since sending clients their tax returns via email is not an option, accountants are searching for alternatives to email communicating and collaborating with clients. Client portals offer a secure alternative with added benefits. Many firms are experiencing significant time savings and increased office efficiency through the use of client portals. Not only does this help practitioners comply with federal and state regulations requiring encryption of sensitive information (like social security … [Read more...]
How to Protect Your Client’s Retirement
Income taxes are one area where your clients can make a substantial number of mistakes when planning for retirement. Many individuals do not have the knowledge or training necessary to protect their client's retirement correctly. Thousands of dollars may be forfeited in this way, resulting in a lower standard of living for your clients. Retirees often receive income from a variety of sources including interest and dividends from taxable accounts, IRAs, Social Security benefits, … [Read more...]