by Sarah | Mar 12, 2025 | Business Accountant
One of the most critical hires you will make is your business accountant.
As a business owner, you have a lot on your plate. Between managing clients, handling operations, and staying ahead in your industry, your finances should be one area where you feel entirely confident.
That’s where your accountant comes in. But how do you know if you can genuinely trust them? A good small business accountant isn’t just someone who files your taxes. They should be a strategic partner in your business, helping you make informed decisions, stay compliant, and maximize profitability.
Trusting your accountant isn’t just about their credentials—it’s about transparency, communication, and shared values. Here’s how to know if your accountant is the right fit for you.
1. Credentials and Experience Matter—But So Does Compatibility
Your accountant must have the right qualifications, whether a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) or extensive bookkeeping experience. However, experience alone isn’t enough—they also need to understand your industry and business model.
- Do they have experience working with businesses of your size and type?
- Have they handled tax planning or financial strategy for similar industries?
- Are they familiar with your tools and systems, like QuickBooks or Xero?
But beyond their technical skills, do they understand you? A trusted advisor should understand your goals and align with your vision. Whenever you have a financial concern, you should feel comfortable talking about it with them.
2. Communication is Key—Are They Responsive and Clear?
You should never feel like your financials are a mystery. A trustworthy small business accountant takes the time to explain things in a way you understand without making you feel like you need a finance degree just to keep up.
Here is what to look for:
- They respond to emails or calls promptly – no waiting weeks for a simple answer.
- They break things down clearly without using jargon that leaves you more confused.
- They are proactive, reaching out before major financial deadlines and not scrambling at the last minute.
If you constantly chase your accountant for information or feel they don’t have time for your questions, it may be time to reassess the relationship.
3. Transparency and Ethics—Are They Open About Their Processes?
A good accountant should be upfront about how they work and what they charge. Fees shouldn’t be unexpected, hidden, or described in vague terms.
Ask yourself:
- Do they clearly explain their services and pricing?
- Are they transparent about handling taxes, bookkeeping, and financial planning?
- Do you understand your options, or do they tell you what to do without explanation?
🚩Red flag: If an accountant suggests something unethical or “creative” to lower your tax bill, run. No legitimate accountant will encourage shady financial practices.
4. Proactive vs. Reactive—Do They Help You Plan Ahead?
A great small business accountant isn’t just there to clean up messes at tax time—they help you plan to avoid those messes in the first place.
The right accountant will:
- Offer tax planning advice throughout the year, not just in April.
- Help you budget, manage cash flow, and make financial decisions confidently.
- Identify potential deductions and savings opportunities before it’s too late.
If your accountant only contacts you when it’s time to file taxes and never provides strategic advice, you’re missing valuable financial guidance.
5. Client Testimonials and Referrals—What Do Others Say?
What do other business owners say about working with your accountant? A strong reputation is one of the best indicators of trustworthiness.
Check online reviews, ask for client references, or simply talk to other entrepreneurs in your network.
Some questions to consider:
- Do they have positive feedback from long-term clients?
- Do their clients mention trust, reliability, and strong communication?
- If there are negative reviews, how did they handle them?
A credible accountant will have no problem providing references or case studies showcasing their work.
6. Trust Your Gut—Do You Feel Comfortable?
Trust isn’t just about credentials or experience—it’s about how you feel working with them. Your accountant should make you feel confident in your financial decisions, not anxious or uncertain.
If you ever feel like:
- You can’t ask questions without feeling embarrassed.
- You’re not sure exactly what your accountant does for you.
- You’re uneasy about their advice or communication style.
…it may be time to look for someone else. The right small business accountant will empower you with knowledge and support, making financial decisions more manageable, not harder.
Your Small Business Accountant Should Be Your Trusted Partner
Being a numbers person isn’t the only criterion that makes your accountant a trusted partner. They should take responsibility for providing transparency, strategic advice, and confidence in your bookkeeping. Review these key factors if you doubt your business accountant is the right fit.
Let’s talk if you’re looking for an accountant who prioritizes your business’s success and financial clarity! At SAP Virtual Services, we help business owners like you gain confidence in your numbers, plan ahead, and grow with a solid financial foundation.
Are you ready to work with someone you trust? Contact us today!
by Sarah | Feb 13, 2025 | Bookkeeping Basics
What does the month of love and financial clarity have in common? Like any great relationship, your numbers need attention, care, and regular check-ins. If you’ve been avoiding your books or treating budgeting like a bad relationship, it’s time to shift your mindset and confidently embrace your numbers!
Building a strong, healthy relationship with your finances will help you reduce stress, make smarter business decisions, and create long-term success. How can you start loving your numbers this month?
Falling in Love with Your Finances: Why It Matters
Financial clarity does not come from glancing at your numbers once a year when tax season rolls around. Your numbers tell the story of your business. You can learn what is working, what is not, and what changes you need to make to grow your business sustainably.
A strong understanding of your financials can help you:
- Avoid surprise expenses and cash flow issues.
- Make informed business decisions based on data (not guesswork!)
- Plan for future investments in your business.
- Allows you to focus on growth and reduce financial stress.
In other words, when you love your numbers, they’ll love you back!
Keeping the Romance Alive: The Importance of Regular Financial Check-Ins
Just as a healthy relationship requires communication, so do your business finances. By maintaining a regular check-in schedule, you can proactively stay on track and catch potential issues before they become big problems, giving you a sense of control and confidence.
How to Maintain a Strong Connection with Your Finances:
Set a Money Date – Schedule weekly or monthly check-ins to review your budget, income, and expenses. Make it a non-negotiable habit!
Review Financial Reports – Regularly review all of your financial reports.
Track Outstanding Invoices – Ensure you’re getting paid on time and follow up on any overdue receivables.
Assess Business Goals – Are you on track with your revenue and expense targets? If not, what adjustments can you make?
You’ll build a healthy, profitable business by checking in with your books—without financial surprises!
The Most Important Numbers to Track: Love The One You Are With
If you want to love your numbers, you need to understand them. Here are the key financial metrics every business owner should track:
1. Revenue (Total Income)
The total money your business brings in before expenses is known as revenue. Tracking revenue trends helps you:
- Set realistic income goals
- Identify peak and slow seasons
- Make informed pricing and sales decisions
2. Profit
Profit = Revenue – Expenses
Your profit margin shows how much money your business keeps after expenses. If your revenue is high but profit is low, it’s a sign you might need to adjust spending.
3. Cash Flow
Cash flow measures the money moving into and out of your business. A positive cash flow means you have more money coming in than going out, which is a key sign of financial health!
4. Expenses & Overhead
Track your monthly spending:
- Fixed expenses – costs that remain the same over time. (rent, software, salaries)
- Variable expenses – costs that fluctuate monthly. (marketing, supplies, client services)
- Unnecessary spending – costs that are not essential to your basic needs. (subscriptions, underutilized tools)
5. Accounts Receivable (Outstanding Invoices)
When clients do not pay their invoices on time, potential cash flow is sitting in limbo. Proactively following up with unpaid invoices ensures you get paid and lessens financial strain.
6. Budget Review
Are you following your budget, under budget, or overspending? Compare your projected spending with the actual monthly expenses. You can then identify areas where you may need to make corrections.
7. Taxes & Savings
Nobody likes a surprise tax bill! Set aside money each month to cover estimated taxes and build an emergency fund for unexpected costs.
Budgeting: Your Business’s Love Language
A budget doesn’t mean restricting spending. It gives your business direction and stability, which leads to financial clarity.
Instead of viewing budgeting as drudgery, consider it an act of love that ensures your business stays strong and financially healthy.
A firm budget helps you:
- Set realistic financial goals
- Prevent overspending
- Allocate money for business growth (marketing, hiring, training)
- Avoid end-of-the-month financial stress
If you don’t have a budget yet, now’s the perfect time to create one!
Recognize Business Finance Red Flags
If you’re only looking at your numbers when it’s tax season (or when something goes wrong), your relationship with your finances might need some work!
Warning signs your finances need attention:
- Avoiding financial reports because they stress you out
- Not knowing where your money is going each month
- Cash flow issues catching you by surprise
- Overdue invoices piling up
- Not having a budget or financial plan
The good news? It’s never too late to rebuild a healthy relationship with your business finances!
Show Your Numbers Some Love This Month!
Ready to build a strong, stress-free relationship with your business finances? Here’s your action plan:
- Select an accounting system to maintain your records.
- Schedule a money date every month to review your numbers.
- Track the key financial metrics listed above.
When you take control of your numbers, you gain confidence, clarity, and the power to grow your business efficiently. This empowerment is a love story worth investing in!
Loving your numbers doesn’t mean you have to handle them alone!
At SAP Virtual Resources LLC, we help business owners achieve financial clarity by:
- Staying on top of bookkeeping without being overwhelmed.
- Creating and managing budgets for long-term success.
- Tracking critical financial metrics and cash flow.
- Ensuring financial records are up-to-date and tax-ready.
We make it easy for you to understand and manage your business finances so that you can focus on what you do best. Contact me to learn how we can help you achieve financial clarity.
by Sarah | Jan 10, 2025 | Tax, Uncategorized
By opting for a tax review before filing your taxes this year, you can significantly reduce the anxiety that often accompanies tax time. Maybe ENJOY is a stretch, but you will feel better than you usually feel at tax time. The stress of unorganized books, juggling deadlines, and the possibility of making a costly mistake can be overwhelming, even for the most confident business owners.
As the owner of SAP Virtual Resources, LLC, I have seen how this proactive step can save time, money, and stress for busy entrepreneurs.
The Value of a Professional Review
Spot Errors Before the IRS
Even the most meticulous business owner can make bookkeeping mistakes. Common mistakes like missed deductions, miscategorized expenses, or duplicate entries may not be obvious when you are in the thick of tax preparation while continuing your daily business activities. They may not seem significant, but they can lead to larger problems.
An accountant’s trained eye can catch these and other mistakes. A tax review can ensure your financials are accurate and compliant with IRS regulations, reducing your chances of an audit or incurring penalties.
Expert Advice on Deductions and Credits
The complex and ever-changing tax laws require attention to detail. It is easy to overlook valuable deductions and credits that can apply to your business. There are several small business tax credits that you may qualify to use.
An accountant who offers a tax review stays current on the latest tax regulations to help you take advantage of all opportunities. They can help you with your current year’s taxes and help you implement new strategies for the following year.
Save Time and Reduce Stress
Get Back to Running Your Business
Once your information is ready, you can submit it for a professional tax review. This allows you to refocus on running your business, knowing that your books are in the capable hands of an expert. It’s time to do what you do best with the peace of mind that comes from professional oversight.
Prevent Costly Mistakes
Significant financial consequences can be the result of minor bookkeeping issues. A misplaced decimal point or a forgotten receipt can make a difference. Without a tax review, these issues may go unnoticed, leading to penalties and additional stress. An accountant can address many problems before they escalate, potentially saving you from these consequences.
Prepare for Growth and Audits
Insights into Business Health
A tax review helps you understand your business’s financial health. An accountant can identify business trends, cash flow issues, or areas where you can improve profitability. This information can help you make sound decisions about the future of your business.
Audit Readiness
Any business owner feels chills at the thought of an IRS audit. Being prepared for the possibility is priceless. An accountant can verify that your records are complete, accurate, and defensible, reducing the likelihood of complications if you receive an audit notification.
Tailored Advice for Your Business
Custom Tax Strategies
Your business is unique, and cookie-cutter advice doesn’t always work. After a tax review, an accountant can provide you with a tailored tax strategy based on your industry, goals, and financial position. Their expertise can help you plan retirement contributions, time purchases of business assets, or navigate unique deductions.
Invest With Confidence
A professional tax review is an investment in your business’s financial health and your peace of mind. The clear benefits include saving time, reducing stress, and a business set for future success.
Be proactive and make tax time stress-free. (You may even ENJOY it!) Contact me to discuss a tax review today.
by Sarah | Dec 13, 2024 | Payroll
As tax season approaches, employers must gather W-2 information to simplify preparation, meet deadlines, and ensure accuracy. It is imperative that you that you comply with IRS rules.
Whether you are managing a small team or a growing workforce, I will walk you through the critical steps to gather the necessary information for W-2s, handle taxable employee gifts, verify pay stub details, and take advantage of electronic W-2s.
Step 1: Confirm employee information is accurate.
All employee information must be up-to-date and accurate. Errors on the forms can lead to IRS penalties and delays in employees receiving their tax returns.
Information you should check includes:
Full Legal Name – Verify it matches the name on the employee’s Social Security card to avoid mismatches.
Current Address – Confirm the address is correct to prevent W-2s from being lost or delayed.
Social Security Numbers—Check social security numbers for accuracy. Look for typos or missing digits to avoid IRS scrutiny.
Send a checklist to all employees, asking them to confirm or update their information by a specific date. A quick audit of this data can save you time and headaches later.
Step 2: Pay Stub Information
Now that you have confirmed your employees’ details, it is time to move on to your payroll records. Pay stubs should accurately reflect wages, deductions, and benefits that will appear on W-2 forms. Discrepancies can create added work during tax season.
Here’s what to review:
Year-to-date earnings: Ensure all wages, including salaries, overtime, and bonuses, are correctly recorded.
Deductions and withholdings: Verify federal and state income taxes, Social Security, and Medicare amounts.
Adjustments for taxable benefits Include personal use of company vehicle or other perks.
Encourage employees to check their pay information and notify you of any suspected errors. When you and the employees collaborate to ensure accuracy, you can minimize the risk of mistakes.
Step 3: Report Employee Gifts
Showing appreciation to your employees creates a healthy work environment. However, not all gifts are exempt from tax reporting. Some gifts may need to be included as taxable income on W-2 forms.
Here is the differentiator:
Taxable Gifts: gift cards, cash equivalents, or items of significant value given for birthdays, work anniversaries, or holidays must be reported. The IRS considers these forms of compensation, not perks.
Non-taxable Gifts: Company-branded items like shirts, water bottles, or mugs that are infrequent and of minimal value fall under “de minimis” benefits and are excluded from taxable wages.
Following the IRS guidelines on taxable benefits ensures compliance while allowing you to continue rewarding your team without complication.
Step 4: Use Electronic W-2s
Sending W-2s electronically can save time, reduce costs, and streamline your workflow If you follow the proper steps to comply with IRS guidelines.
You must have employee consent before using electronic W-2s.
Here is how to obtain consent:
Notification of Intent: Inform your employees you plan to send W-2s electronically. Include details on how they will access them and the benefits of electronic W-2s.
Written or Electronic Consent: Employees must agree in writing or electronically. An email or the use of a secure portal is acceptable.
Access Confirmation: Ensure employees can access the electronic format you will use.
Revocation Option: Employees can withdraw their consent for an electronic W-2 and request a paper one.
When you use electronic W-2s correctly, you can save resources and stay within IRS guidelines simultaneously.
Step 5: Educate Employees
Cooperation in verifying information is more manageable when employees understand why it matters. Communication is vital to helping educate employees.
Communication best practices:
Send a company-wide email or memo outlining what information you need and why.
Set a deadline for employees to confirm their personal details or report discrepancies.
Prepare a summary of employees’ year-to-date earnings and benefits and ask them to cross-check for accuracy.
Keeping employees aware of the W-2 process will foster collaboration.
Step 6: Prepare W-2s for Submission
Now, you can begin preparing your W-2 forms.
IRS deadlines are strict and must be met.
January 31st is the deadline to send W-2s to employees and submit copies to the SSA.
If you have more than ten W-2s, you must submit them electronically along with a W-3. The Form W-3 is required if you send out more than one W-2.
Penalties for errors and missed deadlines can be costly. Confirm all information to avoid any penalties.
Hire a Professional
The W-2 season doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Follow the above steps to streamline the process and avoid unnecessary stress.
If you do not currently use payroll software and accounting tools to automate your calculations and ensure accuracy, now would be the time to look at the possibilities for your 2025 payroll needs.
Year-end comes with a long list of tasks for business owners. Delegating to a trusted professional in bookkeeping and payroll allows you to feel more at ease about W-2 preparation. Contact me today to help simplify your W-2 preparation and ensure a successful tax season.
by Sarah | Nov 15, 2024 | Business Tools
Now is when many business owners think about holiday giving to their team and community. A thoughtful approach to generosity can bring warmth and happiness to your business, employees, and the local community.
There are three areas to consider: charitable donations, employee gifts, and community partnerships.
Creating Positive Change Through Charitable Giving
We naturally feel good about supporting a charitable cause that is dear to us. There is also a strategic side for business owners who approach holiday giving thoughtfully. Consider the following:
Select Tax-Deductible Organizations
Some contributions are tax-deductible when donating to an organization with a 501(c)(3) status. Maintain records or receipts of the donation for accounting and tax documentation.
Align Contributions with Company Values
Selecting causes that resonate with your mission will add depth to your brand. When a company supports local schools, health and environmental initiatives, it strengthens its reputation and fosters a sense of unity and shared mission among its employees.
Set a Budget
A dedicated budget for charitable giving ensures donations are organized and manageable. Consider designating a percentage of your annual revenue to stay within budget.
Employee Appreciation Without Tax Complications
Appreciation for your employees shouldn’t be limited to the holidays. Holiday giving can boost the morale of your team. Here is how to manage holiday gifting effectively:
Understand what is taxable and non-taxable to employees.
Generally, cash bonuses, gift cards, and large-value gifts are taxable income for employees. However, some benefits may not be taxable.
Think beyond material gifts.
Consider giving a benefit that offers value throughout the year. Wellness incentives or professional development opportunities are practical and may be non-taxable.
Stay on top of compliance.
When you gift your employees, be careful not to choose something that may be taxable. Your gift should benefit them, and you also need to be sure it meets your budget constraints.
Foster Community Partnerships
Local businesses welcome the support of their community, especially during the holiday season. Your support of local businesses helps the communities’ economy and creates valuable connections. It also benefits your business with increased visibility and a positive reputation.
Partnerships with Local Vendors
By using local vendors for holiday events or gifts, you can strengthen community ties and your commitment to supporting small businesses. This is a win-win for the employees and your regional partners.
Carefully Track Expenses
As with everything in your business, expense tracking is essential. If your expenses directly serve your business, they can often be categorized as marketing expenses and may be tax-deductible. Examples of partnerships might include hosting a holiday market or community event.
Encourage Employees to Shop Locally
Offering discounts to local vendors and shops is a simple and effective way to help your employees and the community.
Think about how your holiday giving can genuinely matter to your employees and the local community. You can remain financially savvy while supporting charities and strengthening community bonds.
Before making a final decision on holiday gifting, be sure to consult with your tax accountant.
Have you decided to hire a bookkeeper as part of your business’ New Year’s Resolution? Schedule a call, and let’s chat to determine your needs.
