Accounting Archives - JLD Bookkeeping https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/category/accounting/ Mon, 19 Jan 2026 01:29:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/cropped-Screenshot-c-32x32.png Accounting Archives - JLD Bookkeeping https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/category/accounting/ 32 32 Free Download: 2026 Tax Survival Guide https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/year-end-bookkeeping-cleanup-guide-for-2025/ https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/year-end-bookkeeping-cleanup-guide-for-2025/#respond Mon, 19 Jan 2026 01:02:58 +0000 https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/?p=1712 Get ready for tax season with accurate bookkeeping. Learn how clean books save time, reduce stress, and lower costs for small business owners.

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]]> Download the Free Tax Survival Guide

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Survive 2026 Tax Season Without the Stress

A clear, practical tax season guide for small business owners who want to feel prepared — not panicked.

Running a business is already a lot. Tax season shouldn’t add unnecessary pressure, confusion, or second-guessing.

Download our 2026 Tax Season Survival Guide to get organized, understand what’s required, and approach tax season with more clarity and less stress.

What This Guide Helps You Do

This guide was created for busy business owners who want straightforward guidance — not tax jargon or overwhelm.

Inside, you’ll find:

  • A breakdown of 2026 tax deadlines based on your business structure

  • Clear checklists to help you get organized step by step

  • An overview of which tax forms apply to your business

  • A bookkeeping review checklist to catch common issues before filing

  • A tax preparation checklist so nothing gets missed

  • Helpful resources and reminders to avoid common mistakes

Everything is designed to help you feel more confident and prepared — even if you’re starting later than you hoped.

Who This Guide Is For

This guide is especially helpful if:

  • You’re a small business owner juggling growth, clients, and personal life

  • You’re unsure which tax forms apply to your business

  • Your bookkeeping feels messy, behind, or uncertain

  • You want to avoid last-minute scrambling or costly errors

  • You want a clear place to start, without judgment

You don’t need to have everything figured out before downloading this guide. That’s the point.

What Makes This Different

This isn’t a generic tax checklist.

It’s written from real-world experience working with business owners every day — people who are doing their best but don’t always have the time or clarity they need.

The focus is on:

  • Clarity over complexity

  • Practical steps you can actually follow

  • Reducing stress, not adding pressure

No fluff. No scare tactics. Just guidance you can use.

Enter your information below and we’ll send you the 2026 Tax Season Survival Guide straight to your inbox.

Download the Free Tax Survival Guide

Select list(s) to subscribe to

Download the Free Tax Survival Guide

Select list(s) to subscribe to

The post Free Download: 2026 Tax Survival Guide appeared first on JLD Bookkeeping.

]]> https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/year-end-bookkeeping-cleanup-guide-for-2025/feed/ 0 I Don’t Actually Know How Much Money I Made Last Year https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/cash-flow-tracking-for-service-businesses-without-the-stress/ https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/cash-flow-tracking-for-service-businesses-without-the-stress/#respond Sat, 10 Jan 2026 14:40:15 +0000 https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/?p=1701 Get ready for tax season with accurate bookkeeping. Learn how clean books save time, reduce stress, and lower costs for small business owners.

The post I Don’t Actually Know How Much Money I Made Last Year appeared first on JLD Bookkeeping.

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If you run an established business and still find yourself thinking, “I don’t actually know how much money I made last year,” you’re not behind, and you’re certainly not alone, no matter your stage of business.

In fact, this question tends to surface after a business reaches a certain level of growth.

At higher revenue levels, the issue usually isn’t understanding basic financial concepts. It’s that the business has become more complex – more transactions, more expenses, more people, more processes – and the financial systems that once worked no longer suffice.

What used to feel clear now feels… murky.

Why this happens as businesses scale

Most businesses in the $250K+ range didn’t get there accidentally. You likely understand revenue, expenses, margins, and cash flow at a conceptual level. But as volume increases, clarity doesn’t scale automatically.

Common friction points at this stage include:

  • Owner compensation that evolved informally over time
  • Financial reports that are accurate, but don’t clearly support pricing, hiring, or growth decisions
  • One-off expenses, investments, or growth initiatives distorting the picture
  • Books that are maintained, but not reviewed strategically and/or consistently
  • Numbers that don’t feel trustworthy

The result isn’t ignorance. It’s lack of confidence in the data.

And without confidence, even strong businesses hesitate to make big decisions.

When knowing the basics isn’t enough

At earlier stages, it’s often sufficient to know whether money is coming in and bills are getting paid. At higher revenue levels, that’s no longer enough.

Established businesses need to answer more nuanced questions:

  • Was last year profitable after accounting for owner pay and true operating costs?
  • Did growth actually improve margins, or just increase workload?
  • Is profitability sustainable, or was it driven by temporary factors?
  • Can the business support additional hires, investments, or expansion?

These answers don’t come from surface-level numbers. They come from well-structured financial data and consistent review.

How to assess how much money you truly made last year

Rather than starting from scratch, focus on depth and accuracy.

  1. Review profitability and clarify owner compensation
    If owner pay is inconsistent or unclear, profit becomes hard to interpret. Clarity here is essential at scale.
  2. Look for patterns, not just totals
    A full-year view is helpful, but trends matter more than end-of-year numbers. Consistency, volatility, and seasonality all tell a story.
  3. Separate operational performance from one-time events
    Large purchases, cleanup projects, or unusual revenue spikes can skew perception. Understanding what’s repeatable is key.
  4. Evaluate whether your reports support decision-making
    If your financials don’t help you confidently answer questions about pricing, hiring, or growth, the system may need refinement.
  5. Notice where confidence breaks down
    If you hesitate to rely on your numbers when making decisions, that hesitation is a signal worth paying attention to.

When it’s time to bring in support

For many established businesses, this stage marks a transition, not a failure.

The business has outgrown informal systems and needs a higher level of financial stewardship.

Working with a bookkeeper or accountant can help:

  • Clean up and normalize financial data
  • Ensure profitability is being measured accurately
  • Translate reports into actionable insights
  • Create systems that scale with the business

The goal isn’t just compliance or clean books. It’s confidence to make the decisions that matter the most for your business in the long run.

Final thought

Not knowing how much money you made last year doesn’t mean you lack financial understanding. It often means your business has reached a level where clarity requires stronger systems, deeper analysis, and consistent maintenance.

And addressing that now is what allows growth to continue, intentionally.

The post I Don’t Actually Know How Much Money I Made Last Year appeared first on JLD Bookkeeping.

]]> https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/cash-flow-tracking-for-service-businesses-without-the-stress/feed/ 0 Simple Bill Pay Solutions for Your Business https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/affidavit-notarization-how-to-prepare-and-what-to-bring/ https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/affidavit-notarization-how-to-prepare-and-what-to-bring/#respond Tue, 09 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000 https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/?p=1489 Tired of scrambling to pay bills at the last minute? Or worse, getting hit with late fees that eat into your profits? Let’s fix that chaos once and for all. The secret to stress-free bill payments is creating a simple routine. Pick two days each month for bill payments, maybe the 1st and 15th. Mark them on your calendar and treat them like important client meetings. Start by making a list of all your recurring bills with their due dates. Include rent, utilities, software subscriptions, loan payments, and supplier invoices. Having everything in one place means you’ll never miss a payment again. If possible, pay bills 7-10 days before they’re due. This gives you a buffer for processing time and prevents late fees if something goes wrong. Your vendors will love the reliability, and you’ll sleep better at night. Next, set up automatic payments for fixed monthly expenses like rent, insurance, and software subscriptions. For variable amounts like utilities, set up automatic minimum payments and top them up manually during your bill pay sessions. If you’re ready to level up your bill payment process, consider these tools. QuickBooks Online handles bill payments directly from your accounting software. You can schedule payments, track what’s due, and pay vendors electronically with everything organized in one place. For businesses handling lots of vendor payments, Melio is specifically designed for this. It automates your entire accounts payable process, lets you set up approval workflows, and syncs with most accounting software. Good bill payment habits protect your credit, maintain vendor relationships, and keep your business running smoothly. Pick a system that works for your business size and stick with it consistently. Got questions about managing your books? Schedule a call and let me know what you’re struggling with, we’re here to help!

The post Simple Bill Pay Solutions for Your Business appeared first on JLD Bookkeeping.

]]> Tired of scrambling to pay bills at the last minute? Or worse, getting hit with late fees that eat into your profits? Let’s fix that chaos once and for all.

The secret to stress-free bill payments is creating a simple routine. Pick two days each month for bill payments, maybe the 1st and 15th. Mark them on your calendar and treat them like important client meetings.

Start by making a list of all your recurring bills with their due dates. Include rent, utilities, software subscriptions, loan payments, and supplier invoices. Having everything in one place means you’ll never miss a payment again.

If possible, pay bills 7-10 days before they’re due. This gives you a buffer for processing time and prevents late fees if something goes wrong. Your vendors will love the reliability, and you’ll sleep better at night.

Next, set up automatic payments for fixed monthly expenses like rent, insurance, and software subscriptions. For variable amounts like utilities, set up automatic minimum payments and top them up manually during your bill pay sessions.

If you’re ready to level up your bill payment process, consider these tools. QuickBooks Online handles bill payments directly from your accounting software. You can schedule payments, track what’s due, and pay vendors electronically with everything organized in one place.

For businesses handling lots of vendor payments, Melio is specifically designed for this. It automates your entire accounts payable process, lets you set up approval workflows, and syncs with most accounting software.

Good bill payment habits protect your credit, maintain vendor relationships, and keep your business running smoothly. Pick a system that works for your business size and stick with it consistently.

Got questions about managing your books? Schedule a call and let me know what you’re struggling with, we’re here to help!

The post Simple Bill Pay Solutions for Your Business appeared first on JLD Bookkeeping.

]]> https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/affidavit-notarization-how-to-prepare-and-what-to-bring/feed/ 0 Thinking About Switching Accounting Software? https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/mobile-notary-vs-in-office-notary-costs-timing-and-fit/ https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/mobile-notary-vs-in-office-notary-costs-timing-and-fit/#respond Thu, 14 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0000 https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/?p=1474 If you’ve been feeling frustrated every time you open your accounting software, you’re not alone! One of the questions we hear often is: “How do I know if it’s time to switch accounting platforms?” Here are a few signs it might be time: 1. You’re outgrowing your current system What worked when you first started might not support your business today. If you’ve added team members, expanded services, or now manage more complex finances, your software should grow with you and not hold you back. 2. It’s not user-friendly If you’re dreading logging in, getting stuck on simple tasks, or spending more time figuring things out than actually using it, it’s time to reassess. You deserve tools that make things easier, not harder. 3. You’re relying on too many workarounds If you’re constantly juggling multiple spreadsheets, apps and software just to track income, expenses, or client invoices, that’s a red flag. Example: if you’re manually calculating sales tax outside the system every month, your software isn’t doing its job. 4. You need better reporting or features Whether it’s real-time insights, integrations, or inventory tracking, the right tools can save you money and stress. The right features can save hours and give you better visibility. 5. Your bookkeeper or accountant is suggesting a switch They’re in the day-to-day details of your finances, and if they’re recommending a new platform, it’s usually for a good reason like better accuracy, efficiency, or reporting. Trust their insight they’re trying to save you time, money, and stress in the long run. The best time is when things are steady enough to set it up right. Need help choosing the right platform or setting it up the right way? We can help!

The post Thinking About Switching Accounting Software? appeared first on JLD Bookkeeping.

]]> If you’ve been feeling frustrated every time you open your accounting software, you’re not alone! One of the questions we hear often is: “How do I know if it’s time to switch accounting platforms?”

Here are a few signs it might be time:

1. You’re outgrowing your current system

What worked when you first started might not support your business today. If you’ve added team members, expanded services, or now manage more complex finances, your software should grow with you and not hold you back.

2. It’s not user-friendly

If you’re dreading logging in, getting stuck on simple tasks, or spending more time figuring things out than actually using it, it’s time to reassess. You deserve tools that make things easier, not harder.

3. You’re relying on too many workarounds

If you’re constantly juggling multiple spreadsheets, apps and software just to track income, expenses, or client invoices, that’s a red flag. Example: if you’re manually calculating sales tax outside the system every month, your software isn’t doing its job.

4. You need better reporting or features

Whether it’s real-time insights, integrations, or inventory tracking, the right tools can save you money and stress. The right features can save hours and give you better visibility.

5. Your bookkeeper or accountant is suggesting a switch

They’re in the day-to-day details of your finances, and if they’re recommending a new platform, it’s usually for a good reason like better accuracy, efficiency, or reporting. Trust their insight they’re trying to save you time, money, and stress in the long run.

The best time is when things are steady enough to set it up right. Need help choosing the right platform or setting it up the right way? We can help!

The post Thinking About Switching Accounting Software? appeared first on JLD Bookkeeping.

]]> https://jldbookkeepingservices.com/mobile-notary-vs-in-office-notary-costs-timing-and-fit/feed/ 0