CPA or DIY

[Columbianalawns]

Alright brothers, when is it necessary at what point do you need to get a cpa instead of doing taxes yourself? I have so much stuff between reciepts for fuel, equipment, maintenance items, invoices and invoices. I dont know where to start with any of this stuff.

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

My take is this. As a business owner, it's a good thing to know how to do every part of your business. Taxes and how the tax system works is important to know. There is plenty of tax software that makes the process relatively simple to handle your own taxes. By going through the process, you will learn a lot about expenses and income and where your money is going and all that. Sure you can hire someone else to do this, but you wont get the chance to learn then. Keep us posted on what you decide to do.

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[SECTLANDSCAPING]

I would sit down with a cpa with all your questions and have them set up a system that you could do yourself. I use quickbooks for accounting. When I talked to my family friend she said they use turbo tax for businesses. I had her answer a few questions like what goes where and then I did it myself.

I'm with you though. I have a bin of receipts and sometime during the month ill go through and add them all into the system. It doesnt take as long as it seems.

[Columbianalawns]

I really cant see the point in paying someone and risk being screwed by them, There are things im uncertain about such as writing off equipment and parts, fuel and such.. I would def like to do it by myself, just need to know where to start. Ill proly hook up with one and get some advise or maybe even talk with some of the guys around the firehouse to get some info on how they do it, but they can be vague sometimes. Thanks guys any more input would be greatly appreciated..

[wandfsmall]

Originally Posted by Columbianalawns

I really cant see the point in paying someone and risk being screwed by them, There are things im uncertain about such as writing off equipment and parts, fuel and such.. I would def like to do it by myself, just need to know where to start. Ill proly hook up with one and get some advise or maybe even talk with some of the guys around the firehouse to get some info on how they do it, but they can be vague sometimes. Thanks guys any more input would be greatly appreciated..

I think you have to depreciate your mowers, truck and trailer or at least we do here. But I would look into it if that applys to what your asking.

[dpld]

Originally Posted by Columbianalawns

I really cant see the point in paying someone and risk being screwed by them, There are things im uncertain about such as writing off equipment and parts, fuel and such.. I would def like to do it by myself, just need to know where to start. Ill proly hook up with one and get some advise or maybe even talk with some of the guys around the firehouse to get some info on how they do it, but they can be vague sometimes. Thanks guys any more input would be greatly appreciated..

it is always good to have better insight as to what makes you business tick and give yourself a better understanding of how the tax code works but to suggest that you would be better off or safer to take it on by yourself then hiring a professional is a ridiculous thing to say.

do you know how big the tax code is ? do you know there are revisions every year?
only a cpa would be aware of all the mundane little details and all the current updates that occur every year.

plus if your taxes get screwed up or a mistake is made it is all on him not you.
you will still be liable for any money's you owe but the fault of the error lies on him.

you need to have everything prepared for him because if you just take a pile of receipts to him then you will be screwing yourself by having to pay him cpa hourly rates.

you can do it the old fashioned way by keeping a cash receipts ledger and a cash disbursements ledger which might cost you 5 bucks or you can buy a quick books software or anything like that to do it through your computer.
either way you need to have it ready for him.

i do all my books in house and take care of all payroll in house but come end of the year it i hand it all over to a accountant because he knows not only what is deductible but he also knows the best way to apply it.

all deductions are not created equal as well as some offset and void others out.
take depreciation for a vehicle or a piece of equipment for example, if you are not turning too big of a profit and you already got enough deductions to offset that you may want to take that loss over time where as if you had a big year you may want to use it all at once.

those are big things and only a real cpa would know that and softwares don't lay out and explain all the options as thoroughly.
and when i say cpa i am talking about a real cpa not some H&R block churn them and burn them place.

this year and next year will be years that having a pro in your corner will be more important then ever because we got some whacked out crap coming our way in the near future, especially if oblah blah gets re-elected.

that's my two cents, good luck.