Tax Help Tools that Make it Easy for Small Businesses

tax help toolsResources, tips, guides and online software that will get your business finances ready for tax time

Having the right finance tools can really help small businesses maximize their bottom line – particularly when it comes to paying taxes.

Many small businesses are new at filing self-employed taxes and don’t know where to start. Some businesses need a little help with the basics, while others just need a better way of tracking expenses for annual deductions.

The good news is that there are a lot of either free or inexpensive resources to help make it a lot easier for your small business at tax time.

Here is a round-up of some tax help tools and resources that may be helpful for your business.



Free Tax Help Tools

If you are self-employed (sole proprietor, independent contractor, partner in a business), then you may need help just understanding your tax obligations for income and expenses.

A non-profit organization called TaxHelp.org put together a Self-Employed Tax Guide  that offers free resources for tax help, with the goal of creating a more user-friendly resource than the IRS.

The Tax Help guide introduces businesses to the basics of self-employed taxes, accurate bookkeeping practices, and deductible expenses in succinct and accessible language. You can even search for information by your state (in the U.S.) and their online CPA directory.

Online Accounting and Bookkeeping Tools

Of course tracking your expenses is a big piece of getting ready for tax time. If you don’t have a good, accurate  system in place your tax preparation will not only be extremely stressful, but it will likely not be accurate.

Here are some of the low-cost accounting and bookkeeping tools we recommend to help you get small business finances organized.

Shoeboxed bookkeepingShoeboxed is service that scans receipts into usable data for maximizing tax deductions, expense reports, and for savings on bookkeeping. Whether you need to quickly get your “shoe box of receipts” organize for this year’s tax time, or you are realizing you need a better process for next year, Shoeboxed.com can be a great option to help you. They can even scan other paper too, including business cards which are importable into Outlook, Salesforce, and more.

To try this tool, Sign-up for a Free 30 Day Trial Account with Shoeboxed.com.

 

QuickBooks online

QuickBooks Online (an Intuit Company) is secure online accounting that organizes your business finances all in one place. With QuickBooks Online you can track your sales and expenses so that you are ready for tax time. You can even access apps to accept credit card payments online or on your mobile device, as well as do online payroll. Plans start at only $12.95/month and you can cancel anytime.

To try this tool. Try QuickBooks Online free for 30 days.

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Getting your business ready for tax time is an ongoing process that really should be a year-long effort. And with the right tools and help along the way you can work toward maximizing your outcome each year to drive your business forward.

NOTE: This article is not meant to replace professional tax preparation advice – we recommend that you also consult a certified tax professional to assist you in your business finances.



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Editorial Staff

This article was written by SBMarketingTools.com editorial staff.