Are You Getting All the Tax Benefits You Deserve?
It’s that time of year again…
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OK, it’s almost the end of February, and if you’re in the U.S. you know that it is prime tax season.
I’ve written before about general taxes in my “how to adult” series here on my blog and then went into more painstaking detail in a piece specifically for freelancers, which you can see here for more information on what forms you need and what you need to know:
I did my own taxes for over a decade and then started working with a CPA in 2018.
I highly recommend working with a tax professional if you are not one yourself, as there may be tax deductions and credits you qualify for that you either don’t know about or aren’t sure about.
I started my business at the end of 2016 and did my own taxes for that year in the beginning of 2017. By 2018, I’d been a full-time freelancer for a year and was ready to make sure my business was being taxed correctly — so I went to an expert. And honestly, I was busy with work and just wanted to outsource my taxes.
And fun fact — the expense of using a CPA is, itself, tax-deductible!
How did I find the right CPA?
The first step I took was researching and finding some CPAs (individuals and businesses) in my area. I read their reviews online and checked out their website.
I then called the ones I thought looked good and asked about their specific experience with small businesses.
I then went with the one I felt had a good rapport with me and made an appointment.
That year went fine. The CPA was less responsive than I would have liked and took forever to answer emails.
So, in 2019, I asked other small business owners for recommendations — which is always a great way to go to get referrals to great people!
In 2019, I started working with a new CPA from a referral from my cousin — who…
