Choosing the right tax preparer for your business is a decision best not left until April. A former tax preparer and small business mastermind offers insights into the secret world of tax preparers.
1. All tax preparers are not created equal.

In a past article I relayed the plight of the widow who stated:
"I didn't realize what an A-B Revocable Living Trust meant and that it had to be divided between the survivor and the deceased spouse and that I am limited as to what I can use from his share."
She told me that she only learned of this after her husband passed away. This is too late for many (there is a way to collapse an A-B Revocable Living Trust, which we'll talk about in another article).

We need real tax reform and we need it now. Previous attempts have been made at tax reform, but they have only provided band-aid solutions that have still left us with too many quirks, complication, and read tape. There are several things Congress could do to simply the tax system and benefit the taxpayers and federal budget at the same time.

Most people trying to make a crust online (or offline for that matter) are so focused on doing just that, they ignore taking simple steps to ensure that they hang on to just as much of it as they can. Instead, they hand over large lumps of their hard-earned money in tax, usually in one of two mistaken beliefs. Either:

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, also called the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act of 2002 was signed into law on July 30, 2002 by President Bush. In the aftermath of Enron, Arthur Andersen, Global Crossing, and WorldCom, SOX promises greater corporate accountability and transparency. Named after Senator Paul Sarbanes and Representative Michael G. Oxley, SOX focuses on the importance of ethical behavior in corporate governance-across the United States and now?overseas.

Ever wish that, as a business owner, you knew exactly what would raise "red flags" at the IRS? Or how to make an IRS audit go as smoothly and painlessly as possible?
If you're in the right type of business, you can get that information, directly from the IRS!

With gas prices at an all time high before Hurricane Katrina left her mark on our nation, most Americans were hoping that gas prices would settle down once summer passed. But gas prices have jumped as much as 80 cents a gallon across the country once Hurricane Katrina destroyed the Gulf Coast and impacted all of our lives.

April 15th looms in front of most people every year like a big, full moon full influencing a tax based frenzy, but knowing where to find tax breaks for your home based business can make that frenzy a little less frantic and more beneficial to you and your home based business. Finding tax breaks for your home based business is not overly difficult, but make sure you discuss tax breaks for your home based business with the person doing your taxes.

With the massive losses caused by Katrina, the economy of the Gulf Coast region is in extremely bad shape. Fortunately, there is a quirk in the tax code that can help you generate a large refund from your 2004 taxes.
Apply Losses to 2004 Taxes
When a large geographic area suffers a disaster, the President can declare it a federal disaster area. President Bush has made such a declaration for the Gulf Coast area.

If your business has employees, you must pay employment taxes. The payment system can be a bit confusing, so this article discusses how to go about depositing employment taxes with the IRS.
Depositing Employment Taxes