The High-Low Method: Split Any Mixed Cost Into Fixed and Variable in Five Minutes
The high-low method splits a mixed cost using two periods — cost difference ÷ activity difference is the variable rate, and the remainder is fixed.
Blog
Plain-text accounting insights, tutorials, and updates from the Beancount.io team.
The December 31 Filing Most Small Health Plans Forget: A Gag Clause Attestation Guide
Every U.S. group health plan owes a gag clause attestation in HIOS by December 31. Carriers file for insured plans; self-funded sponsors file themselves.
Donate the Surplus, Deduct More Than It Cost: The Food-Donation Tax Break Most Businesses Miss
Section 170(e)(3) lets any business deduct donated food at cost plus half the markup, capped at twice cost — with a 15% net-income limit, a five-year carryover, and a Good Samaritan liability shield.
Source-Code Escrow for Small SaaS Vendors: Terms, 2026 Fees, and the Bookkeeping
US SaaS vendors face enterprise escrow demands. Self-service plans start near $139/month and traditional agents around $2,200 — negotiate release triggers and book setup, annual, and verification fees.
Your Business Cell Phone Can Be 100% Tax-Free: What the IRS Actually Requires
Employer cell phones are tax-free with no call logs under IRS Notice 2011-72 if provided for business reasons; internet needs an accountable plan and receipts.
Employee Achievement Awards: Tax-Free Service and Safety Recognition Within the $400 and $1,600 Limits
Tangible service or safety awards are tax-free under IRS rules up to $400, or $1,600 under a written plan; cash and gift cards count as taxable wages.
Draw Against Commission Explained: Recoverable vs. Non-Recoverable Draws for Employers
A draw against commission is an advance settled against later commissions. Once paid it is wages under the FLSA, so never claw it back from a final paycheck.
The DOL Is Auditing Your Payroll: What a Wage and Hour Investigation Actually Looks Like
A US DOL wage-hour investigation has four stages: opening conference, records review, interviews, final conference. Weak payroll records double the cost.
Colombia's One-Time Corporate Wealth Tax: Who Owes It on the March 1, 2026 Net-Equity Snapshot
Colombia's one-time 2026 wealth tax hits companies with March 1 net equity of COP 10.47B+: 0.5% generally, 1.6% for finance and extractives.
City Tax Withholding for Multistate Employers: Ohio RITA, Pennsylvania EIT, NYC and Yonkers
Local payroll tax is the employer's liability, not the software's. Ohio's 20-day rule, Pennsylvania PSD codes, NYC resident-only tax and Yonkers' 0.5% levy.
Closing Between Christmas and New Year's? The Payroll Rules That Decide What You Owe
Under federal FLSA rules, exempt employees are owed full salary for any holiday-shutdown week they work at all; require PTO use instead of docking pay.
Cause Marketing With a Charity? The Commercial Co-Venture Rules You Must Clear Before Launch Day
A "$1 per sale" charity promise makes you a commercial co-venturer in 20+ US states. Register in 7, name the number in every ad, and avoid the IRS UBIT trap.