#guides
Guides
Step-by-step guides for accounting, bookkeeping, and financial tasks
How Much Does a Tax Advisor Cost? A 2026 Pricing Guide for Individuals and Small Businesses
Tax advisor pricing in 2026 ranges from about $150 for a simple Schedule C to $5,000+ for multi-state S-corp returns. This guide compares CPAs, enrolled agents, tax attorneys, and DIY software so you pay only for the tier you actually need.
Tax ID Numbers Explained: EIN, SSN, and ITIN for Small Business Owners
A plain-English guide to the three tax ID numbers most small business owners meet — EIN, SSN, and ITIN — covering who needs which, how to apply directly with the IRS for free, and the common mistakes that trigger penalties or delays.
What Happens If You Don't File Taxes? The Real Consequences and How to Get Back on Track
A practical breakdown of what the IRS does when you skip a tax return—5% monthly failure-to-file penalty, Substitute for Return, liens, levies, passport revocation, and the step-by-step path back to compliance.
What Is a Tax Levy? Complete Guide to IRS Seizure and How to Stop It
A tax levy is the IRS's legal seizure of wages, bank funds, or property to satisfy unpaid tax debt. This guide explains the notice sequence from CP14 through LT11, the 30-day Collection Due Process window, bank levy 21-day holds, and seven ways to release an active levy.
The Client Onboarding Workflow That Turns New Clients into Loyal Ones
A repeatable six-stage client onboarding workflow for accounting, bookkeeping, tax, and advisory firms — covering pre-engagement prep, the first 24 hours, structured intake, system setup, client education, and the handoff to ongoing support. Includes the metrics and check-in cadence that separate firms with high retention from those losing 44% of clients in the first 90 days.
Tax Implications for Foreign-Owned US Businesses: A 2026 Compliance Guide
Foreign-owned US LLCs face a $25,000 Form 5472 penalty per missed filing, 30% default withholding on US-source income, and tighter 2026 BOI rules. This guide covers the entity choices, forms, treaty benefits, and bookkeeping habits non-resident owners need to stay compliant.
IRS Audits Demystified: What Triggers Them, What to Expect, and How to Survive One
Fewer than 1% of individual returns are audited each year, and over 75% of audits are handled entirely by mail. This guide explains what triggers an IRS audit in 2026, the step-by-step process, how far back the IRS can look, and how to prepare records that hold up to scrutiny.
IRS Form 843 Explained: How to Claim a Refund or Request Penalty Abatement
IRS Form 843 is how taxpayers formally request a penalty abatement or a refund of interest and improperly assessed tax. This guide walks through eligibility, the three-year/two-year deadline rule, line-by-line instructions, and the documentation that separates an approved claim from a denial letter.
IRS Tax Payment Plans: How to Set Up an Installment Agreement When You Can't Pay in Full
A practical guide to IRS installment agreements in 2026 — four plan types, setup fees ranging from $0 to $178, eligibility rules for balances up to $50,000, and the common mistakes that trigger default.
Schedule K-1 Explained: Partnership Income, Phantom Tax, and Six Costly Mistakes
Schedule K-1 reports your share of pass-through income from a partnership, S corporation, or trust — and you owe tax on your allocation, not on the cash you actually received. A working guide to each major box, the phantom income trap, partner basis rules, the 2026 filing timeline, and six mistakes that cost K-1 recipients real money every year.
Small Business Recordkeeping: A Practical Guide to Staying Audit-Ready
A practical reference for small business owners on what records the IRS requires, how long to keep each type (3, 4, 6, or 7 years), the de minimis $75 receipt rule, and how to build a system you will actually maintain month after month.
Tax Attorney: When to Hire One, What They Cost, and How to Choose
When a tax attorney is worth hiring instead of a CPA or enrolled agent, what they charge in 2026 ($300–$600 per hour, $3,500–$7,500 flat for common matters), and how attorney-client privilege changes what is at stake in audits, collections, and criminal investigations.