The Home Office Deduction: How to Qualify and Calculate
When you first start a business, running it from home makes a lot of sense. Renting a workplace often isn’t practical when you’re trying to keep costs low. And it’s easier than ever to reach potential customers and stay in touch with colleagues and partners from the comfort of your own home. Most business owners […]
The Differences Between Bookkeepers and Accountants
Many people think the terms “bookkeeper” and “accountant” are interchangeable and can be used to describe people who do the same job. While there is some crossover, bookkeepers and accountants perform distinctly different roles for the businesses they serve. Business owners that don’t realize the differences can end up hiring the wrong firm, which can […]
Hubdoc Names BKE CEO Keith Mueller a Top 50 Cloud Accountant of 2015
Our friends at Hubdoc recently released their “Top 50 Cloud Accountants of 2015 (North America)” and we’re proud to see BookKeeping Express (BKE) CEO Keith Mueller made the list. Here’s the nice comment Hubdoc had to share about Keith and the BKE team. “Keith knows first hand the pain businesses face to get their books […]
Understanding Fixed, Variable And Semi-Variable Costs
In the world of accounting and bookkeeping, there are three different types of costs – fixed, variable and semi-variable. Understanding these costs can help you better grasp how your money is spent. They can also be used to project your expenses, create a budget, and develop revenue targets for your business. Fixed costs Fixed costs […]
Why It’s Important to Keep Business and Personal Finances Separate
“Don’t mix business and personal finances,” is one of the most common pieces of advice given to business owners. And for good reason. Many business expenses can be deducted from your taxes but most personal ones cannot be. So when personal expenses get recorded in your business’s financial records, you’re setting yourself up for trouble […]
How To Create A Budget That Can Be Your Business’s Roadmap
Some accountants compare a business’s budget to a roadmap or GPS directions. They use this analogy because your budget guides you towards your goals. If you don’t have a budget, your business probably won’t get to where you aspire it to be. Now is the time to create your budget for 2016. The first step […]
A Guide To Hiring Your First Employee
Hiring your first employee is an exciting step to take as a business owner. It’s a sign that your business is on the right track and you need help managing the growth. However, before your new employee rolls up their sleeves and gets to work, there are a few steps you should take to get […]
Are There Different Ways To Set Up Your Accounting Periods?
In accounting, it’s standard to generate reports on a monthly basis. However, if you have a business where it’s important to compare performance by exact periods, monthly reporting has some limitations. For example, the number of days in each month varies so comparing your January performance to February is not exact. And comparing a month […]
The Affordable Care Act: Should You “Pay or Play”?
As the Affordable Care Act (ACA) continues to take effect, certain employers will need to decide if they should “pay or play.” This one-or-the-other scenario is a simple way to sum up the decision many businesses face under the Employer Shared Responsibility Provisions of the ACA. Should you provide your staff health coverage (play) or […]
What Are The Different Types Of Business Structures?
When starting a new business, choosing your legal structure is one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make. The structure you choose will influence many areas of your business including your tax filing, your personal liability and your ability to receive funding. As a business owner, you can structure your business as a […]