#bookkeeping
Bookkeeping
Modern bookkeeping techniques using plain-text and automated workflows
PLESAs for Small Business: How Pension-Linked Emergency Savings Accounts Work in 2026
A PLESA is a Roth emergency-savings account embedded in a 401(k), capped at $2,500, with tax- and penalty-free withdrawals employees can take any month. This guide covers how SECURE 2.0 pension-linked emergency savings accounts work for small businesses — the contribution rules, the match wrinkle, the compliance checklist, and whether adding one in 2026 is worth the cost.
Pool Service Route Bookkeeping: Separating Chemical COGS from Labor, Tracking Route Density, and Pricing for Profit
Pool service profit is route density plus chemical control. Learn how to separate chemical COGS from labor, price the three chemical models, and track stops-per-day and revenue-per-route.
Ramp Stack and the Rise of the "AI Operating System" for Accounting: What the $44B Ramp Launch Means for Firms and Small Business Clients in 2026
Ramp launched Stack June 3, 2026 — an AI operating system for accounting firms that deploys agents for close, reconciliations, and journal entries. Learn what it automates and where human review remains.
Section 174A Is Back: How OBBBA Restored Immediate R&D Expensing for Small Businesses in 2026 (and the New Form 6765 Reporting Rules)
OBBBA created Section 174A to permanently restore immediate expensing for domestic R&E after Dec 31, 2024. Learn the retroactive window that closed July 6, 2026, the new mandatory Form 6765 Section G for 2026, and how to tag domestic vs foreign costs by business component.
Square vs. Shopify POS vs. Clover vs. Helcim: How Small Businesses Should Actually Choose a POS in 2026
Square is free and simple, Shopify wins for ecommerce, Clover lets you choose a processor, Helcim is interchange-plus. Learn the fee, hardware, and bookkeeping differences that decide the right POS in 2026.
Independent Tree Service and Arborist Bookkeeping: Storm-Surge Cash Flow, Equipment Costing, and the Winter Slowdown Plan
Tree service cash flow surges after storms and stalls in winter. Learn how to track storm vs. routine jobs, cost chipper and bucket truck time, and build a cash reserve for the slow season.
Trust, But Validate: Why Handing Estimated Taxes and Worker Classification to AI Bookkeeping Tools Without Human Review Is a 2026 Risk Small Businesses Can't Afford
AI bookkeeping tools can draft returns and classify workers, but they hallucinate law changes and miss control tests. Learn where human review is non-negotiable for estimated taxes and 1099 vs W2 decisions in 2026.
Used-Vehicle Dealer Compliance in 2026: FTC Buyers Guide, Warranty Disclosure, and the Inventory Costing That Keeps Gross Profit Honest
Every used vehicle needs its FTC Buyers Guide on the window with one warranty box checked — and each VIN's ACV plus recon, floorplan curtailment, and F&I reserve must tie to the guide the deal delivered.
Affiliate Marketing Website Bookkeeping: Schedule C, 1099-NEC Gaps, and Recordkeeping for Niche Site Owners
Affiliate marketing income is not passive — it's Schedule C business income. Learn how to handle 1099-NEC gaps, track network payouts, capitalize content costs, and keep records that survive an IRS check for niche site owners.
Auction House Bookkeeping: How the Buyer's Premium Becomes Revenue While the Hammer Price Stays a Liability You Owe the Consignor
An auction house that books the hammer price as revenue will overstate sales by 4× and create an IRS mismatch. Learn how the buyer's premium is revenue, the hammer is a liability, and how to settle and 1099 the consignor correctly.
Backup Withholding in 2026: When 24% Applies, How to Avoid It With Valid W-9s, and the CP2100 Notice Response
Backup withholding is 24% flat on reportable payments when the TIN is missing or the CP2100 says it is wrong — cured by a W-9 before payment and two B-notices within 15 business days, reported on Form 945.
Candle and Soap Maker Bookkeeping: Turning Wax, Fragrance, and Lot Numbers Into an IRS-Defensible COGS When a CPSC Recall Hits Your Batch
Candle and soap makers turn wax and fragrance into COGS by lot, not by month. Learn how to build batch costing with lot numbers, track WIP and finished goods, and keep a recall-ready ledger that proves which batch went to which customer.