US taxes and business, in plain language
IRS letters, deadlines, deductions and the mistakes that cost money, explained by a registered tax preparer in Irvine, CA.
1099-NEC and W-2: what to collect now
The deadline is almost three months away, but problems usually start when contractor details are missing in January.
A business card doesn't make an expense a business expense
A common mistake: everything paid with the business card goes into expenses. But the IRS looks at why you bought something, not which card you used.
What to do before December 31 to lower your 2026 tax
Two months before year-end is when you can still change things. After January 1, most of these moves no longer work.
CP14 and CP2000: two IRS letters people mix up
Both arrive with an amount due. But they are completely different letters, and you respond to them differently.
What a year of owning an LLC costs: California vs. New York
The annual payment to the state just for the company to exist, before any income tax.
Your first US tax return after moving to the US: what to know
Who counts as a tax resident, what dual-status means, whether you report income from your home country, and which forms you need in your first US year.
ITIN: filing a tax return when your spouse or children don't have an SSN
What an ITIN is, who needs one, how to file Form W-7 with your return, which documents to send and how long it takes. What an ITIN does and doesn't get you.
Money from family abroad and sending money home: the US tax rules
Is a gift from parents abroad taxable, when you need Form 3520 and the penalty for missing it, whether gifts home need Form 709, and the new 1% tax on cash remittances.
Bank accounts, property and income back home: what to report in the US
How a US tax resident reports foreign rent, interest and the sale of an apartment abroad, how to avoid double tax, and when you need the FBAR and Form 8938.
Haven't filed taxes for several years? What to do
How many years the IRS usually wants, what penalties apply, when your refund expires, and where to start to clean up missed years at the lowest cost.
A California LLC: what it does and what it costs to keep
Does an LLC lower your taxes, how a single-member LLC is taxed, the $800 annual tax and LLC fee in California, Form 568 and the Statement of Information.
Uber, Lyft and delivery drivers: taxes and deductions
Which forms Uber, Lyft and DoorDash send, how much self-employment tax is, how to deduct mileage at the 2026 rates, and what the new tips deduction means for drivers.
How to choose a tax preparer in the US: CPA, EA, CTEC and red flags
The difference between a CPA, an Enrolled Agent and a CTEC-registered preparer, how to check a preparer, and the warning signs the IRS lists for ghost preparers.
What documents you need for your tax return: a checklist
A full list of documents for a US tax return: W-2s, every type of 1099, 1098s, 1095-A, business expenses, rentals and foreign accounts. When forms arrive and what to gather early.
When will my tax refund arrive, and why is it delayed?
How long IRS refunds usually take, why refunds with the EITC or child credit don't arrive before March, how to check your status and what to do if your refund is late.
Employee or contractor: what a California business owner is risking
Many owners put their helpers on a 1099 because it's simpler: no payroll taxes and no payroll reports. In California this is one of the most expensive…
Three self-employed deductions people miss most often
Work for yourself and file Schedule C? Check these three items.
Cash, Zelle and 1099-K: what the IRS actually sees
It's a bank-to-bank transfer, not a payment platform like PayPal, Venmo or Stripe. You won't get a form from Zelle, but that doesn't make the income invisible.
October 15 has passed. What to do if you still haven't filed
It happens. No drama, just the steps.
Notice of Deficiency (CP3219A): the letter with a real deadline
I've written before about ordinary balance-due letters. This one is different, and mistakes here cost more.
Case study: $100,000 came in, but only $20,000 of expenses can be proven
Based on a real situation. Details are anonymized and amounts changed.
"I have an S-corp and don't pay myself a salary to save on taxes"
This is the first thing the IRS checks when it sees an S-corp. And it's where owners lose more than they save.
Quarterly estimated taxes: why the IRS doesn't wait until April
If you're on a 1099 or run a business, your tax is due four times a year, not once.
FBAR: foreign accounts and the $10,000 threshold
The most underestimated form in US tax reporting. Here it is, point by point.
October 15: two different deadlines on the same day
Three weeks away. Almost everyone remembers the first one and forgets the second.
When should a self-employed person consider an S-corp?
The question usually comes up in the second year of working for yourself. Here's the answer without the magic.
On a W-2 far from home? You can no longer deduct your own expenses
A conversation that repeats on every job site.
Per diem: when it's tax-free and when it becomes wages
If you work rotations or on a job site far from home, per diem is a noticeable part of your pay. And it isn't always treated the same way.
Got a letter from the IRS? What to do in the first 24 hours
The first thing not to do is pay before you understand it. The second is to ignore it.
You work in one state but live in another. Who gets your income tax?
The number one question from everyone who has gone out of state for a job site or a contract.