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Free articles on tax, bookkeeping, and QuickBooks.

Plain-English explainers written by an Enrolled Agent. New articles publish regularly. Subscribe to the newsletter if you want to know when something useful goes up.

Free guide

7 QuickBooks mistakes that cost new contractors $10k+ their first year.

The most common — and most expensive — bookkeeping errors I see when contractors come for help after a year of doing it themselves. Plus the fix for each one. Free PDF, 12 pages.





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Latest articles

For contractors, on contractors.

The first wave of articles is built around the trades — general contractors, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing.

QuickBooks for Contractors
QuickBooks · 10 min read

How to set up QuickBooks Online for a general contracting business

The exact setup an EA wants to see for the tax return: chart of accounts, bank rules, job costing, receipt workflow.

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S-Corp vs LLC
Business Structure · 12 min read

S-Corp vs LLC for contractors: when each one makes sense

Real math on when S-Corp election starts saving real money in self-employment tax, and when it’s premature.

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Job Costing
QuickBooks · 11 min read

Job costing in QuickBooks Online: a contractor’s complete guide

Set up QBO to track profit by job, not just by month. Know which jobs make money and which lose it — in real time.

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1099 vs W-2
Workforce · 9 min read

1099 vs W-2: how contractors should classify their workers

Misclassification is one of the most expensive mistakes a contractor can make. The IRS 20-factor test, explained plainly.

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Vehicle Deductions
Deductions · 9 min read

Vehicle deductions for contractors: mileage vs actual method

Two legal methods. They aren’t equivalent. Which one saves the most depends on your truck, your miles, and a one-time decision.

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Equipment Depreciation
Deductions · 10 min read

Section 179 vs bonus depreciation for contractor equipment

Both let you write off equipment faster than regular depreciation. They work differently and one is usually better.

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Quarterly Taxes
Tax Planning · 9 min read

Estimated quarterly tax payments for contractors

Skip them and the IRS adds underpayment penalties. Pay too much and you’ve loaned the IRS money. Here’s how to size them right.

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Audit Triggers
Audit Prep · 10 min read

IRS audit triggers for construction businesses

Construction is on the IRS high-audit-risk list. Here’s what specifically gets flagged and how to keep your return out of that pile.

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Reading Your P&L
Financial Reports · 8 min read

How to read your contractor P&L: what the numbers actually mean

The profit and loss statement isn’t just a tax document. Read correctly, it tells you which jobs to take, which to walk from.

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Sales Tax
Compliance · 9 min read

When does a contractor need to charge sales tax?

Construction sales tax rules vary by state and by service type. Getting this wrong is a slow-motion accounting disaster.

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New articles, every other week.

Tax law moves. QuickBooks changes. The way contractors structure their business keeps evolving. The newsletter is how I tell you about anything that matters.