Michael S Febrey, CPA

10/26/2026

Quick financial test: Your car needs a $1,500 repair tomorrow. Where does the money come from?

The answer tells you something useful about your financial plan.

An emergency fund is money specifically set aside for unexpected expenses, and even a small amount can provide some breathing room when life throws you a surprise.

October's Financial Planning Month is a good excuse to ask: If an unexpected expense arrived tomorrow, how prepared would I feel?

That's a much more useful question than simply asking, “Am I saving enough?”

10/23/2026

No bones about it.

What’s ONE business task you would happily never do again?

10/21/2026

Q4 can get expensive fast, especially with year-end and holiday costs coming up.

Forecasting now can help you avoid cash flow surprises later.

Here are four numbers every business owner should be looking ahead at this quarter.

Need help with your forecast? Give us a call.

10/19/2026

Don’t just run your reports. Take a few minutes to actually review them!

Here are the financial reports you should be reviewing regularly.

Your reports can tell you a lot about your business, but only if your bookkeeping is accurate and up to date.

What's one challenge you have keeping your books and financial reports accurate?

10/16/2026

The year isn’t over yet, and there’s still time to get your business finances in better shape.

Here are some important things to review before year-end.

10/14/2026

Can I claim this year's office computer purchases as bonus depreciation?

Qualifying property generally includes equipment, machinery, computers, and other depreciable property with a recovery period of 20 years or less—and certain used property can qualify, too.

That means a business may be able to deduct the full cost of qualifying property in the first year rather than spreading the deduction over several years.

10/12/2026

I heard that the IRS will just handle penalty notices now without any action from me. Is that true?

Not yet, for everyone.

Automatic relief (AEP) applies to eligible 2025 tax year returns and 2026 quarterly returns forward. It fully replaces the old process only for returns due on or after January 1, 2027.

Until then, some past-year penalties still need a formal request. If you assume the system caught it and it didn't, the penalty simply stays on your account.

Don't guess which rules apply to your situation. Send us the notice, and we'll confirm it for you.
https://www.febreycpa.com/blog/could-the-irs-erase-your-penalty-without-you-lifting-a-finger

The IRS is replacing its old first-time penalty abatement process with automatic relief. Here's what's changing, who qualifies, and what to do in the meantime.

10/09/2026

You have enough stress in your life. You don’t need more as the year comes to a close.

Here are 6 key financial moves to reduce it.
1. Rebalance your portfolio and review asset location.
2. Check your retirement contribution pace.
3. Run a tax projection (when was the last time you did that?).
4. Put cash and debt to work more deliberately.
5. Prepare for employee benefit decisions.
6. Review estate documents before there is an emergency.

Ask yourself: Has anything changed in the markets, my finances or my life that should change what I do next?

Asking that question now, rather than in December, can lead to better decisions and less stress in the year-end.

10/07/2026

Be honest. Are you reconciling your business books each month?

We know, it's not an exciting task, but it's one you should still do. Falling behind can creep up on you.

Here’s a list of accounts you should review on a monthly basis.

Need help? Reach out to us. We're just a phone call away.

10/05/2026

Heads up, extension filers: October 15 is closer than it looks.

If you filed for a tax extension this spring, October 15, 2026 is your real deadline.

It applies to:
• Individual returns (Form 1040), which covers many sole proprietors and business owners who report income on their personal return.
• Calendar-year C corporations (Form 1120)

Miss it, and the failure-to-file penalty kicks in: 5% of unpaid tax for each month you're late, up to 25% total. Wait more than 60 days, and a minimum penalty applies too.

One more thing worth knowing: an extension to file was never an extension to pay. If you owed tax back in April, interest has been quietly adding up since then.

Don't let October 15 sneak up on you.