Dunn CPA Firm

10/30/2026

If charitable contributions are part of your plans before year-end, how you structure those gifts affects how much tax benefit you receive.

Cash donations of $250 or more require written acknowledgment from the charity before you file. In some situations, gifting appreciated stock rather than cash is a more tax-efficient approach, particularly when transferring to a lower-income family member. For IRA owners over 73, a Qualified Charitable Distribution may allow you to give directly from your IRA without the amount counting as taxable income. The specifics depend on your situation, but reviewing the tax implications before December 31 is worth doing.

10/27/2026

With two months left in the year, now is a good time to make sure your books are current.

Reconciling accounts, categorizing expenses correctly and addressing gaps in documentation are all easier to work through now than in January when the focus shifts to filing. Accurate books also give you a clearer picture of where the year is actually landing, which is the foundation for any meaningful year-end planning. If your books are not where you want them to be heading into Q4, there is still time to get organized.

10/22/2026

Having a clear plan for where your business is headed is important. So is thinking through how you would respond if conditions shift in ways you did not anticipate.

The business owners who tend to navigate difficult periods most steadily are the ones who had already considered a range of outcomes and understood what they would do in each. The financial foundation of a business, its structure, cash flow and tax position, plays a significant role in how much flexibility an owner has when circumstances change.

10/19/2026

Reasonable compensation is one of the more common compliance issues for S corporation owners.

If you pay yourself a salary that is disproportionately low relative to the work you do for the business, the IRS may reclassify distributions as wages, which carries payroll tax consequences. The standard is straightforward: what would you pay someone else to do the same work? As you review your 2026 compensation structure heading into year-end, confirming your salary is defensible is worth doing. We are glad to help you think through it.

10/16/2026

The IRS does not provide a line-by-line list of deductible business expenses. Instead, it applies a broader standard: expenses must be ordinary and necessary for your trade or industry. Ordinary means common and accepted in your field. Necessary means helpful and appropriate, not extravagant or excessive.

Recordkeeping matters as much as the expense itself. Even legitimate deductions can be denied without proper documentation. As you review your 2026 expenses heading into year-end, making sure your records are in order is as important as identifying what qualifies.

10/13/2026

For small business owners, retirement accounts serve two purposes: building long-term financial security and reducing taxable income for the current year.

For 2026, contribution limits for SEP IRAs and Solo 401(k)s go up to $70,000 depending on your situation. With Q4 underway, reviewing whether you are on track to maximize contributions before December 31 is worth the time. We are glad to walk through the options with you if you have questions about which structure makes the most sense for your business.

10/08/2026

Commingled finances are one of the more common issues we see with small business owners, particularly in the early years. Business expenses on personal cards, personal purchases running through the business account, no clear line between the two.

It puts legitimate deductions at risk and can complicate things considerably if the business is ever audited. A dedicated business checking account and a business credit card are a straightforward starting point. If you are not sure whether your current setup is creating issues, it is worth reviewing before year-end.

10/05/2026

October marks the beginning of Q4, and for small business owners, that means the year-end planning window is open.

Your retirement contributions, equipment purchases, income and expense timing, and entity structure are all worth reviewing now, while there is still time to act on what you find. The decisions that have the most meaningful impact on your 2026 tax position need to be made before December 31.

If you have not yet had a year-end planning conversation with your advisor, this is a good time to schedule one.

09/30/2026

In uncertain economic conditions, a clear business plan is important. So is thinking through what you would do if things do not go as expected.

The business owners who tend to navigate difficult periods most effectively are not always the ones who predicted what would happen. They are the ones who had already thought through a range of outcomes and knew how they would respond to each.

Getting the financial foundation of a business right, its structure, cash flow and tax position, is a significant part of what gives an owner flexibility when conditions shift.

09/25/2026

Most small business owners choose their entity structure early and revisit it rarely. As income grows and tax law changes, though, the structure that made sense at formation may not be the most effective one today.

Several tax law changes that took effect in 2026 have shifted the calculation for many pass-through business owners, including expanded QBI deduction thresholds and changes to the SALT deduction cap. If you have not reviewed your structure recently, it may be worth a conversation.

Being a fierce advocate for your success means dedicating a firm CPA partner to work with you. Schedule your no cost personal consultation today.