Avant Accountants

Avant Accountants Modern accounting and advisory built to help business owners grow with confidence.

Tax identity theft is more common than most people realize.It works like this: a thief gets your Social Security number,...
09/01/2026

Tax identity theft is more common than most people realize.

It works like this: a thief gets your Social Security number, files a return before you do, and collects your refund. You find out when your real return gets rejected.

The IRS has a tool to stop it before it happens. It's called an IP PIN.

An Identity Protection PIN is a six-digit number that locks your tax account. Only someone who knows that PIN can file a return using your Social Security number.

You can request one at IRS.gov. It takes about 15 minutes.

If you've ever had your information exposed in a data breach, this is worth doing now.

Have questions about protecting your tax account? Let's talk.

Most S-corp owners pick a salary at setup.Then the business grows. Revenue doubles. Their role changes.The salary? Same ...
08/28/2026

Most S-corp owners pick a salary at setup.

Then the business grows. Revenue doubles. Their role changes.

The salary? Same number from three years ago.

That's a problem for a few reasons:

- The IRS requires reasonable compensation tied to your actual role. A low, unchanged salary is a red flag.
- Your salary affects retirement contributions, payroll taxes, and your overall tax plan.
- What fit a one-person shop doesn't fit a growing business.

The right question isn't "what's the lowest salary I can pay myself?"

It's "what makes sense for where my business is right now?"

If your business has changed and your salary hasn't, let's talk.

Schedule a discovery call.

Most people assume charitable donations are automatically deductible.They're not.And starting in 2026, the rules changed...
08/26/2026

Most people assume charitable donations are automatically deductible.
They're not.

And starting in 2026, the rules changed in your favor. Even if you take the standard deduction, you may now be able to deduct up to $1,000 in cash donations ($2,000 if married filing jointly).

But it only works if you do it right:

- The organization has to qualify. Not every cause counts.
- You need documentation. A bank record or written confirmation from the charity.
- Non-cash donations have their own rules.

The paperwork feels small now. It feels very large when you're trying to reconstruct it in April.

Get organized now, not at tax time. Questions about what qualifies? Let's talk.

The IRS now has an online account built specifically for business owners. This summer, they made it a lot more useful.It...
08/24/2026

The IRS now has an online account built specifically for business owners. This summer, they made it a lot more useful.

It's called the Business Tax Account. Here's what you can do:

- View your balance and payment history
- Make payments, including federal tax deposits
- Access IRS notices digitally instead of waiting on mail
- Download your EIN verification notice instead of calling the IRS

That last one alone saves hours.

Eligibility depends on your business structure, but sole proprietors, S corps, C corps, and partnerships can likely get in.

If you want help making sense of what you're looking at once you're in, that's exactly what we're here for.

Schedule a discovery call.

The IRS just announced something most business owners don't know about yet.Starting this summer, if you have a three-yea...
08/20/2026

The IRS just announced something most business owners don't know about yet.

Starting this summer, if you have a three-year history of filing and paying on time, you may qualify for automatic penalty relief. No application, no request, no phone call required.

It's called the Automatic Exemption from Penalty program.

Here's what that means in plain terms:

- If you slip up (miss a deadline, underpay a deposit) and you've had a clean compliance record for the prior three years, the IRS will waive certain penalties automatically.
- You don't have to know to ask for it. It just applies.
- It covers failure to file, failure to pay, and failure to deposit penalties.

This replaces the old First Time Abate process, which required you to know it existed and request it manually. Most people didn't.

The lesson here isn't just about the new program.

It's that staying current on your filings and payments builds leverage, even with the IRS.

If you're not sure where your compliance record stands, that's worth a conversation.

Schedule a discovery call and let's take a look.

If you or your employees earn overtime, there's a new deduction worth knowing about.Under the Working Families Tax Cuts,...
08/17/2026

If you or your employees earn overtime, there's a new deduction worth knowing about.

Under the Working Families Tax Cuts, qualified overtime pay above your regular rate may now be deductible.

Here's the quick version:

- Maximum deduction is $12,500 per person ($25,000 if filing jointly)
- Phases out above $150,000 in income ($300,000 for joint filers)
- Available whether you itemize or take the standard deduction

For 2025, employers weren't required to report overtime separately on W-2s.

That means a lot of people will miss this deduction simply because they don't know to look for it.

If your employees work overtime regularly, this is a conversation worth having before year-end.

Not sure how this affects your situation? That's what we're here for.

📞 Schedule a discovery call.

The IRS doesn't take your word for it.If a deduction is questioned, you need documentation. No receipt, no proof, no ded...
08/12/2026

The IRS doesn't take your word for it.

If a deduction is questioned, you need documentation. No receipt, no proof, no deduction.

For small businesses, the records that matter most:

- Gross receipts: sales records, invoices, bank deposits
- Business expenses: receipts, canceled checks, account statements
- Assets: purchase records, depreciation schedules
- Employment taxes: payroll records going back at least 4 years

The IRS generally recommends keeping business records for 3 to 7 years depending on the situation.

Most audits don't fail because of bad math. They fail because of missing records.

Good bookkeeping isn't just about knowing your numbers. It's about being able to prove them.

That's what we help our clients build from day one.

📞 Schedule a discovery call.

A lot of businesses bring on extra help this time of year.Part-time staff. Seasonal workers. A contractor or two.The tax...
08/10/2026

A lot of businesses bring on extra help this time of year.

Part-time staff. Seasonal workers. A contractor or two.

The tax obligations come with it whether you're ready or not.

- Employee vs. contractor classification matters. Getting it wrong triggers back taxes, penalties, and interest.
- Employees (even part-time and seasonal) require federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare withholding.
- Contractors need a W-9 upfront and may need a 1099 at year-end.

The IRS does not make allowances for "we didn't know."

A quick conversation before you hire is a lot less painful than fixing a misclassification after the fact.

Schedule a discovery call before your first paycheck goes out.

Unclaimed property laws aren’t just for banks.If your business has uncashed vendor checks, customer overpayments, or old...
08/06/2026

Unclaimed property laws aren’t just for banks.

If your business has uncashed vendor checks, customer overpayments, or old deposits that were never returned, states can legally claim that money.

And enforcement is increasing.

California, Delaware, and Texas are now sending notices and issuing penalty assessments.

In one case, a single $147 paycheck turned into a $2 million audit assessment.

This isn’t a niche issue. It’s a compliance gap hiding in plain sight.

Companies that file proactively dramatically reduce their audit risk.

Not sure if this applies to your business? That’s exactly the kind of question we help answer.

📞 Schedule a discovery call.

A CPA with 50 years of experience lost $9,000 to a scam.A fraudster called impersonating her grandson. She panicked. She...
08/05/2026

A CPA with 50 years of experience lost $9,000 to a scam.

A fraudster called impersonating her grandson. She panicked. She sent the money.

If it can happen to her, it can happen to anyone.

The scams targeting business owners right now are more convincing than ever:

- AI-generated calls impersonating family members
- Fake vendor emails requesting wire transfers
- Urgent requests designed to bypass your judgment

A good accountant isn’t just there for tax season.

They’re someone who notices when something feels off. Who slows things down before a bad decision becomes permanent.

That’s the kind of relationship we build with our clients.

If you don’t have someone in your corner like that, let’s talk.

📞 Schedule a discovery call.

Address

670 Meredian Way, Suite 155
Westerville, OH
43082

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

(614) 300-6463

Website

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