When to Hire an Outside Bookkeeper

As a small business owner, you are often juggling more than enough. A customer needs their questions answered, a new customer needs attention, a delivery is late, products need to be ordered, inventory needs to be checked, and your website needs to be updated. Somewhere between the stack of receipts and the bank statements, QuickBooks is calling for your attention.

There was enough money in the checking account last month to pay for the inventory order and other expenses but now things are different and you are trying to understand why.

In the beginning all of these tasks were doable. You could handle the daily operations of the business and work on the books over the weekend. A spreadsheet here, a few hours Sunday afternoon there. Life was manageable ... But sales grew, and life became busier. Somewhere along the line the bookkeeping tasks were stealing the time better spent on running the daily operations of the business.

This does not mean you are doing anything wrong. It simply means that you might need a little help.

The following comments are signs that it’s time to consider some professional bookkeeper help:

1) You are spending too much time working on financial administration….categorizing receipts, chasing down invoices, reviewing deposit receipts. You begin to realize that perhaps your time may be better spent growing your business.

2) Your books are always running behind. The Month-end arrives and you are scrambling to finish last month’s transactions. When your financial information is incomplete…perhaps months old, it is difficult to make good business decisions.

3) To add to the irritation, small bookkeeping errors are starting to show up. You are finding duplicate entries, expenses are in the wrong category and the numbers don’t match the bank statements.

4) The Cash balances keep surprising you. One week the bank account looks healthy, but the next thing you know leaves you wondering where everything went. Chicken one day and feathered the next. You are beginning to realize that up-to-date books would help you see the real picture of your business.

5) Tax season feels like pure panic. You are faced with gathering documents for your tax accountant at the last minute and you realize that a bookkeeper would go a long way in making this whole process much more manageable.

6) The whole idea of facing the request for up to date financial statements from the CPA, banks, or other creditors should not feel like a daunting task.

7) You realize that even though your business has grown, your operating systems have not. More customers, more transactions, and perhaps an added employee or two adds to the stress. The procedures that worked at a lower revenue level are not adequate to support the business as it grows.

8) You are living a life only you understand. It is a chaotic file of receipts that are disorganized and stored in a haphazard fashion. You are beginning to realize that it may be time to implement a proper system operated by someone who understands how to use it.

9) Furthermore, you are unsure of your income, deductions, and tax compliance. Your constant guesswork about what qualifies as a business expense can lead to missing legitimate deductions or compliance issues

10) Your finances are quietly stressing you out. Just thinking about your books makes your stomach turn in knots and makes it difficult for you to sleep. You realize that the time has come for you to hand that load off to someone qualified to make sense of it all.

These are all signs that are actually good news. They usually mean that your business is growing and it’s time to ask for support. You are not giving up but rather you are recognizing that you are at the stage where you need to focus on what you do best……operate your growing business.

Bob Brokaw

Las Vegas Bookkeeping & CFO Services LLC

702 443 5878

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Tax Strategies for Self-Employed Business Owners

September 10, 2026

As a self-employed business owner, you keep the profits of your hard work. You also carry the full weight of paying taxes. Smart tax planning helps you keep more of your money and avoid surprise bills from the IRS. Here are the best tax strategies to lower what you owe and keep your business strong. 1. Deduct Your Business Expenses Write off the everyday costs of running your business. These deductions lower your taxable income dollar for dollar. Home Office: If you use a specific space in your home regularly and exclusively for business, deduct a portion of your rent, utilities, and internet. Vehicle Use: Track your business miles. You can deduct them using the standard IRS mileage rate or actual operating costs. Software and Tools: Write off the subscriptions, apps, and tools you use to do your work. Marketing Costs: Deduct money spent on website hosting, ads, and business cards. 2. Separate Your Personal and Business Finances Keep a clean line between your personal life and your business. Open a dedicated business bank account and credit card. Pay for all business expenses from the business account. This makes it easy to track deductions and proves your business is legitimate if the IRS asks. 3. Pay Estimated Taxes on Time The government wants its tax money throughout the year, not just in April. If you expect to owe more than $1,000 in taxes, make quarterly estimated tax payments. Missing these deadlines triggers penalties and interest charges. Mark your calendar for the four yearly due dates: April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15. 4. Set Up a Retirement Plan Save for your future while lowering your tax bill today. Contributions to self-employed retirement accounts are usually tax-deductible. Solo 401(k): Lets you contribute as both the employee and the employer, allowing for high contribution limits. SEP IRA: Easy to set up and allows flexible contributions based on how much your business earns. SIMPLE IRA: A great choice if you have a small team of employees. 5. Consider an S-Corporation Election As a sole proprietor, you pay self-employment tax on all your net earnings. Changing your tax classification can change this. An S-Corporation lets you pay yourself a "reasonable salary" and take the rest of your income as owner distributions. You only pay self-employment tax on the salary portion, which can save you thousands of dollars. Talk to a CPA to see if your income level makes an S-Corp worth the extra paperwork. 6. Track Everything and Keep Receipts Good records protect you during tax season and in the event of an audit. Use bookkeeping software to snap photos of receipts and log income automatically. Save all financial records, invoices, and bank statements for at least three years. Final Thoughts Tax laws change often, and every business is different. Take time to review your strategy mid-year, not just in the spring. Working with a qualified certified public accountant (CPA) helps you find local and federal savings tailored specifically to your trade.