Tax guides, simply explained
27 guides that open with the short answer and the key facts, then walk through the rules, numbers and deadlines, with links to the IRS source. Each one shows the month it was last updated.
Numbers and deadlines
The 2026 figures, limits and deductions in one place.
The 2026 tax brackets and rates
Every 2026 bracket, capital gains rates and the other numbers that changed.
Read the guide401(k), IRA and HSA limits for 2026
401(k) $24,500, IRA $7,500, HSA $4,400 or $8,750, and catch-up amounts.
Read the guideThe 2026 standard deduction
$16,100 single, $32,200 married jointly, $24,150 head of household, and the senior deduction.
Read the guideSmall business tax deductions, the 2026 list
The deductions owners use most in 2026, with the rule for each.
Read the guideQuarterly estimated taxes for business owners
Due dates, safe harbors and what happens if you underpay.
Read the guide2025 tax law changes for small businesses
Permanent QBI, 100% bonus depreciation and the new deductions.
Read the guideBusiness tax forms
What each IRS form is, who files it and when.
Form 2553: instructions, deadline and where to mail it
Who can elect S-Corp status, the March 15 deadline, late relief and where to mail it.
Read the guideSchedule C instructions, line by line
Who files it, each part of the form, missed deductions and the mistakes that bring IRS letters.
Read the guideForm 1065 instructions for partnerships and LLCs
Who files it, the March 15 deadline, what goes in it and the per-partner late penalty.
Read the guideSchedule K-1, explained
What a K-1 is, when it arrives, how to report it and why basis matters.
Read the guideForm 1120-S instructions for S-Corp owners
The March 15 deadline, officer pay, K-1s, basis and the mistakes S-Corp owners make.
Read the guideForm 7004, the business tax extension
Which returns it extends, the deadline to file it and why it never extends payment.
Read the guidePayroll and contractors
W-4s, W-9s, 941s, 940s and 1099s, explained.
Form W-4 for 2026, step by step
Each step of the 2026 W-4, two jobs, dependents and the new deductions.
Read the guideForm 941 instructions, the quarterly payroll return
Quarterly due dates, deposit schedules, what each part reports and fixing errors.
Read the guideForm 940 and federal unemployment tax
FUTA at 0.6% on $7,000, the state credit, deposits and the January 31 deadline.
Read the guideForm W-9, explained for business owners
Who fills it out, when to ask for one and how it ties to the 1099 you send.
Read the guide1099 rules for 2026 and the new $2,000 threshold
Who gets a 1099, the new threshold and due dates.
Read the guide1099 vs W-2, contractor or employee?
The IRS control test, the cost of each, the $2,000 threshold and misclassification.
Read the guideNo tax on tips and overtime, for employers
What still gets withheld and the new W-2 codes.
Read the guideChoosing a structure
LLC, S-Corp or C-Corp, and what to pay yourself.
S-Corp vs LLC, and when the election pays off
Worked examples at three profit levels, salary and state rules.
Read the guideC-Corp vs S-Corp, which one fits?
The 21% rate and double tax against pass-through taxation, and when each one wins.
Read the guideS-Corp reasonable salary, and how to set yours
What the IRS looks at and how to document the number.
Read the guideRecords, software and cross-border
Record keeping, moving software, and filing from abroad.
How long to keep tax and business records
The IRS three-year rule, the exceptions and a schedule for business records.
Read the guideMoving from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online
What transfers, what doesn't, cleanup before you move and checking balances after.
Read the guideForm 5472 for foreign-owned US LLCs
Who files, reportable transactions and the $25,000 penalty.
Read the guideForm 1040-NR basics for non-resident aliens
Residency tests, US income and due dates.
Read the guideUS expat taxes, the filing basics
Who files, the exclusion or the credit, FBAR and catching up.
Read the guideTell us what's messy. We'll tell you what it takes.
Tell us what you need and get a fixed price before any work starts. No pressure and no contract.