Small business resources for you
Insights you need to succeed.
No one is born knowing how to run a business. It takes time and experience. But in the meantime, these small business resources can help get you started:
Small business tips for every stage of your journey.
Being a successful business owner is no small task. In fact, it’s many. We can be your small business guide at every step.
Build Your Business
8 tax steps to take when hiring employees
Manage Your Business
Incorporation tax benefits for your small business
Motivation
Block Advisors tax pros help Black-owned businesses improve financial readiness
More from Block Advisors.
Manage Your Business
How long to keep business tax records
As a small business owner, your workspace may be filled with many forms, documents, and files… So much so, you’d…
Manage Your Business
Small business tax identity theft: What to do if it happens to you
When you think of identity theft, you may think of the problem as affecting only individuals, but this isn’t the…
Small Business Tax Prep
When are business taxes due?
While Tax Day is the only date some people may have on their calendar, there are actually many important business…
Small Business Tax Prep
5 reasons to file small business back taxes
Small business owners have more complicated tax obligations than people who earn wages as employees. You have to account for…
Small Business Services
Year-end bookkeeping tasks: Tips for closing your business’ books
Year-end can be a hectic time for many small business owners, between personal to-dos and seasonal demands at work. But…
Small Business Tax Prep
Small business tax rates: The complete guide
If you’re like most small business owners, you might struggle to understand this seemingly simple question: “What is the small…
Small Business Tax Prep
Small business tax preparation 101: What to bring to tax appointments
If you’re on top of your small business expenses and other tax-related tasks, making an appointment with your tax professional…
Small Business Tax Prep
Self-employed health insurance deduction can help reduce taxes
Self-employed individuals take on a lot on their own – healthcare costs are no exception. Thankfully the self-employed health insurance…
News
How Block Advisors supports small business owners and the spirit of entrepreneurship
Motivation
Female Founders Series Part 4: Diverse experience ignites entrepreneur’s journey
To foster the spirit of entrepreneurship and build connections among female entrepreneurs, Block Advisors recently partnered with Selfmade, a 10-week (virtual)…
News
Beyond Tax Prep: Helping Small Businesses Survive and Succeed
H&R Block has a long history of supporting the unique needs of small business owners, but that help doesn’t stop…
Manage Your Business
Why is my business getting a letter from the IRS?
After you file your business tax return you may feel a sense of accomplishment… and breathe a sigh of relief.…
Small Business Tax Prep
Sole proprietorship tax essentials
Running a business on your own is exciting – you get to follow your dreams and be your own boss.…
Small Business Tax Prep
Is business loan interest deductible? Get briefed on claiming this potential tax deduction
Questions around loans and interest deductions are common for small business owners. In fact, we’re often asked, “Are small business…
Small Business Tax Prep
Self-employed retirement plans: Weighing the tax advantages
Many business owners know self-employed retirement plans are tax-saving vehicles that can reduce your small business’ hard-earned taxable income. But…
Small Business Tax Prep
Claiming a business loss deduction
If you incur a business loss, you might be wondering if you can write-off the loss on your small business…
News
Female Founders Series Part 3: The Art and Joy of Balancing Education, Motherhood, and Entrepreneurship
To foster the spirit of entrepreneurship and build connections among female entrepreneurs, Block Advisors recently partnered with Selfmade, a 10-week (virtual)…
Small Business Owners
Profiles in Black entrepreneurship: Small business owners share growth mindset and a drive to succeed
While small businesses often face universal challenges in starting and growing their businesses, history and research have shown Black-owned businesses…
Small Business Tax Prep
Small business tax deductions can trim your tax bill
One of the best ways to reduce your overall tax bill is through small business tax deductions. While some might…
Small Business Services
Payroll software can simplify managing your small business
You’ve built a business that allows you to do what you love, so why spend your time crunching numbers and…
Small Business Owners
Unexpected Friendship: A Small Business Owner and his Tax Advisor
Block Advisors small business certified tax pro Mary Zaby and client Terrance Williams
News
Female Founders Series Part 2: Leaping Into the Challenges and Rewards of Entrepreneurship
To foster the spirit of entrepreneurship and build connections among female entrepreneurs, Block Advisors recently partnered with Selfmade, a 10-week…
Small Business Tax Prep
Why use a tax professional at Block Advisors
It’s no secret that you have options when it comes to your small business taxes. So, why use a tax…
Small Business Services
Payroll deductions: A guide for small businesses
Small business owners who add employees will also gain additional financial tasks – including taking care of payroll deductions. What…
Small Business Services
Payroll taxes: A small business employer’s guide
Consider this scenario – your business is up and running, and you’re thinking about the next step — growth and…
Manage Your Business
What is a 1099-K? And why would small business owners receive one?
The world of business is highly digital in most aspects – including finances. Gone are the days when small business…
Small Business Tax Prep
Form 940: A quick guide to reporting federal unemployment tax
One of the many payroll taxes employers are accountable for is federal unemployment tax. If your small business has employees…
Small Business Tax Prep
FUTA: What employers need to know about unemployment tax
FUTA stands for Federal Unemployment Tax Act, but what does it mean for small business owners? If you’re adding employees…
Small Business Services
Cash vs. accrual accounting: Considerations for tracking your finances
As a business owner, you have many choices about how to operate your business. A key choice you or your…
Small Business Services
How to choose a payroll provider for your small business
As you start, manage, or grow your company – you might have one consistent need – payroll. When you get…
News
Female Founders Series Part 1: Building Social Capital and Community
To foster the spirit of entrepreneurship and build connections among female entrepreneurs, Block Advisors recently partnered with Selfmade, a 10-week…
Build Your Business
Balance sheets and understanding your small business’ equity
With many small businesses not making it past the five- or 10-year mark, what can you do to thrive past…
Small Business Tax Prep
Qualified business income deduction: Keys to claiming this big tax break
For certain small business owners, the qualified business income deduction (QBID) was one of the major elements of 2017’s Tax…
Finance
What is an income statement?
What is one of the best ways to gain insight on profitability, decision making, and change implementation for your small…
Small Business Owners
Paycheck Protection Program loans: Essentials about this vital business lifeline
Editor’s Note: The article below was originally published on April 23, 2020. While applications to the Paycheck Protection (PPP) ended on…
Small Business Services
FIT tax: What it is and how it affects wages and withholding
A significant part of understanding payroll for small businesses is Federal Income Tax withholding, (FIT). If you’re a small business…
Small Business Services
Accounting vs. bookkeeping – What’s the difference?
Say you’ve just started a business and are trying to determine the differences between accounting vs. bookkeeping. While some small…
Small Business Tax Prep
Taxes for the self-employed: Getting your self-employed tax return right
Is this the year you start your own business? Self-employment taxes may not be top of mind as you embark…
Small Business Services
Bookkeeping courses: Essentials small business owners should learn
If you’re a small business owner, you’re the go-to person for so many things – marketing/advertising, sales, administration, staffing, management,…
Motivation
Hobby vs. business: When does a hobby become a business?
Alice bakes and sells fancy cupcakes. Lou fixes small appliances and charges for his services. Since they started their respective…
Small Business Services
Online bookkeeping: How virtual services keep your books in order
Many small business owners start their ventures to pursue a passion and to be their own boss. However, along the…
Small Business Owners
Choosing a business entity classification for federal income tax -- benefits and drawbacks of each
Whether you’re launching a new company, or you’ve been in business for 10 years, at some point, you selected –…
Small Business Tax Prep
How to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Are you thinking of starting a new business this year? Or are you planning on buying an existing one? If…
Small Business Services
What is bookkeeping?
When you think of bookkeeping, does the image of a person behind a desk going deep into the numbers with…
Small Business Tax Prep
FICA tax rate: Figures and formulas employers need to know
As an owner of a small business, you have extra responsibilities. You wear many different “hats” which can include HR,…
Small Business Tax Prep
Hiring a family member: Tax matters for spouses and kids
Is it a dream of yours to go into business with or work with a family member—a spouse, child, or…
Small Business Tax Prep
6 timely (and timeless) small business tax tips for year-end and beyond
For small business owners, taxes should be on your mind year-round. But when the year draws to a close, there…
Small Business Tax Prep
Need more time? Here's how to file a business tax extension
Tax day comes once a year – are you ready? As a small business owner, you likely have more responsibilities…
Small Business Tax Prep
When are business taxes due?
While Tax Day is the only date some people may have on their calendar, there are actually many important business…
Small Business Owners
Paycheck Protection Program loans: Essentials about this vital business lifeline
Editor’s Note: The article below was originally published on April 23, 2020. While applications to the Paycheck Protection (PPP) ended on…
Tax Prep & Planning
What is AGI? And How Can You Reduce It By Years’ End?
It’s the holiday season… While your mind might be on buying presents and enjoying festive events, you may want to…
Small Business Services
Second Home Tax Tips
Do you own a vacation home, rental property, a condo, or any other kind of second home? If you do,…
Small Business Tax Prep
Quarterly tax payments: Who should pay them and when
With so much attention on Tax Day, other tax deadlines are easily overlooked, including quarterly tax payments. Believe it or…
Small Business Services
How many times can the IRS audit your business?
Editor’s note: Every person (and business) fears the IRS will come knocking on their door—more than once. But is that…
Small Business Tax Prep
The ultimate list of small business tax forms
Editor’s note: This post provides information on a variety of small business tax forms. No matter how your business is…
Small Business Tax Prep
How to use Schedule SE to determine your self-employment taxes
Editor’s note: Starting a business this year? Learn more about IRS Schedule SE, a common tax form used by entrepreneurs…
Tax Reform
Bonus depreciation: Finding flexibility in deducting business costs
You may know that depreciation lets you spread out the cost of certain fixed assets over time. But, what about…
Small Business Tax Prep
Crowdfunding taxes: Why entrepreneurs may owe the IRS
Raising money online through third-party backers, or crowdfunding, is an emerging and widespread way to raise capital as a small…
Small Business Tax Prep
When Are W-2s Due This Year? What About 1099s?
At the beginning of each calendar year, employers must provide annual income statements to employees and non-employee workers so they…
Small Business Tax Prep
Section 179 deductions: How certain expenses can reduce business income this year
Section 179 deductions are advantageous to take as a small business owner because it offers helpful tax deductions to reduce…
Tax Prep & Planning
1040 form for small business
Form 1040 is familiar to most individual taxpayers as it’s the tax form required for U.S. citizen and resident individuals…
Finance
How To Figure Out Your Tax Rate and Bracket This Year
As you may know, our tax bracket system is a “progressive” mechanism with tax rates that increase as taxable income…
Small Business Tax Prep
Self-employed tax deductions: A cheat sheet
Let’s face it – tax time can be a stressful time, especially for those subject to additional small business tax…
Manage Your Business
What is a 1099-K? And why would small business owners receive one?
The world of business is highly digital in most aspects – including finances. Gone are the days when small business…
Small Business Owners
Choosing a business entity classification for federal income tax -- benefits and drawbacks of each
Whether you’re launching a new company, or you’ve been in business for 10 years, at some point, you selected –…
Small Business Tax Prep
Tax Form W-9: A guide for small businesses
Growing your business is an exciting thing—but it comes with new and uncharted tasks from a tax perspective. One new…
Tax Prep & Planning
New IRS Guidance on the Taxation of Virtual Currency
Have you heard about virtual currency? As the IRS defines it, it’s “a digital representation of value that functions as a…
Small Business Services
FIT tax: What it is and how it affects wages and withholding
A significant part of understanding payroll for small businesses is Federal Income Tax withholding, (FIT). If you’re a small business…
Tax Reform
Tax Reform Removes the Affordable Care Act Penalty
Did you know tax reform eliminated the Affordable Care Act penalty or, more precisely, reduced the penalty to $0? Yes,…
Small Business Tax Prep
Form 1120-S filing fundamentals for your business
Not all small businesses are alike, and neither are their taxes. For S corporations, the reporting of certain taxable activity…
News
Do You Have to Pay Taxes On Federal Stimulus Checks?
The U.S. government is in the process of issuing millions of federal stimulus checks to citizens, called Economic Impact Payments,…
Small Business Tax Prep
Claiming a business loss deduction
If you incur a business loss, you might be wondering if you can write-off the loss on your small business…
Small Business Owners
How to onboard new employees for their first day
Hiring a new employee this year? Onboarding new employees can be stressful if you’re not prepared. You have a lot…
Small Business Tax Prep
Maximizing your business travel tax deductions
Each year as tax day approaches, the hunt to find additional tax deductions to lower your taxable rate as a…
Tax Prep & Planning
Amending a Tax Return: Have You Missed Out On A Larger Tax Refund?
What happens if you receive a corrected W-2 or 1099 after you file? Or if you discover an error after…
Small Business Tax Prep
Questions to ask a tax accountant or preparer for your business before hiring them
There are millions of tax preparers in the U.S., so where do you begin in your quest to find one…
News
Female Founders Series Part 1: Building Social Capital and Community
To foster the spirit of entrepreneurship and build connections among female entrepreneurs, Block Advisors recently partnered with Selfmade, a 10-week…
Small Business Tax Prep
Form 1065: What partners need to know to report income
Forming a partnership can have its advantages for your small business. It also means a different way of completing your…
Motivation
Hobby vs. business: When does a hobby become a business?
Alice bakes and sells fancy cupcakes. Lou fixes small appliances and charges for his services. Since they started their respective…
Tax Services
What is the IRS Matching Program?
In previous tax seasons, the IRS didn’t start auditing tax returns until many months after they were filed. But in…
Tax Prep & Planning
What Does The IRS Do When You Have a Tax Return Error?
The IRS issued approximately two million math error notices each year between 2015 and 2017, according to the IRS. Depending…
Small Business Owners
Defining employee compensation and taxable wages
Deciding how much a new employee is paid can be one of your tougher challenges as a small business owner.…
Small Business Tax Prep
Ways to File Taxes with Block Advisors
There have always been many ways to file with Block Advisors. Yet, in light of Coronavirus, we have modified the…
Small Business Tax Prep
6 timely (and timeless) small business tax tips for year-end and beyond
For small business owners, taxes should be on your mind year-round. But when the year draws to a close, there…
Small Business Tax Prep
Hiring a family member: Tax matters for spouses and kids
Is it a dream of yours to go into business with or work with a family member—a spouse, child, or…
Small Business Tax Prep
Schedule C: Who should file it and how
If you alone or with your spouse run a business, it’s likely you’ll file a Schedule C (Form 1040) to…
Small Business Tax Prep
Form 1099-NEC: What's important for independent contractors
There’s a new IRS form in town, Form 1099-NEC. Starting in tax year 2020, instead of reporting nonemployee compensation through…
Self-Employed
Self-Employed & Small Business Tax Reform - All About The Net Business Deductions
Editor’s Note: Read on to learn more about small business tax reform and how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act…
Small Business Tax Prep
A Guide to Taxation of Capital Gains and Losses
If you’ve come to our blog, you probably already know what capital gains are. For a refresher, or if you…
Tax Reform
Changes to the Employee Business Expense Deduction
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) passed changed many tax rules for working Americans. A major changes was the…
Tax Prep & Planning
Who Claims a Child on Taxes After Divorce?
With a divorce, your taxes change significantly. And with children, your tax situation can become even more complex. Read on…
News
Common Questions (and Answers) About Economic Impact Payments
Millions of Americans have been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. So, one measure the U.S. government is taking to…
Finance
Statement or Invoice? Explaining the Differences
No matter what you do to make it easy and convenient for your customers to pay you – emailing invoices…
Build Your Business
Profit and loss statements: How a P&L statement provides business insight
Editor’s Note: This post is focused on helping you understand profit and loss statements. This document is used by most…
Small Business Tax Prep
Amended partnership return (Amended 1065): Get help for a tricky tax task
Amending your tax return can take several steps for some types of businesses. However, an amended partnership return is possibly…
Motivation
Small business budgeting -- Your financial success starts here
A solid budget is often the backbone of a business’ future success. However, creating a budget is tough when a…
See what small business owners have to say about us.
Roger Heffner
Roger Heffner Realtor
April 2021
"Maria Nowicki understands my business and knows how get the maximum deductions, and how to prepare my returns correctly. Maria gives me good tips on mileage and parking fees, home office deductions, and donation allowances."
W. Leighton Haynes
Elevation Brand Studio, LLC
April 2021
"My small business tax pro was professional and engaged and provided a plan for quarterly tax withholding."
Cheryl M. Francis
Blueprint for Transformation
April 2021
"John Conkey exceeded my expectations in that he asks questions about my business based on current tax provisions to position me favorably for all eligible deductions."
Leah Hayes
Leah's Hair Studio
April 2021
"I am a new business owner and this was the first time I did my taxes as such. My tax professional was very informative and positive and she really helps me out as far as giving me the understanding of how taxes for small businesses work and therefore I didn't feel so stressed."
Srinivas Vunnava
Subha Ramanan Music School
April 2021
"My small business tax pro demonstrated great understanding of our business operation, relevant tax laws, and legit methods to maximize our return. Very professional, superb command on tax laws and relevant legal and accounting knowledge, personalized attention to our needs."