Year: 2021

5 Ways to Make Yourself Save Money

We’re all good at something, but not everything. And saving money is one of those things that lots of people say they’re not good at doing, But, what if saving money didn’t require lots of “doing?” What if it required only a little effort and almost no time? What if saving money could be built into your current lifestyle? If this sounds good to you, there are at least five ways to save money that require low commitment on your part, but which have the potential to yield bigger rewards than your current efforts to save money.

Sell old items and bank the money

Most people look at their income and reason that they simply don’t have enough money to pay the bills, live and save. Let’s assume that’s true, and so we’ll look somewhere else for money to save besides your paycheck. Look to the items you have stored around your house that are going unused and consider their value if you sold them. Attics, basements, garages and storage lockers are the primary places for valuable — and unused — items to end up. Selling these items online or in a yard sale affords the potential to bring in hundreds of dollars that don’t have to come out of your paycheck to go into your savings account.

Collect and store change

Another way to save money without going directly to your income source is to collect and store change when you make cash purchases. Get a large container, such as a popcorn tin. Every time you feel coins jingling in your pocket or in your purse, throw them in the tin and close the lid. Every now and then, throw a dollar bill in there or a $5 bill. When the tin is full and you count your savings, you may be surprised by how much you’ve saved!

Round up purchases and save the difference

Much like saving coins, a great way to save without feeling too much of a pinch is by using a personal finance app that rounds up your online purchases to the nearest dollar, and then saves the overage to your savings account.

Make a “dream” board

Saving money should always include a goal, so why not make the goal – or dream – come true? Create a dream board that features photos of the item or occasion for which you’re saving. Hang your dream board in an obvious place where you’ll see it every day to remind yourself why you’re saving. Every time you look at the board, put a few dollars aside. Or,when you’re budgeting, look at the dream board to motivate yourself to sock that money away!

Make saving a priority

Whichever one or more methods you choose, you must make saving money a priority if you truly have a desire and a reason to save. Look for additional ways to save,such as using coupons, delaying unnecessary purchases, paying cash instead of using credit, and all the other go-to ways of saving that your parents or grandparents used. In the long run, they’ll free up additional dollars for you to put in the popcorn tin or the savings account and they’ll help you acquire the things you have on your dream board.

Need help managing your finances? Donohoo Accounting Services is a professional accounting services provider, dedicated to helping our clients overcome their financial challenges. To learn more about how Donohoo Accounting Services can help, call us today at 513-528-3982 for a free consultation.

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What You Need to File Your Business Taxes

What could be difficult about filing this year’s business income tax return?Plenty. Not to worry though, Donohoo Accounting Services is here to help! Every business has unique ways to best prepare taxes and you’ll need an accountant to help find all your deductions, but here are some tips about the three kinds of records your accountant will definitely need.

Income/Earnings Records

Because most businesses use electronic means to capture every transaction of the sale of goods or services, income records should be easy – though perhaps voluminous – to collect. Be sure to review your business’s income records, however, to look for any obvious errors such as missing information. Complete income records should include:

• The gross amount of each individual sale,
• Any returns or discounts credited against your business’s income,
• Interest earned from business bank accounts (from your year-end bank statement or Form 1099-INT) and,
• Any other income from non-sales sources.

Documentation of Expenses

Perhaps the most documentation required for your businesses tax filing falls into the category of expenses. You must account for more than a dozen different kinds of expenses on your tax form. These include all employee wages, rent or lease payments (including vehicle leases), insurance, travel, office supplies,and advertising and communications (such as telephone, fax and Internet). Additionally, within these expense categories there are sub-categories. Be sure to consult with a tax professional for a complete list of expense categories to be sure you don’t overlook any potential deductions.

Inventory Details

If your business maintains a physical inventory of goods, you will need to have documentation of your inventory totals at the beginning and end of the year along with its dollar value. As well, be sure you also have records of any inventory purchased over the course of the year. Remember to account for any inventory items that were used for business or personal needs, and the value of any supplies or materials on-hand that were purchased to operate the business. For businesses that track inventory electronically, these records should be easy to access. But again, remember to check – and correct – any errors or irregularities between your inventory records and your actual physical inventory.

The professionals at Donohoo Accounting Services have been helping small businesses file annual tax returns for more than 20 years. For a free consultation, call Donohoo Accounting today at 513-528-3982. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for our latest updates and tips!

Prepare Now for Filing Your Personal Taxes

Getting ready to file your personal income taxes can be a daunting task of collecting information. But don’t worry, the pros at Donohoo Accounting Services are here to help! The information required to file your income taxes neatly falls into four categories: Your personal information, dependents’ information, income sources and deductions.

Your Personal Information

While most people may have this information ready at-hand for other purposes, others may have to locate it. Either way, you will need it to file your federal, state and local income taxes. Be sure to have your Social Security number or tax ID number, as well as the full name and Social Security number or tax ID number for your spouse if you are married. If you have this information in written or printed form, be sure to shred the document after your tax preparation for security purposes. Professional accountants take very good care to do this.

Dependent Information

You will need the full names of your children or dependents along with their Social Security numbers or tax ID numbers. Having either their Social Security cards or their names and numbers in written or printed form may make filing easier for your tax preparer. However, as mentioned above, be sure to shred the document after your tax preparation for identity security purposes.

Income Sources

This is where collecting income tax information starts to get tricky, but you can do this!

• W-2 Forms –If you and your spouse work a regular full-time or part-time job, your employer will issue a W-2 Form that shows your earnings and tax deductions for the year. Some employers mail W-2 Forms to their employees while others provide access to an electronic document online that you can download and print. Either way, secure a paper copy of your W-2 Forms for yourself and for your spouse.

• 1099 Forms –Companies issue this form to contracted workers who earn more than $600 within one tax year. Additionally, you may receive a 1099 Form if you received income from non-work sources such as investments, rental income, prior years’ state and local income tax refunds, lottery or gambling winnings, unemployment compensation or retirement benefits. In addition to the 1099 Form, you may be required to provide additional documentation for income earned outside of your primary job. Your tax professional can provide details.

Deductions

Although this area of tax filing seems complicated to most people, taking deductions can reduce your tax liability and may increase the likelihood of your getting an income tax refund. More than a dozen kinds of income tax deductions can be taken, but the most popular deductions are for qualified charitable contributions, home mortgage interest, educational expenses and medical expenses. While you may receive year-end statements from the institutions that received your contributions or payments, consult with your tax professional for details about the kinds of records you need provide when claiming deductions.

To help you find the most deductions and keep your personal information secure, contact Donohoo Accounting Services at 513-528-3982 for a free consultation. We have servedand earned the trust of individuals and small businesses throughout the Greater Cincinnati area for more than 20 years.

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Get Your Money in Order for the New Year

This year is quickly coming to a close. Get ahead of the game and get your money in order for the new year. Don’t know where to begin? No worries! Here are some helpful tips.

Get Organized

Organize Concept Metal Letterpress Word in Drawer

You can file taxes after the new year, so now’s a good time to get all your ducks in a row. In January and early February, you’ll be receiving important documents in the mail including your W2, mortgage interest statement (1098), or student loan interest statement (1098-E.)Most companies, by law, have until January 31 to mail statements, so keep an eye out.

Designate a single location where you’ll keep these documents so they are easily accessible when you’re ready to file taxes. You can use a folder, drawer, box or other container. Put a large “taxes” label on it and use the container for tax-related documents only, not other mail or bills. But you may want to keepit near where you sort mail, so you can immediately put the documents in their home.

Then start gathering other items you’ll need for filing taxes, including charitable contributionand expense receipts. Qualified expenses depend on your situation, but could include expenses related to childcare, medical, job (mileage, supplies, relocation) and education. Donohoo Accounting Services can help you navigate the complicated tax structure. In addition to income tax preparation, we handle payroll tax prep, tax levies and liens, back taxes, end tax penalties, estate tax return preparationand more.

Make Year-End Charitable Contributions

Many charities do a final fundraising push at the end of the year, so you’ll probably receive solicitations asking for support. If you want to help non-profit organizations while also possibly reducing your taxable income, make your donations by December 31. Contributions are deductible in the year made. Thus, donations charged to a credit card before the end of the yearwill count in that year – even if the credit card bill isn’t paid until later. You’ll want to make sure the charity is eligible. Many times, the charity will note its “501c3” status, which is IRS speak for tax-exempt. You can also use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.

Take an Assessment of Where You Stand Financially

Magnifying glass showing assessment word on grey background

Now’s a good time to take a hard look at your income, debt, expenses, retirement funds, college and emergency savings. Are you on track to meet financial goals? If yes – great! If no – why are you falling short? To properly move forward into the next year, you need a realistic picture of where you are now. Put pen to paper and write down all the numbers. It helps to see everything in black and white.

Make a Financial New Year’s Resolution (Or Better Yet – Create APlan You’ll Stick With All Year)

Once you know where you stand currently, you can create a plan for the upcoming year. Perhaps you want an emergency savings fund. You never know when the furnace is going to go out, someone in your family has a medical issue or there’s a company layoff. Experts say you should have enough emergency savings to cover three to sixth months of expenses. Maybe you have all your financial bases covered but want to take an exotic vacation? Set the goal, create a plan and start saving for that overseas beach trip. Although it’s a busy holiday season, set aside time to get your money in order for the new year. Once you’re ready to file taxes, turn to Donohoo Accounting Services, locally owned and operated by Cincinnati native, Duane Donohoo.