Top > Business > 2006 > February > 2006-02-20

Small Business Tax Help

It`s almost tax time and this is the time of year when most businesses are trying to figure out their books. For big businesses this is less of a problem as there are typically professionals with in the company who know the ins and outs of tax filing. Small businesses on the other hand have the same amount of reporting with significantly less of an advantage. For this reason one Tax Queen is offering advice to help. After spending nearly 30 years solving tax problems and over eight years answering tax questions at TaxMama.com, Eva Rosenberg, a California enrolled agent, has seen what the small business-owner has to endure. To solve the problem, she?s putting business owners through her own unique version of basic training -- TaxMama?s Tax Boot Camp.

The typical small business has to do as much reporting as a Fortune 500 corporation ? often, with little or no staff. They have to report to their city (licenses, permits, employment taxes), their county or parish (property taxes and local taxes) their state (sales taxes, employment taxes, licenses, tariffs, excise taxes), to the IRS (income taxes, employment taxes, excise taxes) and other federal and state agencies, depending on who?s looking over their shoulder.

In talking with Eva, it might seem that TaxMama is sick and tired of bailing out businesses who just couldn?t keep up. But that?s not it at all. ?I?m just heart-sick over all those people in debt for years because they messed up their payroll taxes.,? says Eva. ?Or those poor freelancers who didn?t know they should be paying self-employment taxes ? until IRS sends them the bill two years after they file. Or the single mom, with the baby, running a tiny day-care center from home, being fined by her city for not asking them for permission.?