Taxes

Tax Planning/Preparation

• What is the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service?
• Should you itemize on your tax return?
• What returning college students need to know
• Know the tax benefits for college
• Year-round tax planning is vital
• Beware of these tax scams
• Raising emergency cash to pay taxes
• Choosing an income tax preparer
• Know your rights as a taxpayer
• Who is required to file a return?
• Tax credit rules for charitable contributions
• Understanding depreciation as a tax deduction
• IRS problems that may require the help of a Tampa CPA
• Filing a late income tax return?
• Tax saving strategies
• Why is April 15 Tax Day?
• Beware of tax-related email scams
• Who should file quarterly taxes?
• Help with back taxes
• Audit reconsideration

Personal Taxes

• When to take the standard deduction
• Charitable donations
• How owning a home affects your taxes
• If you find a tax return error
• Passive income explained
• Related party transactions
• Tax return forms
• Tax records to keep
• Effective tax rate
• Benefits of filing jointly when married
• How much income tax withholding should I designate?
• How likely am I to be audited?
• How important life events affect tax status
• Office of Taxpayer Burden Reduction
• Filing for a personal tax extension
• What is earned income tax credit?
• Limitations for child dependent credit
• What does “voluntary” income tax really mean?
• Rules for child and dependent care tax credit
• What is adjusted gross income?
• What is taxable income?
• What tax form should I file?

Business Taxes

• Going green to save on taxes
• What business expenses are deductible?
• Tax breaks for loss, disaster, casualty
• Home office tax deductions
• Charitable donations and corporate taxes
• Self-employment tax explained
• What makes an organization tax exempt?
• Indirect Taxes
• Uncertain tax positions
• Transaction taxes
• Deferred valuation tax allowance
• Tax compliance
• Health care tax credit
• Tax-exempt organizations
• Deducting business expenses
• Federal taxes
• Tax advantages for hiring
• How changing business structure affects taxes
• Estimated tax for small business
• Filing for a business tax extension
• What are the tax rules for barter exchanges?
• Reasons for and benefits of divestiture
• Capital gains and losses explained
• Deducting property depreciation
• How often should I file self-employment taxes and how much should I pay?
• Must my small business in Florida pay unemployment tax?
• How to navigate Florida’s sales tax laws
• Unpaid or delinquent payroll taxes

Personal Finance

Budgeting

• What a 529 savings plan covers
• How a CPA can help you define goals
• Understanding the federal gift tax
• Discipline required
• Finding the discipline
• Hidden costs of college
• Budgeting for that dream vacation
• Can I pay off my student loan sooner?
• Cutting costs at home
• Is that ‘great’ credit card offer worth it?
• Calculating net worth
• Items to include on your personal monthly budget
• Making a plan for paying student loans
• What factors should I consider before making a big purchase?
• How much money should I save each month?
• The advantages and disadvantages of leasing a car
• The advantages and disadvantages of buying a car
• What is a 529 savings plan?
• When should I enroll my child in Florida’s prepaid college tuition program?
• How to stay on budget
• What a CPA in Tampa can do for you
• Free checkup of your financial health
• Reasons to choose Reliance Consulting as your CPA in Tampa

Financial Planning

• Are credit card rewards programs worth it?
• Hidden costs of bankruptcy
• Good debt versus bad debt
• The Five C’s of credit
• Defining and reaching your personal financial goals
• Protecting personal assets from lawsuits
• What is a mutual fund?
• How does a money market account work?
• How do I know my current investment plan is right for me?
• What to do when your financial situation changes for the better
• What to do when your financial situation changes for the worse
• How credit scores work and why they’re important
• What are credit unions and how do they work?
• Why do we need bank accounts?
• How to avoid identity theft
• What records to bring for the first meeting with your CPA in Tampa
• How to choose the right CPA in Tampa, FL
• Are you getting good financial advice?
• What personal records you should keep
• Financially preparing for marriage
• Financially preparing for a divorce

Retirement/Estate Planning

• How will early withdrawal from IRA affect taxes?
• Planning for ongoing medical expenses
• Why you should think about long-term care now
• Reverse mortgages for seniors
• Revocable trust defined
• Self-directed IRA
• Start a business, start a second career
• Is a Keogh plan still viable?
• Choosing an executor
• Receiving a substantial inheritance
• Are you ready to retire?
• How to avoid probate
• Never too late for retirement planning
• Achieving early retirement
• Understanding estate tax
• Definition of a charitable trust
• How much will you need in retirement?
• Paying taxes in retirement
• Revocable vs. irrevocable trusts
• What’s the difference between a Roth IRA and a Traditional IRA?
• What is a 401 (k) plan and how does it work?
• Do you need to think about long-term care?
• What is power of attorney?
• What is a living will?
• What is a trust?
• The importance of a will
• Why you need life insurance
• How to get started with estate planning
• The importance of a post-mortem letter
• How your expenses might differ in retirement
• Elder financial care

Real Estate

• Know the tax rules for selling your home
• Can I sell with an underwater mortgage?
• What is a contract for deed?
• What not to do before a big purchase
• Reasons to delay purchasing a home
• How a CPA can help with a mortgage refinance
• REIT as retirement plan?
• Real property vs. personal property
• Do home improvements make financial sense?
• The ramifications of refinancing a mortgage
• Benefits of a bi-weekly mortgage
• What to ask before refinancing a mortgage
• What to ask before buying a home
• What is an upside-down mortgage?
• Is it better to rent my home or buy it?
• What is a reverse mortgage?
• Understanding Florida’s homestead exemption

Insurance

• Getting a fair insurance settlement
• Saving money on insurance
• Finding a reliable insurance company
• Factors for buying life insurance
• The value of risk management
• What type of insurance do I need for my small business?
• Do I need flood insurance for my inland Florida home?
• Why is title insurance important?
• Life insurance needs analysis

Business Consulting

Business Accounting

• How are bookkeeping and accounting different?
• Cash-basis accounting versus accrual accounting
• Save money on business travel
• Demand up, capital down
• Importance of petty cash
• Fungibility vs. liquidity
• What is equilibrium price?
• The bottom line defined
• Cutting costs at the office
• The importance of a small business accountant
• Definition of a small business
• Definition of current assets
• Definition of intangible assets
• Definition of liabilities
• Managing non-cash transactions
• Saving energy (and money) at your small business
• Liquidating small business assets
• Accounting tasks and processes
• Recording business transactions
• Reasons for a cost segregation study
• Why is a general ledger important?
• Electronic discovery for small business
• What is a source document and why is it important in business?
• How can my small business benefit from an internal audit?
• How can I manage cash flow in my small business?
• How can I ensure my small business information is secure?
• What determines fair value?
• Reasons to keep financial records
• What business records you should keep
• Does your business need an internal controls assessment?
• How payroll processing by a CPA in Tampa can help your small business
• Hiring an accountant as your part-time CFO
• Asking your accountant in Tampa to do an audit
• Business valuation by a Tampa accountant

Laws/Regulations

• Landing a government contract
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Know your ad and labeling laws
• How the IRS defines frivolous arguments
• The role of the Federal Reserve
• Government definition of small business
• The role of the SEC
• Costs of an IPO
• Value added tax explained
• How a GSA schedule helps your business
• Business insurance tips
• How antitrust law applies to small businesses
• How can I make sure no one copies my ideas for small business?
• When you’re ready to incorporate
• Benefits of running a green business
• Taxes Florida businesses must pay
• Does my small business need a formal organizational structure?
• Green businesses in Florida
• Why your business needs an Employer ID Number (EIN)

Employees

• Workplace monotony in small business
• Finding the right employees
• Employee benefits affect retention
• Key performance indicators
• Flexible hours in small business
• Delegating human resources
• Boost morale on a budget
• Demonstrate trust in the workplace
• Do tax cuts incentivize hiring?
• Legalities of downsizing
• Understanding wage & hour laws
• Benefits of delegating tasks
• Employer responsibilities for new hires
• How long should I keep employee tax records?
• Screening and interviewing potential employees
• Performance management for small business
• The pros and cons of hiring temporary employees
• Why motivating employees is important and how to do it
• Help with hiring employees
• The benefits of hiring family
• Hiring an employee vs. an independent contractor
• Possible tax issues when hiring household employees

Strategic Planning

• Do you need a brick-and-mortar presence?
• What to watch out for in a business lease
• Managing your time wisely
• Shaping a small business brand
• Is Internet advertising enough for success?
• Buying into a franchise or building a brand?
• Why network security is vital for small companies
• Pay per click for small business
• Remarketing campaigns for small business
• Does a small business need social media?
• Establish communication guidelines
• Are you eligible for SBA assistance?
• What market indicators to watch
• Doing international business
• Learn from business mistakes
• Social media for small business
• Does your business need a blog?
• Leveraged buyout
• Monetary velocity
• Risk management internal controls
• Email marketing
• Online reputation management
• Small business networking
• Traits shared by successful businesses
• Setting a marketing budget
• Setting a sales strategy
• Going global with a small business
• Where can I find advice about starting or running my small business?
• Purchasing a business franchise
• What Is strategic business planning?
• Transferring business ownership
• Buying a business
• Financing growth for a small business
• Debt restructuring for small business
• Characteristics of successful small businesses
• Organic SEO vs. pay-per-click marketing
• What causes a small business to fail?
• Why is location important to a small business?
• Using e-commerce to grow a small business
• How a Tampa CPA can help a small business owner with time management
• Diversification for small business
• How can my small business become more efficient?
• How do I know my small business is on track?
• Why do I need an exit strategy for my new small business?
• Can trade shows help your business?
• The importance of good customer service
• The need for succession planning
• Tampa Bay doctors face many financial decisions

New Business Planning

• Elements of a great business plan
• Twitter for small business
• Social media mistakes
• Best industries for home businesses
• Setting the ad budget
• What makes a sound business plan?
• How small business succeeds in Florida
• Know the taxes a small business pays
• Why a new business needs a breakeven analysis
• Do I need a ‘brick and mortar’ presence?
• Make your business idea profitable
• Crowdfunding to raise capital
• Resources for market research
• Should I break away to start my own business?
• The No. 1 impediment to business
• Where can I find the money to start my new business?
• Determining your priorities when you start a new business
• Conducting due diligence when starting a business
• Deciding on a name for your business
• The first step to starting a business
• Finding the best commercial lease
• Starting a home-based business
• Starting an on-line business
• Buying an existing business vs. starting a new business
• Writing a business plan
• How can I analyze the potential customer base for my new business?
• How can I develop best practices in my small business?
• How do I estimate startup costs for my small business?
• What to do with your business idea
• Common problems new businesses face
• What is a CEO?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of a home-based business?
• Advantages of corporations
• Benefits of a partnership
• Benefits of becoming an S corporation
• Benefits of a sole proprietorship
• The forms needed to start a new business in the Tampa Bay area
• The benefits of a limited liability company, or LLC