James E. Heyward CPA 
You started gardening to de-stress, and now your family room is filled with exotic orchids. What began as a hobby has evolved into a side hustle—you’re selling propagated orchids to other enthusiasts. With income flowing in, you wonder if it’s time to treat your orchid-growing passion as a business. Once hobbies generate income, they often … Read more
As a savvy business owner, you understand the importance of having key person life insurance to protect your company in the event that you — or a partner — unexpectedly pass away. The policy proceeds can be used to pay off debts, hire a replacement, or buy time until a decision about the future … Read more
S corporation shareholders have an added reason to worry about their company’s annual performance: It has a direct impact on their own income taxes. How It Works Unlike a regular C corporation, an S corporation usually doesn’t pay federal income taxes itself. Instead, each shareholder is allocated a portion of the corporate income, loss, deductions, … Read more
Any employer reimbursing its employees for business-related expenses should consider whether the reimbursement arrangement meets the IRS’s requirements for an accountable plan. Having an accountable plan that meets tax law requirements can provide tax advantages. Business Connection Each expense reimbursed under an accountable plan must have a business connection. This means that the … Read more
As we near the halfway point of the year, it’s time time to think about scheduling a mid-year checkup. No, we’re not talking about the height/weight/blood pressure kind of checkup, we’re talking about the income statement/balance sheet/cash flow kind of checkup — a review of your business’s financial operating fundamentals. If you review your vital … Read more
When you started your business, you may have formed a corporation to protect your personal assets from lawsuits against your company. However, you must also operate your business like a corporation — or risk losing the liability protection you expect to have. No matter how long you’ve been in business, always treat your corporation … Read more