10/27/2026

What contractors should know before year end

What is the 1099 threshold for subcontractors in 2026?
For payments made in 2026, the IRS requires a Form 1099-NEC once you pay someone $2,000 or more for services during the year. It was $600 for 2025, so the number you remember is out of date.

How do I know how much I paid each sub?
The total counts across the whole calendar year, not job by job. A sub who works on five of your jobs adds up fast, and that is where contractors lose track. When every payment is tied to the right person all year, January is a quick lookup instead of a scramble.

What should I do before paying a new sub?
Ask for a W-9. It is a short IRS form with their legal name and tax ID. Not sure who on your list needs a 1099? Your CPA can confirm, and we will have the numbers ready for them.

At Maple Bookkeeping Services, we track every payment to every sub, so you never dig through texts and checkbooks. Book a free consult at maplebkp.com or call 508-221-1874.

Warmest regards,

Patricia de Oliveira

10/21/2026

What practice owners with staff need to know before early November.

When is Form 941 due for the third quarter of 2026?
The IRS tax calendar lists November 2, 2026. If you deposited all your payroll taxes on time and paid in full, the calendar also shows November 10. Confirm your exact date with your CPA or payroll provider.

Who has to file Form 941?
Generally, employers who withhold income tax, Social Security, or Medicare from employee paychecks. If your practice has staff on payroll, that is probably you. Not sure? Ask your CPA.

What should match before I file?
The wages and deposits on the return should match your payroll reports and bank records. Payroll taxes are the one deadline that doesn’t care how many patients you saw today. When your books are reconciled monthly, the check takes minutes.

Want clear monthly reports you can actually understand, so you never scramble at tax season again? Book a free consult with Maple Bookkeeping Services at maplebkp.com or call 508-221-1874.

Patricia de Oliveira

10/14/2026
What healthcare practice owners need to know before the extended deadline.

When is the October 15 tax extension deadline?
October 15 is the extended filing deadline for individual returns on extension, including Massachusetts personal returns. If your practice reports through your personal return, that date is yours. Not sure which return your entity files? Ask your CPA today.

Does an extension give me more time to pay?
No. An extension gives you more time to file, not more time to pay. Tax owed was due in April, and interest can keep adding up on any balance until it’s paid.

What does my CPA need from me before the deadline?
Reconciled books: bank accounts matched to your records, expenses categorized, and a profit and loss report that makes sense. If yours aren’t ready, tell your CPA now. Procrastination is the one deduction nobody gets to claim.

Want clear monthly reports you can actually understand, so you never scramble at tax season again? Book a free consult with Maple Bookkeeping Services at maplebkp.com or call 508-221-1874.

Patricia de Oliveira

Professional Bookkeeper

09/30/2026

Short answer: don’t panic. Here’s what actually matters.

Q: Does an IRS notice mean I’m being audited?
A: Not necessarily. Many notices only ask about one line item or request a document, not a full examination of your practice.

Q: What’s the first thing I should do?
A: Read it carefully and note the deadline. IRS notices always arrive by mail, never a call, text, or email demanding instant payment. Ignoring it only narrows your options.

Q: Do I need to handle this myself?
A: No. Loop in your bookkeeper and CPA right away. Well organized, reconciled books make gathering documentation faster and the whole process far less stressful.

Got a notice sitting in your inbox? Book a free consult with Maple Bookkeeping Services at maplebkp.com or call 508-221-1874.

09/09/2026

Catch these now, before they turn into a tax season emergency.

Your Bank Statement Doesn’t Match Your Software
If your accounting software says one number and the bank says another, that gap doesn’t close itself. It usually means missed transactions or duplicate entries piling up.

You’re Guessing What Categories Mean
If half your transactions are filed under "miscellaneous" because you can’t remember what they were for, your P&L is more fiction than fact.

You Dread Opening Your Reports
If checking your numbers feels like a chore or triggers anxiety, that’s usually a sign the books behind them aren’t in good shape.

Notice any of these? Book a free consult with Maple Bookkeeping Services at maplebkp.com or call 508-221-1874.

Patricia de Oliveira

Professional Bookkeeper

09/02/2026
Straight answers to the questions we get asked most this time of year

When are Q3 estimated taxes due?
Q3 estimated payments are due September 15. If you’re self-employed or run a contracting business, this is one of four payments the IRS expects throughout the year, not just at tax time in April.

Do contractors actually have to pay quarterly?
If you expect to owe more than $1,000 in tax for the year and nobody’s withholding for you, yes. Most trades and contractor businesses fall into this category once work picks up and income gets steady.

What happens if I miss the deadline?
The IRS charges an underpayment penalty, and it grows the longer the balance sits unpaid. It’s a smaller hit if you catch it now than if it rolls into a surprise on your April tax bill.

Not sure what you owe? Send us your numbers and we’ll walk you through it. Book a free consult at maplebkp.com or call 508-221-1874.

Patricia de Oliveira

08/26/2026

Why should I separate business and personal money?

Separate accounts make it easier to see what the business earns, what it spends, and what you can safely pay yourself. They also give your CPA clearer numbers.

What should I do with transactions that are already mixed?

Do not panic or start guessing. Gather the statements, mark business purchases, owner draws, and personal charges, then have the unclear items reviewed. A short cleanup is better than avoiding the books for another year.

How can I prepare for the September 15 estimated tax deadline?

For many self-employed owners, September 15 is the next federal estimated tax payment date. Clean income and expense records help your CPA make a better estimate. Ask your CPA what applies to you.

Maple Bookkeeping Services helps creative founders understand their finances without judgment. Book an appointment at maplebkp.com or call 508-221-1874.

08/26/2026

Short answer: yes. Here’s why the two roles aren’t the same.

Q: What does a bookkeeper do that a CPA doesn’t?
A: Your CPA files taxes and gives strategic advice once or twice a year. Your bookkeeper keeps your books accurate every month, providing clean data for your CPA to actually work with.

Q: Can’t my CPA just handle both?
A: Some will, but it’s rarely their focus, and you’ll pay CPA hourly rates for work a bookkeeper handles for a fraction of the cost.

Q: What happens if I skip the bookkeeper?
A: Messy books, guesswork at tax time, and a bigger CPA bill spent untangling transactions instead of planning ahead.

Ready to stop paying CPA rates for bookkeeping work? Book a free consult with Maple Bookkeeping Services at maplebkp.com or call 508-221-1874.

08/20/2026

If your spending is mixed together, you are not alone. Here is how creative business owners can clean it up and start trusting their numbers again.

Why is mixing business and personal expenses a problem?

When expenses are mixed, your bookkeeping gets harder to trust. Profit looks less clear, tax deductions get messier, and your CPA often has to untangle transactions that should already be categorized correctly.

How do I know if my books are too mixed up?

If you use a personal card for business purchases, transfer money back and forth without clear notes, or cannot quickly explain what a transaction was for, that is usually a sign the books need cleanup.

What should I do first to fix mixed expenses?

Start by separating accounts. Use one business account and one business card going forward. Then clean up the old transactions month by month. It is less glamorous than making art, but a lot more helpful at tax time.

Can a bookkeeper help clean up messy books?

Yes. Maple Bookkeeping Services helps creative business owners organize past transactions, separate personal from business activity, and create monthly reports you can actually understand.

Book an appointment at maplebkp.com or call 508-221-1874.

Patricia de Oliveira

Bookkeeper

08/13/2026

The right answers separate a real bookkeeper from someone who’ll vanish in month three.

Have You Worked With Practices Like Mine?
Healthcare billing, insurance timing, and patient revenue aren’t the same as a typical small business. Industry experience matters.

What Happens If I Get Audited?
A real answer here, not a shrug. You should know exactly how we’d support you before you ever need it.

How Often Will I Actually Hear From You?
Monthly reports, not radio silence until you chase us down in February.

Ready for a bookkeeper who actually answers the phone? Book a free consult with Maple Bookkeeping Services at maplebkp.com or call 508-221-1874.