Simplify your tax life by organizing your chart of accounts

If you haven't revised your business's chart of accounts since you initially set it up, you may be missing out on an easy way to simplify your life at tax time. That's because your chart of accounts is more than a basic bookkeeping tool. Your chart can also help you keep track of items that affect your tax return.

For example, your business income may have multiple sources, including the sale of goods and services to customers, rents, royalties, interest, dividends, gains from the sale of business and investment assets, and "miscellaneous" receipts. These different types of income are treated differently under federal income tax rules and appear in different places on your return. Arranging your income accounts for tax-specific categories can streamline tax preparation time and reduce misstatements.

Expense accounts can benefit from organization too. For instance, you'll want to separate allowable deductions, such as ordinary and necessary business costs, from expenditures that produce benefits in future taxable years, such as equipment. That keeps your depreciation schedule current, highlights assets you've purchased and disposed of, and ensures proper reporting on federal, state, and local returns.

Organizing your chart of accounts to accurately track business events that affect your taxes can be cost-effective. Contact us for additional ways to get the most benefit from your chart of accounts.