Tuesday, February 2, 2021
February 2020 Financial Update
Happy Bookkeeping got a mention on Gusto’s website in their Partner Resources: How to Grow a Remote Accounting Practice and Avoid Errors – Advice from a Former Paralegal. That former paralegal is me! And I definitely have a remote accounting practice that tries to avoid errors! We are a Gusto partner, and Gusto is indeed my favorite tool for payroll – my business life would be a lot more messy without tools like theirs!
It’s February, and for bookkeepers like me, February is the end of many tax tasks and issues: the previous year’s books are often closed out or nearly there, 1099s and W-2s are sent, and inventories have been updated. February is a bit of a sigh of relief around our office as these extra tasks taper off before it’s time to prepare taxes.
This year’s tax tasks saw a new 1099 for contractors, the 1099-NEC (stands for Non-Employee Compensation), a nod to the rise of the gig economy (also called the on-demand workforce) over the past decade. It really didn’t make sense anymore for that kind of income to be a footnote on a Miscellaneous tax form!
2021 Financial Calendar – February:
Since it’s February, you probably have all your W-2 forms and 1099s. If not, go forth and seek them out, because it’s time to start thinking about filing your taxes if you’re in the US.
Thinking about taxes also includes thinking about your IRA or other retirement savings account. What can you contribute this year to beef up your retirement and save on your taxes? Now is the time to do it.
The real go-getters will also file their taxes this month!
2021 Tax Updates and Dates
January is the first busy month of tax season, so some important deadlines this month. For a full list of tax deadline dates, see the IRS Tax Calendar:
- February 1: All remaining 940, 941, 943, 944 and/or 945 forms are due to the IRS that haven’t been filed already.
- February 1: Remaining FUTA payments through the end of the prior year are due.
- February 1: All compensation reporting forms are due to the employer/contractor and the IRS, including forms W-2, W-3, 1099 and 1098.
Government Aid in Coronatimes
The federal government finally expanded and updated their COVID-19 relief efforts, including a second round of economic impact payouts and additional funds for PPP loans. This second round of PPP is intended to be a second loan for most, and includes provisions so that the funds are more directly targeted to small businesses with smaller payrolls. It also includes more stringent rules about showing economic impact. Gusto created a Small Business Guide to PPP Round 2 Funding that I found helpful to read.
Meanwhile, many businesses who accepted round 1 PPP loans are now filing for forgiveness as banks open up their portals.
Tax-deductible? Congress stepped in and clarified the IRS ruling that I reported on in the last issue, stating definitively that expenses paid for with PPP funds CAN be deducted. This means that funds received from PPP won’t be taxed, and the PPP funds won’t end up being a tax hike for the small businesses who accepted money.
Below are my resources (which continue to be updated) for small businesses and nonprofits who accepted a PPP loan.
- the FMA PPP Toolbox for Nonprofits
- the Freelancers Mutual Aid Circle,
- the SBA’s Coronavirus Small Business Guidance page
- Quickbooks has a Q&A Forum on the PPP
- Gusto Payroll has a Step-by-Step Guide to the forgiveness application
- Paychex has a PPP Practical Guide
What’s Happening, in Charts
The Visual Capitalist published Putting the Cost of COVID-19 in Perspective. The costs of nearly a year of widespread severe communicable illness are high from a lot of perspectives.
Meanwhile, student loans have been in the news lately as various politicians float ideas and recommendations. The recent stimulus package delayed payments (part of coronavirus relief), but others, including the new president, favor forgiving all or part of student loan debt. CNBC reported recently on student loans as the most common form of loan that people fall behind on, marking student loan borrowers as the most vulnerable borrowers in the market.
Business Links!
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Research: What Does It Really Cost to Start a Business?
The folks at Shopify surveyed entrepreneurs - what they think it costs to start a business versus what it actually costs to start a business. They found that actualities far exceeded expectations.
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How To Reimagine Commute Time While Working From Home
The commute: the in between time that people surprisingly miss. Forbes talks replacing that time while working from home.
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A step-by-step guide to getting paid what you deserve
Freelancers Union lays out six steps toward getting paid what you deserve for your freelance gigs.
Nonprofit Links!
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Nonprofits Lost 50,000 Jobs in December
The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports job losses in the nonprofit sector after a general upward trend in the summer and fall.
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5 Social Media Trends for Nonprofits in 2021
TechSoup breaks down what they believe will be the biggest social media trends in 2021: video stories, live-streaming, TikTok, WhatsApp, Chatbots and Peer-to-peer fundraising. Curious? Read more.
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Sanders Camp Turns Meme into Meals (on Wheels)
The Meme That Was Everywhere became an effort for good. Bernie Sanders directed proceeds from selling merchandise with the meme on it to Meals on Wheels in Vermont. Others followed suit.
Security Links!
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How To Stop Instagram From Tracking Everything You Do | WIRED
It's no surprise Instagram tracks you (it's a Facebook app, after all). Learn more about what the company knows, and what (if anything) you can do to mitigate its tracking methods.
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Apple fixes another three iOS zero-days exploited in the wild | ZDNet
Have an iPhone or iPad? Time to install an update to cover the most recent security hacks and keep your stuff secure.
