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Stop missing out on potential deductions that could be saving you big money!

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Real strategies and solutions to help you minimize your IRS liability.

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How to Check Your Des Moines Metro Small Business Profitability Midyear

Quick Answer: A midyear review of small business profitability is a strategic financial assessment that compares your year-to-date revenue and expenses against your initial annual goals. Doing this diagnostic check in June or July allows business owners to...

How Does Equipment Depreciation Work For Assets Des Moines Metro Business Owners Throw Away?

Quick Answer: When small business owners discard broken equipment without updating their fixed asset listing, they create "ghost assets." These paper-only items cause businesses to continuously overpay on local property taxes and miss out on lump-sum...

Ann M. Hartz, CPA and Associates’s Playbook to Choosing the Right Entity Type For Business Success

Quick Answer: Selecting the optimal entity type for business success requires matching your corporate structure to the specific legal risks and tax rules of your industry. A mismatched framework can leave your personal savings vulnerable to sector-specific...

The Ann M. Hartz, CPA and Associates Guide to Minimizing Credit Card Processing Fees For Small Business Owners

Quick Answer: Small business owners can minimize credit card processing fees by switching from a flat-rate provider to an interchange-plus plan, which passes the true wholesale cost of a swipe straight to you. You can trim costs even further by routing...

How Does The Employer Credit For Family and Medical Leave Work for Des Moines Metro Small Businesses?

Quick Answer: The employer credit for family and medical leave provides small businesses a federal tax credit worth 12.5% to 25% of qualified leave costs. In 2026, you can claim this credit on actual wages paid during FMLA leave or on commercial insurance...

How To Hire An Intern For The Summer For Your Des Moines Metro Business

Key TakeawaysPaid summer interns must be classified as W-2 temporary employees rather than 1099 independent contractors because they operate under your direct supervision. To legally hire an unpaid intern, your program must pass the strict DOL "Primary...

Why Tariff Refund Claims Get Delayed for Des Moines Metro Small Business Owners

*This guidance is based on CBP’s April 2026 CAPE/IEEPA refund guidance, current ACH refund enrollment rules, and general federal tax recovery principles as of May 15, 2026. Your facts may require coordination with your customs broker, trade counsel, and tax...

How To File A Tariff Refund Claim for Your Des Moines Metro Business

Key TakeawaysAs of April 20, 2026, the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) tool is the exclusive electronic system for reclaiming IEEPA tariff duty payments. Importers must have an active ACE Secure Data Portal account and an...

Does the Tariff Refund Process Apply to My Des Moines Metro Business?

Key TakeawaysOnly the Importer of Record (IOR) or an authorized customs broker can claim a refund. If a carrier like UPS or FedEx is the IOR, you must coordinate with them rather than filing directly with the CBP. Refunds are exclusively for IEEPA-related...

The 2026 Business Mileage Rate vs The Standard Expense Method For Your Des Moines Metro Business Vehicles

Key TakeawaysThe IRS business rate for 2026 is 72.5 cents per mile, a 2.5-cent increase from the previous year. To keep your options open, you must choose the standard mileage method in the first year your vehicle is used for business. If you start with...

How You’re Missing Legal Tax Deductions

Here’s a certain truth: the State and Federal Government would love to have more of your hard-earned money in their accounts. Sure, even though it’s painful, none of us begrudge paying our legal and fair share of taxes.

But the problem is that regular taxpayers, like you, are missing out on legal and safe deductions, to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars in unclaimed refunds every year!

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