As you go about running a business, you need to be prepared to deal with every basic financial aspect of that venture. It can be quite complicated if you don’t know what to expect. Taxes are one of the most critical processes to be familiar with–and if you know what you’re doing, you can maximize the breaks you get.

Keep Track of Expenses

Good organization is very, very important when it comes to taxes–but it’s also important in all business aspects. Always save your receipts and be sure to file them properly, separating your expenses between personal and business. This way, you will have a record of every purchase made for the sake of the business. With the modern-day prevalence of digital shopping, you’re also going to want to keep track of your digital purchases. While you usually can check your digital records to double-check, it’s a good idea to write everything down. Deduct your business expenses so that the government charges you less.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

While specifics may vary depending on your state, you can receive tax breaks for efforts to make a more environmentally-friendly establishment. There are many ways to go about this, of course–and all of them can be added to your business expenses and deducted later. First and foremost, it would be a good idea to try to reduce your carbon footprint. How does your business receive its energy? How viable would switching to a more eco-friendly system be? Solar panels are one of the most popular ways to reduce your energy bills. You should also pay special attention to the amount of gas burned by commercial vehicles.

Plan Ahead

Most people procrastinate doing their taxes. Do not do this! If you commit to planning carefully far ahead of time, you will be in a much better position to think about, calculate, and remember all of your proper tax deductions. Good planning will also mean that you will get far more opportunities to make smart business decisions. For example, you may want to consider legally moving your business HQ to a state with better tax laws for small businesses. Make sure you do tax calculations for yourself and your employees long before the due date.

Taxes are an unfortunate necessity. The best way to deal with them is to be educated. Not knowing how to file your taxes properly or procrastinating the job can result in very costly mistakes. Avoiding issues with the IRS is how your business will survive and thrive. 

Check out this article on how to stay organized with a startup business!