March 2020 Client Newsletter
Stephen Merritt, CPA, PC | Certified Public Accountants | (757) 420-5778
233 Business Park Drive, Suite 104, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Did you know Louis is part Irish? The more pets you give him the luckier you become!
What’s Inside:
- Six Tips to Grow Your Business in 2020
- Happenings at SMCPA
- Tax Calendar
- Check out the link to know more about your favorite CPA’s!
Vic versus Income Tax Returns
Six Tips to Grow Your Business in 2020
1. Freshen Up Your Marketing
Have you ever given your house a new coat of pain? Well, consider giving your business one, too! Not literally, of course, but by freshening up your marketing techniques, clients and prospects will see you in a new light. For example, maybe it’s time for a new logo, more customer reviews to place on your site, or a new angle on your social media posts. Finally, give that old, tired website a facelift: add some new photos, offer a colorful promotion, or add new team members. Change is good and helps keep people (and Google search algorithms) interested.
2. Enhance Your Product or Services
Nothing piques an individual’s interest like a new product! If you can, try to add a new product to your existing line. Or, if it makes more sense, simply add features to products you already offer. You have room to be creative here. Think about what your clients really want and try to give it to them.
3. Meet with a Financial Advisor
Do you have a financial advisor? Now is the time to meet with him or her and discuss your future goals. Specifically, ask about new opportunities (i.e. investments) to grow your company’s revenue. Now—the start of a new year—is the perfect time to invest in new assets, get funding for new projects or ideas, and cut any unnecessary costs. You are in control of your company’s finances, so make sure money is going where you want it and need it to go. (And if we can help, let us know!)
4. Update Your Organization Chart
Could you benefit from hiring a new employee or two? Maybe your company could prosper with the creation of a new position? It’s time to update your organization chart and see what your business needs to grow for 2020. You may discover that you need additional staff and/or a position to help things run more smoothly and effectively.
5. Excite Your Team
Don’t forget to take care of your own! Remember, without your employees, where would your business be? Could you make it by yourself, without any help from staff? Therefore, remind your workers that you care for them and that they’re appreciated. The gesture can be as big or small as you want. For example, you could add an employee perk or benefit. Or, consider doing something small yet meaningful, like a team dinner or bonding event—anything to help show your employees that they’re more than just staff.
6. Strategy, Strategy, Strategy
We’ve saved the best and most important tip for last: strategy. Remind yourself why you got into this business in the first place, as well as what your goals are and what you want to accomplish. Then, take a look at your current strategy. Will your strategy help you achieve those goals? If so, then great; you’re on the right track! But if not, then it may be time to rework that business strategy.
Think about what you need to do or change to reach those goals, and then work on incorporating them into your business plan. It could be you just need a minor tweak or two, or maybe your company requires a larger kind of shift. Either way, only you can determine whether or not your strategy is working.
It’s a new year—a new decade—and change is good! Let 2020 be the year that your business really takes off and grows. Now is the best time to accomplish all of your goals, and whether you use the list above or have ideas of your own to increase revenue, remember that only you can make a successful change happen.
Happenings at SMCPA:
Louis spent his birthday enjoying lots of cake and naps!
Tax Calendar
March 2020
March 2
Farmers and fishermen. File your 2019 income tax return (Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR) and pay any tax due. However, you have until April 15 to file if you paid your 2019 estimated tax by January 15, 2020.
March 10.
Employees who work for tips. If you received $20 or more in tips during February, report them to your employer. You can use Form 4070.
March 16
Partnerships. File a 2019 calendar year return (Form 1065). Provide each partner with a copy of their Schedule K-1 (Form 1065), Partner’s Share of Income, Deductions, Credits, etc., or substitute Schedule K-1 (Form 1065). To request an automatic 6-month extension of time to file the return, file Form 7004. Then file the return and provide each partner with a copy of their final or amended (if required) Schedule K-1 (Form 1065) by September 15. S corporations. File a 2019 calendar year income tax return (Form 1120-S) and pay any tax due. Provide each shareholder with a copy of their Schedule K-1 (Form 1120-S), Shareholder’s Share of Income, Deductions, Credits, etc., or substitute Schedule K-1 (Form 1120-S). To request an automatic 6-month extension of time to file the return, file Form 7004 and deposit what you estimate you owe in tax. Then file the return; pay any tax, interest, and penalties due; and provide each shareholder with a copy of their Schedule K-1 (Form 1120-S) by September 15. S corporation election. File Form 2553 to elect to be treated as an S corporation beginning with calendar year 2020. If Form 2553 is filed late, S corporation treatment will begin with calendar year 2021.
March 31
Electronic filing of Forms 1097, 1098, 1099, 3921, 3922, and W-2G. File Forms 1097, 1098, 1099 (except a Form 1099-MISC reporting nonemployee compensation), 3921, 3922, and W-2G with the IRS. This due date applies only if you file electronically. Otherwise, see February 28, earlier. The due date for giving the recipient these forms generally remains January 31. For information about filing Forms 1097, 1098, 1099, 3921, 3922, and W-2G electronically, see Pub. 1220.
April 2020
April 10
Employees who work for tips. If you received $20 or more in tips during March, report them to your employer. You can use Form 4070.
April 15
Individuals. File a 2019 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR and pay any tax due. If you want an automatic 6-month extension of time to file the return, file Form 4868 and pay what you estimate you owe in tax to avoid penalties and interest. For more information, see Form 4868. Then, file Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR by October 15. Individuals. If you’re not paying your 2020 income tax through withholding (or won’t pay in enough tax during the year that way), pay the first installment of your 2020 estimated tax. Use Form 1040-ES. For more information, see Pub. 505. Household employers. If you paid cash wages of $2,100 or more in 2019 to a household employee, you must file Schedule H (Form 1040 or 1040–SR), Household Employment Taxes. If you’re required to file a federal income tax return (Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR), file Schedule H (Form 1040 or 1040-SR) with the return and report any household employment taxes. Report any federal unemployment (FUTA) tax on Schedule H (Form 1040 or 1040-SR) if you paid total cash wages of $1,000 or more in any calendar quarter of 2018 or 2019 to household employees. Also, report any income tax you withheld for your household employees. For more information, see Pub. 926. Corporations. File a 2019 calendar year income tax return (Form 1120) and pay any tax due. If you want an automatic 6-month extension of time to file the return, file Form 7004 and deposit what you estimate you owe in taxes.