Philip B Hebner, CPA, EA

06/12/2026

𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙄 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙖 𝙩𝙖𝙭 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙨?

The American Opportunity Tax Credit can slash up to $2,500 off your tax bill for each eligible student in college. And it includes a "refundable" safety net, so even if you don't owe any taxes at the end of the year, the government will still send you a refund check for up to $1,000 of the leftover credit.

Expenses that 𝗱𝗼 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆 for this are tuition, mandatory enrollment fees, required books, and required supplies and equipment. Room and board, meal plans, transportation, parking, and medical insurance 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆.

Also, if scholarships, Pell grants, or employer tuition assistance covered part of the cost, that tax-free money has to be subtracted from your qualified expenses.

College costs add up fast. Before you assume you do or don’t qualify, it’s worth checking which expenses actually count.

Contact us to look at this for your specific tax situation.

06/12/2026

Who Can Claim the American Opportunity Tax Credit? Guidance for Santa Cruz County Parents

Who can claim the American Opportunity Tax Credit? Learn how to qualify for this $2,500 tax break and avoid summer dependency traps.

06/11/2026

𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙄 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙖 𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙄 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙖𝙭 𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙪𝙥?

Yes, and if you’re already thinking like an entrepreneur, we want to help you build on that vision. But before new income starts coming in, it’s important to steady your tax situation first by setting a plan in place for 1) unfiled returns, 2) tax debt, 3) missing records, 4) payment plans, and 5) upcoming tax deadlines.

This isn't meant to hold you back, but to help you start with a clearer picture, fewer surprises, and a better plan for the business you want to build.

If you’re ready to take the idea seriously, let’s get the tax side cleaned up so you can move forward with more confidence.

06/10/2026

𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙠?

Yes, the IRS wants to see that nonprofit funds are being used for the organization’s tax-exempt mission, not for private benefit.

That means the records need to clearly show:
• What money came in
• Where it went
• Whether restricted funds were used as promised
• Whether expenses were tied to the mission
• Whether Form 990 matches the actual activity

A nonprofit audit doesn’t always start with fraud. Sometimes it starts with records that look incomplete, inconsistent, or hard to explain.

If your organization’s records feel messy, reach out before it turns into a bigger issue.

06/09/2026

Entrepreneurship is a big thing in our economy right now, especially with the major influx of content creators over the past few years.

But being an entrepreneur doesn't mean you need to wait for a big “aha” moment to start a successful business.

Sometimes a business idea simply comes from paying attention, asking better questions, and finding a need to fill.

Want help processing your business idea? Let's talk it out in the comments.

https://www.inc.com/yuvaltal/you-dont-need-a-eureka-moment-to-start-a-company/91285000

06/08/2026

𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙄 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙛 𝙄 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧?

No. Even if you’re legally married on December 31, the IRS considers you married for that tax year.

That means your federal filing options are: Married Filing Jointly or Married Filing Separately.

You don’t get to choose single just because you were single for part of the year.

If your relationship status changed this year, your tax filing status needs to change too.

Want to know whether filing jointly or separately makes more sense for your situation? Schedule an appointment and let’s talk it through.

06/05/2026

Some great low-start-up cost business ideas in here, but remember... Starting a business also means bigger tax responsibility. Let's talk about what the IRS expects of you as a business owner and how to set you up for success with the right tax structure.

https://www.inc.com/chris-morris/7-small-business-ideas-you-can-start-for-less-than-10000/91349155

06/05/2026

Do You Get Better Tax Breaks For Being Married, Santa Cruz County Couples?

Do you get better tax breaks for being married? Discover how tying the knot changes your taxes, unlocks massive savings, and boosts retirement.

06/04/2026

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙄 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙛 𝙄'𝙢 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙖𝙭 𝙥𝙖𝙮𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨?
Your first step you want to take even before making a payment or setting up a payment plan is to get the full picture of your situation. To do that, you'll need to gather the following:

• IRS notices
• State notices
• Prior-year tax returns
• Proof of estimated payments
• W-2 withholding records
• Any payment plan paperwork you already have

This will help you figure out what you really owe, for which years those payments are owed, and whether you have accumulated penalties and interest as part of your balance.

If you'd rather have an experienced tax specialist look at this for you, that's where we come in. Comment 𝗧𝗔𝗫 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗣 below if you want to set up a time to talk this one out and get a plan of action for moving forward.

06/03/2026

𝘿𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙖𝙭𝙚𝙨?
Getting married changes how the IRS views your finances, but it doesn’t guarantee a lower tax bill.

For some couples, filing jointly can open up planning options. For others, filing separately may be the better option, especially when one spouse has high out-of-pocket medical expenses or other complications to their tax situation.

Getting married can change your...
• Filing status
• Tax bracket
• Credits you qualify for
• Deductions you can take
• Retirement savings options
• Workplace benefit choices

Want to talk through whether filing jointly or separately is the best option for you? Or just see if there are ways to lower your tax bill now that you're married?

Comment MARRIED below to request an appointment to talk this through.