J Allen & Associates

06/19/2026

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙎𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙚, 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙚, 𝙋𝙖𝙮𝙋𝙖𝙡, 𝙤𝙧 𝙑𝙚𝙣𝙢𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙖𝙭 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢?

For the 2026 tax year, payment apps and online marketplaces are expected to send Form 1099-K only if your business processes more than $20,000 in gross payments and has more than 200 transactions on the platform.

If you use a traditional direct merchant credit card processor, the 200-transaction threshold does not apply. Card payments will be reported on Form 1099-K regardless of the amount.

Not receiving a tax form doesn’t mean the income can be left off your business records or tax return.

If money came into your business, your records should show the gross sale, any processor fees, refunds or chargebacks, and the final deposit.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that your payment app fees, refunds, and chargebacks are being tracked correctly in your books?

06/18/2026

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙨𝙩-𝙘𝙪𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 2025?

JPMorgan Chase’s 2026 Business Leaders Outlook found that business owners made several changes in response to cost pressure:

• 38% reduced non-essential expenses
• 32% raised prices on all products or services
• 31% added new products or services
• 30% raised prices on select products
• 25% invested in technology to improve operations

Which of these changes did you make in your business in 2025?

06/17/2026

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙨?

Start by looking at how your business is being charged.

Flat-rate providers can be simple, but they may not be the cheapest option once your card sales grow.

An interchange-plus plan can cut out the blended-rate markup, so you’re not paying premium processing rates on transactions that may cost less to run.

You can also review:
• Whether large invoices could be paid by ACH
• Whether a dual-pricing setup makes sense
• Whether your merchant statement includes hidden fees
• Whether your current processor still fits your sales volume

A quick quarterly review can catch fees before they quietly drain cash flow.

When was the last time you looked closely at your merchant statement?

06/17/2026

The J Allen & Associates Guide to Minimizing Credit Card Processing Fees For Small Business Owners

Credit card processing fees for small businesses are more flexible than you think. Learn how to protect your profit margins and avoid IRS audit traps.

06/16/2026

The economy added 172,000 jobs in May.

So why does hiring still feel so hard for your business?

The report looked strong overall, but growth wasn’t spread evenly across every industry.

If you’re struggling to find employees, it might be time to look at the team you already have:

• Who could grow with a little training?
• What tasks could be shared differently?
• What tools could take pressure off the team?

When hiring feels stuck, start inside your own business.

https://www.hr-brew.com/stories/may-job-growth-uneven-labor-market?mbcid=46039271.4093642&mblid=2a8ee9dc8a40&mid=07b33c9f5339a15bd3763206a28228ec&utm_campaign=mb&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_source=morning_brew

06/15/2026

𝙒𝙝𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙖𝙭 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙩, 𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙?

For the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the answer comes down to whether you claim your child as a dependent. If you do, the credit goes on your return.

That can still be true even if your child paid some of the tuition with a summer job or student loans.

If your child is not your dependent and files their own return, they may be the one who claims the credit instead.

The student also has to meet IRS rules, including being enrolled at least half-time for at least one academic period and pursuing a degree, certificate, or other recognized credential.

Have you checked whether the credit belongs on your return or your student’s?

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.

06/11/2026

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙄 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙖 𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨?

A new idea doesn’t have to be perfect before you try it. But it does need to answer:
1. Who is this for?
2. What problem does it solve?
3. What would someone actually pay for?
4. What’s the smallest way to try it?

A business is an opportunity to fill a need, so making sure you're clear on what need is being filled and how to actually charge for it is your basis for everything.

06/10/2026

𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨’𝙨 𝙩𝙖𝙭 𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙡?

The employer credit for family and medical leave can range from 12.5% to 25% of the wages you pay while an employee is on leave.

But before the credit applies, the policy has to meet specific regulations.

To see if your business qualifies, we’d need to review your leave plan, including:
• Who on your team qualifies based on compensation and hours
• Whether your written policy covers the right employees
• How your leave is funded
• Where your employees are physically located
• Whether your business can actually use the credit this year

Want to know whether your policy may qualify? Comment “LEAVE” and let’s look at the tax side before you try to claim the credit.

06/09/2026

How Does The Employer Credit For Family and Medical Leave Work for Frederick Small Businesses?

Lower your 2026 taxes with the employer credit for family and medical leave. See how you can claim it using your wages or insurance premiums.