Sawyer Accounting & Tax

08/31/2026

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗥𝗦 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲?

Here is a step-by-step sequence to follow:
1. Stop active state enforcement first. If your state is threatening a bank levy, wage garnishment, or license suspension, handle it immediately. State appeal windows close in 30 to 60 days, and their actions hit faster.

2. Stabilize federal exposure next. If the IRS sends a Final Notice of Intent to Levy or threatens passport certification, pause IRS action using an installment agreement, Currently Not Collectible status, or Offer in Compromise steps.

3. Coordinate both payment plans together. Your state and federal plans must fit your actual cash flow. If a state payment plan drains your monthly budget, you won't have enough left to maintain your IRS agreement.

Handling two collectors at once requires a clear strategy. Comment 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗡 below if you want help mapping out your next steps.

08/28/2026

𝗔𝗺 𝗜 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗜 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗜?

You could be. Time to fix that.

(We already make sure all privacy settings are enabled for any AI tools we use here.)

Worried about your personal AI chats being exposed? Here's how to tighten your privacy across several major chatbots.

08/27/2026

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆?

Consider looking into the R&D tax credit.

Eligible small businesses can apply up to $500,000 per year of their R&D credit directly against quarterly payroll taxes. That cuts your quarterly payroll bills almost immediately, keeping extra cash in your bank account to hire talent or fund new projects.

To prepare for claiming it, build your paper trail early:
• Flag projects as they start
• Keep basic project logs
• Make sure contractor agreements state your business owns all the work

08/27/2026

What Are the Disadvantages to Sole Proprietorship for Growing Orange County Business Owners?

Discover the key disadvantages to sole proprietorship once profit hits $40k. Learn how self-employment tax eats into your revenue and when to switch.

08/26/2026

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝘅𝗲𝘀?

Yes, while the IRS handles federal liens, levies, and passport restrictions, state agencies focus on the following:
• Several states including New York, California, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Louisiana, and Connecticut flag your driver's license for suspension at $10,000 in past-due tax debt.
• States routinely suspend medical, legal, real estate, contractor, accounting, and cosmetology licenses for unpaid state tax.
• They also have the power to block registration renewals on personal vehicles and business work trucks.

However, these actions do not happen overnight. States send advance notices with specific deadlines, giving you time to set up a payment plan or resolution before any licenses are affected.

Comment 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘 below to talk about resolving your state tax debt before your license or registration is affected.

08/25/2026

𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥&𝗗 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿?
You don’t need scientists on staff, but the IRS requires your project to hit four specific benchmarks:
1. You set out to build or improve a product, process, or software.
2. The work relied on hard science, engineering, or software development.
3. You faced technical uncertainty about how to achieve the end result when you started.
4. You used a process of trial and error to figure it out.

If you spent time and payroll working through those kinds of technical hurdles this year, you likely qualify. That includes projects that were ultimately scrapped.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥&𝗗 if you want to find out if any projects in your business would apply for 2027 filing.

08/24/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹?

Whether it's how W-4 withholdings work, how interest adds up, or how credit scores are calculated, we've all had that moment. Drop yours below!

08/21/2026

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗥𝗦 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝗜 𝗼𝘄𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗮𝘅𝗲𝘀?

Yes, if your total debt is over $66,000. However, you don't need to pay off your entire balance in cash overnight to keep your passport active. Entering an approved payment plan, Offer in Compromise, or hardship status will automatically lift/prevent the restriction.

To protect your freedom to travel, pull your current IRS balance and secure a formal resolution agreement before booking international trips or renewing your passport.

08/20/2026

What Qualifies For Research and Development Tax Credit Claims For Orange County Small Businesses?

Find out what qualifies for research and development tax credit claims for small businesses, from software builds to 3D printing and test kitchens.

08/20/2026

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁?

Tracking a real return on family perks like Trump Accounts comes down to combining enrollment data with your payroll and retention numbers.

Focus on three main measurements:
• Track participation rates by comparing how many eligible working parents sign up versus your total headcount.
• Monitor participation across wage levels so your plan passes statutory nondiscrimination testing and stays compliant.
• Compare turnover rates among working parents before and after launch to see if the perk cuts your hiring costs.

To track this in your business, set up a dedicated sub-account in your general ledger for benefit contributions and administrative fees. Compare this specific P&L expense line item against your historical recruiting and onboarding costs every quarter.

𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘖𝘐 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴, 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳?