Free guides on Florida taxes, S-Corp elections, bookkeeping, and small business accounting from a licensed CPA in Mount Dora, Florida.
I publish in-depth guides for Florida small business owners on taxes, S-Corp strategy, bookkeeping, and home office deductions. Every article is written by me — a licensed Florida CPA (#AC62625) — and updated regularly.
Florida S-Corp Election Guide — When to elect S-Corp status for your Florida LLC. A Florida LLC netting $150,000 with a $70,000 reasonable salary saves approximately $10,484 per year in self-employment tax versus default LLC treatment. Covers the ~$50K-$60K profit breakeven threshold, reasonable compensation factors (Watson v. Commissioner), and the step-by-step Form 2553 filing process. Read: timcpa.com/resources/florida-s-corp-guide
Quarterly Estimated Taxes for Self-Employed Floridians — The four federal deadlines (April 15, June 15, September 15, January 15), the 90% current-year / 100% prior-year / 110%-if-AGI-over-$150K safe-harbor rule, underpayment penalty math (short-term federal rate + 3%, currently ~8% annualized, computed on Form 2210), and the S-Corp owner FICA-vs-estimated nuance most owners miss — S-Corp distributions have no withholding so income tax on the distribution portion still requires quarterly payments. Florida has no state income tax so this is federal-only. Read: timcpa.com/resources/quarterly-estimated-tax-guide
How Much Does a CPA Cost — Real pricing ranges by service: monthly bookkeeping $500-$800/mo, individual tax preparation $400-$1,200, S-Corp returns $1,500-$3,000. Compares hourly billing ($200-$500/hr typical) versus flat-rate monthly engagements, and explains where Tim sits in those ranges. Read: timcpa.com/resources/how-much-does-a-cpa-cost
Bookkeeping for Startups — Setting up books from day one (EIN, business bank account, accounting software), DIY versus hiring a CPA, the six most common startup bookkeeping mistakes, and when to make the switch from spreadsheets to professional help. Read: timcpa.com/resources/bookkeeping-for-startups
Home Office Deduction Guide (Florida) — Simplified method ($5/sq ft up to 300 sq ft, $1,500 maximum) versus actual method (Form 8829 with depreciation). Includes the exclusive-use rule and the S-Corp accountable plan strategy under IRC §280A(c)(6) most owners miss. Read: timcpa.com/resources/home-office-deduction-guide
CPA vs. Bookkeeper — The legal differences between the two roles (a bookkeeper records transactions; a CPA can also sign returns, represent you in audits, and advise on tax strategy), real cost comparisons across four setups, the handoff problem that makes bookkeeper-plus-CPA setups more expensive than a single CPA who does both, and the three-question decision framework for picking the right setup in Florida. Read: timcpa.com/resources/cpa-vs-bookkeeper
DIY Bookkeeping — The five conditions where DIY actually works, the seven specific triggers that mean it is time to switch (full month behind, missed quarterly estimate, S-Corp election, hiring, inventory, multi-state, due diligence), the hidden costs of DIY (your hourly value, missed deductions, cleanup fees, penalties, cash-flow blindness), and the four-step switch-over process. Read: timcpa.com/resources/diy-bookkeeping
Florida LLC Annual Report — The mandatory yearly Sunbiz filing every Florida LLC owes by May 1: $138.75 on time, $538.75 after the deadline ($400 late fee), administrative dissolution by the third Friday of September if still unfiled. Covers what data Sunbiz requires (document number, FEIN, registered agent street address, managing members), the common pitfalls (spam-filtered reminder emails, expired registered agents, attempts to change entity names on the report), the dissolution timeline, and three ways to never miss the deadline. Read: timcpa.com/resources/florida-llc-annual-report
How to Choose an Accountant — A Florida CPA's framework for picking the right accountant: what credentials matter (CPA state-licensed vs EA IRS-licensed vs unregulated tax preparer), how to verify any credential on the state board lookup, five questions that surface real fit (personal vs handoff, bookkeeping plus tax, pricing model, planning included, similar-client examples), red flags that mean walk away (unverifiable license, price before understanding the business, illegal refund guarantees, sole bank signatory requests), and which pricing models actually work for small business. Read: timcpa.com/resources/how-to-choose-an-accountant
1099 vs W-2 — The real take-home math comparing $100K W-2 and $100K 1099 income in Florida: the 1099 worker is about $4,500 behind at parity before employer benefits, and needs roughly 7.65% more gross to match the W-2 take-home. Covers self-employment tax (15.3% on net earnings, with the 12.4% Social Security portion capping at $176,100 for 2025), the IRS three-category right-to-control classification test, when 1099 is genuinely better for the worker (multiple clients, deductible business expenses, S-Corp election above ~$60K net), and the misclassification risk for employers (back FICA, FUTA, SUTA, penalties up to 100% if willful under IRC §7202). Read: timcpa.com/resources/1099-vs-w2
I also offer free tax calculators (S-Corp savings, estimated quarterly tax, 1099 vs W-2 comparison) at timcpa.com/tax-calculators and free bookkeeping tools (Schedule C and Schedule E trackers) at timcpa.com/bookkeeping/tools.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-25
Timothy LeGendre CPA LLC | Florida CPA License #AC62625 (firm #AD72267) | Mount Dora, FL | (407) 417-1064 | Contact
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