HCJ CPAs & Advisors | audit * tax * consulting

QuickBooks is one of the most popular accounting platforms in the U.S., used by millions of small businesses to track income, expenses, payroll, and taxes. For many business owners, it feels like the financial “source of truth,” the place where everything lives.  But here’s the reality most people don’t realize...

When business owners talk about pricing, the conversation usually sounds like this:  "What will the market bear?" "What are competitors charging?" "I don't want to scare clients away."  All reasonable questions. And all incomplete.  Because pricing isn't really about what customers will tolerate. It's about whether your business can sustain itself — month after month,...

Ask a business owner how things are going, and you'll usually hear the same answer first:  "Revenue's up."  That sounds like good news. And sometimes it is.  But there's a number hiding underneath revenue that tells a very different story. One that quietly determines whether a business is actually healthy or just busy.  That number is gross...

As we deal with 2025 tax return preparation, you should be aware of significant shifts in the tax rules brought by the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA) legislation and some delayed effective dates from other legislation. These changes are poised to impact various taxpayer categories, affecting both...

Individuals age 50 and over can make additional annual "catch-up" contributions to salary reduction plans including401(k) Deferred Compensation plans, 403(b) TSA plans, 457(b) Government plans and SIMPLE plans.  Age 50+ Catch-ups: For 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans, the age 50 and over catch-up contributions, for plans that offer them, has...

This is one of the most frustrating positions a business owner can be in.  The numbers say you’re profitable. Revenue is steady. Clients are paying.  And yet, cash feels tight. Sometimes uncomfortably tight.  This disconnect isn’t imaginary—and it isn’t uncommon. Many small and medium-sized businesses are technically profitable, yet still struggle with day-to-day cash flow.  The reason usually isn’t sales.  It’s timing, structure, and planning...

Most small business owners don't wake up to a cash flow crisis.  It creeps in quietly.  Margins shrink. Cash feels tighter. Decisions that used to feel easy suddenly don't. And while revenue might still look "fine" on paper, the bank account tells a different story.  This isn't poor management. It's the result of several slow-moving financial pressures hitting...

Tax time is just around the corner, and if you are like most taxpayers, you are probably facing the ominous chore of compiling records in preparation for your tax appointment—whether in person, by videoconference or telephone. The difficulty of this task depends upon how well you maintained your tax...

Beginning in 2026, changes under the SECURE 2.0 Act and final IRS regulations (T.D. 10033) introduce a significant update to how certain retirement plan catch-up contributions must be handled. For some employees, catch-up contributions will no longer be allowed on a pre-tax basis and must...