DENISE STUBBS, CPA

Homeownership comes with real financial benefits at tax time, but also with a lot of confusion about what’s actually deductible. This guide covers the most important deductions available to homeowners in 2026, along with some common misconceptions that trip people up. Mortgage Interest Deduction For most homeowners, mortgage interest is the most significant deduction available. You can deduct the interest paid on loans up to $750,000 used to buy, build, or substantially impro

If you’re self-employed, a freelancer, or own a small business, one of the most important tax deadlines of the year is coming up fast: June 15, 2026. This is your Q2 estimated tax payment deadline, covering income earned from April 1 through May 31. If you’ve been having a good year, or if you owed money last April, this payment matters more than you might think. Here’s what every self-employed person should understand before June 15. Why Estimated Taxes Exist W-2 employees h

If you’re looking for ways to reduce your tax bill for 2026, retirement accounts are one of the most powerful tools available, and unlike most tax strategies, the window to take action is still wide open.

Every year, millions of Americans file their taxes and are surprised by the result — either a refund that’s bigger than expected or a balance due that wasn’t planned for. In most cases, the culprit is the same: withholding that doesn’t match their actual tax situation.

If you own a small business, the period between tax seasons isn’t down time — it’s opportunity. The decisions you make between May and August can meaningfully reduce your tax bill next April, sometimes by thousands of dollars.

Tax season is over, and for millions of Americans, a refund is on the way. The average federal refund in recent years has hovered around $3,000, which sounds like a windfall until you remember it was your money all along. That framing matters. A refund isn’t a bonus from the government. It’s money you overpaid throughout the year. Which means you had an interest-free loan to the IRS, and now you’re getting it back without any growth. None of that is to say you should feel bad

Closing a business is one of the most emotionally complex decisions an entrepreneur makes. Whether it was a strategic pivot, a hard circumstance, or simply the end of a chapter you chose to close—by the time you’ve notified your team, told your clients, and started winding things down, you’re exhausted.

If that sounds familiar, you're in very good company. "Where's My Refund?" is one of the most-visited pages on the IRS website every spring—and for good reason. When money is coming back to you, you want to know when it's actually going to show up.

Most people who work for an employer don't think much about taxes throughout the year because their employer handles it. Money comes out of each paycheck, gets sent to the IRS, and by tax time, things roughly even out. Simple. But the moment you add self-employment income, freelance work, rental income, investment gains, or significant side hustle money to the picture, that system breaks down. Nobody is withholding taxes on your behalf. That responsibility becomes yours.

Most people sign their tax return without truly understanding what they just signed. The 1040 is a document packed with some of your most sensitive financial information, but for most people, it might as well be written in a foreign language. Let's change that.

You did it. You filed your taxes. Whether you submitted in February or you're reading this in October after filing an extension, you made it through another tax season. Now what?

Tax season stress is real, and if you're feeling it right now, you're not alone. As a CPA, I see stress from both sides—my own as I work through the busiest season of the year, and my clients' as they juggle tax preparation on top of everything else they have going on. And here's what I've learned: the stress is usually worse than the actual work.

If you've worked with a CPA recently, you might have noticed something different: fewer in-person meetings, more secure portals, and virtual appointments that work around your schedule rather than requiring you to take time off work to visit an office.

Choosing to switch accounting firms is a big decision—and if you're a business owner or individual in Franklin, NC, you're not alone in considering it. Maybe your current accountant isn't as responsive as you need. Maybe your business has outgrown their services. Maybe you're facing a tax resolution issue that requires specialized expertise, or you simply want a Western North Carolina CPA who feels like a better fit. Whatever the reason, you deserve to work with a professiona

When tax season rolls around, you have plenty of options for who prepares your return. But not all tax professionals are created equal, and understanding the differences can help you choose the right person for your needs.

Tax season brings out a lot of opinions, advice from well-meaning friends, and "tips" that sound legitimate but are actually completely wrong. Every year, we hear the same myths circulating, and every year, we watch clients stress themselves out over things that simply aren't true.

You've done the math, and the number is bigger than you expected. Maybe a lot bigger. Maybe you started a business and didn't realize how much you'd owe on self-employment tax. Maybe you had a great year income-wise, but didn't adjust your withholding. Maybe you sold an investment property and forgot about capital gains. Maybe you just got hit with an unexpected tax bill from unfiled returns. Whatever the reason, you're staring at a number you can't pay in full by April 15.

It's mid-February and you're realizing you might not have everything together by April 15. Maybe you're missing a K-1 from a partnership. Maybe your bookkeeping is a mess and you need more time to sort it out. Maybe life happened and you just can't deal with taxes right now.

Congratulations - you started a business in 2025! Whether it's a side hustle that took off or you went full-time entrepreneur, you did something most people only talk about doing. Now comes the part nobody warns you about: your tax situation just changed significantly.

You opened your mail expecting a W-2 and got a 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC instead. If you're panicking right now, you're not alone. Thousands of gig workers, contractors, and people with side hustles are staring at these forms, wondering what just happened to their taxes.