Tax Solutions and Business Tips 
for Trucking Professionals

As a reminder, if you have not yet filed your individual tax return for the 2017 tax year, the last date to file your return without late filing penalties will be October 15th, 2018. Please contact us at 417-380-5000 if you need assistance with getting your return prepared.

Business Management
By: Dina Graves

What does managing your transportation business look like and what does it ask of you? At Abacus CPAs, LLC, we believe in providing our clients with better guidance so that you can make smarter decisions regarding your business. A part of owning a business is bookkeeping, but even more than that is the managing of what is going in and coming out of those books. You need to look at the big picture and make sure it is a futuristic one. If you want to have growth what sacrifices will that take right now?

To answer these questions, you have to make sure you are first acting as the owner/manager, not the employee. You have to ensure you are getting the best contracts and have an aggressive dispatcher/broker if you want to get the most of out every mile your truck is on the road. You also want to make sure that you are current on the industries benchmarks so that you maximize your efforts. You are in the driver's seat, figuratively and literally, when it comes to the what, when, how and why your business thrives and/or struggles. Your businesses reputation for taking care of your customers will attract and retain others; this is your brand.
 
Being a professional business owner is not reserved for just those who sit behind a desk. Professionalism comes from within, it's how you speak, dress, and act. You know your clients and you know that when you show up to sell or trade for services, or sit down for a meeting, that you will show that person respect if they handle themselves in a respectful way and they will reciprocate. Businesses grow when people are drawn to the product, but also to the culture that the business creates.

Things to keep in mind when you are managing a business vs. running a business: Take care of your equipment preventatively rather than just maintaining it as it fails. This will save you both on repairs and down time. Be aware of your competition and be strategic in your marketing and logistics. This will help make you not only conveniently located for your target clientele, but also known for the focused message you are putting out there. Be innovative and savvy with your expenses and sources of revenue. The goal is to always be profitable, holding back and paying your taxes quarterly will set you up for success when it comes time to file.

Managing a business is so much more than just getting from point A to point B. It's about looking at A through Z and deciding which course is best for you and how you are going to get there. Take ownership, be professional, be strategic, be proactive, and be profitable.

If you've filed an amended return and want to check on its status...look at the IRS website. The agency has a tool to make it easier for filers to find out about the status of amended individual returns filed on Form 1040-X. Go to www.irs.gov/filing/wheres-my-amended-return to access the system. You'll need to enter your Social Security number, date of birth and ZIP code.
  Abacus Access

You can access this online portal by going to abacuscpas.com, and then clicking the green button labeled "Abacus Access" on the home page. Much like email, an Abacus Access user will have a specific username and password associated with their account.

Uploading Documents:
After logging into Abacus Access, the user can upload documents by clicking "File Exchange", then clicking the folder labeled "Upload your files here", and then clicking the upload button. After clicking the upload button, a pop-up box will appear enabling the user to add their desired files. Once the user has added their desired files, the last step in uploading the files is clicking the "Start upload" button on the pop-up box.

To Access Your Tax Return:
In order to access an electronic copy of the user's completed Tax Return, simply click the "File Exchange" button. After clicking File Exchange, the user will see a folder labeled "Tax Return 20XX" which is where their Federal and State Tax Returns will be stored.

On the Road Recipes!
 
Healthy Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole
 
Ingredients
 

8 eggs

4 egg whites

¾ cup milk

2 tsp stone ground mustard

½ tsp garlic salt

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 30 oz bag frozen hash browns

optional: 4 strips cooked bacon

½ onion, roughly chopped

2 bell peppers, roughly chopped

1 small head of broccoli, roughly chopped

6 oz cheddar cheese

 
Instructions
  1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg whites, milk, mustard, garlic salt, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
  2. Lightly grease the bottom of your crockpot. Place half the hash browns on the bottom. Layer with half the bacon, chopped onion, bell peppers, broccoli, and cheese. Add on the last half of the hash browns, then top with the rest of the veggies, bacon, and cheese. Pour all of the egg mixture on top.
  3. Cover and cook for 4 hours on low. Serve hot!

    

Below are the clients with whom we are celebrating a big anniversary of working together!  We appreciate you and your continued trust in us!

Celebrating 5 years in October!
James Burkee
William Talbert
Cecota Hightower
Douglas Bolen
Jaime Ward
Kingswood Sprott
Terry Rauzi
James George
Melquiades Mangay
Kevin Denning
Antonio Hunter
Edward Ross
Renee Hendrian
Lee Escobar
Larry Lucian

Celebrating 10 years in October!
Rodney McCloud

Celebrating 15 years in October!
Andrew Hopping