It's a new way to finance your business. It's revolutionary, and it is literally changing the entire way that small business owners think about financing. We're talking about crowdfunding. Never heard of it? Crowd funding is when a group of people gets together to support a new business venture. The people who support the new business are known as "backers", and they help the project by donating money or offering up contacts or other resources. In exchange for their help, they are offered perks such as free services, products, etc. from the company they helped to build.

As a small business owner, it is very important to make sure that you are classifying your independent contractors correctly on your taxes. It can be confusing and hard to remember when it comes to employees versus independent contractors, since they often do the same work and get paid similarly. However, the IRS does not see it that way, and you can get into some serious trouble if you report your contractors incorrectly. According to the IRS, the difference is : “In general, someone who performs services for you is your employee if you can control what will be done and how it will be done.” (Find more about the IRS policies on independent contractors here.

Tax time is often the most difficult time of the year for small businesses and many business owners choose this time to find an accountant to help them prepare their tax returns. But knowing whether the accountant you've selected is the right one for your company can be difficult... and can turn what you hoped to be a great move forward into a financial nightmare.

Jim Bourke will discuss how to identify your next CPA and some of the traits and characteristics that are a must. In addition, Jim will discuss five things that your CPA may not tell you, but that you should be aware of!