6 Apps for Tax Filing

Times are changing — once traditional office spaces are now transitioning into newer, more digitally focused work environments. This shift, coupled with business’s adoption of mobile technology, has made tax preparation more convenient for employers. Now they can manage bookkeeping by smartphone at the warehouse, from the subway station or while on vacation.

And the convenience might not even be the best part. If you use the right tools, you can make the most of the changing business environment to help save your business money when it comes to taxes!

How Can Tax Apps Help Me?

Innovative tax apps can help save money and time, but “they are not a substitute for an accountant’s insight and experience,” cautions Moises Alvarez, co-founder of Tax Care Inc., an Altamonte Springs, Florida-based franchise group.

You are almost always better off handing your business’s tax preparation to a professional. However, you can make it easier on yourself and your tax preparer by using at least one of these apps recommended by Alvarez to help you implement a paperless approach to your business’s finances.

NetClient CS by Thomson Reuters

Forget about adding toner to your copier and firing up that old fax machine. Screen and video sharing through private portals on NetClient CS make it easy for you and your CPA (certified public accountant) to share tax returns, financial statements and other documents on the go.

“Additionally, the app lets you enter payroll directly from your mobile [phone],” says Alvarez. “After our firms started using this app, productivity tripled.” Pricing varies based on the add-ons you choose.

Taxbot

“This app is really cool,” says Alvarez. “Taxbot is specifically catered to sales people, like realtors or account executives who are out in the field a lot.” Taxbot tracks expenses and mileage employees rack up travelling to and from appointments, business meetings and other business-related activities.

Taxbot’s expense tracking could hardly be easier — after you take a picture of a receipt and upload it into the free app, it automatically integrates with Quickbooks software. At the end of the year, download an AuditSafe report from Taxbot and you’ll get summaries of all your receipts to help ensure that your deductions are compliant with IRS regulations.

Zoom

The IRS now accepts electronic signatures for taxes, says Alvarez, referring to forms 8878 and 8879. With web conferencing software like Zoom, tax forms can be shared between the preparer and the business owner across multiple screens, and electronic signatures can be collected in ‘Zoom Rooms.’

“This means you no longer have to drive to a tax preparers’ office. Now, tax time interviews can be conducted from the comfort of your home,” explains Alvarez.

HRProMobile

Improperly completing payroll forms can be costly for a small business. HRProMobile is the portable version of HR Support Center, an online portal offering comprehensive, outsourced employee management advice and support. The app lets employers get answers for workforce tax questions from certified HR professionals — plus, those professionals can perform an audit and help employers reach and stay in compliance as it pertains to I-9 forms and issues like small business healthcare credits, hiring, and unemployment insurance.

IRS2Go Mobile App

After you submit your return, use the IRS2Go mobile app to check the status of your refund, securely make a payment, receive free tax counseling or watch helpful videos and tutorials. If you file electronically, you can check your refund 24 hours after the IRS receives your return.

Taking advantage of tax apps can make filing your business’s taxes easier and more convenient when used in conjunction with expert help. “We recommend that all taxes be done by a tax professional or CPA to benefit from tax savings,” Alvarez concludes. Make use of these apps today and save your business time, hassle and stress — plus, your CPA will thank you for making their job easier, too!

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