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— THE HB JOURNAL
Straight answers to the questions landing in our inbox.
General education, written the way we'd explain it across the desk. No jargon, no guarantees, no scare tactics. Just what's actually going on and what to do next.
— IRS NOTICES
Got an IRS Letter? What CP14, CP2000 and CP504 Usually Mean
The number in the top right corner of your IRS letter tells you more than the whole first paragraph.
October 16, 2026 · 5 min read
Is Your Bookkeeping Behind? Six Signs, and How to Catch Up
If you can't say what you made last month without opening your bank app, your books are probably behind.
October 16, 2026 · 4 min read
Business formationUsing Your Home Address As Your Registered Agent Is A Mistake
Go ahead and look up your LLC filing. That address you used? Anyone can read it.
October 6, 2026 · 5 min read
Credit educationThe Credit Repair Industry Does Not Want You To Read This
Here is the honest answer: a lot of what people pay for, the law already gives them.
September 29, 2026 · 6 min read
Preparer trainingNobody Tells You This Before You Become A Tax Preparer
Just wanted to say the quiet part out loud, because the ads make this sound easier than it is.
September 22, 2026 · 7 min read
TaxesDo You Pay Taxes on Vinted Sales? An EA Explains
Thousands of people are listing a jacket right now. Almost none of them know whether it counts at tax time.
September 16, 2026 · 6 min read
Tax educationYour CPA May Not Be Able To Represent You At The IRS
Honestly, most people pick a preparer by price and never ask the one question that matters when a letter shows up.
September 15, 2026 · 6 min read
For preparersThe fee fight in February starts with the paperwork you skipped in January
Almost no fee dispute is about the number. It is about scope nobody wrote down.
September 14, 2026 · 6 min read
For preparersThe IRS does not start with your client. It starts with your file.
Due diligence is not a checkbox at the end. It is what you wrote down while you were asking.
September 14, 2026 · 6 min read
For preparersCharging by the form is why your first season pays like a part-time job
The hardest returns are rarely the ones with the most forms. Per-form pricing pays you nothing for that.
September 14, 2026 · 6 min read
For preparersApril to December is not your off-season. It is your whole business.
If every dollar arrives between January and April, you do not have a practice. You have a seasonal job.
September 14, 2026 · 6 min read
Tax planningQuarterly estimated taxes: what business owners need to know
Estimated payments are not an extra tax. They are a way to pay tax during the year.
September 10, 2026 · 6 min read
New businessA first-year business owner’s tax checklist
Your first business tax season gets easier when the records are organized before year-end.
September 10, 2026 · 7 min read
ITIN servicesITIN renewal: what to know before you apply
An expired ITIN can delay return processing, so check the number before filing season.
September 10, 2026 · 5 min read
Amended returnsDo you actually need to amend your return? Usually not.
A corrected 1099 turned up after you filed. Now what?
July 9, 2026 · 5 min read
IRS noticesAn IRS letter showed up. Open it, then do these five things.
Most notices are routine. Ignoring one is what turns it into a problem.
June 11, 2026 · 6 min read
RefundsYour refund still hasn't shown up. Here's how to figure out why.
Filed weeks ago and nothing's landed? These are the usual reasons.
May 6, 2026 · 6 min read
Filing seasonYou filed an extension. Here's what actually happens next.
More time to file is not more time to pay. Here's the part most people miss.
April 18, 2026 · 5 min read
— STILL STUCK
Reading about it only gets you so far.
Bring the letter, the notice or the half-finished return. We'll look at it together.