The Righto blog.

Plain guides to bookkeeping and taxes when you work for yourself.

November 7, 2026 · 5 min readCan you deduct interest and bank fees for your business?A plain guide to business interest and bank fees: what you can deduct, how mixed-use loans are split, and where they go on Schedule C.Read the article
November 6, 2026 · 6 min readBusiness travel deductions for the self-employedA plain guide to business travel deductions: when a trip counts, what costs you can deduct, the 50% meal rule, and personal days on a work trip.Read the article
November 5, 2026 · 6 min readHow to catch up on bookkeeping when you are months behindA plain guide to catching up on months of bookkeeping: get every statement, set opening balances, then sort and reconcile one month at a time.Read the article
November 4, 2026 · 6 min readBusiness meals deduction: the 50% ruleA plain guide to the business meals deduction: when a meal counts, why most meals are 50% deductible, the 100% exceptions, and why entertainment is out.Read the article
November 3, 2026 · 5 min readBusiness gifts deduction: the $25 limitHow the business gifts deduction works: the $25 limit per person each year, which costs are extra, what is not a gift, and the records to keep.Read the article
November 2, 2026 · 5 min readHow to reconcile a credit card statementA plain guide to reconciling a business credit card: match each charge, payment and refund to your books, then check the balance you owe.Read the article
November 1, 2026 · 5 min readHow to pay yourself as a sole proprietorSole proprietors pay themselves with owner draws, not wages. Draws are not deductible, and you pay tax on your profit whether you take it out or not.Read the article
October 31, 2026 · 5 min readMileage log requirements: what the IRS wants to seeWhat a mileage log must show for the IRS: the date, place, business reason and miles of each trip, plus your total miles for the year, with an example.Read the article
October 30, 2026 · 5 min readHow to track business expenses for taxesA plain guide to tracking business expenses for taxes: pay from one account, sort each cost by Schedule C line, and keep proof of what you bought.Read the article
October 29, 2026 · 5 min readYour first year self-employed: a checklistA plain checklist for your first year working for yourself: your business type, a separate account, simple books, tax set-asides and quarterly payments.Read the article
October 28, 2026 · 5 min readSmall business tax deadlines in 2027 (for tax year 2026)The federal tax dates a small business needs in 2027: January 15, February 1, March 15, April 15 and October 15, with what is due on each one.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readCash vs accrual accountingCash basis counts money when it moves. Accrual counts it when it is earned or owed. Here is how the two differ, who may use each, and why timing matters.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 4 min readContractor or employee: how the IRS decidesA plain guide to how the IRS decides if a worker is a contractor or an employee, and why a contract that says freelancer does not settle it.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readDo I need an EIN as a sole proprietor?Most sole proprietors with no employees do not need an EIN. Here is when you must have one, why many get one anyway, and how to apply free.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readDo I need to keep receipts for my business?Yes, for most expenses. A bank statement shows you paid, not what you bought. Travel, gift and car costs have their own rules, with a $75 line.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 4 min readForm 1099-K explainedA plain guide to Form 1099-K: who sends it, the $20,000 and 200 transaction test for payment apps, and why the amount is often higher than you got.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 6 min readForm 1099-NEC for 2026: who must file and the new $2,000 ruleA plain guide to Form 1099-NEC: what it is, the new $2,000 rule for 2026 payments, who gets one, the February 1, 2027 deadline, and a worked example.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 4 min readForm W-9 explainedA plain guide to Form W-9: what it is, why you ask a contractor for one before the first payment, and what each part of the form tells you.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readHome office deduction: simplified vs regular methodIf you work for yourself and use part of your home only and regularly for work, you can deduct $5 a square foot or a share of your real home costs.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readHow long to keep business recordsKeep most business tax records for 3 years after you file. Some need 6 or 7 years, and records for things you own stay until after you sell them.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readHow to categorize bank transactionsHow to categorize bank transactions: first decide if a line is income, an expense or neither, then pick a category that matches a Schedule C line.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readHow to read a profit and loss statementHow to read a profit and loss statement: income minus the cost of what you sold minus expenses is net profit. A simple sample, read line by line.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readHow to reconcile a bank statementHow to reconcile a bank statement in plain steps: match each line to your books, list what only one side has, and adjust until both balances agree.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readHow to record owner draws and contributionsMoney you take out of your business is an owner draw and money you put in is an owner contribution. Neither one is an expense or income.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readSchedule C explainedSchedule C is the IRS form where a sole proprietor reports business income and expenses. Here is what each part means, with a worked example.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readHow to separate business and personal financesHow to keep business money apart from personal money: one account and one card for the business, and a planned transfer when you pay yourself.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readSide hustle taxes: a plain guideHow side hustle income is taxed when you also have a job, why the rate is higher than you expect, and how to pay it through your paycheck.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 4 min readHow to track payments to contractorsA plain guide to tracking what you pay contractors, so you know who needs a Form 1099-NEC in January and you can prove each business expense.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readWhat counts as a business expense?A business expense is a cost that is ordinary and necessary for your work and not personal. Here is the test, what to split, and what never counts.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readWhat to give your accountant at year endA plain list of what to give your accountant at year end: your reports, statements, tax forms, contractor totals, tax payments and a short note.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readWhat to do if a 1099 is wrong or missingA plain guide to a wrong or missing Form 1099: ask the payer to correct it, report the income your records show, and explain any difference.Read the article
October 27, 2026 · 5 min readYear-end bookkeeping checklistA plain year-end bookkeeping checklist for a small business: get every transaction in, sort it, reconcile, read the reports and gather tax records.Read the article
October 26, 2026 · 6 min readSelf-employment tax explainedA plain guide to self-employment tax: what it is, why it is about 14% of your profit, who pays it, and a 2026 example with the numbers worked out.Read the article
October 25, 2026 · 6 min readHow much to set aside for taxes when you're self-employedA plain guide to how much of each payment to save for taxes when you work for yourself, with 2026 examples at $30,000, $60,000 and $100,000 of profit.Read the article
October 24, 2026 · 6 min readEstimated tax penalty: how it works and how to avoid itA plain guide to the IRS estimated tax penalty: why you might owe it, how much it costs, and the simple ways to keep it small or avoid it.Read the article
October 23, 2026 · 5 min readHow to pay estimated taxes onlineA step-by-step guide to paying IRS estimated tax online for free with Direct Pay or your IRS Online Account, and how to pick the right tax year.Read the article
October 22, 2026 · 6 min readQuarterly estimated taxes for the self-employedA plain guide to quarterly estimated taxes: who has to pay, the four 2026 due dates, how much to send each time, and how to pay the IRS online.Read the article
October 21, 2026 · 6 min readEstimated tax safe harbor rules: 90%, 100% and 110%A plain guide to the estimated tax safe harbor: how much to pay each quarter so the IRS cannot charge you a penalty, with a worked example.Read the article
October 20, 2026 · 4 min readFree QuickBooks alternatives for a small businessThe free QuickBooks alternatives worth a look in 2026: Righto, Wave, Zoho Books and GnuCash, with what each one is free for and where it stops.Read the article