Blog

Practical guides for running the books

Written for owners and bookkeepers of small businesses in the United States and Canada. No jargon without an explanation.

Leaving QuickBooks Desktop

What the end of QuickBooks Desktop means for your file, your costs and your options.

A USB drive and a padlock on an archive box

US and Canada · 6 min

What happens to your QuickBooks Desktop file when your subscription ends

Intuit says a lapsed Desktop Plus subscription gives you 12 months of view-only access with export. Here is what that means, and how to keep your history usable.

October 17, 2026

An older laptop on a desk in a quiet back office

US and Canada · 6 min

Can you keep using an old version of QuickBooks Desktop?

What still works and what stops when a QuickBooks Desktop version is discontinued, why Desktop 2024 is different, and the real risks of staying on an old copy.

October 17, 2026

Five stacks of coins growing in height on a desk

US · 6 min

QuickBooks Desktop vs Online: the five-year cost

What QuickBooks Online and Desktop cost a small business over five years at 2026 list prices, with payroll, and how a one-time purchase compares.

October 17, 2026

Archive boxes and a laptop in an office being packed up

US and Canada · 8 min

How to export everything from QuickBooks Desktop before you leave

A checklist of the backups, lists and reports to save from QuickBooks Desktop while it still runs, so you can switch programs and still answer any question about the past.

October 17, 2026

Two ledgers side by side with reading glasses between them

US and Canada · 6 min

Sage 50 vs QuickBooks Desktop in 2026

How Sage 50 and QuickBooks Desktop compare for a small business in 2026: availability, how you pay, how they work, and a third option if you want to own your software.

October 17, 2026

A desk calendar with its pages left blank beside a laptop and a maroon mug

US and Canada · 6 min

Intuit says QuickBooks Desktop 2024 has no sunset date: what support ends, and when

Intuit now says Desktop 2024 will not be discontinued in May 2027 and gets in-product updates instead of new yearly versions. What that means, and what can still end.

October 18, 2026

Folders being moved from one archive box into a new maroon box

US and Canada · 7 min

How to convert a QuickBooks Desktop file to another accounting program

No other program can open a .QBW file. Here is what IIF, Excel and Intuit's SDK can carry out of QuickBooks Desktop, what never transfers, and how to check the result.

October 18, 2026

A renewal invoice under a calculator with a maroon pen

US · 6 min

QuickBooks Desktop price increases in 2026: what Pro Plus, Premier Plus and Enterprise renewals cost now

Accounting firms and the trade press report that Intuit raised Desktop renewal prices on February 1 and again from October 1, 2026. The reported figures for Pro Plus, Premier Plus, Enterprise and payroll, and where they come from.

October 18, 2026

A small Canadian shop office in winter with a ledger and a maroon toque

Canada · 7 min

QuickBooks Desktop alternatives for Canada

Intuit stopped selling Desktop Pro and Premier to new Canadian subscribers in April 2025. What a Canadian business needs from a replacement, and the realistic options.

October 18, 2026

A maroon padlock resting on a closed laptop beside a window

US and Canada · 7 min

Is QuickBooks Online safe? Who can see your data in the cloud

What Intuit says about how QuickBooks Online protects your books, who besides you can see them, where they are stored, and how that compares with a file on your own PC.

October 18, 2026

A laptop beside a small stack of monthly bills and rising stacks of coins

US and Canada · 6 min

QuickBooks Online price increase 2026: what Essentials, Plus and Advanced cost now

Intuit raised QuickBooks Online Essentials, Plus and Advanced for renewals from August 1, 2026. The new US and Canadian list prices, payroll, and what it adds up to.

October 24, 2026

Deadlines and compliance

Payroll, information returns and sales tax: the dates and rules for this year.

A January desk calendar with one date circled in maroon

US · 6 min

When do W-2s come out in 2027? W-2 and 1099 deadlines

2026 W-2s and 1099-NECs are due by February 1, 2027. Every date for W-2, 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC to workers, the SSA and the IRS, plus the e-filing rule.

October 17, 2026

A contractor shaking hands with a business owner in a workshop doorway

US · 6 min

1099-NEC vs 1099-MISC: which form, and the new $2,000 threshold

Which form to use for contractors, rent and other payments, the thresholds for payments made in 2026 after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and the exceptions that stayed.

October 17, 2026

A fresh notebook and coffee on a desk on a new-year morning

US · 7 min

What changed in US payroll for 2026

The 2026 Social Security wage base, new W-2 codes for tips and overtime, the new W-4 exemption checkbox, the $2,000 thresholds and what stayed the same.

October 17, 2026

A bookkeeper working through envelopes in a home office on a snowy day

Canada · 7 min

T4 and T4A deadlines 2026: when T4s come out

2026 T4 and T4A slips are due to employees and the CRA by March 1, 2027 (Feb 28 is a Sunday). Who gets one, CPP and EI maximums, e-filing and penalties.

October 17, 2026

Receipts and a calculator on a Canadian shop counter in winter

Canada · 7 min

GST/HST filing for small businesses: periods, due dates and registration

When you must register for GST/HST, how your reporting period is set, when returns and payments are due, and the electronic filing rules, in plain English.

October 17, 2026

Four small quarterly folders and one larger annual folder on a desk

US · 7 min

Form 941 vs Form 940: quarterly and annual federal payroll returns

What Form 941 and Form 940 each report, who files them, the 2026 and 2027 due dates, deposit schedules, and how to keep them in step with your payroll.

October 18, 2026

A desk planner open to a new year with a few dates marked in maroon

US · 7 min

Small business tax calendar for 2027: every US federal deadline

Every 2027 federal date for a small business: estimated taxes, payroll deposits, Forms 941 and 940, W-2 and 1099, business and personal returns, and extensions.

October 18, 2026

A wall planner beside a frosty window with a maple leaf on the sill

Canada · 8 min

Small business tax calendar for 2027: Canada

Every 2027 CRA date for a small business: payroll remittances by remitter type, T4, T4A, T5 and T5018 slips, GST/HST, T2 and T1 returns, and instalments.

October 18, 2026

A manager handing a folder to a departing employee holding a box of desk items

Canada · 7 min

Record of Employment (ROE): what it is and when to issue

What a Record of Employment is, when an employer must issue one, how long you have (usually 5 days after the pay period ends), reason codes and ROE Web.

October 18, 2026

Employee files on an office desk, one pulled out with a maroon tab, a snowy window behind

Canada · 7 min

ROE reason codes A to Z: which code to use (2026)

Every Record of Employment block 16 reason code, from A (shortage of work) to Z, with the E and K sub-codes, code M vs E, common mistakes and the ROE deadline.

October 24, 2026

A small notebook and pen on a car's passenger seat with a country road ahead

US and Canada · 7 min

2026 mileage rates: IRS 76¢ a mile from July 1, CRA 73¢ a km

The 2026 IRS business rate is 72.5 cents a mile to June 30 and 76 cents from July 1; the CRA allowance is 73 cents a km for the first 5,000 km and 67 after. Plus what a mileage log must record.

October 18, 2026

A notebook, a maroon pen and a maple leaf on a desk by a frosty window

Canada · 7 min

What changed in Canadian payroll for 2026 (and what is known for 2027)

The 2026 CPP, CPP2, EI, QPP and QPIP maximums, the new 14% federal rate, the July 2026 provincial changes, and the CPP rate cut and EI figures already set for 2027.

October 24, 2026

An envelope, a calculator and a closed cheque book on a desk in January

US · 7 min

The Q4 estimated tax payment due January 15, 2027: how to work out the amount

Who needs to make the fourth 2026 estimated tax payment, the safe-harbor rules that decide how much, a worked example, and when you can skip it.

October 24, 2026

An office manager sorting sealed envelopes into a tray in December

US and Canada · 8 min

Payroll year-end checklist for 2026: US and Canada

The December checks that make W-2s and T4s right the first time: employee details, the last pay date, bonuses, maximums, reconciling to what you paid, and the 2027 figures.

October 24, 2026

A shop owner sorting receipts into piles at a counter on a snowy day

Canada · 8 min

PST, QST and RST: provincial sales tax in BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec

The 2026 rates, who has to register, how often you file and when returns are due for BC PST, Saskatchewan PST, Manitoba RST and Quebec QST.

October 24, 2026

A wall calendar with three dates marked above a tidy office desk in winter

Canada · 7 min

CRA payroll remittance schedules: regular, quarterly and accelerated remitters

When to send the CRA your employees' income tax, CPP and EI: how your remitter type is set, the due dates for each type, late-remitting penalties and the Quebec difference.

October 24, 2026

Blank forms on a clipboard beside plain envelopes and a maroon folder on a desk

US · 8 min

Handling 1099 vendors: from the W-9 to filing in 2027

How to set up contractors so 1099-NEC season is easy: collecting W-9s, the $2,000 threshold, who is exempt, card payments, backup withholding, filing through IRIS and corrections.

October 24, 2026

Practical bookkeeping

The everyday jobs that keep the books right, step by step.

A bank statement being ticked off beside a laptop

US and Canada · 7 min

How to reconcile a bank account, step by step

What reconciling means, why it matters, and the exact steps to match your books to the bank statement every month, including what to do when it won't balance.

October 17, 2026

An open card catalogue drawer with neat index cards

US and Canada · 8 min

A chart of accounts for a small business, with a starting template

How a chart of accounts is organised, how many accounts a small business really needs, and a starting list you can adapt for a service, trade or retail business.

October 17, 2026

A balance scale with coins on one side and an invoice on the other

US and Canada · 6 min

Cash vs accrual accounting: which should a small business use?

The difference between the cash and accrual methods in plain terms, an example of each, what the tax rules allow in the US and Canada, and how to choose.

October 17, 2026

A business owner ticking items off a checklist at the end of the day

US and Canada · 6 min

The monthly closing checklist for a small business

Twelve steps, about an hour a month, that keep the books accurate and make year-end painless. Printable, and in the order that catches problems early.

October 17, 2026

Keys to a work truck resting on a signed loan folder

US and Canada · 7 min

How to record a business loan and loan payments

Record loan proceeds, split each payment between principal and interest, handle loan fees, and book a vehicle or equipment bought with a loan. Worked examples.

October 18, 2026

A contractor reviewing a job folder at a half-finished kitchen

US and Canada · 7 min

Job costing for contractors: tracking profit on every job

How to see what each job really made: estimates, tagging costs to jobs, labor burden, billable expenses, progress invoicing and the job profitability report.

October 18, 2026

Neatly stacked boxes on stockroom shelves with a clipboard for a count

US and Canada · 8 min

How to track inventory: FIFO vs average cost, and when to adjust stock

Perpetual vs periodic inventory, a worked FIFO vs average cost example, what the IRS and CRA allow, and how to handle counts, shrinkage and damaged stock.

October 18, 2026

An unpaid invoice folder set aside on a desk at dusk

US and Canada · 8 min

How to write off a bad debt

When and how to write off an unpaid invoice: direct write-off vs allowance, getting back sales tax or GST/HST, what the IRS and CRA let you deduct, and later recoveries.

October 18, 2026

A business owner working down a printed checklist at her desk on a December afternoon

US and Canada · 8 min

Year-end closing checklist for a small business (2026)

What to check, adjust and lock before you close the 2026 books, in order, with the US and Canadian dates that land in January and February 2027.

October 24, 2026

A self-employed photographer sorting receipts into folders at a kitchen table

Canada · 8 min

The T2125 for sole proprietors: how your books map to each line

Which T2125 line each of your income and expense accounts belongs on, from 8000 gross sales to 9936 CCA and 9945 home office, plus the 2027 filing and payment dates.

October 24, 2026

A workshop owner on a polite phone call with a printed list in hand

US and Canada · 8 min

How to collect overdue invoices without losing the customer

Use the A/R ageing report to see who is late, follow a steady reminder schedule, add late fees the right way, agree payment plans, and know when to give up.

October 24, 2026

A card terminal with a receipt roll on a cafe counter

US and Canada · 8 min

How to record credit card payments and card processing fees

Record card sales at the full amount and the processor's fee as an expense, match batch payouts to the bank, and enter business card charges and the monthly card bill.

October 24, 2026

A workshop bench with an older table saw, a newer drill and a folder of receipts

US and Canada · 9 min

Fixed assets and depreciation basics: US and Canada

When to expense a purchase and when to capitalize it, book depreciation in plain English, and how the IRS (Section 179, bonus, MACRS) and the CRA (CCA classes) differ in 2026.

October 24, 2026

A designer and a client shaking hands across a studio table at the start of a project

US and Canada · 7 min

Customer deposits and retainers: how to record money received before the work

Why a deposit is a liability and not income, how to apply it to the invoice, when GST/HST or sales tax is due on it, refunds and forfeits, and retainers held in trust by lawyers.

October 24, 2026

Two sheets with simple hand-drawn bar charts side by side on a desk with a maroon pencil

US and Canada · 7 min

Budget vs actual reports: how to build a budget and read the variances

A practical way to build a small-business budget from last year's books, whether to budget by month or year, and how to read a budget vs actual report without overreacting.

October 24, 2026

A small-business owner signing paychecks at a workshop desk

US · 8 min

How to run payroll yourself for a US small business

The registrations, forms and 2026 numbers you need to run payroll in-house: W-4, gross to net, FICA, FUTA and SUTA, deposit schedules, Forms 941 and 940, and W-2s.

October 18, 2026

A café owner in Canada reviewing a pay run at the counter after closing

Canada · 8 min

How to run payroll in Canada: CPP, CPP2, EI and income tax for 2026

Open a payroll account, collect TD1s, deduct 2026 CPP, CPP2, EI and income tax, remit on the right schedule, and file T4s and ROEs, with a worked example.

October 18, 2026

Shipping boxes on a packing table with a map of the US behind them

US · 7 min

How to set up sales tax for a US small business

Where you have nexus after Wayfair, how to register, state and local rates, taxable versus exempt sales, exemption certificates, filing frequency and the bookkeeping.

October 18, 2026

A business owner moving cash between two envelopes at a kitchen table

US and Canada · 7 min

Owner draws vs owner contributions: how to record them

How to record money you take out of or put into your business, for sole proprietors, LLCs, partnerships and corporations, with the equity accounts and journal entries.

October 18, 2026

A small metal cash box with neat receipts and a pencil on an office shelf

US and Canada · 6 min

Petty cash: how to set it up and record it properly

How to run a petty cash box with the imprest system: setting the float, vouchers, replenishment entries, cash over and short, and the monthly count.

October 18, 2026

Choosing software

Desktop or cloud, subscription or once: how to pick, and how to keep your data safe.

A desktop computer in an office beside a window with clouds outside

US and Canada · 7 min

Desktop vs cloud accounting software: an honest comparison

What cloud accounting really does better, where desktop software still wins, and how to decide which fits your business. No sales pitch for either side.

October 18, 2026

A long row of paper envelopes beside a single key on a desk

US · 7 min

Subscription vs one-time licence: the 10-year cost of accounting software

What QuickBooks Online, Xero, Sage 50, QuickBooks Desktop and a one-time licence cost over ten years at October 2026 prices, and what the subscription buys you.

October 18, 2026

An accountant reviewing printed reports with a business owner at a table

US and Canada · 6 min

What your bookkeeper or accountant needs from your accounting software

The reports, controls and access your accountant will ask for at month-end and year-end, and how to check any program provides them before you buy.

October 18, 2026

Three external drives of different kinds lined up on a desk

US and Canada · 7 min

How to back up your accounting data, and test the backup

A practical 3-2-1 backup plan for your company file, how long the IRS and CRA expect you to keep records, and how to prove a backup restores.

October 18, 2026

A laptop closed on a cafe table with a padlock resting on it

US and Canada · 6 min

Why you should encrypt your company file

Your accounting file holds bank details and employee tax numbers. What encryption protects against, how passwords and recovery keys work, and what it does not do.

October 18, 2026

A contractor's clipboard, tape measure and invoices on a job site tailgate

US and Canada · 7 min

Best accounting software for contractors: what to look for in 2026

The features that matter to a contractor's books, from job costing to retainage, and an honest look at QuickBooks, Sage, Xero, Buildertrend, Procore and AcboBooks.

October 18, 2026

A small shop counter after closing with a stack of receipts and a stocked shelf behind

US and Canada · 7 min

Best accounting software for retail shops: what to look for in 2026

How a small shop should split the till from the books, what inventory and sales tax features matter, and how Square, Lightspeed, Shopify, QuickBooks and others compare.

October 18, 2026

A community hall table with a cash box, labelled envelopes and a ledger

US and Canada · 7 min

Best accounting software for small nonprofits: what to look for in 2026

Fund tracking, donor restrictions, board reports and the Form 990 or T3010: what a small nonprofit needs from its books, and how Aplos, QuickBooks and others compare.

October 18, 2026

Till receipts held with a maroon clip on a restaurant bar after closing

US and Canada · 7 min

Best accounting software for restaurants: what to look for in 2026

How a restaurant should split the POS from the books, what matters for daily sales, tips and food cost, and how Restaurant365, MarginEdge, QuickBooks and AcboBooks compare.

October 24, 2026

A consultant writing hours into a maroon notebook beside a laptop

US and Canada · 7 min

Best accounting software for consultants and agencies: what to look for in 2026

Time, retainers, project profit and trust money: what a consultancy, agency or small law practice needs from its books, and how FreshBooks, Harvest, Clio, QuickBooks and others compare.

October 24, 2026

A ring of apartment keys on a maroon folder by a window

US and Canada · 7 min

Best accounting software for landlords and property managers in 2026

What a small landlord or property manager needs from the books: rent, security deposits, profit by property and the Schedule E or T776, with Buildium, AppFolio, Stessa and others compared.

October 24, 2026