Finding the Balance: Lessons in Daily Accounting Reconciliation. Q1 2026

As 2026 gets underway, this feels like the right moment to zoom out and share what the past few quarters have looked like. 

Q4 2025 was a solid quarter from a business development perspective. My focus is simple: help accountants and firm owners move from reactive compliance work to proactive tax advisory using scalable, repeatable processes with the help of Ai. That means listening closely to their pain points, walking them through ROI-driven tax plans, and making sure the software becomes a true revenue engine rather than “one more tool.”

Moreover, since February of 2025, my bookkeeping firm has seen steady & manageable progress with meeting customer expectations and fulfilling my service obligations. It's been a year of developing strategic partnerships with CPAs, and leveraging vendor partnerships that provide partnerships or customer support when needed. 

What the last six months taught me about tax:

Over the past six months, the learning curve around tax advisory has been steep and rewarding. 

Diving deeper into strategies like:

• Maximizing QBI deductions (up to 20%) where appropriate for qualifying businesses
• Understanding state and local tax (SALT) deduction planning
• Using solo 401(k)s to create additional retirement and tax planning flexibility for certain business owners
• I've explored an interest with cost segregation studies and real estate–based strategies to accelerate depreciation and potentially reduce current-year tax
• The benefits of HSA accounts and High Deductible Health Plans to lower medical insurance costs

The more time spent in these conversations, the more conviction there is about the value of proactive tax planning versus just filing returns.

I could not be more thankful for the clients who have trusted me with the financial heartbeat of their businesses.

• Managing accounts receivable and accounts payable with structure and discipline
• Overseeing payroll and helping owners maintain healthy, predictable liquidity
• Acting as an outsourced controller, so founders can focus on product, sales, and team
• Providing FP&A (financial planning & analysis) support — turning historical numbers into forward-looking insights
• Using the classes feature within Quickbooks has been quite valuable to determine performance metric across various departments

The real-world bookkeeping and FP&A challenges seen with clients make it easier to understand what accounting and tax firms truly need when evaluating tools, pricing, and processes.

A core part of this season has been making sure the principles shared with clients are being applied internally as well. 
That means:

• Reviewing the cost structure and maximizing cost of goods sold where appropriate
• Scrutinizing the technology stack to understand which systems genuinely drive deliverables and which are nice-to-haves
• Evaluating contractor relationships and confirming which expenses are properly categorized and deductible above the line

This is the same philosophy recommended to clients: don’t just work in your business — step back, analyze, and design your financial and tax position with intention.

Mindset, health, and a Stoic Perspective

Professionally and personally, the compass continues to be the Stoic virtues: prudence, fortitude, and temperance. As 2026 begins, those values are shaping not only business decisions, but also health, diet, and training.

A low-carb approach through the holidays, regular training, and now heading into a second tournament this weekend are all part of maintaining the physical and mental resilience needed to serve clients and teams well. The better the foundation, the more sustainable the work. 

Above all, there is deep gratitude:

• For the professional relationships built this past year
• For the support from TaxPlanIQ in continuing to grow and learn
• For the clients of Stoic Bookkeeper who trust their books, cash flow, and strategy to this work
• For the Accounting community & the profession at large that engages, encourages, and challenges

Thank you for being part of this journey. 

Here’s to a 2026 defined by disciplined growth, thoughtful planning, and living out the values that create the foundation of long term success.