Author:

Rachel Blakely-Gray

As Patriot's Content Manager, Rachel is responsible for planning and creating useful, actionable content for Patriot’s marketing department.

SOC Codes and Mandatory Reporting: Does Your State Want Worker Classification Data?

By Rachel Blakely-Gray

“What’s your occupation?” Everybody gets this question—at the doctor’s office, when opening a new bank account, etc. People are curious. They want to know what it is exactly you do for a living. And if you’re an employer, the government wants to know what your employees do, too. To find out, federal and state agencies […]

Leasing a Commercial Space? Here’s What to Know

By Rachel Blakely-Gray

Maybe you started out running your business from your home or garage. Or, maybe you’re getting ready to launch a new business. Whatever the case may be, there might come a time when you need to rent an office, retail space, or warehouse. And if you do, you need to know the ins and outs […]

Man working late during the busy season for accountants.

When Is Busy Season for Accountants, Plus 5 Tips on Surviving

By Rachel Blakely-Gray

Late nights, long hours, and lots of coffee. Sound familiar? If you’re an accounting professional, this may happen to you throughout the year. But, there are a few times in particular when the work days get longer. Cue busy season. So, when is busy season for accountants? And, how can you survive it without burning […]

Woman looking at business receipts for taxes.

Receipts for Taxes and Your Business: What Do You Need to Hang Onto?

By Rachel Blakely-Gray

Tax season might be once a year, but preparing for tax season is a year-round process. To back up your tax deduction claims, you need to keep business receipts. But, what kind of receipts for taxes do you need? And which small business receipts can you pitch?

Arizona Paid Sick Leave: Accrual Rate and Beyond

By Rachel Blakely-Gray

Do you need to give your employees paid sick leave? Several states have laws requiring it—including Arizona. If you’re an Arizona employer, you need to know your sick time responsibilities to stay compliant. So, are you ready to brush up on Arizona paid sick leave?

A Fresh New Look: SECURE Act 2.0

By Rachel Blakely-Gray

The SECURE Act of 2019 gave employers new incentives to offer retirement plans. Now, the SECURE Act 2.0 promises to deliver even more. Passed by Congress at the end of 2022, the SECURE Act 2.0 is a new and improved version of the previous bill.

What to Do When Your Business Runs Out of Money: Effective Strategies

By Rachel Blakely-Gray

Cash flow problems happen—often. It’s why 82% of small businesses fail. But if you have issues with your cash flow, you’re not doomed to close up shop. Instead, it’s like coming to a fork in the road. Turn right to power through, or turn left to call it quits. To get out of the red, […]

Not Another How-to! Client Communication Tips You Haven’t Heard a Million Times

By Rachel Blakely-Gray

You want to build a relationship with each and every one of your accounting clients. To do that, you need strong client communication. But when you’re juggling dozens or even hundreds of clients, effective communication is easier said than done.

Tax Planning Strategies to Get Tax Time Ready

By Rachel Blakely-Gray

Tax season sneaks up fast. For many business owners (and individual tax filers!), it’s an overwhelming whirlwind. At the end of it, you may vow to prepare better for next year. And then … whoops! It’s next year already. Kick procrastination and stress to the curb with these tried-and-true tax planning strategies.

State W-2 Filing Deadlines [+ Chart]

By Rachel Blakely-Gray

If you’ve had employees for a while, you know the drill. Every year, you must prepare and send Forms W-2 to the proper parties, which typically includes the state. For on-time reporting, you need to know your state W-2 filing deadlines.