Mike Thrift

Marketing Manager

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June 1, 202614 min read

The R&D Tax Credit in 2026: How OBBBA Restored Section 174 Expensing, the Section 41 Four-Part Test, and the $500,000 Payroll Tax Offset for Qualified Small Businesses

OBBBA restored immediate Section 174 domestic R&E expensing in 2026 and gives small businesses until July 6, 2026 to amend 2022–2024 returns. A practical guide to the Section 41 four-part test, the 14% Alternative Simplified Credit, the Section 280C reduced-credit election, and the $500,000 payroll tax offset for qualified small businesses.

Mike Thrift

tax-creditstax-planningtax-compliance

June 1, 202611 min read

Septic Tank Pumping and Onsite Wastewater Bookkeeping: Per-Pump Revenue, Tipping Fees, Vacuum Trucks, and Drain-Field Warranty Reserves

A practical accounting framework for septic and onsite wastewater operators — splitting residential pumping, grease, portable toilet, inspection, and repair revenue; reconciling disposal manifests; expensing vacuum trucks under Section 179; and reserving for drain-field warranty claims.

Mike Thrift

bookkeepingsmall-businesstrades

June 1, 202612 min read

Solo 401(k) vs SEP-IRA in 2026: Contribution Limits, Super Catch-Up, and Mega-Backdoor Roth for the Self-Employed

Compare the 2026 Solo 401(k) and SEP-IRA limits side by side — when each plan wins, how the SECURE 2.0 super catch-up adds $11,250 for ages 60–63, the mega-backdoor Roth strategy for after-tax conversions, the 20% versus 25% Schedule C calculation, and the Form 5500-EZ filing required once plan assets cross $250,000.

Mike Thrift

solo-401ksep-iraretirement-planning

June 1, 202611 min read

Tow Truck and Vehicle Recovery Service Bookkeeping: A Practical Guide for Independent Operators

How independent tow operators should segment revenue across cash calls, motor clubs, police rotation, and heavy recovery — plus accruing impound storage daily, handling mechanic's lien sales, applying Section 179 to wreckers, and reserving for on-hook claims.

Mike Thrift

bookkeepingsmall-businesstrucking

May 31, 202612 min read

Garden Center and Plant Nursery Bookkeeping: Live-Plant Inventory, Section 263A, and Seasonal Cash Flow

How retail garden centers and wholesale nurseries should value live-plant inventory, set mortality reserves by category, decide whether to elect out of Section 263A under the two-year preproductive rule, treat greenhouse heat and labor as direct COGS, and forecast cash through a spring-heavy revenue cycle.

Mike Thrift

bookkeepinginventorycost-of-goods-sold

May 31, 202616 min read

Hard Cidery Bookkeeping: TTB Excise Tax, CBMA Credits, WIP Costing, and the Section 263A Orchard Trap

A practical bookkeeping guide for craft cideries — how to qualify for the $0.226 per wine gallon hard cider tax rate on TTB Form 5000.24, apply CBMA credits within the 750,000-gallon ceiling, track apple and pear inputs through WIP, segregate orchard costs under the Section 263A farming exception, and separate tasting room, DTC, wholesale, and self-distribution channels.

Mike Thrift

bookkeepingtax-complianceinventory

May 31, 202612 min read

Mobile Locksmith Bookkeeping: Emergency Premiums, Transponder Inventory, and Van Depreciation Without Margin Leaks

A guide to the bookkeeping decisions that move locksmith margins — separating emergency from standard revenue, per-SKU transponder inventory, Section 179 van elections, ALOA licensing tracking, and dispatch-software-to-GL reconciliation.

Mike Thrift

bookkeepingsmall-businesstrades

May 31, 202613 min read

Mortgage Broker and Loan Originator Bookkeeping: LO Comp, RESPA, EPO Clawbacks, and HMDA Reporting

A working playbook for independent mortgage brokerages: separating lender-paid and borrower-paid compensation under the LO Comp Rule, accruing EPO/EPD clawback reserves, classifying RESPA Section 8 payments, deferring lock and application fees, and staging loan-level data for HMDA LAR filing.

Mike Thrift

bookkeepingcompliancereal-estate

May 31, 202612 min read

Pest Control Bookkeeping: ASC 606, Termite Bond Reserves, and Per-Stop Profit

How route-based pest control and termite operators should apply ASC 606 to quarterly contracts and bond renewals, accrue retreatment reserves under ASC 460, reconcile chemical inventory to state Department of Agriculture records, and build per-stop costing in PestPac or FieldRoutes.

Mike Thrift

bookkeepingrevenue-recognitionaccrual-accounting

May 30, 202614 min read

Pool Service Company Bookkeeping: Chemical COGS, Truck Depreciation, Licensing, and Seasonal Cash Flow

How residential and commercial pool service operators set up books that reveal true per-stop margin — separating recurring weekly routes from project work, tracking chemicals as variable COGS, allocating truck and Section 179 depreciation to routes, amortizing pesticide applicator licenses, and managing seasonal deferred revenue.

Mike Thrift

bookkeepingsmall-businessseasonal-business

May 29, 202616 min read

Scratch Bakery Bookkeeping: Recipe Cards, Shrink, Wholesale Margins, and Custom Cake Deposits

A bookkeeping guide for scratch bakeries covering standard recipe cards, ingredient yield, day-old shrink, retail vs. wholesale margin separation, ASC 606 deposit accounting for custom cakes, cottage food law revenue caps, and sales tax on prepared food.

Mike Thrift

bookkeepingsmall-businessrestaurant

May 28, 202613 min read

Mobile Mechanic Bookkeeping: Premium Billing, Section 179, Markup Matrix, and Warranty Reserves

A working playbook for mobile mechanic bookkeeping — tiered labor rates, a parts markup matrix targeting 58% gross margin, actual-expense vs 72.5-cent standard mileage, Section 179 on scan tools and upfitted cargo vans, comeback warranty reserves, and quarterly Schedule C obligations.

Mike Thrift

bookkeepingsmall-businesstrades

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