C&M Bookkeeping Services LLC

10/05/2026

Paying contractors this year? Watch out for these 1099 mistakes 👇

❌ Still using the old $600 rule. For 2026 payments, the threshold is now $2,000.
❌ Waiting until January to collect W-9s.
❌ Thinking you can get an extension. 1099-NECs are due Feb 1, 2027.
❌ Mailing paper forms when you're filing 10+ and need to e-file.

IRS penalties are charged per form, and they grow the later you file. October is the easy time to get organized.

📞 (346) 279-0341 | 💻 cmbookkeepingservices.com

#1099

10/02/2026

Something new 📬

"The Bookkeeping Brief" is a free weekly LinkedIn newsletter for small business owners who want their finances explained in plain English.

Issues include:
✅ One money concept, minus the jargon
✅ Upcoming deadlines, sent early
✅ One quick thing to do in your books
✅ A real local business owner's story

Issue #6 comes out at 9 a.m. today! Sign up: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7495907565889839105

📞 (346) 279-0341 | 💻 cmbookkeepingservices.com

09/28/2026

Q4 starts this week, which means January is closer than it feels. 📅

Coming up fast:
📌 Jan 15 — final 2026 estimated tax payment
📌 Jan 20 — Texas sales tax (quarterly & annual filers)
📌 Feb 1 — W-2s and 1099s due

Do this in October:
✅ Get your books caught up through September
✅ Collect W-9s from your contractors now
✅ Run a year-to-date P&L so your January tax payment isn't a surprise

October prep is boring, but if you wait until January, the panic costs more.

📞 (346) 279-0341 | 💻 cmbookkeepingservices.com

09/25/2026

Running a service business requires physical energy and mental focus every day. Business owners give advice on how they maintain focus:

"For me, it’s having a clear plan and taking things one priority at a time. When I try to handle everything at once, that’s usually when my energy starts disappearing."

"I have learned that energy is not just about time management. It is also about what fuel you are giving your body."

"I find that I'm at my best when I have several projects in front of me that are at different stages of the design process."

"Sometimes I'll have the focus (usually induced by a hard deadline) to see a project through over the course of several days, but usually I'll schedule myself to do two or three different projects in a day where each is in a different phase, so I don't exhaust myself either with one job, or one phase."

"For me, consistency comes down to having good systems in place before things get busy. When projects start piling up, staying organized, communicating clearly, and knowing where the numbers stand makes a big difference. You can’t always control how demanding the work gets, but you can control how prepared you are for it."

What helps you maintain consistency when projects get demanding? Tell me in the comments. 👇

09/21/2026

Missed the September 15 estimated tax deadline? Don't panic 👇

The IRS underpayment penalty works like interest — it builds from the due date until you pay. So the cost depends on how long you wait, not on the fact that you were late.

What to do:
✅ Pay what you can now, even partially
✅ Figure out why it slipped (usually it's not knowing what you owe)
✅ Set aside Q4 now — the final 2026 payment is due January 15, 2027

Been guessing at your tax numbers all year? Let's fix that before April shows up.

📞 (346) 279-0341 | 💻 cmbookkeepingservices.com

09/18/2026

Do you know the different types of bookkeeping?

1. Single-entry bookkeeping is the simplest and most straightforward method of bookkeeping. It involves recording transactions in a single column, where each transaction is entered once, either as revenue or an expense. This method is suitable for small businesses with a limited number of transactions, as it does not require any specialized accounting skills or software.

2. Double-entry bookkeeping is the most widely used method of bookkeeping. It involves recording every transaction twice, once as a debit and once as a credit. This method ensures that every transaction has an equal and opposite effect on the financial statements and provides a complete picture of the business's financial health.

3. Computerized bookkeeping involves using accounting software to record and organize financial transactions. It's the most efficient and accurate method of bookkeeping, as it eliminates the risk of human error and provides real-time access to financial information.

Which one should you choose? It depends on several factors, including the size of your business, the number of transactions, and your accounting skills.

For small businesses, single-entry bookkeeping may be suitable. However, for larger businesses with more complex financial transactions, double-entry bookkeeping or computerized bookkeeping may be more appropriate.

When talking to potential clients, they often say they dislike the accounting software because it takes long to learn and understand — time that could be best spent out getting new customers.

You deserve clean books, useful reports, and financial guidance that helps your business grow with confidence. Check out my website at https://cmbookkeepingservices.com and book a free one-hour strategy session to go over your current set-up. No obligation!

Monthly bookkeeping, catch-up work, and payroll for small businesses in Sugar Land, Missouri City, and the Houston area. Book a free 30-minute consult.

09/14/2026

3 QuickBooks mistakes I see almost every week (and the easy fix for each) 👇

1️⃣ Everything lands in "Uncategorized Expense" — fix: 10 minutes every Friday to sort the week's transactions
2️⃣ Business and personal expenses on one card — fix: Get a dedicated business card, even a simple debit card
3️⃣ "I'll reconcile at tax time" — fix: Do it monthly, even just 15 minutes

None of these are complicated — they're just easy to put off. Sound familiar?

📞 (346) 279-0341 | 💻 cmbookkeepingservices.com

09/07/2026

It's the second week of September — have you closed out August? If not, here's the checklist I run through with every client before closing out the month:

✅ Reconcile every bank and credit card account
✅ Clear out any "uncategorized" transactions sitting in limbo
✅ Review outstanding invoices — anything 30+ days overdue gets a follow-up
✅ Scan for duplicate or missing transactions
✅ Compare this month's P&L to last month's — flag anything that moved more than you expected
✅ Set aside your estimated tax savings if you're self-employed or an S-corp owner

Takes about 20-30 minutes if you do it monthly. Takes a full weekend if you let three months pile up first. I know which one I'd recommend.

Which one of these tends to slip for you? Tell me in the comments: it's usually the same one or two for most business owners.

📩 Message me or visit cmbookkeepingservices.com

09/04/2026

Alright everyone it's "Jargon-Free Friday." Today's word is "reconciliation." What does "reconciliation" actually mean? 🤔

It's simple — it's matching what your books say against what your bank statement says, line by line, until they agree. That's it.

Why it matters: Books can look neat and organized and still be wrong underneath. Reconciliation catches the duplicate entries, missed transactions, and bank fees before they become bigger problems.

If your accounts haven't been reconciled in a while, that's the first thing I check in a free books evaluation.

📞 (346) 279-0341 | 💻 cmbookkeepingservices.com