Tax Guides

Trade contractorsJul 4, 202615 min

Contractor Equipment Depreciation: Expensing vs. Depreciating That New Machine in 2026

For 2026, most contractor equipment purchases can be written off in full the year the machinery goes to work. The choice between expensing and depreciating still matters, because the wrong...

Trade contractorsJul 4, 202612 min

Cash vs Accrual Accounting for Contractors: Which Method Makes Sense for Your First Profitable Year?

Cash vs accrual accounting for contractors comes down to one question: when does a dollar count? Congress drew a bright line that answers it for almost every trade contractor reading...

Trade contractorsJul 4, 20268 min

Are Surety Bonds Tax Deductible? What Contractors Can Write Off in 2026

Are surety bonds tax deductible? Yes. The premium you pay for a license bond, bid bond, performance bond, or payment bond is a deductible business expense under IRC §162(a) and...

Trade contractorsJul 4, 202612 min

1099 vs W-2 for Contractors: Should Your Next Crew Member Be an Employee or a Sub?

You're at the point where the next job needs another pair of hands, and the question is 1099 vs W-2 for contractors — do you bring on a W-2 employee...

Contractor write-offsJul 1, 202611 min

Tax Write Offs for Self-Employed Contractors: Your 2026 Deduction Checklist

If you're a 1099 trade contractor — HVAC, plumbing, roofing, concrete, landscaping, drywall — the tax write offs for self-employed contractors are what separate a profitable year from handing a...

Contractor write-offsJul 1, 202612 min

Tax Write Off for Work Clothes and Boots: What Contractors Can Actually Deduct

The tax write off for work clothes and boots comes down to one question: would you wear that item to the grocery store? If the answer is yes, the IRS...

Contractor write-offsJul 1, 202612 min

Tax Write Off for Tools and Equipment: Should You Expense or Depreciate That Purchase?

When you buy a new rotary hammer, a set of scaffolding, or a used skid steer for your contracting business, the tax write off for tools and equipment comes down...

Contractor write-offsJul 1, 202610 min

Meal Tax Write Off for Contractors: Can You Deduct Jobsite Lunches and Client Meetings?

When you are running a trade business, the question of whether a meal tax write off for contractors covers the pizza you bought for your crew or the steakhouse dinner...

Contractor write-offsJul 1, 20269 min

LLC Tax Write Off for Contractors in 2026: Do You Actually Need One?

You're a trade contractor — HVAC, concrete, landscaping, plumbing, drywall — and you've been filing Schedule C as a sole proprietor. Somebody told you that you need an LLC to...

Contractor write-offsJul 1, 202613 min

Home Office Tax Write Off for Contractors: Your Phone, Internet & Workspace in 2026

The home office tax write off for contractors is one of the most overlooked deductions on your Schedule C. You're already writing off your truck and mileage, your tools and...

Contractor write-offsJul 1, 202611 min

Advertising Tax Write Off for Contractors: Can You Deduct Truck Wraps, Online Ads, and Local Marketing?

If you're an HVAC or roofing contractor spending money on Google Ads, truck wraps, yard signs, or Facebook campaigns, the short answer is yes — all of it is deductible...