About the author

A step-by-step guide to writing a paper check, written after my 14-year-old asked what a checkbook was. Plus who still uses checks, and why you probably will too.

Most people think you need hundreds of thousands in cash to buy a business. I bought Shoeboxed for 5% down using an SBA loan. Here's exactly how the deal worked—the seller financing, the standby note trick, and why the personal guarantee should terrify you. This is the real case study with a full breakdown of how I used an SBA loan to buy Shoeboxed.

The 2026 IRS standard mileage rate is 72.5 cents per business mile. See the 2024–2026 rates, who can use them, and how to turn your miles into a deduction.

What the IRS actually requires for business receipts, the $75 rule that lets you skip the paper, and how long to keep everything else.

Download a free tax organizer template for Excel or Google Sheets. A printable prep checklist, an expense tab that maps every cost to its Schedule C line, plus home office and mileage logs. No email needed.

Download a free bi-weekly budget template for Excel or Google Sheets. Each paycheck gets its own column, every bill gets assigned to a check, and a side-gig tab tracks 1099 income. No email needed.