Alto CPA Group, LLC. - Blog #small business supportAlto CPA Group, LLC. - Blog #small business supporthttps://www.altocpagroup.com/blogs/tag/small-business-supportFri, 24 Apr 2026 13:38:49 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[How to Hire Your Children for Your Business (the Right Way)]]>https://www.altocpagroup.com/blogs/post/how-to-hire-your-children-for-your-business-the-right-wayHiring your children can be a powerful tax strategy and can also be a great way to help fund their college education. It is also important to follow all state and IRS regulations carefully. This includes keeping diligent records and following best practices to avoid any issues.]]>

Keep It in the Family: 10 Smart Tips for Hiring Your Children the Right Way

Thinking about bringing your child into the business? Many small business owners do — and it can be a win-win. Your child gets early exposure to real-world work, you get an extra set of hands, and there can even be tax advantages. But, if not done correctly, it can trigger red flags with the IRS and lead to denied deductions or penalties. Here's how to do it the right way.


✅ 10 Essential Tips for Hiring Your Children in Your Business

1. Hire Them for Real Work
They must perform legitimate tasks that help your business. Personal errands don’t count. Think: cleaning the shop, managing social media, or organizing files.

2. Comply with Employment Laws
Treat your child like any employee — get an EIN, have them complete a W-4 and I-9, and follow all onboarding procedures.

3. Follow Child Labor Laws
Age-appropriate tasks and hours are a must. Check federal and state labor laws to stay compliant.

4. Pay Real Wages
Pay by check or direct deposit. College tuition or meals don’t count as “wages.”

5. Make It a Reasonable Wage
Wages should reflect the market rate. Overpaying will raise IRS eyebrows.

6. Separate Household and Business Tasks
Only business-related tasks are deductible. Cleaning the office? ✅. Cleaning your home? ❌.

7. Withhold the Right Taxes
If your business is a sole proprietor or a partnership between parents, your child under 18 is exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes. Otherwise, standard payroll taxes apply.

8. Keep Good Payroll Records
Hours worked, wages paid, taxes withheld — document it all.

9. Deposit Wages to Their Account
Establish a paper trail by using bank deposits, Roth IRAs, or 529 plans.

10. Help Them File a Tax Return
Regardless of age, your child may need to file. It can also lead to refunds and is great practice for financial responsibility.

👨‍👩‍👧 Bonus Tip: Create an employment agreement for your child just like you would for any other employee. It strengthens your documentation and shows the IRS you're serious about doing it right.


At Alto CPA Group, LLC, we help small business owners implement tax-smart strategies — like hiring your children — in full compliance with IRS rules. Contact us if you’d like guidance setting this up correctly, including payroll support, tax filings, and documentation.

Set Up a Call
]]>Mon, 04 Aug 2025 00:00:55 -0500<![CDATA[Business Owners Listen Up: Stop Wasting Time on Manual Bookkeeping!]]>https://www.altocpagroup.com/blogs/post/business-owners-listen-up-stop-wasting-time-on-manual-bookkeepingZoho Books offers a range of automation features designed to streamline business workflows and reduce manual tasks. Here are a few good ones.]]>

Zoho Books offers a wide range of powerful automation features designed to reduce manual bookkeeping tasks and boost efficiency. Here are our favorites:

1. Bank Feeds and Reconciliation

  • Automatic Bank Feeds: Connect your bank accounts and credit cards to Zoho Books to automatically import transactions.

  • Smart Matching: Automatically matches bank transactions with invoices, expenses, or payments.

  • Rules for Categorization: Set up rules to auto-categorize transactions based on criteria (like payee, amount, or description).

2. Recurring Transactions

  • Recurring Invoices: Automatically generate and send invoices on a schedule.

  • Recurring Bills & Expenses: Automate regular supplier payments and recurring expenses.

  • Recurring Journals: Ideal for monthly depreciation, accruals, or other routine entries.

3. Workflow Automation

  • Custom Workflows: Trigger automated actions (emails, field updates, tasks) based on conditions like invoice due dates or payment status.

  • Approval Processes: Set up multi-level approvals for invoices, purchase orders, or expenses.

4. Auto Reminders

  • Payment Reminders: Automatically send reminders to customers for overdue or upcoming payments.

  • Customizable Templates: Personalize reminder messages based on timing and tone.

5. Automatic Tax Calculation

  • Sales Tax Automation: Calculate and apply taxes based on location and tax rules.

  • Integration with Avalara (U.S.): Automates real-time tax rate calculations and compliance.

6. Inventory Automation

  • Auto-Update Inventory: Inventory levels are automatically updated as sales and purchases happen.

  • Reorder Alerts: Automatically notify or create purchase orders when stock reaches a minimum level.

7. Auto-Scheduling Reports

  • Scheduled Reports: Set financial reports to be generated and emailed automatically at specified intervals.

8. Integration-Based Automation

  • Zoho Flow & Third-party Integrations: Automate tasks between Zoho Books and other apps like CRM, payroll, or eCommerce platforms.

  • Zapier Support: Build custom automation workflows without coding.


Automating various aspects of your accounting and bookkeeping processes frees you up to grow your business. It also gives you peace of mind. You should be reducing repetitive tasks, minimizing human error, and ensure timely bookkeeping. At Alto CPA Group, LLC, we have much more up our sleeves so let us know if you need help building efficiencies with Zoho Books.

Get Started Now
]]>Fri, 25 Jul 2025 23:41:24 -0500<![CDATA[Update on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)]]>https://www.altocpagroup.com/blogs/post/update-on-the-paycheck-protection-program-pppSBA has halted accepting applications for the Paycheck Protection Program loans since the $349 billion amount allocated by the CARES Act has been claimed. Update 06/05/2020: More funds are available. Read more and apply for free ...]]>

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has halted accepting applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans since the $349 billion amount allocated by the CARES Act has been claimed.

More funds are likely on the way so get ready before they run-out. Please read our article to assist you in summarizing the key data needed to determine the PPP loan amount you may qualify for.


Continue to stay focused on the things that matter. Be safe and be well.


Update 06/05/2020: More funds are available.  Apply here for free....

Download our file
]]>Fri, 24 Apr 2020 02:26:48 -0500