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One of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face when starting a small business is paying taxes. When you run your own business — as opposed to working for an employer — you’ll be responsible for calculating and paying your own taxes. While there’s no way to avoid taxes, there are ways to lower the financial burden of Uncle Sam.

#1) Incorporate Your Small Business

There are several different ways you can structure your small business, including the use of a sole proprietorship, limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation. Of those options, a corporation typically offers the greatest tax-savings benefits.

#2) Start a 401(k) Retirement Plan

Another way to save money on small business taxes is to start a 401(k) retirement plan. When running your own business, you won’t receive the same “match” that you would with a retirement plan offered by an employer. Nonetheless, you can still start an individual 401(k) retirement plan to lower your overall tax burden.

#3) Claim the Home Office Deduction

If you regularly work from home, don’t forget to claim the home office tax deduction when filing your taxes. You can learn more about the home office deduction by visiting the IRS’s website. Basically, though, you use either the simplified or regular method, the former of which is easiest. With the simplified method, you’ll receive a deduction of $5 per square foot of business space in your home, with a maximum deduction of 300 square feet.

#4) Purchase Goods and Services With a Credit or Debit Card

What’s wrong with using cash to purchase goods and services for your small business? Well, if you pay with cash, you won’t have a digital trail of your expenses. Instead, you’ll have to keep track of paper receipts, which are bound to get lost at some point or another.

#5) Consider Tossing Old Equipment

When a piece of equipment has reached the end of its usable life, consider tossing it in the trash instead of selling it. If you sell old equipment, you’ll incur a capital loss. If you toss it, on the other hand, you’ll incur an ordinary loss, which you can deduct from your taxes.

#6) Use Quickbooks for Accounting

The right accounting software can help you save money on your taxes. By using Quickbooks, you’ll have the tools and resources needed to maximize your tax deductions. Available in both cloud-based and on-premise versions, Quickbooks is the leading accounting software used by small businesses.

Have any other tax tips that you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments section below!