You can prepare your business tax return yourself. However, professional business tax preparation is the superior solution under certain circumstances. For instance, your books might be sloppier than they should be. Sometimes, this is because you aren't well-versed in bookkeeping. Other times, this is because you've been distracted by your other responsibilities as a small business owner. Whatever the cause, professional business tax preparation is the surest way to ensure your tax filing goes smoothly despite sloppy bookkeeping.

How Can Bad Bookkeeping Impact Your Business Tax Return?

Sloppy bookkeeping is a huge problem for businesses. It means you don't have a clear idea of what is happening with your operations. As a result, you'll struggle to make the right decisions because you lack the accurate and timely information needed to do so. Even worse, everyone interested in your operations will encounter the same problem. Something that can cause a whole host of complications.

If you file a business tax return based on sloppy bookkeeping, you'll have a higher chance of paying too much or too little in taxes. Errors from one financial document can carry over to another. As a result, there's a real risk of you being hit with fees and other penalties. Indeed, CNBC states that the IRS is likelier to flag tax returns containing suspicious numbers for audits. One example would be rounded numbers that look like rough estimates, while another example would be numbers that don't match up when using one another as context. You can defend yourself during an audit by citing thorough documentation. Unfortunately, if you're in this mess because of sloppy bookkeeping, you might struggle to prove your numbers using receipts and records.

How Can Professional Business Tax Return Preparation Help Out With Bad Bookkeeping?

The people who provide business tax return services can check your books to ensure the numbers are correct. They've been trained to detect discrepancies, trace them to the sources, and make any necessary corrections before putting together the final set of financial documents. You'll have to pay for the extra hours. Still, it's often worth it when the alternative is you looking through months of receipts and records yourself while running the risk of making expensive and time-consuming mistakes.

Be warned that problems can happen even with professional business tax preparation. However, Investopedia points out that your tax preparers can help if anything goes wrong. First, professionals can make any changes requested by the IRS. Second, professionals can negotiate with the IRS over any fees and penalties. Third, professionals can reimburse you for any mistakes they make. These things are contingent on you choosing reliable and reputable tax preparers.

Further Considerations

Your business tax return is a serious matter. Due to this, you need to evaluate your tax filing options carefully. Fortunately, you should have no problem finding reviews and checking credentials, which can guide you well when choosing a tax preparer for your business. 

For more info about business tax preparation, contact a local professional.