CPA Caitlyn

We made it to April 15th! This year, I filed 50% more tax returns and surpassed my 2025 annual revenue only 4 months into 2026.

Thank you to my clients for trusting me with your taxes and for all my supporters for helping me grow. Your kind words, referrals, and interactions on socials help more than you know.

I'm still working on and in my business year-round. If you need help with bookkeeping, financial coaching, or late tax filings, send me a message!

Tax Day is only three weeks away! If you've been putting off getting your taxes done, now is the time. I have room for TEN more clients on my books this season!

Feel free to reach out on here or via my website for pricing. I'm happy to help take this burden off your shoulders before April 15th.

Happy International Women's Day!

To the women out there chasing their dreams with a baby on their hip, balancing their family and career, showing up with broken sleep, depleted energy, and too much on their to-do lists. I see you. I am you.

And to those who lives look a little different than mine but are still fighting. Fighting for themselves in whatever way they need. Fighting for others who are less fortunate. I see you too.

And for all the women who fought before us; thank you.

Let's talk pricing as a small-business owner.

It's HARD to price your services. It's hard to identify the value of your time, your expertise, your partnership. You see all of your mistakes, all of your shortcomings. You are your own biggest critic, so you have a hard time seeing why anyone would pay you to do anything.

And by "you", I mean me. I struggle with this SO much. I rework my pricing structure over and over again, knowing I need to increase my prices, but talk myself out of it. I end up working more than what is promised in my scope. Or discounting my fees over and over again.

As a mission-focused business, I struggle especially because I am focused on providing my clients with financial clarity and stability, specifically those who haven't had access to this in the past. Charging them for that feels counterintuitive.

All of this to say, if you struggle with pricing, I'm right here with you. Even as an accountant who loves KPIs and spreadsheets and all of the data, it doesn't change the feelings I have when I send someone a proposal with a price higher than they expected. Or when I see the look in someone's eyes when I give them a quote. Building confidence is the first step to handling this.

My challenge to myself (and any other business-owner ready to to make a change) is this:
- Review my pricing based strictly on data; not emotions or guilt.
- Build margins that allow me to serve missional clients sustainably.
- Raise at least one price per month until the data is aligned.

Remember that sustainable pricing allows you to serve your clients longer and better. This isn't about charging more to charge more. It's about building something that lasts. Something healthy. Something that doesn't require constant self-sacrifice to survive.

Here's to building something that is both generous AND profitable.

For generations, women were left out of financial conversations.

We were told:
• “Your husband handles that.”
• “Don’t worry about the numbers.”
• “It’s complicated.”

It’s not complicated.
It’s just been gatekept.

This Valentine’s Day, my wish isn’t just flowers and chocolate.

It’s that more women:
- Understand their business finances
- Know their tax strategy
- Feel confident reading a P&L
- Never feel “behind” in money conversations

Because love isn’t dependency.
It’s partnership.
And partnership requires clarity.

If you’re a woman in business who wants to feel powerful, not panicked, about your finances, I’d love to support you.

When filing taxes, many families leave money on the table. Not because they’re careless, but because some of the most valuable family-related tax benefits are easy to misunderstand or overlook. Busy schedules, changing family dynamics, and outdated assumptions often lead to missed opportunities.

Below are three of the most commonly missed tax credits and benefits for families, and why they matter.

1. Child and Dependent Care Credit
This is one of the most frequently missed (or misapplied) credits for families with children. If you pay for care so you can work or look for work, you may qualify. Eligible expenses often include:
- Daycare or preschool
- Before- and after-school care
- Summer day camps (not overnight camps)
- In-home care, babysitters, or nannies (paid on the books)

Many families assume they don’t qualify because:
- Their child is already in school
- They use a Dependent Care FSA
- A family member provides some of the care
In reality, you can often use both a Dependent Care FSA and the credit, just not on the same dollars. This credit can provide meaningful tax savings, especially for families with high childcare costs.

2. Education Credits
Education-related tax benefits are another area where families commonly miss out. Depending on the situation, you may qualify for:
- The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) for undergraduate education expenses
- The Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC) for college, graduate school, or continuing education

Common mistakes include:
- Claiming the wrong credit
- Missing Form 1098-T
- Not realizing who is eligible to claim the credit (parent vs. student)

Education credits can reduce your tax bill dollar-for-dollar, making them especially valuable for families with students in college or training programs.

3. Head of Household Filing Status
While not a deduction or credit, Head of Household filing status is one of the most overlooked tax benefits for families. You may qualify if you:
- Are unmarried or considered unmarried for tax purposes
- Paid more than half the cost of maintaining your home
- Had a qualifying child live with you for more than half the year

Filing as Head of Household can result in:
- A higher standard deduction
- Lower tax brackets compared to filing Single
- Single parents often default to filing as Single without realizing they may qualify for this more favorable status.

Family-related tax benefits can add up quickly, but only if they’re claimed correctly. The Dependent Care Credit, education credits, and Head of Household status are three of the most commonly missed opportunities that can significantly reduce a family’s tax bill.

Reviewing eligibility each year and planning ahead can help ensure you’re not leaving money behind. When family or income situations change, a proactive tax review can make all the difference.

I'm excited to share a recent article published by South Offices about my journey building a women-focused accounting firm in Michigan.

We talk about how I started my firm, why I chose to specialize in women-owned businesses, and what sustainable growth looks like for small accounting firms.

Read the full article here: https://southoffices.com/how-a-cpa-built-a-women-focused-accounting-firm-in-michigan/

Thank you to South Offices and Mariano Alvarez Bor for featuring my story. 💜

How a CPA Built a Women‑Focused Accounting Firm in Michigan - South Offices Caitlyn Meyers is a CPA and the founder of a small accounting firm in Michigan that specializes in serving women‑owned and service‑based businesses. Alongside

Social media tax tips often leave out the most important part: context.

I've had many people come to me asking about this "tax loophole" they saw online. And I hate to break it to them, but it rarely applies to their situation. That doesn't mean the advice is flat out wrong, it just means that TikTok doesn't know your business and your numbers. Tax planning is not one size fits all.

For example, an S-Corp is a great tool to help save on self-employment taxes IF your profit is high enough to cover a reasonable salary, unemployment taxes, and the added compliance costs of running payroll, filing payroll tax returns, and filing a separate tax return for the business. I use a nifty calculator to analyze when is the best time to transition for my clients while weighing the pros and cons of an S-election. It's not the right time for everyone.

The goal isn't to chase every possible tax strategy. The goal is to choose the right strategy for your business at the right time. And to pivot when necessary.

Are you feeling overwhelmed now that it's tax time and your stack of receipts looks a whole lot bigger than you remember? That's why I suggest tracking your income and expenses every month. Not only does it make tax time a breeze, but it gives you the insight each month into how your business is doing so you can make better, real-time financial decisions.

Tax season has a way of sneaking up on people. One minute it’s the holidays, the next you’re scrambling for W-2s and trying to remember whether you already paid that quarterly estimate. A little preparation ahead of time can save you money, stress, and last-minute panic. Here are the three most important things to do before tax season officially begins.

1. Get Organized (Before the Paper Pile Grows)

The biggest source of tax-season stress is disorganization. Before January turns into February, take time to gather and organize your records.

For individuals, this means:

- W-2s, 1099s, and other income statements

- Documentation for major life changes (marriage, divorce, new dependents)

- Records of student loan interest, childcare expenses, charitable contributions, and any other potential deductions

For business owners, add:

- Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet reports

- Payroll reports and contractor 1099 information

- Receipts for major purchases and expenses

Pro tip: Create one digital folder (by year) and drop everything there as it comes in. Even better, use bookkeeping software or a receipt app so nothing gets lost.

2. Review Last Year’s Return (It’s a Roadmap)

Last year’s tax return is one of the most underused planning tools. Reviewing it before tax season helps you:

- Identify deductions or credits you may qualify for again

- Spot items that caused issues or delays

- Plan for expected tax liability or refunds

If you owed last year, now is the time to ask why. Was it under-withholding? Missed estimated payments? Higher income than expected? Understanding this early gives you time to adjust before penalties and interest come into play.

For business owners, this is also a great moment to check:

- Entity type (Is your current structure still serving you?)

- Depreciation elections made last year

- Carryforwards like NOLs or credits

3. Plan Ahead Instead of Reacting
Tax planning doesn’t start when your return is due. It starts before the year ends (and continues into early tax season).

Before tax season officially kicks off, consider:

- Making retirement contributions (IRA, SEP, Solo 401(k))

- Catching up on HSA contributions

- Reviewing withholding or estimated tax payments

- Timing income or expenses if you have flexibility

Even small adjustments can make a meaningful difference. Waiting until March or April often limits your options, turning tax season into damage control instead of strategy.

Tax season doesn’t have to be overwhelming. A little organization, a quick review of the past, and proactive planning can turn it into a much smoother, and often more profitable, process.

If you’re not sure where to start or want help building a tax strategy that actually fits your life or business, reaching out early is the key. Your future self (and your bank account) will thank you.

Here are five deductions I commonly see missed during tax return reviews. Some apply to individuals, others to business owners, and several require specific record-keeping to claim correctly.

If you're unsure what applies to your situation, tax planning can make a meaningful difference.