^ I feel you, Captain.

Counting flowers on the wall, playing solitaire till dawn with a deck of 51, smoking cigarettes and watching Capt. Kangaroo.

I honestly was expecting you to have some über fancy DB for your business LOL.  Just remember, EVERY lunch is a business lunch if you mention business.  >>;=)

I know I thought about making a database to track everything, but a spreadsheet works just fine for me. Honestly, I've got different tabs for different expenses. I'm well aware of business lunches, business travel, and all that good stuff. I've been self-employed since 1994, so as long as I keep up with it, it's not bad. I download all my transactions from my business accounts, and I can separate those very easily.

At first, the difficult part was just maintaining a separation of personal expenses and business expenses because way way back when I first started my business I would co-mingle my expenses and stuff by using the same accounts. But it's easy as long as you keep things separate that way. Everything on this credit card is a business expense, and everything on this one is a personal expense.

And for something I only have to do once a year, a database really isn't merited. My stuff's not that complicated. The most time-consuming thing is just logging on to all the different sites to download statements and stuff. I have multiple credit cards, multiple bank accounts, both business and personal, investment accounts, etc. It's just time-consuming.

I really should do the same:

" Everything on this credit card is a business expense, and everything on this one is a personal expense."

Having separate accounts/CCs really does help yes, but anytime a meal with friends can be migrated to a deductible business expense, all the better.  >>;=)  Everything you're doing def can be done in Excel no doubt, I'm just really pro-Access where a DB makes since, esp where mult tables that need to talk to each other come into play.  If you need a DB, though, I know a guy 🤣

I'm pretty nerdy, so if I was in your boat, I'd probably enjoy a day on the water and then set up some method of GL account structure, so that all expenses could go in one table and then the GL would hint if it's mileage, meals, utilities, bus materials, etc.

Your not the only one, poor Richard.
BTW. Me too, I track all what is tax relevant with Excel.
Fortunately, nowadays the bank statements can be uploaded directly to tax authority, i.e. less work, less mistakes, less fraud.
Good luck!

Even with the ability to upload end-of-year statements, 1099s, etc. its still a pain in the a$$ to do federal and state income taxes.  Personally, I'm hoping that the federal and state income taxes are replaced with a combined sales tax.  Anybody got some gold-plated Latinum I could borrow?   LOL!!!

I've been in favor of a national sales tax to replace income tax for years. This way you're taxed on what you buy, not on what you earn. Fortunately one of the benefits of moving to Florida from New York is no more state income tax so... Woo hoo!

AND a national sales tax shifts the burden of taxation off the people and onto business where it should be. BUT companies that make billions every year on tax preparation and related software (who have millions to lobby with) will never let it happen.

Amen on both points.  One thing businesses are expert at is avoiding taxes, although for items they purchase for direct resale are already tax-exempt via a resale cert, but if other purchases were taxed (even at a discounted rate), it would help fund the larger united states corporation.
   I've been preaching on fed sales tax for a while.  One main consideration is immigrants who may be here working for cash or don't have docs; they regardlessly need goods & services, so they may as well be paying into things whilst here (whether lawfully here or not).  Same with vacationers visiting, seeing the sites, and eating out at dinner.
   It would pose a burden for those of low income such as work but don't make a lot or trying to survive on SS disability/retirement; perhaps then rebates or an issued tax exemption card scanned at the register for approved items (ie. not TVs and crap).  Tax prep burden would fall to those who collect sales taxes like now.

I like the way you think. Yes, businesses are great at avoiding taxes. But hey, as a business owner myself, I'm all about the tax write-offs. If I need a new laptop to record my videos, I'm going to get one! But some businesses take it too far. Do you really need that SIXTH corporate jet?

And as someone who lives in Florida, I don't mind Northerners coming down here and spending money. Sure, everything's busy for a few months, but I'll take it. These people are the reason why I don't have a state income tax. And I used to be one of them. I vacationed in Florida almost every year when I still lived in NY.

And yes, a "sales tax exempt" card could be something to consider for low- or fixed-income folks. I for one would give military veterans tax exempt status. You served your country for 10 years? You shouldn't have to pay taxes anymore. Ever. Like the crew in Armageddon. LOL.

100% agree with Bryan and Richard.  

I'm also a big proponent of doing away with property taxes.  If you pay taxes on it, you don't own it.  I keep hearing horror stories of people losing their homes because the government keeps raising property taxes until they no longer can afford to pay the tax.  This has especially impacted family farms.  I know that property taxes fund public schools, but I believe that all public schools should be privatized.  

I also believe that property seized using imminent domain should be "valued" at 10x the market value of what its being seized for (not the current value of the land).  Hopefully that would keep governments from taking land and then giving it to a business to make millions on.  

DODGE needs to set up a website to accept ideas from U.S. Citizens!  LOL!!!

No property taxes: I agree. The land itself shouldn't be taxed. We do have to fund municipal services (sewer, water, police, fire, roads, schools, etc.) but that could be paid for by other means.

Privatizing schools: I have to disagree with you there. I'm a product of the public school system. I think we just need better standards. We need to stop giving kids "participation trophies" that look like diplomas and just moving kids thru the system without addressing their needs. Want to send your kids to a private school? Great. Have at it.

This is probably going to ruffle some features, but I think that education is one of those services that should be provided for by the government. Having a well educated populace is key to a healthy society. It's important. You know, kind of like actually having a healthy society. I'm all for publicly funded health care. Other first-world countries can do it. So could we. Want private insurance too? Great. Have at it.

Certain institutions should NOT have a profit motive.... like basic education, health care, police forces, prisons.

I could go on. I hear you about ideas. I could fix everything, but ya'll would have to make me king, because a lot of my ideas aren't very popular... but they'd work. :)

The most important thing to me... the bedrock of all of my opinions... follow the science.

Richard, I agree with you 100%. I am also the product of public-school systems. Just look at the status of higher education in our country. In some universities, every PhD candidate is the product of public education in a foreign country.

I agree with you on the issue of private entities that should not include education, healthcare, police, fire, and prisons.

I am capitalist to the core, but I do believe in a safety net for our citizens and the weakest members of our society.

Capitalism is best when it's regulated. We've seen what unchecked capitalism can do (read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair - yes, I'm aware it was written as socialist propaganda, but it does a good job of exposing the evils of unregulated industry).

Whether we like it or not, we live in a society that has a mix of both capitalism and socialism. We all use public roads. We all can call 911. If our houses are burning, firefighters will come and put it out. We have systems in place to take care of old people, the disabled, and the poor. And most expensive of all, we have a military funded by all of us. And these are all good things.

I love capitalism. I have been a small-business owner myself since I was 22 years old (geez, 30 years already). I believe in the profit motive. But I also believe that giant corporations need to be reigned in sometimes. Workers need to be protected. Monopolies need to be broken up.

Where do we draw the line? Well, that's where we as a society need to make decisions. Do we want a world where 12-year-olds have to work in the coal mine to help put food on the table instead of going to school? Do we want to see big corporations literally work people to death?

I don't. If I have to pay a little more in taxes to make sure that the less fortunate don't have to starve, so be it.

A man after my own heart.

You are correct that where to draw the line is the big question.  

I am with you on military, police, and corrections, although I think there might be room for some experimentation in corrections for low level/first time offenders in the spirit of rehabilitation.

I think most healthcare is provided by private entities in the country today.  In our area, a significant portion of fire and EMT services are private entities, corporations or volunteer, as well.

I also attended public school but I sent my kids to private school.  There is no comparison between the education that I got and the education that my kids got.  The irony is that my kids private school costs less per pupil to operate than the public schools here.  Texas has a private school with an innovative program discussed here.   Indiana also has a public, online school available.

Charitable entities are ideal entities to operate both hospitals and schools.  They have historically provided the safety net as part of their mission.

Since taxes are fungible, I would support states being only allowed one revenue stream (tax).  Income, sales, property, inheritance, etc.  They can take all of the money in one swipe instead of 1000 cuts.  

I agree that there is a line where the collective "we" should fund/support functions that "we" need for the general welfare (i.e. military, law enforcement, corrections, etc.). But I also believe in "we helping people"; not "government helping people."
The ancient Greeks learned (to their demise) that if you allow politicians to give money to people or let citizens vote to give themselves money, that democracy dies!  The U.S. debt of 36T, continuous wars overseas, politicians becoming millionaires/billionaires while in office, kids graduating from HS that are illiterate, college graduates with 6-figure debts and no job prospects, etc. are all symptoms of grave issues "we" need to start fixing ASAP, not next year or the next election.  OK, I'll get off my soap box!  LOL!!!

There has to be discernment and balance with everything, but those "running things" seek one-fits-all solutions.

To what Matt is saying about private school operating $ vs public; gov entities have no incentive to save money (hopefully that changes w/ DOGE) since they can just raise taxes on a whim, but orgs/corps have a limited budget are trying to sell their svcs.  For instance SpaceX's Dragon capsule cost 10% to dev as did the Orion project that NASA worked on.

I retain infrastructure should be owned by the people and be public; it burns me up that the Sam Houston Tollway (2nd loop around Houston) is owned by a Spanish company as I'm sure many toll roads are foreign-owned; huge land-grabs are doing this country in.

Aaarrrgggg!!!  I should know better than write comments/hit like buttons before I have my CII above 5 (Coffee Ingestion Index).  I accidently "liked" my own comment above and got the dreaded "Poo" award!  I promise to do better in the future!  LMFAO!!!

Sam I agree with Warren Buffett: "I could end the deficit in five minutes. You just pass a law that says that any time there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for reelection." They also lose their pensions, healthcare, etc. The problem is they don't have to live like the average American. They can vote for pay raises for themselves. They get nice cushy perks including an amazing government-funded healthcare plan.

Government office should not be a means to get rich. You're there to serve the people, not live off of them.

Bryan I'm a huge fan of SpaceX. I hope they are able to do everything they say they're going to do, including getting us to Mars. The reason they're able to develop for a tenth the price of NASA is that they don't have the limitations that NASA does. They can't push the envelope and don't have as many safety regulations. Hopefully they don't have any mishaps with crewed flights.

And yes, infrastructure should all be owned by the public. Hey cell phone companies: can you hear me now?

Poo Award: I love it. LOL.

Coffee Ingestion Index LOL!!

Congress should have to live under the same systems they design for us to live under, then they would improve them.  As Bowen told Einon in DragonHeart:  "Noone is above the code... especially the king."  Those who are up there to keep things in order; they have forgotten the important code which indicates this land is not led by them, but rather "We the People" where they are but stewards of OUR country's assets.  I love that deficit v. GDP ratio rule... no re-elections, no raises...

I have a lot of mixed feelings about the Mars thing, but if they do it with company funds and we via the gov aren't paying for it, then like other realms of innovation/exploration, go for it!  Private entities should be free to head into new ideas insomuch as it does not pose harm to the public.

I've always felt that NASA should be in charge of exploration, and then once the systems were developed and places explored, that could be handed off to private industry to innovate and expand upon. Let NASA be the first to reach Mars. SpaceX can follow and build stuff. But honestly... I really don't care. As long as we GET OFF OUR ASSES AND DO SOMETHING. We're only one big rock away from visiting the dinosaurs in oblivion. We need to be a multiplanetary species or we can kiss our collective tushies bye bye. It WILL happen again.