Steven M. Ellard, CPA

Steven M. Ellard, CPA Steven M. Ellard, CPA is a one stop back office provider of tax preparation, accounting, bookkeeping, Our goal is to make life easier for you and your company.

We are a local business that offers a variety of financial services that are affordable. Let us help your business become more profitable. We have an experienced team of CPAs and professional staff that will handle your year round back office paperwork allowing you to concentrate on what you do best-managing your business.

Hey Cape Cod neighbors. With the busy season ramping up, this is the time to look at your books before the tourism rush ...
06/09/2026

Hey Cape Cod neighbors. With the busy season ramping up, this is the time to look at your books before the tourism rush takes all your attention until October.

Three things we want every Cape business to check this month:

✔️ Are your Q1 books actually reconciled? Not "mostly done," actually closed. If you can't pull a clean P&L for January through April, the rest of the year's planning is built on guesses.

✔️ Did your tax bill in April surprise you? That's a planning gap, not a paperwork issue. Now's the time to fix the underlying causes before they show up again next year.

✔️ Quarterly estimate due June 15. Don't get caught by this one. The IRS gives us a weird schedule and most folks forget the June payment until it's late.

Twenty minutes per item. That's the difference between owners who feel in control by Labor Day and owners who are scrambling in March.

Give us a call if you want a fresh set of eyes on it.

Friendly reminder for Cape Cod self-employed folks and small business owners: the Q2 federal estimated tax payment is du...
06/03/2026

Friendly reminder for Cape Cod self-employed folks and small business owners: the Q2 federal estimated tax payment is due June 15.

Not April 15, even though that's the calendar quarter that "feels" right. The IRS gave us this schedule on purpose, probably to make sure we never quite memorize it.

The quick calc:

✔️ Pull your year-to-date profit through May
✔️ Multiply by roughly 25-30% (most folks self-employed land here once you stack federal and Massachusetts state)
✔️ Subtract what you already paid in Q1
✔️ Send whatever's left by June 15

Massachusetts state estimates are due the same day. Don't forget the state side; Mass has its own rules and its own late penalty.

Twenty minutes with your bank statements and you're set for the quarter. If you want help getting the number right, give us a call.

Honoring those who served today. Our office is closed for Memorial Day. We'll be back tomorrow.
05/25/2026

Honoring those who served today.

Our office is closed for Memorial Day. We'll be back tomorrow.

We usually see business owners fall into one of two camps.They either overcomplicate how they pay themselves…or they do ...
05/05/2026

We usually see business owners fall into one of two camps.

They either overcomplicate how they pay themselves…
or they do not think about it at all.

In reality, there are only a few ways to structure it. The key is choosing the one that actually fits your business and tax situation.

And getting that wrong can cost more than people expect.

If you want a clear breakdown of what makes sense and when, this walks through it:
https://www.stevenmellardcpa.com/bookkeeping/how-much-to-pay-yourself/

🧾 Most people think a CPA = tax prep.Filing returns. Looking back. Checking boxes.But the real value is in tax planning....
05/01/2026

🧾 Most people think a CPA = tax prep.

Filing returns. Looking back. Checking boxes.

But the real value is in tax planning.

That’s where you actually change what you owe instead of just reporting it.

And that difference can be bigger than people expect.

If you’ve only experienced tax prep, this is worth a read:
https://www.stevenmellardcpa.com/guides/how-a-cpa-helps-you-take-home-more-profit/

Most people try to figure out their salary by looking at revenue.But that is not where we start.We start with personal e...
04/28/2026

Most people try to figure out their salary by looking at revenue.

But that is not where we start.

We start with personal expenses.

What does it actually cost you to live each month? That number tells you a lot about what your business needs to support.

From there, you build something that is sustainable.

If you have never approached it this way, this will change how you think about it:
https://www.stevenmellardcpa.com/bookkeeping/how-much-to-pay-yourself/

Address

2759 Main Street/PO Box 2241
Brewster, MA
02631

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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