Owning your own business as a sole proprietor means you have an unparalleled level of freedom to operate it as you see fit while taking advantage of unique growth opportunities. With all that freedom, though, comes an equally significant amount of financial responsibility, particularly when tax season rolls around. With a basic understanding of critical tax forms, deductions, and codes, you can make tax time less stressful and more rewarding across the board.

You've got the skills, the drive, and a fantastic product or service to offer the public, but running a successful small business takes more than just passion. To turn your dream into a long-term reality, you need to manage cash flow—the unsung hero of business finances.

You're the expert at what you do for a living, but business expenses and tax codes can feel like a labyrinth of twists and turns that leave even the most seasoned entrepreneur feeling a bit lost. While familiar categories like travel, meals, and lodging may be the first to spring to mind when you think of business expenses, the path to claiming deductions isn't solely paved with those classic staples. The ever-shifting complexities of tax codes and regulations require businesses to get granular with what qualifies and what doesn't.