If you're like many individuals and small business owners, you put off doing your taxes until the last possible moment. While the tax deadline for 2016 has passed, there are a few steps you can take to make it much easier on yourself next year. Linda M. Shiraiwa CPA, PS, a tax help and accounting services provider based in Gig Harbor, WA, has some tips for staying a step ahead to make 2017’s taxes a bit smoother.

To avoid last-minute panics and lost paperwork, she recommends:

• Filing Your Receipts: Hanging on to all of your receipts can seem overwhelming, but it will save you quite a bit of money in deductions. Develop a system to keep everything organized, and remember to stick with it. It's easy to get a little careless and find yourself digging through a disorganized mess next year.
• Designating A Space For Documents: As your 1099s, W-2s, and other statements come in, keep them organized in one place and save all electronic copies to a specified folder on your computer. This can save an enormous amount of time and energy the next time tax season rolls around.
• Keeping Digital Copies: When filing your taxes, you'll almost always need a copy of last year's returns. Most tax help providers will give you PDFs, which make finding and consulting them next year even easier.
• Hiring A Professional: Having a CPA lined up before tax season will help you avoid making rushed decisions and trying to find an accountant during the busiest season of the year. A tax help professional like Linda M. Shiraiwa will help you develop a year-round tax plan that will save you money and minimize your liability.

Visit Linda M. Shiraiwa CPA, PS online to see her full list of accounting and tax preparation services, or call (253) 858-6030 to get expert tax help fast.