ASTA Financials
Back for more, eh? I'm soooo glad to see that my ASTA Travel Agency Financials class got you all fired about about accounting! 🎉🎆🍾We put this page together to provide you with additional resources and templates to help supplement the class.
Did you stumble onto this page by chance? Lucky you! Even if you haven't gotten a chance to take the class, these resources will still be helpful for you!
Independent Contractor/Employee Status Worksheets
Unfortunately, there's no hard-and-fast criteria to differentiate an IC from an employee. However, there are three commonly-used tests to help you determine which classification is most accurate:
- IRS' 20-Factor Test
- IRS' 3-Factor Test
- Federal Labor Law's Economic Realities Test
We combined these three tests into one easy-to-read document (well, as easy as it can be). You can use this resource below to figure out how to categorize your potential IC/employee (or to see if you may be miscategorized yourself)!
Why is accurately classifying independent contractors and employees so darn important? Read this to find out.
Free Estimated Taxes Email Reminders
If you're relatively new to estimated taxes, this article is a great resource for you. If you're not new to paying estimated taxes, you know that their deadlines sneak up on you.
We're here to help with that. Never again forget when those pesky estimated taxes are due! Sign up for our free email reminders to ensure your quarterly taxes are paid on time.
Sign up for HAR's Quarterly Estimated Tax Reminder emails! We send you a note about a week before each quarterly tax date to make sure you don't miss it!
Secure Password Management Software
When you're working with financials, you want to make sure your passwords are secure. Long, unwieldy passwords are the least likely to be hacked, but also impossible to remember! But don't you worry, we've got a solution for you. :)
LastPass and 1Password are two password management options. They securely hold your usernames and passwords while also evaluating your password strength. These programs also offer safe ways to store sensitive data like credit cards info, account info, documents, and more.
Travel Expense Tracking Tools
Did you know that the IRS has really strict rules against writing off cruises as a tax expense? It's true. Are all trips you take deductible if you do some sort of business during it? Find this (and a whole lot more) out by reading our article on travel expenses!
And while you're here, we've got a few more tools for your belt:
Mileage-Tracking Software
Tracking your mileage can save you quite a bit of moola. Of course, that's assuming you remember to keep track of your mileage, which can be such a hassle! (Seriously, who's going to track their car's odometer?!) Thankfully, there are apps for that.
Personally, I really like MileIQ—an app you can install on your phone that automatically tracks your mileage. All you have to do is swipe left to categorize it as business mileage, or swipe right to mark it as a personal trip (basically the Tinder of mile-tracking). Best of all, the first 40 drives a month are free!
Financial Report Templates
For smaller agencies, a great (and free) way to keep track of your finances is a simple Excel sheet!
Setting up an Excel sheet of your financials may seem daunting, so we made it a wee bit easier for you and created some templates! They're plug-and-play with formulas ready to do some of the math for you. ;) All three templates are customizable so you can add/remove things to fit your needs. If everything looks good, just start entering your numbers!
Tip: We already added formulas that pull from specific cells so that you can hit the ground running with these templates. That also means that if you add/remove any rows or columns, you'll want to make sure that the formulas are still pulling everything they need to be!
Accounting Software
Now that you've (hopefully) gotten your fill of downloads, here is a good ol' fashioned list of accounting programs to keep your agency running smoothly.
Check out HAR's travel agency accounting software list with reviews from advisors.
TRAMS-Certified Consultant List
Interested in trying out TRAMS? Perhaps you already have but need a little extra help learning how to use it. Or maybe you want to hire the bookkeeping out and need to find someone familiar with TRAMS.
This list will help you find a consultant in your area (or one that works remotely) who will help you get up and running efficiently in no time! This list is also a great resource for those who want more advanced help (e.g. specific scripts you want written).
Payroll Software
Yes, you can do payroll manually. But if you're not an expert, it can be time-consuming and accident-prone. Here's a few payroll services that will make your monthly payroll a breeze. Simply enter the hours and they'll do the rest for you, including submitting the payroll taxes!
- Gusto (Use our Gusto link and get a $200 Visa gift card when you run your first payroll.)
- Wave
- Quickbooks Payroll
- Deluxe Business Services
- Patriot Software
That's All, Folks!
I'd love to hear your feedback on the class content and resources, so don't be shy! You can contact us via our website, to ensure your inquiries go straight to our inbox!