5 Bookkeeping Mistakes Freelancers Make
Picture this: it is April 28th, your tax return is due in two days, and you are staring at a bank statement trying to remember what a $212 charge from "SQ *SOMETHING"…
Read more →The JCO blog
Plain-language guides
Ten in-depth explainers on bookkeeping and tax for Canada and the Philippines — written the way I’d explain them to a client across the desk.
GST/HST Registration: When Do You Need It?
Imagine you are a freelance designer in Toronto. Business is good — $8,000 a month in client work. Then one month you land a big project, and suddenly your rolling…
Read more →VAT vs Percentage Tax in the Philippines
Meet a hypothetical online seller in Quezon City — let us call her a thriving small business owner shipping handmade goods nationwide. Her sales just crossed ₱3.2…
Read more →The 25% Rule: How to Never Fear Tax Season Again
Picture this: a freelancer in Vancouver just finished a $10,000 project. The money lands, the dopamine hits, and — feeling flush — they book a vacation, upgrade their…
Read more →Sole Proprietor vs Corporation in Canada: The Real Math
Every Canadian freelancer eventually hears it from someone at a barbecue: "You should incorporate, bro. Huge tax savings." Maybe. Or maybe incorporating would cost you…
Read more →BIR Registration for Filipino Freelancers: A Step-by-Step Guide
You just landed your first foreign client. Dollars are coming in through Wise or PayPal, and life is good — until someone asks, "Registered ka na ba sa BIR?" and your…
Read more →Invoicing Like a Pro: Get Paid Faster Without Being Awkward
You delivered the work three weeks ago. The client said "looks great!" — and then vanished into the void. You refresh your bank app. Nothing. You draft a follow-up…
Read more →Cash Flow vs Profit: Why Your Business Can Be Profitable and Still Broke
A bakery owner does the year-end math: $40,000 in profit. A great year! Then she looks at her bank account: $1,200. She stares at the two numbers like they are from…
Read more →Every Tax Deduction in Canada: The Complete Guide for Employees, Freelancers & Business Owners
Picture this: tax season arrives, and a friend asks, "So what did you claim?" You freeze. You know someone gets to deduct something — home offices, RRSPs, car expenses…
Read more →Sneak Peek: JCO Books — The Accounting Software We Are Building for Our Clients
Confession time: we got tired of watching small business owners wrestle with accounting software that was clearly built for someone else — bloated menus, jargon…
Read more →Quick answers 💡
What does a bookkeeper do?
Records your daily financial transactions — sales, purchases, receipts, invoices — and organizes them into clear reports. It's the foundation every tax return sits on. Start with 5 Bookkeeping Mistakes Freelancers Make.
Is JCO's content really free?
Completely — no paywalls, ever. JCO earns from bookkeeping clients, not learners. That includes our free Canadian book and free Philippine book.
When do I have to register for GST/HST in Canada?
Once taxable supplies exceed $30,000 over four consecutive quarters (or in a single quarter). Read GST/HST Registration: When Do You Need It? for the full breakdown.
What is the BIR 8% tax option in the Philippines?
Self-employed Filipinos earning up to ₱3,000,000 a year can elect a flat 8% income tax on gross sales instead of graduated rates plus percentage tax. See VAT vs Percentage Tax in the Philippines.
How much should a freelancer save for taxes?
The 25–30% rule of thumb works for most. The 25% Rule: How to Never Fear Tax Season Again shows how to make it automatic and painless.
Should I incorporate my freelance business in Canada?
Depends on income, liability, and plans. Sole Proprietor vs Corporation in Canada: The Real Math walks through the numbers — then get professional advice for your situation.
A question about your books?
Ask JCO — the free guide on our home page sorts out deadlines, expenses, sales tax, payroll, and setting up your books, one step at a time.