As a Nebraska business owner, you'll need to comply with Nebraska state tax laws and know they affect your company. Not only do state taxes vary by industry, they also frequently change.

Tax laws cover Nebraska income tax, sales tax and property tax. Because understanding and facilitating tax issues can take up valuable time, business owners often choose to commission a tax law legal professional in Nebraska to take care of the legal side of their business. Choosing to do so yourself frees you to focus your energy on managing your company. It's important to remember the following about Nebraska taxation laws:

1. There are many deductions in taxation law. A complete understanding of Nebraska state tax law could save your business substantial amounts of money.

2. NE tax law works in conjunction with federal tax law, possibly local tax law, and sometimes municipal tax law. Ask your CPA when one overrides the other in your situation.

3. Partnering with a tax attorney can save your business from unnecessary audits.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn about NE tax laws and file your own returns

If you are a very small business with minimum resources but some time to devote to the task, you can file your own taxes. There are many online resources available to help you understand specific state laws.

I recommend: The Nebraska Department of Revenue has online tax forms available for business owners to download. You can also make use of their e-file services. Federation of Tax Administrators can lead you to other state tax documents, should you need them. Also consider software programs like Quicken to help organize your expenses, or TurboTax to file taxes in your state.

Partner with a accountant or CPA to help your business comply with tax law in Nebraska

Some situations demand that you outsource your taxes to a professional. This ensures that your business is following state requirements; in turn, you avoid the inconvenience of penalties and audits. Whether it's part-time or full, basic accounting services or complex, consider hiring a financial expert. You could partner with an accountant who performs general accounting services, or a CPA who can handle complex accounting needs.

I recommend: Boyle, Hess & Elliott, CPAs, PC is a Nebraska-based CPA firm offering financial planning and tax preparation services. Mumm & Associates, PC has offices in Lincoln and Ceresco, Nebraska. These Nebraska tax attorneys offer a variety of tax, accounting and administrative services to small businesses. BKD, LLP is a national CPA firm; you may consider them if you plan on expanding nationally.

Choose from Nebraska tax lawyers to help your business out of a jam

Small business owners may also select a tax attorney to assist with their company's financial services. Attorneys not only ensure that businesses comply with state tax laws, they also provide tax counseling on a wide array of situations.

I recommend: Koley Jessen provides tax planning for businesses, in conjunction with accountants. With a number of offices based in Nebraska, Cline, Williams, Wright, Johnson & Oldfather, LLP offers tax planning for mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, consolidations, and recapitalizations

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you look for a professional to prepare your taxes, steer clear of CPAs or accountants who claim they can get you more deductions than their competitors. They're either lying to you, or willing to violate Nebraska tax laws; neither scenario is good.