The Brief — Big Beach Books · CPA & Accounting | Gulf Shores, AL

The Big Beach Books Brief

A good story.
One useful lesson.

Twice a month, a real story from the Gulf Coast that lands on one tax or bookkeeping lesson you can actually use — written by a licensed CPA, not a content mill. No fluff. Just useful.

📬 New issue 1st & 15th

📍 Gulf Coast & Alabama Focus

📖 Story-Driven, Never Jargon

✅ Written by a Licensed CPA

What's Inside Every Issue

Most CPA newsletters read like
a deadline. Ours reads like a story.

Every Brief follows the same three beats — so it's quick to read, easy to remember, and worth opening.

01

From the Beach

A real story — a book chapter, a client moment, a Gulf Shores observation. The kind of thing you'd actually read on a Tuesday morning.

02

The Lesson

The one tax or bookkeeping idea the story illustrates — explained in plain English, the way you'd want your accountant to say it.

03

Do This Now

One concrete step you can take this week to keep more of what you earn and sleep better at tax time. That's it. One idea, one action.

Latest Issue

Fresh off the press.

Hoover Dam at golden hour, the American flag draped down its concrete face

Latest Issue

Published July 15, 2026

When the Going Gets Tough — The Tough Go on Vacation?

Facing the hardest problem of his career, GE's Gene Eby did the unthinkable — he closed his division and sent everyone on vacation. What walked back through the door is a lesson for every owner grinding through busy season.

Read the Latest Issue →

The Archive

Past issues of
The Brief.

I've Changed My Position 180 Degrees

A 1995 email between Andy Grove and Steve Jobs — and the reply that turned a transaction back into a friendship. The best business is built on what money can't buy.

A man loses his Alaskan lodge to fire — then to arsonists — and rebuilds anyway. The loss isn't the story. The response is. For every owner in a rebuilding season.

May 2026 Tax & Bookkeeping Tips

If April felt rushed, May is the window to reset — your next estimated payment, a tax-strategy check, your entity structure, and getting your books clean.

Stay Compliant. Stay Ahead. Finish Strong.

April 15 is here — key deadlines, the OBBBA changes that could grow your refund, Q1 estimates, S-Corp compliance, and how to reset your books for the year.

March Accounting & Tax Reminders

The March 15 S-Corp election deadline, Alabama Business Privilege Tax, employer retirement-plan funding, and a quarter-end bookkeeping review before April.

February Tax & Bookkeeping Update

Tax season is underway. Key dates, the now-permanent QBI deduction and Section 179, the filing mistakes that cause delays, and bookkeeping best practices.

Start the Year Off Right

Q4 estimates, the 1099 and W-2 deadlines, year-end bookkeeping cleanup, retirement-contribution planning, and the S-Corp election clock for 2026.

Your December Checklist: Close Out 2025 Strong

Q4 estimated taxes, last-minute 2025 moves, the $40K SALT window, and a local alert on Orange Beach & Gulf Shores lodging-tax filing changes.

The New SALT Rules Under OBBBA

The SALT cap jumped from $10K to $40K. Who actually benefits in Alabama, the income phase-out, and the year-end move that can save thousands.

No Federal Tax on Overtime Pay

The complete 2025 overtime rules — what counts as premium pay, who qualifies, and exactly where the deduction goes on your return.

No Federal Income Tax on Tips — the Full 2025 Rules

The IRS released the official tip list and rules. Which jobs qualify, what counts as a tip, and how to claim the deduction on your 2025 return.

The "One Big Beautiful Bill" Is Now Law — 5 Takeaways

Five big takeaways for 2025 — no tax on tips or overtime, a $40K SALT cap, deductible car-loan interest, and permanent TCJA rates.

Powered By Taxdome