Tag: Baton Rouge LA Dental Consultant

Dental CPA Near Me | Smart Money – Filing Taxes with an Accountant

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Baton Rouge Dental CPA

Did you know that more than 65% of failed businesses blame financial mismanagement as their downfall? This is why forming a good relationship with a professional financial advisor is paramount to the longevity of your business.

When is the most important time to have this established relationship in place? That’s right – tax time. If you’re thinking about taking any shortcuts during this time (like using online software), you may want to reconsider. Why risk your entire business by cutting corners on something so crucial? Consider these reasons why you should work with a professional accountant.

Accountants understand tax code. Tax code is not only complicated – it changes frequently. It’s literally a full-time job interpreting and staying up to date. A financial professional will be able to guide you through this and take that stress off your plate. You’re already busy enough without having to keep up to date on tax law. Knowing you’re working with a professional can eliminate the stress of tax compliance. It’s hard to put a price on peace of mind.

Accountants know how to get you more deductions. Everyone wants to maximize their deductions, but only a true professional financial expert can get you everything you deserve.  Don’t leave any money on the table and don’t overpay on your taxes. Working with an accountant throughout the year will ensure you have the documentation you need to get your deductions and not overpay your taxes. This is exceptionally important especially for small businesses, like most dental offices.

Accountants minimize your risk. Are taxes the place where you want to cut corners and take a risk with your business and your team’s financial future? One mistake can land you in a heap of trouble. No one wants to deal with any sort of issue with the IRS let alone an audit. If you run into one of these scenarios, you’ll wind up paying far more than you would have if you worked with a professional from the beginning.

Everyone is willing to take some risks, especially small business owners and entrepreneurs.  Being brave enough to start your own business or follow your dreams is a risk in itself.  Don’t jeopardize your dream by cutting corners on one of the most important tasks of every year.  Work with a financial professional and allow yourself the peace of mind to protect what you’ve built.

Contact us today for further information.

AG Dental CPAs & Advisors

6421 Perkins Road, Bldg. A, Ste. 1B,
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(255) 767-1020

Dental CPA | 5 Signs You NEED an Accountant

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Have you wondered whether you actually need to have a professional accountant? Here are 5 signs that confirm you do:

1) You earn over $200,000 per year – Your odds of being audited once you start earning over $200,000 a year increases to nearly 4%. While this may not seem like a large number, it’s actually an increase of over 300%. Having your financials in order in case this does occur is vitally important once you become a high-earner.

2) You are a business owner or are self-employed – Utilizing the services of an accounting professional is vitally important for any business owner or entrepreneur. Tax laws change annually. The current US tax code has over 7 million words in it. Making sure all of your deductions are included, your assets are depreciating properly, and you are maximizing your tax savings will wind up saving you money in the long run.

3) You are setting money aside for others – When putting money aside for your children, grandchildren, or anyone you want to take care of, it’s very important to use a financial professional to decide which vehicles to use for tax-deferred or tax-free savings. This includes college savings plans or trusts.

4) You are incurring large capital gains tax – The key to success in paying big capital gains tax is paying at long-term rates. An accountant can help you with a Qualified Small Business Tax Credit, minimize your taxes, and help you set long-term payment goals.

5) You are experiencing rapid growth in your business – Not only is keeping your finances up to date time-consuming, it’s also complicated. When you’re experiencing rapid growth, it’s time to call in an accounting professional. Having more customers, employees, and vendors is going to require more paperwork and number crunching and can rapidly become impossible for you to manage.

AG Dental CPAs & Advisors
6421 Perkins Road, Bldg. A, Ste. 1B, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(255) 767-1020

Dental Accounting | Claim Financial Freedom

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Dental CPA 70808

Whether you’re starting a new practice or have been an owner dentist for years, the financial stress that can come from being a business owner can sometimes overwhelm even the most seasoned professionals. Our goal is to help you achieve complete financial freedom so that financial worries don’t interfere with your ability to work well.

Below are some tips you can follow on your own to help build a rock-solid foundation for your practice. Staying organized and up-to-date with your financials allows you to focus on delivering quality care to your patients. Contact our firm today to learn how we can help!

Have a plan. As the popular saying goes, “failing to plan is planning to fail.” In order to see true success, you’ll need to have both short and long-term plans for your practice. How will you allocate new earnings? How is your practice prepared to deal with slow seasons? How are you budgeting for new purchases? If you don’t already have answers to these questions, they could be a great place to start. Planning for the unexpected can help safeguard your profitability from being derailed by unforeseen expenses.

Set goals. Don’t be afraid to dream big. Your practice will only be as successful as you make it. Setting goals allows you to have a clear yardstick to measure your success against and can help you make better financial choices in the present. By recognizing the simple truth that every small decision you make now can have a huge impact on the future, you’ll be able to start setting yourself up for success. Your future self with thank you.

Be Smart. When starting or growing your business, there can be benefits to taking on strategic debt. However, doing so in a manner that will benefit, rather than hinder your growth requires an understanding of the returns you can expect on your investment. Don’t jump into big purchases without a plan, rather weigh the potential benefits and risks of all your financial decisions.

Get Organized. Disorganization can be a killer for any business. In order to ensure you’re not letting anything important slip through the cracks, it’s important to have systems in place that will guarantee nothing is missed. In addition to protecting you from unforeseen troubles, efficient organization can also help bring opportunities for improvement to light. Whether it’s money that could be saved or resources that could be conserved, understanding the ins and outs of your financials can help you to understand exactly how your money is being used.

If you feel that you could improve in any of these areas, our firm is here to help! Our goal is to make the process of managing and running your practice as simple as possible, allowing you to focus on delivering quality work to your patients and growing your business. Contact us today to learn more.

AG Dental CPAs & Advisors
6421 Perkins Road, Bldg. A, Ste. 1B
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(255) 767-1020

Dental CPAs 70808 | Strategies to Boost Profitability

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Dental CPAs in Baton Rouge, LA

According to Dr. Charles Blair, DDS, most dental practices are losing between $30,000 and $50,000 in potential profits. How can dental practices maximize return on their services and start to recoup capital? Here are three strategies to boost profits in your practice:

Optimize your Practice

Taking a look at production reports to make sure procedures were coded correctly. This may seem fundamental, but it can save a lot of time and money in the long run. One incorrectly charged procedure can increase costs over the course of a year.

In addition, adding high-dollar procedures to your practice such as endodontics, bleaching, and other cosmetic services can greatly boost your profit. Training dental hygienists in more complex procedures, such as soft-tissue management and bleaching, will also maximize a dental practices’ profitability.

Staff your Practice Well

In order to recruit and hire the best possible candidates, it is worth paying above average wages to experienced people in the field. This avoids employee turnover, which can become costly. A friendly and knowledgeable team will also help with patient retention rates.

Facilities and Equipment

If possible, purchase all your dental and office equipment, rather than leasing it. This avoids a number of issues, including higher retail costs, interest payments, hidden fees, and lease-breaking penalties.

Strive to maximize your office space. If your current patient volume doesn’t allow you to use all your offices, consider subletting either your primary or secondary office space. Also, merging your office with another dentist can help you in fully utilizing your space and also reduces overhead costs.

There are a variety of ways to boost profits and cut costs while owning a practice. To start, think about your services, staff, and office space. Opening a practice can be costly and leave many dentists in debt, especially after finishing school. Contact us today for help on managing your budget and ways to maximize your return on investment.

 

6421 Perkins Road, Bldg. A, Ste. 1B
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(225) 767-1020

Exciting News! AG Dental on Thriving Dentist Podcast

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We’re excited to share that Robby Apple from AG Dental was this week’s guest on “The Thriving Dentist” podcast discussing tax reform!

Please click the link below for Robby’s interview. It’s about an hour and is packed with valuable information on how the 2018 Tax Reform Bill will affect you. The Thriving Dentist is the #1 dental podcast on itunes, all prior episodes are available for free download, there are many awesome guests discussing a wide array of topics in the library of episodes.

Thriving Dentist – Tax Reform Episode

Read about the major provisions of the tax bill

Baton Rouge, LA CPA | Four Ways to Achieve Professional Freedom

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CPA 70808

Are you dreading going to work every day? Are you afraid of being trapped in the same place your whole career? We all can get stuck in a rut during our professional career, whether that means not getting enjoyment from your position, or working in a dead-end job with no potential growth. There is hope though, and her are four ways to acquire professional freedom and career excellence.

Continue to Act

The tiniest bit of progress is still progress. Continuing to work hard and getting everything done that you need to will continue to push you forward. If you are looking for career advancement, employers will see that you are always on top of things and that you meet your deadlines. The more progress you make, the closer you will get to professional freedom and being in control of your career.

Be the Best You

The only person that can make you achieve professional freedom and career excellence is yourself. Figuring out goals and strategies to complete those goals can be the motivation needed to be on the right track. Learn the skills you feel you need to improve yourself and your performance. Having the right tools will prepare you for anything that comes your way.

Branch Out on Your Own

If you cannot stand working for someone or believe you can do something better, the potential to start your own business is there. You will want to be sure that it is a realistic option before starting anything. Owning your own business is the highest level of professional freedom.

Find People Like You

Working can be much more enjoyable when you spend it with people that build you up. Finding people that can elevate your work and inspire you create a more welcoming business environment. If you are looking for a new company, reading reviews that current and former employees have written about the business to see the company culture. Poor employee attitudes can negatively affect the progress of a business.

Professional freedom and career excellence are not easy to achieve. By using the suggestions above, you can begin taking control of your career and setting it on the path to success.

For more ways to gain professional freedom and career excellence, contact us today.

6421 Perkins Road, Bldg. A, Ste. 1B

Baton Rouge, LA 70808

CPA in Baton Rouge, LA | The Impact of Ignoring Negative Reviews

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CPA Baton Rouge

baton rouge cpaFinding a bad review of your business can feel like your world is turned upside down. Some business owners may choose the approach of dismissing the negative feedback and blaming the customer or client. When ignored, negative reviews can have a detrimental impact on your business. Here’s how:

You Will Lose Clients

Customers and clients will not want to be treated disrespectfully. They want their voices heard and to be valued as an individual. If you ignore negative reviews, you are essentially telling both the reviewer and prospective leads that you don’t care about what they have to say. The clients that do complain are ones that feel passionately enough about your business to voice their concerns. If you don’t validate those concerns, expect them to take their business elsewhere.

Missing a Chance to Learn

Mistakes present an opportunity for business leaders to learn. It’s even better when a client presents those mistakes clearly. This will allow you to learn why the mistake happened and how to fix it so it doesn’t happen in the future. If you ignore the feedback from the client, you will not know what the mistake was and it may happen again. Negative reviews offer a chance to learn and grow your business, if you ignore them you miss that opportunity.

No Response Speaks Volumes

Potential clients that are looking at your online profile will see that a bad review is being ignored. If that were to happen, you could lose out on their business and any referrals they might make in the future because they don’t think you care about your clients. This applies to current clients that keep track of your businesses reviews.

Running Out of Excuses

Due to the nature of reviews being public, once a client writes one, everyone can see it. This creates a lasting list of negative occurrences for your business that can be referenced by others. Address poor reviews when possible. Show the client or customer that you care about their thoughts. While it may not win them back, it may be the perfect set up to capture future loyal clients who see your thoughtful and personal response.

Great reviews are not the only ones that can help improve your business. Bad reviews present an opportunity to learn from them and grow your business. If you choose to ignore poor reviews, the consequences could be disastrous. Not only could you lose current clients, but negative reviews could impact the decisions of future clients looking at your business. When you see a negative review, take a step back and see what you can learn from the experience. Address their concerns, and make an effort to change your business to create positive experiences in the future.

Contact our team for a consultation today.

(225) 767-1020

Baton Rouge CPA | 4 Ways to Grow Your Confidence as a Business Leader

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70808 CPA

The up and down nature of confidence can be exemplified as a business leader because of the stressful nature of maintaining a high-ranking position. Confidence can grow with practice and effort. Here are four ways to grow confidence as a business leader.

Consistency is Key

Rapidly changing methods and ideas can prevent a business leader from feeling confident. The business should work for the business leader, not the other way around. Gaining a sense of consistency and stability with schedules, rules, and realistic expectations can lead to an increase in confidence that the business will run smoothly. Know and understand the key parts of the business, important dates, and the function of each role. You can only become confident in your business operations when you fully grasp the nature of the entire business.

Be Yourself

Being afraid to say what you think can be viewed as a lack of confidence. Speaking your mind, while still having a professional filter, can build confidence as it shows you are part of a team and contributing. Being yourself will also dispel any notion coworkers might have that you are not being a genuine person. Openness and authenticity will not only strengthen your bond with your employees, but are also essential traits for effective leadership.

Be Open to Criticism

Change cannot come from one person alone, and not all criticism should be seen as a slight against you. Listen to feedback from coworkers and customers and tailor that feedback into something positive. Do not let the criticism fester and destroy your confidence, take it and use it to grow as a person. Accepting constructive criticism and negative comments can help increase your confidence.

Know What You Are Talking About

Fully understanding what you are talking about can help improve your confidence. If you are a business leader, strive to know everything you can about the business and its operations. If you are speaking about a topic, research everything you can about that topic. Become the expert. You will be better positioned to demonstrate confidence when it is clear that you are invested in what you are discussing.

Confidence can not only make or break your career, it can impact the business as a whole. You can take your confidence to the next level, while learning how to prevent situations from arising that can be detrimental to your confidence.

For a consultation, contact our team.

6421 Perkins Road, Bldg. A, Ste. 1B
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(255) 767-1020

Dental CPA | Finding Opportunity in Hygiene Appointments

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Dental CPA Baton Rouge

What percentage of your total production consists of hygiene appointments? For many dentists, hygiene appointments make up a significant portion of total production numbers. According to a study last year, hygiene appointments comprise nearly one-third or greater of total production numbers for approximately 80% of all dentists.

Hygiene is a significant source of overall production, but is there room for improvement? The same study uncovered a startling statistic – only 17% of dentists indicated that the majority of their active patients are receiving regular hygiene appointments every six months. This means there is a significant opportunity here. Hygiene numbers could increase as much as five times among current, active patients.

What steps can you take to encourage patients to schedule, and attend, regular hygiene appointments?

It is necessary to have an action plan in place. Create a consistent system that can be followed for confirmations. Some practices call or text one or two days prior to the appointment. This can help reduce the number of no-shows. Instill in your team the need to address the importance of hygiene examinations to patients. Most patients are not fully aware of all that goes on during the appointment and view it merely as a cleaning. Emphasize the need for regular oral cancer screenings as well.

Opportunity exists within your practice. Harness the potential that each patient brings with regular hygiene visits.

Boost hygiene production to improve your bottom line. Contact us for financial insight and assistance.

Baton Rouge Dental CPA | 3 Ways to Buy Time: Boost Your Practice’s Productivity with Time-Saving Measures

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Dental CPA in Baton Rouge

Dental Consultant in 70808Time is your most precious resource. On certain days, managing your time is not just difficult, it is downright impossible. Ask yourself about the strategies you are currently using to organize your day. What other tools could you be leveraging to save your practice’s most precious commodity? Here are 3 methods you can implement to maximize your time.

  1. Re-evaluate Your Management Tactics

You can buy time without spending a dime. Employ a new way of keeping track of practice productivity. You can have your team record their tasks for the day in a quick email. Each staff member can quantitatively list their duties, allowing for simple reference later. This cuts down on micromanaging your staff by way of asking, “What did you do today?” Managerial work is difficult to implement after a full day of back-to-back appointments.

You can cut back on daily meetings because you will have a clear picture of what each team member is contributing. Having a list of completed tasks at the end of the day allows for everyone at your practice to be keenly aware of who is to be held accountable for each task.

  1. Utilize Apps to Maximize Efficiency

“Lost time is never found again.” Ben Franklin knew this more than 200 years ago, so how can you apply this knowledge to running your practice? There are numerous tools available for your phone that can be a valuable resource for keeping track of your practice. You can benefit from the use of efficiency apps. In today’s world, there is no need to manage all aspects of your business manually.

Take advantage of scheduling apps and software. You can schedule emails to remind patients to book their next visit to your office without having to send it in real time. This can be an indispensable tool for patient retention, by keeping you in consistent contact with your patients. Apps such as these will help you save time, and keep track of your practice’s performance.

  1. Consider Express Check-In

It is not always your team that is responsible for lost time slipping through your fingers. One late patient can set the whole day off-schedule. Make it easy for your patients to register. Provide compliant forms online for patients to fill out before coming into the office. Saving time at the front desk will help your entire practice run on schedule. Never allow for your practice to earn a reputation of running behind schedule, instead work with your patients to create a smoother, faster registration. Your patients will not want to fill out redundant forms. Rework any documents or forms where possible to prevent your patients from filling out information such as their name and address multiple times.

Successful business leaders are experts at time management. Put methods in place that allow for concrete, quantitative results to measure productivity. Utilize technology to make your life easier and allow your patients to work with you to save time. Don’t get caught watching the sand fall through the timer, take action and rethink your time management strategies.

Contact us for more information.

6421 Perkins Rd.
Bldg. A, Ste 1B
Baton Rouge, LA 70808