Bookkeeping
How do I categorize my business expenses?

How do I categorize my business expenses?

When you track an expense in Found, either by using your Found card or by adding a bookkeeping record, you’ll be asked to assign a category to that tracked expense.

Categorizing your business expenses makes filing taxes easier, with each of Found’s categories corresponding to lines on your tax form. Whether you’re taxed as a sole proprietorship and file a Schedule C or your business operates as a corporation and files an 1120 form, Found’s categorization features help you report all of your expenses appropriately.

How should I categorize my expenses?

For each of your expenses, you should choose the expense category that most closely relates to the type of purchase that you’ve made. For example, if you spent $20 at a business lunch, the “Business Meals” expense category works best. Traveling for work? Find the appropriate category under the “Travel, auto, meals” list in your app.

You may find that your expense doesn’t fit squarely into any of the available categories. That’s ok! You can mark the category as “Other.” Or, if you’re a Found Plus subscriber, you can create a custom category to track this type of expense. Custom categories map directly to Found categories.*

How does my Found card help with categorizing my expenses?

If you make a purchase with your Found card, the app will automatically attempt to categorize your expense on its own based on the type of merchant that’s listed on the expense record.

For example, restaurants and coffee shops will often be automatically categorized as “Business Meals” expenses. You can change these suggested categories at any point by clicking into the expense record, and selecting the category.

How do Found’s categories match with my tax forms?

Depending on how your business is taxed you’ll file different forms with the IRS when filing your taxes: Schedule Cs for sole proprietors, 1120 forms for C Corps, or 1120-S forms for S Corps. Here’s how Found’s categories map to those forms:

Found category

Schedule C

Form 1120 / 1120-S

Accounting services

Legal and professional services

Other deductions

Advertising and marketing

Advertising

Advertising

Airfare

Travel

Other deductions

Bank and credit card processing fees

Other expenses

Other deductions

Business equipment

Supplies

Other deductions

Business licenses and permits

Taxes and licenses

Taxes and licenses

Business lodging

Travel

Other deductions

Business meals

Deductible meals

Other deductions

Car, truck, vehicle

Car and truck expenses

Other deductions

Cell phone service

Utilities

Other deductions

Commissions and fees

Commissions and fees

Other deductions

Computer equipment

Supplies

Other deductions

Contractor services

Contract labor

Other deductions

Depletion

Depletion

Depletion

Employee benefits

Employee benefit programs

Employee benefit programs

Employee catering

Other expenses

Other deductions

Employee retirement and profit sharing plans

Pension and profit-sharing plans

Pension, profit-sharing, etc., plans

Employee wages

Wages

Salaries and wages

Employer taxes

Taxes and licenses

Taxes and licenses

Equipment rental

Vehicles, machinery, and equipment

Other deductions

Furniture

Supplies

Other deductions

Gifts

Other expenses

Other deductions

Insurance

Insurance

Other deductions

Interest

Interest (Other)

Interest

Items purchased for resale

Purchases less cost of items withdrawn for personal use

Tracked on Form 1125-A

Legal services

Legal and professional services

Other deductions

Maintenance and repairs

Repairs and maintenance

Repairs and maintenance

Materials to make goods to sell

Materials and supplies

Tracked on Form 1125-A

Mortgage interest

Interest (Mortgage)

Interest

Office rent

Other business property

Rents

Office supplies

Supplies

Other deductions

Office utilities

Utilities

Other deductions

Other

Other expenses

Other deductions

Other non-deductible expenses

n/a

n/a

Other office services

Office expense

Other deductions

Other services

Legal and professional services

Other deductions

Other travel

Travel

Other deductions

Parking and tolls

Car and truck expenses

Other deductions

Postage and shipping

Office expense

Other deductions

Professional development

Other expenses

Other deductions

Sales tax (paid by buyers)

Taxes and licenses

Taxes and licenses

Software and subscriptions

Other expenses

Other deductions

Transportation

Travel

Other deductions

Vehicle lease

Vehicles, machinery, and equipment

Other deductions

*A limited number of bookkeeping features are available at no cost. After reaching certain usage thresholds, additional features will be accessible through a Found Plus subscription. Found Plus is available for $19.99 per month or $149.99 per year.

The information on this website is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on, for tax advice.

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*Found is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Piermont Bank, Member FDIC. The funds in your account are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per depositor for each account ownership category.

The Found Mastercard Business debit card is issued by Piermont Bank pursuant to a license from Mastercard Inc.

The information on this website is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on, for tax advice.

**Direct deposit funds may be available for use for up to two days before the scheduled payment date. Early availability is not guaranteed.

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