John Gillingham, CPA, MA

Certified Public Accountant & Founder of Accounting Play

John Gillingham is a Certified Public Accountant, the Owner of Gillingham CPA, PC, and the Founder of Accounting Play, Apps to teach Business & Accounting. John, who is based in San Francisco, California, has over 14 years of accounting experience and specializes in assisting consultants, bootstrapped startups, pre-series A ventures, and stock option compensated employees. He received his MA in Accountancy from the California State University - Sacramento in 2011.

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Q&A Comments (25)

How do I get started studying for the CPA exam?

Don't start the process unless you've allocated the right amount of time, money, and energy. Typically, you have to pass all of the exams within a certain timeframe. Make a game plan and factor in all of the variables that will go into really doing it. I recommend taking the more difficult exams first.

What are some common bookkeeping mistakes people should be aware of?

A common mistake people make is not looking at the balance sheet so that they can get an idea of the profit, losses, money, and expenses. Many make the mistake of not being cognizant of what the ending cash balances are at the end of the month, and by extension, don't understand what the ending loan balances are and what that means for them as taxpayers.

What should I keep in mind when paying taxes as a self-employed person?

As a self-employed person, you have the combination of having more tax burden, more administrative burden, and no hand holding. Try to practice extreme organization and be ahead of schedule to avoid getting yourself in any trouble. Taxes for the self-employed person should be a year round ordeal. Engage in meaningful tax planning so that you can be ahead of schedule, get things in at the right time, and know where you stand when it comes time to pay taxes.

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Co-authored Articles (3)

How to

Make a Balance Sheet for Accounting

Along with the income statement and the statement of cash flows, the balance sheet is one of the main financial statements of a business. It shows a company's assets, liabilities, and equity accounts.. 3 March 2020. Fina...

How to Activate a Visa Debit Card Securely

The easiest ways to get your card ready to use Activating a new Visa debit card is a quick and easy task. No matter where you bank, the process is similar. You can call the automated number on the card to activate it and...

Bookkeeping 101: A Business’s Guide to the Basics

Everything you need to know to keep track of your business’s finances Bookkeeping, like accounting, is one of the necessary evils of running a business. Despite what many may think, those two terms refer to different ...

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John Gillingham, CPA, MA

Q&A Comments (25)

Co-authored Articles (3)