NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 14, 2026--
A majority of small business owners admit they have claimed a tax deduction they believed might not fully qualify, according to a new national survey conducted by 1-800Accountant, America’s leading virtual accounting firm for small businesses.
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The survey found that 57% of small business owners say they have deducted a business expense they knew was questionable at the time, revealing the extent of uncertainty many entrepreneurs face when navigating complex tax rules.
The study surveyed over 300 U.S. small business owners about their tax habits, fears, and preparation strategies during tax season. Curious how prepared your small business is for tax season? Take the free quiz here.
“Small business owners want to follow the rules, but the tax code can be incredibly difficult to interpret without professional guidance,” said Ryan Teeples, Chief Strategy Officer at 1-800Accountant. “When entrepreneurs are managing everything from operations to payroll, it’s easy to see how gray areas around deductions can create confusion.”
Common Business Deductions Still Cause Confusion
Beyond questionable deductions, the survey also revealed that many entrepreneurs remain unsure about common business write-offs.
Among the most confusing deductions cited by respondents:
These are some of the most widely used deductions for small businesses and freelancers, yet many business owners report uncertainty about how to properly document and claim them.
Tax Anxiety Remains High for Entrepreneurs
The survey also highlighted the broader stress tax season creates for small business owners. When asked about their biggest concerns during tax season, respondents most frequently cited:
“Many business owners worry about overpaying or making costly mistakes,” said Teeples. “The right accounting support can help ensure entrepreneurs claim every deduction they’re entitled to while staying compliant.”
Helping Small Businesses Navigate Tax Season
1-800Accountant provides entrepreneurs with year-round support from experienced accountants and accounting professionals who specialize in small business tax planning. The company offers a full range of services including tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll support, and ongoing advisory.
By combining experienced accountants with modern technology, the firm helps business owners simplify financial management, stay compliant with tax regulations, and focus on growing their businesses.
Survey Methodology
The survey was conducted among 300 U.S. small business owners who manage or operate a small-to-medium-sized business. Participants were asked about their tax preparation habits, deduction practices, and overall tax confidence.
About 1-800Accountant
1-800Accountant is America’s leading virtual accounting firm dedicated to small businesses. The company provides comprehensive financial services including tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll, business formation, and year-round tax advisory. By pairing experienced accountants with modern technology, 1-800Accountant helps entrepreneurs simplify accounting, maximize tax savings, and focus on growing their businesses.
A bar chart visualizing the responses to the question "Have you ever deducted a business expense you knew was questionable at the time?" Over 300 small business owners took the survey, and 57% responded with either, "Yes, Once" or "Yes, More than Once."
CAIRO (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said he hoped allies would send warships to secure the vital Strait of Hormuz while Iran urged people to evacuate three ports in the United Arab Emirates as its war with the United States and Israel showed no signs of ending.
Iran’s call to evacuate the Middle East’s busiest port and two other UAE ports marked the first time it had openly threatened a neighboring country’s non-U.S. assets.
Tehran said the U.S. had used “ports, docks and hideouts” in the UAE to launch strikes on Kharg Island, home to the main terminal handling Iran’s oil exports, without providing evidence. It urged people to leave areas where it said U.S. forces were sheltering.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s humanitarian crisis deepened, with over 800 people killed and 850,000 displaced as Israel launched waves of strikes against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said the U.S. attacked Kharg Island and Abu Musa Island from two locations in the UAE, Ras Al-Khaimah and a place “very close to Dubai,” calling that dangerous and saying Iran “will try to be careful not to attack any populated area” there.
U.S. Central Command said it had no response to Iran’s claim. A diplomatic adviser to the UAE’s president, Anwar Gargash, said on social media the country has the right to defend itself but “still prioritizes reason and logic, and continues exercising restraint.”
Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Arab Gulf neighbors during the war, but it has said it was targeting U.S. assets, even as hits or attempts were reported on civilian ones such as airports and oil fields.
Araghchi said the Strait of Hormuz was closed only to “those who are attacking us and their allies.”
As global anxiety soars over oil prices and supplies, Trump said Saturday that he hopes China, France, Japan, South Korea, the U.K. and others send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz “open and safe.” Britain in response said it was discussing with allies a “range of options” to secure shipping.
Araghchi, in a social media post, urged neighbors to “expel foreign aggressors” and described Trump’s call as “begging.”
On Saturday, Iran’s joint military command reiterated its threat to attack U.S.-linked “oil, economic and energy infrastructures” in the region if the Islamic Republic’s oil infrastructure is hit.
Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency said the Kharg Island strikes caused no damage to oil infrastructure. It said they targeted an air defense facility, a naval base, the airport control tower and an offshore oil company’s helicopter hangar.
The U.S. Department of Defense on Saturday identified six service members who died when the military refueling aircraft they were aboard crashed Thursday while supporting operations against Iran.
The service members were Maj. John A. Klinner, 33; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31; Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34; Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, according to U.S. officials.
The crash in western Iraq followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in “friendly airspace,” according to U.S. Central Command. The other plane landed safety.
A missile struck a helipad inside the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Saturday. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The embassy complex, one of the largest U.S. diplomatic facilities in the world, has been repeatedly targeted by rockets and drones fired by Iran-aligned militias.
The State Department again warned citizens in Iraq to leave “now,” and by land since commercial flights were not available. It noted that Iran and Iran-aligned militia groups “may continue to target” U.S. citizens, interests and infrastructure.
Mednick reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press writers Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem; Sally Abou AlJoud, Kareem Chehayeb and Bassem Mroue in Beirut; and Tia Goldenberg in Washington contributed to this report.
Smoke rises from the U.S. embassy building in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ali Jabar)
Mourners react during the funeral ceremony for Gen. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Defense Council and a senior adviser to the Supreme Leader who was killed in a strike, at the courtyard of the Imamzadeh Saleh shrine in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Two men ride their motorbike past a billboard of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei in downtown Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Fire and plumes of smoke rise from an oil facility in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
A man chants slogan while the body of Gen. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Defense Council and a senior adviser to the Supreme Leader who was killed in a strike, is being buried at the courtyard of the Imamzadeh Saleh shrine in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
