How much should I reserve for tax?

It depends on jurisdiction, business structure, and deductible costs. The Tax Survival Calculator gives a starting estimate by country and scenario — treat it as a planning input, not a filing.

Is VAT or sales tax part of my revenue?

No. It is collected on behalf of the tax authority and must be remitted. Treating it as revenue is the single most common cause of unexpected tax bills for small businesses.

When do I need an accountant?

Once you cross a VAT or corporate-tax threshold, hire staff, sell into multiple jurisdictions, or take outside investment. Before that, a structured reserve and quarterly review usually suffice.

Topic hub

Taxes

Most small business cash crunches are tax crunches in disguise. The owner spends money that was never theirs. This hub explains how reserves work, how VAT and sales tax differ, and how to plan around quarterly or annual filings without an accountant on retainer.

Start with the tool

Run this in five minutes to get a concrete number or draft.

Tax Survival Calculator
Estimate the reserve you should set aside before spending operating cash.
Open tax survival calculator

Read the guides

Plain-English explainers for the questions that come up most often in taxes.

How much tax should a small business reserve?
A simple framework for setting aside the right amount of tax every month so quarterly or annual filing does not blindside you.

Key terms

The vocabulary you will run into in tools, contracts, and statements.

Templates and examples

Copy-paste examples you can adapt to your business.

Tax reserve checklist
A simple, repeatable checklist for setting aside the right amount of tax — every time cash arrives, not at year end.

Editorial insights

Common mistakes and the reasoning behind the numbers.

Common tax reserve blind spots
Most small business cash crunches are tax crunches. Here are the reserve mistakes that cause them.

Common questions

How much should I reserve for tax?: It depends on jurisdiction, business structure, and deductible costs. The Tax Survival Calculator gives a starting estimate by country and scenario — treat it as a planning input, not a filing.
Is VAT or sales tax part of my revenue?: No. It is collected on behalf of the tax authority and must be remitted. Treating it as revenue is the single most common cause of unexpected tax bills for small businesses.
When do I need an accountant?: Once you cross a VAT or corporate-tax threshold, hire staff, sell into multiple jurisdictions, or take outside investment. Before that, a structured reserve and quarterly review usually suffice.