Hey!
So my main job is being self-employed, and today I am frustrated beyond belief with the paperwork side.
In Canada, you have to charge HST and pass it on to the government once you make $30 000 over 4 quarters. Last year I was just over, I got an HST number, filed HST for the first quarter, and then got a letter that I owed money. According to their phone rep, they had misapplied my payment to 2018, it's a common mistake, and I shouldn't be upset. (I paid using an online payment system linked to my online return). I asked for reassurance that it would be fine.
I decided to upgrade to real, grown up, business lady software. Freshbooks is in my next-door neighbour city, had great reviews, and is $15/month. Gnu cash made me cry when I used it. Bookkeepers have to charge enough that they can eat. I got Freshbooks. On the payment screen, surprise! it's USD. I contact Freshbooks and they say
"Thanks for reaching out. You are right our payment plans are billed in USD while we operate from Toronto. This is because a majority of our users are from the United States. "
In further email discussion, they offer a discount, but not enough to bring it down to CAD pricing, even if we ignore my 10% pre-payment discount. I'm not a fan of subscription based software, and this is out of my budget, and offensively billed in another currency. So I'm cancelling.
If I am willing to spend $180/year or $400 all at once, what are some amazing options for software? I am really hoping for a software that can act as my PA. even a personal finance software might handle it.
AND, to make me further want to cry, I got my second HST NOA. I paid the same way...they misapplied the payment again. They charged me interest again. I am a medical professional. I'm good at assessment, treating, charting, compassion. And I feel like the government wants me to give up and either go into debt hiring out these pieces of 'work' or to make under 30 000/year.
If anyone has suggestions to help with the bookkeeping or the government relations I'd really appreciate it. If not, pictures of cats would be great too.