Bookkeeping Buzz

Tue, 19 May 2026 16:49:50 GMT

Summer is prime time for vacations, a slower pace, and making memories with family and friends — but it’s also one of the busiest seasons for moving and major life transitions. While it’s important to soak up every moment of the season, it’s equally important to keep your financial house in order amidst the chaos. Staying organized with bills, utilities, address changes, and moving expenses can help make the transition feel far less overwhelming.

If you’re looking for a simple way to stay financially organized during periods of change, we’re big fans of QuickBooks Online for both households and small businesses. You can learn more here: https://quickbooks.partnerlinks.io/zoj4p4colsp3

Let’s face it, moving is stressful. If you’ve ever moved or helped a loved one in the moving process, you know the to-do list never seems to end. As the list grows longer and longer, the feeling of overwhelm, chaos, and unrest can become hard to manage.

You may be asking yourself: Where do I start? How should I prioritize? What needs to get done BEFORE moving, and what can wait until AFTER? When am I going to get all these things done?

First, take a breath! Find comfort in knowing these feelings and questions are natural and to be expected with such a big life transition. Change is hard, especially when there are a lot of moving pieces and some uncertainty about what your life will look like in your new home.

Next, create a plan that includes a checklist of to-dos and a projected timeline for when each item needs to be accomplished.

Here are the key things we suggest you create an organized plan for:

Bills & Utilities - Create a list of all the utilities you will need to transfer or start at your new address. This may include electric, gas, water & sewer, trash & recycling, internet services, television services, and phone services if you use a landline. In addition, prepare a list of utilities that may need to be stopped at your former address. For example, if your previous home used a water softener service, but your new home doesn’t require this, you will need to cancel this service entirely. It’s also important to note if your former and new address don’t use the same provider for a given service and if your HOA has rules and regulations you must consider. We recommend starting this process about 30 days prior to moving. However, certain providers may have specific timelines you need to follow.
Address Changes- Create a list of accounts and services you will need to update with your new address. For example, your driver’s license, vehicle registration, bank accounts, credit cards, health insurance, and other recurring delivery services will need to be updated. We recommend starting this process after you have moved to your new home. However, certain providers may have specific timelines you need to follow.
Mail Forwarding- Prior to your move, set-up mail forwarding to your new address with USPS. This will ensure that all your mail will be sent to your new address without disruption. You may receive final bills from your old address that you’ll need to pay once you’ve moved. This is a simple process you can complete online.
Cleaning out your home and preparing donations - It can be an emotional project to clean out your home and decide what items you may need to part ways with. Give yourself plenty of time to go through this process as it may take several weeks or months. Create a plan to go room by room over the course of several weeks and really focus on just that one room at a time. As you go, compile items you would like to donate and document these items to provide for your tax return.
Packing up- Similarly, packing up can be daunting and stressful. Create a plan to go room by room over the course of several weeks, starting with rooms/items you know you will not need immediate access to. If you need assistance with packing, reach out to friends and family or a professional moving service.
One area that often gets overlooked during a move is keeping your financial “house” organized too. Between changing addresses, transferring utilities, updating payment methods, and managing moving expenses, it’s easy for bills, receipts, and important financial details to slip through the cracks. Whether you’re managing a household budget, rental property, or small business, having a centralized system for tracking expenses and staying organized can make a huge difference during a stressful transition. At SJ Rose, we love helping clients simplify their financial lives, and QuickBooks Online is one of our favorite tools for keeping everything streamlined and accessible during periods of change. If you’re looking for a simple way to stay organized during your move, you can explore QuickBooks Online here: https://quickbooks.partnerlinks.io/zoj4p4colsp3

SJ Rose is here to support you during this life transition. Our advocates are experienced in facilitating all the logistics in the moving process to ensure your experience is seamless and you feel confident that your household affairs are in place. Reach out to connect with us about your upcoming move; we would love to help!

Meet a Bookkeeper

Fri, 01 May 2026 23:46:57 GMT

Jordyn Levitt

My name is Jordyn Levitt, and I’m a native of the northern Chicago suburbs. I attended Lake Forest College for my undergraduate studies and National Louis University for my graduate degree. Financial management and organization runs in my family. I grew up surrounded by accountants, and my grandmother was an esteemed bookkeeper. I’ve truly been inspired by and learned from the best!

I absolutely love working with SJ Rose clients to build trusting relationships, solve problems, and develop confidence in managing household affairs and finances. There’s no better feeling than empowering a client to accomplish a goal, tackle a project, or work through a challenging situation. I genuinely care for my clients and strive to provide compassionate and supportive service.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my husband, traveling to warm and sunny places, running marathons and exercising, experimenting in the kitchen, and spending time with our family.

Financial Advice for Senior Citizens

susanellennewman@gmail.com (Susie Newman) — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 22:49:27 GMT

INstagram interview with freedom home care

freedomhomecareil and sjrosellc

Recently, we had the opportunity to sit down with Susie from @sjrosellc . She shared some simple but important tips for seniors when it comes to managing their finances: keep everything organized (whether that’s in a calendar or another system that works for you), set up autopay when possible, and go paperless to help avoid scams. These easy steps can make a big difference. Share this with someone you love! #SeniorCare #FinancialTips #Bookkeeping #SeniorSupport #FreedomHomeCare #NorthShoreCommunity #SeniorWellness #SupportSeniors

Taxes?!?!

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 22:56:11 GMT

How is april going?

Tax prep didn’t go as planned? Let’s fix that for next year. Our clients were ready for taxes since January. Working with SJ Rose and QuickBooks Online help you stay organized all year long, so filing feels less stressful—and a lot more manageable.

Last Minute Tax Prep

susanellennewman@gmail.com (Susie Newman) — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 16:18:48 GMT

Tax season sneaking up on you?

Tax season has a way of sneaking up on us, and if you're scrambling to get your financials in order, you're not alone. Whether you're a small business owner, freelancer, or managing multiple income streams, last-minute tax prep can be stressful. But with QuickBooks, you an quicky get your expenses, income and documents organized--making tax filing much smoother, even under a tight deadline.

Enjoy the following benefits:

Automatic expense tracking for maximum deductions.
Streamline income tracking.
Run quick reports for faster tax filing.
Seamless integration with tax software.
Help from a QuickBooks Pro Advisor (like SJ Rose!)

Even with powerful tools, tax prep can feel overwhelming. That's where we come in! At SJ Rose, we help businesses and professionals clean up their books, identify deductions, and get tax-ready.

Don't panic--Get organized with QuickBooks! Use our link for a special discount:

QuickBooks Online for Partners

Susie Newman on House Stuff Podcast

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 20:40:04 GMT

I was interviewed on Local real estate guru, jason merel's, podcast called house stuff

Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI)

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 22:49:02 GMT

Beneficial Owner Information report (BOIR)

Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). The CTA requires certain types of U.S. and foreign entities to report beneficial ownership information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The CTA requires any entity that has been formed pursuant to registration with a state, tribal or foreign agency that is not otherwise exempt (a “Reporting Company”) to report to the US Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) certain information regarding its ultimate “Beneficial Owners” (which include persons who directly or indirectly control or own at least 25% of the entity as well as persons who exercise substantial control over the entity), through a Beneficial Ownership Information Report (a “BOIR ”). The failure to file or providing false or fraudulent information in a BOIR may result in substantial civil or criminal penalties.

Companies formed prior to January 1, 2024, must complete and file a BOIR by January 1, 2025. I am sharing this with you because you may be required to file a BOIR by this deadline.

It is our firm’s policy to not handle these types of filings. However, we have prepared a series of resources to help you understand:
The available exemptions from the requirement to file a BOIR;

How to determine what persons would be Beneficial Owners and the information needed to be obtained from them in order to file the BOIR; and

Filing Options: The BOIR can be filed at BOI E-FILING (fincen.gov) at no cost.

I've included a Quick Reference Guide that you can download below, that I downloaded from the BOI E-Filing Website.

You can also reach out to another service provider for assistance with the filing, such as https://www.tax1099.com/

Please let me know if you have any questions.

-Susie Newman

President, SJ Rose Bookkeeping

Meet a Mom: Meet Your Next Bookkeeper, Susie Newman

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 22:49:02 GMT

Our spotlights of grit and perseverance are often derived from that woman’s triumphant tale of adversity.

In November 2023 , I had the honor of being featured on Chicago North Shore Moms' Meet a Mom. Learn about my journey and how SJ Rose is helping local families and businesses find financial clarity and peace of mind through my companies bookkeeping services.

As seen on Chicago North Shore Moms:

"Our spotlights of grit and perseverance are often derived from that woman’s triumphant tale of adversity. This story is just that. Susie Newman is the founder and president of SJ Rose, LLC, a bookkeeping company for individuals and small businesses. Her journey to this path was not linear nor was it pretty. After losing both parents at the young age of 36 (her mother very suddenly), she was left to pick up the financial pieces, closing out her mother’s business, selling properties and getting other financials in order. SJ Rose, whose name is a tribute to her mother, father and beloved Nana, was born out of both grief and a burning desire to help others left in the same situation. Today, Susie and her team of four financial advocates expertly manage the finances of small businesses, young adults, and retirees, and serve as trusted partners for adult children with aging parents.

Get to know Susie, her side gig as a fitness instructor, favorite restaurants, advice to entrepreneurs and more about SJ Rose LLC!"

Read the full profile: Meet a Mom: Meet your Next Bookkeeper, Susie Newman!