Keel Articles
Invoicing & getting paid
How to invoice, what to put on it, and how to actually get paid.
Do Sole Proprietors Need to Give Receipts?
Do sole proprietors need to give receipts? Usually yes on request, and you should always keep your own. See when receipts are required and what they must include.
Read →How to Get Clients to Pay Invoices on Time
How to get clients to pay invoices on time: clear terms, deposits, shorter Net terms, polite reminders, and a follow-up sequence for late payers.
Read →How to Invoice as a Freelancer: The Complete Guide
Learn how to invoice as a freelancer step by step: what to include, how to send it, payment terms, and how to get paid faster in the US, UK, and EU.
Read →Invoice vs. Receipt: What's the Difference (and When to Use Each)?
Invoice vs receipt explained: an invoice requests payment, a receipt confirms it. See a side-by-side comparison table and when to use each as a freelancer.
Read →What to Put on an Invoice (Free Checklist)
What to include on an invoice: a free checklist covering business details, invoice number, itemized services, totals, taxes, and payment terms for freelancers.
Read →1099 & self-employment tax
Set-aside rates, quarterly estimates, Schedule C, and SE tax explained.
1099 Taxes: The Complete Guide for the Self-Employed (2026)
A plain-English 2026 guide to 1099 taxes: self-employment tax, quarterly payments, Schedule C, deductions, and how to stay organized all year.
Read →27 Tax Deductions Every 1099 Worker Should Know
A scannable 2026 list of 27 self-employed tax deductions for 1099 workers, plus how to keep receipts and mileage records that survive an IRS audit.
Read →How Much Should I Set Aside for 1099 Taxes?
A simple rule and a set-aside percentage table for 1099 taxes in 2026, with real dollar examples so you never get surprised by a tax bill.
Read →Quarterly Estimated Taxes, Explained (2026 Dates + How to Pay)
The 2026 quarterly estimated tax due dates, who must pay, the safe harbor rule, and step-by-step ways to pay the IRS online for 1099 workers.
Read →Schedule C, Explained Line by Line
A plain-English, line-by-line walkthrough of IRS Schedule C for 1099 and self-employed filers, from gross receipts to net profit and Part II expenses.
Read →Self-Employment Tax (15.3%): What It Is and How to Lower It
What the 15.3% self-employment tax is, how it is calculated for 2026, and legitimate ways 1099 workers can lower it with deductions and planning.
Read →Mileage & deductions
The IRS mileage rate, logging trips, and writing off what you actually can.
How to Track Mileage for Taxes — Without Draining Your Battery or Your Privacy
How to track mileage for taxes in 2026 without an always-on GPS or a bank connection. Methods, what to record, and a private on-device option.
Read →Is Your Commute Tax-Deductible? The Rules for 1099 Workers
Is your commute tax-deductible? Usually no — but 1099 workers have key exceptions like a home office. Here are the IRS commuting rules for 2026.
Read →Standard Mileage vs. Actual Expense Method: Which Saves You More?
Standard mileage vs actual expense method: how each works, a side-by-side comparison, and which car deduction method saves 1099 workers more.
Read →The 2026 IRS Standard Mileage Rate (72.5¢): What It Means for You
The 2026 IRS standard mileage rate is 72.5 cents per business mile. Here's what it means, who can use it, and how to calculate your deduction.
Read →The Self-Employed Mileage Deduction: A Complete 2026 Guide
How the self-employed mileage deduction works in 2026: the 72.5¢ IRS rate, what miles qualify, methods, logs, and how to claim it. US-focused.
Read →What a Compliant IRS Mileage Log Looks Like (Free Template)
IRS mileage log requirements explained: the exact fields you must record, what makes a log compliant, common mistakes, and a free template.
Read →Freelance basics
Starting out: LLCs, business bank accounts, receipts, and getting set up.
Business vs. Personal Bank Account for Freelancers
Do freelancers need a business bank account? Compare business vs personal accounts, when to open one, and how to keep clean records for taxes.
Read →Do You Need an LLC to Freelance?
Do you need an LLC to freelance? No — you can freelance as a sole proprietor. Learn when an LLC makes sense, its pros and cons, and how it affects taxes.
Read →How to Start Freelancing: A Financial Setup Checklist
How to start freelancing: a step-by-step financial setup checklist covering business structure, bank accounts, taxes, invoicing, and recordkeeping.
Read →Recordkeeping for Taxes: What to Keep and for How Long
How long to keep tax records: IRS retention periods, what documents freelancers must save, and how to store receipts and invoices safely.
Read →App alternatives
Where QuickBooks Self-Employed, Keeper and Everlance leave gaps — and what to use instead.
A Keeper Tax Alternative for Privacy-Conscious Freelancers
A Keeper Tax alternative that finds deductions without scanning your bank. Keel keeps invoices, receipts, and mileage private on your iPhone.
Read →Everlance Alternative: Track Mileage Without Connecting Your Bank
Looking for an Everlance alternative? Keel tracks mileage at the IRS rate plus invoices and receipts, with no bank connection and no cloud.
Read →QuickBooks Self-Employed Is Gone: What Users Should Do Now
QuickBooks Self-Employed was discontinued and migrated to Solopreneur. Here is what changed, your options, and private alternatives like Keel.
Read →QuickBooks Solopreneur vs. a Private, On-Device Alternative
Compare QuickBooks Solopreneur (~$20/mo, bank-connected) with Keel, a private on-device app with no bank link, no cloud, and no account.
Read →The Best Apps for 1099 Workers in 2026 (Invoice + Receipts + Mileage)
The best apps for 1099 workers in 2026 for invoices, receipts, and mileage, including private on-device Keel plus Hurdlr, Everlance, and more.
Read →The Best QuickBooks Self-Employed Alternatives (2026)
Compare the best QuickBooks Self-Employed alternatives in 2026, including private, on-device Keel plus Hurdlr, Everlance, Keeper, and Solopreneur.
Read →Privacy & your data
What you give up when you link a bank, and the private, on-device alternative.
Data Privacy for Freelancers: Protecting Your Financial Records
A practical data privacy guide for freelancers: who sees your financial records, the real risks, and how to protect your books without giving up your data.
Read →Is Plaid Safe? What Really Happens When You Link Your Bank
Is Plaid safe? Here's what actually happens when you link your bank, what data Plaid collects, and the on-device alternative for privacy-first bookkeeping.
Read →On-Device vs. Cloud Bookkeeping: Where Does Your Financial Data Live?
On-device vs cloud bookkeeping compared: where your financial data lives, who can access it, and the privacy tradeoffs for self-employed and 1099 workers.
Read →Should You Connect Your Bank Account to a Finance App? A 1099 Worker's Guide
Linking your bank to a bookkeeping app is convenient — but what are you really giving up? An honest look at the risks, the rules, and the private alternative.
Read →UK: sole traders
Self Assessment, invoicing, mileage and bookkeeping for UK sole traders.
How to Invoice as a Sole Trader in the UK (+ VAT Rules)
How to invoice as a sole trader in the UK: what to put on an invoice, VAT rules and the £90,000 threshold, numbering, payment terms and record-keeping.
Read →Self Assessment for the Self-Employed: A 2026 UK Guide
A 2026 UK guide to Self Assessment for the self-employed: who must register, key HMRC deadlines, payments on account, and the records you need to file.
Read →Self-Employed Mileage Allowance (UK): The 45p Guide for 2026
How the UK self-employed mileage allowance works in 2026: the 45p rate rose to 55p per mile from April 2026. Rates, rules and records explained.
Read →Sole Trader Bookkeeping: The Records You Must Keep (UK)
Sole trader bookkeeping in the UK: the records HMRC requires, how long to keep them (5 years), what to track, and simple ways to stay organised.
Read →Canada: self-employed
CRA taxes, the T2125, invoicing, expenses and vehicle costs for Canadians.
Business Expenses & Receipts for the Self-Employed (CRA Rules)
What self-employed Canadians can deduct, which receipts the CRA requires, and how long to keep them. Plain-language guide with an expense checklist and FAQ.
Read →How to Invoice as a Freelancer in Canada (GST/HST Explained)
What a freelance invoice needs in Canada, when to add GST/HST, provincial rates, and the CRA rule that your GST/HST number goes on invoices of $100+.
Read →Self-Employed Taxes in Canada: A Freelancer's Guide (2026)
Deadlines, CPP, GST/HST, the T2125, and instalments for self-employed Canadians. A plain-language 2026 guide with a checklist and CRA-cited figures.
Read →Self-Employed Vehicle Expenses in Canada: How the CRA Method Works (2026)
How self-employed Canadians deduct vehicle expenses: the CRA actual-expense method, the business-use ratio, logbooks, and why per-km rates are for employees.
Read →The tool behind the articles
Keel — run your money on your own phone.
Invoice in a minute, read receipts on device, and see one honest number for what's actually yours after tax. Free to start, no account.
On-device · No account · Data Not Collected