Ask HN: How do I manage the profit of a successful website?
I&#x27;ll add to the advice you have received regarding getting a good accountant by suggesting you might want to use a good accounting firm rather than a single accountant.<p>Depending on where you live, you might be able to get a sense of whether or not there&#x27;s a dominant firm that is handling financial matters for local businesses.  I switched from using a single guy someone recommended to a real accounting firm years ago.  The guy was good, no question about it, however, the accounting firm has far more depth.  They also have a deeper&#x2F;wider network through their client base that has come in very handy at times.<p>Don&#x27;t pay more taxes than you are legally obligated to.  Don&#x27;t pay less either.  Many people confuse tax optimization strategies with greed or some other derogatory term.  When you order a pizza or buy a laptop you optimize for obtaining the computer you want at the lowest possible cost.  Taxes are no different from this, the laws (federal and state) establish a procedure through which you calculate how much you owe.  These laws are so complex that most people and lots of businesses pay more than they should.  That is wrong.<p>A good accounting firm, and, perhaps, a tax attorney, can guide you on how to apply federal and state tax codes to determine how much you owe.  Pay what you owe, no more, no less.<p>While you run a web-based service, you can still take advantage of Section 179 deductions.  Make sure to discuss this with your accountant and understand how to use this valuable tool.<p>As someone else mentioned, don&#x27;t assume this will last forever.  Do not give away piles of cash recklessly only to find yourself in trouble years from now.  I am of the idea that what philanthropic billionaires do is the right approach.  Accumulate wealth over time.  Maximize this for as long as you can.  Use the time to learn and understand where you might be able to have the most impact if you put a non-trivial amount of money on the table.  Then, once secure in your convictions and with your financial future on a solid footing, became the person who supports the worthy causes you identified and studied while you put money aside.<p>You can&#x27;t create a great building without a large and solid foundation.  Build that foundation first.  Don&#x27;t be in a hurry to burn money just because you don&#x27;t currently know enough to know what to do with it.  And please, pretty please, with sugar on top, do not give a dime to politicians --of any political party-- they are all a waste of time and money.  What to support is a personal decision that will likely benefit from reflection and learning over time.  Imagine a day, several decades from now, when you might be able to support a worthy cause with millions of dollars.  That would be something, wouldn&#x27;t it?<p>If you have a need to help out today, here&#x27;s one suggestion:<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.stjude.org&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.stjude.org&#x2F;</a>