Taxes are killing my painting business after that cabinet job - anyone else?

Man, I just wrapped up this kitchen cabinet repaint using Benjamin Moore Advance, took me three full days of sanding and spraying with my Graco HVLP, and the client was thrilled. But now tax time is here, and I'm staring at my Schedule C trying to figure out deductions for all the paint, rollers, and even the drop cloths I buy from Home Depot every job. I've been painting interiors in the greater Atlanta area for 15 years, and the self-employment tax always hits like a ton of bricks, especially when you're solo and every dollar counts. Saw a thread on r/paintingbusiness where guys were venting about the same thing, and someone mentioned the Facebook group Painting Contractors had tips on quarterly estimates. Watched that Idaho Painter video on cabinet renos, and it got me thinking how to track material costs better for write-offs, but damn, it's frustrating when half your profit vanishes to Uncle Sam. Anyone got a good CPA recommendation or ways to minimize the hit without screwing myself?

Same shit here, brother, taxes on painting supplies feel like robbery every year.

Use mileage tracking apps for those drives to job sites, saved me thousands on vehicle deductions.

Set aside 30% of every check for taxes, no surprises come April.

SharkBite for plumbing, but for taxes? Hire a CPA who knows trades, worth every penny.

Taxes got me pissed after my last trim work, same boat man.

Every painter I know gripes about this, especially with rising paint costs.

Insurance companies and taxes, both screwing contractors over lately.

Dude, join the club, my booth rental deductions barely cover it.

Screw the flat deductions, itemize everything from brushes to ladders.

Pushed through a 20% raise on my rates this year, finally offset the tax bite.

PE firms buying up painting companies just to jack up prices, taxes on top? Rage.

Homeowners nickel and diming us while taxes take the rest, bullshit.

Use apps like MileIQ for auto-tracking, deducts drives to Sherwin stores easy.

Customer called at midnight about paint drips, but taxes keep me up more.

Switch to S-corp if you're over 100k, cuts self-employment tax big time.

Man, that Idaho Painter vid on cabinets was gold, but taxes? Nightmare fuel.

Every year it's the same tax headache for us painters, hang in there.

File extensions if you need time, better than penalties on late cabinet job income.

Taxes suck, but deducting that Graco sprayer helped a bit.

The whole system's rigged against solo painters like us.