If you operate your
business under a name different from your personal name, consider setting up as
a sole proprietor Limited Liability Corporation referred to as a “single member
LLC.” Obtain a Federal ID number for your writing business and begin
tracking the income and expenses of your business. The state registration fee
to set up a new LLC is about $125, plus an annual registration fee ($50 in
Georgia). The incorporation documents are filed with your State Secretary of
State. An incorporated entity limits personal liability, which could protect
you and your assets in case of legal action. The LLC has the option to be
treated as a corporation, which requires filing a separate corporate income tax
return. The LLC uses the “Check the Box” IRS form to make the election. Otherwise the LLC is treated as a single member LLC with your entity considered
“a disregarded entity” for income tax purposes. The LLC is a pass through with
your income reported on Schedule C of your personal tax return and the
self-employment tax is reported on Schedule SE. You may be required to pay
quarterly estimated taxes when you start making a profit.
If you choose not to
incorporate and act as a dba “doing business as”, how do you report all this
stuff on your tax return? Your income and deductible expenses are reported on a
Schedule C on your personal tax return. The primary difference between an LLC
and a dba is the incorporation protects your personal assets from creditors or
potential law suits that is not available for a dba.
Whether you incorporate
your business or not, it is vital to open a separate business bank account and designate
a credit card for business use to substantiate valid business expenses. Quality
recordkeeping (keeping your personal and business expenses and income separate)
will pay for itself if there is an audit by the IRS or state Department of
Revenue. If your personal and business finances are co-mingled, the IRS can
look at your personal records when auditing your business. Another obvious perk
of separating business expenses is being able to deduct legitimate business-related
expenses from your income.
Set up a system for your
recordkeeping and regularly keep it up to date. Even if you have few
transactions to start with, a system set up in the beginning will save
headaches later on.
- Record expenses on a spreadsheet or use an accounting software such as QuickBooks
- Use an envelope to file all receipts by the month or tape each receipt to a piece of paper and file in hanging folders or in a 3-ring binder. Make notes with the receipts as to the type of expense and the business reason.
There are pros and cons
for the various ways to set up your business. A consultation with a small
business accountant will be money well spent to get you started on the right
track. Organized records will save you money at tax time with your accountant
and help you take full advantage of deductible expenses. Look out for the next
financial blog for learning which expenses are deductible.
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| Photo by Byron Small |
Email: mrodriguez@hilrodgroup.com
Telephone: 404-256-9185
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