J.K. Lasser's Guide to Self-Employment: Taxes, Tips, and Money-Saving Strategies for Schedule C Filers

                     

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part 1 Self-Employment Basics

1. Being Self-Employed and On Your Own

What Does Self-Employment Mean?

Legal Consequences of Self-Employment

Practical Issues in Self-Employment

Tax Terminology

Being 1099ed

What's Ahead

2. Getting Set Up for Tax Reporting and Business Operations

Preliminaries

Keeping Books and Records for Tax Reporting

Business Reasons for Recordkeeping

Tax ID Number

Tax Year

Accounting Method

Decide Your Business Name

What's Your IP?

Obtain Licenses, Permits, and Permission

What's Ahead

3. Using Schedule C

Tax Filing on Schedule C

When, Where, and How to File

What's Ahead

Part 2 Reporting Income and Expenses

4. Reporting Your Income

Payment Types Don't Matter

Alternative Payments

Where to Report Payments

What to Do about 1099s

What to Do When You Don't Get Paid

Losses

What's Ahead

5. Writing Off T&E Expenses

Vehicle Expenses

Local Transportation

Business Meals and Entertainment

Business Travel

Business Gifts

Strategies for Saving on T&E Costs

What's Ahead

6. Deducting Office-Related Costs

Rental Expenses

Home Office Use

Materials and Supplies

Furniture and Fixtures

Computer-Related Costs

Insurance

Utilities

Miscellaneous Office-Related Costs

What's Ahead

7. Claiming Deductions A to Z

Advertising Costs

Bad Debts

Banking Fees

Casualty and Theft Losses

Charitable Contributions

Dues

Education Expenses

Impairment-Related Expenses

Interest

Legal and Professional Fees

Licenses and Regulatory Fees

Materials and ...