A decision to work in your home is likely to impact both your personal life and your business. Even if you carefully separate the business areas of your home from the residential portions, the existence of the home office can create conflicts that you wouldn’t face in an office located away from your home. Is […]
If you’re like most small business owners, you probably started your operation as a sole proprietorship. This company structure is the simplest and least costly to set up, with less paperwork required. However, sole proprietorships are not separate legal entities from their owners. You report your share of the company’s earnings on your personal income […]
The hiring of short-term, seasonal, contract or otherwise temporary employees is on the rise among U.S. businesses. In fact, the nation’s labor force currently includes more temp workers than ever before. Small-business owners can use temporary help to their advantage. By enlisting a short-term employee to complete a specific project, you can avoid hiring full […]
Small business owners who pay independent contractors must prepare to file 1099s. Like W-2s for full-time employees, 1099s for freelancers who have worked for you in the previous year, must be filed with the IRS and mailed to the taxpayers by the end of January. You are generally required to submit a 1099 form for […]
The length of time you’ll need to keep records depends on the action or expense each document records. For legal purposes you may need to hold on to some records permanently, but typically for business taxes, you only need to keep records supporting income or deductions on a return until the period of limitations for […]