Make this legal (loking to pyro in particular I guess)

[PeOfEo]

When I finally make my web dev home page at the end of the summer I am going to need to make it all legal. The irs will need to see its share and all. I want it to be simple, you know just a sole proprietorship so I do not have to fill out special forms like an llc or something

Federal Tax Forms for Sole Proprietorship
(only a partial list and some may not apply)

* Form 1040: Individual Income Tax Return
* Schedule C: Profit or Loss from Business (or Schedule C-EZ)
* Schedule SE: Self-Employment Tax
* Form 1040-ES: Estimated Tax for Individuals
* Form 4562: Depreciation and Amortization
* Form 8829: Expenses for Business Use of your Home

did you do all of that? How do you have it setup? Also how do I get a client's site a copyright?

[AdamGundry]

I don't know what the law is in the US, but here in the UK there is a personal allowance below which (IIRC) you don't need to submit an income tax return. You may find something similar exists in the US.

For copyright, protection occurs automatically the moment a work is created, though it may sometimes be worth registering the copyright. Normally it is assigned to you, unless you are doing the work as "work for hire" (i.e. you have agreed to pass copyrights to your employer/client).

Adam

[PeOfEo]

Well, we have that personal allowance law too. But I think when you are making as much money as I would be making it would be illegal. I thought the personal allowance here was only a couple hundred bucks. I whipped out the calculator and I would be making 20 to 30 thousand year at a rather low rate if I worked full time (35 - 40 hours a week) all year. I think that must be well over the limit. Plus I will be working full time on this this summer (unless I can manage to get another good job and then I will be moon lighting with this :p). I just thought I had to be over the limit, so I wanted to know if I needed special documents. That is why I said looking at pyro I guess because you buntine and many others live out of the us .

[AdamGundry]

In that case, you're probably right. Good luck with the business, anyway.

Adam

[PeOfEo]

Originally posted by AdamGundry
In that case, you're probably right. Good luck with the business, anyway.

Adam Thanks ;)

[pyro]

I think it varies from state to state as well, so you'll probably have to verify what you have to do for your state.

Basically, I just registered my business name with the state, to get my sellers permit. Make sure you check Florida's laws about sales tax (if FL. even has sales tax) because you may not need to charge for it. I only need to charge sales tax on a few minor things.

Come tax time, on the federal level, here are the forms I fill out. I won't get into the state forms, as FL will undoubtadly be different than WI...
[list=1]
Form 1040
Schedule C
Schedule SE
Form 4562
[/list=1]

[pyro]

Originally posted by PeOfEo
Also how do I get a client's site a copyright? Copyrights are automatic. http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html#wccc

[PeOfEo]

Originally posted by pyro
I think it varies from state to state as well, so you'll probably have to verify what you have to do for your state.

Basically, I just registered my business name with the state, to get my sellers permit. Make sure you check Florida's laws about sales tax (if FL. even has sales tax) because you may not need to charge for it. I only need to charge sales tax on a few minor things.

Come tax time, on the federal level, here are the forms I fill out. I won't get into the state forms, as FL will undoubtadly be different than WI...
[list=1]
Form 1040
Schedule C
Schedule SE
Form 4562
[/list=1] so where do I get these, just go to forms.gov (or something..) fill them out then mail them in and I am done... or something? Or should I make a trip to the tax collectors office? I am going to have to look up the florida forms.

My problem is, my dad does not want to be liable and he would have to sign the forms and all.... I am looking around for people I can be a sub contractor for, that I would just pay a small (as small as possible :p) royalty to for each job. That way I can do this under their licence but still be alone doing freelance work.

[Aronya1]

Peo,
I don't think you even have to worry about making the business a formal entity if you're under 18. As long as you report your earnings properly, it shouldn't be a problem. <legal style="caveat">Don't depend on my word for it, though. See a CPA.</legal> Then, your dad doesn't have to be involved.

[PeOfEo]

Well a sole sole proprietorship is not super formal, its just the generic format for a small business. If I wanted to make this a corperation, partnership, or llc, I would have to fill out additional forms, then play with the additional taxation, so on and so fourth. I am really lucking into sub contracting though, its looking more and more like that would be the way to go, plus if I do it for the right person I could already have a steady client base and would not need to find as many of my own. Its less cash for me though.

[Aronya1]

Yes, but a sole proprietorship IS a formal business. If you want to change it down the road, you will have extra papers to deal with. I'm just suggesting that you can keep things simple for yourself if you don't have to form a business.