After years of pursuing the picture taking as a devoted amateur photographer, I made a decision to make the leap and become a specialist finally. I already owned all the required camera bodies, lenses, flashes, and other assorted equipment, and having my own business meant future photography purchases would be tax-deductible. A good decision, right? For you Fortunately, I’ve done it already in NEW YORK and am willing to share the results (because of this condition, at least!). 1. You will be working this business in the state of NEW YORK. 2. You currently have the photography knowledge to qualify as a specialist professional photographer (that’s another article simply by itself).
3. You’ve done the required research to determine whether you have the time, energy, possible client foundation, and business plan to make sure your new business succeeds (again, this subject is another article on its own). The first step was determining the type of business entity to be. After doing much research online, I used to be a bit confused, until a CPA explained it to me: there is a difference between your LEGAL status as well as your TAX position. She recommended that my photography business is an LLC (limited liability company), but document fees as an exclusive proprietor. Much like all the different options, there are negatives and positives to each option.
LLC status would protect me from personal responsibility in the event of a lawsuit, that was important if you ask me. The paperwork is super easy to prepare and submit, which is good because I wanted to care for everything myself also. Filing taxes as a sole proprietor would be very simple: just attach a Schedule C to my personal tax return every year.
Although this processing status is simple enough, singular proprietors pay a somewhat higher taxes rate than S-Corporations. Filing as an S-Corp, however, means more paperwork and filing quarterly taxes of a Schedule C with my annual return instead. I wasn’t thinking about very much paperwork, so sole proprietor status is okay beside me. If so when my business starts making so much money that I’m thinking about a lower tax rate, I can always change my position to an S-Corp.
Now that I’ve decided my legal status and tax position, I needed to apply for my LLC with the continuing state of North Carolina. 125 to the Secretary of State, along with Articles of Organization, which can be downloaded and filled out from their web page. It requires about 7-10 days for your status to come confirmed back, although if you add a note as well as your e-mail address, they shall e-mail it to you that will save a few days. The state of NEW YORK considers photographers to be one particular lucky professions that want a State Privilege License.
This is an annual license granted to the person, not the business, if you end up working for a different photography business in the future, you don’t have to get a second license that 12 months. 200, from the North Carolina Revenue Office. This must be done in person, however the Revenue Department has offices all around the condition, so there’s probably one in a city in your area. While I there was, I received circumstances Tax Identification also.
- Disadvantaged Groups (those with physical or mental disabilities)
- Get BACK TO “The Trenches”
- Occasional use
- What trends or innovations may change, or are changing the competitive landscape
The friendly and helpful NC revenue employee explained to me that two forms should be mailed in to the NC Revenue Office each one-fourth. One is a form detailing what your earnings for the one-fourth were and how much taxes you billed your clients. You need to include a look for the tax amount. The other form shows what equipment you bought for your business that quarter and didn’t pay tax on. You will need to include a look for 1% of the total (hey, at least it’s lower than paying the entire retail tax on your buys).
Charging my clients sales taxes is a little confusing in North Carolina. The law is not yet determined, and lawsuits that have been argued in condition courtroom have conflicting results. It would appear that you do not need to charge sales tax on services such as program fees, UNLESS the client eventually ends up purchasing images from the program.
Of course you always hope, and assume the client will purchase designs, but you never know for sure. To become safe, you are going ahead and charge them sales tax on the session fees up front, presuming they shall buy designs. You always need to charge sales tax for tangible goods sold.