DO FREELANCE TAXES EASIER Class!

Make the most of the grizzly “winter” weather by tackling your freelance taxes now instead of the spring when you’ll want to frolick outside! (Winter is in quotes because I haven’t seen much snow lately, but it’s still cold, gray, & rainy).

Each time I do my taxes I think of ways to simplify the process, and would love to share my findings with other freelancers. Note that this class is HALF the time for HALF the price of my past Business Basics for Freelancers classes! Only $25 for a 90 minute session. You will leave the class MORE EMPOWERED and CONFIDENT of TAKING CONTROL of your tax situation!

The class is Thursday, February 27 from 3P - 4:30P. Yes, it’s a time that only freelancers can go to :)

Caffeine Underground is always a great host for my classes - cozy atmosphere, yummy treats, and of course various drinks with caffeine in them! Make the trek out to Brooklyn for this class - it’s worth it!

Please sign up here - there are only 15 spots available.

I’m curious - what’s the one thing that you struggle most with concerning taxes? Just reply to this email if you’re on my mailing list. If you’re not on my mailing list, just email mindy at mindyindy dot com. Also feel free to ask me any questions concerning the class! Thanks and hope to see you there!

DO TAXES EASIER Business Basics for Freelancers THIS WEDNESDAY!

Are you a freelancer and haven’t done your taxes yet? If you’re near NYC, please come to this special edition of Business Basics for Freelancers that’s focused on taxes! The tax deadline is approaching, but there’s still time to get organized and file for an extension if you need it, and even make a payment plan so you don’t have to pay all at once. Please join me at Caffeine Underground this Wednesday 4/10 from 2-5p (yes, freelancer time!).

SIGN UP HERE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/do-taxes-easier-business-basics-for-freelancers-tickets-59648198367

Tickets are $50 online and walk-ins are $55. If you’ve taken my other classes before, you can get a 50% discount with a special code.

As a freelancer myself, I’ve figured out a bunch of stuff for my own taxes that I want to share with others. Taxes are probably some of the hardest things to tackle as a freelancer, but I’ve found a way to streamline my taxes so they’re more manageable, and I can help you formulate a plan to do so yourself.

Thanks!

Business Basics for Freelancers Class!

Happy New Year!  Are some of your 2018 resolutions to make more money, become more successful at freelancing, or get more organized in your business?  If those goals sound good to you, please sign up for my new class at Shoestring Studio! 

Often, we’re artists first and business people second, and sometimes the business side of art can seem overwhelming to us. I’ll break down some “scary” concepts into bite-sized steps you’ll work on during the class. We’ll cover everything from making a product and pricing it to how to get more freelance work by exhibiting. We’ll also talk about the “not-so-fun” but very important aspects of keeping track of your earnings, banking, and taxes. We’ll also touch upon contracts and time management. All in 3 hours – WHEW!

Probably the biggest question on everyone's mind is how Trump's new tax laws will affect you.  This class is on February 24th, well before taxes are due mid April, so you'll have time to sort it all out.  Take deep breaths - we'll get through it together!  Although I'm not a "tax professional," I have one, and will share what I've learned from them and point you in the right direction.  Really, the whole class is me presenting you with information that I've learned through trial and error, but what you DO with that info is entirely up to you.  I'll provide you with work sheets so you can start taking concrete steps on topics immediately.

Business Basics for Freelancers is a one session workshop on:

Saturday, February 24th from 2-5pm

Shoestring Studio is 640 Classon Ave in Brooklyn, NY 

You must sign up through the Shoestring site (no walk-ins) here:  http://shoestringstudiony.com/classes/business

It's $75, which is cheaper than other Shoestring classes, but in the bigger picture, you'll be saving money in the long run with the knowledge you'll gain.  Feel free to email me any questions about the class at [ mindy at mindyindy dot com ].  Very excited for the class!

Meanwhile, what are your other new year's resolutions?  My theme for 2018 is to "simplify my life," starting with lots of decluttering and cleaning in January! 

Tax Time

I did a mountain of filing and tax stuff last week.  For me it's worth it to do taxes earlier in the year because spring is craZy with conventions and preparing rates are cheaper.  For the past few years, I've been filing through Brass Taxes:  Tax help for artists, freelancers, and other nice people.  You gotta tally up and fill out your itemized deductions, but the site categorizes them in an easy way to understand, and the Brass Taxes folks help you with any questions.  I've been better at tracking my receipts all last year, and I was able to get a lot more in deductions that I ever could with just TurboTax or H&R Block, etc, which are formulated for people with one job and are not freelancer-friendly.

Before getting all my tax stuff together, I reorganized my entire filing system.  Artists, including myself, are notoriously messy.  I had everything from random drawings to worksheets from classes to business cards strewn in piles around my room.  NO MORE.  With the help of the book "Getting Things Done" by David Allen (this book has changed my life - can't stop raving about it!) I've gotten all my papers under control.  Basically, the book changed the way I thought about filing/referencing - it's not just for stuff like taxes, banks, and credit cards, which was what my system was like before.  You can and should file EVERYTHING.  At first it felt weird to me to put artwork in a filing folder, but now I have project folders for each client I've worked with - no matter how brief or small the project was.  I've made a folder titled "Business Tips," as I've gotten handouts from short business talks over the years.  I've made folders for almost every convention I've been in, and in the future will put respective business cards in each convention folder (instead of in bags - where did I meet that person again?).  There's a "Websites/People to check out" folder, when I don't have a business card but jot the name down on a scrap of paper for some reason or got a pamphlet that intrigues me.  There's a "Sketches" folder for random sketches that for some reason aren't in a sketch book. 

The wonderful thing about all this organization is that not only is my room cleaner, BUT I CAN ACTUALLY FIND STUFF!  Recently, I was trying to negotiate payment for a possible new job, and as I was sorting through papers to file, coincidentally came across a packet called "Employment Decision & Negotiation" from the University of Michigan Business School.  I would have NEVER remembered I even had such a thing if I hadn't made the choice to reorganize.  It's true that you can find a lot of stuff online, but not everything.  Physical filing is not dead.  I've been slowly tackling my digital filing too, but that's another story. 

And remember, this awesome event is tomorrow, don't miss it!

Tax Time?

This guy does my taxes, haha!  I'm fulfilling my New Year's Resolution of doing taxes early this year!  Last year I was so busy during tax time with conventions and freelance work that I had to do them a bit later and pay a fee.  But February is a great time to get your taxes done because it's a slow season for everything.  And it's cheaper!  For the past 3 years I've gone to Brass Taxes and they've been so helpful each time - I've really learned a lot and each year I become more organized when it comes to figuring out deductions and such!  If you're a freelancer, I STRONGLY encourage you to seek help from a professional accountant to help you with your taxes.  It's well worth the cost!  Cheaper than H&R Block by a long run.  Companies like H&R Block and TurboTax don't know how to give you the deductions you deserve, so seek out a person who specializes in taxes for freelancers.

Yes, it does still take time to sort out tax stuff yourself before you have your tax appointment, like finding all the documents you need, categorizing all the deductions, etc.  But wouldn't you rather be doing it now when it's freezing and you have no plans than be stuck inside on a beautiful April weekend?

More about Taxes

We'll see how long this organization lasts :P  I guess this is a picture I'd post on Pinterest... if I had Pinterest.  (Yes it's free, but do I want to be on yet another social media site?)  So even though I have a separate business account where all my business expenses are sent to me on my monthly statements, it's still a good idea to categorize those purchases.  And receipts are still good to keep just in case.  One time I saw on my bank statement that I had been charged twice for something when no, looking back on the receipts, I had only bought one.

I'm also looking into Quickbooks.  One step at a time.

This happened for real.  Seriously, gimme a break! 

The Daily Misfortune 354

So....... yeahhhhh...... um, help.

The Daily Misfortune 353

Taxes are due tomorrow!  I'm actually filing for an extension, but even going through all my mixed up papers on my desk is taking forever.