Organize Your Freelance Career Finances

As a freelancer, you understand that you need to keep an attentive eye on your expenses. Indeed, when you don’t work in an office, it can be difficult to differentiate essential work-related expenses from everyday costs. Typically freelancers track their tech costs as part of their professional activities. Other expenses, such as the purchase of equipment for your home office, can also be added as a deductible amount on your tax return. 

However, for freelancers, the difference between social and professional investments is sometimes challenging to make. Should your recent haircut before meeting a critical client be part of your professional cost, or is it just vanity expenses for your own pleasure? When the lines are blurry, it’s best to stay on the safe side and avoid extensive communication with the tax authorities to justify your choices. 

However, there is room for interpretation. These are the three types of private expenses that can be put under your business activities. 

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Do you need to commute to meet your clients? 

If you need to drive extensively to meet your clients and to perform your services, you probably need to consider taking on business car insurance cover to protect your vehicle during your commutes. More importantly, vehicle-related costs are deductible, as long as you can justify that the car is used for your business activities. Additionally, travel costs, such as fuel, parking tickets, and even food on the go can also be listed as part of your professional expenses. In other words, if you don’t use your vehicle outside of to meet with your clients, it’s a good idea to consider commercial cover. 

Are fashion expenses work-related?

Every stay-at-home freelancer can confirm that working in your PJs is the worst thing you can do for your motivation. You need to get dressed for the day to get yourself in the right mood to work. Depending on your career choice, you might need to invest in specialist clothes. For instance, if a corporate company has recently contracted you for a long-term project, you might find yourself forced to buy a suit to blend in the office environment. If the item is required as part of your day-to-day job, you can put it under your professional expenses. However, casual fashion items to feel more confident when you’re staying at home are not suitable for your tax return calculations! 

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Do you need a business grocery list?

As a freelancer, you can’t put grocery shopping on your list of deductible expenses. While businesses can maintain a filled kitchen for their staff, as a freelancer, you don’t have the opportunity to claim that food expenses would be work-related. There are, however, two exceptions to the rule. Firstly, if you’ve bought food as part of business travel activities, you can keep your receipts and use them to cut down your taxes. Secondly, if you are inviting clients to your premises – whether you home or a local office that is rented for the occasion – you can also claim your grocery shopping list as part of your business-related taxes. Making a cup of coffee to a client, for example, can become tax-deductible.

As a freelancer, you have to be attentive to the expenses that can change your tax return and the money you owe the IRS. While there are many exceptions, you can, in certain conditions, claim back your car, outfit, and food costs. 

Key Ways to Save Money Come Tax Time

Tax season isn’t here yet, but it is quickly approaching bringing groans to many. However, with a few effective strategies, you can make the most of your tax deductions and save money come tax time for those meeting the eligibility requirements. What you choose to do with all of that extra money is up to you.

Lifetime Learning

College students rejoice! The Lifetime Learning Credit can help those allows college students at any level to receive up to $2,000. Even some of those not pursuing post-secondary education may qualify for the credit. Those above the income thresholds of $116,000 for married couples and $58,000 for individuals, the credit may still be available in fading amounts. Tax minimization strategies can save you money on things you are already doing.

Savers Tax

Once called the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit, the Savers Tax Credit focuses on those saving for retirement by contributing to their eligible retirement plan. This allows you to deduct the eligible amount placed in the account and give you an extra $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for joint filers.

Child Care

Working parents and those taking care of dependent persons can benefit from the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Children under 13 can help you qualify for the credit to help cover the costs of childcare. If you are caring for a mentally or physically disabled person of any age, you may also qualify for the credit.

American Opportunity

The American Opportunity Tax Credit expanded the Hope Credit. The new credit covers four years of post-secondary education of undergraduate tuition. For those making up to $160,000 for married couples and $80,000 for individuals, you may qualify for up to $2,500.

Earned Income

Established in 1975, the Earned Income Tax Credit gives taxpayers an incentive to work by helping offset the burden of social security taxes. Even self-employed members may qualify for the tax credit. This is can be a crucial credit for those in lower-income jobs.

               

How To Give Your Career A Boost In 2020

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If 2020 is the year you need to give your career a boost, then it’s probably a good idea to start thinking about it and making a plan now. If you wait until the new year, you probably won’t do anything on New Year’s day, then you’ll probably wait until the next Monday, and it’ll already be a week into the New Year, and you won’t be off to your best start. However, allow yourself a little time to enjoy yourself by doing some pre-planning now and taking some steps now, so you’re ready to get going as soon as 2020 arrives. 

Know What You Want

This is the first step you need to work out. If you don’t know what it is that you want to achieve, then you better work it out and quick. Being vague and just thinking that you want to boost your career is not enough. You need to know what it is that you want to achieve, is it a new job? Is it a promotion? Success in a different industry? Find out as much as you can about various industries and jobs so that you’re sure about what it is you want.  

Speak To Someone Who Has Already Done It

There must be someone you know or know of that has gone through a career change, had a promotion or enjoyed some great success. Use this time of year to chat with people at parties and networking events and get some advice from someone who has achieved what it is that you want to achieve. Just have an informal conversation but enough to allow you to define a suitable strategy, find out which obstacles they have overcome and gather as much vital information as you can.

Rework your CV

Even if you think your CV is perfect, if you want to give your career a boost, then it’s time to refresh it. According to a blog about CV Writing Refresher Tips on Practice Match, keep in mind that many recruiters are looking for crucial information on your CV such as work history, so you want to make it easy for them to find. 

Think About Who You Know

Make a list of all the people who could help you. Pinpoint those people who are active in the sector you are targeting and also talk to those around you who may know people. Perhaps a friend knows someone that could put you in touch with the right person to help you. Again, use the parties at this time of year to make the most of the people you know and also to expand your network. 

Educate yourself

Never stop learning; never stop reading and never stop listening. If you are serious about your career, then you should attend training courses and workshops to keep up to date with the trends in your profession or the one you want to break into. Read the news and any stories about trends that can impact the industry too and watch TED talks and other educational videos that may help you. Keep up to date and have a keen interest. 

Use social networks

Adapt your professional profile on LinkedIn and subscribe to groups in your targeted domain and publish relevant articles on your page.

Volunteer for big projects

Volunteering for projects in the company you currently work for will help you to build your portfolio for future promotions. If you’re looking to break into a new industry though, you’re trying to get your first job or make a career change; then you can also look at volunteering opportunities outside of work. Having these on your CV will help and set you apart from your competition. 

Develop Your Soft Skills

While everyone is concentrating on their digital skills, it is just as important or even more so to develop your soft skills. Being able to communicate clearly and establish relationships and trust contributes significantly to professional success. The capacity to listen, making a presentation, dealing with complaints or handling negotiations are all beneficial skills to have and to continue to practice. Also give some focus to your time and stress management skills, collaboration, teamwork, building rapport and customer care. It is soft skills that usually make more of a difference than the technical ones, for example, when it comes down to who gets hired and who gets fired, who wins a sale’s competition, who is good at customer retention and who has effective leadership skills, it is all down to the soft skills. 

Effective Ways To Protect Your Business From Lawsuits

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There are few undertakings more rewarding than starting a business. Unfortunately, there are even fewer that bring so much risk. Lawsuits aren’t uncommon in the business world, but you should fear them nonetheless. A lawsuit could destroy a business easily, especially a small business, because legal fees are usually very high. While you can’t always prevent legal trouble, you can reduce the threat. Here are six effective ways to protect your business from lawsuits.

Hire A Corporate Lawyer

Like any other practice area, business law can be confusing. Even when you’ve been an entrepreneur for years, you still need professional help. When it comes to legal matters, you don’t know nearly as much as you think you do. Hiring a corporate lawyer is the only way to avoid disastrous mistakes being made. Legal support can be costly, but a lawsuit is more expensive. 

Make The Workspace Safe

Providing a safe workplace for employees is a fundamental responsibility of all business owners. If a worker is injured because of a danger you could have prevented, you’ll find yourself in huge legal trouble. Conducting regular risk assessments will help you to determine where dangers lie in your business. There are many ways to make a workspace safe, such as clearing out clutter. 

Invest In Insurance Cover

Before opening the doors to employees or customers, you must have insurance cover. Most entrepreneurs understand this and invest in protection right away. The trouble is, they don’t always pay for the cover they require. Before committing to an insurance policy, speak to experts about the protections you need. If you buy the wrong insurance, the business won’t be covered.

Treat All Workers Fairly

Being a good boss means more than protecting your staff from injury. You must also treat them fairly and equally. When you treat an employee unfavorably, whether it be because of their race, gender, or sexuality, this is known as workplace discrimination. Employees discriminated against are protected by law, which means unfair treatment of staff could result in legal trouble for you. 

Change Your Business Structure

Protecting your business will only go so far. Sometimes, legal trouble is entirely unavoidable. That is why you must make sure you also protect yourself. Separating yourself from the business and incorporating your company will keep your individual assets safe. This means that they won’t be affected even if the business is sued, which will surely provide peace of mind. 

Protect Any Sensitive Data

Tossing important contracts in a filing cabinet isn’t the same as protecting them. If your premises were broken into or a fire broke out, they would likely be lost in the process. Depending on the nature of the data lost, your company could be in trouble. Because of this, you should store documents on the cloud instead. With good password hygiene, they would be fully protected. 

Lawsuits are devastating for companies, despite being so common in the corporate world. To protect your business from legal trouble, make sure you follow the advice above. 

Deadly Mistakes Made By New Entrepreneurs

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Don’t let the stories of overnight success fool you. Entrepreneurship is all about learning. Every business owner starts somewhere, and that place is usually at the bottom. While a few startups blow up in no time at all, a more common tale is one of perseverance. Errors are a crucial part of entrepreneurship, as they allow you an opportunity to improve. However, not all blunders are that productive. With that in mind, here are six deadly mistakes all new entrepreneurs must avoid.

1. Having No Business Plan

The decision to start a business is certainly an exciting one. But, that doesn’t mean you should jump into entrepreneurship without thinking. While a seemingly uninteresting task, you must write a business plan first. Without this plan, you’re likely to waste time and money on things that don’t matter. A business plan will attract more people to your venture and keep the company on track. 

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2. Making Bad Hiring Decisions

A successful venture relies on employees as much as consumers. After all, without workers, you wouldn’t have anyone to serve the customers. Even if you begin your business alone, you will eventually have to bring in help. Hiring the first employee is a monumental task that requires planning and care. Employing the wrong person will cost resources you can’t afford to lose. 

3. Forgetting About Tax Plans

All businesses have different tax obligations. These depend on the type of venture you operate and where you’re located, as well as the size. Filing taxes can be confusing, which is why many people turn to accountants and online tools. With a TurboTax coupon, you can save money on the information that this resource provides. Unless you make tax plans, you could get into trouble.

4. Spending Without A Budget

In the business world, you have to spend money to make it. This means that you have to invest money back into your venture to grow it. There are many investments you might make, including equipment, vehicles, and premises. However, you should check your budget before doing so. Spending without a budget could leave the company at a loss, which would cause huge issues.

5. Missing Out On Marketing

Among the many investments entrepreneurs make, marketing is among the most vital. Despite what many believe, even great products can’t sell themselves. You need marketing to get your product out there and attract new customers. Sadly, this often doesn’t come cheap. Although there are budget-friendly marketing ideas, you should plan to make a significant investment.

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6. Putting The Customer Last

Marketing may be necessary, but it can’t work miracles. If you treat your customers badly or offer a product they don’t want, they won’t buy from you. Because of this, you must seek customer feedback. Speak to consumers about what they want from businesses, both in terms of customer service and offerings. Keeping your customers happy is the key to being successful. 

Entrepreneurship may be synonymous with learning, but there are some mistakes you shouldn’t make. Hopefully, with the advice above, you can grow a successful venture.