User Power
Value/Post Ratio
41%
- Jul 7, 2011
- 22
- 9
So I'm really just starting the path this year...Jan-Mar I've been doing a bit of freelance software development (slowlane), and I'm committing to going fastlane and so I'll move in with parents to cut expenses (who know what I'll be doing so I assume won't be hounding me "get a job" at least for a good 6 months...will see how that goes). I may do a bit more freelance work for 3-5 months at a higher rate to stash some savings. But since I'll be doing some freelance and in a best-case scenario possibly start earning recurring revenue by end of year, and possibly live in as many as 3 states, it seems like I need an accountant.
I imagine I should get someone in the state I'll be living in longest (in Louisiana, where my parents are) -- my dad gave me the contact info of a CPA he uses for taxes (he works and does a lot of stock market investments, no business though). How would I evaluate this guy?
Basic questions I imagine to ask:
1. Do you mainly work with people earning incomes in W-2s or do you also work with freelancers who get 1099's and/or people in sole proprietorships who are starting to earn income not tied directly to working hours?
2. Can I earn income as an "independent contractor" and through a SAAS business in the same business structure or would I need to actually incorporate a business for the later and do the former separately?
Also, do I pay for his time when I'm calling and asking questions, or how does that really work? I think I'm going to plan on just eating the penalty and not paying quarterly taxes this year (since my estimated taxes will be so far off anyway since I have a lot of random options that may or may not come up in the next few months in terms of income sources and I may live in California between Nevada and Louisiana for 1-3 months) -- so will the guy just bill me for a 15-60 minute phone call, given that I may not even file taxes for 2016Q1 and already filed my (W-2) taxes for 2015 with TurboTax, if he is the right sort of guy to work with?
I imagine I should get someone in the state I'll be living in longest (in Louisiana, where my parents are) -- my dad gave me the contact info of a CPA he uses for taxes (he works and does a lot of stock market investments, no business though). How would I evaluate this guy?
Basic questions I imagine to ask:
1. Do you mainly work with people earning incomes in W-2s or do you also work with freelancers who get 1099's and/or people in sole proprietorships who are starting to earn income not tied directly to working hours?
2. Can I earn income as an "independent contractor" and through a SAAS business in the same business structure or would I need to actually incorporate a business for the later and do the former separately?
Also, do I pay for his time when I'm calling and asking questions, or how does that really work? I think I'm going to plan on just eating the penalty and not paying quarterly taxes this year (since my estimated taxes will be so far off anyway since I have a lot of random options that may or may not come up in the next few months in terms of income sources and I may live in California between Nevada and Louisiana for 1-3 months) -- so will the guy just bill me for a 15-60 minute phone call, given that I may not even file taxes for 2016Q1 and already filed my (W-2) taxes for 2015 with TurboTax, if he is the right sort of guy to work with?
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