It’s thrilling and terrifying at the same time. On one hand,
you’re self-employed, doing exactly what you want to do without having to
answer to a boss, show up in an office on time every day, or dealing with
annoying co-workers. You make the rules and live life as you like.
On the other hand, though, you’re without the “safety net”
of a fixed income. With no regular paycheck coming in, budgeting can be a
challenge, and if you’re not careful, you can find yourself struggling just to
pay the bills each month – no matter how much you earn.
Taxes First
As an employee, your boss conveniently paid your taxes on
your behalf, leaving only your net pay in your check each week. As an
entrepreneur, you don’t have that benefit, and that causes a lot of trouble for
some newly self-employed people. Here’s the thing – your “paycheck” suddenly
looks a lot larger than it really is. With no FICA, Social Security, or other
taxes being withheld, it’s easy to simply spend what you’ve earned, and then
find yourself in trouble come tax time.
Your accountant will be able to help you determine what
percentage of your gross income should be set aside for taxes. If you’re
self-employed, you will typically have to pay quarterly income tax – which is
based on what you earned last year and is paid in advance – so you need to make
sure you have that money set aside or you’ll face some pretty serious fines
from the IRS. Quarterly taxes are due April 15, June 15, September 15, and
January 15.
The easiest way to manage your tax payments is to open a
separate bank account just for taxes. For each dollar you earn, take a
percentage of that (whatever you and your accountant decide is the correct
amount) and put it in your “tax” account. Then when it’s time to pay your
quarterly taxes, simply write a check and mail it off.
Business Budget
Planning
Just like your household, your business needs a budget. You
need to have a pretty good idea of what you expect to earn each month, and also
what your expenses will be. You can also plan in advance for new equipment
purchases, business trips, and other out-of-the-ordinary expenses.
Some of the most common expenses you should count on include
·
Taxes (yes, I mentioned them earlier, but it’s
that important)
·
Hosting accounts
·
Domain renewals
·
Mailing list managers
·
Memberships in business education forums and
mastermind groups
·
Contractors (writers, web designers, and others
you outsource work to)
·
Your accountant and lawyer if you have one
·
Business only utilities, such as your cell
phone, your Internet connection, and anything else you pay for from your
business account.
Notice I mentioned your “business account.” If you want to
have good business cash flow, it’s important to keep household money separate
from business money. This can mean simply setting up a business checking
account and depositing all money there first, then withdrawing your tax money
into your tax account, and your money (your salary, actually) into your
personal account.
Not only will this help with cash flow, but if you form an
LLC or a corporation, it’s vital to clearly differentiate between your personal
funds and your business funds. Mixing the two can result in you losing the
liability protection that forming a business entity afforded you in the first
place.
Cash flow is one of those things that boomerpreneurs
don’t like to think about, but in order to have a healthy, sustainable
business, it’s vital for you to manage it well. Create a budget, be diligent
about setting aside money for taxes and saving some funds for when you have a
slow month, and you’ll never have to worry about how your business will manage
to pay the bills.
