Business Tips and Taxes for Writers

Every year, around this time, I sit down at my filing cabinet and start sorting through all of my financial documents. It is tax time and I am a freelance writer and illustrator. Usually that thought makes my hair begin to turn gray, especially since my husband leaves our tax filing up to me. This year is different; I decided to get some help from a worthwhile book, Business Tips and Taxes for Writers by Carol Topp, CPA. I downloaded the book onto my Kindle and sat down to try to understand the nitty-gritty of business accounting and tax preparation. This is not a juicy subject, but Carol Topp does a fine job of breaking things down for the novice.

The book covers the basics that every freelance writer needs to know. The first couple of chapters cover different types of writers, followed by chapters on business structure, bookkeeping, inventory, taxes, and more. It also included a chapter filled with extensive resources. It has just the information I needed to answer many of my business questions. This year I chose to use a CPA to aid me in filing our taxes. My household had a busy year of income, donations, additions, and changes that would have had me pulling out that gray hair if I filed myself. Now that I feel more confident with the information, I can probably handle it on my own in the future.

For more information on Carol Topp, CPA and her books, you can go to caroltoppcpa.com.