You should expect to spend less than one hour per month categorizing stray transactions. The longer you’re a client, and the more familiar your team becomes with your books, the less likely they’ll need to ask your opinion. https://www.bookstime.com/ A traditional bookkeeper is a local professional who does your bookkeeping for you. They may work independently as a freelancer, in partnership with other bookkeepers or accountants, or as part of a large national firm.

• According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the distinction between independent contractor and employee should be determined on a case-by-case basis.
• You may want to invest in accounting software to help you manage your books if your business grows in complexity.
• Having said that, we highly recommend using modern, cloud-based software to help with bookkeeping and recording financial transactions.
• It’s easy to use, it can link up with your bank accounts and it’s designed to make it as easy as possible to figure out your expense categories.
• As a business, you will need to pay taxes and keep up with your bookkeeping as well.
• It’s about understanding where your money is coming from, where it’s going, and what financial decisions you need to make for the future of your business.

One benefit of hiring a local, traditional bookkeeper is that you can meet them in person. So, if your business relies on a lot of paper financial documents, that makes it easier to share them with your bookkeeper. In addition to insurance premiums, you can deduct other out-of-pocket medical costs, such as office co-pays and the cost of prescriptions.

Bookkeeping Tips for Independent Contractors

But when you don’t have the time or expert help, it can be challenging to do it correctly. Single-entry bookkeeping is the most basic method of accounting, where every transaction is recorded in a general ledger, either on paper or in a spreadsheet. It’s suitable for smaller operations and includes tracking income and expenses. While accounting software streamlines DIY bookkeeping, it doesn’t handle it for you—meaning you’ll still need to spend time every month entering and categorizing transactions. And, if you make any mistakes, they’ll result in inaccurate books. Once you establish your entity structure and get a FEIN, you can open a business bank account.

When you work with clients, it’s vital to be correctly classified to avoid penalties and fines. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the distinction between independent contractor and employee should be determined on a case-by-case basis. As a general rule, though, the defining factor is whether you, as a worker, are subject to the authority of the company you are working with. If you determine what work will be done — and how it will be done — then you are likely an independent contractor. Bench is a good choice for any business that’s grown beyond the just-a-hobby phase. It’s especially suited to business owners already familiar with handling banking and other back office tasks online.

Understanding Tax Obligations

These are some important factors to consider while outsourcing bookkeeping for independent contractors. It will help you get efficient bookkeeping for your business. Now that both concerned entities have been identified, we must provide an accurate description of the job at hand. A checklist has been supplied to the first article (“I. Services”) allowing you to define the services the Accountant must supply to fulfill this agreement. States also regulate how to pay independent contractors and impose penalties for noncompliance with regulations.

• If your state has income tax, you’ll also be required to file and pay your state income taxes.
• Therefore, it’s imperative that the bookkeeper that is selected is someone who can be trusted.
• How your friend does their bookkeeping might be different from how you do it.
• Since construction accounting is project-centric, you’ll need a way to track, categorize, and report transactions for each job.
• Information such as their full name, worker ID, payment rate and payment dates are stored for easier payment delivery.
• You should figure up your total self-employment income and loss using the Schedule C portion of Form 1040’s line 31 before completing your SE.

A big financial drawback of self-employment is paying self-employment taxes. These taxes are equivalent to the Medicare and Social Security taxes you’d pay as an employee. But as an employee, your employer covers half the cost of the taxes. As a self-employed person, you’re required to pay the entire tax yourself. As an independent contractor, it is important to understand your tax obligations.

DIY Bookkeeping & Accounting or Professional Services?

If we can do it well and do it inexpensively, there’s more left over. But if it costs us to get the stuff done, that comes out of OUR pockets, not theirs. Setting yourself up for a more promising future will involve saving money and paying anticipated taxes in advance. You are still eligible for the payment if you work as a hired contractor. However, generating your Employer ID Number is very advantageous. Having a company entity comes with numerous tax advantages and savings.

An independent contractor is hired to complete a short-term project. Such a person is in charge of how they perform their duties, and they are not obliged to work for the company on an ongoing basis. Also, since they are not part of an organization’s permanent workforce, they do not receive benefits such as health insurance coverage, paid sick leave and paid time off. As an independent contractor, you will have to pay the self-employment tax, which means you will pay taxes to Medicare and Social Security.

How to become an independent contractor

Accounts receivable refers to expected payments that are still due and need to be completed on the scheduled date. When you sell goods or services on credit to your customers, those transactions will be identified in accounts receivable until you receive the cash for that purchase. Having accurate records of your income and expenses can help you make better-informed decisions about your business’s future. With so much data available now a day you can utilize this to have a competitive edge over your finances. If your state has income tax, you’ll also be required to file and pay your state income taxes. Check with your state to understand when and how to pay state taxes on your income as an independent contractor.

A customer is required to file and send you a copy of Form 1099-MISC whenever you accomplish work for them that costs more than $600. This is an informational form that must be submitted to the IRS in order to report non-salary income. You should contact your client again if they fail to provide you a Form 1099-MISC. The IRS requires independent contractors to pay self-employment taxes. Currently, that means you will pay 15.3 percent for social security, 12.4 percent for Medicare, and 2.9 percent for both.

Here’s what you should know about bookkeeping and taxes as an independent contractor from the accounting professionals at TMD Accounting. When you’re an independent contractor, paying the government regularly throughout the year is your responsibility. You do this by making bookkeeping for independent contractors quarterly estimated income tax payments. Recording income and expenses is a key aspect of bookkeeping. Keeping track of all financial transactions, including payments received, expenses incurred, and any other financial transactions that impact your business is important.

• Furthermore, it can provide you with a clear understanding of your business income and expenses, helping you make informed decisions to grow your business.
• The downside is that your employers won’t contribute to your 401(k), workers’ compensation, bonuses, unemployment taxes, payroll taxes, or health insurance (K).
• The longer you’re a client, and the more familiar your team becomes with your books, the less likely they’ll need to ask your opinion.
• If you want to choose a proper contractor for your bookkeeping and accounting for independent contractors then you have to consider some important aspects about them.
• Just create a place to put your income or expense and keep track.