I actually talked with a self-employed friend last night and she said I don't make enough to have to pay estimated tax. And, in fact, no single client has paid me more than $600 (thanks for the info!) so I guess I won't deal with this until next year. Thanks. > From: "g3" <http://www.cox.net/~g3> > Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 23:12:24 -0700 > > First of all, you need to have your clients send you a 1099-MISC Form for > 2004 due for you to receive I believe by 1/31 for you to submit with your > income tax return, I believe, as you would with a W-2. They send this Form > only if they have paid you more than $600.00 per year for independent > contract labor services since you are not a Corporation. They then send a > copy of that Form to the IRS by 2/28. In other words you must declare that > income to the IRS and FTB. I think you file an Income Tax Return for > Self-Employed people, I don't recall the number of that Form. You can deduct > your business expenses such as a portion of your rent, utilites,etc., but > for the details, you should have your own tax accountant tell you. I'm not a > tax accountant, but rather a corporate accountant for privately held > manufacturing S Corporations. Your tax accountant should tell you how much > and if you need to make estimated tax payments quarterly, I believe it is, > based upon your last year's income. You need to tell your accountant if you > are filing jointly as a married couple. You can always go to an enrolled > agent specializing in income taxes or H&R Block if you don't want to spend > much on a regular CPA. There are so many rules that change yearly that I > wouldn't know in that specialty of accounting. Sorry I can't be more helpful > than that. By the way make sure you use business stationary with your name > and address on it when billing your clients and have business cards printed > to prove if necessary to the IRS that you are an independent contractor and > not an employee and that your clients have no power to tell you what to do > and when. They can only give you general instructions about each project; > the rest is up to you as to how you do it, etc. > Gail