SELLING ON ETSY VS. SHOPIFY - HOW SALES TAX IS HANDLED If you’re selling on Etsy and thinking about setting up shop on your own Shopify site, you might have some questions about how to deal with sales tax. (Or maybe not? Maybe that’s some boring topic you think about...
Most recently posted in Taxes
Etsy fees – a guide to Etsy seller fees
In this guide, I’m walking through the various fees Etsy charges sellers. I’m not trying to express any *judgement* on these fees (there’s enough of that elsewhere on the interwebs). As a financial educator that works with many Etsy sellers, I see a lot of shop owners...
When do I need to worry about taxes for my shop? {The hobby vs. business myth}
All information on this site is provided for general education purposes only and may not reflect changes in federal or state laws. It is not intended to be relied upon as legal, accounting, or tax advice. Please read my full disclaimer regarding this topic. Alright...
What it’s like to work with a tax professional
I’ve been talking a lot lately around here about getting ready for taxes. We’ve discussed how to get your numbers caught up for the year, doing your year end inventory count, and organizing your documents. Once you’ve got your numbers ready to go, you might be...
Online Sales Tax Changes – how it affects your shop
This article is my attempt at rounding up ALL the issues & changes & questions surrounding online sales tax lately. There have been a lot of changes within the past few years. I will do my best to answer your questions and address your concerns in plain...
Get Educated – The Best Resources to Learn More about Accounting & Taxes
Understanding how to start a new creative business can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t have a background in accounting or business. We have so many questions when we first set up shop – what do I need to take care of on the legal side of things? How do I...
How to Pay Yourself {Part 1: Logistics & Bookkeeping}
Today let’s address a question I see quite often: How do I pay myself? As a shop owner who also happens to be an accountant, sometimes I lose touch of the questions my non-accountant friends have about running a biz. This one happens to be one of them, and it’s high...
Five Financial Mistakes Etsy Sellers Make
As a CPA, maker, and Etsy seller myself, I’m well-versed in the financial mistakes that many Etsy sellers make. I’ve been helping makers and creative entrepreneurs get their finances in gear since 2015. So today, I’d like to briefly walk through the top five financial...
Year End Inventory Workshop
Right around the end of the year, you may start hearing a lot about counting your inventory. Today I’m hosting an Inventory Crash Course Workshop, which is my fancy way of saying I filmed a video answering the big questions I see about year-end inventory. This is my...
What is my tax ID number? EIN vs. Sales Tax ID
Let's discuss something I’ve seen lots of confusion about on the Etsy forums and out on the inter webs – your tax ID number…and what exactly it is. Going into business and being a small biz owner opens up the door to a whole new confusing world. There are taxes. There...
Getting a Business Bank Account
All information on this site is provided for general education purposes only and may not reflect changes in federal or state laws. It is not intended to be relied upon as legal, accounting, or tax advice. Please read my full disclaimer regarding this topic. If you’re...
Organizing Financial Paperwork for Taxes
I recently discussed how to tackle your finances and bookkeeping if you’ve fallen behind this year. Today, I’m talking more in depth about getting your financial paperwork organized for year-end so that you’re ready for tax prep. This applies whether you plan to do...
Inventory 101 for makers – what is cost of goods sold?
Hola! I hope you’ve read part one of my Inventory 101 series, which covers all the ins and outs of inventory. Click over here to see what should be included in inventory, how to properly track & record inventory, and whether you as a maker even need to deal with...
Inventory 101 for Makers – what is inventory
Inventory and cost of goods sold are probably the most complex accounting concepts that makers and crafters have to tackle. Today I’m going to attempt an overview of some important inventory concepts in simple, plain English. In part 2, I’ll delve into dealing...
Sales Taxes: An Intro for Your Creative Business
I recently discussed income taxes and how they relate to your creative biz. Today, let’s talk about that other tax biggie – sales taxes. Getting sales tax set up for your shop is one of the first “must dos” of setting up your biz. For a free step-by-step checklist on...
Income Taxes: An Intro for your Creative Business or Blog
As a creative business owner, it can be so hard to know all the different financial requirements and responsibilities that apply to you (that’s why I’ve got a free step-by-step checklist right here!). You might hear a lot about your “tax” requirements and get the two...
Tracking Expenses & Keeping Records for your Creative Biz
Welcome, creative entrepreneur, to our business series! We’ve talked about the importance of bookkeeping and your bookkeeping options. Now let’s talk about some of the fun stuff you should be keeping in those books. When it comes to recording your financial info, you...
Bookkeeping for the Creative…and Non-Financial Person
If you’re a business owner of even the most tiny business, you should be practicing good bookkeeping skills, which basically means keeping track of your financial records. Don’t let the funny term “bookkeeping” confuse you. I’m just talking about recording, in written...