|
larkarrow
Feb 25, 2015, 8:44 AM
Post #1 of 11
(7915 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 27, 2013
Posts: 10
|
My brother is thinking of earning extra money by providing freelance tech support services. Is this allowed in IL? I mean, aren't there business permits for this?
My brother is really good in troubleshooting hardware and stuff and since we used to own a coffee shop where he was the one maintaining our database and our POS, he has gotten good with small business needs stuff. Is there really a market for this?
I don't want to discourage him, but I also don't want him to get his hopes us too much.
|
|
|
|
|
caughtinside
Feb 25, 2015, 4:37 PM
Post #2 of 11
(7878 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 8, 2003
Posts: 30603
|
Not sure I understand the question... There are lots of freelance IT guys out there, and there is certainly a demand for it. A biz permit should be no big deal. Self employment is hard work but some people thrive at it.
|
|
|
|
|
malechoke
Mar 31, 2015, 12:35 PM
Post #3 of 11
(7761 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 26, 2015
Posts: 9
|
I think their is a market for that. Try offering his computer skills online, I've seen many when I was looking for a third party that can market our business website.
|
|
|
|
|
sexyherd
Jun 8, 2015, 11:57 PM
Post #4 of 11
(7634 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 23, 2015
Posts: 4
|
larkarrow wrote: My brother is thinking of earning extra money by providing freelance tech support services. Is this allowed in IL? I mean, aren't there business permits for this? My brother is really good in troubleshooting hardware and stuff and since we used to own a coffee shop where he was the one maintaining our database and our POS, he has gotten good with small business needs stuff. Is there really a market for this? I don't want to discourage him, but I also don't want him to get his hopes us too much.
How is it going for your brother? A lot of people I know are going the freelance route. I am not sure about the business permit side of it because it differs per the type of service they provide. If you will be targeting the bigger businesses, they might need you to have a permit or something for tax purposes. Let us know how it is going, ok?
|
|
|
|
|
malechoke
Jun 9, 2015, 3:00 AM
Post #5 of 11
(7624 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 26, 2015
Posts: 9
|
Freelancing is working independently so there's no tax involve as far as I know, correct me if I'm wrong :)
|
|
|
|
|
sexyherd
Jun 25, 2015, 11:11 PM
Post #6 of 11
(7519 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 23, 2015
Posts: 4
|
Hi Malechoke, actually, even freelancers get taxed :( For example, if you work through odesk, you still need to fill out a tax form, W2, I think. I'm not sure.
Anyway, I've been thinking for months now about getting into business related to IT and I'm trying to get as much information about it as I can - which is why I'm curious about IT freelancing. :)
|
|
|
|
|
happiegrrrl
Jun 26, 2015, 9:34 PM
Post #7 of 11
(7497 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 25, 2004
Posts: 4660
|
Oh boy...this thread reminds me to always take what I read on a discussion forum w/a grain of salt - hahah.
When you make income, you are supposed to declare it as income on your taxes, whether you are an employee, contracted worker, or self-employed with your own business.
As stated above, getting a biz license is no big deal at all. Of course, once one does, the IRS wants to hear from you regularly....
And of course there is a market for small business IT help. It could be quite a successful business. Why the OP would feel the didn't want to support and get hopes up is beyond me. Simply admit that you(apparently) know nothing about his market or starting up, and wish him the best in his venture.
|
|
|
|
|
malechoke
Jun 28, 2015, 6:18 AM
Post #8 of 11
(7474 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 26, 2015
Posts: 9
|
What I meant was working and getting paid "under the table". It's rare that you'll get punished by this but your clients knowing that you will not report their payment may demand discount or lower rates. 
|
|
|
|
|
Rokjox
Jun 29, 2015, 11:53 PM
Post #9 of 11
(7439 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 14, 2006
Posts: 71
|
If you are being paid "under the table" then you are not running a business, you are running yourself into long term poverty.
I have known MANY guys who thought working under the table was a good idea. Not a one of them has prospered, several have been hit by the IRS for a LOT of money, those were the ones who actually made enough money to bother to go after. You cannot make tens of thousands of dollars without leaving a trail in anything near like a legal occupation nowadays, thats why they gave computers the the IRS.
"WUTT" is a sure way to associate yourself with a bunch of losers who are trying to contract labor at below legal labor rates. You actually only hurt yourself, and make yourself liable to big fines and even jail time that you can't afford, because your employer has been chiseling contractors longer than you been chiseling employers.
Get a fucking ordinary job until you can afford to hire an accountant, or at least a bookkeeper. You can't do everything necessary to run a modern business alone, and if you are working under the table, you are a fool, desperate or a criminal hiding from the tax code.
And you get NOTHING for your social security contributions, the employer is supposed to pay half... (7.5%?), you get no insurance, no benefits of any sort ... no workmans comp if you are crushed or zapped... what you get is screwed. You are not covered for liability if you are working hand to mouth, you can't advertise, you can't get a business loan to advance your actual business. And at the end of the year, you almost never can afford to actually PAY your taxes. Especially as you have not likely been making the quarterly payments on your income. So you HAVE to become a tax cheat, and thats a big deal. If you think not, you don't think.
Putting a few bucks into your pocket doing a side job is not what I am talking about, its trying to make a business/life out of skirting the actual things that are set up to benefit the worker is what I mean. A 100 years of misery are expressed in the very laws you are trying to skirt. A lot of people fought for those standards and the current tax/business structure. You let a lot of people down when you demonize the very protections placed in the employee/employer/government relationship.
Develop new abilities, create a real business, then just shortchange your skillset by selling it to somebody who claims you are a "contractor" or working "for yourself", and who pays "under the table" is likely robbing you. Its his table, and you are benefiting him more than yourself. You are working underpaid by definition in every case I ever saw.
You are really working at his discretion, but without any deductions/benefits/discretion?. Does anybody NOT work "for themselves" nowadays? Its called exploitation, even if you think it feels good.
Don't set yourself up for failure, don't be a chump. Get a job, pay the fucking taxes, get the benefits of a modern society, THEN pick up a few side jobs, but never try and depend on a casual employment scheme, the modern age needs a fire hose of money, running constantly.
Been there, tried that. It works poorly at best and leads to a poor ending, usually after a poor life. You want houses and cars and families, you gotta be real and play the game like its real.
Unless you can chant like Kanye or throw your ass around like Kim. Then you can do WhatEVAH you want. They're the exceptions to every rule, are you that Special?
(This post was edited by Rokjox on Jun 30, 2015, 2:58 PM)
|
|
|
|
|
sexyherd
Jul 6, 2015, 11:10 PM
Post #11 of 11
(7368 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 23, 2015
Posts: 4
|
Looks like taxes has gotten a lot of people worked up. The fact is that taxes are in place to help people, so paying the proper taxes is very important. If you do not pay your taxes, you don't get the benefits you should be getting like help paying for healthcare insurance. If you don't file for taxes, you will have to pay for your own insurance. :)
|
|
|
|
|
|
