A Business Question

[Patrick Greene]

It is a huge headache, but in Tennessee, one has to register with the city
and county so that you can pay the taxes that are owed to them.  As far as I
can tell, I am receiving little in return for my tax investment.  I was late
one day paying my taxes and had to pay over $50.00 in late fees.  I wish I
had never registered as a small business because the county sold my name to
telemarketers and now the phone rings off the wall...just not tuning
clients!
----- Original Message -----
From: <Tvak@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2001 2:11 PM
Subject: A Business Question


> My bank has been grumbling about the number of checks I deposit,
suggesting I
> might need to open a business checking account.  Since personal accounts
are
> free, and since I do business under my own name, I'm not eager to do this.
I
> would have to register as a business with the county first.  (I did
actually
> a register as a small business with the county when I started out, but I
no
> longer use that company name.)  For years, as a pianist I collected checks
> from various parties and it never occurred to me to register as a
business.
> I play the piano, they pay me.  Now I tuned the piano, they pay me.  Why
> bother registering as a small business?  They write a check to me, and I
> deposit it in my checking account.
>
> Where I live you must register a business with the county to get a listing
in
> the Yellow Pages.  My registration under the previous company name
qualifies
> me even though I am now listed just by my name.  I'm not really interested
in
> going through the expense and hassle of registering as a business again.
>
> If I may ask, how many of you have registered as a small business?  Is
there
> any advantage or disadvantage to being a small business versus an
individual?
>  Are taxes handled the same way?
>
> BTW, with tax season coming up, can any of you in the Chicago area
recommend
> a good tax guy who is familiar with tuner's deductions, expenses, etc.?
>
> Thanks for any advice,
> Tom Sivak