For a variety of reasons, retirement may not be an attractive option once you have entered that world. With medical advances, most people live longer and healthier lives. As a result, many retirees have too much energy and passion for life to simply do nothing. If you have spent the majority of your life in the work place, retirement can result in boredom, loss of enthusiasm or loneliness. You may find yourself missing that job you dreaded. Other retired people immediately realize their retirement savings just won’t be enough, especially with an uncertain world economy. So, what next?Have you ever dreamed of having your own business? Believe it or not, there are definite advantages for retirees that want to start a home based business. In fact, home based businesses in general are increasing and proving to be very successful. If you structure the business correctly and remain in compliance with the Internal Revenue Service guidelines, you will qualify for numerous tax benefits.As you think about ideas for a home based business, consider your options and do your research. There are, unfortunately, numerous scams and dishonest people that prey on senior citizens. Exercise caution but do not let the fear of a scam keep you from launching your own business.Start by making a list of your hobbies, your work experience, special skills, talents and passions. Often hobbies can be easily converted to a profitable home based business. A few ideas to get your brainstorming started: photography, accounting, handyman service, crafts, pet grooming, cake design and decoration, web design, selling products on eBay, online tutoring. Once you start brainstorming and as you review your list of specific talents and skills, your list of possibilities will expand.After you have selected two or three home based business ideas, do your research. Research can be done at the public library, online and discussing your ideas with trusted friends or family. Make a list of your goals before your start researching. Do you want to or need to supplement your income? Are you simply interested in staying active, feeling useful and maintaining contact with the world outside your home? Will you need help with the business? If you have a partner, this may influence your final selection.What about startup money? You may already have the equipment needed to get started. For example, if you select photography, you may own the necessary equipment. A word of caution at this point is necessary. Be sure you possess the skills and talents required for the business; owning an expensive digital camera and being the family photographer is probably not enough. On the other hand, if you have a passion for photography, consider taking a class at the local community college and learn the skills and techniques needed. Or, find a part time job with a local photographer and learn from a professional. This word of caution applies to any business idea you may choose.Keep in mind that the Small Business Administration can be very helpful. The SBA funds loans for home based businesses as well as brick and mortar businesses. As long as you meet the established requirements, you may qualify for a loan.Another huge advantage for retired people starting a home based business is your maturity and years of experience. Our current economy has often been compared to the Great Depression; it is interesting to note that many profitable businesses were started during the Great Depression. Do your brainstorming, complete your research and get started!
Home Based Business Tax Benefits
Home Based Business tax saving strategies should be one of your primary business goals for a successful business. Working from home has many advantages and disadvantages but one primary benefit you can derive from your home based business is your tax saving benefits. If you have a home business, you need to be fully aware that you will have a variety of tax deductions that you can claim as benefits to help offset your business expenses.Tax Benefits for home based business sole proprietors:Before starting up a business, it is important to determine the most advantageous setup for your business by consulting a tax accountant or an attorney. Some of the benefits of establishing a business as a sole proprietorship are as follows.Easier tax returns to file: Tax returns can be filed easier for a sole proprietorship because, generally, you don’t need to provide lengthy and complicated forms. Normally, you only need to fill out a short one or two page IRS form. Generally, these forms are simple enough that you can complete them yourself.Free from mandatory audit: Filing your own taxes can you a lot of money if you don’t need to pay for an external audit or to hire an Accountant or Tax Consultant to file your taxes.Dissolution of business: A Sole proprietorship may not have tax implications if you wish to dissolve your business if you don’t have a lot of business assets that you have accumulated.You can personally manage your expenses and therefore, your deductions: As a business owner, you can determine your expenses and better manage your cash flow and payroll expenses. You can manage your finances and make expense adjustments that will benefit you through your tax write offs.Healthcare for you as a business principal and your employees is a deductable expense. Normally, most Proprietors don’t realize that healthcare is a tax deduction and therefore fail to take advantage of this valuable benefit. You will need to check with your Accountant or Tax Consultant to find out the limitations on these deductions.You will need to fully understand that no matter what type of business structure you form, you will need to report your income, profit and loses and other financial information on tax returns. An advantage with your home based business is that your business income counts towards your personal income and any loses that your business incurs may also be deductible to reduce your personal taxes as well.Deductions and Claims:Additional possible deductions for your Home Based Business include your business portion of your home expenses. To find out how much you can claim you need to calculate the amount of space you are using for your business. Suppose you are using 10% of your space for work, you can claim 10% of your heating expenses for the days for deduction. This results in major tax savings.You may also be able to claim a percentage of the following expenses also. However, make sure to verify that they are deductible with an Accountant, Tax Consultant and/or with your local tax office.• Mortgage• Rent• Telephone• Electricity• Internet• Home insuranceApart from the above expenses, you may also be able to deduct these additional indirect expenses incurred with regard to your business:• Meals and entertainment for business related reasons• Advertising Costs• Business tools like computer, printer and paperIRS Restrictions regarding these deductions:To deduct expenses related to business you need to meet the following requirements.• The business space should be used exclusively for the principal business activities.• The space should be exclusive place where you meet your clients for business purposes. • The space should be used for your personal use for doing normal daily business activities (i.e. phone calls, bookwork and etc.)Home based businesses are great tax shelters. Though the expenses you incur in your home based business are tax deductible, the tax law varies from Country to Country and State to State. Therefore, you’ll need to find out from your local jurisdiction about the deductions which can you can legally claim for your specific business.
Home Based Business Seekers Have A Financial Advantage
Home Based Business Seekers Are On The Right Path In years past, starting a home based business was little more than formalizing a hobby. For many, it would become a limited source of some supplemental income for an individual or a family, but few expected to get rich or even fully satisfy all of a family’s financial needs. During the decade of the 90′s, seventy percent of new home based business seekers cited “having more control over their lives” as an important reason to start a home business. This would seem to indicate that, at this time, more people were beginning to view home based business as a potentially significant source of income. Fortunately, the reservoir of home based businesses ideas has never been larger. Home Based Online Business Opportunities are leading the way!The New EconomyThe global economy has been reshaping itself over the past 40 years as the United States dominance in manufacturing output and world trade has waned. With the growing economic fortune of other countries, millions of solid, good paying jobs (even complete industries) that enabled millions of Americans to enjoy comfortable lifestyles have vanished. So far, there are no signs that these jobs will be replaced. The financial outlook for a startling number of “Middle Class Americans” has turned bleak! Many have either lost employment or are worried about their ability to keep their jobs. Those who already had productive home based businesses are fortunate if their business profits somewhat cushioned the loss of salaries or wages. The overall outlook is not likely to improve in the foreseeable future so we will have to adapt to the new economic landscape. Becoming a home based business seeker can help.Change Your MindsetRecognizing that because of the New Economy in America, the lifestyle of you and your family may be in serious jeopardy, you must start considering what actions you can and will take to sustain your lifestyle.If you currently have a job, consider yourself fortunate and strive to be a most valuable employee. In fact, become the perpetual “employee of the year” and always be in position to be promoted. Simultaneously, as you manage your work career, begin establishing additional income streams from the creation of home based businesses. If you are married or have a partner willing to work as a team, it will enhance your experience and heighten your chances for success in operating a home based business.Consider Your OptionsAs previously noted, the ideal situation is for you to have a paying day job plus one or more streams of income from one or more home businesses. If and when you reach a point of absolute confidence in the ongoing viability of your home businesses, you may decide to quit your “day job” and totally focus on your home business endeavors.Work From Your HomeThere is, however, one way for you to have the best of both a job and home businesses. If you can find a way to work your day job from your home, you will be in a great position to become a home based business seeker.In addition to the Internet making it possible for many people to launch home businesses, it has also created opportunities to become a paid employee of a company and work your day job from your home. Many companies are extending telecommuting options to personnel who only require a computer and a telephone to perform their jobs. As a “telecommuting” employee, you are still responsible for satisfactorily performing your job functions and will likely have a reporting relationship to someone in company management. The key advantage is that you may be able to plan your work schedule in a manner that allows you to both perform your day job functions and operate your home based business.How To Find A Work From Home JobOne of the oldest and most reliable databases to search for legitimate work from home jobs is homejobstop.com. This job bank is an active job board specializing in telecommuting and work from home jobs. In addition to the large job bank, other work from home job search services are available. A web search for “work from home jobs” will yield additional sources.Embracing the strategy of income diversification is critical to sustaining and improving your financial status.