Today’s guest blogger is Bruce Farr, a writer in my freelance stable during my staff editing days, a client during his corporate days, and a wise friend for the duration. (He’s a holdout on blogging, but here’s a quick article about his background, which includes writing and recording commentaries for NPR’s All Things Considered.) Here’s his response to a question the Doc received about freelancing in the sticks. [Read more…]
Freelance Follies: Can you just wordsmith it a bit?
Freelance Follies Episode #4: “Can you just wordsmith it a bit?” Because, as our intrepid freelancer finds out…sometimes, “wordsmith” is client-speak for “don’t touch a thing.”
You can see all of the Freelance Follies video shorts at DearDrFreelance’s YouTube channel.
It’s tax season…do you know where your 1099s are?
Dr. Freelance, if I don’t receive a 1099 for each client who paid me $600 or more, can the IRS penalize me?—Infernally Ravenous Scoundrels
Dear IRS: No, as long as you pay the appropriate taxes on your paid freelance gigs, there is no penalty for not having the actual form 1099s. There’s a wide variety of common 1099-MISC issues, such as if they’re too high or low, have incorrect information, or don’t come at all. Because the rules and regulations are too complex to deal with here, I recommend that you consult the IRS.gov site or your CPA for guidance on how to handle those types of situations correctly. [Read more…]
The Doctor Is IN
Is your freelance business as healthy as you’d like it to be? Dr. Freelance specializes in diagnosing common, chronic and exotic freelance ailments as well as prescribing smart business cures. So, if you’re looking for the doctor who can help: Take two clients…and call me in the morning.