Money-Smart Solopreneur. Laura D. Adams

       15 MONEY MISTAKES SOLOPRENEURS MUST AVOID

       Pitfalls that Every Solopreneur Should Avoid

       15 Resources for Solopreneurs

       PART IV

       UNDERSTANDING BUSINESS TAXES

       CHAPTER 12

       SETTLING UP WITH UNCLE SAM THE RIGHT WAY

       Paying Income Taxes

       Which Tax Forms You Must File

       What to Know About Hiring Employees

       What to Know About Hiring Independent Contractors

       Do You Have a Business or a Hobby? Exercise

       CHAPTER 13

       DON’T MISS OUT ON VALUABLE TAX DEDUCTIONS

       Taking Advantage of Tax Deductions

       Master Your Record Keeping Exercise

       CHAPTER 14

       GETTING COZY SAVINGS FROM A HOME OFFICE

       Pros of Working from a Home Office

       Cons of Working from a Home Office

       Who Can Claim a Home Office?

       Home Office Expenses You Can Deduct

       Defining Your Home Office Exercise

       CHAPTER 15

       RECORD-KEEPING RULES TO LIVE BY

       Tips to Manage Records Like a Pro

       How Long to Keep Business Records

       Monitoring Your Business Progress

       Your Best Business Bank Account Exercise

       PART V

       BUILDING YOUR OWN BENEFITS PACKAGE

       CHAPTER 16

       PROTECTING YOUR HEALTH AND LIFE WITH INSURANCE

       Understanding Health Insurance Regulations

       How to Get Health Insurance

       Choosing the Best Health Insurance

       How to Get Life Insurance

       Insurance Savings Tip

       CHAPTER 17

       GETTING HEALTHY, WEALTHY, AND WISE WITH AN HSA

       Using an HSA to Cut Costs

       What You Can Purchase with an HSA

       How Using an HSA Boosts Retirement Savings

       Summary of HSA Benefits

       CHAPTER 18

       PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT AS A SOLOPRENEUR

       Understanding Retirement Accounts

       Should You Choose a Traditional or Roth Account?

       How Much to Save for Retirement

       Tips for Choosing Retirement Investments

       Creating Your Retirement Vision

       CHAPTER 19

       FINAL THOUGHTS: TEN ACTION TIPS FOR SOLOPRENEUR SUCCESS

       Tip #1: Define Your Vision for Success

       Tip #2: Create Your Own Income Security

       Tip #3: Don’t Underestimate the Need for a Cash Reserve

       Tip #4: Choose a Realistic Business Timeline

       Tip #5: Surround Yourself with Like-Minded People

       Tip #6: Face Your Fears by Reducing Risk

       Tip #7: Build Your Skills Deliberately

       Tip #8: Make More and Spend Less

       Tip #9: Become Savvy at Inbound Marketing

       Tip #10: Get Good Advice When You Need It

       ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

       ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      INTRODUCTION

      Years ago, I broke away from the traditional, nine-to-five world and started working for myself. I wanted to do fulfilling work in my own way without having to fight layers of bureaucracy or fill my calendar with company meetings. I desperately wanted to use my skills, make the rules, define my future, and earn a great living.

      If you too pine for the freedom and flexibility to do truly gratifying work and wake up every morning excited about your job, you can do what I did. All you need is a good idea or subject-matter knowledge, plus some hard work.

      But the barrier to starting a profitable business may not be a lack of determination or a good idea. What may be holding you back is that you don’t know how. You may not know the answers to basic questions, such as “Do I need to