Crowdfunding — or funding a project through the online contributions of many different backers — is becoming increasingly popular. If you are considering raising crowdfunding revenue or contributing to a crowdfunding campaign, you will need to address the many tax issues that can arise.

Background

While crowdfunding was initially used by artists and others to raise money for projects that were unlikely to turn a profit, others have begun to see crowdfunding as an alternative to venture capital. Depending on the project, those who contribute may receive nothing of value, a reward of nominal value (such as a T-shirt or tickets to an event), or perhaps even an ownership/equity interest in the enterprise.

Is It Income?

In an “information letter” released in 2016,¹ the IRS stated that crowdfunding revenues will generally be treated as income unless they are:

• Loans that must be repaid
• Capital contributed to an entity in exchange for an equity interest in the entity
• Gifts made out of detached generosity without any “quid pro quo”

The IRS noted that the facts and circumstances of each case will determine how the revenue is to be characterized and added that “crowdfunding revenues must generally be included in income to the extent they are for services rendered or are gains from the sale of property.”

Frequently, the IRS learns of the activity because crowdfunding entrepreneurs have used a third-party payment network to process the contributions. Where transactions during the year exceed a specific threshold — gross payments in excess of $20,000 and more than 200 transactions — that third party is required to send Form 1099-K (Payment Card and Third-Party Network Transactions) to the recipient and the IRS. Payments that do not meet the threshold are still potentially taxable.

If It’s Income

“Ordinary and necessary” business expenses are generally tax deductible, but deductions for expenses are limited if the IRS deems the activity a hobby rather than a trade or business. Generally, the IRS applies a “facts and circumstances” test to determine if you have a profit-making motive, which is necessary for a trade or business.

New Businesses

Favorable deduction rules may be available for certain types of expenses incurred in starting a new business. If eligible, the business may elect to expense up to $5,000 of those costs (subject to phaseout) in the year the business becomes active, with the remainder of the start-up expenditures deducted ratably over a 180-month period.

For Contributors

Campaign contributors should not assume that their gifts qualify as tax-deductible charitable contributions. Tax-deductible contributions must meet certain requirements, including that they be made to a qualified charitable organization. If gifts are made to an individual or nonqualified organization, you will generally need to file a gift tax return for gifts to any one recipient that exceed the gift tax annual exclusion ($15,000 for 2018).

These are just some of the potential tax issues that may arise. Our experienced Atlanta, GA CPA firm can save you real money on your taxes through comprehensive tax planning. To learn more, call 404-900-1040 now or request your free initial consultation online.

Source/Disclaimer:

¹Information Letter 2016-0036

It’s a major milestone for you, but it comes with a lot of paperwork that must be done correctly.

Bringing a new employee into your business is a reason to celebrate. You’ve done well enough as a sole proprietor that you can’t handle the workload by yourself anymore.

Onboarding your first worker, though, comes with a great deal of extra effort for you at first. You have to show him or her the ropes so you can offload some of the extra weight you’ve been carrying.

But first things first. Before your employee even shows up for the first day of work, you should have assembled all the paperwork required to keep you compliant with the IRS and other federal and state agencies.

A New Number

As a one-person company, you’ve been using your Social Security number as your tax ID. You’re an employer now, so you’ll need an Employer Identification Number (EIN). You can apply for one here.

The IRS’s EIN Assistant walks you through the process of applying for an Employer Identification Number (EIN).

Once you’ve completed the steps in the IRS’s EIN Assistant, you’ll receive your EIN right away, and can start using it to open a business bank account, apply for a business license, etc.

You’ll also need an EIN before you start paying your employee. It’s required on the Form W-4. If you’ve ever worked for a business yourself, you’ve probably filled out this form. As an employer now, you should provide one to your new hire on the first day. When it’s completed, it will help you determine how much federal income tax to withhold every payday. If you’re not bringing in a full-time employee but, rather, an independent contractor, you won’t be responsible for withholding and paying income taxes for that individual. You’ll need to supply him or her with a Form W-9.

Note: Payroll processing is probably the most complex element of small business accounting. If you don’t have any experience with it, you’ll probably want to use an online payroll application. After you’re set up on one of these websites, you enter the hours worked every pay period. The site calculates tax withholding and payroll taxes due, then prints or direct deposits paychecks. Let us know if you want some guidance on this.

Don’t forget about state taxes if your state requires them, and any local obligations. The IRS maintains a page with links to each state’s website. You can get information about doing business in your geographical area, which includes taxation requirements.

More Forms

You also have to be in contact with your state to report a new hire (same goes if you ever re-hire someone). The Small Business Administration (SBA) can be helpful here, as it is in many other aspects of managing a small business. The organization maintains a list of links to state entities here.

All employees are required to fill out a Form I-9 on the first day of a new job. New employees must also prove that they’re legally eligible to work in the United States. To do this, they complete a Form I-9 from the Department of Homeland Security. As their employer, you’re charged with verifying that the information provided is accurate by looking at one or a combination of documents (U.S. Passport, driver’s license and birth certificate, etc.). By signing this form, you’re stating that you’ve done that.

You can also use the U.S. government’s E-Verify online tool to confirm eligibility.

A Helping Hand

The Department of Labor has a great website for new employers. The FirstStep Employment Law Advisor helps employers understand what DOL federal employment laws apply to them and what recordkeeping they they’re required to do. Please consider us a resource, too, as you take on a new employee. Preparing for a complex new set of tax obligations will be a challenge. We’d like to see you get everything right from the start.

Discover how our insights and experience can translate into a better bottom line for your business. Call Manay CPA Inc. today at 404-900-1040 to learn more or request a consultation through our website and we’ll reach out to you to set up an appointment.

Your company is expanding — and that’s great! You’ve grown from one office to two, three, or even more. But you need to be able to manage all of them to continue to grow. Click through for some help in multi-office management.

Each new office seems deserving of all your time, but there are still your existing offices, whose need for attention hasn’t diminished. Building, disseminating and maintaining a cohesive business strategy across multiple sites is a challenge, but you need to get it right to continue to be successful.

Step one: Information needs to be shared.

This means that no one is behind on information, and you create a sense of community. Technology makes this happen because it allows immediate, widespread communication. You must ensure that there is one main method of digital communication — inconsistently used initiatives quickly become difficult to manage effectively. Use the one tool that works well and commit to communicating relatively frequently through it. You may want to send a brief weekly email newsletter to all staff. The tricky part is working across time zones, so if possible, send official communications when all offices are open.

Step two: Your leadership team is your greatest asset.

Employing an excellent senior management team to undertake communication on the company’s behalf is as important as digital communications. Have a senior management team member assist in running the firm, coordinating each office to provide local leadership. It’s wise to have a strong chain of command and a team that integrates as much as possible with each other to keep everyone informed about work across the company. Strong departmental management complements the businesswide strategic vision.

Step three: Timing is everything.

It’s essential to maintain a top-level presence across all offices and to be a recognizable face to all employees. If your company is based in one region, try to visit each office every month. If your firm is spread across the country, visit every two or three months. Time your visits within a week of each other and give a little more attention in your weekly email newsletter to any office that hasn’t been visited in a timely manner.

It makes sense to prioritize visits according to the size of the office, while maintaining a high level of inclusion in digital communications to show staff that they are highly valued.

Step four: Integrate wherever possible.

Encourage cross-office collaboration to develop a wider understanding of the business as a whole. It’s healthy to work with a number of different people and conducive to caring about the business beyond each office’s four walls. One means of doing this is to give staff opportunities to shape the company’s image, such as by participating in brand workshops or to be personally involved in company improvements.

Step five: Don’t be afraid to try something new.

Always try new things and commit to change. What suits one business may not suit another. Be prepared to innovate to find what works for you. That’s why building a personal relationship with as many employees as possible works — you’re giving people a chance to mix with others they would never normally work with.

Don’t forget the value of old-fashioned face time among and across teams. By encouraging this, you will contribute to successful integration and a corporate culture across geographies. Local offices need to be held accountable for quality control, scheduling and improving systems, and such efficiencies may work companywide.

All of this can seem like a lot of hard work, but splitting time between offices and building a system of shared information is crucial to the overall success of multi-office businesses. By trying to achieve equilibrium, you create a happy workforce that delivers the best results.

Discover how our insights and experience can translate into a better bottom line for your business. Call Manay CPA Inc today at 404-900-1040 to learn more or request a consultation through our website and we’ll reach out to you to set up an appointment.