If i have a self employed part time business and didn't make any money in 2016 do i still file business taxes and claim my business?

[lucky_me_69]

i paid for a local business license in 2015 and did some work. Then in 2016, I bought no license and did no work. I claimed the money i made in 2015 on my taxes. Do I still need to file taxes in 2016 with my business?

[JaimeG]

Do you plan on continuing the Business or are do you want to close it out?

[lucky_me_69]

I want to get a Wyoming Low Voltage Contractors License and start doing side work again but, I didn't do any work after I found out in 2015, that I had to have a license to do the work. As I already have a full-time job, this doesn't have any immediate need.

[JaimeG · Accepted solution]

You need to report your business as "sold or otherwise disposed of".

1. Continue through the TurboTax Program for your business "as if" it was still operating. On the 2nd or 3rd screen in select the option for "I sold, closed or otherwise disposed of this business in 2016". If prompted for the date, enter the day after you last day of business in 2016.
2. If your business had no income in the tax year, you can not leave the business income section blank. You 'must' enter a digit, even if that digit is a ZERO.
3. If you had no business expenses, then you can leave that blank and don't even have to work that section through, if you don't want to.
4. If your business carried an inventory, the end of year (EOY) inventory must be zero. If it's not, then in the COGS section indicate that you removed all of the remaining inventory for personal use. that effectively makes your End-of-Year inventory balance, zero.
5. If your business had assets, then you must show the disposition of those assets. In the Business Assets section work through each individual asset on at a time, and select YES on the screen, "DId you stop using this asset in 2016?". Then on the next screen, "Special Handling Required?" if you sold the asset, select no and you will be prompted for your sales information on that specific asset. If you did NOT sell the asset, click the YES button and continue on. You must do this for each individual asset listed, even if it's already fully depreciated.
6. If you claimed any vehicle expenses in your business at any time from the day you opened your business, then you must most show the disposition of that vehicle. Work through the Business Vehicle Expenses section and indicate that you stopped using that asset in the business, when prompted. Then show your disposition of that vehicle. Most likely, you'll indicate that it was removed for personal use.

Once you have done all the above, that will make the 2016 tax year the last year you will file a SCH C for this specific business.