Can I file taxes without a business license? Will deposit history at bank help? No receipts for calculating costs, will I still be able to claim expenses?

[HisFutureMrs]

I started a small cleaning business this year but did not have the means to obtain a business license. I have no employees, just myself. I'm not sure how I would calculate expenses if I don't have receipts and I didn't really keep track of exactly how much I earned but I did make deposits to my bank. This whole business thing is new to me. Can I still file taxes? I want to pay if I owe anything. Would I just request deposit history from my bank? How would I calculate expenses if I don't have receipts? I know about how much I spend monthly on supplies. I also have a car payment and I use my car for work. Would I include that as a partial expense?

[Patrice · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can file a tax return without obtaining a business license.  

As a self-employed individual, generally you are required to file an annual return and pay estimated tax quarterly.

Self-employed individuals generally must pay self-employment tax (SE tax) as well as income tax. SE tax is a Social Security and Medicare tax primarily for individuals who work for themselves. It is similar to the Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld from the pay of most wage earners. In general, anytime the wording "self-employment tax" is used, it only refers to Social Security and Medicare taxes and not any other tax (like income tax).

Before you can determine if you are subject to self-employment tax and income tax, you must figure your net profit or net loss from your business. You do this by subtracting your business expenses from your business income. If your expenses are less than your income, the difference is net profit and becomes part of your income on page 1 of Form 1040. If your expenses are more than your income, the difference is a net loss. You usually can deduct your loss from gross income on page 1 of Form 1040. But in some situations your loss is limited. See Pub. 334, Tax Guide for Small Business (For Individuals Who Use Schedule C or C-EZ) for more information.

You have to file an income tax return if your net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more. If your net earnings from self-employment were less than $400, you still have to file an income tax return if you meet any other filing requirement listed in the Form 1040 instructions (PDF).

For more information please take a look at this video to get info:

https://www.irsvideos.gov/Business/virtualworkshop

[VolvoGirl]

First of all,  If you buy the Desktop CD or Download Software any version will handle it but you will get more help in Home & Business.  For the Online versions you have to use the new Self Employed version (formerly called Home & Business).
 
Here is some reading material……

IRS information on Self Employment….
http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Self-Employed-Individuals-Tax-Center

Pulication 334, Tax Guide for Small Business
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p334.pdf

Publication 535 Business Expenses
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p535.pdf

Self Employment tax (Scheduled SE) is generated if a person has $400 or more of net profit from self-employment on Schedule C.  You pay 15.3% for SE tax on 92.35% of your Net Profit greater than $400.  The 15.3% self employed SE Tax is to pay both the employer part and employee part of Social Security and Medicare.  So you get social security credit for it when you retire.  You do get to take off the 50% ER portion of the SE tax as an adjustment on line 27 of the 1040.  The SE tax is already included in your tax due or reduced your refund.  It is on the 1040 line 57.  The SE tax is in addition to your regular income tax on the net profit.

There is also QuickBooks Self Employment bundle you can check out which includes one Turbo Tax Home & Business return....
http://quickbooks.intuit.com/self-employed


PAYING QUARTERLY ESTIMATES
You must make quarterly estimated tax payments for the current tax year (or next year) if both of the following apply:
- 1. You expect to owe at least $1,000 in tax for the current tax year, after subtracting your withholding and credits.
 
- 2. You expect your withholding and credits to be less than the smaller of:
    90% of the tax to be shown on your current year’s tax return, or
  100% of the tax shown on your prior year’s tax return. (Your prior year tax return must cover all 12 months.)

To prepare estimates for next year you start with your current return, You can just type W4 in the search box at the top of your return , click on Find. Then Click on Jump To and it will take you to the estimated tax payments section. Say no to changing your W-4 and the next screen will start the estimated taxes section.