"Thousands
have reported feeling more energetic, better health and
feeling more ALIVE after trying the original Noni juice." |
Taking Your Home-Based Tax Advantages to
the Bank
--- by Graham Anthony
Here's a concept -- tell your prospects they can put an additional
$5,000 of spending money per year in their pocket if they
sign up as a distributor in your Network Marketing business
-- whether or not they actually succeed in signing up a downline
or retailing products..
How...?
As a Network Marketing distributor, they'll
be entitled to a way-advantageous collection of tax breaks
which will enable them to reclaim thousands of dollars in
taxes -- dollars normally taken out of their day job paychecks
by the IRS.
The good tax laws that allow Network Marketers
-- and other small business owners -- to garner substantial
tax breaks are the same laws that GM and IBM benefit from.
The only difference between most Network Marketing businesses
and these Fortune 500 entities in the eyes of the IRS is their
size, and the fact that Network Marketers can also deduct
many expenses from their homes and daily lives. If these expenses
contribute to the success of their Network Marketing home-based
business, then they are fully tax deductible!
What is deductible by a Network Marketing home-based business
owner?
When you discuss business out to lunch
or dinner with co-workers and friends, your meal is 50 percent
tax deductible. For that matter, so are theater and sports
event tickets, and other expenses relating to entertainment
focused on building relationships with prospects, retail customers
and downline or upline distributors. (Remember, by definition,
everyone is a potential prospect or customer of your Network
Marketing business!)
Automobile mileage is deductible between your
home-based business office and a meeting where business is
discussed, such as the meals mentioned above, or an opportunity
meeting -- or even a golf outing with friends who are prospects!
Travel is deductible -- be it to an industrial
center or an island resort -- if the purpose is to hold an
opportunity meeting, to discuss business with other travelers,
or to attend a seminar. Your spouse's travel can even be deductible
if their presence is helpful in closing the sale.
You can also deduct wages paid to your children
for help in the business -- and if those children are under
14 and have no other sources of income, all wages under $4,000
per year are tax free. It's a great way to help save for college
with Uncle Sam's help!
You can pay with pre-tax dollars for expenses
like braces, eyeglasses and visits to the doctor if properly
structured through a qualified medical expense reimbursement
plan -- this is easy to do with standard forms. (see resource
box)
Home computers, fax machines, telephones, office
supplies, and office furniture are also fully tax deductible.
But there's more....
The IRS's only requirement is that you legitimately
treat your Network Marketing business as a business -- not
a hobby. That means regularly working your business.
What counts as "regularly working" your business?
Just taking the actions you are telling
your downline to take: attend weekly meetings, call prospects
regularly, use the product, tell people about the product
and, if successful, teach others to do the same.
If the people you sponsor actively follow
your guidance, they should make money; but even if they don't,
the IRS will recognize their right to their home-based business
tax breaks -- If they properly document their activities and
expenses!
Documentation Is Everything!
Documentation is a big word, but a simple
process. It merely means writing down in your day planner
all business-related activities, business- related expenses
and any revenues you earn. Consistent record keeping will
prove to the IRS (on the rare chance you have to) that you
are truly running a business and not engaged in a hobby --
whether or not it makes money.
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What do these records look like?
They're simple. Just writing down who you
spoke with about the business, where you went in pursuit of
your business, and what you spent in the ordinary course of
conducting your business -- if done in a regular and consistent
manner -- will provide you with proper documentation and a
sea of deductible business expenses!
Sure, it's a hassle writing down your business-related
activities every day; but for a maximum investment of five
minutes a day, the time spent record keeping is worth a minimum
of $5,000 in tax savings. That's $240/hour of tax savings
for the time you spent keeping track of your activities and
expenses. A pretty good wage for simple record keeping!
So, what do
these records look like exactly? Here's a sample day
from a day planner:
8:00 AM:
Breakfast meeting with Prospect Jones (a friend who
works near you). Presented products. She's considering
it. Breakfast cost $14.50. Mileage from home office
to breakfast: 15 miles. Ate at Chock Full of Nuts.
12:00 PM:
Lunch with Prospect Smith (a co-worker). Discussed
how great I felt using the product. He's considering
it. Lunch Cost: $15.75. Ate at Joe's.
5:30 PM:
Drink with Prospect Lee (a friend). Discussed the
product. Drinks cost $16.00.
Lee committed to buy 1 month's worth of the product.
7:00 PM:
Attended Opportunity Meeting. Mileage to event: 10
miles. Mileage to next event:15 miles. Watched presentations
and lent support.
8:30 PM:
Attend professional basketball game at home with
Prospect Harris and our spouses. Harris is considering
the opportunity.
Cost for tickets: $60.
Help from Uncle Sam
What's deductible in your ordinary lifestyle expenses
when you own a Network Marketing business? If you
legitimately work your business engaged in the following
actions, here's what's deductible. Check out the math:
$500: Lunch with co-workers is deductible (Hey, they're
prospects!). $4/day times 250 work days = $1,000 x
50 percent deductible = $500
$1,500: Travel expenses for you and spouse to vacation
land -- if you hold opportunity meetings (could be
to the friends you are visiting) and your spouse participates
$1,800: Home office deduction ($150/month) for use
of spare room in house out of which you operate your
home-based business
$1,500: Automobile mileage from home office to day
job or other places where you actively encounter prospects
and actively discuss the product. (20 miles round
trip to work x 250 days x 30 cents/mile)
$8,000: Tax free wages for two kids without other
jobs who assist you in your Home-Based Business (2
kids x $4,000 per year paid to their savings accounts
for college/weddings, etc.)
$2,700: Health insurance for family (Spouse is an
employee of your home-based business, who chooses
to include you and kids on the plan --
$225/month time 12 months)
That's $16,000 Total tax-deductible expenses x 35%
combined Federal and State tax rate = $5,600 Cash
refund from IRS on April 15th
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Remember, to deduct the above expenses, you
must be actively working your business in the lunches, trips,
visits, etc. mentioned above, and be keeping proper records.
If you are an active Network Marketer, this is not only perfectly
legitimate -- it's good business -- AND, it's a great reason
to show your prospects why they need to have their own Networking
business, too!
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We recommend that you consult their accountants and individual
tax advisors in applying these concepts to their businesses.
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