Start-up

Male professional taking photos of a rust-colored baseball cap with his cell phone as a hobby.

The IRS Criteria for Distinguishing Hobbies From Businesses

Turning a favorite pastime into income can be rewarding, but it raises an important tax question: Is the activity a hobby or a business? The answer matters because different tax rules apply to each.

All income must be reported on your tax return, regardless of whether it’s from a hobby or a business. But related expenses (and losses) are deductible only if the activity is a business.

Read more

Starting a Home-Based Business

More than half of all businesses today are home-based. Every day, people strike out to achieve economic and creative independence by turning their skills into dollars. Garages, basements, and attics are being transformed into the corporate headquarters of the newest entrepreneurs – home-based business people.

And with technological advances in smartphones, tablets, and iPads and rising demand for “service-oriented” businesses, the opportunities seem endless.

Read more