Somebody called the town on me!

Here in bellevue i am not required to have a water reclaimation system unless.



I do more than 8 wash cars a week in one place, or i use x amount of gallons of water in one week in one place.



That being said. the issue comes into play that the county says i must wash on grass and dispose of water on grass. The state says i must wash on pavement and dispose of water in toilet. Disposing of waste water in the toilet is strictly forbiden by the county.
 
WOW guys! Thanks so much for all the help. Its really why i love it here. Anyway, the person whom I believe called on my is my across-the-street-neighbor. An older woman in her late 50's, with husband, college daughter, and her 80+ y.o. mom. First of all, she is home all the time, and is kind of a wack job. Me and a frend once watched her shriek at the sight of her own cat when it was walking by(lmao). Ive actually snowblown her driveway, and helped her when she managed to get her Grand Cherokee stuck in 1ft of snow :geez. So I don't see what I could have done to get her angry. I almost ALWAYS use ONR, so the clean water act isn't that much of an issue for me. What im worried about is taxes.



Also, its not like my house is really close to hers, or anyone elses for that matter, just look at the pics:

See the driveway across the street? Thats her house.

M45010-1.jpg




Small writing, but you get the point.



BensDetailingpicss039.jpg






Thanks again!
 
Just work in the garage and keep the door closed. If the inspector comes by again don't volunteer any information. We've got a nut in our neighborhood that keeps calling the city on people with boats and rv's. Most people are really nice but it only takes one nut to stir up trouble.
 
What are the forms or whatever you need to have to file taxes? Still, no one is answering the question. Just bashing people who are trying to start in the business.
 
At the end of the year, you do a schedule C for your business. Basically, you list expenses and income from the detailing. You can expense everything done during business, including mileage on the vehicle. You then figure what % of the total mileage you used during the year for business and take that % to your oil changes, brakes, tires, maintanence and that is another expense against your income.



The city license will have you pay a % of your income, but mine was always VERY low..I think it is $30 to the first 20k, which I never did while part timing.



Joining network groups has also been lucrative for some of my contacts.



Hope this helps. Of course, at the end of the year, see your local EA or Accountant for doing your taxes. Mine is very reasonable and saves me lots of time.



Rob Regan
 
I do details from my home as I do this part part time. Myabe 2-3 a week during the spring and summer. My neighbors seem to not mind since 4 neighbors down the street have "hired" me! :) Few of the neighbors have even said they love some of the cars I get into the garage such as some Ferrari's I have done. I have also been in this nieghborhood for 8 years and everyone knows me. That sucks your neighbors would snitch on you.
 
Ben,



Let's take a look at this from a slightly different point of view. Since you are not a registered business, regardless of what someone has reported, you are not running a business. What you have is a hobby. Something you like to do and enjoy doing. Something you created where people allow you to clean up their vehicles.



If you think I am making this up, I am not. Actually our federal government see it the same way. The rules are simply this; as long as you do not show a profit for the first few years, then basically all you have going is a hobby. And the way to not show a profit is to keep investing whatever you make back into what you are doing. Buy more supplies, products, and equipment.



The key is the government gives you a few years to figure out whether or not this thing you are doing is going be profitable and develop into a business. After a few years, you would then need to establish yourself as an actually business. Until then, there is really nothing anyone can do other than make you mad.



From a legal standpoint, nobody can force you to get a business permit, when you are not a legal business.



Shoot me an email at [email protected] and I will find a link to the official documents explaining the difference between operating a hobby and running a business.
 
Frank,



Great point! I got a little tunnel visioned on this one. I remember thinking that if someone asked me if I was running a business, my reply was going to be, "No, but my friends ask me to take care of their cars because I'm good." I wasn't going to mention money. As you stated, don't show profits by reinvesting. This is a great way to get your hobby to buy YOU great equipment.

Rob
 
Thanks for the reply Rob. I am sure there are plently of us who started out that same way. Hey, I actually started out by cleaning up my neighbors car. He always noticed me out there cleaning my own car, so one day he walked over and asked if I would polish and wax his car. I said yes and before long I was beginning to turn what I always liked doing as a hooby, into an actual business. And that was twenty one years ago.
 
mirrorfinishman said:
From a legal standpoint, nobody can force you to get a business permit, when you are not a legal business.



Shoot me an email at [email protected] and I will find a link to the official documents explaining the difference between operating a hobby and running a business.
Click to expand...



:nixweiss I'm not sure this is relevant if the OP has violated a local ordinance, which is more likely a zoning ordinance than one having to do with business status and taxes. Local ordinances keep some members from washing their own cars in their driveways.



Frank, if you find those links please post them here, I for one would be interested in that regardless of whether it helps the OP.
 
Whitethunder46 said:
How do you go about doing business taxes? If at all? I've talked to many mobile detailers that say don't worry about it.



Also, where can I go to get a permit?
Click to expand...



If you don't worry about taxes, you may end up in serious troulble with the IRS. State taxes (sales tax, etc) depend on the state.



I have no idea where you'd go in your area to find out the information, so why not try googling it?
 
Guess since I haven't broke even form all the crap I've bought then all I have is an expensive hobby. When and if I start making money, it will be "donations" to the Junebug College Fund for my daughters. I don't intend for this little side line to be anything more than a way to make a few bucks and to further my education on detailing, like my doctor said the other day - I practice medicine, one day I'll be good at it. However, the company I work for was bought out 2 years ago and they seem intent on getting rid of the old employees first, after they get some college kid trained. So, I may be selling cars or working at Lowes and detailing too. I hate to think that after 24 years I'd have to start over but it could happen.
 
I knew of a teacher that gave swimming lessons in the summer for $100 per hr. After he retired from teaching, guess what retire fund paid for his retirement house? He had kept all the monies in a drawer over the years and never touched it. I guess would be classified as more than a hobby. :)



Rob
 
Whitethunder46 said:
What are the forms or whatever you need to have to file taxes? Still, no one is answering the question. Just bashing people who are trying to start in the business.
Click to expand...



You paying taxes is dependent on various things such as your age, how much you're earning, what your local and state tax offices say about the issue and also what the feds say in regards to your issue.



Here in Texas we don't pay state taxes only local and Federal. If you do any resale then there is a seperate tax for that.



If you're a student and make under a certain amount each year then you may not have to worry about taxes. Go to your city commerce office and find out what's up.



Anthony
 
Anthony Orosco said:
You paying taxes is dependent on various things such as your age, how much you're earning, what your local and state tax offices say about the issue and also what the feds say in regards to your issue.



Here in Texas we don't pay state taxes only local and Federal. If you do any resale then there is a seperate tax for that.



If you're a student and make under a certain amount each year then you may not have to worry about taxes. Go to your city commerce office and find out what's up.



Anthony
Click to expand...



Thanks Anthony. BTW, I love your videos.
 
what about if some one made little documents that stated that he was doing the job as a 'gift' and any money received was also a 'gift.' with signature or something :grinno:



Would that hold up (or a similar idea)
 
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