I am frequently asked, "Can I homeschool other children?"

Carol,

I’m in Texas. Can I homeschool other children in my home?  It might be one or two classes.  For instance, I’m a certified Math teacher.  Could I be the math teacher for other children and then be paid as an IC (Independent Contractor) by the parents if I determine the curricula and completely control what I would be doing?

I’ve been prayerfully considering if I should continue on as a Mary Kay Sales Director or try to find other stay at home pay that might integrate in with my homeschooling better.  I have had several people approach me about “tutoring” their children.  Unfortunately, we depend on my income so I have to find some way to work but still be effective in my homeschooling. 

Any advice would be helpful.
Deborah

I have a cold.    I got it from my 17yo dd.  She's been sick for a week.

I love being a WAHM (Work at Home Mom) when I don't feel well.

I can lie down in the afternoon for an hour when I feel "ache-y."
I can dress comfortably in my flannel pants if no one is coming over.
I can still do tax returns (if my head is clear!)

The excellent homeschooling magazine, Old Schoolhouse magazine, has several job openings.  I received the following in an e-mail. If any of them sound interesting to you, e-mail TOS at : publisher@thehomeschoolmagazine.com. These are all work-at-home, independent contractor positions.  (I normally do not post such long entries, but since I frequently blog about homeschooling and working, I thought many of you should know about these positions)

General Editor - This position is opening up at TOS Magazine. This is the main editor; the one responsible for keeping our themes and calendar, slating authors, issuing and collecting writer contracts (lots of filing), and doing a PRISTINE job editing our magazine. The General Editor must be extremely friendly (not high strung), highly organized, and have a working knowledge of homeschooling in general. Will work closely with Gena Suarez and Deborah Wuehler (Senior Editor) on a daily basis. Must have a college degree or equivalent. Email us with "General Editor" in the subject line. Include a resume, other qualifications, and a detailed summary of qualifications. What can you bring TOS as its General Editor?
 
Interviewers/Reporters - We need more interviewers and reporters who can dig up stories about homeschooling's growth and successes. Approved candidates will be expected to pitch (and sometimes write) stories, but also will be assigned interviews. This position pays by the piece. Put "Reporter" in the subject line and include a summary of qualifications. Feel free to attach a writing sample.
 
Public Relations - Can you write a good press release? Can you write ad copy that attacts attention? What about representing TOS on the radio? Attach a sample press release you've written, as well as fictional (phony) ad copy for TOS Magazine. Subject line should say: Public Relations.
 
Researcher - Must have working knowledge of Excel databases. Must be skilled at online searches and not afraid to phone organizations for information. Put "Research" in the subject line of the email. Include a summary of experience.
 
TOS e-Book Project Manager - We have three successfully selling ebooks. We need seven more for 2008. Candidate must be an excellent researcher and have the ability to work with others. Team player mandatory. Excellent writing and design skills. Send a sample of previously made ebook(s) and resume. Subject line: e-Book Manager.
 
Sales opportunities - Do you like forming new business relationships? Our top advertising sales reps make a very good income working full-time for TOS Magazine. Email us with "Sales" in the subject line, and we'll get you set up to talk with a manager. Attach a resume if you'd like. Be prepared to put in several hours per week in order for this position to work for you. Sales is commission-based only.
 
Conference Booth Reps - Put this in the subject line when you email. Candidates must be very outgoing and able to commit to representing the TOS booth in their state. Only professionals please apply. Must be outgoing enough to agressively sell from the booth (drawing people in from the aisles). Strong math skills, organized, and smiley.
 
Renewals - Care to talk with other TOS subscribers on the phone? Our Winter issue just hit the streets, and with it came over 8,000 families we need to renew - their subscriptions just ended. This is a telemarketing position; email us with "Renewals" in the subject line if interested.
 
Layout and Design - Put this in the subject line when you email us about your  qualifications in layout. What programs do you use/possess? We are looking for professional layout people to put our magazine together every quarter. Must have an eye for art and a professional working attitude along with an ability to follow instructions. Must work well with others and be patient with editors. Pays very well.
 
Marketing Helpers - Again, put this title in the subject line along with a written summary of your qualifications. How can you help grow TOS Magazine's subscribership? Please tell us how you think you can (part-time) assist our current marketing team. Attach a resume if you'd like, but certainly include a few paragraphs on why we should consider adding you to our team. The ability to analyze information, including surveys, is an important qualification. Can you take survey results and turn them into strongly written marketing pieces? We need you.
 
Secretarial Services - Use this title in the subject line when you respond. Let's face it - TOS is growing, and our managers and directors are needing office support. Borders Bookstores nationwide is putting together a new homeschool section, and TOS will be the ONLY magazine on a special shelving unit in that whole section. Not only that, we're launching a digital magazine to go along with the print. Beyond even that, we're hitting the road this season with TOS booths at various conventions nationwide. We need help keeping us organized (Gena especially!).
 
Photography - Have you noticed our covers? They're schoolhouses! We pay for good schoolhouse shots, and we reference the photographer right in the front pages of the magazine. Put "Photography" in the subject line when you approach us about your services.
 
Schoolhouse Store Helper - Our store manager needs help. Take a look at the store. Can you help us organize it? Can you support our manager? Tell us what you can do to assist TOS in this very part-time role. Please put "Schoolhouse Store" in the subject line.

Important to note before contacting us about any of the above positions!

The fastest way to lose a contract position with TOS is by proving to be slow at returning emails. TOS is a fast growing company which has primarily been operated via email alone. We are not brick and mortar. We depend on our contractors to stay very visible by phone and/or email. Our current staffers are extremely fast with communications. We do not renew independent contractors who don't respond to emails on a daily basis. Slow responders need not apply.  :)
 
Lots of interesting jobs here.  Do you fit any of them? Drop TOS an e-mail!  You may become a WAHM (Work at home Mom)!

Carol

This is so cool!  Coming soon:  the Winter 2007-8 issue of The Old Schoolhouse magazine (TOS).

Way back in May 2007  I submitted an article idea about homeschool moms being work-at-home moms.  Gina Suarez liked the idea and I submitted an article based off a workshop I give called Wanna be a WAHM?  I had a lot of fun sharing my story and tips on being a WAHM and now its mentioned on the cover of the next issue!

I know that earning some cash while still homeschooling is an important issue for many of us.  I hope the article is helpful to many of you...You can subscribe here.

Carol

Last tax season another homeschooling mom told me that she referred my name to a friend needing tax preparation help.  I thanked her, but then she said, "I looked all over your website and couldn't find anything about tax preparation!".  She meant, of course, my website for homeschool nonprofit organizations called HomeschoolCPA.com.  At that time I didn't have a website for my tax and accounting services. 

That's awfully short sighted since tax prep is my "bread and butter" and brings in more than 50% of my total business income!  So I'm happy to announce that I've finally launched a new website for tax prep and small business accounting:

Every once in a while the IRS does something good...
Here's an example.  Now you can get an Employer ID number (EIN) on-line immediately!  It's about time!

EINs are used by homeschool organizations to open a checking account, by a small businesses starting out and by WAHMs (work at home moms) or teenagers starting a business.  The IRS hands out EINs like candy.  I'm glad they made it quick and easy to get one.

I just used it myself this week.  I was asked to handle the money for a homeschool graduation ceremony.  I need to set up a nonprofit checking account at the local bank.  I know the bank will ask for an EIN number. One of the parents on the committee and I discussed an "official name"; she sent a check made out to that name  ("PEP Graduation Ceremony Fund") and I hopped on the IRS website and got an EIN.  BTW, I called this a nonprofit organization and chose Parent-Teacher Organization (like a PTO or PTA or Booster Club) when asked. I printed out the official IRS confirmation and we're ready to head to the bank!


Online Application for Employer Identification Number Now Available

Fellow CPA  Kristine McKinley has a great post titled How Do I Go About Filing Taxes on My EBay Sales?

Since many homeschoolers sell books and lots of other stuff on eBay, its a great questions to ask.  Kristine's blog Tax Tips for EBay Sellers has some good tips and information in other posts.  She discusses what expenses you can deduct, how to record sales and what taxes you'll owe.

eBay sellers, do your homework. Get help if you have questions and do your taxes correctly.  As Kristine points out:

The IRS is targeting eBay sellers and other small business owners who may be under-reporting income (or not reporting it at all), so good for you for being proactive and learning your responsibilities as a small business owner.

My friend Alice has launched a home based business doing custom sewing and alterations.  She wanted to know how much to charge for her time and materials. I gave her this helpful link (A Guide for Home-based Sewing Professionals). Here are some issues we discussed:

The market.  After attending an alterations class, Alice was told by others in the business that she should charge about $20-$25 an hour, not  the $15 she had been charging. 

Her time is valuable.  If Alice needs to buy fabric or supplies, she was passing along the cost of the materials, but not charging for her time to do the shopping.  I encouraged her to add that time to her fee.  After all, she was taking the time to do the shopping for a client.

Experience pays.  As Alice gets more experience, she will work faster and provide better quality and is justified in charging a higher hourly rate.  As I have increased my experience as an accountant and tax preparer, I have increased my hourly rate over the years.  I'm still very reasonable, but charge more now than when I started 7 years ago.

Taxes!  Self employment tax is 15%, federal income tax can be 10-35% and state taxes are about 5% here in Ohio.  Alice figured she's need to mark up her price at least 25% just to cover her taxes.  In other words, if she wants  to clear $20 an hour, she needs to charge $25 just to cover her taxes.

Don't sell yourself short if you have a home based business.  Perhaps you can charge less than the market rate because you have low overhead expenses.  I charge less than many CPAs because I work from my home and avoid paying office rent.  But don't be afraid to charge a market-based competitive rate.  Your time and expertise is worth something.

Carol

Many homeschooling families are interested in either working for themselves or have teenagers with dreams of owning their own small business.  There is quite a bit to learn about running a small business.  Here are some free workshops offered by the IRS and Ohio Department of Taxation.  If you don't live in Ohio, contact your state's Department of Taxation and see if they offer similar Small Business Workshops.

New or prospective small business owners and self-employed persons can learn about their tax rights and responsibilities by attending the next Small Business Tax Workshop. These workshops are offered free of charge and are sponsored by the IRS and Ohio Department of Taxation. Most workshops are being offered in cooperation with Ohio’s Small Business Development Centers.

Types of businesses & business structure, including:
•	Sole Proprietor
•	Sub S-Corporation
•	Partnership
•	C-Corporation
•	Advantages/disadvantages of each type

• Federal tax filing requirements
• Recordkeeping
• Preparation of Schedule C and S
• Estimated tax requirements
• Employment taxes

Ohio business taxes, including:
•	Sales Tax
•	 Personal Property Tax
•	State Tax Withholding

For a listing of dates and locations throughout Ohio, view Ohio’s State Tax Report 
at: http://tax.ohio.gov/divisions/tax_analysis/tax_data_series/documents/ostr_summer_07.pdf 

I just read a neat story in the on-line version of the Wall Street Journal about a homeschooling, work-at home mom.  What an inspiring person she is!

WSJ story on homeschooling mom

Homeschooling/education goes hand-in-hand with home-based businesses.  Read what  Debra Ross has to say about training her daughters.

"We feel very strongly about teaching the girls a portfolio of skills that will give them both a solid foundation for a 21st-century career, and a rich inner life. Cultural literacy, logic, math, science, computer skills and an entrepreneurial outlook are essential. We also want them to have business experience much earlier than I did. Both of them already have various businesses on their radar, where they can work when they're teenagers. Ice cream stores are the frontrunner now.

The Outcome: "One of my greatest pleasures is that the girls get to see every day what work means. I could ramp up the business and send them to school and have dramatically less time with them, and dramatically more money. But I want the girls to be exposed to how I interact with clients.

A homeschool mom here in Cincinnati has been doing medical transcription (MT) for nearly 8 years for a local hospital.  She put out the word wondering if  other homeschool parents would be interested in a career in MT .  She got over 60 responses for more information!  Wow!  I'd say there is definite interest in being a WAHM (Work at Home Mom) doing medical transcription.

She shared this link to the national professional organization for MTs:

American Association of Medical Transcription

The site had a good explanation of what working at home involves.  It's not easy.  It is demanding.   It is time-sensitive.  See my  highlights in the description below:

Medical transcription has received a lot of attention over recent years for its at-home work potential. It has tremendous appeal for individuals who want to work from home, and it is often the primary reason individuals seek to enter the profession. While many MT employers in the industry do offer the option of working from home, anyone entering the profession to work from home should be aware of and prepared for the challenges of an at-home work environment.

Given the critical nature of accuracy, productivity and timely delivery of documentation in a healthcare setting, medical transcriptionists who work from home are held to the same expectations as on-site employees. The industry does sometimes afford schedule flexibility to at-home workers, but the demand for focused, dedicated attention to the quality and timeliness of delivered work is the same for all MTs, whether at home or on site in a healthcare facility or transcription service.

Healthcare documentation is time-sensitive, and healthcare facilities rely on medical transcriptionists and services to deliver work that meets established deadlines. Individuals seeking a career in medical transcription in order to work from home will need to commit to a dedicated place and time at home, free from distractions and interruptions, in order to provide their services.

Working from home in any profession requires a high degree of self-motivation and self-discipline. Whether working a fixed or flexible schedule, at-home MTs need to establish boundaries in the home within which to work – boundaries that are respected by others in the household. Some individuals find that they lack the ability to stay focused and set daily work goals in an at-home setting and therefore find it easier to be productive in an on-site facility.

At-home workers in the industry fall within two categories: employees and independent contractors. Whether an at-home worker is responsible for providing his/her own equipment and resources will greatly depend on which of these categories he/she will work under. The option of working from home under either definition will depend on the employer, and MTs should research these options when seeking work from any potential employer or medical transcription service client.

The on-line aution business, like selling on eBay, is a very popular  way to make money, especially for Work at Home Moms (WAHMs) and home-based businesses.  I know of a couple of teenagers selling stuff on eBay and making quite a bit of cash. But selling on-line comes with its unique problems. The IRS has a web page devoted to on-line auctions with issues such as:

When does selling on eBay go from being an electronic garage sale to being a business? 
What taxes might you owe?
What do you have to report?
Are you the victim of a scam?

IRS webpage on On-line Auction Business

It's time to get educated!

Carol