Creative Services
Your creative business has equipment to deduct, freelancers to 1099, and projects to track. We handle the books and the tax planning so you can focus on the work.
The Deductions Nobody Mentioned
You bought a camera for that video project. A new laptop when the old one died. Editing software you pay for monthly. These are business expenses, and they reduce what you owe in taxes. But most creative business owners don’t track them properly, don’t know how to claim them, or just forget about them entirely.
Then there’s the home office. Many photographers, designers, and video editors work from home at least part of the time. That space is deductible. So is the percentage of your rent or mortgage, utilities, and internet that goes to business use. Add in self-employment tax strategies and quarterly estimated payments, and there’s real money at stake.
Simona is a CPA and Enrolled Agent, so tax planning is part of the work we do together. Your books and your taxes stay under one roof.
Equipment and Software
Equipment and Software
Cameras, computers, and software subscriptions add up. We track them as business expenses and help you claim the deductions you’re entitled to when tax time comes.
Quarterly Estimates
Quarterly Estimates
Self-employment tax doesn’t withhold itself. We help you plan quarterly estimated payments so April doesn’t bring a surprise you can’t cover.
Knowing What Actually Makes Money
Some months you close a big project. Some months it’s just the retainer clients keeping the lights on. Creative businesses often have both project-based revenue and recurring retainer income, and they need to be tracked differently. A $15,000 website project hits the books in a different rhythm than a $2,500 monthly retainer.
More importantly, you need to know which projects and which clients are actually profitable. That website project might have looked great on paper, but if revisions dragged on for three extra weeks and you didn’t bill for them, the margin disappears. We track revenue by project and by client so you can see where the money is actually coming from.
Project Profitability
Project Profitability
We track costs and revenue by project. You see which types of work make money and which ones eat up time without returning enough margin to justify them.
Retainer and Recurring Revenue
Retainer and Recurring Revenue
Monthly retainers and ongoing contracts get tracked separately from project work. You know your baseline revenue and can plan around it.
Freelancers and the 1099 Trail
Most creative businesses use freelancers. The copywriter who handles overflow. The video editor for that big project. The photographer you bring in for event coverage. Every freelancer you pay more than $600 in a year needs a 1099 filed with the IRS.
That means you need to collect W-9s before the first payment goes out, track what you pay each contractor through the year, and file the forms by the deadline. Skip any of these steps and you’re looking at penalties or a scramble in January when the deadline is already here. We keep track of it all and handle the 1099 filing so it’s done right and on time.
Contractor Tracking
Contractor Tracking
We track every payment to freelancers and flag anyone who crosses the $600 threshold. No surprises at year end, no missing W-9s to chase down in January.
1099 Filing
1099 Filing
We prepare and file your 1099s by the deadline. W-9s collected, amounts verified, forms submitted. The compliance is handled.
Clean Books and a Clear Picture
Running a creative business means your attention is on the work. The client deadlines. The next pitch. The project that’s running behind. The books don’t get the attention they need, and before long you’re guessing at whether last month was profitable or just busy.
We handle the monthly bookkeeping so you don’t have to. Transactions categorized, accounts reconciled, reports delivered. You get a clear picture of where the business stands every month, without spending your evenings in QuickBooks. And when invoices need to go out or you want to know who still owes you money, we handle that too.
Monthly Bookkeeping
Monthly Bookkeeping
Books closed every month. Clean financials that show you what’s working and what isn’t. No more guessing at how the business is doing.
Invoicing and Receivables
Invoicing and Receivables
We handle sending invoices and tracking what’s outstanding. You get paid faster and spend less of your week chasing down money that’s owed to you.
New England's CPA-Led Bookkeeping Partner
The Next Step:
A Quick Conversation
We'll listen, ask a few questions, and show you exactly how we can help.