SL creators in the US: if you cash out & pay taxes on SL earnings, have you been required by your city/county to obtain a business license? i've just been contacted by my city treasurer to say that i must have a license, based on the earnings i've reported. :| THAT SEEMS SO WEIRD FOR VIRTUAL CONTENT OF THIS NATURE. and why now, after all these years?

its normal in my country.

I do not know how is it in US but here in my country you can add your earnings to taxes as other income or main income. If you use SL as other income it has its limits and once you go through limits you have to make your business license = its becoming your full time job.

vespertine : that sounds pretty similar to what i've been doing, as far as reporting it as other income. i'm not aware of specific limits, but it could very well be the same sort of scenario as you have, and now i've hit that limit. bah

Well , I do not know US laws. Its just how it works. By owning business license you are becoming company, you might also need accountant help to manage your income / outcome that doesnt need that to be taxed ( like computer programs, electricity consumtion.. etc) and here if you dont have this license it basically looks like you had no work at all

I will speak for myself I faced this as well because I was not aware of that. Its responsibility but its safe for your own sake.

chroniclesofaya: valid point. i just dont know if i WANT to take that step for something that's meant to be a part-time hobby. i've gotta think about it, i guess.

vespertine : yeah, i get what you're saying.

i would look into that some more - cos you're a freelancer doing digital work, that's very different than someone with a cottage industry, selling goods or real services (hair cutting, etc) from their house

do you claim your home or part of your home, as a deductible on your taxes?

when you file taxes, do you do it under an LLC or business name, or your real name?

idk about your county, but when you obtain a business license here, they will tax your business asset - that includes your computer, equipment, anything 'business related' the line blurs when you are a freelancer, cos you also use your pc for personal use... SO IT MAKES NO SENSE.

email her back and inquire, cos this is so interesting to me. just say you're a graphic designer, who cares what you earn LOL

Gogo ♔ : ha mr elle talked to the city for me and he's out tonight so i havent gotten the details yet...he just forwarded me the email from after he talked to the guy and was told yes, i still need a license even though this is what i'm doing. for taxes, we file my SL income separately under my name...and then all our household/joint stuff is filed on

its own like we've always done. it's all just bleh. GET OUT MY POCKET, GOVERNMENT!

sounds like your city wants their cut of the pie, basically the cost of the biz license

how did they even get their hands on your taxes? when i file it's state/federal only, my city is never involved

yep

gov employees dont always have it right, you may still not have to lol

honestly, idk -- just got a letter in the mail on Sat saying something about them reviewing my filing, i think. i browsed it quickly and was like "nope, not today". i'm sure it's all legal, even if terribly awful.

cae_sl: please use your contacts to ask Suffolk to get out of my pocket, thankyousomuch.

cae_sl: understandable!