Do I need a business license to clean houses on the side?

Question

I want to advertise via flyers to clean houses for extra income. My current job allows me free time 3 days a week, and I thought I would clean houses. I plan on sending flyers to my neighbors, and maybe posting them in the grocery store. I might also advertise in a free classified paper. Do I need a business license to do this in Alabama? Thank you.

Answer 1

Not really, as long as you are paid in cash or a check made out to you (in your name) you will be fine.  It's like babysitting or cutting someone's grass.

Good Luck

Answer 2

Better safe then sorry... If you don't do everything by the books you can get bitchslapped by the feds faster then you could ever expect...

Besides... If you go legal and get a FEIN (Federal Tax ID Number) and a business license you can write off ALLLLLLLLL of your expenses on your taxes...

Do you need a cell phone to take appointments and keep touch with cliants? Write it off...

Cleaning supplies? You can get whole sale discounts and buy them tax free...

The #1 place you need to go is http://www.sba.gov and find your local Woman's Business Center or SCORE Councilor.

Oh, and to keep things organized... I am almost ordering you to go here and get this... http://www.neatreceipt s.com

You can back up every single document, business card, and receipt you get...

I don't know what I did with out it! The IRS accepts the electronic scans as if they were the originals...

WONDERFUL PRODUCT...

I don't think you need QuickBook's yet, but if you expand your company... GET IT... You can email your books to your CPA come tax time...

Oh, and become a corporation... Then you have less liability should anything 'bad' happen...

Good luck!