OVERWHELMED!!!

I have a total appreciation for succeeding and overcoming adversity. It makes the accomplishment that much more rewarding. I'm not afraid of a challenge, I just don't like when things aren't as cut and dry as I think they SHOULD be.

For a few months now I have been working on setting up my photography business. I've been at photography a long time and have made some money in the past but I was never able to treat it like a real business  therefore potentially losing out on a few benefits that come with setting up a DBA (Doing Business As) or and LLC.  After moving to NC it just seems like this is the time and the place. I'm not working in my particular career field; my kids need me to be home due to their crazy school schedules; and it really wouldn't make much sense to work just to pay someone else to raise our kids.

Since November I've had this harebrained idea and I've been running with. I've spoken to some state representatives about how to get the ball rolling and even had all of the appropriate forms and links needed to get started. Everything was planned to submit my paperwork for and LLC this month. Then I got to thinking, do I really need to set up and LLC? Am I really going to need to do all of the extra work to run that as well as working to make money to support it? I don't think so. I'm good, I know I'm good; I just don't see me putting myself in situations where I could actually benefit from the LLC.

So what is the next step? I just become a sole proprietor and do the DBA, get my tax info from the IRS and state and I could be legitimately running a business in as little as a day if I really worked hard for it. What they don't cover is County taxes. They really cover the state aspect but don't cover what the requirements are for the county I live in. My current situation as a military dependent presents enough issues but piling on with taxation issues is something I can't afford to mess with. It's just so overwhelming.

For example. The state requires you to fill out a Business Property Listing form and it is due to the county tax assessor by Jan. 31 of every year. Every year this form with Schedules A-J and Groups 1-8 must be filled out with no blank sections. Most of the stuff doesn't pertain to me so it is really throwing me off. I don't own property, registered vehicles, billboards, or leased property in the state of NC. The only section that applies would be my computer, desk stuff, and camera equipment. It's so confusing and I just can't seem to get the proper guidance I need to make sure I'm compliance with local tax laws. It almost makes it seem to be not worth the while. This is common place with a lot of things in life, or at least mine; but I'm sure I'm not being singled out by the phenomenon of things just being more difficult than they need to be.

I won't give up; I will find someone to answer my questions; and I will have a legally operating, law complying photography business in the state of NC even if I can't do it by when I wanted to. I will succeed and will not be defeated. I just need to take a deep breath and collect myself.