Loved Ones, Freelancers,

It's tax time (whipee), so I'd like to share with the freelancers some helpful advice derived from December's issue of Writer's Digest (before ending with a more personal update):

Traditional W-2 forms require 7.65 percent of an employee's wages for the Social Security and Medicare tax. The tax is in reality 15.3 percent of the worker's income but is split between employee and employer. Since you freelancers are your own bosses, you must legally pay the employer portion as well (thus paying the total 15.3 percent)!

Jeffrey Zbar, who wrote the informative "Digest" article ("Take A Bite Out of Taxes") for his regular "Business" column, was nominated Small Business Journalist of the Year by the US Small Business Administration, so the info I'm providing is trustworthy.

It is suggested (by Zbar!) that serious freelancers start a "business checking account" from which they will then automatically subtract 25 percent of each client's check deposited. This way, tax money will be available when it's tax time.

You can plan ahead by keeping track of possible tax write offs, which will include every dollar you may claim in business expense, such as car mileage and long-distance phone calls (Zbar offers a site like NetLedger.com to provide you with a source of keeping track of wages, expenses, and yearly bookkeeping).

Because freelance work demands more in taxes than corporate jobs do, better plan wisely and be prepared for this time of year!

A Wonderfully Added Note: FREELANCE WRITERS who need good health insurance can now consider joining a writer's association such as The National Writers Association (http://www.nationalwriters.com/mbenefits/mbenefits.html). They will receive excellent health and dental insurance benefits for mucho cheap (Associate Membership: $65 per year / Professional Membership: $85 per year)!!


My personal update:

My father (also a writer) recently gave me a book titled The Sense Of Wonder (by Rachel Carson). Inside its leafs is a magnificent mix of New England nature photography along with Carson's sparkling poetic commentary on retaining a childlike sense of wonder for life and nature. I was so touched by the book, I wrote a reflective article about it. The article was then chosen to feature at "Suite101.Com's" Reading Center. You may view my article at: http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/11820/87884

Blessings and Love,
Sara (Still-Great-With-Active-Child)