Resources for Small Business Owners
Owning and operating a small business can be overwhelming. There are so many things to know outside your area of expertise. One way to beat the stress is the have the assistance you need to successfully run your business.
Integrity Financial Consultants, LLC
Jonathan Funk, EA
Tax Advisor and Enrolled Agent
Listed below are the resources available to Washington business owners – and these resources are free.
Small Business Administration Counseling & Assistance
The SBA provides support to small business owners directly and through resource partners such as SCORE and the Women’s Business Centers. This is the first place to start to find answers to any questions you have about starting and operating your business. They also provide resources for loans and grants.
IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center
The IRS website provides relevant forms, news and helpful online and in person workshops. It also provides helpful information for specific industries such as e-commerce or construction. Please note that there are IRS offices in most cities.
Washington State Department of Revenue Workshops and Education
The Washington Department of Revenue provides an excellent and underused resource. Upon request they will send a tax consultant to you to review your records and assist you in calculating your state taxes correctly. You will not be audited if errors are found – and most importantly, they will provide an official letter outlining their recommendations. If you are audited in the future you will simply need to demonstrate that you followed the recommendations and you will not owe additional tax or penalties.
They also provide helpful classes that are specific to your industry.
Washington Labor & Industry Small Business Center
The Department of Labor and Industry has small business liaisons that are ready and able to assist you. This is a helpful resource for areas such as worker’s compensation and wage and hour regulations. They also have classes on safety, COBRA and HIPAA.
City of Seattle Resources
The City of Seattle taxes are complicated and I recommend contacting the city directly (or have an expert do so) to ensure that taxes are paid correctly. They provide in person classes to educate business owners about the city taxes. In addition to the standard Business and Occupation (B&O) Tax there are several others including the Square Footage Business Tax and Employee Hours Tax. This site includes information for all City of Seattle taxes and forms and access to set up electronic payment.
