Has anyone tried just keeping 2 sets of books? Like one for taxes with max write-offs and another one showing your actual profit for lenders? Not talking about anything illegal just different ways of presenting the same info.

This is such a great question and honestly one that trips up a lot of LLC owners! I went through this same struggle when I was trying to get financing for equipment last year. The key thing I learned is that you DON'T have to choose between tax savings and loan approval - you just need to present your financials correctly. Most business lenders are actually pretty sophisticated about this stuff. They know that smart business owners take legitimate deductions. What really helped me was preparing a simple one-page summary alongside my tax returns that showed: - My net income from Schedule C (the taxed amount) - Add-backs for depreciation, home office, mileage, etc. - My "adjusted income" for lending purposes I also kept clean P&L statements in QuickBooks that showed my actual business cash flow before tax strategies. When I brought both documents to my lender, they immediately understood what they were looking at and had no issues with the loan approval. The bottom line is: take your legitimate tax deductions AND get your loans. You just need to tell the story properly to lenders who understand business finances.

Something nobody's mentioned yet - if you're teaching regular classes, you might actually have BOTH self-employment income (the nanny work) AND employee income (the teaching) depending on how the community center classifies you. Check if they're giving you a W-2 or 1099. This matters because you calculate self-employment tax only on the self-employment portion. If you're getting a W-2 for teaching, they're already withholding Social Security and Medicare taxes for that portion of your income.

Great question about LLC vs sole proprietor! As someone who's been running a small tutoring business for 3 years, I can share what I've learned. From a tax perspective, a single-member LLC doesn't give you any additional deductions compared to sole proprietorship - you'll still file Schedule C either way. The real benefit of an LLC is liability protection, which might be worth considering since you're working with children and driving them around. If there's ever an accident or incident, an LLC can help protect your personal assets. For your vehicle expenses with that much business use, definitely keep detailed mileage logs. I use a simple notebook in my car and jot down the odometer reading, destination, and purpose for every business trip. The standard mileage rate is usually easier than tracking actual expenses, but run both calculations to see which gives you a bigger deduction. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - make sure you're setting aside 25-30% of your self-employment income for taxes, including self-employment tax. It hits harder than expected if you're not prepared!

Has anyone used FreeTaxUSA for a part-year state return? I'm in a similar situation (moved from Illinois to Georgia) and TurboTax wants to charge me extra for the state return. Wondering if the cheaper option can handle this type of filing.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago when I moved from California to Florida in August. Here's what I learned that might help you: For California, you'll definitely need to file Form 540NR (part-year resident). The good news is you only owe California tax on income earned while you were a CA resident AND any California-source income after you moved (which sounds like none in your case). The tricky part is determining your exact residency change date. California considers you a resident until you permanently leave with no intent to return. Document everything - your lease start date in Texas, when you got your Texas driver's license, voter registration, etc. Use the earliest defensible date as your residency change. For the $38k you earned in California and the ~3 weeks of remote work for your CA employer after moving, that remote work income should NOT be taxable to California since you were physically in Texas when you earned it. California can be aggressive, but they generally can't tax income for work performed outside the state by non-residents. Keep detailed records of your move timeline - California loves to audit people who move to no-tax states. I got audited and having documentation of my permanent move saved me from owing additional taxes. The audit was resolved in my favor, but it was stressful. One last tip: if you're still confused after reading the forms, consider getting help from a tax pro who specializes in multi-state returns. It's worth the cost to avoid mistakes with California.

Just wondering - has anyone used any specific tax software that handles this S-Corp/SMLLC situation particularly well? I'm using ProSeries but finding it clunky for this specific scenario.

This is a great discussion! I'd like to add a practical consideration that might help with your documentation. When you issue the K-1s to the individuals (which is correct as others have confirmed), make sure to keep clear records showing the SMLLC ownership structure in your corporate books. I recommend creating a simple ownership chart that shows: Individual → owns SMLLC → SMLLC owns S-Corp shares. This helps during audits or when new accountants take over the file. Also, consider having each individual sign an acknowledgment that they understand they're receiving the K-1 as the beneficial owner behind their SMLLC. One more thing - if any of these SMLLCs later elect to be taxed as corporations (Form 8832), that would immediately terminate your S-Corp election since corporations can't be S-Corp shareholders. Make sure your clients understand this risk before making any future elections with their SMLLCs.

This is a great question that comes up more often than you'd think! I dealt with a similar situation when I received some American Gold Eagles as payment for freelance work. The key thing to understand is that the IRS treats this as a barter transaction, and you absolutely must report the fair market value, not the face value. For your $20 Liberty coins, you'll need to determine their current market value based on gold content plus any numismatic (collector) premium. Check recent sales on reputable dealer sites or get quotes from local coin dealers. Document this valuation process - save screenshots of prices or get written quotes, because you'll want backup if the IRS ever questions your reported value. One thing to be careful about: don't just use the "melt value" (pure gold content value). Liberty coins, especially if they're in good condition, often trade for more than their gold content due to their collectible nature. Make sure you're capturing the full fair market value that someone would actually pay for those specific coins in their current condition. Also remember that this establishes your cost basis in the coins for when you eventually sell them - another reason to document the valuation carefully now!

Just to add another perspective - I work as a tax preparer and see this situation occasionally. The fair market value reporting is absolutely correct, but I want to emphasize something that hasn't been mentioned much: make sure you're also considering any 1099 reporting requirements. If the person who paid you with gold coins is a business and this payment was over $600, they should be issuing you a 1099-NEC for the fair market value of those coins. If they don't, you still need to report the income, but it's worth following up with them about proper reporting on their end too. Also, depending on your state, there may be additional sales tax implications when gold coins change hands as payment for services. Some states treat this differently than a straight precious metals purchase. Worth checking your local tax rules or asking a local tax professional familiar with your state's laws. The documentation advice others have given is spot-on - treat this like you would any other asset valuation for tax purposes. Contemporary market evidence is your best friend if the IRS ever has questions.