Customer Reviews

Surprisingly Simple: Independent Contractor, Sole Proprietor, and LLC Taxes Explained in 100 Pages or Less

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This self-published book is literally 100 pages from cover to cover; as such (the author's favorite phrase which he uses ad nauseam), the real stuff only goes from about page 12 to page 90. Plus there's a ton of white space on each page.

Why do I mention this? Because even though the book makes some tax topics easy to understand -- for instance, I liked its short chapter on retirement plans -- it's a rather poor value for over twelve bucks. The author could have said so many more things, without complicating anything. For instance, the said chapter on retirement plans sorely lacks information -- important information -- on when each plan must be filed with the IRS. Also, the few chapters on business deductions (a topic most readers bought the book for) are very light and very shallow.

If you're absolutely clueless about sole-proprietorship tax planning and don't want to hire an accountant, this book can serve as a start, a primer of sort, but you'll need another more in-depth book like those put out by JK Lasser or Nolo. If you already know something about business taxes, this book will be too elementary for you.

As a private consultant I use this book as a reference guide even when helping my clients. I read to see if I agreed with everything and my reaction was wow "they actually know what they are talking about"!

I would recommend this to new business owners along with other consultants. It's a good guide and a good reference book when you get a client's issue that don't normally work with.

The only down side is that % and tax laws do change so you will still need to make sure you keep up with the newest rates.

I purchased Nolo's Tax Savvy For Small Business and was inundated with unnecessary information. Mike Piper does an excellent job of getting straight to the point without missing any points. Very informative and helpful, thanks!

It is very simple and easy to read. Don't expect it to go into a lot of detail on one particular item. It basically reiterated what I already knew and brought up more questions than answers for me. If you're looking for an introductory tool...almost a "Dummies" version, then look no further!

I came into this with no prior knowledge of this topic. I spent a few hours one afternoon Googling Schedule C, Estimated Taxes and ended up coming across this book. I was a bit disappointed with what was missing. It did, however, cover what I learned in the first hour of my Google search, so if you want to make sure that you don't miss any of the basics and that you have a list of topics for further research, this is a good resource. If you're looking for a "Surprisingly Simple" How-To book, this is *not* the book for you, because it doesn't really go so far as to teach you how to actually do any of these things. I would have preferred a smaller font and more information or perhaps 150 pages or less:)

This book is fabulous. All I wanted was a simple rundown of what I needed to do as a self employed person. Read the script in about an hour and had all my answers as to where to start. Very easy and straightforward. I especially liked the section on estimated taxes, how to compute them, when they are due, etc. A great reference for all self employed to have on hand.

Quick and easy read. No fluff just straight to the point and gives you more helpful information that you might imagine. If you are looking to get the bottom line information you need to start your business right then this book is a must have. Don't lose your business to a mistake you could have avoided by owning this book.

Mike Piper has done an excellent job in his new book, "Surprisingly Simple". This guide has been very valuable to me. I searched the internet and other books for tax help, but nothing provided as much detailed information as his guide. It is easy to read and understand. A must have for anyone who is an independent contractor, sole proprietor or LLC and needs guidance on their taxes.

Surprisingly Simple is the fastest and easiest read if your looking to start a small business. With so many things you can overlook when starting a new business, this makes sure you start on the right foot.

This answered many questions for me, as I will soon be starting a part-time business. It explains things in very plain, clear language.