Minding Her Own Business: The Self-Employed Woman's Guide to Taxes and Recordkeeping (Paperback)

by Jan Zobel (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
An excellent tool..to help decipher the complex and confused tax system. -- Home Business Magazine

Clearly written and superbly easy to use. One of the best on the essentials of keeping books and paying taxes. -- Atlanta Business Chronicle

For new entrepreneurs of any gender, it lays out the gritty details in clear language. -- Wall Street Journal.com

If you have your own business, or are thinking about starting one, you need this book. -- Terry Savage, Columnist Chicago Sun Times

Minding Her Own Business is a lifesaver for anyone who doesn't cite accounting as one of her strong points. -- Entrepreneur Magazine (June 2005)

One of the best general record keeping and tax advice publications to come along. -- HOW - The Bottomline Design Magazine

The fun of this nuts-and-bolts guide lies in Zobel's ability to comfort as well as educate. -- San Francisco Chronicle

Woman business owners shouldn't be without this book. It's like having a tax professional by your side at all times. -- Anna Marks, Publisher Bay Area BusinessWoman

Zobel has the ability to explain financial issues in a clear and understandable manner. -- Chicago Sun Times --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
Provides a comprehensive guide for women who are opening their own business, handling their finances and preparing their own taxes. Presents a guide through confusing tax laws by explaining the basic concepts and gives examples for, amongst others, records the IRS expects you to keep. Softcover. DLC: Income tax--Law and legislation--U.S.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 198 pages
• Publisher: Adams Media Corporation; 3rd edition (February 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580622003
• ISBN-13: 978-1580622004
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #804,491 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TaxMama Says Buy This, June 25, 2001

By	TaxMama "Your TaxMama" (Northridge, CA USA) - See all my reviews

After working with small businesses and taxes for over 20 years, I've come to the conclusion that the fastest way throw money away is to start a business - without knowing how to do your books.

About half of my tax practice involves working with new clients who have gotten into trouble with IRS because: 1) Once they started a business, they didn't know how to figure out their tax returns. 2) They got into trouble with payroll taxes - by not filing them, or not paying them, or thinking they didn't have employees 3) Their business did well, but when it came time to pay the taxes on their successful business, there was no money.

Well, I don't want to see more people in trouble. So, ever since I discovered Jan's book, I have been telling my readers and clients to buy it.

They LOVE the book (and not just the women, either). Jan puts information in terms YOU will understand.

And with all of her years of experience, she knows just what kind of problems real people run up against. So there are lots of practical tools and tips to help you succeed, not just to keep your taxes in line.

And let me tell you, the price of Jan's book is much less than a three-hour consultation with me! (or any tax pro)

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Make Sure You're Buying the Latest Edition, March 1, 2005

By	Jan Zobel "tax preparer" (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Minding Her Own Business, 4E (Paperback)

Hi, I'm the author of Minding Her Own Business and I want to make sure you're buying the most recent edition of this book so that you're getting the most current tax information. The 3rd edition (published in 2000) is out-of-print, even though I can't get Amazon.com to indicate that. The cover of the 3rd edition is black and white, with some red. The 4th edition (the one you want to buy) was published in January 2005 and the cover has bright green, yellow, and orange colors. If you're looking at the cover of the 3rd edition, search on my name (Jan Zobel) until it brings up the 4th edition. Enjoy the book and Many Happy Returns!!

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fairly Good Introduction To Business Taxes, March 12, 2002

By	Peter Hupalo (MN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Jan Zobel is an enrolled agent with the IRS and has prepared over 6,000 tax returns. Her book, "Minding Her Own Business: The Self-Employed Woman's Guide to Taxes and Recordkeeping" draws upon her experience to help people new to small business get a basic understanding of recordkeeping, accounting, and taxation issues that affect small business.

The book covers setting up a receipts sheet and a disbursement schedule. "Minding Her Own Business" is written mainly for sole proprietors. The book is much like a "Small-Time Operator" for women.

If you wonder what expenses are deductible or how to minimize the chances of an IRS audit, the book has excellent chapters. One hint from Zobel's experience is "The More you break down your expense categories, the less chance of being audited." The advice is solid.

There is also an excellent discussion of the difference between independent contractors and employees. (this info is widely available free online) And, another great chapter discusses (with worked-out example) of how to make your quarterly estimated tax payments.

The only weakness of "Minding Her Own Business" is that it only teaches single-entry bookkeeping and not the more robust double-entry accounting. (And, there are many good introductions to basic recordkeeping for business owners) Yet, the simplified single-entry accounting is still preferred by many small business owners. Also, given Zobel's vast experience, I would like to see a chapter devoted to S-Corporation taxes and a more thorough discussion of financial statements.

Overall, if you are new to taxes and recordkeeping, I recommend this book.

Peter Hupalo, Author of "Thinking Like An Entrepreneur."