do you have an attorney and/or an accountant?

[holga girl]

so i am finally branching out on my own, leaving the world of assisting for taking on my own assignments. i plan to start a new business in the state of maryland, with business checking and the whole shebang. i feel that at some point i am going to need an attorney and an accountant, but i am not sure when i should look into them further.

do you have an attorney and an accountant? if so, how far into your business did you establish a relationship with one? how did you find them, and what advice do you have for me when looking for one?

also, any advice for making my business legal...taxes and all?

thanks!

jennifer

 

[Alpha]

Oh boy. I hate the break it to you, but this is not a place where you'll likely get any correct or satisfactory answers. Instead, you will get responses from people who don't own photography businesses theorizing about your question. It might be better directed toward one or two specific members (Elsaspet perhaps) who you can trust are actually well into the business.

 

[Steve Wynn]

Join the Professional Photographers of America. They have excellent resources, including www.ourppa.com. You will have to be a member to access their members only forums which includes such things as copyright etc.

An accountant should definitely be consulted. An attorney maybe later.

Steve

 

[jstuedle]

I have and have had for some time an attorney on retainer for some time. Luckily my wife is our accountant. So yes, I feel you need both soon after accepting full paying gigs.

 

[astrostu]

I fall into the "theorizing" category, but ... I would suggest that if someone in your family or a close friend of someone of your family is either one of those that you ask them if they know the local laws as it pertains to what you want to do. That's what I did when I was trying to figure out if it was legal for me to sell photos that I took using equipment that was bought with taxpayer money.

Otherwise, I'll bow out and let the people who know what they're talking about give you advice.

 

[holga girl]

thanks for the advice or not advice.... the advice to to not take advice?....anyway, thanks for the honesty!

 

[gtkelly]

I have both. Their advice and counsel are worth every penny. It's not a photography business but the overall concepts are the same. You may, however, want to find an attorney with some experience in copyright and trademark work rather than a general business though.

Be very leery of family advice unless they are professionals in the field. Bad advice can be much worse than none at all.

 

[astrostu]

Be very leery of family advice unless they are professionals in the field. Bad advice can be much worse than none at all.

Yes, hence the "one of them" meaning "an accountant or lawyer" to give advice. I would never just go on the advice of someone who's not in the field.

 

[jstuedle]

I have both. Their advice and counsel are worth every penny. It's not a photography business but the overall concepts are the same. You may, however, want to find an attorney with some experience in copyright and trademark work rather than a general business though.

Be very leery of family advice unless they are professionals in the field. Bad advice can be much worse than none at all.

Even if professional, be aware friends you can choose, family you are stuck with.