How the heck do you pay the bills, down there?

[sodbreaker]

We are worked up cuz you aren't carrying insurance. You are a cheap ass. You can't afford eight hundred dollars a year to cover your customers from any mishaps. If you are not doing tree work near houses or anything of value and you get someone to sign off on it fine..... but what are you doing on an Arborist forum?

Seemed like a good place to learn about chainsaws and the related.

If I run across a situtation that I don't want to deal with or don't have the equipment to do right, I'll refer the H.O. to someone with ins. and experience, etc. And the pro that gets the contract can put all of that to good use. But if all a person wants is some random tree cut down, it's not rocket science. I also doubt the HO would pay you or any other pro full rate to cut a winter's worth of wood. My guess is that they would sell the stove and buy fuel oil first.

Sod Breaker

 

[Garden Of Eden]

I'd PM you a pic but you've already seen it through the same crystal ball that you looked at my labor contract through.... My point exactly...

Sod Breaker

Good point, post it so we can see what a genius you really are. Prove us wrong.

Jeff

 

[Kottonwood]

Try and keep up, I'll go slow. You say your customers won't pay the added cost you would charge for ins. all of our customers do pay the added cost. Thus, distinctly separating our two customer pools. According to your own logic, you are not competing. Assume your assumption that your customers won't pay the added cost is wrong. Now, our customer pools are the same, now, you're only cheating yourself by not charging what the market will bear. So even still, in the end, you're wrong.

Oh, and who ever said $800 for insurance, you're nuts, my liability was like $925 for 2mill. Haha. Close enough though. Lol

Jeff

My first year as a contract climber I paid 800 for 1 mil (it wasn't that long ago)

 

[sodbreaker]

. Assume your assumption that your customers won't pay the added cost is wrong.

Why put wear and tear on my own equipment if the customer provides it for me at no charge?

 

[Garden Of Eden]

Why put wear and tear on my own equipment if the customer provides it for me at no charge?

Just when I thought the show was over, an encore. You use HO equipment?? Wow, very nice play.

 

[Garden Of Eden]

My first year as a contract climber I paid 800 for 1 mil (it wasn't that long ago)

Nice to know rates are comparable. You weren't far off, I just renewed mine June 1st. Premium dropped 12 cents. Lol.

 

[sodbreaker]

Just when I thought the show was over, an encore. You use HO equipment?? Wow, very nice play.

best part of that is it adds to the 1040/1099 deal and further more why again am I buying ins. when I am an employee of the HO? I must be I'm using his equipment. If the HO tells me when to show up and to use his equip. tell me how I'm not the HO's employee? I'm bored and need enterainment. But if I am the HO employee why again do I need ins.?

 

[mattfr12]

best part of that is it adds to the 1040/1099 deal and further more why again am I buying ins. when I am an employee of the HO? I must be I'm using his equipment. If the HO tells me when to show up and to use his equip. tell me how I'm not the HO's employee? I'm bored and need enterainment. But if I am the HO employee why again do I need ins.?

It can't work like that then the HO would have to be a registered business and carry insurance and comp. its illegal in to many ways. but whatever works for me. someone has to be able to accept liability if someone gets hurt. jail time is what you face I'm cool with it if you are. I'm just stating the risks involved so your aware. if you want to continue to do it go ahead.

i just got done working for edge worth borough here and before you even start a saw down there you have to fax them your insurance and comp to the city manager. you can't say I'm an employee for the HO it just can't work like that.

 

[pdqdl]

Really that's kind of funny because they have for the last two years. And my Tax preparer and company etc.,. Kind of funny your making remarks about a contract you've never seen. ...

Sod Breaker

In addition to being a hack lawyer wannabe and a hack tree service, you are displaying some remarkably poor debate skills. I suggest that the IRS won't care for your business practices, and you respond by telling me they have been bugging you for two years.

Do you really think that proves your point? If the IRS comes knocking two years in a row, it's a sure thing they don't approve of your business practices.

BTW: I have never been audited, and I don't need to knock on wood.

 

[mattfr12]

In addition to being a hack lawyer wannabe and a hack tree service, you are displaying some remarkably poor debate skills. I suggest that the IRS won't care for you business practices, and you respond by telling me they have been bugging you for two years.

Do you really think that proves your point? If the IRS comes knocking two years in a row, it's a sure thing they don't approve of your business practices.

BTW: I have never been audited, and I don't need to knock on wood.

its so backwards its mind boggling i wouldn't even know where to begin. I've really never heard this one before. because actually we are all employed by the HO. But they can't cover us? if you tear someones house up you really think their gonna just be good with it? hold harmless agreements are for suckers, don't believe its gonna keep you safe.

 

[sodbreaker]

In addition to being a hack lawyer wannabe and a hack tree service, you are displaying some remarkably poor debate skills. I suggest that the IRS won't care for your business practices, and you respond by telling me they have been bugging you for two years.

Do you really think that proves your point? If the IRS comes knocking two years in a row, it's a sure thing they don't approve of your business practices.

BTW: I have never been audited, and I don't need to knock on wood.

Fine you got me. I forgot to insert a word where it should have been. I quess you got me. That just proves everything I quess. (/sarcasm)

I just want to know where the law says I need insurance to be employed by someone. Obviously if I'm self-employed it's implied. But if I'm employed by someone and something happens it's his insurance, lisence on the line. But acording to certian ones here I don't know anything about law. So I need to get some ins. next time I put in a job app @ waly-world


mattfr12 I truely thought Minn. was bad...

Incidently, This spring the guy I was working with got his leg caught between the bucket and frame of a skidloader. The hospital bill WAS covered by the employer's farm ins. becuase he (and me) were employees of the farm.

 

[pdqdl]

I think he is pursuing the "employee" status so that he can avoid 1099 reporting by his customers. Undoubtedly, this is done for some crazed notion that somehow he will come out ahead on taxes. Unless he is working for businesses, the customers would not be sending any notices of any sort, so I don't see the point.

If the customers are legitimate businesses, claiming to be an employee and getting a 1040 at the end of the year adds to their costs by piling on worker's comp, matching FiCA payments, unemployment, and all the other payroll associated expenses.

The reason he is working so cheap and using their equipment is because he can't afford to buy any equipment. Sod buster is just being a chump; the real villain will be the businesses that are working him at sod-buster rates, listing him on their worker's comp policy as some non-tree related employee, and getting tree work done at stupidly cheap rates.

Sod buddy, you got so much to learn.

I'll give you a quick, cheap lesson on how to cheat the IRS and beat taxes and insurance:

1. Start working for cash, don't report it.
2. Quit writing or signing any contracts. Even when they are written by a lawyer, it will never hold up unless you pay more for a lawyer to defend it than you make in a year. Legal recourse is NO protection whatsoever for the poor.
3. Quit denying that you are a "business" you MORON! Let folks that don't want to give you cash send you a 1099. In the meanwhile, you can deduct all your fuel and equipment expenses, a portion of your home/business operating expense, your vehicle expenses, your phone bill...practically everything you spend money on.

4. ...What the heck. Anybody that claims to be working for stupidly cheap, talking customers into claiming the expense as employee wages, signing contracts to enforce that position, and having a tax preparer defend them from two years of IRS investigations is just TROLLING!

Cmon, sodbuster. Admit it.

You just like yanking everybody's chain, don't you?

 

[sodbreaker]

I think he is pursuing the "employee" status so that he can avoid 1099 reporting by his customers. Undoubtedly, this is done for some crazed notion that somehow he will come out ahead on taxes. Unless he is working for businesses, the customers would not be sending any notices of any sort, so I don't see the point.

If the customers are legitimate businesses, claiming to be an employee and getting a 1040 at the end of the year adds to their costs by piling on worker's comp, matching FiCA payments, unemployment, and all the other payroll associated expenses.

The reason he is working so cheap and using their equipment is because he can't afford to buy any equipment. Sod buster is just being a chump; the real villain will be the businesses that are working him at sod-buster rates, listing him on their worker's comp policy as some non-tree related employee, and getting tree work done at stupidly cheap rates.

Sod buddy, you got so much to learn.

I'll give you a quick, cheap lesson on how to cheat the IRS and beat taxes and insurance:

1. Start working for cash, don't report it.
2. Quit writing or signing any contracts. Even when they are written by a lawyer, it will never hold up unless you pay more for a lawyer to defend it than you make in a year. Legal recourse is NO protection whatsoever for the poor.
3. Quit denying that you are a "business" you MORON! Let folks that don't want to give you cash send you a 1099. In the meanwhile, you can deduct all your fuel and equipment expenses, a portion of your home/business operating expense, your vehicle expenses, your phone bill...practically everything you spend money on.

Aww just borrow that crystal ball from crystal ball what-his-name. It knows everything.

I never said I wasn't a business. I said on paper I only work for businesses. But then doesn't a business have to have a name of some sort? It's funny that people can judge so much based on so little information.

One more thing, A open question for the 'pros" Do you require your employees to carry their own ins.? Didn't think so.


Oh BTW at least get my name right... Please......,
Sod Breaker

 

[lostcoastland]

Old School

 

[Garden Of Eden]

So, I take it you're not going to post any info about your contracts? You never addressed that. I'm curious if youre saying you are a business? If so, why do you think you can avoid all the typical business insurances? Oh, and the IRS is about 6-7 year behind in audits, so the argument that they haven't cared for the last 2 years, is kind of flawed.

Are your employers taxing you, workmans comp, anything? What about any of the basic rights provided to employees by every legit employer? What happens when someone gets hurt and the bills go into the hundreds of thousands? Who pays? I just crushed my thumb in January, still can't use it or a saw. Going this long without some type of insurance would have killed my savings. As it stands now, less than 500/yr, has saved me a significant amount. What would happen to you or your family if some silly accident happened?

Jeff

 

[Grouchy old man]

I don't understand. Either you can be an independent contractor working for yourself or work for an employer. An independent contractor gets a 1099 at the end of the year and is responsible for paying his own taxes quarterly, his own insurance and business. An employee gets a W-2 and files a 1040. The employer is responsible for witholding and paying taxes, providing insurance, etc. You are hired as an individual, having a business set up yourself is meaningless.

So my question is do you get W-2s at the end of the year and do your employers withold taxes as required? Are you covered by workmans comp? And if that's all true what do you need a contract for?

 

[VA-Sawyer]

There is no such thing as 1040 vs 1099. If you have income: as an employee, self employed, unemployment, whatever it is from, ( with a few exceptions ) you the taxpayer will report it via the 1040 Form to the IRS.

1099's just get reported on a different line than w-2's on the 1040, but they both go on a 1040. Same thing for the self employed, ( except partnerships and Corps ) in that the figures are reported on Schedule C of the 1040 and the bottom line ( profit or loss ) goes onto the front page of the 1040.

If you are self employed, you have to pay all the SE taxes yourself. If an employee, then you pay half and the employer pays the other half of those taxes ( employees are currently paying 2% less under the stimulas act, but it is temp ).

The IRS has very specific rules about employees vs independent contractors and they don't care if there is an 'agreement' or 'contract' trying to change the relationship status.

Sod Breaker is as clueless on the subject of taxes as he is on treework, so don't worry, he will be gone in another year or two like so many before him.

Rick

 

[tree MDS]

Man, this place has really gone downhill lately.....

Seems like it's either annoying, ignorant, jokester type buffoons, the rich boy with all the toys type, or the worker's comp auditor/IRS kind hanging around here lately.

Seems most real treedogs are few and far in between around this piece, lately... just an observation.

Cheers to them anyways, though...

 

[lxt]

Sod Shafter............do you have or work with a ground man by the name of "john boy" & do you own a steiner mower?

God am I glad I am not in the Biz full time any more & having to compete with goat humpers like this, I still do odd & ends stuff & still have all my Ins. in effect along with keeping my certs good too. Think bout that....! im a part timer & still do things legit, you`re a full time non insured, tax evading, non certified HACK!!



LXT................

 

[husabud]

Man, this place has really gone downhill lately.....

Seems like it's either annoying, ignorant, jokester type buffoons, the rich boy with all the toys type, or the worker's comp auditor/IRS kind hanging around here lately.

Seems most real treedogs are few and far in between around this piece, lately... just an observation.

Cheers to them anyways, though...

This , my friend, is why I only visit once every other week. I like to mix it up a bit between life.