Most accountants are just going to do "the best they can" with whatever paperwork you give them. If you just hand them a W2 stub, they're going to charge you $400+ for a return you could have easily done yourself.
Highly recommend educating yourself (YouTube) and doing some personal tax planning so you can give your accountant something that they can work with.
An "easy" first step that's available to everyone is to form a single-member LLC (Limited Liability Company), you can use business expenses and losses from your LLC to offset other income on your personal tax return, including W-2 income from an unrelated job.
For example:
Without an LLC, maybe you earn 50konyourW2butyouspend25k on expenses (new laptop, auto, office supplies, home office, etc.) You're still taxed on that $50k even tho you spent half of it on "necessary purchases that allow you to continue earning".
With an LLC, you can earn 50konW2,butyoudeclarethose25k in necessary purchases as "business expenses". Now, you're only taxed on the remaining 25knottheentire50k.
Your business should probably show some revenue every year, but you don't have to be profitable right away.
Most accountants are just going to do "the best they can" with whatever paperwork you give them. If you just hand them a W2 stub, they're going to charge you $400+ for a return you could have easily done yourself.
Highly recommend educating yourself (YouTube) and doing some personal tax planning so you can give your accountant something that they can work with.
An "easy" first step that's available to everyone is to form a single-member LLC (Limited Liability Company), you can use business expenses and losses from your LLC to offset other income on your personal tax return, including W-2 income from an unrelated job.
For example:
Without an LLC, maybe you earn 50konyourW2butyouspend25k on expenses (new laptop, auto, office supplies, home office, etc.) You're still taxed on that $50k even tho you spent half of it on "necessary purchases that allow you to continue earning".
With an LLC, you can earn 50konW2,butyoudeclarethose25k in necessary purchases as "business expenses". Now, you're only taxed on the remaining 25knottheentire50k.
Your business should probably show some revenue every year, but you don't have to be profitable right away.