Business owners: What obstacles has government imposed on you?

[JoeNormal]

I seriously hope this doesn't turn into a bashfest. I actually respect most small business owners. I'm interested in the experiences of those of you who feel you've persevered through excessive regulation to create a successful business.

 

[Oddball]

Licensing, workman's comp (the biggest protection racket outside the FDA), state income taxation when I'm not a resident (the reason I won't accept work in NY), building officials that hassle me because I hire private subs rather than union lackeys, the ADA that makes me gut perfectly good bathrooms in order to comply....Those are just off the top of my head.

If Obloshevikcare doesn't get repealed, I will be closing down operations altogether.

 

[elvis]

Obamacare.

 

[Some Guy]

Not a small business owner, but i work in IT. Sarbanes Oxley requires us to spend a lot of time on complying with audits on our SDLC procedures, not to mention all the up-front work it took to document and implement all those steps specifically for them. It also forced us to put more controls throughout the SDLC process which often leads to slower moving projects, which means fewer projects can get done cause time is spent on complying with procedure. Not to say that having a strict SDLC and complying with procedure consistently is bad but it does prevent a smallish/medium sized shop like ours from being agile in responding to business needs so we can grow the business.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Licensing, workman's comp (the biggest protection racket outside the FDA), state income taxation when I'm not a resident (the reason I won't accept work in NY), building officials that hassle me because I hire private subs rather than union lackeys, the ADA that makes me gut perfectly good bathrooms in order to comply....Those are just off the top of my head.

If Obloshevikcare doesn't get repealed, I will be closing down operations altogether.

Interesting concept.

I assume that you have a profitable business going there. Are you going to sell it or simply shut down? If the latter, I would love to know the industry and zip code. Thanks.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

Corporation tax on gross sales receipts. Complying with EU and UN regs that have nothing to do with state and federal registrars.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

Licensing, workman's comp (the biggest protection racket outside the FDA), state income taxation when I'm not a resident (the reason I won't accept work in NY), building officials that hassle me because I hire private subs rather than union lackeys, the ADA that makes me gut perfectly good bathrooms in order to comply....Those are just off the top of my head.

If Obloshevikcare doesn't get repealed, I will be closing down operations altogether.

What he said. Add to that God help you if you misplace a zero on a form and have to actually deal with some shit-for-brains clerk or worse yet, deal with a WC audit. I've literally had some dipshit at the DoL try to tell me because I was in shipping, my employees were assigned a SIC the same as longshoreman... never mind none of them ever set foot on a dock,

 

[Oddball]

Licensing, workman's comp (the biggest protection racket outside the FDA), state income taxation when I'm not a resident (the reason I won't accept work in NY), building officials that hassle me because I hire private subs rather than union lackeys, the ADA that makes me gut perfectly good bathrooms in order to comply....Those are just off the top of my head.

If Obloshevikcare doesn't get repealed, I will be closing down operations altogether.

Interesting concept.

I assume that you have a profitable business going there. Are you going to sell it or simply shut down? If the latter, I would love to know the industry and zip code. Thanks.

I'll sell my equipment and cease bidding...Nothing for you to scavenge.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Licensing, workman's comp (the biggest protection racket outside the FDA), state income taxation when I'm not a resident (the reason I won't accept work in NY), building officials that hassle me because I hire private subs rather than union lackeys, the ADA that makes me gut perfectly good bathrooms in order to comply....Those are just off the top of my head.

If Obloshevikcare doesn't get repealed, I will be closing down operations altogether.

Interesting concept.

I assume that you have a profitable business going there. Are you going to sell it or simply shut down? If the latter, I would love to know the industry and zip code. Thanks.

I'll sell my equipment and cease bidding...Nothing for you to scavenge.

I see.

You are going to go with that huh? Obamacare will force you out of business? What is your timeline?

Scavenge? Funny.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

Corporation tax on gross sales receipts. Complying with EU and UN regs that have nothing to do with state and federal registrars.

Ya wanna have some fun? Try dealing with U.S. Customs.

Holy fuckameenie!!!!!!!!!

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

I went round and round with Harris County, TX district attorney over them slapping personal property taxes on some of our containers that were in SeaLand's yard... $20k+!!!!! As instruments of interstate commerce, they are exempt... You know how I finally got out of it? Found a provision in the tax code that deemed the taxes paid if not collected or sued for in 3 years.

What a fucking nightmare.

 

[DontBeStupid]

Corporation tax on gross sales receipts.

What? What regulation makes you pay taxes on gross receipts?

 

[Misty]

"Another thing I found out first hand recently is that California businesses are required to fill out form 571-L every year. It is a form for reporting business property because the state wants to collect taxes on top of the taxes you already had to pay to purchase those items!

Sure there are a few exclusions like inventory, but let’s say you buy a computer for your business, a desk to put that computer on, and a lamp to help you see while you type – guess what? California requires your business to pay taxes on ALL of that “property” even after you’ve paid sales tax to purchase them, which can be as high as a whopping 9.75% in the state.

Vent #2 – Too Many Forms To Fill Out, Too Many Taxes To Pay

When you work for someone else’s company, there is SO much going on behind the scenes that you never even hear about. Processing payroll, submitting payroll taxes, negotiating rates with benefits providers, staying on top of business licenses and fees, EDD notices and forms, corporate taxes, legal fees, disclaimers and policies to write, etc. etc. Being shielded from all of that is actually a total luxury that most people take completely for granted simply because they have no exposure or awareness of what’s actually required to operate a business."

These are just the tip of the iceberg

Taxes Suck And Make Me Want To Shut Down My Small Business - Untemplater

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

And don't even get me started on some of the horror stories regarding employees.

 

[Oddball]

And don't even get me started on some of the horror stories regarding employees.

Why I only take on subs, almost exclusively.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Prevailing wages
Ridiculous insurance requirements
permit requirements that are only there to make money for them
water usage standards

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

And don't even get me started on some of the horror stories regarding employees.

Why I only take on subs, almost exclusively.

That can get dicey too.. Wait until the IRS pulls the "they're not really contractors, I say they're employees" shit and starts demanding all kinda back FICA & Med.

 

[Moonglow]

I have no interferrence to my business. All workers are 1099. I pay self employment tax and taxes on net income, after business deductions..

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

I have no interferrence to my business. All workers are 1099. I pay self employment tax and taxes on net income, after business deductions..

I suspect your business is about as large as the kid next door mowing lawns to supplement his allowance.

 

[Oddball]

I have no interferrence to my business. All workers are 1099. I pay self employment tax and taxes on net income, after business deductions..

See #17.

Though that hasn't happened to me, I can see it as totally plausible.