Winter 2020, Volume II, Issue 1  
Tax Tips for Freelancers
By Katie Navarra

Tax season is here and Chris Morris, an Arizona-based CPA and MBA specializing in tax accounting for creative entrepreneurs, offers three tips for small businesses and freelancers.

1. Don't leave money on the table .
Mileage is tax deductible and often forgotten, Morris says. He recommends the MileIQ app, which tracks all your mileage through a smartphone. Each trip can be categorized as personal or business with a simple swipe left or swipe right.

The app allows differentiation between medical miles and charity miles. MileIQ provides IRS-compliant reports for year-end, categorized by the different categories you use. Plus, it's inexpensive at about $5 per month.

"Don’t forget — that expense ($5) is also tax deductible," he adds.

2. Don’t be afraid of audits.
In Morris' opinion, people are too conservative with their expenses, because they are afraid of audits.

"Audits are not personal. It just means number crunchers at the IRS want more information about your business, because their programs popped your return out as an anomaly," he explains.

An audit is not a presumption of guilt. Even with the IRS, it is innocent until proven guilty. At least as of 2016, 35% of audits resulted in no change or the auditee getting money back, according to Morris.

"When you keep good records and expense all your legitimate expenses — you don’t need to be afraid of an audit," he says.

3. Don't wait until tax season to update your books.
It may be too late for this year, but get an early jump on next year's taxes by updating your books more than once a year, including tracking the costs of utilities. Morris recommends using a spreadsheet to track utility expenses monthly.

"Updating the books should never be something that is only done once the calendar turns," he says. "In my opinion, it should be done at least quarterly, and perhaps monthly."
Register Now for the Equine Media Conference
and 50th Anniversary Celebration and Save!

Join us May 28-30 in Lexington, Kentucky, where it all began!

  • $300 Full Registration Fee (Business, Nonprofit, College members)
  • $300 Full Registration Fee (Publishing Media members with print circulation 5,000 and over or with online average users 10,000 and over)
  • $200 Discounted Full Registration Fee (Media Professional members)
  • $200 Discounted Full Registration Fee (Publishing Media members with less than 5,000 print circulation or online average users under 10,000)
  • $100 Student Member Registration Fee (2020 Student Award applicants are complimentary)
  • $175 Friday One Day Registration (includes Friday Night 50th Anniversary Event)
  • $175 Saturday One Day Registration (includes Equine Media Awards Dinner and Presentations)

50th Anniversary Special Rates Apply Through March 20!


Members Share 50 Years
of AHP Memories

Through the years, AHP has fostered friendships, partnerships and special memories for its members. The 50th Anniversary Committee has launched a blog for members to share their favorite stories and experiences as an AHP member and equine media professional. If you're interested in submitting a blog post before the conference in May, contact Emily Koenig at ekoenig@usdf.org .

Watch the Latest Webinars

AHP is in its third year of hosting educational webinars with media professionals as a members-only benefit. If you have missed any of the webinars, you can access archived versions on the Members Only page on the AHP website at your convenience.

Archived Webinars:

• "How Companies Can Harness the Power of Freelancers to Achieve More" with Abigail Boatwright

• "Conquer Your Inbox...Conquer Your Sales Goals!" with Ryan Dohrn

• "What Does 'Fair Use' Really Mean?" with Milton C. Toby

• "Why Your Publication Should Be Podcasting" with Glenn Herbert

• "Your Customer Database: Mining the Gold" with Dallas Liebell

• "Look at Me: 7 Tips to Make Your Work Stand Out on Social" with Erin Richards

• "Create Virtual Events for Content and Sales Success" with Jeremy McGovern

New! "Q&A Sales" with Ryan Dohrn

We Don't Want to Lose You!

Any membership renewals not paid and processed by February 29 will go inactive. Renew today to avoid interruption in your exclusive member-only benefits, conference discounts and advance notice of exciting events planned for the 50th Anniversary Celebration in Lexington, Kentucky.

Login required. For assistance, contact Chris at ahorsepubs@aol.com
EQUINE MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 28-30, 2020
AHP 50th Anniversary Conference
Lexington, Kentucky
Publishers: Don't Cut Corners on CCPA Compliance

8 Advertising Trends Experts Predict Will Die Out in 2020

4 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Working As A Freelance Writer

Podcasting's Golden Age Is Just Beginning

What The End Of Newsstand Sales Will Mean For Publishers

Four Content Marketing Trends To Keep An Eye On In 2020



Meet a Member: Valerie Ormond
Interview by Jennifer Denison
After serving 25 years in the U.S. Navy, Valerie Ormond has dedicated herself to writing for the equine community. The author recently received an award for Best Veterans Fiction in the 2019 EQUUS Film and Arts Festival, and she has more projects on the horizon in 2020.

Photo by MRS Photography, LLC
Get Yourself and Staff Involved with AHP
AHP is not just for the editors and publishers on staff. It can benefit your entire team, from sales associates to digital content managers.

If you are the member contact for your organization or publication, share the AHP experience with other staff members and encourage them to take advantage of all AHP has to offer.

AHP members gather at the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show in Arizona.

Did you know that staff members can also be added to the AHP e-list?
Email Chris at ahorsepubs@aol.com with a list of staff email addresses you would like added to the AHP Newsgroup list or association news only list.

Interested in hosting a regional gathering in your backyard? Plan to attend the next Regional Workshop?

Have an idea for future newsletter articles?

Is there a topic you would like to see presented as a webinar?

For conference and membership questions: