Stay Square with the IRS

The Filing Side of Taxes

Tax compliance is the non-negotiable part. It's making sure everything that needs to be filed gets filed, on time, and correctly. Miss a deadline or file something wrong, and the IRS sends penalties. We make sure that never happens.

This is different from tax planning (which is about reducing what you owe). Compliance is about making sure you meet every obligation the government puts on your plate.

What We Handle

Tax Return Preparation

We prepare and file your federal and state tax returns. For solo artists, that's your Schedule C and personal return. For S-Corps, that's your business return (Form 1120-S) plus your personal return. For shops with employees, we handle the payroll tax returns too.

Quarterly Estimated Payments

As a self-employed tattoo artist, the IRS expects you to pay taxes throughout the year, not just in April. We calculate the right amount for each quarter based on your actual income. When business is slow, your payments adjust. When it picks up, we adjust again. No more guessing.

The deadlines:

• Q1: April 15
• Q2: June 15
• Q3: September 15
• Q4: January 15

1099 Filing

If you own a shop and pay independent contractors (booth renters, guest artists), you need to issue 1099-NEC forms by January 31 each year. We track all your artist payouts throughout the year so this is seamless, not a January scramble.

Sales Tax Filings

Sales tax rules for tattoo shops vary by state and sometimes by city. Some states tax the tattoo service itself. Others only tax retail products like aftercare, apparel, or jewelry. We determine your exact obligations, make sure your POS system collects the right amounts, and handle the ongoing filings.

Payroll Tax Compliance

If you have W-2 employees (front desk staff, shop manager, apprentices) or you're an S-Corp paying yourself a salary, there are payroll taxes to withhold, file, and pay. We handle all of it: federal withholding, state withholding, Social Security, Medicare, unemployment taxes, and all the quarterly and annual filings that come with them.

Why This Matters

The IRS doesn't care that you were busy tattooing and forgot about a deadline. Penalties and interest add up fast. And some compliance mistakes, like misclassifying employees as contractors, can result in back taxes, fines, and serious legal headaches.

We've seen artists get hit with penalties simply because they didn't know quarterly payments were required. We've seen shop owners face audits because they didn't file 1099s for their booth renters. These are all preventable problems.

This Is For You If...

• You want your tax returns filed correctly and on time, every year
• You need help with quarterly estimated payments so you're never surprised by what you owe
• You own a shop and need 1099s, payroll taxes, and sales tax handled properly
• You've received an IRS notice and need help responding
• You want to stop worrying about whether you're meeting all your tax obligations

Compliance isn't exciting. But getting it wrong is expensive. We handle the government stuff so you can focus on your art and your clients.