Laura deBuys

Hi,
You can opt for mobile payment services. Certain Merchant services provide mobile payment processing app that can accept payments online. The customer also receives an e-receipt. I am using the Virtual terminal for online payments. I think the process is pretty much the same.

Correct, it’s almost always illegal for someone to operate a restaurant in their neighborhood, even a small one. When these services get large enough, they have to answer to regulators. One Bay Area service like this (Josephine) recently got shut down by the health dept because they were growing very quickly.

Self-employment tax includes social security tax. That’s the tax you pay in your quarterly estimated tax payments as a business. If you earn under a certain amount, you don’t need to pay quarterly.

No it does not. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

Yes, you need a license and you need to use a commercial kitchen. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

I’m sure it will depend on your state laws and what the health or ag dept in your area decides. I doubt that you can do this with a cottage food law, but perhaps some states would allow it.

Okay, thanks a lot!

No — that would be considered an indirect sale.

Some farmers markets are produce-only, but I’ve seen many CFOs successfully sell baked goods at the markets that allow them. I’ve seen two distinct approaches: the niche approach and the bakery approach. The former focuses on a few select products, and the latter offers an array of baked goods. The former can command higher prices but the latter…[Read more]