You likely fell in love with photography and began collecting cameras, drones, and software long before it became a profitable business. But now that you’re a professional photographer working for yourself, many of these things can now be deducted from your income taxes. When your job is your passion, it can be a fine line between what’s purchased purely for business. However, if you take a closer look at these 5 expense categories, you’ll be surprised how much you can save come tax time!

From weddings to corporate galas, event planners have plenty of ways to keep busy throughout the year. Planning parties might seem easy — a couple of binders and some great ideas and you're good to go — but the reality is that much more goes into arranging a truly successful event. Promoters work hand in hand with their clients to ensure a successful event, which means lots of travel time, phone calls, software purchases, business dinners and much more. Luckily, many of these expenses can be deducted from your income taxes if you’re working as an independent professional.

Working as an IT Consultant has many benefits over being a full-time employee. Your schedule is your own, your work stays new and interesting, and your profit margin can be much higher. One of the reasons your bank account benefits from Independent Contractor status is the many tax deductions available to those who work for themselves. While there are added expenses like insurance and equipment, knowing which ones are tax deductible can save you a remarkable amount of money over the course of a year.

Whether you go by the title of marketing consultant or public relations consultant, you understand the importance of controlling costs, which is why you should understand the available deductions for independent contractors in your niche. Granted, not every item sitting on your desk is going to be deductible, but most of the services, equipment and even meals that are necessary for you to do your job are at least partially claimable.

Tax season is rapidly approaching, and it’s time to start thinking about the tax deductions you can take as a barber or hair stylist. While being an independent contractor often means business expenses will fall on you rather than an employer, it also means you can deduct those expenses from your taxable income. It may seem silly to tally up every comb or alligator clip you buy, but even the smallest expenses can add up over the year.

Working as a business consultant can be a rewarding career. You get to take on new challenges regularly and, as an independent contractor, you get a lot of control of when and how you work. This makes the field attractive to many people. Less attractive, however, is handling your taxes.

You may wonder if your current business liability policy handles cyberattacks. Unfortunately, just like a standard home insurance policy doesn’t cover flood damage, a standard commercial liability policy doesn’t encompass cyber liability, mainly because the speed at which digital communications procedures and policies shift makes it hard for insurers to keep up.

Despite it’s recent publicity, the Independent Contractor classification isn’t a new one. In fact, it predates the early 20th century laws that shaped employment as we know it today. Read more to learn how a 1917 law became the gig economy staple we know today!

Getting a startup off the ground involves coordinating a vast array of behind-the-scenes logistics. One essential element is sourcing the right insurance that will enable you to conduct your business operations. When Carlos, co-founder of Austin startup Seekr, needed startup insurance, he turned to Bunker. Here, Carlos shares his experience as he continues to work with Bunker in growing his company.

Any freelancer will tell you, the freedom to work when you want, how you want, and on what you want, outweighs the risks of working for yourself - but that doesn't mean the risks aren't real. If you work for yourself, or are considering it, here are some of the risks you should be prepared for, as well as tips on how to lower the chance that they'll happen to you, and protect yourself in case they do. 

As a freelancer, it falls on you to identify and purchase the insurance you need to protect yourself and your business. It's a lot to manage, but we're here to help. Each week we’ve taken a deep dive into freelance insurance to help you figure out what you need, why, how much it will cost, and how to save. In our final installment, we tackle auto insurance, and how to manage all the moving parts in your freelance business.

As a freelancer, it falls on you to identify and purchase the insurance you need to protect yourself and your business. It's a lot to manage, but we're here to help. Stay tuned each week as we deep dive into freelance insurance, and help you figure out what you need, why, how much it will cost, and how to save. This week we take a look at Bunker’s specialty: Liability Insurance!

The way businesses approach employment is transforming thanks to independent contractors. Here are five of the industries leading the way:

As a freelancer, it falls on you to identify and purchase the insurance you need to protect yourself and your business. It's a lot to manage, but we're here to help. Stay tuned each week as we deep dive into freelance insurance, and help you figure out what you need, why, how much it will cost, and how to save. This week: Business Property Insurance.