17 year old working from home questions

[ferretkona]

One idea might be to start selling on ebay. Research drop shipping. Payments are thru paypal, you lose 10% for seller fees. But you would not have to do anything but place auctions up using premade formats. You notify the drop shipper where to deliver to.

[Ruth4Truth]

Look around your local listings, including "Help Wanted" in the newspaper (really, local people do list there), for writers who need a typist. I don't know where you live, but some communities have a few published authors living there, and from time to time they need a typist if their regular one quits or retires, or something. Often, they'll send you a disc (some prefer Macs--just a heads-up) and a manuscript, and you return both to them when you're done. You'll have to do a perfectionist job at proof-reading your own work (get help from your parents in spotting typos or punctuation errors, or whatever, if you have to), and the writer will ask you what your typing speed is.

It can be a cool gig, especially for a kid. If they'd hire a kid. You'd have to convince them you've been good at doing papers for school, you're prompt, responsible, blah blah. Check job listings weekly; you never know when something will pop up. Good luck!

[TechGromit]

Originally Posted by Yozync

Then also comes the problem that even if I do get a job working from home, how would I get paid? Would they be willing to pay via Paypal? Then there is this 1099 and W-2 tax forms which I know nothing about.

Virtually all work at home jobs without experience are scams. You should familiarize with all the various types before accepting any employment offers. People who telecommute everyday almost always have expertise and experience to justify allowing them to do so. Usually even then, going to the office a few days a week is a necessity. Getting a job, and working from home is just pure fantasy without experience, you have better odds winning the lottery then getting such a job.

[calnbs]

You are too young, you don't know what discipline is, especially to work from home. You don't have any skills developed to offer being that young. And anything that is an hourly paid work that can be done online/at home, you have millions of other people with far better skills than you are competing for that job as well.

The majority of home based are sales and commissions related. If you are good at talking to people, that is where you will make money. But most of these still requires you to be at least 18 years old.

The rest of the other home based work are scams. Be wary of depositing checks, sending money, anything Western Union, emailing for money, gifting for money, mailing and reading mails for money, and most of all....letters from Prince Kimbawasay who needs someone to help him with his money.

[adr3naline]

Originally Posted by Yozync

Then also comes the problem that even if I do get a job working from home, how would I get paid? Would they be willing to pay via Paypal? Then there is this 1099 and W-2 tax forms which I know nothing about.

You seem to have good initiative to make ends meet - don't let that go.

Also, don't worry about the complexity of 1099/W-2's, because that's your employer's gig. You'll simply provide your personal details, they'll set up the form, and at the end of the year you'll get it in the mail. I freelance and have to file a dozen or so 1099-MISC every year. Easy stuff.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by adr3naline

You seem to have good initiative to make ends meet - don't let that go.

Also, don't worry about the complexity of 1099/W-2's, because that's your employer's gig. You'll simply provide your personal details, they'll set up the form, and at the end of the year you'll get it in the mail. I freelance and have to file a dozen or so 1099-MISC every year. Easy stuff.

You're assuming he'll have an employer, though, and won't be self-employed. That's a big assumption.

[adr3naline]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

You're assuming he'll have an employer, though, and won't be self-employed. That's a big assumption.

One can be both. I freelance, part-time, and jobs greater than $600 per annum require the client submit a 1099-MISC. This doesn't make me an "employee" per se but requires appropriate filing @ tax time just as one does with a regular W-2.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by adr3naline

One can be both. I freelance, part-time, and jobs greater than $600 per annum require the client submit a 1099-MISC. This doesn't make me an "employee" per se but requires appropriate filing @ tax time just as one does with a regular W-2.

Yes, true. The OP may as well learn that part of being employed, and especially self-employed, means keeping track of expenses (save receipts when you need new printer ink or anything for your computer, kid), and participating in the bureaucracy known as the IRS. And don't forget state income tax accounting, if your state has an income tax. Don't be intimidated by this; it's very simple and routine, but it needs to be done. It's part of the learning curve.