Thank you for the very comprehensive response, Dee. I stand corrected. Sherry Chapman 1 Stop Genealogy℠ www.1StopGenealogy.com  860-209-7070         In the News:Follow this link to read the Hartford Courant's feature article on 1 Stop Genealogy   From: DDK CG <king@forensicgenealogyservices.com> To: Sherry Chapman <sherry1chapman@yahoo.com> Cc: transitional-genealogists-forum@rootsweb.com; Teresa Kahle <teresa@theintrepidsleuth.com> Sent: Tuesday, March 7, 2017 6:40 PM Subject: Re: [TGF] TRANSITIONAL-GENEALOGISTS-FORUM Digest, Vol 11, Issue 38 - Tax questions about the other side For those following the thread, the codes IRS asks us to use on Schedule C are the NAICS codes. Sherry, 812990 is on the form you referred us to, page 18.  From the bottom left corner, look up the page just above "Repair & Maintenance" header.  The chart is confusing as it is not in numerical order. The examples I provided are specific businesses for which NAICS code 541990 have been assigned, cut and pasted from the NAICS government website.  NAICS codes are not "intended to be illustrative and not all inclusive."  Each code refers to specific businesses assigned to that code. Genealogical investigative services by definition would include analysis and writing, and any other activity connected to it - making appropriate family charts, DNA testing and research for kinship determination, testifying in court for the forensic genealogist, etc. We are free to use whatever codes we wish on Schedule C; no one is going to audit what code we use. That line on Schedule C is like a business census in which we report what kind of business we have and the schedule provides the correlated income and expenses. >From the SBA website:  "The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) classifies business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. economy. The NAICS industry codes define establishments based on the activities in which they are primarily engaged."  Not individual tasks within the primary business activity. Maybe one of these days professional genealogy will reach the stage where it is recognized in Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services along with those businesses assigned to NAICS 541900.  https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_541900.htm But for now, genealogical services are classified in the broad code 812990. best regards, Dee On 2017-03-07 16:29, Sherry Chapman wrote: > Yes, Dee Dee, as you point out, there is an NAICS code specific to > genealogical investigative services (812990), but I understood > Teresa's question to relate specifically to federal tax filing, and > that code is not listed as an option for Schedule C. See pages C-17 > and C-18 of the Schedule C instructions: > https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040sc.pdf > > I agree that 541990 is a non-specific catch-all category not perfectly > suited to the profession, but it seems in my opinion to be the best > fit for Schedule C. The examples you provided may have been intended > to be illustrative and not all inclusive. I haven't tackled my federal > taxes this year but as I recall my tax program gives me a drop-down > menu option to choose a business activity code that is prepopulated > with the codes in the instruction form, and 812990 is not an option. I > don't know if there is an override, but I've used 541990 for years now > without a problem. I might even argue that the broader category, > though non-specific, better captures the services I perform as a > professional genealogist. The activity for 812990 (genealogical > investigative services) is rather narrow in that it does not recognize > analysis or writing for example, which we all spend a great deal of > time on. However, I am not a tax professional. Someone mentioned in an > SBA workshop I attended this morning that you can call Dr. NAICS if > you have questions regarding the appropriate code to use. This is the > number they provided: 1-888-756-2427. > > I absolutely concur that with federal Department of Defense or > repatriation work you may have other issues to consider. My comments > are limited to my experience with Schedule C. > > Sherry Chapman > 1 Stop Genealogy℠ > www.1StopGenealogy.com [1] > 860-209-7070 > >  [2]  [3]  [4]  [5] > > In the News: > Follow this link to read the Hartford Courant's feature article on 1 > Stop Genealogy  [6] > > ------------------------- >  FROM: "Dee Dee King, Certified Genealogist" > <king@forensicgenealogyservices.com> > TO: transitional-genealogists-forum@rootsweb.com; Teresa Kahle > <teresa@theintrepidsleuth.com> > SENT: Tuesday, March 7, 2017 3:53 PM > SUBJECT: Re: [TGF] TRANSITIONAL-GENEALOGISTS-FORUM Digest, Vol 11, > Issue 38 > > If you go to the actual NAICS site and enter the terms genealogy or > genealogical, the NAICS site generates the 2017 code 812990 - > genealogical > investigative services.  https://www.naics.com/naics-search-results/ > > Folks should be careful about choosing a NAICS code that accurately > represents > the business fields or services.  Sometimes you have to drill down > through the > layers to find all businesses covered under a particular code. > > Might not be too worrisome in general practice where no one will ever > verify the > NAICS code to the actual services provided.  However, accuracy is very > important > if the professional ever signs up to FedBizOpps or other databases as > potential > contractors for governmental entities. > > Dee > >> On March 7, 2017 at 2:38 PM "Dee Dee King, Certified Genealogist" >> <king@forensicgenealogyservices.com> wrote: >> >> >> Not sure that NAICS 541990 cover professional genealogy services: >> * Appraisal (except real estate) services >> * Arbitration and conciliation services (except by attorney, > paralegal) >> * Business brokers (except real estate brokers) >> * Commodity inspection services >> * Consumer credit counseling services >> * Credit repair (i.e., counseling) services, consumer >> * Electronic communication verification content services >> * Estate assessment (i.e., appraisal) services >> * Handwriting analysis services >> * Handwriting expert services >> * Marine surveyor (i.e., ship appraiser) services >> * Mediation product services (except by lawyer, attorney, paralegal > offices, >> family and social services) >> * Meteorological services >> * Patent broker services (i.e., patent marketing services) >> * Patrolling (i.e., visual inspection) of electric transmission or > gas lines >> * Pipeline inspection (i.e., visual) services >> * Power line inspection (i.e., visual) services >> * Quantity surveyor services >> * Weather forecasting services >> Surce: >> > http://siccode.com/en/naicscodes/541990/all-other-professional-scientific-and-technical-services-1 >> >> > On March 7, 2017 at 9:58 AM Teresa Kahle > <teresa@theintrepidsleuth.com> >> > wrote: >> > >> > >> > Thanks Sherry, I think that code is more in line with what we do > than the >> > service industry one. >> > >> > And thank you everyone who responded, one less thing to take time > away from >> > research and writing. >> > >> > Teresa S. Kahle