Moving from Mailchimp to Substack

Plus Tax Stuff, Upcoming Art Shows!

Hi everyone!

Trying new things is a bit scary, but I’m usually glad to take a leap.

This is my first post here on Substack. I switched from Mailchimp for various reasons, but the main ones being:

1. Mailchimp lowered the minimum number of free subscribers so I couldn’t send my next email without paying

2. Substack makes it easier for new readers to find creators

3. There are a growing number of cartoonists who are on Substack

For right now, I’m just getting my feet wet, and will start by using this new platform just like how I used my old mailing list, before I discover all the bells and whistles. So far, I think that Substack has a cleaner look, and I can add video and audio, which I couldn’t do before (at least on the free mailchimp).

FANCY ART SHOWS

Testing video here. This is a quick clip of the opening of my solo art show last summer: “Storyboard to Stars!” It was a process show all about how I make my comic art for AER HEAD. There are 2 new fancy group art shows I’m in coming up soon:

I’m excited to participate in Arts Gowanus’s 5th annual Tower Show! Join me (and 300 other local artists) on April 23rd from 7-9 PM at Union Channel (240 3rd Ave) to see my tower interpretation in person! If you can’t make it to the opening, the exhibition will be on view Saturdays and Sundays from 12-6 PM through May 17th.

Here was my tower from last year:

(Testing the .heic extension here - if you can’t see the image above, lmk!)

My Rocket Tower sold at Gowanus Open Studios last year! This year I have a variation on the Rocket Tower traveling somewhere else - stay tuned!

I’m also one of about 10 cartoonists in “INK” at the Honey Badger Motel Art Gallery in Park Slope! It’s great to get your art out there in any way you can - whether at a comic convention or fancy art show!

TAXES

I usually have some long post on tax advice for freelancers this time of year. What started as an honorable mention has once again turned into a juicy tax post. Because how can taxes be brief?

I used to hire a CPA to do my taxes, but after freelancing for over 15 years, I’ve learned so much that I can do them myself on FreeTaxUSA. Here’s a secret, you still need to do a lot of work gathering all your info on income and deductions together to present to the CPA, so you may as well do it yourself and save $. Nowadays, sites like FreeTaxUSA walk you step by step through the process and have helpful pop-ups with more info if you don’t understand something.

I’m switching from yearly to quarterly tax payments moving forward. Yearly is how my old CPA did it, but here’s why I’m making the switch:

1. I got a $25 fee for NOT paying quarterly (surprise!)

2. Paying smaller amounts is better than a big wallop

3. Better for budgeting

4. I’ll break up the days of time spent all at once into monthly admin days so I’m on top of things and not scrambling

I just made this quarterly admin checklist that goes with my monthly checklist. If you’re a freelancer that’s been paying yearly, this is something to look into:

DO TAXES EASIER

QUARTERLY TAXES

Quarterly IRS payments are due: April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year. If these dates fall on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.

April is the big one where we get any W2s or 1099s, officially file, and could get a possible refund.

All other months, just pay a quarterly amount 25% of earnings (it’s a lot! But that’s NY for you. Worth it to live in such an awesome place)

March 1st: (I’m still doing my big filing around this date, making quarterly estimated payments the other 3 times)

INCOME

“Official” – a company sends you a form by email or snail mail

1. Get all W2s and 1099s in one folder (physical or digital). I recommend all digital.

2. Check to see if all amounts are correct. (You’d be surprised how many mistakes I catch! I find at least one mistake each year on official documents)

   1. If you find a mistake, contact that company and they can fix it.

3. Scan any physical 1099s

4. Check that I don’t count 1099 work twice (shouldn’t be on “other freelancing” sheet)

   1. If I did get a 1099 cuz amount was higher than expected, add to 1099 sheet and delete from “other freelancing” sheet.

   2. If I didn’t get a 1099, include in “other freelancing” sheet.

March 1st, June 1st, Sept 1st, Jan 2nd

1. Official 1099 work

   1. Total up amounts from the last 3 months.

2. Unofficial income

   1. Total up amounts from the last 3 months.

3. Deductions

   1. Total up amounts from the last 3 months.

4. Subtract deductions from income.

5. Pay the IRS 25% of the remainder here

   1. https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay-with-bank-account

Let me know if you want to know more about my monthly admin tasks. I geek out about stuff like this! I’m an artist that’s organized - using both sides of my brain.

Hope that was helpful and didn’t make your brain melt! Please send to your friends/colleagues! And/or Restack!

STACKABLE

So I just restacked something that one of the exhibitors at Comics & Caffeine Fest wanted to share with everyone. Lancelot Schaubert has a free copy of his coffee noir zine, Cold Brewed, on his substack!

See you next time!