Creating a legitimate "business" in SL to make RL money...
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FD Spark
Prim & Texture Doodler
Join date: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 4,697
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11-06-2007 02:43
The majority don't even draw or make their own textures but do have shops.
It amazing how many textures and things I see that are knock offs or taken from public domain site, some sites its not even public domain and their is strict things about not reusing textures within games but its here in common building all seen all over SL.
Majority don't enforce IP rights that sell and create because they are photosourcing and then rest are too broke for the legal fees.
I was lucky when I was in business if I could sell one painting for 50L that took me hours to do more then 1 painting every 3 months. The rent and Tier was more then my earnings. Anyway I just create for fun and love of it now. It's just easier but still spend sometimes over 80 hours on projects for others without pay so I don't think IRS is too interested.
Majority based on stats aren't making much here either just 1 percent make enough to be consider a profitable business or more then 2000 usd a month.
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Kalderi Tomsen
Nomad Extraordinaire!
Join date: 10 May 2007
Posts: 888
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11-06-2007 04:25
I would strongly recommend treating SL like a "black box" - don't try to log every transaction, etc. Down that road likes madness. It also opens a can of worms as far as employees are concerned (how do you do health benefits in SL - maternity leave, anyone?) No, once what you are taking out becomes significant from a tax man perspective, THEN look at registering. Until that point, don't sweat it.
To the OP - do you really have a truly solid business plan to make a RL living from SL? I have met soooo many Avies who have a great plan and it comes to nothing. Try to make the plan work first, focus your energies on that before you worry about the legal garbage that goes along with it. Chances are you will have more fun and not waste your time with government red-tape.
I wish you luck.
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Colette Meiji
Registered User
Join date: 25 Mar 2005
Posts: 15,556
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11-06-2007 04:30
From: Kalderi Tomsen I would strongly recommend treating SL like a "black box" - don't try to log every transaction, etc. Down that road likes madness. It also opens a can of worms as far as employees are concerned (how do you do health benefits in SL - maternity leave, anyone?) No, once what you are taking out becomes significant from a tax man perspective, THEN look at registering. Until that point, don't sweat it.
To the OP - do you really have a truly solid business plan to make a RL living from SL? I have met soooo many Avies who have a great plan and it comes to nothing. Try to make the plan work first, focus your energies on that before you worry about the legal garbage that goes along with it. Chances are you will have more fun and not waste your time with government red-tape.
I wish you luck. I think the OP was trying to demonstrate how unrealistic treating SL as an actual small business is for nearly everyone and thus saying IP protections of any kind are therefore useless. Basically a continuation of the Stroker lawsuit thread where he argued that Stroker shouldn't defend his IP rights in court. I somehow doubt the OP makes anywhere near the kind of money out of SL that he was speaking of his personal plan. |
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Johan Durant
Registered User
Join date: 7 Aug 2006
Posts: 1,657
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11-06-2007 05:24
From: Luth Brodie From what I remember when I lived in the states, I never had to file any extra paperwork when I was self employed. I just had to pay a LOT more in taxes then when I had a salary job. Yeah this is key to this whole discussion. The OP seems to be under the impression that you need to file lots of paperwork before you can make any money, and that is not the case. Just make sure to declare the self-employment income (both 1040-SE and Schedule C have been mentioned already) when you do your taxes at the end of the year. That said, after a while if your SL business is successful then you probably will want to file a business with the government in order to reduce your taxes. Although it's not worth the trouble or fees to handle immediately because SL businesses are so unlikely to be profitable, Luth is correct that self-employment taxes are much greater than taxes on businesses and their employees.
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Argent Asbrink
Registered User
Join date: 27 Jul 2007
Posts: 217
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11-06-2007 05:35
The OP doesn't make ANY money out of SL because he'd rather not continue the hassle of dealing with a business on his time off. If RL rules apply to this platform, in terms of taxation, IP rights, and the other legal issues srrounding business, then it's in the best interests of anyone who wants to make money off of SL to know about them.
You're either playing a game...or you're in business. You really can't have it both ways, anymore.
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Colette Meiji
Registered User
Join date: 25 Mar 2005
Posts: 15,556
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11-06-2007 06:05
From: Argent Asbrink The OP doesn't make ANY money out of SL because he'd rather not continue the hassle of dealing with a business on his time off. If RL rules apply to this platform, in terms of taxation, IP rights, and the other legal issues srrounding business, then it's in the best interests of anyone who wants to make money off of SL to know about them.
You're either playing a game...or you're in business. You really can't have it both ways, anymore. Well .. Someone can mow their neighbors yard for $50 a month without going to the sort of hassle you spell out in this thread. Or snow-shovel driveways ... Walk dogs ... Sell woven placemats... Play Piano accompaniment for High School kids .. --------------------- Making a few bucks a month is entirely different from making your RL living off of SL. So yeah, you can have it both ways. |
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Wilhelm Neumann
Runs with Crayons
Join date: 20 Apr 2006
Posts: 2,204
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11-06-2007 06:49
If you make chump change in sl no one is going to bat an eyelid the government in any country has bigger fish to fry not to mention it s a lot of work for them to go through to prove you dont actualy owe them anything
If you earn enough that it makes a difference and go over their threshold I would say something, but where I come from that's actualy quite a lot.
Most people make pocket money in sl if that. I wish people would stop making such a panic over what literaly for most people amounts to pennies!
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Pie Psaltery
runs w/scissors
Join date: 13 Jan 2004
Posts: 987
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11-06-2007 07:02
A round of applause for chump change and having it both ways!!
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Colette Meiji
Registered User
Join date: 25 Mar 2005
Posts: 15,556
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11-06-2007 07:03
From: Pie Psaltery A round of applause for chump change and having it both ways!! Which is, Id like to point out, completely different from -- Having it both ways for chump change. |
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Pie Psaltery
runs w/scissors
Join date: 13 Jan 2004
Posts: 987
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11-06-2007 07:25
From: Colette Meiji Which is, Id like to point out, completely different from --
Having it both ways for chump change. I'd give a round of applause for that too  |
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Stephen Zenith
Registered User
Join date: 15 May 2006
Posts: 1,029
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11-06-2007 08:47
From: Colette Meiji For those far less than 1% making enough to even worry about it, you have a point.
I don't even make enough that my IP rights would be worth going to small claims court over. And I make more that the majority of those in business. (or used to anyhow) Actually, the figures about residents making money don't include land sales. |
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Colette Meiji
Registered User
Join date: 25 Mar 2005
Posts: 15,556
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11-06-2007 08:56
From: Stephen Zenith Actually, the figures about residents making money don't include land sales. They include Land sales for L$ don't they?  I thought they just include how many people are earning L$ over X,Y or Z amount ... |
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Stephen Zenith
Registered User
Join date: 15 May 2006
Posts: 1,029
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11-06-2007 08:58
From: Colette Meiji They include Land sales for L$ don't they? I thought they just include how many people are earning L$ over X,Y or Z amount ... From the economic stats page: From: someone These numbers EXCLUDE payments or receipts related to the sale or acquisition of land (since theoretically these represent investments and not business receipts). |
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Colette Meiji
Registered User
Join date: 25 Mar 2005
Posts: 15,556
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11-06-2007 09:05
From: Stephen Zenith From the economic stats page: Ahh interesting. So that would mean the handful of individuals who actually repetitively make money buying and selling Land in SL are not included in those stats. |
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Stephen Zenith
Registered User
Join date: 15 May 2006
Posts: 1,029
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11-06-2007 10:27
From: Colette Meiji Ahh interesting.
So that would mean the handful of individuals who actually repetitively make money buying and selling Land in SL are not included in those stats. Exactly. Like i used to  |