Making the Dream of Working from Home…a Reality

There are a million and one reasons a person would want to work from home.

First, the commute means walking from the bedroom to the home office (with a pit stop through the kitchen for your morning cup of joe, of course). 

Secondly, the flexibility of working from home means you don't need to run any requests for time off up the ladder. You can escort your child to that dentist appointment without any objection—except, perhaps, from your child. Indeed, you can keep up with all the unexpected surprises life throws at you because, suddenly, you're in charge of your schedule and workload. 

Thirdly, you may observe a decrease in expenses for food and clothing. Go ahead and wear your favourite jeans on any day you want—not just Fridays. As for those $10 lunches you feel inclined to purchase from an overcrowded food court every other day—forget about it. You can start enjoying the privilege of home-cooked meals at lunchtime without the brown bag. 

And let's not forget about that lovely work-life balance so many workers struggle to sustain. Having your own home-based business means having a say in what you consider to be a healthy work-life balance. You already put your family first in your mind—now you can show them.

We know we don't have to sell you on working from home—it's a dream we all share.

To kick off Small Business Month, we'd like to give you a glimpse into what it's like being a Knowledge Bureau certified tax professional who works from the comfort of home.

What it's like to have your own home-based business

Your home-based business as a tax professional is more than a rite of passage to the life you've always dreamed of—it's also a write-off on your tax return.

The Canada Revenue Agency allows you to deduct a percentage of your home's rent or mortgage interest, insurance and utility costs in your business expense ledger. You're paying for it anyway—why not use it to reduce your yearly tax dues? 

As of 2000, 2.8 million Canadians were reaping the benefits of working from home, according to the General Social Survey. Among those with formal post-secondary education, 23 percent were working out of a home-based office. About 53 percent of all self-employed people worked from home—an increase from 39 percent and 43 percent in 1971 and 1991 respectively. Statistics Canada reported that number rising to 60 percent in 2011.

Indeed, many Canadians (you, your neighbour, the mom rushing to work from the schoolyard) would like to find ways to make the work-from-home arrangement work. 

To quote writer Francis Woolley in the Globe and Mail: "The flexibility to work at home may be something that lots of women want. But it’s not something that a lot of women get."

She adds that 18 percent of women work from home, yet, as expressed in a study entitled 'Why Teleworkers are More Satisfied with Their Jobs than are Office-Based Workers', working from home is the preference for far greater numbers than that. According to Global Workplace Analytics, 79 percent of American workers say they would like to work from home for at least part of the year.

Why you want to get started today

Through the opportunities available at the Knowledge Bureau—which allows you to study from the convenience of your home with its online certificate courses—you'll have the flexibility to work with generations of clients as a qualified tax accounting professional, which means you'll be exposed to the best of all worlds—clients from ages 18-88 who need your services every year. This will give you an entirely new perspective on how your community functions together. Your social circle is about to get a lot more diverse and it is very gratifying work. 

Right after the kids go to bed is right when you can start signing yourself up for a whole new lifestyle to learn, earn and grow your own tax and accounting business. Change comes from within—take the leap and don't create any external obstacles to prevent you from getting started right away.

Remember...the work is enjoyable and easy; it pays well; and it's a chance for you to engage in a lifelong journey with real value. And it's easier than you think to get started—with a very low investment in your future. You can be the one with the knowledgeable, sought-after skill set of tax, bookkeeping and financial literacy leading to family wealth management. You can be the gatekeeper to financial independence and peace of mind for those around you.

And in case we didn't mention it: You get to work (and study) from home! Now wouldn't that be nice?

Want to find out more?

Contact Evelyn at the Knowledge Bureau (that would be founder Evelyn Jacks, a pioneer in the tax industry in Canada) at evelyn@knowledgebureau.com for a free brochure and consultation, or visit the site for more information. You can also call 1-866-953-4769 toll-free and talk to Carol Scott, Knowledge Bureau's friendly registrar, for a virtual campus tour.

Then, let the home office interior design begin…

Article originally published by Golden Girl Finance on October 1, 2013.