Billing question

[ACE]

I am a newbe but I am starting to get some year round res. accounts. I was just wondering if it is considered unprofessional to have accounts mail checks to my personal home? Should i look into getting a p.o. box?

thanx for the help

[Green Time]

I know it would be easier to have them sent to your home but I think it would better to have a p.o.box.

[Woody04765]

How on earth are any of your customers going to know that they are sending checks to your home? Do they drive by and make sure that it is a place of business and not your house? Sorry, it just struck me as funny.

[mmlawncare]

I was thinking the same thing....

[ACE]

Thats a very good point i don't know how i missed it thanx though i am sure i will be back around with more foolish questions but i got this one answered

[cjhamlin]

Do you have a business bank account? It will look better for the customer to make the check out to "Ace Lawn Service" rather than, "John Williams".

[Maddog]

I have them send it to the house and write the checks in the lawn service name. It has worked out for the last 3-4 years. I had also thought about the PO Box and decided it was not needed and I definitely don't need the added expenses.

[jrservices]

I do the same as Wayne does. Sent to my home in my business name.

[cjhamlin]

***Question: If you have the check sent to your home and the check is made out to your business name (Ace Lawn Care NOT Bob Smith)...Can you still cash it in your personal checking account?***

I did not think that you could do that...(I may be misunderstanding you)

Thanks...

[GrassMaster]

These are just my thoughts!

Hello Everybody:

Me Personally, I would have a P.O. BOX, because if they find out your address, some will check you out. It's No Big Deal, but I did have a Good Paying Customer come to my House one Sunday Morning about 7:30 to give me their Monthly Check! I didn't like that at all!

They will do something Stupid just to let you know, that they know where you live! I Demand Privacy, also I try to Keep My Business Life & My Personal Life Separate as much as possible!

As far as having checks in your Company Name & Not having a Business Checking Account, I wouldn't do it.

You can Probably have Checks Made out to the Emperor of China & if You Deposit the Check it will clear! But for How Long, I Dunno!

I cash all Kinds of Checks made out to me at My Shop & Never had a Problem. But I run a Lot of Money through the Bank, so they don't bug me much about anything!

[jrservices]

Originally posted by cjhamlin
***Question: If you have the check sent to your home and the check is made out to your business name (Ace Lawn Care NOT Bob Smith)...Can you still cash it in your personal checking account?***

I did not think that you could do that...(I may be misunderstanding you)

Thanks...

I just stamp it and deposit it to my business account. If the bank knows you well enough, should be no big deal.

[cjhamlin]

I was asking, could you deposit a check into your personal Checking account with your business name on the check?

The customer writes: pay to the order of: Smith's Lawn Care
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But, you deposit that check into your personal checking account.

[mikeslawnservice]

You probably could do it and get away with it for a little while. If the IRS ever looks into you for whatever reason, you will be in deep doo-doo. You will probably have to pay back taxes on the amounts.

When I first started, I wasn't registered and I would deposit my checks into my personal account. Every now and then a customer would make it out to Mike's Lawn Service and not my name. A teller at the bank told me to be very careful doing this. I promptly sent a letter to all of my customers stating that a check must be made to my name only.

Since then I have become an LLC and now have checks deposited to my business account.

[Maddog]

In my first year of business I didn't have a business account but then again I didn't start the lawn service untill August. I just had my customers write the checks out to me. Some did write them out to the business name and I was able to deposit them.

I did set up a business account though before the end of that first year. This is the best way to go. It is fairly easy to set up a DBA account. This is all you realy need to start out with until you get bigger. It will also help you keep track of your expenses. I have a bank card with my account and use that quite a bit when buying gas and other items that may come up when out mowing.

I found this system to be the best. You want to keep your personal and business moneys seperate.