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Massage business in home
I am amazed at this situation! A massage therapist can go to someones house and massage them in any room as long as the therapist and client are comfortable!
Why? Is there a stipulation about massaging in your own that you have to have a seperate room set up! Which I have 3 rooms in my home that are not being used because I was informed by several instructors that it is a regulation to have a seperate entrance into the room and seperate door open to the outside? Georgia?
But is alright to go to someones house and massage then in the living room, bedroom, bathroom, closet, kitchen or garge?
I have searched every where for the documentation on this subject can someone point me in the right direction? I have also Googled it!
Why? Is there a stipulation about massaging in your own that you have to have a seperate room set up! Which I have 3 rooms in my home that are not being used because I was informed by several instructors that it is a regulation to have a seperate entrance into the room and seperate door open to the outside? Georgia?
But is alright to go to someones house and massage then in the living room, bedroom, bathroom, closet, kitchen or garge?
I have searched every where for the documentation on this subject can someone point me in the right direction? I have also Googled it!
Views: 2150
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Robin Faux-Vanderpool on
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I don't know what the state regulations are in Georgia, but I think when it comes to the IRS, if you claim a home office, the room must be used exclusively for the business. (So if you use a spare bedroom in your home as a massage room, everything must be used for the massage practice--storing holiday decorations in the closet of that room would be unacceptable to them.) Here is a link with info on that.
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=108138,00.html
If you do outcall massages, it is no different than another professional going to make housecalls, like a home health care nurse or a plumber. As far as the separate entrance in your own home is concerned, perhaps checking local/municipal regulations might give you more guidance. Good luck--I would be curious what you find out.
--Robin
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Cohen on
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It isn't IRS or the state. Call the local city business license office. They are the ones that set the rules. It is a local license issue. Good luck.
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Permalink Reply by lee kalpin on
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Every state or province has different regulations. Go to the website of your regulatory board and search it. Don't rely on what your instructors told you because it may or may not be accurate. Some instructors are expressing their own opinions on what they think is proper for a home practice
If you are doing homecalls, you want to ensure that the table is set up in an area where there will be reasonable privacy and quiet. It is up to the client to determine where they will feel comfortable. You could discuss this when the client books the appointment and you might want to stipulate the amount of space you will need. Obviously a closet or a garage would not be suitable! But since it's all about client comfort, it really is up to the client. The only reservation I might have to that is that I would not be comfortable massaging a male client in his bedroom. So discuss the arrangements when you book the appointment
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Permalink Reply by Mary Scott on
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I think this may have to do with insurance purposes . Making your home exempt from claims? Seperate entrance as its a business and is tax deductable I think its just the way things got regulated.
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Permalink Reply by Chance Ryan on
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I'm from N. Fl and I've never heard of this except as an ethical and safety point of view. I'm willing to bet that's what the instructors are talking about, cause facts are, and you are right if you can go to someone's home and do it w/ out these standards being met, then they can't enforce it in the Therapists own home.
Plus this sounds rather unenforceable to me.
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IRS states that if you have any type of business it needs to have a seperate entrance.. How do they enforce this I dont know but I also know you can claim that part of your house on your taxes as well. It may be pretty clear as to how you file your taxes and what deductables you use just tred carefully
Chance Ryan said:I'm from N. Fl and I've never heard of this except as an ethical and safety point of view. I'm willing to bet that's what the instructors are talking about, cause facts are, and you are right if you can go to someone's home and do it w/ out these standards being met, then they can't enforce it in the Therapists own home.
Plus this sounds rather unenforceable to me.
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I didn't think the OP was asking about IRS and tax issues. I took it as why she/he has to have to meet certain standards in order to have an in home business, and that the instructors were giving more opinion based information.
IRS laws are IRS laws, ie most places require you possess a state privledge license to practice massage which usually cost's around 50 most therapists I've come into contact w/ outside of the ME I work PT at never bother w/ it cause it's just the States way to bilk u for more coin.
Plus w/ regards to the separte entrance requirements for IRS, I say it's unenforceable cause how many people do we know Accountants, Sales people, internet/cpu folks that work out of the home yet never have a separate entrance or what have u, never heard of this rule/reg, but then again I don't pay taxes so, OP's best bet is to first abide by what ever the State reg's say "That is if she want s to be legal and by the book", then look into the IRS way of things, I mean for all they know they could work w/ their table right next to the front door which would satisy the entry issue.
Back when an X of mine worked out of the home and she operated an office out of the place and we claimed in on taxes and never had to abide or heard of this separate entry way.
Either way the best advice I can give the OP, is listen to no one and do the research yourself call the GA state board they will tell u right away, call the town regulators and then you will have the answer.
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I think there's some mixing here of which agency requires what. I'm in FL as well and the Dept of Health oversees the separate entrance/bathroom/handicapped issues. These come into play when you get an establishment license, which you're supposed to get to practice in any permanent space, be it an office, salon, your own home office, etc. The outcall issue is exempt, I would imagine, because it's the client's space and presumably up to the cleanliness standards of the client already.....?
The IRS has rules for use of home offices for tax purposes and I don't believe they require a separate entrance, just "exclusive use" of the space.
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Permalink Reply by JB Harding, III LMT A.A.S. on
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I'm from St. Louis and irony know about all these regulations I'm reading. In the city you pretty much can set up to your availability. Its only when working in different municipalities that there is such regulations.
You have to start somewhere, but I would check with your municipal rules. But until then do your business and finish the details later if there is money knocking at your door. Document everything
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Permalink Reply by Gary W Addis, LMT on
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Gary W Addis said:Actually, IRS doesn't enforce business regulations; they merely verify business usage for tax deduction purposes. Meaning, that they don't concern themselves with entrances, except that--I'll get to that in a moment.
IRS permits a percentage formula: you compute total cost of maintaining the home office, then decide how much usage you and your family make of the room. If you have a computer in the office that you play games on or the kids do homework on, then obviously the room is not used for your business 100% of the time. Say you had the room painted, nice curtains hung, a new stationary massage table and an exclusively business telephone line installed, and used it 90% of the time for your business, and 10% family usage. If the total cost of the room--rent or mortgage, maintenance, everything combined-- is, say, $1,000 per year, you can deduct 90% from your business earnings as a legitimate business deduction.
Now, I haven't worked in the field for many years, but it's unlikely the above IRS regulation has changed very much.
Now, back to the private entrance. A private entrance would probably be viewed by the IRS as prima facie evidence of business use.
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It's usually the city or county laws that determine whether you can have a home practice and if so, what other requirements there is. One exception might be Vermont, where home practices in massage are protected under state law. Wish that were true in all states.
If you look at the makeup of your city council or county board, you will probably find that many of them are land developers. Why would a land developer condone a home practice when they have office space to rent?
In many ways, the home is an ideal place for a massage practice. It's usually quieter, you control he space, and some clients find it more comfortable. It saddens me that more states do not protect home practices.
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They are protecting zoning. It is nothing targeting massage. It is the regulations by the local government protecting residential neighborhoods from customers coming into a home business. This can lower home values by increasing traffic. People don't like their parking in front of their home always being occupied by strangers. These home business laws are to limit business in residential neighborhoods. Be glad that the tradition of home business is not eliminated entirely by zoning.
Toni Roberts said:It's usually the city or county laws that determine whether you can have a home practice and if so, what other requirements there is. One exception might be Vermont, where home practices in massage are protected under state law. Wish that were true in all states.
If you look at the makeup of your city council or county board, you will probably find that many of them are land developers. Why would a land developer condone a home practice when they have office space to rent?
In many ways, the home is an ideal place for a massage practice. It's usually quieter, you control he space, and some clients find it more comfortable. It saddens me that more states do not protect home practices.
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