Finances For the Self-Employed

Running your own business means wearing many hats — and your finances shouldn’t be left to guesswork. This 3-part course is designed for sole proprietors and single-member LLC owners who want to understand the essentials of managing money, planning for taxes, and setting up a secure financial future.

What’s Included:

  • 3 video lessons (80 minutes total)

  • A customizable bookkeeping spreadsheet to track your revenue, expenses, and profits

  • A step-by-step checklist to guide you through the key actions covered in the course

By the end of this course, you’ll have a clear framework for managing your business finances with confidence — from day-to-day bookkeeping to long-term planning.

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Meet your instructor

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Meet your instructor ✳

Kristen Vernace, CFP®, CDFA®

Kristen Vernace is a Certified Financial Planner™ and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® and the founder of Pathways Financial Planning, a fee-only financial planning firm. She specializes in helping individuals and small business owners gain clarity and confidence with their money through holistic, personalized planning.

As a business owner herself, Kristen understands the unique challenges of self-employment — from managing cash flow and taxes to planning for retirement without the safety net of a traditional employer plan. She created this course to equip sole proprietors and single-member LLCs with the practical tools, knowledge, and confidence to build strong financial foundations and achieve their goals.

What you’ll learn

  • Learn how to set up simple, effective bookkeeping for your business. We’ll cover revenue, expenses, profit, and how to calculate estimated tax payments. You’ll learn how to plan for profit after taxes, create an owner’s draw, and build an “excess fund” bucket for your business. We’ll also walk through what qualifies as a write-off and common tax deductions that self-employed people often miss.

  • Discover the retirement savings options available to you as a business owner. We’ll compare Roth IRAs, Traditional IRAs, Solo 401(k)s, SEP IRAs, and SIMPLE IRAs — highlighting contribution limits, tax benefits, and which plan may be the best fit depending on your goals and income.

  • Expand your knowledge with bonus content designed to help you protect and grow your business. We’ll break down financial statements (profit & loss, balance sheet) in plain English, explain health insurance options for the self-employed, and outline essential insurance types (life, disability, business). We’ll also cover the pros and cons of different business structures, including sole proprietor, LLCs (single- and multi-member), and S Corps.

Course FAQ

  • This course is created for self-employed individuals, sole proprietors, and single-member LLC owners who want to better understand their business finances. Whether you’re just starting out or have been running your business for a while, the lessons will help you organize your money, plan for taxes, and build long-term financial security.

  • Not at all. The course is designed to be approachable and practical, with clear explanations and examples. You’ll also receive a bookkeeping spreadsheet and action checklist to make implementation simple — no advanced math or accounting software required.

  • Once you purchase the course, you’ll have unlimited access to all videos, the spreadsheet, and the checklist. You can revisit the materials anytime as your business grows and your financial needs evolve.

  • Yes! For most self-employed business owners, educational courses that improve your skills or business operations can typically be deducted as a business expense. We recommend checking with your tax professional to confirm your specific situation.

  • This course is created by a CFP® and CDFA® who runs her own small business, so it’s designed specifically for self-employed individuals. It combines practical, actionable lessons with tools you can use right away — including a bookkeeping spreadsheet, action checklist, and clear guidance on taxes, retirement, insurance, and business structures.

  • Each of the three videos is 20–30 minutes long, and the included spreadsheet and checklist allow you to implement what you learn at your own pace. Most participants can complete the course and start using the tools within a few hours, but you can revisit the materials anytime as your business grows.

  • If you have questions beyond the course or want guidance tailored to your unique business and financial situation, you can schedule a one-hour planning session to get questions answered quickly, or a 15-minute introductory call with Kristen to explore working together in a more robust capacity. She can help you create a personalized plan, review your numbers, and provide actionable next steps to grow your business with confidence.

Disclaimer / Disclosure

This course is for educational purposes only and is not intended as legal, tax, or financial advice. The information provided is general in nature and may not apply to your specific circumstances. Participants should consult with a qualified professional before making any financial, business, or tax decisions.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the content, Pathways Financial Planning and its affiliates make no guarantees regarding results. By participating in this course, you acknowledge that you are responsible for your own actions and decisions.