All personal trainers need to think about personal trainer income. How much should I earn? How do I pay myself? Are my business finances the same as my personal finances? There are many important things to take into account when delving into the world of business finance. Luckily, you can always rely on professional advice to guide you along the best path for your particular circumstances.

How much to pay yourself

This is a tricky question, and there is no answer that matches all circumstances. There are a few things that you need to take into account when working out what your income should be. Firstly, make sure that you have a personal budget and are paying yourself enough to get by every month, especially during the start-up phase of your business. Having said that, once your business is established and ‘in the black’, you need to realistically pay yourself what you are worth – think about your current market worth. You also need to consider what the business will be able to sustain, and how both you and the business will be taxed. Rememer that you will need to consider income tax if you want to avoid cash flow problems in the future.

How to pay yourself

There are three options here:

  1. Be paid a salary as an employee.
  2. Take drawings as an owner.
  3. take dividend payments that are subject to personal income tax, but receive a credit for the company tax paid

How to choose? Remember that your options will differ according to your business structure. You need to have a clear idea as to how what income you would like to receive, taking tax into account. You will then need to determine the most tax effective means of paying yourself that income every month. It’s advisable to get professional advice from an accountant who specialises in taxation.

Warning!

Do not treat all your business’ income as your personal spending money. It is imperative that you separate business and personal finances if you want to experience long-term growth and financial success. Avoid changing your personal budget and lifestyle on a monthly basis according to your business profits. Pay yourself a regular income and stick to it. Have separate transactions in separate accounts. In other words, set up a bank account and credit card just for your business. It’s all about setting up good business habits and being consistent.