Should a Kickstarter be tied to a business or is it OK to keep things personal?

[BaconWise]

I am flirting with a campaign of my own and have heard a couple of different responses from some creators. I am curious if I need to establish a business license and run things through that business, including opening a business checking account and all that jazz. OR, is it fine to just tie yourself to the project and run everything through your personal accounts? Obviously, the latter is the easier route, but I wonder what the tax implications could be.

Thank you for any insight!

[RandyButterfield]

I am flirting with a campaign of my own and have heard a couple of different responses from some creators. I am curious if I need to establish a business license and run things through that business, including opening a business checking account and all that jazz. OR, is it fine to just tie yourself to the project and run everything through your personal accounts? Obviously, the latter is the easier route, but I wonder what the tax implications could be.

Thank you for any insight!

Hey Baconwise,

I’ve been doing this for about 8 years now, and I don’t have a business license. Other states have different laws, but in Indiana it’s fine to do a small personal business as a DBA (doing business as....). It all depends on your state of residence, I think.

Thanks, Randy