@basedbagel it sounds like you're doing everything yourself instead of running tax questions through an accountant who could've told you that immediately. You also get tax relief if you have a net loss.
I'm not going to say to take a business tax course because it's a waste of time, but if you find a textbook, you can look for the specific rules related to your type of business. Business expense deductions, for example.
If you were taxed on gross, a lot of businesses would be wiped out.
@basedbagel rule of thumb is to never take business deduction on things you don't have a document to back up. Also, since you're a political dissident, if something is unclear or you're unsure if something counts as a deduction (when in doubt), don't take the deduction. Overpaying a bit is better than the uncertainty of whether or not that one deduction 2 years ago will fuck you later.
@ButtWorldsMan @basedbagel This is completely correct. Never give them a reason to snatch you.