Starting a Business Now Could Make a Lot of Sense

    The same factors that we’ve been dealing with for the past 12 months during the pandemic can also create an opportunity if you are considering starting a small business.  Problems create opportunity For one thing, fewer businesses in the marketplace can mean fewer potential competitors. For a start-up company, that can be good…

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Digital Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

The keys to successful digital marketing practices are often learned through failure. But this doesn’t have to be you! The wise business owner learns from the travails experienced by others. Here are some digital marketing mistakes to know so you can keep them from unraveling your strategy: Overlooking directory listings. Now more than ever, people…

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4 Key Elements of Great Business Books

Your bookkeeping system is the financial heart and lifeblood of your business. When set up and operating properly, your books help you make smart decisions and seamlessly turn your financial data into useful information. Here are four key characteristics to build and maintain a healthy bookkeeping system: Select the proper accounting method There are two…

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Don’t Let Disaster Befall Your Favorite Non Profit

The filing deadline for most non-profit organizations is May 15. Missing this deadline results in penalties that can devastate the organization’s budget, or worse, strip them of their non-profit status and make your donations non-tax deductible! Here’s what you can do to help them: Check the charitable status online. The IRS has a master list…

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Hey Alexa. Are you Making Me Dumb? 3 Concerns To Consider While Living With A Smart Speaker

Smart speakers like the Amazon Echo and Google Home are popping up everywhere. According to a Nielsen study from last September, nearly one of every four U.S. households has a smart speaker – 40 percent of those homes have more than one. For some, the speaker is an easy way to play music, for others…

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Major Life Changes Ahead? Read This!

Too often major life decisions have tax implications attached to them. For the unwary, this can create a fairly large and unexpected tax bill. Here are four examples of major life changes that can have complicated tax implications: Changing jobs. Whether it’s a new, exciting opportunity or a result of being laid off, a job…

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5 Things Every High School Senior Should Know

As the school year rolls into February, suddenly the realization sets in that high school seniors only have a few months left before graduation. Here are five things each graduate should understand before their big graduation day: Debt needs to be managed carefully. It is way too easy to burden oneself under a pile of…

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IRS Announces 2019 Mileage Rates

Mileage rates for travel are now set for 2019. The standard business mileage rate increases by 3.5 cents to 58 cents per mile. The medical and moving mileage rates also increase by 2 cents to 20 cents per mile. Charitable mileage rates remain unchanged at 14 cents per mile. 2019 Standard Mileage Rates Standard Mileage…

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Taking a Home Office Deduction: A Great Tax Reduction Idea, If Done Right!

Cloud-based applications, extensive communication channels, and other new technologies make it easier to run your business out of your home. If you qualify, many home business expenses are deductible. Think you might qualify? You must first pass these tests. Trade or business use test. To qualify for business use of your home you must use…

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Oh No! Your Tax Refund is Now a Bill

If you are anticipating a nice refund this year, it may be a good idea to prepare yourself for a possible letdown. Many taxpayers will receive a smaller-than-expected refund and might even owe taxes to be paid by April 15. If this happens to you, here are some of the likely reasons: Higher take-home pay.…

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