Paperwork cloud lifts
Wednesday, April 27th, 2011
A paperwork cloud has hung over business owners and landlords for much of the last year. A clause in the health care reform law (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) required businesses to report payments of more than $600 to corporations (not required under prior law) on Form 1099. It also added reporting of payments […]
Read More »Minimize capital gains tax
Thursday, March 31st, 2011
When you sell an asset for more than your investment in it, the IRS says you must pay tax on the difference, called capital gain. For some years, the tax rate on such gains has been lower than regular rates if the asset is held for a long term (currently, more than one year). Hence […]
Read More »Plan to maximize business tax incentives
Friday, March 18th, 2011
Congress provided business tax incentives in 2010 in the Small Business Jobs Act and the Tax Relief Act. Strategically applying these business tax incentives together can be lucrative to businesses that are in a position to use them. We’re busy this time of year preparing tax returns for our clients. But we’re not too busy […]
Read More »Take action now to reduce taxes
Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010
Year-end is the best time to take actions that have an impact on next spring’s tax bill. There’s not much you can do after the year is over. Take time to do financial projections through year-end and calculate your tax bill. Working with your accountant, you can identify actions to take that may reduce your […]
Read More »Guard against electronic funds transfer fraud
Monday, November 8th, 2010
Your business, like many others, may receive and pay out funds through electronic funds transfer (EFT) and automated clearing house (ACH) transactions. Such transactions include converting paper checks to electronic payments, wiring funds, and paying taxes electronically. The frequency of EFT fraud and the size of losses have increased as cybercriminals are targeting small and […]
Read More »Art of Negotiating a Business Transfer
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010
Negotiating a complex transaction like the sale or purchase of a business requires technical proficiency, sensitivity to the motivations behind statements from both sides, and creativity. A potentially great deal can be lost by focusing too much on the bottom line. The artful negotiator finds common ground, engages the parties on both sides of the transaction, and […]
Read More »Banks Ease Small Business Lending Standards
Thursday, August 19th, 2010
Banks have begun to loosen their credit standards for the first time since 2006, according to the latest survey by the Federal Reserve. The quarterly survey of senior loan officers indicated a slight easing of credit standards and most terms on commercial and industrial loans to firms of all sizes. This is the first survey since late […]
Read More »How do you think of yourself as the CEO?
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
How do you think of yourself as the CEO? A shift in perspective from functional to visionary can transform your company. Here is some food for thought about your identity as the CEO of your company. This post by Dr. Linne Bourget on the Startup Growth Expert website suggests a shift in your perspective from dealing with individual issues to […]
Read More »DOE hosts Veterans Business Conference
Monday, August 2nd, 2010
The Department of Energy’s Y-12 complex is hosting a free Veterans Business Conference on August 3, 2010 to support veteran-owned businesses seeking to work with government agencies. As we are a veteran-owned business, we will be attending the conference. We will be listening to small business owners and seeking ways to help them do business better, whether […]
Read More »Understanding client expectations and establishing service standards
Tuesday, July 27th, 2010
No matter what kind of business you are running, effective communication with your customer or client is vital. You will have happy clients if you exceed their expectations, but how do you make sure that happens every time? You start by finding out what they expect. Then you can continue the relationship so that those expecxtations are […]
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