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ARTArticleSchedule C Tax Tips - Why Filing Schedule C-EZ May Be a Big Mistake For Your Small BusinessAre you a sole proprietor who files the shorter Schedule C-EZ rather than the traditional (and longer) Schedule C? If so, please read on to find out why you may be making a big mistake. First, a quick review of the qualifications for using Schedule C-EZ. You qualify if you meet these criteria:
- Your business expenses are less than $5,000
- Your business has a profit
- You have no inventory
- You use the cash method of bookkeeping
- You have only one business as a sole proprietor
- You have no employees
- You are not taking the home office deductionARTArticleSearch Engine Optimisation for Better RankingMillions of internet surfers go online everyday and what they usually open up first are search engines. Some of those surfers are looking for answers for their queries, some are looking for reviews and some are looking for products/services. With most of the businesses today being online, it’s a tougher job to reach the number one spot. The competition over rankings and listings over the internet is intense. What a business needs is a good provider of SEO.ARTArticleSecrets to website successClick, click, clickARTArticleSelf-Employment Tips - How To Get Out Of Being Stuck If You're Self-EmployedOne of the challenges of working for yourself is recognizing when you are stuck. Being stuck can happen many ways, but for self-employed people it often looks something like this:
* Your income is level, or perhaps has taken a slight dip.
* You are feeling a lack of enthusiasm toward your work.
* You have one or more big decisions to make, and you find yourself chu
ing them over and over rather than making the decision and then taking action.ARTArticleSelling or Buying Credit Repair Services? Read This Before You’re Busted.The latest unbelievable resurgence in the debt relief world is advanced fee credit repair. That ship sailed a decade ago, at least.
Companies are telling marketers that they can sell credit repair services and basically “charge whatever” they want to.
But there is this little thing called the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) that prohibits the collection of any fee or compensation before any credit report assistance is fully rendered. Even then, the company may not sell services that are designed to remove negative but accurate information from a consumer credit report.ARTArticleSEO Birmingham Gets You on TopMany businesses are emerging these days, may it be a traditional business or an online business, and there are multiple providers of a single product / service. The competition over businesses today is stiffer than it has ever been in the past years; it is harder for starting businesses to at least get on the same platform as those businesses that were in the industry for a longer time.ARTArticleSEO Services: Why an Online Business Needs ItInternet marketing promises success and wealth to those who venture in it but it still is a tricky process in the very beginning. The reason why there are internet marketers who fail is because they don’t know what they’re doing. It’s not just about setting up a website or a couple of blog sites and tweaking the internet on your own. You may be an expert when it comes to selling products or services but the internet is a whole new other area.ARTArticleSEO: The Answer to Internet Marketing SuccessBirmingham's Internet marketers all have one goal and that is to make loads of money through the Internet. Though the Internet is generous enough to give this kind of opportunity to those who use it, you must have your own strategies in succeeding too. The beauty of Internet marketing is that it's for everybody. You don't have to have a specific degree to tweak your website and make money out of it. What you need to do is know what you're doing. You can basically set everything up on your own.ARTArticleShould I Do Affiliate Marketing?Well the simple answer is, yes! Absolutely you should do affiliate marketing. Look unless you have your own factory of products to sell around the world where else are you going to come up with products to sell to people? Exactly, you must sell other peoples products. Which to tell you the truth after 5 years in this business is really the easiest route to go. Now do not get me wrong, I’m not saying you should not, at some point in your marketing career, go out and create your own product. Who knows, you may have the next best thing to come out since the microwave, radio, or airplane, etc.ARTArticleSimple Tracking Tips for Better Marketing ResultsIf you want to get the best results from your marketing efforts, you've got to be strategic in your approach. Choosing the right strategies for your business starts with selecting techniques that fit your goals and the solutions your ideal prospects are looking for. Then you need to IMPLEMENT those techniques and consistently track your results.ARTArticleSix Steps to Creating a Referral-Based BusinessDoesn't it feel great to pass along the word about your favorite restaurant or tell someone about a terrific book you can read? You can make it easy for your clients and colleagues to do the same for your services. When you do great work for your clients, they are just as excited to tell others about you.
Creating a referral based business, where you're consistently getting leads from your current clients, has multiple benefits. It helps cut down your marketing time and costs, it gives you more opportunities to provide great service and can help you grow your network exponentially.ARTArticleSmall Business Deductions - How to Drive the IRS CrazyLooking for an easy way to increase your business deductions? Look no further than your driveway.
First, the general rule: your vehicle is deductible to the extent you use it for business. So, if you drive your car 100% for business, all car-related expenses are deductible.
But if you use it less than 100% for business, do not despair. Less-than-100% use is very typical among small business owners and the self-employed -- you'll still come out way ahead by keeping good vehicle expense records.ARTArticleSmall Business Marketing Is Easier Than You ThinkSmall business marketing is not only necessary to your success as an entrepreneur, it's easier than you think. Statistics say your small business has a 1 in 6 chance of survival, but without effective, ongoing marketing, your odds are far less than that. Utilize proven small business marketing strategies that will let you spread the word about your business quickly and get in front of the right people.ARTArticleSmall Business Owners & Non-Profit Board ParticipationThis may seem a little unrelated to small business finance and management, but bear with me. A few years ago a couple of people recommended that I step up my involvement in non-profits via board participation. I was not ready. I had too much going on and too little time to dedicate. I wanted whatever time I did spend volunteering to help the recipients directly. So I tutored, mentored, and occasionally spoke at churches and non-profit conferences. This past year I finally had the time...and the inclination.ARTArticleSmall Business Tax Deductions - "F" is For FICA, FUTA & FIDOIf you own a small business and are looking for deductions, don't miss out on these. The first two you've probably heard about but don't really understand (until now). The third one may seem far-fetched (pardon the pun) but is legitimate if the circumstances described below fit your situation.
1. FICA.ARTArticleSmall Business Tax Deductions - "G" is For Gifts & GasHere are two valid expenses you can deduct on your small business income tax return, both beginning with the letter "G".
Gifts.
You can deduct the cost of gifts to customers and other business associates such as vendors, suppliers and service providers (like your accountant, atto
ey or insurance agent). Be careful, though, because the deduction is limited to $25 per individual recipient per year. Example: You purchase $60 fruit baskets and give them away over the holidays to your best customers. You only get to write off $25 per gift. The other $35 is non-deductible.ARTArticleSmall Business Tax Deductions - How to Deduct Meal Expenses Without Keeping ReceiptsThe mantra of tax record-keeping has remained relentlessly burdensome for decades: no receipt, no deduction. But fear not, you who loathe the never-ending climb up the mountain of paperwork required by the U.S. tax code.
Many of our most beloved tax rules have exceptions, and such is the case with this one. Believe it or not, there are actually expenses you can legally deduct without a receipt. Here's one for self-employed folks who travel out-of-town on business.ARTArticleSmall Business Tax Deductions - How to Deduct Non-Deductible Commuting MileageFor most folks, commuting mileage is a non-deductible expense -- unless you know the legal tax loophole I'm about to reveal.
The non-deductibility of commuter miles is painfully true for the employee who fights rush hour traffic every day, twice a day, for 5 to 10 hours a week. All that hassle, and what does he have to show for it? Just gas money down the drain, not to mention the wear and tear on both his vehicle and his stress-o-meter.ARTArticleSmall Business Tax Deductions - How to Deduct Your Next VacationIt is perfectly legal to deduct your next vacation. Here's how to do it.
To qualify for this deduction, you must meet the following two criteria:
1. You are self-employed or own a small business
2. On your next trip, you combine business with pleasure.
The first requirement is pretty cut and dried. By "small business" we are including any type of self-employment activity, full-time or part-time, home-based or "bricks and mortar". This deduction applies to any type of small business entity: sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies.ARTArticleSmall Business Tax Mistakes - Why Getting a Big Refund is a Bad IdeaI will never forget the day that a tax client came into my office to pick up his income tax return.
"How's it look?" he asked.
"Well," I said, "It looks like you're getting a refund."
"Great! How much?"
"Oh, it's a big one," I said. "Over $5,000 dollars."
Mr. Client couldn't have been happier. He face lit up like a light bulb. He was ecstatic -- he sincerely believed that he had "beat the tax man" by getting such a large refund.ARTArticleSmall Business Tax Tips - 3 Reasons to Benefit From IRS Audit RatesWho's afraid of the IRS? Let's face it: We all are! And with good reason. IRS horror stories abound, and we all know someone who's been through an IRS audit and barely lived to tell about it.
So the purpose of this article is to help calm those fears. Maybe I can't remove them completely, but I do hope you find some comfort in what I'm about to tell you.ARTArticleSmall Business Tax Tips - Are You a Sole Proprietor (and Don't Even Know It?)Do you wonder whether the IRS views you as a sole proprietor? Then you came to the right place. Step right up and get an answer to this all-important question.
According to the IRS, a sole proprietor is someone who owns an unincorporated business by himself or herself. There are two key words in that definition. Let's unpack them both.
First, "unincorporated". The IRS is saying that if your business is not a corporation, a partnership, or a limited liability company (LLC), then you are a sole proprietor.ARTArticleSmall Business Tax Tips - How to File an Extension For Your Income Tax RetuFor all you procrastinators out there, here's a nuts 'n bolts guide on how to legally postpone the filing of your 2008 income tax returns. When it comes to putting things off, you can never plan too far ahead.
In many cases the IRS allows you to file a no-questions-asked extension form. Which particular form you file depends on what type of entity your business happens to be.
SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP:
You need to file Form 4868 to get an automatic 6-month extension to file your personal income tax return.
CORPORATIONS:ARTArticleSmall Business Tax Tips - How to Get a $1,000 Refund For a Return You've Already FiledDid you know you can get a refund for a return that you already filed? Yep, it's true. If you think you forgot a deduction on a previously filed return, you have three years to tell the IRS about it and receive a refund.
Here's how it works: You can file an amended return up to three years after the due date of the return in question.ARTArticleSmall Business Tax Tips - How to Prepare Form 4562 in 5 Simple StepsIf you bought equipment for your business last year such as a computer or a printer, you can deduct those items on your business income tax return. Usually that means tackling Form 4562 and entering one of the most complicated areas of tax law, the dreaded world known as depreciation.
For do-it-yourself-ers who abhor the thought of paying someone else to do your income tax return, this article will help you prepare Form 4562 without breaking into a sweat.ARTArticleSmall Business Tax Tips - I Forgot to Send Out 1099's by January 31 - What Do I Do Now?Are you a small business owner who hires independent contractors? If so, you may be required by the IRS to send out a Form 1099-MISC to those people. This article will help you determine your obligation to issue those 1099's.
The basic rule works like this: Form 1099-MISC is used to report total annual payments made to self-employed people who made at least $600 during the previous calendar year. This 1099 must be given or mailed to the contractor by January 31 of the following year.ARTArticleSmall Business Tax Tips - What's the Difference Between a Tax Deduction and a Tax Credit?Do you understand the difference between a tax deduction and a tax credit? This story should clarify the difference.
A self-employed client (let's call her Debbie) came to me to prepare her income tax return. She was quite distraught because she had a balance due of $400. She could barely stand the thought of paying the government any more money.ARTArticleSmall Business Tax Tips - Why You Might Need to File Two Returns This Tax SeasonDoes just the thought of preparing your income tax return this year make your blood boil? And when you're done, do you break out the champagne and celebrate like it's New Year's Eve? (Or just reach for the Tylenol?)
Well, guess what? I'm going to suggest that you inflict yourself with that same punishment twice, because it may be that filing a return not once, but twice, for the same year can put hundreds or even thousands of dollars in your pocket.ARTArticleSmall Business Taxes - 6 Compelling Reasons to Pay Your Taxes ElectronicallyDid you know that the IRS has made it significantly easier to make your federal tax payments on time?
Let me introduce you to EFTPS - the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System. It's been running along quite smoothly for many years now, and if you're not using it, here are six compelling reasons to sign up today.
Reason #1: It works.
Millions of small businesses use it successfully every day.
Reason #2: It saves time.ARTArticleSmall Business Taxes - Do You Need an Employer Identification Number (EIN)?If you run a small business or engage in self-employment activities, you may need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued by the IRS, whether or not you have employees.
An EIN, also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number, is used to identify a business entity for tax purposes.
How do you know whether you need an EIN? If you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions, you must get one:
1. Do you have employees?
2. Do you operate your business as a corporation or a partnership?
3. Do you file any excise tax returns (such as alcohol, tobacco and firearms)?