Sunday, September 28, 2025
Home Blog Page 22

Every Entrepreneur’s Guide to Better Business Travel Spending

0

Business travels should be a mixture of both work and play so that the entire experience can be both fun and productive as it eases away much anxiety on the part of the traveler. The idea of meeting new people, making new friends and finding new opportunities is what makes every business travel truly exciting. Unfortunately, that’s not all that an individual can experience during business travels. An entrepreneur may also be subjected to anxiety and stress especially when he has to deal with financial stuff incurred during travel. Below are some tips on how you can ease your worries about spending while traveling.

Make sure to keep a record of all your expenses.

Keeping a record of all your expenses during travel will help you better manage your travel spending. Every transaction that entails financial obligation must be recorded. Do not forget as well to keep all the receipts because these will serve as your back up and proof should there be any lapses in your records. Each receipt must be well-kept and all the expenses must be categorized accurately. It is not necessary that you do this alone or on your own but you may always enlist the help of your company’s CPA to ensure that everything from air fees to bus fares, luggage fees, meal costs, hotel and cell phone expenses, etc. is well accounted for. Keeping a record of all your expenses while on travel will also help you become more conscious about how much you have spent and see to it that not a single cent is being wasted especially if you are spending the company’s money.

Go for a travel per diem policy.

A travel per diem policy can greatly spare anyone from the hassle of record keeping. Just make sure to abide by the government’s mandated allowance for employees although this may vary from one state to another. If you give your employees a travel per diem it is now up to them where to allocate the given allowance. Another thing that needs to be tracked when traveling on a per diem basis is the number of days spent for business travel. A “travel per diem” policy can also be a real saver in terms of time, paper works, and hassle.  This would also help encourage every employee to make sure that the money is being spent on its intended purpose. Of course, corresponding receipts will still be necessary for record keeping. As the business owner, you also need to see to it that every employee is aware about the company’s policy on business travel expenses in order to avoid “surprises” during auditing and financial liquidation procedures.

Personal and business-related activities must be separated.

This may seem difficult to do especially if you are mixing business and personal transactions on the same travel. This is when you need to carefully asses the number of hours and the amount spent on purely business transactions. If your employees decide to tack some mini-vacations simply because they wanted to de stress, which may usually happen when they have to travel as a team or as a group then see to it that they are responsible for their own personal expenses. The number of days that will be spent on travel should not exceed beyond what was agreed between the employees and the company so that certain tasks will not be delayed and company goals will not be compromised by unexpected yet unnecessary extending of travel days. This may take a lot of discipline on the part of the employees who are traveling for company’s sake.  On the other hand, this may also serve as a great challenge on the part of the employers to carefully choose people to send for business travels.

Business travels can help reap huge income generating opportunities for the company if the money allocated for such travel is well spent and well accounted for. Otherwise, it would only mean loss of income and waste of time.

Calculating what you’re owed for your car injury claims

0

Calculating what you are owed for your car injury claim is a complex operation, which is why your best course of action if to use injury lawyers to make the claim for you.  Among other things they will need to know what sort of car accident you had, was it:

  • A solo event, no other vehicle involved, maybe caused by a pothole that should have been repaired, or a tree that got in the way.
  • An accident with another car, or maybe several other cars.
  • Caused by a bus or lorry
  • An accident with a cyclist, or a motorbike
  • A pedestrian that caused the problem

Once they know what type of accident you were in they can move on to the next step, what injuries did you sustain?  There are an untold number of injuries that can be the result of a car accident, such injuries as:

  • Fractures
  • Head and brain injuries
  • Back and spine injuries
  • Facial injuries
  • Eye injuries
  • Joint damage
  • Internal injuries
  • Burns and scalds
  • Soft tissue injuries

Some of these injuries can be life changing for the victim and those close to them, and the impact on the life of the victim needs accounting for when the injury lawyers gets to Calculate What you’re Owed.

The material things that can be itemised

Apart from the pain and suffering, anxiety and trauma caused by the accident, the solicitors at UK Claim Lawyers will want to recover any costs or losses you have incurred because of the accident.  Ant material things that can be itemised, such as:

  • Loss of earnings, past and future
  • Travel costs to and from medical appointments
  • Medical expenses for anything you cannot get free on the NHS
  • Care costs if you need help to look after yourself, whether temporary or permanent
  • Childcare if you need extra help with your children while you recover
  • Home adaption costs if things need altering in your home for you to be able to cope with your injuries
  • Cost of jobs you would have done around the house and garden
  • In the case of a fatality the funeral and probate costs can be claimed.

Now making the calculation

Once the lawyers have all this information, they will be able to start to calculate what you are owed for your car injury claim.  This is not an easy process and would be time consuming, complex and traumatic for the layperson to try and do this themselves.  For injury lawyers it is an every day occurrence and they have the experience and expertise to do it quickly and efficiently, taking all the stress of a claim off your shoulders.

They do all this without wanting any money from you to start the work.  All UK Claim Lawyers operate on a no win, no fee basis, so if for some reason your claim should prove to be unsuccessful, they will still not want any money from you.

You have nothing to lose by contacting us, and might have a great deal to gain.

Featured image License All rights reserved by patrickmcknightlaw

7 Great Ways To Earn Extra Income To Pay For Your Holiday Plans!

0

The holidays are a great time of year to spend with friends and family, but all the parties and festivities and gift giving can be very expensive. Instead of racking up credit card debt, taking out loans or forgoing grocery shopping in order to afford the holidays, try to find a way to snag some extra income.

There are plenty of ways that you can easily earn some extra cash for the holidays without having to take on another full-time job. The following are seven great ways to earn some extra income in order to pay for your holiday plans.

1. Sell some belongings.

An easy way to make some extra holiday cash is to go through all of your closets, attics and basements and find the items you no longer need. Then, place these items on Craigslist or eBay in order to make some extra cash. Not only can you earn this extra money from the comfort of your own home, but you also get to clean your home in the process and make room for all the new stuff you and your family will get during the holidays.

2. Get a part-time seasonal job.

Since retail stores tend to get much busier during the holiday season, they are often looking for extra seasonal help. You can typically work as much or as little as you want, and in most cases, you’ll even get to partake in the company’s employee discount program, giving you an extra incentive for working there during the holidays. Most companies will start to hire their seasonal help right before Thanksgiving, so be sure to get your applications in early.

3. Start your own part-time business.

There are plenty of things you can do around your neighborhood on a part-time basis that can help you make some extra cash for the holidays. For example, if you live in a snowy area, offer to shovel your neighbor’s driveways for a small fee. If you’re good at baking, offer to bake cookies and holiday treats so your friends and family members don’t have to do it. Are you good at decorating for the holidays? Charge a small fee to decorate your neighbors’ homes for the holidays. You can even offer to babysit for your neighbors while they get some holiday shopping done. These are all great part-time jobs you can easily do in order to snag some extra holiday cash.

4. Join craft fairs.

Are you crafty? If so, take your designs and head on over to your local craft fair and try to sell your items. You’ll be surprised at just how much extra cash you can make at a craft fair by selling your crafts. Just keep in mind that some craft fairs will require you to pay a fee in order to rent a booth, so you want to try and be sure that you’ll see enough items in order to not only cover the fee, but to also make some extra holiday cash.

5. Donate your bodily fluids.

There are plenty of places that will pay you for donating blood, plasma or even semen, so if you truly want to make some extra holiday cash, this could be a great option for you. Just keep in mind that most places have restrictions on how often you can donate, so if you’re looking to make a lot of money, you’ll have to start early. It’s a good idea to contact the organizations you’re considering donating to in order to find out exactly how much they pay and how often you can donate.

6. Rent out your home.

People are always traveling during the holidays, and you can rent out a room in your home to someone who is traveling to your area. If your friends or family members are having family in from out of town, offer to let their relatives stay in your house for a small fee. You can also use websites like Couchsurfing to offer your extra bedroom (or even just your couch) to a complete stranger.

7. Find a part-time work from home job.

If you don’t want to rush home from work in order to head to another job, try finding a part-time job that will allow you to work from home. Many companies hire people to work from home and provide customer service to their customers. LiveOps is a trusted work from home customer service job. These types of jobs can be done either on the phone or via online chats. If you’re good with typing, you can get a job at Rev and become a work from home transcriptionist. You can also join eJury and become an online juror for a mock trial, or become an online survey taker.

 Featured Image credit Cheap photos

Creating an Investment Efficiently by Real Estate

0

The place wherever you require your real estate should be situated is very much significant. You require to have certain strategies to promote your room and create them more attractive to people. Select a space that has good atmosphere where persons could live safe and peacefully. This is decent to select a room that has relaxed access in business centers, schools and public places. In getting land as your commercial you requisite having some strategies to fascinate more persons to buy or lease your place. You could select a place which is near several public spaces like market, schools, mall, and business center. Best of all, make definite that your home is attractive and clean and to people.

After solving all problems of house, then start calculating all the expenditures that you ensure. Take all the money that you spent and would be spending beforehand determining for the degree of the rental. If you remain done with that you can now have your value for the rental.The rental must cover the expenditures that you devote for the room and the revenue that you need to have each month.

Alternative sort of real estate commercial is the household sales. These are the kind of real estate which is housing. This sort of estate is communal in areas which is quiet and has picturesque beauty. Several are near commercial centers so as to the personnel do not require to travel long detachments for their effort.

The household sale trade is alternative decent real estate commercial. This one houses those people by stable occupation and is formation to have domestic and particular the place.This home is rather located near commercial centers and is additional roomy than rental rooms. The people staying in this sort of house are tycoons and business men. So you require making sure that palace is well secured and safe.

An amount of persons want to reach their individual estate. Relaxing on a steady place is whatever everybody longs for as they do not need to keep on touching. Determining on what possessions to go for might seem easy providing you have cash to back this up, but it might not be a wind, if you need not know whatever you require doing in the main place. Though, the asset is not the one and only needs in this action; there is still more.

For this specific reason, directing with specialists when this originates to real estate guidelines is optional to stretch you a sight on how house sales, bed-sitter sales or other types of real estate dealings proceed, beforehand you might finally get one of the individual.In observing for guidance into real estate, different people might give diverse view points as well.

Knowing whatever your objectives is the actual first time in planning and structuring real estate participating portfolio.

With excessive risk approaches great reward. Infrequently knowing whether you might handle the on occasion stressful atmosphere of high risk security, in real estate or otherwise, could help director you to the accurate real estate speculation selections for you.
There is no usage opting for an advanced risk possessions investment collection if you do not have the abdominal for the pressure that attends this. Actually, if you reflect higher risk savings stressful, they are perhaps not for you!

If you desire safer selections, real estate venture could still work for you, just select possessions in established zones, wherever your rental revenue and stable growth is much more assured.

Whatsoever your replies to the queries that were higher above, real estate is a profitable choice and safe. Knowing your temperament, goals and whether you are in real estate deal for the trial, or a quick lowly, would merely aid you make complete choices, offer you a stable portfolio, and confirm that your savings pay extras for ages to come.

Inspect your recognition standing. This would allow you to realize in progress if there is an advances that you might ask for and the concern rate that you must to pay.You need to be capable to anticipate first if monthly imbursement is just affordable and right for you. Assessment of your credit stand-up is vital in the initial stage before investigation for the possessions that demands to you.

Featured Image License All rights reserved by boston_real_estate_invesment

Global Financial Markets – Between The Status Quo And The Apocalypse

0

Two years after the Budget Control Act of 2011 was signed into law in order to increase the debt ceiling, the world’s economy and markets are once again subjected to another crisis with the loans in the United States of America.

The United States of America owe about 17 trillion dollars and the debt is growing bigger with each second. According to the Finance minister of the USA, the country has nearly 30 billion dollars in the bank. Which meant that the Democrats and Republicans in the Congress did not raise the debt ceiling, the country would have declared bankruptcy for the first time in its history. Unlike most countries that have some form of debt, this country is unique with the fact that has self-imposed a debt ceiling, which is set by the administration in order to restrict national expenditure.

The debt ceiling of the country was 16.7 trillion dollars and it was reached by the Government in May this year. Since then the so-called “extraordinary measures” were applied and negotiations for raising the debt ceiling were lead. However, the negotiations led to nowhere, which brought the country into the trap of the deadline on October the 17th, by which the Congress must have decided whether to raise the debt ceiling or the country would have declared bankruptcy.

The stock obligations, as well as the system of daily lending system, which helped most banks operate, expressed their growing concern that the U.S. Congress would reach an agreement to increase the ceiling of government debt.

What would happen if the United States of America declared bankruptcy?

The USA is one of the largest debtors in the world, and the country is issuing bonds and stocks purchased by other countries and investors. The country has never stopped servicing its debts, and the dollar and the treasury bonds are placed at the centre of the International Financial System.

That is exactly the reason why a bankruptcy would be unprecedented and potentially catastrophic: the credit markets would freeze, the value of the U.S. dollar would fail, and the value of the interests would go upwards. Which actually means that a financial crisis and recession is also possible. Even if the United States of America continue to cover their debts somehow, this could lead to substantial withdrawal of the mutual funds from money market. A great deal of the bank loans to other banks will literally “go dry”. Remember the consequences after the bankruptcy of “Lehman Brothers” in 2008 – global financial panic, massive bank failures and a deep recession.

Thankfully, this scenario was not repeated because the Congress met the deadline of October the 17th and raised the debt ceiling, but most experts in the field actually agree that such an outcome is still possible. The crisis itself may have the same effect as in 2011 – a sharp drop in consumer and business confidence, and a serious turmoil in the financial markets. Should the United States of America declare bankruptcy, the country will no longer be able to meet its obligations on one hand to its large foreign creditors – china, Japan, the Caribbean banking centres, Brazil, Taiwan, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Russia and Hong Kong, and on the other hand it won’t be able to cover its important domestic payments such as social benefits, salaries of federal employees, military and veterans’ benefits, medical coverage and interest.

How about the markets?

The Fitch global rating agency warned that it may cut the U.S credit rating by the end of the year and put its debt under observation. It this happens, Fitch would become the second major credit and rating agency after Standard & Poor’s, which will deprive the country of its AAA rating.

The experts claim that a possible bankruptcy of the United States may result in unprecedented financial chaos that will greatly affect the global economy. The financial markets that are heavily dependent on the U.S. treasury bonds would face literally devastating effects as the uncertainty about the value of purchases of stocks and bonds is growing rapidly.

The outcome

An agreement on a new debt ceiling of the U.S. Government was reached at the very last moment before the country declared bankruptcy. Traditionally, the Congress passed a law a few hours before the deadline. The federal government received the opportunity to draw loans until February the 7th, but in the meantime, the Ministry of Finance must approve some emergency measures in order to prevent a further increase of the debt.

The law plans extension of the funding for federal agencies by January the 15th, which were forced to reduce or even stop their work. The Senate approved the legislation with 81 against 18 votes. Later, the House of Representatives did the same with 285 against 144 votes.

Featured image License Some rights reserved by epSos.de

Ways of Obtaining a Car Loan after Bankruptcy

0

Obtaining a car loan after bankruptcy is an uphill task but it can be done thanks to the numerous car loan choices today. A number of firms nowadays provide flexible terms when it comes to auto loans, which is very helpful to individuals who have had financial problems in the past. Organizations now offer secured car loans to individuals with bad credit history. This gives the lender the assurance that the money will definitely be paid off.

In the contemporary world, you can even get an automobile loan online. Finding a lender online is not as hard as getting credit from banks or other established financial institutions. Discussed below are some of the ways you can obtain an auto loan after bankruptcy.

Fine Tune Your Credit Report

Before applying for the loan, it’s important that you first dress up your credit report. To do this, you can add comments to the credit report explaining in details any extenuating situations that made you file the bankruptcy proceeding. Additionally to add zest to your damaged credit file, get a secured credit card. Secured credit cards are usually available and irrespective of your credit rating you can get these types of cards. In order to get a secured credit card, you are required to put a deposit that is equal to the amount of credit you wish to be extended to you from the credit card issuer.

Once you have the secured credit card, ensure that you don’t use more than one-third of the amount of the available credit at any one time. Have a small balance in your account each month. This will go a long way in adding to your credit score since these card companies usually give a report monthly to the credit bureaus.

Establish an Affordable Payment

Have a budget and establish the amount you can afford in terms of the car loan repayment. Determine the period you want to pay the loan for your new car. The total purchase price of the vehicle you choose and the length of the repayment period will determine the monthly installments you will be making to the lender. The longer the repayment period, the lesser the monthly payments you will have to part with and vice versa.

Never agree to a repayment plan that cannot fit into your budget. Agreeing to payment terms that don’t fit your budget will only worsen your credit rating. This is because you may be forced by circumstances to skip some installments which will just get you back into the same financial situation you were before.

Be Realistic

When scouting for car loan after bankruptcy, you should be realistic in the choice of car you choose to buy. There is no bank or any financial institution that is going to offer you an auto loan of $100,000 after bankruptcy. Go for a car that will serve basic purposes and after you have worked on your finances you can opt to upgrade the make of your car.

One of the easiest ways of getting a good vehicle at wallet friendly rates is to go online. There is a wealth of valuable information on the internet. There are numerous sites that you can browse to get a vehicle that will serve your specific needs yet at affordable rates. With online shopping, you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home and it also saves you valuable time.

Shop for the Best Deal

Once you have established the amount of cash you want to borrow and the kind of vehicle you wish to buy, start shopping for the automobile loan. If you are looking for online lenders, you will need to browse for firms and individuals who avail car loan to people without considering their credit history but use other parameters to decide whether they will give the credit facility or not. Once you have established a lender, fill out an application form and submit it over a secure server. With online lenders, you can receive the money within 48 hours directly to your account or to the account of the automobile dealer you have chosen to make your purchase from.

It is very important that you make the agreed payments on time to your lender so that you can start rebuilding your credit score. Make repayments without delay will definitely add valuable points to your credit score.

Featured Image License All rights reserved by RoySmiths

Five Ways to Improve your Marketing Strategy

0

Having a business plan is always a necessary step in gaining profits. Knowing what to do and where to go next is an advantage in anything that you would want to do. The same goes for marketing. Having a business plan or a strategy can help you organize your thoughts and your actions so you can arrive at your goal a lot faster and with less time spent. In formulating your business plan, a key factor is how you would proceed with your marketing. Now that is where a strategy would really be of use.

Is a marketing strategy really important?

Yes! Now some people may ask why marketing strategy is very important. You must know that no matter how great your product may be, or how amazing your offers are, if you do not know how to deal with potential customers, your business is toast.

Now here are few tips that may be of importance if you are looking forward to improving your marketing and thus your profit.

1.       Please your Customers

You must know how or what would be the best way to talk with and serve your clients. This is because clients not only come back for the sole purpose of having a good product but also because you served them well. A major selling point in hotels is the staff’s hospitality and accommodation to their guests and you would do well to adapt such manner in treating your clients. You must remember that it’s not only you who offers that certain product, having hat certain promos and having quality products or good services. So how can you have the edge with your line of business? Get your costumers to like you! Not only what you’ve got to offer.

2.       Expand Online

The internet is a major source of advertising potentials and of course customers. Almost any transaction can be done online nowadays. From paying bills to shopping for the latest gadgets, the internet has served as a media in which anything can be done with just a click. Use this global network to your advantage and exploit its potentials. You can advertise using the internet and the many social media available. You can create a website where you can cater for the different needs of your customers and serve them from wherever you are operating from. There are a lot of people who are too busy to go to any other place and almost do anything online. Having an online presence can let you serve these people that lead to more profit.

3.       Stay Updated

Whatever business you are in, make sure you keep yourself updated. Keep up with the trends of the market and any price fluctuations. Staying updated makes sure you are on par with your competition and thus add to your credibility in the market. In the process of doing so, make sure that you costumers are well aware of what you are doing for them. This is one way of making sure that old costumers stay with you. Remember people stay when they feel you care. Do so to your costumers.

4.       Focus on Your Target

In a business, there is always that range of customers that your product is suited for. Do not neglect them and focus on them instead. Make sure that you keep your efforts tailored for your target customers. If you plan on expanding your targets, then give your primary targets extra treatment as they are the ones that are more likely to stay. Do not get distracted and do not make the mistake of going after too many targets and losing all of them in the process.

5.       Know your Strength

If you are venturing on many types of business, or a lot of products, focus on the one that you are well known for. In other words, focus on your strengths. If you have offered a certain product or service and have been known for it, give it attention. If you have expanded to different offers, then do not lose sight of your core products and services. Always keep these products excellent and advertise it more than you will other products. This is to make sure that you stay on top of a certain product and not stray to unchartered territory where you can get lost.

 

Featured image source commons.wikimedia.org

What Can An Experienced Payroll Provider Offer Your Business?

0

When running your own business, there are all sorts of different areas that need your care and attention. Some of these will be important to the day to day progress that your company makes, and that you enjoy doing, whilst others will be tedious tasks that eat up your time and that you could really do without.

Payroll definitely falls into the latter category. Something that is complex in nature and that takes up valuable resources that could be better used elsewhere, but nevertheless something that has to be undertaken. Luckily, though, there’s no need to struggle through the process of doing your own payroll when there are companies out there who are willing to take this duty off your hands.

These outsourced payroll providers have so much to offer your business:

Expert Knowledge –

Even though you will no longer be dealing with the ins and outs of payroll, you are still likely to have plenty of questions regarding its complex issues. An experienced payroll provider will be able to answer these at your convenience and won’t judge when you come to them with the so called ‘basic’ questions that we all have from time to time. It will be good to see you are in safe hands with someone who knows exactly what they are doing.

Your Personal Liaison With HMRC –

Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs govern everything surrounding payroll in the country and have been known to rule with an iron fist. Hefty fines for being late and the introduction of complicated new regulations are a regular occurrence and so if you don’t know what you are doing 100% then you could land yourself in hot water. A payroll service will interact with HMRC so you don’t have to and ensure that everything is completed in line with their stringent rules.

Give You Back Valuable Time –

In the busy world of business, time is everything, and so you can seldom afford to waste it by having to carry out difficult and lengthy jobs (or training other people to do them); especially if you don’t have to. Handing this monthly job over to an outsourced solution will not only mean that you can free yourself and your staff up a bit, but that you can focus your energy on more important departments in your company.

Avoid Costly Mistakes –

One of the biggest worries for anyone conducting their payroll in-house is that their lack of extensive knowledge and experience will result in the occurrence of costly mistakes. This doesn’t just include the fines from HMRC, as mentioned above, but also the fact that your employees will not appreciate their pay being affected. Inconsistency in your payroll could result in your staff becoming demotivated or even concerned enough that they attempt to find a job elsewhere, but this can all be avoided if you have an experienced provider on board.

A Regular Point Of Contact –

Outsourcing any part of your business can be difficult because it means you have less ability to control that area of your company. However, this isn’t the case when you have a regular point of contact within the company you have outsourced to. An excellent payroll provider will be able to offer this so that you always know who you need to contact and you have your own personal account manager that knows your business, and its needs, inside out.

Stop Doing It Yourself! Hire A CPA

0

With over 28 million small and medium companies owned in the United States, the demand for accounting for small businesses is high. Many times, small business owners try to do their own accounting. This is one of the main reasons small businesses fail. A great accountant will be able to help your small business thrive and survive these tough economic times.

Challenges of Small Business Accounting

Small business offers accountants unique challenges that will test their creativity and regurgitate them, because they want to do the best job for you.

The Renaissance Owner

The first challenge many accountants face is an owner who has a hard time transitioning to outsourced accounting. Business owners can sometimes be the sole employee of their company. They do the books, the payroll, run the business, etc. It is an accountants job to free up their time so that they can focus on other aspects of running the business. Many owners use programs like QuickBooks to help track profits and expenditures. They assume that the program is less expensive than an account. However, an accountant has a lot of value. An accountant knows which banks have the best rates on checking accounts, what new regulations are coming, and how your company can save money.

The Resourceful Accountant

Another unique challenge is the small funding. An account will be able to find ways to make a business remain afloat on a restricted budget. When accounting for small businesses, it is important to stay current in your knowledge about potential deductions and tax incentives. Deductions and tax incentives will save business owners money. Because many owners choose to do the accounts themselves, they are missing out on the deductions and incentives, because they are no informed.

The Middle Ground

Websites like entrepreneur.com are a great resource for business owners. The website helps guide owners through accounting processes. These websites also give advice about when to hire an accountant, tips for small business accounting, and the common mistakes made when claiming deductions and expenses. There is one con to picking this route. Business owners have to spend a lot of time educating themselves on accounting and tax laws. If they are the sole employee, they are short on time.

A Professional CPA: The Perfect Choice

If you want to increase the chances of your small business succeeding, you should go with a Professional CPA. They offer sound financial advice, and they are there to help you with all the hiccups that comes with small business accounting. At first you will might find the expense unnecessary, but do not worry, an accountant will pay for themselves in the long run. They will help you thrive by identifying areas of growth and areas that need some tweaking. They are trained to use their expertise to streamline costs and improve your company’s financial outlook by creating accurate financial readings. Unfortunately, not all professional CPAs are the same and have the same professional standards. You need to choose the right person for your company. This is your livelihood and the wrong advice can end it and sometimes lead to being charged with tax fraud.

Characteristics of a Good Small Business Accounting Firm

Here are some things you should look for when choosing to hire a small business accounting firm.

1. Longevity

How long has the firm been in business is a good indication of the firm’s business practices. New firms can have better credentials or training, but longevity helps point to great accountability and customer services.

2. Good Reviews

You should check to see if anyone has filed a complaint against the company. If the firm is a member of the Better Business Bureau, it is easy to check their rating and see how any complaints, if any, have been resolved.

3. Affiliations

Look to see if the firm has any affiliates. Many organizations in accounting have standards that every member has to uphold. You can check an affiliate’s website to see what their standards are. This is important in determining how reputable the CPA or firm is.

4. Expense

What is the rate charged? You should compare the firms rate to the industry’s average. Is it more, less or equal to it. Higher rates do not equal better services, but extremely below average rates are a warning sign. You should stay away.

The choice of an accountant is just as important as your decision to start your business. As a small business owner, you need to be aware of what an accountant can do for you. A bad accountant can ruin your business by causing it to lose profits. A good accountant will stabilize your business’s finances and be there to offer you timely advice. A great accountant can turn your small business into a thriving mini empire by creating new opportunities and improving efficiency to make your business more profitable. In the end, you and your accountant need to have a strong trusting relationship. Your success is their success as well. That is why an accountant for small business keep current on the changes of the ever-evolving industry. Small business accounting has its own regulations and unique ways to help navigate through the challenges that come with small businesses.

Featured image License All rights reserved by bradleykillinger

DIY Debt settlement: Your key to a successful debt repayment plan

Debt settlement has always been considered and promoted amongst the consumers as a suitable bankruptcy alternative. However, given the grim nature of it and the bad press that the debt settlement industry attracts, it was quite obvious for the people to try having their loans settled on their own.

Though it is a suitable alternative against professional debt help, yet most of the debtors relent for that because they have doubts in their capacity to successfully carry out the settlement process.

DIY Debt settlement is possible, only if you believe so.

There is a popular misconception that speaks about achieving better results through a debt settlement company than debtors doing the same all by themselves. A lot of do-it-yourself or DIY debt-settlement-based articles are nothing but bait-and-switch marketing gimmick.

The fact is that they start off with questions like ‘Can you settle your debts on your own?’ that goes on to provide a well-crafted answer that ends on a ‘yes-but’ note. In other words, these articles covertly promote the idea that if you use a professional debt negotiator, then you are more likely to get better results than if you do it on your own.

As far as rewiring your house is concerned, then a seasoned electrician would definitely be the most appropriate person for the job, unless you yourself is an experienced one. Nevertheless, when it comes down to have to your debts settled, then you must always keep one fact in mind and that is how much money will the settlement process save you.

In reality, success is always measured in terms of the money you save out of debt settlement. Hence, as per the statements above, you’ll have to take into account the exorbitant service fees levied by the debt relief companies, with around 25 percent being considered as the present industry standard. That said, you won’t have to pay a lot of extra charges like fees out of the amount of debts settled by the company on your behalf.

DIY Debt settlement is only about self-confidence and not skill.

According to the debt experts, a lot of debtors have a notion that they aren’t a skilled negotiator or they fear that they’ll get bullied by the debt collectors. To some extent, they are true and why not there is so much of bashing by the media who spew all sorts of horror stories of some malicious, abusive debt collectors.

Furthermore, dealing with the debt collectors is new to them and so, they are bound to react this way. However, you needn’t feel that way too because all you need to successfully have your debts settled is courage to speak and certain amount of unwavering self-confidence. Most of the debtors like you approach professional debt negotiators because they think that they lack the necessary skills to get on the phone and negotiate on their own.

Basically, the process of DIY settlement is for the most part a mechanical process. Practically, all leading creditors have their own collection systems in place so as to work on their delinquent accounts or ones that are getting close to being charged-off or even to recover their money on accounts that have well-passed the deadline of being charged-off. So, by the time, they are forced to write-off your credit account, it is at the moment, you’ll have a fair chance to bargain for a reduced repayment amount.

Featured Image License All rights reserved by DebtFree Daniloff