tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137048372024-03-05T02:10:16.580-05:00The Tech AccountantSmall biz insight and commentary regarding how to use technology in small business to increase productivity, save time and increase profits. The blog will take a look at technology trends affecting the small business owner, cloud computing products, Smartphone technology and more. We will also touch on small business accounting subjects with technology flair.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.comBlogger420125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-57696539849210603582014-08-20T13:23:00.000-04:002014-08-20T13:23:46.408-04:00The Upcoming Tax Planning Season and SALYThe tax planning season is just around the corner. Most small businesses are more focused on the end of summer and gearing up for the fall season. What they should focus on is getting their ducks in a row for the year end and beyond. Here's a reason why small business owners should avoid the SALY (Same As Last Year) and start planning now.
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<div class="ab-player" data-boourl="https://audioboo.fm/boos/2409469-why-accountants-hate-saly/embed/v2?eid=AQAAAELX9FP9wyQA" data-boowidth="100%" data-iframestyle="background-color:transparent; display:block; box-shadow:0 0 1px 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15); min-width:320px; max-width:700px;" data-maxheight="150" style="background-color: transparent;">
<a href="https://audioboo.fm/boos/2409469-why-accountants-hate-saly">listen to ‘Why Accountants Hate "SALY"’ on Audioboo</a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-60834925963345776222013-10-01T13:13:00.000-04:002013-10-01T13:13:16.776-04:00More Bean Spilling - Importing Bank DataSo I have had a little time to play around with BeansBooks, a new cloud accounting product by System 76, that makes small business accounting a bit more manageable. In this video we look at the banking import function and how it can save time during account reconcilations.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-81110714204065618402013-09-17T10:27:00.000-04:002013-09-17T10:28:24.816-04:00Spilling the Beans on BeansBooksIn an already crowded cloud small business accounting market, enter another competitor. BeansBooks developed by System 76 is a new cloud accounting service that is designed for small to medium sized businesses looking to take their accounting to the clouds.<br />
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Competitively priced BeansBooks attempts to keep accounting simple and offers a clean user interface and is open source that will allow programmers to customize the product to their liking. The ultimate goal of the product is less data entry, easier reconciliations, and current information at the fingertips of the small business owner.<br />
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Let's spill the beans on BeansBooks in this short video.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Jc73mnmmKXk" width="420"></iframe></center>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-42647093406938041222012-10-18T13:40:00.000-04:002012-10-18T13:40:14.558-04:00Are Tablets a Game-Changer for Small Biz?Small business owners are always looking for the ultimate game changer that will increase their productivity and competitiveness. Their search typically brings them back to technology, due to the fact that tech can improve both a small businesses' people and processes. Take your local bakery (one of my catering/bakery clients sent me these great <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/stollen-bites-recipe">stollen bites</a>) business for example.<br />
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With the use of technology, employees can know in real time how much of certain ingredients they need and have on hand to provide customers with their favorite products. Technology can also help the business coordinate their catering/delivery schedules to ensure that baked goods are enjoyed at the height of freshness. Kinda like these great bake goods I'm eating.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDXfp-kR1vfzvoWLC56N2DNgpn73EOHKRzVbu4vdjzrvjDnPy4M8fJVU_6QKy2UQ7VJuL5XDXwTw_3pJFsDzY2UTggGkiCbD3VVLKj8YFOwnsgCg1zoZRGPPNSiyNfLIoEqf_/s1600/DSCF0482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDXfp-kR1vfzvoWLC56N2DNgpn73EOHKRzVbu4vdjzrvjDnPy4M8fJVU_6QKy2UQ7VJuL5XDXwTw_3pJFsDzY2UTggGkiCbD3VVLKj8YFOwnsgCg1zoZRGPPNSiyNfLIoEqf_/s320/DSCF0482.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My these are good!</td></tr>
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So what are the tech trends that will be the game changers for tomorrow?
The increase use of mobile solutions like smart-phones, tablets, and their corresponding apps will be the tech tools that will keep many firms competitive and productive. Based off feedback from surveys and client research, there also seems to be an increase in the interest of tablets and how a small business owner can use them efficiently.<br />
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Some of the key areas of concern for small business owners should be to implement a strategy for securing all these mobile devices considering the move to BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) in many firms and the threat of unwanted access to company information if devices get in the wrong hands.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5LK85isfJdoklkOLrazLosEadqzUGcKozY5GZKvBupgrsJ7SCUyI6Pg7jS0GC2eJXWfpBdt0DGK8c5BhM6jMKP1n9XD6yLOeWSGjN4nmN_Hm1HMxxJU7IQEneVlK26EdpZ0WP/s1600/ipad3+white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5LK85isfJdoklkOLrazLosEadqzUGcKozY5GZKvBupgrsJ7SCUyI6Pg7jS0GC2eJXWfpBdt0DGK8c5BhM6jMKP1n9XD6yLOeWSGjN4nmN_Hm1HMxxJU7IQEneVlK26EdpZ0WP/s1600/ipad3+white.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will tablets be the game-changer for small biz?</td></tr>
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It will be exciting to see which tablets small business owners will be using (or adding via BYOD). With the introduction of the new iPad mini next week, along with the Microsoft Surface tablet, a small business owner's holiday wish list is sure to grow!<br />
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Are you using (or will be using) tablets in your small business?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-15869112954546533122012-08-14T11:16:00.000-04:002012-10-05T23:17:34.857-04:00Is your mobile device becoming the "New" desktop?<span style="background-color: null; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;">As many know I am a proponent of using cloud technologies/SaaS products and mobile applications to improve small business performance. Recently I was up loading or actually I was updating some of my mobile apps on my mobile devices (and the time it took me to do this) and this got me wondering if with the increased usage of smart phones/tablets and the corresponding usage of apps; Are we just simply turning our smart phones and tablets into desktop extensions?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiToiUIygmdQ1T4BbhWZBPD5yr54KiIzaSboQKR1y9beLQM7pF2YuWF9IuCyo0tQ5uYWWHeVWHZwFbigeaBgXOaKgD3DNVt8tNWPIVlMHXezt7yLhMfmY8R3DWdjfNTrmE0FyLb/s1600/IMG_0444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiToiUIygmdQ1T4BbhWZBPD5yr54KiIzaSboQKR1y9beLQM7pF2YuWF9IuCyo0tQ5uYWWHeVWHZwFbigeaBgXOaKgD3DNVt8tNWPIVlMHXezt7yLhMfmY8R3DWdjfNTrmE0FyLb/s200/IMG_0444.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Desktop filled with software apps</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: null;">One of the main reasons a small business owner would want to consider the cloud/mobile technologies is to keep the amount of software loaded on desktops to a minimum and forget about the days of updating software, dealing with file corruption issues just to name a few things that take away your time.</span><br />
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But,</div>
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With all this transferring of information via smart phones and tablets these days, most of it driven by app usage, now your smart phone or tablet is loaded with software that has to be constantly updated, and you are back into a time drain.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcstxKlGLlryamHgFV9Phxz4bxWTKNSsuVrWljbvqFWVb8cdarR75VAfV8-qZT17jiCcAfn4mo7dyo7TFE4gglO6rl9JP8hj2OKfNTBLEBRfkWduGRB5unlXHnMxr6kvfAr9mR/s1600/Phone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcstxKlGLlryamHgFV9Phxz4bxWTKNSsuVrWljbvqFWVb8cdarR75VAfV8-qZT17jiCcAfn4mo7dyo7TFE4gglO6rl9JP8hj2OKfNTBLEBRfkWduGRB5unlXHnMxr6kvfAr9mR/s200/Phone.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smart phone also filled with mobile apps</td></tr>
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I personally did a comparison of my desktop applications versus my mobile applications and I have more mobile applications on my smart phone/tablets than my desktop. Take a look and see if you are in the same boat. Then ask yourself if those apps are saving or draining your time.</div>
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For me, it gave me a chance to do some "summer cleaning" of some mobile apps allowing my mobile devices to run more efficiently and take less time updating. </div>
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Take a look for yourself and let me know how it turns out.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-88497031014945922952012-07-20T16:05:00.000-04:002012-10-05T23:18:57.241-04:00Your Business in Your Pocket - The Mobile Revolution<br />
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Everywhere a small business owner turns these days, there is
always some talk about the cloud, mobile apps, and how it can improve their
operations. From email systems to document management to accounting, the cloud
seems to be the great equalizer allowing small firms and entrepreneurs compete
with their large counterparts. But, is all this talk just a fad or trend and
can it really make a difference to small business owner?</div>
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Well the cloud has been around for quite some time (even
though much of what small biz owners read says otherwise) and really if you
have not embraced the cloud in your small business, you could be operating at a
considerable disadvantage. Most cloud offerings allow the small business owner
anytime access to critical information they need to run their businesses. The
cloud also is more stable and secure than trying to deploy software or
save/backup information internally (I know many will disagree, but it is harder
to break into a data center than your internal servers). Bottom line is if you
want to stay competitive and be abreast with your peers, a venture into the
cloud must be in your future.</div>
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But what is you want to stay ahead and not abreast of your
peers?</div>
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If you want to be on the cutting edge then let me put the
bug in your ear now about the next big trend…you ready!</div>
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It’s mobile, yes mobile.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyY_KVA0PfEzDUpN9UM3iARd0BNzHB0zDNcrcsqKPi7NwspJm-KyglLJ4kayfzWz4mwR1UTbnFK5tX_YHWXFnEGeYTC17Ddy7wcryB7A_-A69cT5SCAdmw8CCoF-NWFFHzIgs1/s1600/TechAcct.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyY_KVA0PfEzDUpN9UM3iARd0BNzHB0zDNcrcsqKPi7NwspJm-KyglLJ4kayfzWz4mwR1UTbnFK5tX_YHWXFnEGeYTC17Ddy7wcryB7A_-A69cT5SCAdmw8CCoF-NWFFHzIgs1/s1600/TechAcct.jpg" /></a></div>
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With the introduction of smart phones,
the mobile revolution is upon us and the time to get in is now (please join me
it’s kinda lonely). Imagine a world where you can take a snapshot of a document
with your smart phone and immediately upload it into your database, or
accounting software and your team has immediate access to the information.
Would that save time and money for your small business? </div>
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In the coming days we will post a few videos on the new
mobile revolution and how you can embrace it now. When a small business couples
mobile technology with the cloud, efficiency gains above and beyond their
current processes can be realized, and you can save a little time and money. </div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-58314196607134124382012-06-14T14:49:00.000-04:002012-06-14T14:49:05.824-04:00CNBC Town HallI had the pleasure of sitting in on the taping of the CNBC Town Hall on small business yesterday and needless to say, it was a great experience. There were entrepreneurs from all kinds of backgrounds and we all shared knowledge with each other.<br />
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We had a great panel of speakers (as you can see from the photos) and covered a lot of topics affecting the small business sector. I guess the major takeaways I got from the town hall were to mentor or be a mentor, differentiate, network, learn from trials & blessings, and pursue freedom.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskW0AHHYKEmB3TasrRYQLngEozM4LGKw6q4sNvjMUT35yZMXOomuyUWSinDs5Mp38ZgcGdo-kcr1RiJuGNsUty8zom0SynCSQk1Q2k1PowjZnecyzdHIgSTCtJUzvbakJXEUB/s1600/IMG_0412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskW0AHHYKEmB3TasrRYQLngEozM4LGKw6q4sNvjMUT35yZMXOomuyUWSinDs5Mp38ZgcGdo-kcr1RiJuGNsUty8zom0SynCSQk1Q2k1PowjZnecyzdHIgSTCtJUzvbakJXEUB/s400/IMG_0412.JPG" width="400" /></a>
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To watch the <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/47741804">CNBC Town Hall</a> be sure to tune in to CNBC on Wednesday June 20th 9PM EST.<br />
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The Tech AccountantAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-76006987453804430812012-04-11T15:51:00.000-04:002012-04-11T15:54:23.341-04:00Has your SSN been exposed???Non-profits and other foundations must provide the public with access to their tax returns. If you are a taxpayer, tax professional or a scholarship recipient there may be a chance that your social security number may be included in those returns. Being that the return is open record, there chances that you may be a victim of identity fraud are increased.
Find out more:
<div class="ab-player" data-boourl="http://audioboo.fm/boos/751332-your-ssn-has-been-exposed/embed"><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/751332-your-ssn-has-been-exposed">listen to ‘Your SSN has been exposed’ on Audioboo</a></div><script type="text/javascript">(function() { var po = document.createElement("script"); po.type = "text/javascript"; po.async = true; po.src = "http://d15mj6e6qmt1na.cloudfront.net/assets/embed.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })();</script>
The Tech AccountantAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-37677715113870241342012-03-03T14:01:00.000-05:002012-03-03T14:03:40.238-05:009 Ways to Avoid Being a Victim of a Tax ScamTax scams have been on the IRS's radar for quite some time now. First we heard that refunds would be delayed due to the fraud mechanisms put in place by the IRS. Now the IRS has identified a new scam going around promising big refunds to low-income, senior and local churches' taxpayers.<br />
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The scam promises a big refund (and of course a big fee for the scam artist)a or nonexistent stimulus payment based on the American Opportunity Tax Credit, even if the victim was not enrolled in or paying for college.<br />
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What can you do to ensure that you are not a victim? Here are nine steps to ensure you don get caught in one of the scams.<br />
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<a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/695470-9-ways-to-avoid-being-a-victim-of-a-tax-scam.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">9 Ways to Avoid Being a Victim of a Tax Scam (mp3)</a></object><br />
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The Tech AccountantAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-59945275622411443982012-02-18T19:01:00.001-05:002012-02-18T19:03:15.825-05:00Mobile App Woes and Social MediaI love to use social media and mobile apps as much as the next guy, but recently I have been having some issues with many of the app updates on some of my mobile devices. One recent update that has me rather concerned is the Google+ (or Google Plus is you say it that way) for iOS devices. Google's apps typically work very well on iOS devices, but for me (and many people leaving review on iTunes) the new Google+ is causing a headache.<br />
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Check out my Google+ woes here:
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/__4V2ak9Yuo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The Tech AccountantAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-22498197017160915952012-02-08T11:12:00.000-05:002012-02-08T11:12:13.631-05:00Couples Who Filed Joint Returns Must Now File Separate Powers of Attorney<a href="http://www.aicpa.org/InterestAreas/Tax/NewsAndPublications/taxnews/Pages/20120206.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+AICPA_Tax+(AICPA+Tax+Feed)&utm_content=Google+Reader">Couples Who Filed Joint Returns Must Now File Separate Powers of Attorney</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-59583579460789149812012-01-04T09:52:00.000-05:002012-01-04T09:52:10.511-05:00Cut Your Taxes and Predict the FutureHappy New Year!<br />
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As we welcome in 2012 and wave good-bye to 2011 (so goes many of the tax provisions that a lot of taxpayers have enjoyed for quite some time). Let’s take a moment to recap the end of the year.<br />
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Congress was able to extend the payroll tax cut but, a little over 50 tax provisions expired when the clock struck 12. For a list of the more important provisions that expired and to take a look into the future:<br />
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<a href="http://www.jct.gov/publications.html?func=startdown&id=3722">A Look into the Future</a><br />
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With the start of 2012, there are a few new tax provisions taxpayers will want to pay close attention to. The major new provisions include inflation adjustments, capital gains and loss reporting, credits for hiring veterans, and bonus depreciation.<br />
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So what’s in store for 2012? Since this is an election year, there is sure to be a great deal of talk about tax reform and deficit control as many taxpayers already have been hearing. The end of the Bush tax rates (2013) is also sure to be a hot topic for 2012 campaigns.<br />
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The bottom line is to have a plan and that way a taxpayer can ensure they don’t make any mistakes most taxpayers make every year.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-18611239065150294712011-12-05T12:26:00.001-05:002011-12-05T12:28:15.634-05:00Give to the Right CharityWe are in the season of giving and many taxpayers would like to provide assistance to those less fortunate than they are. While charitable giving is always good, there are however some things taxpayers should know before giving their money, time, and other items to a charity. Here's a short video with the details. Enjoy.<br />
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The Tech AccountantAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-48521842723761918852011-11-29T16:17:00.001-05:002013-12-17T15:43:37.014-05:00Travel Receipts Got You Sour as a Lemon??? Make LemonadeI hope everyone had a great holiday this past week. If you were one of the many people traveling this past week, I am sure you have quite a few receipts from your trip that you may want to organize to see how much you spent over the holiday.<br />
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Or maybe you are a constant business traveler that is tired of trying to keep up with all of your receipts when you travel for business.<br />
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If this describes you, I am sure that the time it takes to organize and tally up what you spent, and where has you as sour as a lemon.<br />
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Here's a quick video on a new web-based product with a corresponding smart phone app that can make lemonade out of those receipts. Let me know what you think.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UymLSLsAo2g" width="560"></iframe><br />
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The Tech Accountant<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Update: Lifelock has acquired Lemon to expand in the the mobile arena. A new app to play with on Andriod and iOS.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-50018683864211755152011-11-19T10:37:00.000-05:002011-11-19T10:37:44.126-05:00Facebook Employees Go Nuts As Zuckerberg Tells Them The IPO Is Coming - Nicholas CarlsonIs there a Facebook IPO in the future....stay tuned.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.storeboard.com/blogs/social-media/facebook-employees-go-nuts-as-zuckerberg-tells-them-the-ipo-is-coming/4161">Facebook Employees Go Nuts As Zuckerberg Tells Them The IPO Is Coming - Nicholas Carlson</a><br /><br />The Tech AccountantAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-51903483620388329332011-11-14T07:13:00.000-05:002011-11-14T07:13:33.492-05:00A Bonus for Small BizThanks to the IRS, small businesses can deduct the cost of bonuses they pay to employees even if they don't know which employees will receive a year-end bonus. Listen here for details:<br />
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<object data="http://boos.audioboo.fm/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_543519" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://boos.audioboo.fm/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F543519-tax-bonus-for-small-biz.mp3%3Fsource%3Dembed&mp3Title=Tax+Bonus+for+Small+Biz&mp3Time=01.00pm+13+Nov+2011&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F543519-tax-bonus-for-small-biz&mp3Author=TechAccountant&rootID=boo_embed_543519" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/543519-tax-bonus-for-small-biz.mp3?source=embed">Tax Bonus for Small Biz (mp3)</a></object><br />
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The Tech AccountantAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-57056171982640503662011-11-10T11:11:00.002-05:002011-11-10T11:13:53.288-05:00Kids Say the Wildest ThingsHere's a cool video that explains what it is like to be a tax accountant....well maybe in the "old" world of accounting. Personally I could only relate my past experiences to what the kids describe in the video. The "new" world of accounting is so much more exciting.<br />
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So check out the video, send it to your accountant and see if they can relate.<br />
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The Tech AccountantAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-8354494674931879512011-10-20T12:49:00.000-04:002011-10-20T12:49:14.989-04:00Warren Buffet and Jay-Z preach financial literacyHere's a coolcartoon video of rapper Jay-Z and Warren Buffet teaching kids good money management. Enjoy.<br />
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The Tech AccountantAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-65966678244996227432011-09-09T13:41:00.000-04:002011-09-09T13:41:01.640-04:00Summer is Over - Time for Reports Cards and FootballThe summer is almost over, and school is back in session. If you have kids, you’ve probably already met the teachers. You may have even enjoyed college football and NFL starting recently. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYwlcwX509DRallguwOXD6yZJbqbnnSDQyZenW6oY_ah0P_zQLrNGnBcPZPAdG960YTphM93jUMuJJk97E7RFeqVzDlyj1RSI5CrnZYIqdVnCAL6Gx9Udae7zSZW2-uYew4D8/s1600/american-football-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYwlcwX509DRallguwOXD6yZJbqbnnSDQyZenW6oY_ah0P_zQLrNGnBcPZPAdG960YTphM93jUMuJJk97E7RFeqVzDlyj1RSI5CrnZYIqdVnCAL6Gx9Udae7zSZW2-uYew4D8/s320/american-football-01.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
It’s probably been a long time since you’ve sat in a classroom yourself. But school is never out if you’re looking to make the most of your money in today’s challenging economy. <br />
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Here are some classes I'm considering teaching this fall to keep more of your hard earned money in your pocket. Let me know what you think: <br />
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• Math 1040: Where are tax rates headed? <br />
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• History 2010: Lessons from last year’s mistakes? <br />
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• Social Studies 463: Write off meals and entertainment <br />
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• Chemistry 162: Is there a “secret formula” for paying less? <br />
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• Anatomy 213: What’s the best strategy for healthcare benefits? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrzlU60U0QM_4oDFEbX3aYbBPdki1vneFf4jM0B8KcIz4mfgT_upmmrF6iP6oQP905xGwwcIKfeho1_nh3-McAyXDdJ8WxItRNJutqnx1kwKv1hA_DaB39lL7M2jiX4d8V-uJS/s1600/report-card-comment.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrzlU60U0QM_4oDFEbX3aYbBPdki1vneFf4jM0B8KcIz4mfgT_upmmrF6iP6oQP905xGwwcIKfeho1_nh3-McAyXDdJ8WxItRNJutqnx1kwKv1hA_DaB39lL7M2jiX4d8V-uJS/s320/report-card-comment.gif" width="202px" /></a></div><br />
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If you want to keep the most of what you make, you can’t wait ‘til finals or game day for answers. You need to study now and have a playbook ready just like the football players and coaches. Putting tax-wise ideas and strategies in place today could help avoid an ugly surprise when “Report Cards” and the "Tax Playoffs" come due April 15! <br />
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The Tech AccountantAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-81411071665742133112011-08-30T10:48:00.001-04:002011-08-30T10:49:20.842-04:00Know the Rules For Employees and IC'sThere is a difference when terminating and employee versus and independent contractor (IC). Better know the rules. <br />
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The Tech Accountant <br />
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<a href="http://www.rmplusonline.com/article.htm?id=3571#.Tlz35C4mcTo.blogger">Travelers RMplusonline</a> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-68650974551779069792011-08-21T10:44:00.000-04:002011-08-21T10:44:24.105-04:00Protect Your Auto Deduction in an AuditSmall business owners (SBO) will be under more scrunity now that the IRS has increased their enforcement efforts in an attempt to close the tax gap. What this means is that audits for SBO's are on the rise. One way to ensure that you are not caught in an audit. is to take a proactive approach to your tax situation and not a reactive one. <br />
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Here is a taxpayer that took a reactive approach to her tax situation and the outcome of their dealing with the IRS (this may hit home for the real estate professionals out there). You can read the entire court case<a href="http://www.ustaxcourt.gov/InOpHistoric/wardkevin.sum.WPD.pdf"> here</a> or get the quick recap below. Enjoy.<br />
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<object data="http://boos.audioboo.fm/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_445925" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://boos.audioboo.fm/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F445925-protect-your-auto-deduction&rootID=boo_embed_445925&mp3Title=Protect+Your+Auto+Deduction&mp3Time=01.57pm+21+Aug+2011&mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F445925-protect-your-auto-deduction.mp3%3Fsource%3Dembed&mp3Author=TechAccountant" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/445925-protect-your-auto-deduction.mp3?source=embed">Protect Your Auto Deduction (mp3)</a></object><br />
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The Tech AccountantAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-31050328278590372492011-08-18T22:16:00.000-04:002011-08-18T22:16:41.517-04:00Washington Changes Challenge the IRSChallenges are currently occurring at the IRS. No I am not referring to the time it takes for taxpayers to get assistance from the IRS or even the TAS (Taxpayer Advocate Service). I am talking about the problems the IRS is having with implementing many of the new tax law changes that have been enacted in recent legislation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiix8-Po8qo6S2H-u8kSZWSV5d7yyXn0PJf-uOYV7j5tx9uqUM0HBdVsk8a29u_7Gp8LSH5drGnmKfY6RVTqSq4Yiw-Lrcbl9_O0nQz4ll9XmzRZoIM_bI29EyEJ32A1OFFkXbP/s1600/j0399465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiix8-Po8qo6S2H-u8kSZWSV5d7yyXn0PJf-uOYV7j5tx9uqUM0HBdVsk8a29u_7Gp8LSH5drGnmKfY6RVTqSq4Yiw-Lrcbl9_O0nQz4ll9XmzRZoIM_bI29EyEJ32A1OFFkXbP/s200/j0399465.jpg" width="159px" /></a></div><br />
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I had a chance to review a report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and there are currently about 100 new tax provisions that the IRS will have to implement.<br />
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Did you know that the IRS is currently dealing with one of the largest tax law changes in the past 20 years? With all the changes on the horizon, the IRS has increased their collection and enforcement personnel (one would think that IRS would increase their efforts to implement the tax changes) and not in enforcement. <br />
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What does this mean? Basically that IRS is increasing their collection and enforcement efforts on taxpayers and small businesses (the number of tax returns examined increased for individual, corporate and S-Corps over the past 5 years). Bottom line, the IRS is getting tough on the taxpayer.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4F8hzxbdGQ5cG5BeqA9VaKnERe4oa-3ewCvH8a7U3Mzc52UVw1Wo8Z0su_ZpyoGT7FjsGGX8vxbcw2P1VveKZ9Go4EMQc1Eflz2OJfaCk88-4rhmZbdXvY6R0ODxI8erXGl1d/s1600/Form+1040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4F8hzxbdGQ5cG5BeqA9VaKnERe4oa-3ewCvH8a7U3Mzc52UVw1Wo8Z0su_ZpyoGT7FjsGGX8vxbcw2P1VveKZ9Go4EMQc1Eflz2OJfaCk88-4rhmZbdXvY6R0ODxI8erXGl1d/s200/Form+1040.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><br />
The best thing for taxpayers to do is to take a proactive approach to their tax planning and know what to expect in the future. Many of the tax changes can swing in favor of taxpayers and small business owners so now is the time to start thinking about tax savings and not getting caught in any IRS traps.<br />
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The Tech Accountant<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-84023053937279482012011-08-09T13:44:00.000-04:002011-08-09T13:44:46.255-04:00Airline Tax TurnoverI am sure many can remember the good old Charlie Brown episodes where Charlie Brown is attempting to kick the football and Lucy is the holder. Well we all know what happens, poor Charlie Brown thinks that he is going to finally kick that pigskin but right when he gets up to the ball, Lucy yanks it away and Charlie Brown falls on his face.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkM5mqoQ4k3goakOSMmRVXyD2AJykr7ggwZAFnbHSLZRHlDiAgbBs8uUSUHxO0bSoN_Uo2iyOIX6KT2mnhFDUpf5W5-vroIgJ7XoWBfihHFslVyzhP5ClRMU0S4guR2IyyQ3K3/s1600/charlie_brown_lucy_football.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkM5mqoQ4k3goakOSMmRVXyD2AJykr7ggwZAFnbHSLZRHlDiAgbBs8uUSUHxO0bSoN_Uo2iyOIX6KT2mnhFDUpf5W5-vroIgJ7XoWBfihHFslVyzhP5ClRMU0S4guR2IyyQ3K3/s320/charlie_brown_lucy_football.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
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Well that scenario just played out in Congress recently in regards to the airline excise tax and potential refunds to small businesses and consumers and we already know who the characters were played by:<br />
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Lucy – Congress/IRS/FAA<br />
Football – Excise Tax Refunds<br />
And of course…<br />
Charlie Brown – The Taxpayers<br />
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Yes folks all those potential refunds that many were expecting will never be sent. According to the IRS,<br />
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“passengers who purchased tickets prior to July 23 and traveled between July 23 and the date of enactment of today’s legislation are not entitled to a refund of the airline ticket excise tax.”<br />
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I guess there had to be a review from the booth on this one. Let me know your thoughts.<br />
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The Tech AccountantAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-51169610311592346072011-07-30T11:44:00.000-04:002011-07-30T11:44:37.234-04:00IRS Summertime Tax Tip 2011-11: Seven Tax Tips for Job SeekersSave money on taxes while seraching for a job.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USIRS-c9f3b">IRS Summertime Tax Tip 2011-11: Seven Tax Tips for Job Seekers</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13704837.post-38821297000648577762011-07-25T11:11:00.002-04:002011-07-25T11:23:12.249-04:00Summer Travel Tax Free...Until Congress actsThanks to all the "waffling" in Congress, taxpayers that have late summer travel plans may be able to take advantage of a tax free airline holiday similar to many of the sales tax holidays for back to school. With all the delays in Congress regarding the debt ceiling, Congress has yet to approve the budget for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). <br />
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How much can you save on summer travel and when does the tax savings start? Get all the details here:<br />
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<object data="http://boos.audioboo.fm/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_421363" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://boos.audioboo.fm/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F421363-tax-holiday-on-summer-travel.mp3%3Fsource%3Dembed&mp3Title=Tax+Holiday+on+Summer+Travel&mp3Time=02.43pm+25+Jul+2011&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F421363-tax-holiday-on-summer-travel&mp3Author=TechAccountant&rootID=boo_embed_421363" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/421363-tax-holiday-on-summer-travel.mp3?source=embed">Tax Holiday on Summer Travel (mp3)</a></object><br />
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The Tech AccountantAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197558985396586801noreply@blogger.com0