Move Minus 12 Months

* Check your passport is up to date for you and the whole family and organise any renewals

* If you own a property in the UK and it is rented out, check when the lease expires and notify your managing agent/tenant that the tenant will not be able to renew at the end of the lease or give notice that you are exercising your break clause to terminate the lease

* If you want to buy – arrange a mortgage, appoint a solicitor and start to research areas and properties on the internet or contact a relocation agent to help

* Familiarise yourself with the current UK property market through property and financial websites, UK national and local papers and the Land Registry http://www.landreg.gov.uk

* Apply for school places, check out websites, get prospectuses, check out league tables and Ofsted reports – For state schools you need an address in the area you’re returning to and check out the application deadlines for new primary school intake and secondary school transfer. For independent schools check out application deadlines and entrance exam dates, pay any registration fees. Check the language teaching available.

* Check out international and American schools if you think further international moves are on the cards

* Consider taking advice from an Education Consultant especially if you might need to go ‘to appeal’ for your chosen state school place

* Check out your tax situation and take into account any key dates and expenditure when planning the move back home

* Check out finance and currency implications for the move – ie mortgage, rent, pension, savings, insurance etc

* If you or your partner will be job hunting in the UK now is the time to review your career, start work on your cv and check out potential employers and the UK job market. If further education is an option check out places and application procedure.

* Find out how to transfer/convert any professional or other qualifications obtained abroad

* Familiarise yourself with websites and journals covering your industry sector/profession

* Consider working with a Career Counsellor/Coach – particularly if you’re thinking of changing direction

Move Minus 6 Months

* Check out removal companies, arrange quotes, schedule move and arrange storage if necessary

* Arrange shipment of pets and put into quarantine in UK for 6 months ahead of your move to be reunited when you arrive home or put into quarantine when you arrive. Alternatively arrange to bring pets back under the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) without quarantine if applicable. Check details on http://www.defra.gov.uk

* Check out recruitment websites, start applying for jobs

* Find out about networking opportunities – research professional associations, business clubs and their local activities in your UK home area

* Get in touch with all your UK business/professional/career contacts and let them know you’re coming back and your plans for the future

* Contact any organisations in the country where you are working now that might have job opportunities in their UK offices

* Reconnect with family and friends in the UK

Move Minus 3 Months

* Contact and brief a relocation agent if you are looking for a rented property

* Look on websites and register with letting agents if looking for a rented property

* Book temporary accommodation (ie serviced apartment) as a stop gap if required

* Pay fees for first term for independent schools to secure places

* Update your CV and compile references

Move Minus 1 Months

* Compile school records for new school and inoculation records

* Check with the managing agent of your property, that your tenant will have left the property and that the property has been professionally cleaned, garden tidied ready for your home coming.

* If returning to an unfurnished property and your furniture is still in shipment book rented furniture, linen and household packs to tied you over – you can rent practically anything these days!

* Transfer the utilities and Council Tax back into your name if tenants have vacated

* Confirm packing dates

* Arrange to get any furniture etc out of storage in the UK

* Compile medical records and register with a GP in the UK if you have an address in the UK

About The Author

For further information about relocation, repatriation, global mobility and international human resources visit Re:locate Magazine.

http://www.relocatemagazine.com

For relocation services, including home search, careers advice and spousal assistance please visit Profile Locations

http://www.profilelocations.co.uk

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Chances are you think that you won’t be affected by the nation’s number one fast-growing crime. Think again. Identity theft is on the rise.

In 2005, 9.3 million Americans were victims of identity theft according to the Javelin Better Business Bureau survey. 68.2 percent of the cases involved thieves who obtained personal information off-line vs. only 11.6% obtained online. ID theft through lost or stolen identification, misappropriation by family and friends, and theft of paper mail are among the most common ways thieves gain access to your information.

Most people do not have a clue how to protect themselves.

For a moment, let’s just examine what could happen in your life if you are targeted for this crime:

· Victims now spend an average of 600 hours recovering from identity theft over a period of years. This equals nearly $16,000 in lost potential or realized income. Typical out-of-pocket expenses are $1,500 on average.

· Even after a thief is stopped from using your information, sometimes up to as much as 10 years, victims still struggle with the impact of identity theft. That includes increased insurance or credit card fees, inability to find a job, higher interest rates, as well as continuing to battle collection agencies that refuse to clear records despite substantiating evidence of the crime. How stressful do you think this situation would be?

· The emotional impact on victims is likened to a violation similar to what victims of violent crime describe including rape, violent assault and battering. People feel dirty, ashamed, embarrassed and often are afraid to ask for help. Many have reported a split with a spouse of significant other as well as being unsupported by family members.

Most victims report a lack of responsiveness from those entities they turned to for help including police, collection agencies, credit issuers, utility companies and financial institutions. The average arrest rate for identity theft based on reported cases is 5%. The message here is crystal clear – we have to fight identity theft ourselves!

Exactly what are the different types of identity theft and how do identity thieves get access to your personal information?

Financial Identity Theft

This is the kind of identity theft most people think of first. Thieves hack into your computer at home or at the office and steal personal information. It accounts for about 28% of all identity theft happening today.

For example, thieves will:

· use your line of credit to make purchases

· use your credit cards to make purchase

· open up a mortgage using your name and social security number

· create a loan using your name and social security number

· file bankruptcy under your name

· open phone or utility accounts under your name

· attempt checking and/or savings fraud (accessing your accounts)

· attempt to use existing accounts to make purchases

Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, your liability in the case of unauthorized credit use is limited to $50 per card. However, in order to take advantage of this protection, you must file a dispute letter within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was mailed to you. So what happens if the thief changes your address and you don’t receive your bill? Guess what, you are held financially liable. In addition, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act has the same 60 day notification provision or your liability is unlimited. Not fair, but it’s the reality.

Some credit card companies promote zero liability for these kinds of fraudulent transactions. However the reality is that there are exclusions including cards used by business purposes, ATM transactions, and certain PIN-based transitions, all transactions processed outside the card issuer’s network, and cases where the card holder gave permission for someone else to use their card. You have to read your cardholder agreement carefully to find out the exact details.

Financial Identity Theft has significant impact on a person’s life including: financial losses, inaccurate credit reports that can mean being denied a job, difficulty getting new lines of credit, trouble opening new accounts as well as higher costs for loans and insurance. The toll of this kind of financial loss can be significant as can be witnessed in a recent lawsuit filed by a plaintiff against Home Depot, Case #02CC13327 in Orange County Superior Court, where a judge awarded the plaintiff $1 million in damages for identity theft.

Criminal Identity Theft

This is the second most common type of identity theft and most people aren’t even aware of it.

In this case, a criminal uses your information during encounters with the police. For example, a thief who has your identifying information gets arrested for a crime and gives them your name and social security number. One day you are driving along and get stopped for a traffic infraction. The cop runs your name through their database and finds out you just committed a bank robbery in another state. Suddenly you are being hauled off to jail for something you didn’t even do!

Never mind how stressful and embarrassing this mistake could be, it can also lead to an erroneous criminal record, outstanding arrest warrants, and possible consequences such as being fired from your job for not disclosing a conviction and even get you thrown in jail. What if this happens on a Friday night and they toss you the local jail overnight? Do you have someone you can call that could bail you out? Can you afford this kind of mistake happen in your life?

The results of this kind of criminal identity theft could include a negative impact on future employment, loss of security clearance, lost jobs and higher insurance premiums. It is the most difficult type of ID theft to clear up and in some cases, almost impossible. Some victims have been reduced to carrying court documentation with them at all times to prove who they really are and not the actual criminal.

Social Security Identity Theft

If someone uses your social security number to get a job and they have a continuous work record, guess who gets to pay the tax bill? The answer is you. There are cases where someone’s social security number was used a total of 37 times by different people. In the employment screening business, we see this happen every day.

Medical Identity Theft

This kind of ID theft involves someone using your health insurance for medical and/or hospital care. The result is a mixed up medical record that could result in potentially deadly consequences. For example, what would happen if someone used your identification and health insurance number and got an HIV test that proved positive? Now all of a sudden, that record is attached to your medical records and every time you see a healthcare person, they think you have aids. In addition, this can seriously impact your ability to get insurance and it can result in significantly higher insurance premiums.

A recent article in the November 2006 issues of Reader’s Digest reported that “fraud is estimated to account for as much as ten percent of all health care costs … including medical identity theft.” “An insurance card is like a Visa card with a $1 million spending limit,” says Byron Hollis, national anti-fraud director of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The most frightening part of this article is the fact that organized crime rings are realizing how lucrative identity theft is and are adding a new dimension to the problem.

Driver’s License Identity Theft

Our driver’s license is the standard and most often used form of identification in United States. ID thieves are professionals at creating fake driver’s licenses that are virtually impossible to detect. Having this form of picture ID opens the door to numerous other types of ID theft.

On October 28, 2006 in California, a worker at the Santa Ana DMV was arrested for her alleged role in an ID theft scheme that used applicant information to create fraudulent licenses. The indictment alleged that she used her position to sell fraudulent drivers licenses to co-schemers who paid between $1,500 to $5,000 for each fraudulent license. She allegedly obtained the identifications of victims from the DMV database and changed their address and identifiers to match the fraudulent purchaser who then had a new DMV photo taken.

What can You do to Protect Yourself?

The good news is there are many things you can do to protect yourself, but you must be proactive. This is a crime you cannot afford to wait to become of a victim of.

1. Order the Federal Trade Commission’s free report on identity theft by visiting www.consumer.gov/idtheft or calling 877 382-4357

2. Get a copy of your own credit report and review it carefully for accuracy. Because of the new Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) you can get a free copy once a year at www.annualcreditreport.com

3. Be careful with your mail. Don’t use an unsecured mailbox when mailing anything containing financial information. Drop off at the post office or in a post office collection box.

4. Guard your trash. Identity thieves will look for credit card receipts and applications, insurance forms, bank statements etc. Buy a shredder and use it regularly.

5. Use your Social Security Number only when absolutely necessary. Before you give your SS# to anyone, ask why it is needed and how it will be used, or shared with others and how the company protects your personal information.

6. Pay attention to billing cycles. If your bills don’t arrive on time, follow up with your creditors. A missing statement can mean an ID thief has taken over your account and changed your billing address.

7. Be cautious with online purchases. Before purchasing anything on the internet, look for the icon of a lock in the lower right-hand corner of your browser windows. If it’s there, you’re dealing with a secure site. It not, you’ll be safer finding another merchant.

8. Remove personal information from old computers. Files you think you have deleted from your computer may remain on your hard drive where hackers can easily access them. Use a wipe utility program to delete files with sensitive data.

9. Opt-out of receiving pre-approved credit cards offers in the mail by calling 888 5-OPT-OUT or going to www.optoutprescreen.com

10. Immediately sign up for an ID Theft Shield program which can not only monitor your credit and let you know when anything changes, but can also provide restoration after the fact. Don’t wait on this one – Click here now for more information

About The Author

Cathy Taylor is a marketing consultant with over 26 years experience focusing on communications and public relations programs for small business sectors. She can be reached at creative-com@cox.net

Technorati Tags: Business Tax Consultant

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Have a great day!

Small Business Loans For Women-affordable Finance For Women Entrepreneur

Nowadays, women also have the capability to run their own business with perfect managing powers. Women are not far behind as compare to men. However, running a business demands huge investment. Here with the introduction of small business loans for women, you need not get worried about the money and can obtain the desired funds without any hassle. It is termed as a swift and easy financial aid that can be attained without any mess and time consuming formalities.

Small business loans for women are specially designed to assist the people want to establish their own business. You can arrange easy finance without any delay and tiresome loan procedure. Internet helps a lot and makes the things easier and faster. Usage of it even does not let you leave the comfort of your home or office. Just search the affordable lender and get applied. Within the hours of loan approval, the borrowed money will be right there in your checking account to use.

Once can find business loans for womenin short term as well as long term. Secured and unsecured form of loan can be opted according to your requirements and capability to repay it back. Secured form is inescapable of collateral whereas unsecured form does not demand any collateral at all. Unsecured form availed you the range of money that can be varied from £1000 to £25000 with the easy repayment period of 1 to 10 years. If you think that absence of collateral may charge you with higher rates, search the World Wide Web for better option.

Utilization of funds can be put for any of the required purpose such as paying wages & salary to the employees, tax benefits, purchase raw material, debt consolidation, buy a land for office premises, business trip etc.
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If your bad credit status is letting you feel hesitated to get the external financial aid, do not fret and apply with small business loans for women. It is a swift loan assistance that helps you to grab the easy finance without concerning your credit status. Thus, even if you possess many bad factors such as bankruptcy, foreclosures, insolvency, CCJ, late payments, deferred payments and so on, you can qualify without any doubts.

Now, women can also run a business in smooth manner without any hassle of finance at all.

By: Armour dixon

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Armour Dixon is an expert advisor of every type of business loan and currently working as financial consultant in business loans for women. For further details of business loans, small business loans, unsecured business loans, business loans for women visit at: www.businessloansforwomen.co.uk

Microsoft Great Plains – typical problems and fixes – overview for IT Administrator
 by: Andrew Karasev

If you have Microsoft Great Plains and support it for your company then you need to know typical set of problems you have in Great Plains and their fixes to have Great Plains run smoothly in your company. We’ll describe techniques applicable to Microsoft SQL Server as well as to legacy platforms: Pervasive SQL.2000 (btrieve) and ctree. The last Ctree/Pervasive version is 7.5. New Microsoft Great Plains 8.0 is for SQL Server/MSDE. You should also know that Great Plains as well as Small Business Manager is written in proprietary Great Plains Software language/environment: Great Plains Dexterity, which has Dynamics.exe and Dynamics.dic files as the core of the Great Plains workstation.

How to delete the user? This is the first problem you encounter – when user shuts down the computer – Great Plains doesn’t have the command to log off the user and when user tries to login the next day – she gets error message that user is already logged on. The fix:

Microsoft SQL Server – open SQL Query Analyzer, switch to DYNAMICS database and run the following script: DELETE ACTIVITY WHERE USERID=’KATHY’.

Pervasive SQL/Ctree – if you have more than one user registered you can delete the user from GP: System->User Activity->Delete User. If you like to work on the file level – ask all the users to log off. On the server, where you have your Great Plains files structure – DYNAMICS is the root, in SYSTEM folder delete ACTIVITY.* files

How to unlock the batch? This happens when user posts the batch and has her computer crashed (via surfing the internet – smile – or things like this)

General tip – Great Plains recommends to logoff and then login back with the same user id. Then Great Plains will prompt the user to recover posting batch. Unfortunately it doesn’t work in 70% of the cases

MS SQL Server – the batch record is stored in Batch Header table: SY00500 in the company database. The fields to clear are: BCHSTTUS and MKDTOPST. In some cases you have to delete the record from SY00800 from DYNAMICS db.

Pervasive/ctree – you have to install ODBC driver for Pervasive or Ctree and hook the tables: SY00500, SY00800 with Microsoft Access – use linked tables technique

Now we would like to stress you the need to move away from Pervasive SQL 2000/Ctree platforms – you are in trouble – Microsoft Business Solutions cuts technical support for Microsoft Great Plains 7.5 and prior on these platforms. This means not only the support, but also tax updates (especially Payroll and Federal Magnetic Media).

What is migration from Ctree/Pervasive.SQL 2000 to MS SQL/MSDE? MBS has migration tool. You need first to install Great Plains on SQL Server with exactly the same account/segments structure and then install migration tool (it is Dexterity chunk) on your ctree/Pervasive workstation – then, when you integrate the chunk – you will map it to target SQL-based Great Plains Company, select all system and company tables, click the button and it will move all your tables one-by-one. In the case when your Great Plains ctree/Pervasive has third parties – you need to check if the vendor has migration tool – otherwise you have to do manual move, use SQL Linked server to your legacy data

Do I need consultant? It is probably good idea to have consultant to do the upgrade. We strongly recommend you to use consultant in the following cases

You have Dexterity customization

You are doing migration from Pervasive/Ctree to Microsoft SQL Server/MSDE, especially when you have third-parties without migration tools

You have a lot or ReportWriter Modified Great Plains Reports

You have old version of Great Plains: Dynamics or eEnteroprise 6.0 or prior – in this case you can not appeal to Microsoft Technical Support – it is discontinued

Your Great Plains has more than 20 users and you have to have upgrade done over the weekend – if it fails – you have business problems

You don’t have support – in this case you have to select your Microsoft Business Solutions Partner and pay for the annual support/enhancement plan – you will get new registration key and will be ready for the upgrade

Good luck in fixing and if you have issues or concerns – we are here to help! If you want us to do the job – give us a call 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

About The Author

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies – USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, based in Chicago, California, Texas, Florida, New York, Georgia, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Canada, UK, Australia and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com), he is CMA, Great Plains Certified Master, Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer. You can contact Andrew: andrewk@albaspectrum.com

akarasev@albaspectrum.com

Technorati Tags: Business Tax Consultant

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Results of a new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll (PDF) suggest that Americans are warming to Barack Obama — at least if they’re moderates.

Poll respondents were split, 48 to 48 percent, on whether they approved or disapproved “of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president.” Sixty percent of moderates approved, up from 55 percent in November to 60 percent. The rise among moderates is offset by a drop in the president’s approval rating among liberals, who generally opposed the recent tax-cut compromise.

Still, CNN Polling Director Keating Holland suggests the moderate bump carries positive news for the president: “That’s important if Obama plans to borrow a page from former President Bill Clinton’s playbook and try to win re-election by ‘triangulating’ between the leaders of both parties on the Hill.”

Tue Dec 21, 8:24 am ET
FIRST TICKET: Census release; John Thune’s ambitions confuse N.H. GOP

By Rachel Rose Hartman

Welcome to First Ticket, a morning snapshot of the day’s political news.

• Today’s census numbers will dictate the number of U.S. House seats per state–and which party has a political advantage. (The Fix)

• Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) defends his recent run of skipped votes. (Politico)

• Following the collapse of Ted Stevens’ case, is the Justice Department weak on corruption? (New York Times)

• Minnesota’s Democratic Gov.-elect Mark Dayton just found out that Tim Pawlenty left him some state Medicaid issues. (Minnesota Public Radio)

Full Story;

Mon Dec 20, 4:07 pm ET
Census update to spell bad news for Democrats

By Rachel Rose Hartman

Population growth in the Southern and Western regions of the United States means Democrats are unlikely to hear much good news at tomorrow’s announcement of new Census data.

A glance at the Census’ interactive map (below) shows the largest population gains in the South and West, which would benefit Republicans as states prepare to use Tuesday’s data to begin the process of reapportionment.

Full Story;

Mon Dec 20, 1:55 pm ET
Rep. Pence looks less likely for presidential bid

By Rachel Rose Hartman

The odds of Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) running for president in 2012 just got a little longer.

Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman (R-Ind.) announced Monday that she will not run for governor in 2012. And that leaves a hole likely to be filled by Pence, Indiana Republicans tell The Fix’s Aaron Blake. “Lots of moves and more than idle chitchat lead me to say with confidence he’s running for governor,” a Republican insider told Blake.

Pence is a favorite of social conservatives and is believed to be a potential presidential candidate. He has previously said he won’t make any announcement regarding his future political plans until after New Year’s.

Mon Dec 20, 11:36 am ET
Sen. Joe Manchin votes against Dems (if at all)

By Rachel Rose Hartman

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has been in Congress for just five weeks, but he is already establishing himself as a clear outsider — as well as a very, very busy man.

When the Senate first voted Dec. 9 to repeal the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, Manchin was the only Democrat to oppose it.

And this past weekend when the Senate took up DADT again, Manchin skipped the vote to begin his Christmas festivities.

Full Story;

Mon Dec 20, 10:11 am ET
Health care law’s opponents aim to amend Constitution

By Rachel Rose Hartman

Opponents of the health care reform law are starting to rally behind an effort to amend the Constitution in order to secure its repeal, the New York Times reports.

Virginia lawmakers, including incoming House Majority Whip Rep. Eric Cantor, have teamed up with tea party groups to advocate a “repeal amendment” that would allow states to overturn any act of Congress. The effort faces major hurdles in Congress — where members would need to vote for this check against themselves in order to advance the measure — but it does reflect a growing push to limit federal power and increase state autonomy throughout the country.

Mon Dec 20, 9:07 am ET
DNC: No favorite cities among 2012 Democratic convention finalists

By Rachel Rose Hartman

The battle to host the 2012 Democratic convention is down to four finalist cities: Charlotte, N.C., and St. Louis, Minneapolis and Cleveland. The Democratic National Committee hasn’t yet settled on a winner, despite some early reports to the contrary.

Politico reported Friday that Charlotte and St. Louis are the top two finalists. But a DNC official, who was not authorized to speak on the record because the decision-making process is ongoing, told The Ticket that “there’s no truth whatsoever to the Politico story” and that all four cities are still in contention.

Full Story;

Mon Dec 20, 8:28 am ET
FIRST TICKET: Senate debates START; a pardon for Billy the Kid?

By Rachel Rose Hartman

Welcome to First Ticket, a morning snapshot of the day’s political news.

• Can Obama live up to the reputation as a global statesman bestowed his Nobel Peace Prize? (The Caucus)

• Senate leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will not support the START nuclear treaty with Russia. (Washington Post)

• The food safety bill won passage after an earlier technical error. (The Note)

• Charlie Wilson’s FBI file is revealed. (The Hill)

• Six out of 10 Americans wouldn’t vote for Sarah Palin. (ABC)

Full Story;

Fri Dec 17, 5:18 pm ET
LAST TICKET: Lieberman sticks with Indy label; Rahm Emanuel’s crawl space … revealed

By Rachel Rose Hartman

Here are the stories we took note of today but didn’t give the full blog treatment:

• Republicans and Democrats can stop their wooing — Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) will run as an independent if he launches a 2012 re-election bid at all. (The Hill)

• The first family heads to Hawaii without Obama. (The Caucus)

• Photos of Rahm Emanuel’s crawl space reveal that he really likes the New York Times. (Daily Intel)

• The Senate will vote against “Don’t ask, don’t tell” tomorrow. (CNN)

Full Story;

Fri Dec 17, 4:59 pm ET
Obama signs tax-cut package, advocates era of compromise

By Rachel Rose Hartman

President Obama signed the $858 billion tax-cut compromise into law Friday, hailing the bill’s passage as a major sign of bipartisan consensus in Washington.

But don’t expect giant celebrations.

“Candidly speaking, there are some elements of this legislation that I don’t like,” Obama said prior to the signing. “There are some elements that members of my party don’t like. There’s some elements that Republicans here today don’t like. That’s the nature of compromise –  yielding on something that each of cares about to move forward on something that all of us care about.”

Scalability Testing – 7 Tips For Improvement
 by: Mark Trellis

Systems that work well during development, deployed on a small scale, can fail to meet performance goals when the deployment is scaled up to support real levels of use.

An apposite example of this comes from a major blue chip company that recently outsourced the development of an innovative high technology platform. Though development was behind schedule this was deemed acceptable. The system gradually passed through functional elements of the user acceptance testing and eventually it looked like a deployment date could be set. But then the supplier started load testing and scalability testing. There followed a prolonged and costly period of architectural changes and changes to the system requirements. The supplier battled heroically to provide an acceptable system, until finally the project was mothballed.

This is not an isolated case. IT folklore abounds with similar tales. From ambulance dispatch systems to web-sites for the electronic submission of tax returns, systems fail as they scale and experience peak demands. All of these projects appear not to have identified and ordered the major risks they faced. This is a fundamental stage of risk based testing, and applies equally to scalability testing or load testing as it does to functionality testing or business continuity testing. With no risk assessment they did not recognise that scaling was amongst the biggest risks, far more so that delivering all the functionality

Recent trends towards Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) attempt to address the issue of scalability but also introduce new issues. Incorporating externally provided services into your overall solution means that your ability to scale now depends upon these external system operate under load. Assuring this is a demanding task and sadly the load testing and stress testing here is often overlooked.

Better practice is to start the development of a large scale software system with its performance clearly in mind, particularly scalability testing, volume testing and load testing. To create this performance testing focus:

1. Research and quantify the data volumes and transaction volumes the target market implies. Some of these figures can be eye openers and help the business users realise the full scale of the system. This alone can lead to reassessment of the priority of many features.

2, Determine the way features could be presented to users and the system structured in order to make scaling of the system easier. Do not try and have the same functionality you would have for a single user desktop solution provide an appropriate scalable alternative.

3. Recognise that an intrinsic part of the development process is load testing at representative scale on each incremental software release. This is continual testing, focusing on the biggest risk to the project: the ability to operate at full scale.

4. Ensure load testing is adequate both in scope and rigour. Load testing is not just about measuring response times with a performance test. The load testing programme needs to include other types of load testing including stress testing, reliability testing, and endurance testing.

5. Don’t forget that failures will occur. Large scale systems generally include server clusters with fail-over behaviour. Failure testing, fail-over testing and recovery testing carried out on representative scale systems operating under load should be included.

6. Don’t forget catastrophic failure could occur. For large scale problems, disaster testing and disaster recovery testing should be carried out at representative scale and loads. These activities can be considered the technical layers of business continuity testing.

7. Recognise external services if you use them. Where you are adopting an SOA approach and are dependent on external services you need to be certain that the throughput and turnaround time on these services will remain acceptable as your system scales and its demands increase. A smart system architecture will include a graceful response and fall-back operation should the external service behaviour deteriorate or fail.

© Acutest 2005 – http://www.acutest.co.uk

About The Author

Mark Trellis is an experienced consultant working in performance testing, scalability testing and load testing. For further information visit: http://www.acutest.co.uk or http://www.acutest.co.uk/performance-testing.html

software-testing@hotmail.co.uk

Technorati Tags: Business Tax Consultant

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That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

Tax Deduction – Meal Per Diems

Per Diems deduction can be one of the best flight attendant deductions. This deduction depends on which city you layover in. The IRS states that you can either itemize each city you fly to or you may take a standard rate. If you fly domestic, this standard rate can work to your advantage. We are seeing a nice jump in them minimum about in 2006. Previous the base rate was $31 a day for meals and incidentals; in 2006 the base rate has jumped to $39. However keeping track of every city is important as many cities are substantially higher that the base rate, as high as $61. Alaska and Hawaii can be as high as $91. We have attached both 2005 and 2006 U.S. rates. Also realize that changes in per diem rates are from October to October, thus you need to keep track of locations times. A few seasonal cities even have seasonal per diem rates.

If you fly any international trips, it is well worth itemizing out your layover cities. The standard rate for International is $46 per day where as the daily rate for a common city such as London is $100 per day. Both Alaska and Hawaii are included on international rates. When figuring out your Per Diem, you use Meals and Incidental rates. For instance in Anchorage Alaska you take the Local Meal rate of $71 plus the Incidental rate of $18 for an M&I of $89. International rates do not have the same October to October schedule of change.

If you just flew domestic, the IRS will allow us to use an average rate based on the number of days you flew. Turn arounds are not included in this deduction. Once you calculate the total amount you are allowed, the total non-taxable per diem that you were paid by your airline is subtracted.

Flight attendants get an additional break here. For the average work in America than can only deduct 50% of their meal expense. In 2005 Flight Attendants c
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an deduct 70% of their actual expense or per diems, minus any nontaxable payments your employer paid you. This amount will climb to 80% by 2008

For Businesses, Self Employed

You can deduct 50 percent of ordinary and necessary business expenses for entertaining a client, customer or employee if it is directly related to your business or associated with your business. It is essential to keep excellent records for business entertainment expenses. For example, if you take someone out for a meal, be sure to document the date, the amount, the place the meal took place, the business purpose of the meal, and the business relationship. If you hold a party, you should keep a copy of the guest list, noting your respective business relationships.

IRS rules for business-related meals, entertainment and gifts allow you substantial opportunities to convert personal expenses into deductions.

How would you like to get a discount of 14% to nearly 20% on your meals and entertainment expenses? If your meals and entertainment expenses were deductible, a $100 meal would cost only $86.25 if you were in the 27% tax bracket.

Tax laws allow you to deduct half of your meals and entertainment expenses if they are business-related. Any expenses for food and drink provided under circumstances considered favorable to a business discussion, or when a business discussion is held, can be deducted. If you are self-employed, you can deduct them as part of your adjustments to income.

Entertaining Business Clients

By far, the most commonly used aspect of this deduction relates to entertainment and food, however. The custom of entertaining business clients or potential business clients with food and drink in restaurants and hotels converts into deductible expenses. When you go out with friends or relatives for a meal or drink, do you ever pick up the check? If they are or could be potential clients or customers for your business, and you discussed business with them, then that check would be deductible.

Even if you do not talk business at the meal, it will be deductible if the meal follows or precedes a business discussion. Recognize that no actual business need come from the meeting so long as business was discussed. Be careful, if you meet with some one regularly and exchange picking up the tab, you can face a tremendous penalty. If caught by the Internal Revenue Service, the deduction will be disallowed as a sham and subject you to fraud penalties. However, do not hesitate to deduct legitimate expenses.

Not only can you deduct meals, but you can also deduct business entertainment expenses. Money spent for business entertainment, amusement or recreation can be deducted if you can show the expense:

• Directly preceded or followed a substantial business discussion;
Or;

• Directly related to the active conduct of your trade or business.

• Examples of potentially deductible expenses include entertaining guests at nightclubs, theaters, sports games, or even vacation trips.

Do not waste much energy building up deductible entertainment expenses unless you are prepared to do it right. This area is always a target of audits and is one of the most abused of all expenses. Make sure that each receipt (or notation in your appointment book or business diary) has ALL FIVE of the following components:

• The amount of each expenditure;

• The date of the expenditure;

• The name, address or location, and type of expenditure, such as dinner or theater, if the information is not apparent in the name or designation of the place;

• The reason for the expenditure or the business benefit derived or expected to be gained. While this sounds complicated, it is really easy.

• Information about the person or persons entertained, including the name, title or other designation sufficient to establish the business relationship to you.

You mu
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st have a receipt or other documentary evidence for meals or entertainment expenses of $75 or more. Currently, for expenditures of less than $75, you do not need a receipt. In a recent audit, when asked for “all” of my receipts. I brought out only those over $75 and my records for the rest. The auditor had to take what I gave him as proof. Fully acceptable substantiation would include a diary or written planner in which you enter the above descriptive information. I put this information on my business software records. Even in an audit, the entries are complete substantiation under the law.

While most meals or entertainment expenses can only be deducted for half of the cost, certain meal and entertainment expenses remain fully deductible:

• Expenses reimbursed under an “accountable plan;”

• Expenses incurred for recreational or social activities provided by the employer for the benefit of its employees. These might be the annual company picnic or holiday party;

• Expenses for goods, services and facilities made available to the general public, such as promotional tickets or customer samples;

• Expenses related to the ticket package costs for sporting events arranged primarily for the purpose of charitable fund-raising.

The deductions for meals and entertainment allow you substantial opportunities to convert your personal expenditures into business deductions. Do not fail to claim them and do not fail to keep them because of lack of adequate substantiation. In the 30.5% tax bracket, $100 worth of entertainment expenses costs you $84.75. No matter how much money you’re making, it would be worth $15.25 in tax savings to spend 30 seconds noting the name of your business clients and the business discussion on the back of your ticket stub or receipt.

By: Tim Barrans -

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Tim Barrans is a tax consultant and has written four tax books. Flight Attendant Complete Tax Guide, www.seaFAtax.com, Network Marketer’s Tax Guide, www.NetworkTaxBook.com, and Complete Real Estate Tax Guide www.RealEstateTaxBook.com

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If you have records from running a home based business, find out why you may need the services of a tax consultant and what they can do for you.

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Now that the evil is over and the world is coming out of one of the biggest economic downturns of our time, it’s high time to brush up your real estate investments. Those who have already invested in Columbus real estate are now about to see the turnaround; and if you are yet to make the decision let me tell you that it is not too late to make your investment. The capital city, just like its namesake Christopher Columbus is ready to explore all the arenas of economic growth; and it has also seen small increases in its home values. According to the Columbus Board of Realtors, home sales in the city have experienced a considerable amount of growth in 2009 in comparison to the previous years. And the property values are expected to increase over the next 3 years.

Another positive factor about Columbus real estate is that the city has generally experienced a steady growth over the long period. The property values in the city never double like other places even during the big real estate boom years. Therefore the city didn’t experience the dramatic freefall when its share of price decreased. This further ensures that the upcoming increase in Columbus real estate values will not go through any kind of wild roller costar ride. Those who regularly invest on real estate know the value to stability in the market; and if you are a newbie let me tell you that enormous increases are generally followed by massive economic downfall. Therefore a stable growth is what a regular investor desires for. It ensures not only a good return on your investment but also your peace of mind. And the conservative Ohio real estate market is also showing great signs of value increases.

Now that we can safely say that Columbus real estate market has positioned itself as an almost perfect buying market, buyers should pay attention and make their deal without any further delay. The question that now arises is where to look for Columbus homes for sale! Well, with the Internet at your grip this should not be an issue any more. In fact, these days over 70% of the US population search homes online. There are many real estate companies that have online presence. In addition, there are the real estate listing sites that maintain an updated directory of property buyers and sellers. I believe that opting for the latter is a better option as unlike the real estate agents these listing sites do not represent buyer and a seller at the same time and thus you can have a better deal.

Next comes the financial issues! The lenders are still maintaining tightened reins on lending, though the market is experiencing stable value increases. So those who lacks in cash and have a bad credit history may still find it difficult to deal with the lenders. However, the good news is that the lending rates are quite lower these days. This along with the low home prices and the signs of value increases has made Columbus real estate a paradise for the investors. Better yet, the government too is encouraging the buyers to invest in this market by giving away a tax credit to the buyers.

About The Author

Rebekah Whitman is a real estate consultant who advises and counsels real estate investors and helps them through the investment process. To access more information about Ohio real estate visit http://www.revealty.com/

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Insider Secrets About Corporations: Or, Why Should I Incorporate?

-”Why should I incorporate? I can just do this business as a sole proprietor, right?”
-”Isn’t it complicated and expensive to form a corporation?”
-”I run my business with my spouse, and we have a partnership. Why would we need to have a corporation?”

These have to be the most frequently asked questions that I–and my own financial and legal advisors–get from our clients. The vast majority of people who operate small business or home-based business are sole proprietors or mom-and-pop shop-type partners. Yet, leading authorities on small business estimate that at least 90% of all small business and home business entrepreneurs would benefit from incorporating and using a corporation as an essential component of their overall business structure.

If this is true, why do so many entrepreneurs elect to operate as sole proprietors and general partners anyway? And why would you be better off incorporating?

The answer to the first question is usually either (1)ignorance of the tremendous risks of operating in this manner or (2) lack of familiarity with corporations and other legal entities and the ease with which they can be established. I should add that if the sole proprietorship is perilous, the partnership is more than twice as bad. This is because in the partnership is by default a general partnership, in which each partner is responsible for all actions of the company, including decisions made by the other partner in which she did not participate. Now that’s frightening!

To answer the second question, we must first establish what a corporation is precisely. A corporation is an artificial legal entity that is separate from its owner/shareho
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lders in the eyes of the law. The wealthy have learned that there are at least three major advantages that make the corporation an
essential component of your business structure.

1. Asset Protection.
The single most important benefit of the corporation is protection it affords for your personal assets.

The corporation is created when you file appropriate documents–”Articles of Incorporation” in the United States–to the appropriate state legal authorities. A corporation cannot be formed through some private agreement between the parties who elect to form it. It can only come into being by the state in which it is formed creating it, and it has the rights and obligations established by the laws of that state.

Most important here is the notion of the corporate veil–this is the shield that separates your business assets and activities from the private person and assets of the owner/shareholder(s). Because the corporation is a separate legal person, if you are a consultant or translator, for example–or own a small store–and someone claims that that they have suffered injury from your business (say, from a poor translation or a slip on your wet floor), and files a lawsuit, only the assets of your business are in jeopardy. The claimant cannot touch your personal residence or your automobile if these are owned by you and not your corporation.

There are significant differences among individual states and the degree of protection that they afford to the corporate veil. In California, for instance, there are a number of occasions–too many for comfort–in which the corporate veil has been pierced, thus allowing financial predators to seize the personal assets of an entrepreneur. This is almost never happened in Nevada, making it the state of choice for entrepreneurs seeking asset protection.

We will be devoting a separate article to the Nevada corporation in depth in a future issue of this eNewsletter. It is important to note for now that an additional advantage of the Nevada corporation for many is that Nevada has no state income tax. If you use a Nevada corporation to conduct business in your own home state outside Nevada (such as California, our own home state), you may still be subject to state income tax. Because of the superior asset protection afforded by the Nevada corporation, however, it may still be worth while for you to establish a Nevada corporation. Large numbers of entrepreneurs from other countries as well as other states establish Nevada corporations for precisely this reason.

2. The S Corporation versus the C Corporation: Know Which is Right for You

The issue of the personal service corporation only comes up with respect to the C corporation. The other type of corporation is an S corporation, which, like the limited liability company and the limited partnership is a pass-through entity. That is to say that the corporation is itself not taxed as an entity–instead the net income passes through to the shareholders (such as a husband and wife), and is taxed on the individual tax returns of the shareholders/owners.

There are situations in which establishing an S corporation would be preferable to using a C Corporation. If you have significant income from a job, for example, and you anticipate significant losses in early years and you don’t anticipate that your business will earn over $150,000, an S corporation will be your best choice. However, there are limitations on who can be members of an S corporation, and there are limits on employee benefits in an S corporation.

A sophisticated business structure will probably make use of both the C and the S corporation. On the other hand, because of the nature of corporations, you will never want to use either type of corporation to hold real estate. Instead you will want to use a limited liability company or a limited partnership. However, if you are a real estate investor, there might still be room for an S- or C-Corporation in your overall
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business structure. For example, a corporation could be used to manage your properties held in another entity.

Or–and this is a strategy that could be used for conducting various sorts of business-the corporation could be part of another business entity. For example, if you wish to operate a limited partnership, you will need to have a general partner. But the general partner is responsible for all decisions made and all liability resulting therefrom–the general partner, in short, has unlimited liability. Thus, an intelligent option is to use an S- or C-corporation to be the general partner. This way you have a general partner with the limited liability associated with the corporation.

3. Know How to Manage Your Corporation Properly to Keep the Corporate Veil Intact

Regardless of where you establish your corporation, you will need to make sure that you observe appropriate formalities–otherwise your corporate veil can be pierced very easily, thereby defeating the entire purpose of setting it up. Even if you have an accountant who handles your bookkeeping and tax returns, it remains your responsibility to assure that you are doing this correctly.

This involves holding regular meetings and maintaining minutes in your record book, issuing stock certificates, and other formalities. We recommend that you consult one of the resources recommended on our resources pages for help in doing this (http://www.wealthstrategies202.com/resources.htm).

The Personal Service Corporation

A final issue that may arise, particularly for independent consultants, translators, and other professionals, concerns the “Personal Service Corporation.” There are two separate categories of professionals who may be affected by this problem: Those, such as lawyers, accountants, psychologists, and health care professionals, who are required by their state laws to incorporate as professional corporations. These corporations are automatically classified by the IRS as personal service corporations.

In addition, the IRS has broadened the definition of “personal service” to include any work, such as translation or consulting, that is personally rendered by the owner/shareholder. This is of particular concern if you are operating on your own as an individual or as a couple. If 95% or more of your earnings come from work in that personal service activity, the corporation becomes qualified as a personal service corporation.

The reason that this is of concern is that a personal service corporation incorporated as a C corporation is subject to a flat 35 percent tax rate and to a lower ceiling ($150,000) for application of the accumulated earnings tax (normally $250,000). However, this is not an insurmountable obstacle to enjoying the benefits of incorporating:
1. First, the other advantages of incorporating still render the C corporation preferable to operating using another structure, such as the sole proprietor. It may be especially attractive if otherwise a high earning couple might be subject to a higher tax bracket.
2. Secondly, it is possible to structure your activities so that more than 5% of the activity is derived from work that falls outside the scope of personal services rendered by the owner/shareholder. For example, a translator or consultant might have a branch of the business involved in network marketing–as a medical professional might have a health food store or other income producing activity–so that the corporation is no longer qualified as a personal service corporation.

As you can see, the corporation is an extremely valuable tool, one that the wealthy have used extremely effectively. If you are operating as an independent entrepreneur and are not using a corporation or the popular alternative of the limited liability company, you are most likely handicapping yourself, limiting your profitability and paying excessive taxes. With the resources that we have available today, especially over the internet, there is no
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reason that the average individual cannot easily begin to take advantage of this valuable tool. We currently have 3 entities that we formed ourselves and that cost us just the cost of the various resources that we purchased plus the filing fees required by the State of California and postage to get these set up. And we have made sure to obtain the proper forms through the sources we list on our Resources page so that we can maintain the legality of these entities.

“Can’t I wait and start out as a sole proprietor or partner and incorporate later?” we are often asked.

Certainly, if you don’t mind exposing all your personal assets to risk, paying higher taxes, and finding yourself more likely to be subject to an IRS audit. Some people prefer to do things the hard way–but, armed with the right information and resources, there’s no reason why you should have to.

Even if you decide to allow a tax attorney to help you with the formalities, it is better to do so armed with the knowledge you need to judge whether the recommendations she makes are in fact in your best interest.

At the very least, you’ll know enough to head immediately for the nearest exit if any “expert” you consult tells you that you “don’t need” to establish a legal entity to run your business.

Copyright 2006 Azur Pacific Associates

By: Germaine A. Hoston

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Germaine A. Hoston, Ph.D. is President and Treasurer of Azur Pacific Associates, a consulting and translation firm, and Professor of comparative political economy and philosophy at University of California, San Diego. For over 20 years, she has operated successful consulting, translation, and internet marketing businesses in the United States and France. Get a free gift when you sign up for her free WealthStrategies 202.com Wealth Structuring eNewsletter for Small Business and Home Business Entrepreneurs at: www.wealthstrategies202.com. Azur Pacific Associates is an authorized reseller of the Secret Millionaire™ Asset Security System and Eventis wealth-building courses and seminars. Contact: info@wealthstrategies202.com.

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Video conferencing is a business solution whose time has come. Although the technology is far from new, in today’s economic and environmental climate, it may be more suited to business than at any time since it was created.

Traditionally, video conferencing is used strictly internally for routine meetings among staff or between regular clients of a company. The scope for international dealings and high-level meetings through video conferencing has rarely been capitalised upon, as international businesses seek to maintain their prestige by booking expensive and often unproductive flights around the world for their executives. Video conferencing may save money and still let you talk to someone face to face, but for many businesses before the recession, keeping the image of success was more important than such mundane considerations.

However, in the wake of the economic recession this has dramatically changed. Companies, authorities and other organisations in both the public and private sector are under unprecedented pressure to save money and cut out unnecessary expenses. In the case of air travel for business, telephones had already made most physical meetings mostly superfluous for simply discussions of business. Now, video conferencing has done the same for work itself.

The first thing to note is that video conferencing is a much more reliable service than it was in the 1990′s. Significant improvements to communications systems around the world have reduced communications lag, with the majority of businesses operating on broadband systems that can easily handle the real-time stream of data without too much loss in video quality. Handling live video streams from several users is well within the capacity of most business networks.

However, what’s made video conferencing so attractive in recent years is the current climate. Not only in the economic sense of the word, but in the literal; climate change makes video conferencing a green solution as well as a cost-efficient one.
It’s not only good PR for your company to go green – it’s also good business sense. The rapid growth of the air travel industry has made it a prime target of climate change campaigns around the world. As governments around the world take increasingly overt action to meet reduced carbon targets in time for 2020, air travel will be one of the worst afflicted industries. By seeking to reduce carbon levels through financial incentives, governments are likely to introduce steeper environmental taxes on the industry. The airlines will offset their extra costs onto customers, and even those in business class will feel the sting.

Cutting your carbon footprint has more direct benefits for your business too. Although this has yet to be implemented fully in the UK, businesses and the private sector is one of the main areas where governments encourage cuts in carbon production. As a means of incentive, companies which make significant reductions in their carbon footprint and come under a certain bracket can benefit from a ‘green bonus’, effectively a significant tax break for fulfilling environmental obligations.

Conversely, if your company continues to produce masses of carbon wildly disproportionate to the nature of its business – for example, by flying execs to one side of the world and back again for an hour long meeting – then they can expect to be penalised. This will take the form of a significant tax increase, and could stretch to official regulation of your operations depending on the severity of the UK’s final ‘green policy’ regarding commerce.

Whilst face to face physical meetings will always be an important part of business they have never really been essential. Often they are little more than an expensive formality – and the expense of that formality is only going to increase. Video conferencing provides a means of sustaining the personal aspects of business relationships and meetings – and with new technologies such as remote desktop access, collaborative hosting and many more, it can even be a more practical way of doing your day-to-day business

By: mvision

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Stephen Smith is freelance consultant of video conferencing, using of video conferencing equipment. Visit : www.mvision.co.uk for more information and services.

consulting » Blog Archive » Property Tax Consultant

Start your own business as a Property Tax Consultant and charge a fee anywhere from $1000 to $2000+ per grateful client. This is a legitimate, high-demand, home-based business opportunity. And, there is no licensing requirement (except …

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It comes in as a great surprise to borrowers who do not have any money to pledge with the lenders that an opportunity comes their way through which money can be borrowed without any collateral. This opportunity is called unsecured loans and makes money available to borrowers very easily.

The borrowers who need money and are tenants and non-homeowners find it difficult if they look for a loan deal to get money as they do not have any asset to pledge. Instead, they can go for these loans which do not require any collateral to be pledged with the lenders. These loans are available to those borrowers as well who have assets but are not willing to pledge them with the lender.

The money is available to them for any personal needs to be fulfilled like debt consolidation, wedding expenses, educational funding, and car purchase, travel expenses, etc. The amount allowed for fulfilling the needs of the borrowers lies in the range of £1000-£25000. It is based on the repayment ability of the borrowers as to how much amount is approved for them.

With borrowers not able to pledge collateral with the lenders, they are charged a slightly higher rate of interest so as to cover the risk that the loan is associated with. The borrowers can research well to get loan deals which are charged at a lower rate.

The research for these loans is the best when conducted through the online mode. The borrowers can compare the loan deals that are offered to them and then choose which ever deal is the most affordable for them. Those borrowers who have a bad credit history can also take up money through these loans. The rates of interest charged are slightly higher but can be lowered with the help of online research.

Unsecured loans give a great offer to the borrowers who do not have assets and need money for their needs. they do not face any troubles with borrowing money now.

About The Author

Carmen Cortez is a specialist advisor of every type of business loan and currently working as financial consultant in Low Cost Unsecured Loans. For further details of Unsecured Loans, low cost loans, bad credit unsecured loans, unsecured personal loans you need to visit http://www.lowcostunsecuredloans.net/

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Time to reveal cloud's silver upside

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Don’t Buy or Sell a Busines Until You Read This
 by: Joe Trevison

Business man and women pay too much when buying a business.

Until now no one knew how to determine the price of a business. It was too low or too high. So the buyer or seller lost money

You should not buy a business unless it can do three things:

1. Service the debt in buying the business

2. Pay you a salary

3. Pay you a return on the investment in the business.

That was until I discover unique software that can determine the correct price for all business and business property.

With this software all I need is 3 years tax returns and some information for the bank, which they love to give to you.

If you pay more than the amount I determine you lose. If the seller gives it for less than the amount I determine they lose.

Don’t you like win-win business? I do.

If you want to buy or sell a business contact for help, I my price is unbelievable for this service only $50. That is for all this work I do.

Just contact me at 814-456-2601 Monday-Friday at 9:30 to 3:00 PM

If I am not in the office leave a message on the answer machine. Or you can contact me be mail at Joe Trevison ; 32 West 8th Street Suite 504; Erie PA 16501, Email Joetrevis@aol.com or fax at the same number 814-456-2601

Don’t buy or sell a business until you call me.

You can’t get this information from a bank or your accountant or anyone else. Try and see what they tell you about determine the basis of buying or selling.

That is why so many businesses go out of business in 5 years or less.

DO IT NOW!.

About The Author

Joe Trevison is a Tax and Business Consultant. He worked of the IRS, the monster, For 15 years. And taught adults business subjects for 7 years. Now Mr. Trevison is a full time Business and Tax Consultant.

He also sales ebooks and ebooklets at http://www.Joetrevison.com

Joetrevis@aol.com

Technorati Tags: Business Tax Consultant

Company registration firms are always in the high demand by the corporate sector. In India where you will numbers of different companies are getting launched with their different types of products and services need services of company registration firms. Among the different companies CompanyRegistrationIndia offers complete assistance and guidance regarding company registration which makes your company registered through very easy process. Apart from company registration here will also find number of other company law services including company incorporation in India, company trademark registration, public limited company registration, company law in India, STPI registration, NBFC registration in India, corporate & commercial law, new IPO listing, income tax consultant and merger & acquisitions in India.

In India non profit charitable organizations can be registered as societies, or a private limited non profit company or trusts under section 25 companies act. There are many attributes connected with non-profit organizations in India like it can be exist separately of the state and they can be self-governed by a board of trustees or by the managing committee of the governing council. NGO in India is famous for producing benefits for others, usually for those who are not a member of an organization. Besides these, NGO is called by ‘non-profit-making’ that prohibited them from distributing a monetary residual to their own members. Section 2(15) of the Income Tax Act defines some rules that regulated specially for charitable purpose that comprises medical relief, education or for another purpose that sated for advancement of general public utility. Purpose behind the NGO is very important whether it is
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for public or private. NGO rules have to see whether the class to be benefited or net before granting NGO registration in India.

Bedsides NGO, Limited Liability Partnership is one of the famous and incorporated business organizations of India that comprises various features of a partnership firm and a limited company. LLP agreement defines the management of LLP where as its partners have the freedom to regulate LLP’s affairs. In India for LLP registration, minimum two persons are needed and there is no restriction on the number of maximum members. Limited Liability to partners, less tax as compared to company, separate legal entity, no requirement of minimum capital contribution, perpetual existence irrespective of changes in partners, no restrictions as to maximum number of partners and simple process of registration are some of the benefits of llp registration over other types of organizations in India.

By: Chaman Goyal

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Company registration Firms provides many law services in India like company registration, STPI registration, NBFC registration, llp registration, trademark registration and ngo registration in india many more.

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That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

People start home based internet or direct sales businesses for many reasons. However, many of these same people still do not understand or realize all of the tax advantages that they qualify for.

Lets have a simple look at deductions and expenses you may be able to use to your advantage come tax time.

Business Deductions:

You are in an internet or direct sales business so therefore you are eligible for business deductions. These expenses have to be necessary and reasonable for the operation of your internet or direct sales business.

It is extremely important that you keep accurate records and books for your accountant and tax purposes. Your records need to include the types sources of income, expenses, losses, gains and cost. You need to include items like bank statements, cancelled cheques, receipts, invoices, credit card statements etc.

Please do not keep all your stuff in shoe boxes or bags, carefully organize them in a filing system. Your accountant will adore you as it will make life so much easier for them, believe it or not your life will also be much easier if you ever have to look up a particular receipt etc..

For further clarification you need to check with a professional accountant. Also remember that tax deductions vary according to the tax laws of the country in which you live.

Tax Deductions for Home Based Businesses:

No one likes tax time, but since you own your own home based internet or direct sales business you could actually save thousands of dollars a year in taxes, as it allows you to turn some personal expenses into legitimate, allowable expenses. The more tax deductions your business can legitimately take, the lower its taxable profit will be.

Lets look at some of the tax advantages to keep in mind.

Auto Expenses:

Keep track of and deduct all of your actual business related expenses. Do you lease your vehicle? Log the mileage you drive and keep your gas receipts. Don’t forget you auto insurance, license plate fees, and vehicle registration. Keep all of your maintenance receipts also.

Education/Training Expenses:

As an owner of a home based internet or direct sales business you continually need to educate yourself. You are allowed to claim for the cost of training materials, training meetings, programs, manuals, conferences, books, on line training subscriptions and internet courses etc.. Also you can claim for professional fees that you pay out to your lawyers, your accountants and tax consultants and other professionals that you consult with for your business.

Business Entertaining:

You are able to deduct a percentage of the cost of entertaining existing or prospective customers and associates. The entertainment must be either “directly related ” to your business or “associated” with business. Entertaining must be done immediately before or after your discussion. It is important that you keep a record of the people involved in your entertaining ( in a diary or write their names on the back of the receipt, both are good habits to get into). Entertaining can be elaborate or it can be as simple as a dinner or meeting for a cup of coffee.

Travel:

When you are traveling for business there are many expenses you can deduct. They include the cost of air fare, cost of operating your vehicle, car rentals, taxis, accommodations, meals, shipping business materials to and from destination, dry cleaning, laundry service, telephone calls, faxes, tips, and more. It is perfectly alright to combine business with pleasure as long as business is the main reason for the trip. However, remember that if you take your family with you, you can not deduct their expenses for the trip.

Interest:

You are allowed to deduct interest and carrying charges on your credit cards used for business and on business loans.

Computer Software:

You really need to discuss any computer software purchases with your tax consultant or accountant on how this applies to your home based internet or direct sales business. For example Star Wars games are not a deductible item while accounting software may be require for your business.

Advertising:

Advertising is a must have for any business to make money. All expenses involved with advertising and promoting your business is deductible. Classified Ads, business cards, newspaper ads, ezine ads, flyers, brochures and other forms of advertising.

Charitable Contributions:

Charitable contributions are deductible, however the rules will differ in accordance with the taxation laws of the country in which you live and as to how your business is registered. Your tax consultant or accountant can clarify the points on charitable contributions.

Household Expenses:

This deduction is one of the most valuable ones. A percentage of your home must used “exclusively and regularly” for business in order to qualify for this deduction.

Under household expenses many people overlook some of the following expenses:

Business related long distance services

Monthly internet fees

Costs related to improving your office space

A percentage of all household expenses (property taxes, mortgage interest, homeowners insurance, utilities, property maintenance, alarm systems and more)

Office Furniture and equipment (new desks, chairs, lamps file cabinets and more–your accountant or tax consultant can tell you what you can claim)

This certainly is not a complete list of deductions, for a completed list you will need to talk to your tax consultant or your accountant as they are the experts. They will review all of the legitimate deductions and business expenses that you are allowed according to the taxation laws of your country.

Here is a brief check list that can help you get started with your home based internet or direct sales business records:

Automobile Expenses

Bad Debts

Bank Charges

Business Taxes and Licenses

Collection Agency Fees

Conference and Convention Fees

Expert Advice (consultant, layer fees)

Interest expenses (on money borrowed for business)

Internet Service Provider (business usage)

Membership Fees (for business related organizations)

Meals and Entertainment expenses

Office rental expenses

Office supplies

Postage and Courier services

Private Health Care plans

Promotional Expenses

Property taxes

Inventory (as in direct sales)

Repair and maintenance (home and vehicle)

Salaries for employees (including family members)

Telephone/telecommunications expenses

Travel expenses

Utilities

As you can see there are plenty of tax advantages given to home based internet or direct sales businesses. Tax advantages are just one of the reasons to start your own home based internet or direct sales business. However it is a very special reason, just ask and internet entrepreneur.

I have given you a simple look at tax advantages here. I am not an accountant or a tax consultant so if you want more information and advice contact a tax consultant or an accountant. If you do not have an accountant then get one because they will save you money, time headaches and indigestion and a visit from you friendly tax man.

1f72

Sharon Doucet is an Internet Entrepreneur who enjoys helping others create success and financial freedom in their life.

[http://www.moneycreationonline.com]

[http://sharondoucet.com]

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharon_Doucet

Technorati Tags: Business Tax Consultant

Tax preparation software has been made easy to help you prepare your taxes at home. There are many advantages to using an online tax prep services or tax filing software as opposed to hiring a tax consultant. The first being that you can file your taxes at your own pace and submit the final prepared tax information to the IRS or state government when you’re ready. This will ensure that you can add information to your tax return, or go back to correct information, when an issue arises before you submit the final version. The convenience of preparing your taxes with an online tax service is a major benefit to taxpayers. Tax accountants and consultants have to deal with many customers, and therefore will need to schedule specific appointments with you whenever it will work best for them.

When you file your taxes with tax preparation software, you won’t have to worry about scheduling appointments with a tax consultant or have doubts that the preparer has your best interest at heart. The software will ask you detailed questions to ensure that you receive the maximum refund possible. Human error has virtually been eliminated, and you can revisit questions pertaining to deductions to be certain you receive all the necessary credits.

With today’s electronic return filing technology, your refund can be quickly sent to you, either by direct deposit into your bank account or mailed to your home in the form of a check. In the event that you need to pay taxes, your payment can be automatically deducted from an account that you specify.

Many tax software companies have a customer service phone number that you can call if you have any questions pertaining to your taxes. Often times, the software itself has instructions written in straightforward language, so you can be sure you are providing the correct information.

If you are filing a simple tax return, you can most likely file your federal taxes for free by using online preparation software. If you use a tax consultant, you’ll have to pay them, sometimes in amounts that will take a significant chunk out of your total refund.

While many people feel comfortable knowing that their tax returns are in a professional’s hands, modern electronic return filing software has given all of us the ability to accurately file our taxes without having to pay someone else to do it. Online and desktop tax preparation software is so user-friendly and thorough that anyone can easily file their income returns at their convenience in the comfort of their own home.

Mr. Oliver is a marketing agent of eSmartTax. The online tax preparation specialists offer a variety of packages and options for simple and complex income tax return preparation. File online and get your refund back fast with eSmartTax tax professionals. For more information on their Online Taxes please visit their website.

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Budda_Oliver

Scentsy Makes Canada Priority

Scentsy recently opened in Canada (Oct. 1st 2009). Scentsy has experienced extreme growth and has changed the lives of Scentsy Consultants in Canada.

Becoming a Scentsy Canada Consultant is a smart choice. The growth potential in Canada is tremendous. The Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador areas alone could support thousands of additional consultants with the opportunity to build their Scentsy Candle Warmer business.

One of the most important steps in deciding to become a Scentsy Canada Consultant is making sure you are on the right team, with a strong leader. When you decide to Sell Scentsy, you get that leadership, which means we can offer you all the tools you need to be successful when you Sell Scentsy.

Scentsy is now available for Canada residents in:
Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Scentsy philosophy of Simplicity, Authenticity, and Generosity has made us one of the fastest growing companies the direct selling industry has ever seen. And you’re invited to grow right along with us! As an independent Scentsy Consultant, you’ll enjoy flexible hours, financial freedom, and the satisfaction of connecting people you care about with products you believe in.

Scentsy really does sell itself, and you will be surprised at what can happen in your first 70 days. A great way to begin in your business is to do a launch party. A Launch party is the “Grand Opening” of your business! You hold it at your own home, or if that’s not possible, you can consider holding it at a relative’s home or even a friends home, where ever you feel most comfortable.

Your Launch party is
1000
a wonderful way to get home parties, as well as new customers, you can show your new customers how wonderful Scentsy Warmers are, along with the wonderful job opportunity we offer. You can act as both consultant and hostess at your launch party, so you will be able to earn all the wonderful free gifts along with your half priced items which is a wonderful way to start off. It’s a great way to build your inventory.
Getting Your Scentsy Business Started Is Easy!

For just $99 (plus tax and shipping, $119 Canadian) Scentsy will mail you a Starter Kit that includes everything you need to run your first Scentsy Party—and it all fits conveniently in one shopping bag. The Scentsy pricing structure is so simple, you won’t even need a calculator!
What do you get when you sign up?

When you Join Scentsy and Become a Scentsy Consultant, you will receive :

* New consultant start up guide
* Party training DVD’s
* Direct online access to the company website for news, updates, events, and a company sponsored message board
* Live training calls and webinars, plus recorded calls for your convenience
* An Exclusive Scentsy Team Training Website
* Your own Scentsy Website (for customers to place online orders) Free for the first 90 days, then just $10 / month after
* Professional Monthly Newsletter that gets sent out automatically to an unlimited amount of customers (great for building a customer base and re orders)
* Online, downloadable Scentsy training guides / videos for all aspects of your Scentsy Business
* The chance to win a FREE vacation. (2010 Scentsy incentive trip was in Hawaii)
* An invitation to the Annual Convention (2010 convention is in Colorado).
* The Scentsy Starter Kit

Scentsy has been in Canada less than 1 year and has already had a tremendous impact. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to become a Scentsy Consultant and reap the rewards of long term growth.

By: EstherScents

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Learn more and become a Scentsy Consultant: hookedonscents.com

CNG cars in Singapore: moment in the sun over

Mr Melvin Toh, 28, a wealth management consultant, has the same model car, but has taken to using its petrol engine 60 per cent of the time. …   Read More…

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… loan secured during a mayoral campaign fight, categorized the $20000 as a legitimate business deal he made with Burlington tax consultant Lena Brolo. …   Read More…
That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

Technorati Tags: Business Tax Consultant