Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use 5/25 – 5/31/2012

Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use 5/25 – 5/31/2012

News You Can Use
  Weekly wrap-up of news and information from around the web – there’s so much information out there that it’s difficult (at best) to keep up! I’ve added a WordPress plug-in that grabs information from my Twitter stream to help me (and hopefully you as well) keep up with everything.   Look for the Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use every Friday.  I'll try to be consistent and organize the information into the same categories each week. Accounting & Taxes In an effort to help Kansas City Siamese Rescue, L & R Tax Preparation is going to be offering tax p https://t.co/VWxCSEB7 -> IRS issues guidance on $2,500 health FSA contribution limit https://t.co/268MCUzQ -> Self-Proclaimed Alabama Governor Sentenced for Tax Fraud https://t.co/EOiWNZW5 -> ARTICLE: What to Look for in a Construction…
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Computer Tech to Weekend Yard Warrior – With Pictures

From the Yard
  I thought that I'd do something a little different today, truthfully I get tired of living, breathing, and talking QuickBooks and payroll - because I do it EVERY DAY!  I work with computers all the time and usually don't have too much of an issue until the weather get's nice --- then I become a weekend yard warrior. I love to garden - flowers, vegetables, fruit - I love to be outside and during the summer I spend far less time in front of my computer and far more time in my yard - that means fewer blog posts, fewer interactions on the social media networks that I'm involved in.  Winters in Vermont can be long and cold and unfortunately I can't garden in the snow! So today I…
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Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use 5/18 – 5/24/2012

Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use 5/18 – 5/24/2012

News You Can Use
  Weekly wrap-up of news and information from around the web – there's so much information out there that it’s difficult (at best) to keep up! I’ve added a WordPress plug-in that grabs information from my Twitter stream to help me (and hopefully you as well) keep up with everything. Look for the Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use every Friday. Accounting & Taxes There's a New Kind Of Tax Preparer In Town - https://t.co/9JKFLV41 Even in a divorce, tax planning is important: Excluding Residence Sale Gain: https://t.co/wcm3LZO8 Did you know you can subscribe to the IRS tax calendar? https://t.co/qOipaCuT Is Your CPA REALLY the Right Person to be Completing Your Tax Return? https://t.co/PirWQFHx -> Few Small Businesses Claim the Health Care Tax Credit : The World :: American Express…
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Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use 5/11 – 5/17/2012

Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use 5/11 – 5/17/2012

News You Can Use
  There is so much news and information floating around the web – it’s difficult (at best) to keep up!  I’ve added a WordPress plug-in that grabs information from my Twitter stream to help me (and hopefully you as well) keep up with everything.  Look for the Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use every Friday. Accounting & Taxes  Employee Benefits Uncle Sam Won’t Tax : Money :: American Express OPEN Forum https://t.co/I4vCf3Wi via @OpenForum -> House Approves Mobile Workforce Tax Relief Bill https://t.co/wGReBHco via @sharethis -> Obama Announces Tax Break for Small Businesses : The World :: American Express OPEN Forum https://t.co/ciXYC8P6 via @OpenForum -> Thou Shalt Not Sin? - Tax & Business Counsel Newsletter via @TaxReturnCoach https://t.co/1mN9F9FN -> Credit for Small Employer Health Insurance Premiums https://t.co/HRKVhZIs -> Accounting as…
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Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use 5/4 – 5/10/2012

News You Can Use
  There is so much news and information floating around the web – it’s difficult (at best) to keep up!  I’ve added a WordPress plug-in that grabs information from my Twitter stream to help me (and hopefully you as well) keep up with everything.  Look for the Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use every Friday. Accounting & Taxes Foreign-bribery crackdown focuses on more than 100 companies https://t.co/I1N5EaOp -> IRS and Social Security Urged to Curb Tax Fraud and Identity Theft https://t.co/d7WO1ubM via @sharethis -> Reasonable-compensation standard creates tax risk for S corporation owners https://t.co/O1GMYyT0 -> Bookkeeping Quiz - Employer provided loans https://t.co/tRTSM1ua -> IRS to demand new reconciliations https://t.co/mHlmPonP -> Construction – Tools & Tax Tips https://t.co/ddQmuS1K -> eBooks, Webinars & Videos eBook: Hiring a Bookkeeper for your construction biz-Test…
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Construction Payroll, Should I Do It In-house or Outsource It?

Be A Better Bookkeeper, Construction News, Payroll Tips
  Construction payroll can be complex and many business owners wonder if they should hire a payroll clerk and issue payroll in-house or if they should outsource it. As a contractor a significant portion of your job costs involve payroll and labor burden (taxes, worker's compensation insurance, general liability insurance, company paid fringe benefits etc.) and you need to have these numbers included in your job costing reports so you can analyze your bidding practices and know whether or not you made a profit on the job.  If your employee paychecks are not run through your accounting software you loose this vital piece of job costing information. Construction payroll can be complex and the lure of an outside payroll service such as Intuit Full Service Payroll, ADP, Paychex, Ceridian, etc.…
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Penny Wise & Dollar Foolish Over QuickBooks 3rd Party Apps

"Maad" Rants & Other Stuff, QuickBooks Add-Ons
  Are you being penny wise and dollar foolish over QuickBooks 3rd party apps and their price? Don't be ashamed, it happens to a lot of people. Many times a QuickBooks user will look at the cost of a 3rd party application and think - why should I spend the money on a third party application when I can just as easily do this task using Excel or some other way!  This is insane, I've already spent a lot of money just to purchase QuickBooks. Ya, I get it - money is tight and we are all looking for ways to trim unnecessary dollars from our budgets - but are we sometimes being penny wise and dollar foolish?  Many times I think that answer is "Yes".  Here is a real…
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Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use 4/27-5/3/2012

News You Can Use
  There is so much news and information floating around the web – it’s difficult (at best) to keep up!  I’ve added a WordPress plug-in that grabs information from my Twitter stream to help me (and hopefully you as well) keep up with everything.  Look for the Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use every Friday Accounting & Taxes IRS to Step up Audits of Sole Proprietors https://t.co/yXwtWsHG -> Chimpanzees and Charity - Tax & Business Counsel Newsletter via @TaxReturnCoach https://t.co/CEpZ8ppw -> IRS releases 2013 inflation adjustments for HSAs https://t.co/i58Sjl2U -> eBooks, Webinars & Videos eBook: Learn About AIA Billing & How To Fill Out an AIA G-702/G-703 https://t.co/Hc3o6nJh -> WEBINAR: Certified Payroll Reports - Learn how to fill them out https://t.co/Dkflvo5Z -> eBook: Getting Equipment Costs into QuickBooks Job Costing…
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Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use 4/20-4/26/2012

Construction News
  There is so much news and information floating around the web - it's difficult (at best) to keep up!  I've added a Wordpress plug-in that grabs information from my Twitter stream to help me (and hopefully you as well) keep up with everything.  Look for the Weekly Wrap-Up: News You Can Use every Friday. Payroll ARCHIVE:: QuickBooks Creating a More Meaningful Payroll Expenses Section https://t.co/jx9eioLw -> ARCHIVE:: QuickBooks Setting up/Creating a Scheduled Payroll Liability https://t.co/nbER1ogk -> EEOC issues update on criminal-background-check policy https://t.co/CnuxPi9Y -> ARCHIVE:: Payroll Tip - Health Insurance Tracking Requirements for 2012 https://t.co/3G1FkmAA -> Use #QuickBooks? Tired of manually calculating overtime? Check out https://t.co/8pIGV5Yo -> Use QuickBooks? Need to change rates of pay for multiple employees? Check out https://t.co/tgn397Dz -> ARCHIVE:: E-Verify Update https://t.co/lruDd54Y -> ARCHIVE:: What's…
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QuickBooks & Your Construction Business – What’s Your Gripe?

"Maad" Rants & Other Stuff, QuickBooks Corner
  What's your biggest gripe, problem, or issue when it comes to using QuickBooks in your construction business? Is it the Myth of Do-It-Yourself Accounting?  Is it the fact that there really isn't a lot of construction specific help or training available?  Is it confusing terminology?  QuickBooks is a powerful software program --- but the key to your success in using it depends on how well it's setup and then how well you utilize the features that are built in. QuickBooks® is a generic bookkeeping and accounting program, designed to be used by every type of business that you can imagine.  If it was industry specific, well it would have the same big price tag!  Sure Intuit makes a “Contractor” version, but even then it’s designed to meet the needs…
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ASA Seminar Payroll & Tax Strategies for Public Works Contractors

Certified Payroll/Prevailing Wage, Construction News, Webinars & Training
  ASA (American Subcontractors Association) San Diego Chapter Seminar on Payroll and Tax Strategies for Public Works Contractors, May 8, 2012 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. PST, $55.00 Members/$85.00 Non-members - register here. I'm very excited to be working with Steve Kuzmack, President of Fringe Benefit Experts as we present a 2-hour seminar for the ASA San Diego Chapter on Payroll and Tax Strategies for Public Works Contractors.  Steve will be live, while I will be logging in remotely.  Come join us to learn:  Why cash is "KING"! and why Public Works Construction and Prevailing Wage projects require advanced financial planning methods and tools along with an understanding of the ever-changing compliance requirements -- so that you get paid on time! What You Will Learn Learn How: To reduce payroll taxes…
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Boy, It Sure Has Been BUSY Around Here!

"Maad" Rants & Other Stuff
  Help!  I've fallen into the "I'm just so busy" trap and I can't get out!  What with certified payroll reporting requirement changes, taxes, support calls, blogging, and all the other things that I do; I find that I've fallen into that "I'm just so BUSY" trap that many people talk about.  See what I'm doing about it. People often ask me how I manage to get everything done - it's easy!  I work from 4 or 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, then I slack off on Saturday and Sunday cause I only work from 5 or 6 a.m. till noon!  Seriously, that's how I manage and frankly I'm pretty burnt out! Urban Dictionary has some great definitions of the term busy, you'll have to visit Urban…
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Inbound Marketing

Social Media
Inbound marketing - the difference between potential customers finding your company vs. you looking for potential customers.  Maybe that is a bit to simplistic.  According to Wikipedia  - Inbound marketing is a marketing strategy that focuses on getting found by customers by publishing helpful information on a blog, etc. {earning their way in} in contrast to outbound marketing via paid advertisements {buy, beg, or beg their way in}. If your company is making the switch from outbound marketing and paid advertisements {which I've never found have worked well for our company} to inbound marketing; one of the things that you need to do is track how successful you are at publishing content on the web that is getting you found and analyzing if you are being found by the right…
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