Basic guides of Municipal Bonds What is a bond? A bond is just an organization's IOU; i.e., a promise to repay a sum of money at a certain interest rate and over a certain period of time. In other words, a bond is a debt instrument. Other common terms for these debt instruments are ... Options For Preparing Your Taxes When tax season rolls around each year the are a number of individuals who need to decide how their tax returns will be prepared and filed. Each taxpayer has a number of tax preparation options. These tax preparation options can include self preparation ... Second to Die Life Insurance Policies A second-to-die life insurance policy, or survivorship life as it's sometimes called, insures two lives - a husband and wife usually or business partners. However, the death benefit isn't paid out until the second insured person dies. Usually, the death ...
10 Don'ts For Starting A New Business
There is a lot to do when you step out on your own. In your enthusiasm, it is easy to be naive - I've been there. Don't let possible detours drain your enthusiasm for your dream. Each of these DON'Ts is a detour you can and must avoid to start your business strong and fast.
It is important to be realistic about what's important and who really will help you most. Strip away the fantasy to ensure your success. Or indeed you will fall among the statistical 4 out 5 new businesses who fail. Forewarned is forearmed. Be successful.
1. Don't hide in your office. No one knows how good you are until you get out and show them. Use all the face-to-face marketing tools in your kit. Ask me if you need more.
2. Don't be afraid of the phone. When you are in business, the phone is your friend. It is a lifeline to your customers. Use it wisely. Ask me if you need skills to improve your results.
3. Don't assume your family and friends will be or will refer to you all the clients you need. They know you as family and friend. Your business will grow exponentially as soon as you start working outside that circle. Don't wait. Reach outside that comfort zone as fast as you can.
4. Don't go it alone. Solicit the support of others - experts you need (legal, banker, financial, taxes, computer guru, marketing), your best champion, your best friend, a support group of peers, a trainer, a coach, or if you are very self-disciplined, use courses, books, and audio tape programs. I find a combination is best.
5. Don't ignore planning. You need a business plan, a marketing plan, a budget, a timeline and goals. No one ever wins the Tour de France without knowing where he is going on each leg of the journey.
6. Don't minimize or apologize for starting your business to anybody. Don't let anyone rain on your parade. They may mean well. They may think they are protecting you, your family or your finances from ruin. Follow your intuition.
7. Don't spend a lot of time or money on your business cards/stationary/logo/etc. The look and content will likely change as you refine your business and your target market semi-annually at least for the next couple years.
8. Don't postpone opening the doors of your business until everything is ready. Face it, it's a work in progress and will never be done and that's OK.
9. Don't start with your web page. It's a costly use of time up front. It does not have to be on the critical path. Yes, you need one. But it will not bring sales. It is simply a tool of credibility, like the Yellow Pages used to be.
10. Don't abandon your family and become a workaholic to get your baby off the ground. Plan time with them; make it as important as that next sale or contract. After all, they have invested sweat equity most likely. So you want them around you when you savor success too.
Taxes News
When to File Taxes Separately - Wall Street Journal Q: What would be the best way for my husband and me to file? We've always filed as "married filing jointly." I wonder if we would be better off filing separately. T.M., Richmond, Va. A: Without knowing all your personal details, I can't answer you ...
China's Car Makers Seek Different Help: Lower Sales Taxes - Wall Street Journal SHANGHAI -- Some of China's auto manufacturers, hit by slower sales growth in their once-booming home market, are pushing the government to take steps to boost demand for cars, especially small ones. The requests follow Beijing's announcement this ...
TheStar.com | Business | Property assessed at cycle's peak - Toronto Star L ike most homeowners, I received my property assessment notice recently. Here are the lessons I learned. A higher assessment doesn't always lead to higher taxes. My property's value went up by 30 per cent in the three years from Jan. 1, 2005 to Jan ...
Real-Time News - Newark Star-Ledger • Group I high school football playoff preview • Group II high school football playoff preview Field hockey: Oak Knoll vs. Wall. • Field hockey: Oak Knoll vs. Wall. • Field hockey: Oak Knoll vs. Wall. • Field hockey: Oak Knoll vs. Wall ...
Confront the deficits - Buffalo News It might have been too much to hope that Tuesday’s special Legislature session or last weekend’s private meeting between Gov. David A. Paterson and Legislature leaders would produce agreement on how to balance the state’s tottering budget. But ...
Same old ways plague Legislature - St. Petersburg Times The election's message of change has not made it to the Florida Legislature yet. The Republicans remain in control, and they are still pretending like it's business as usual. During Tuesday's organizational session, the Senate quickly voted to relax ...
Road to a big refund - Army Times Good intelligence is essential to success in combat — and tax season is no different. Whether you’re filing your federal and state taxes online, through a tax preparation service or just doing it the old-fashioned way, you need more than a pencil ...
EU wants tougher rules on taxes - Forbes The European Union on Thursday proposed plans to toughen up rules covering taxes on foreign accounts in an effort to stop tax evasion which has been endemic in some EU nations. Three years after setting rules on reporting interest income from other ...
