Small Business Tax Tips: Where to Find Free Tax Information

by Wayne M Davies Trying to get a handle on the complex world of small business taxes? There are plenty of good resources available, both online and offline, for free and not-so-free. I'm assuming you want to postpone spending any money on a topic you may prefer not to touch with a ten-foot pole let alone a ten-dollar bill. So let's review some of the least expensive tax resources available. Is free a good price for you? Believe it or not, the IRS has a plethora of free resources for the business owner. The place to start is the Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center at www.irs.gov/businesses/small/index.html. Now before you go there and start clicking away until your head spins, let me give you a heads up on how to best navigate the IRS web page. First, you need to know what type of business entity you own: sole proprietorship, S corporation, C corporation, limited liability company or partnership. Once you have that basic piece of information in mind, click on the link "A-Z Index for Business" and you'll be taken to a page that is organized by the various types of business entities listed above. Under the heading "Business Types", click on your particular business type and you'll be taken to a page that provides just about everything you need to know about taxes for that entity. For example, let's assume you are a sole proprietor. So you click on the Sole Proprietor link and you'll be taken to a page that contains a chart for all the major income tax forms you'll need, organized according to the type of tax. For income tax, there are links for forms Form 1040 and Schedule C. For Self-Employment Tax, there's a link to Schedule SE. If you have employees, there are links to the various employment-related tax forms (Forms 941, 940, W-2, etc). This is a very handy chart because it gives you the big picture for all the main types of business taxes and their associated tax forms. Below this chart is the heading "References/Related Topics". Under this heading is a clickable list of several excellent resources that you can view online or download as free PDF files. Two of the best IRS small business publications are listed here: Publication 334: The Tax Guide for Small Business (for Individuals Who Use Schedule C) and Publication 583: Starting a Business and Keeping Records. Pub 334 is 53 pages and Pub 583 is 27 pages, so you'll get plenty of information at a bargain-basement price. After checking out the resources applicable to your particular entity, you can return to the Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center and find dozens of other useful articles, updates and publications. Be sure to check out the Online Learning and Educational Products link. Here you'll find both audio and video presentations by IRS staff on a number of small business tax topics. Take advantage of these free tools and benefit from your tax dollars at work. For the small business owner who prefers not to spend a dime on tax advice, the IRS website is a great place to start. Wayne M. Davies is author of 3 ebooks on small business tax retudction strategies. For a free copy of his Special Report "How To Instantly Double Your Deductions", visit http://www.YouSaveOnTaxes.com. Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

The Six Sigma Process - What is it?

by Peter Peterka1 Sigma, the word which forms the core of this process is derived from the Greek alphabet and is used to represent the standard deviation of a statistical population. The term Six Sigma process arrives from the belief that if one has six standard deviations between the standard specification limit and the mean, there will be a few or no item that fails to meet the specifications. This study is based on the calculation model which is used in a process capability study where the number of standard deviations that occur between the mean and the nearest specification is in sigma units. What happens here is that once the process standard deviation rises, fewer standard deviations will find its place between the nearest specification limit and the mean, which in turn will decrease the sigma number. It has been studied that processes do not perform in the long run, thus, the number of sigmas that fit between the processes mean and the nearest specification limit might drop over time. It is to cater to this real-life increase in variation over time that an empirically based 1.5 sigma shift was introduced in the six sigma calculation. It is from this idea that the process that fits the process mean and the nearest specification limit in a short-term study will in the long run fit 4.5 sigmas. This study finally gives rise to the widely accepted definition of the Six Sigma process, which produces 3.4 defective parts out of per million opportunities. To sum up, we can say that the Six Sigma process corresponds to 4.5 sigmas, which is namely 6 sigmas minus the 1.5 sigma shift which is introduced in order to account for the long-term variation. Basically the Six Sigma process is very specific as it uses clearly defined steps and methodologies. In this process, a problem is defined and then the Six Sigma team takes steps to find a solution that will result in monetary gain. Projects that form the core of the Six Sigma process involves data, measurements and decisions based on fact. The Six Sigma process involves five steps that are enumerated below. - Define: In this stage, the problem is specified in very clear terms. It is very important to find the root cause at this stage so that steps can be taken to measure that it has improved. - Measure: Data that covers a wide of issues is collected at this stage. For e.g., in the case of manufacturing, this data could cover the measurements of a specific product, such as its height, weight, diameter or other attributes. To ensure that there is enough information for statistical validity it is important to collect data from multiple samples. - Analyze: This stage is used for the statistical and scientific analysis of data, which is then presented in the form of graphs and charts. In most organizations, software is used to create these graphs. - Improvement: In this stage it is time to make improvements based on the information that has been gathered. This improvement could range from something really small to something more complex. - Control: This is the stage when new improvements are included into the methods a business uses to ensure that it is meeting certain requirements. Peter Peterka is the President of SixSigma.us. For information on Six Sigma, Six Sigma Yellow Belt or Six Sigma White Belt programs contact Peter Peterka. Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Primary Types of Search Engines and Directories

by Roger Glass

Key to improving your Web site’s rank in the different search engines is understanding the basic criteria by which searchengines index and then retrieve documents. Before you go and submit or re-submit your Web site to each search engine,we want you to have the tools and information to maximize your results. For our purposes there are two primary kinds of search services: 1. search engines: These use “spiders” to index Web sites. You submit your page to a search engine and the “spider”will index your entire site. Theoretically these "spiders" might find your site by accident, but odds are they will notunless you go to them and tell them about your site by filling out their "submit" page. Examples are AltaVista, Excite,Lycos, and others. 2. Directories: These rely on submissions from users and Web site owners to populate their indexes. Most directoriesadd your site to their index, but generally they link only to your home page rather than indexing the full text of eachpage on your site. Examples are Yahoo!, Linkstar, and WWW Yellow Pages. GOLDEN RULE OF SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING“To Achieve A Top Position In A Particular search engine, Analyze What Other High Ranking Web Pages Have Done!”If there is one rule that should be referred back to as the refrain in search engine positioning, it is this: The best way to move up the search result list is to learn what kind of things affect your rankings and then analyze the pages of those who ranked higher than you did (those Web sites that ranked in the Top 10) for real clues on how you can achieve that high ranking, too. Search engines change their ranking algorithm from time to time. A page in your Web site that earned a top ranking last week might drop in the rankings just a few months later – and then, left untouched, that same page could climb right back into its old search position a while later, although this is less likely to happen by chance. The trick to always being on top is to learn the variables that can be influenced and analyze the contents of the top Web sites to see what they’re doing better than you. (Refer to the detailed report in WebPosition for an easy reference). Literally click on their listings, visit their site and select “view” from the pull-down menu in Netscape and then the “Document Source” selection on that menu. You can do the same in Microsoft Explorer. This allows you to view the actual HTML code that makes up their page. Ask yourself, “is a particular keyword more prominent in their title tag than in mine?” (i.e., is the keyword placed at the beginning of the title or perhaps repeated more times?) And, “is a particular keyword more prominent (is the important keyword the first second, or third word in their site’s title or META tags?) or repeated more often in their description META tag or in the actual copy that makes up their page than on my Web site?” Perhaps they are using the keyword in the heading tags, or keywords appear in hyperlinks to other internal pages or some other way that you had not considered or are not using. This is the proven way to isolate the variables and climb ahead of other sites in search engines.

Article source: ArticlePros.com

Top Internet Business Ventures

by nazir

Making money through the internet is very popular nowadays. Many people and businesses are getting involved in online businesses, and traditional High Street firms are also trading online, exploiting the opportunity to expand. Ordinary people, for whom running a business would have normally been beyond them, are now able to benefit from this and start up a home business with the minimum of experience. What’s even better is that you can earn money without having to leave your home. But aside from the advantages of doing business on the internet, an online venture also has its disadvantages. One problem with a new online business is that there is no guarantee that you will make money. A lot of people believe everything they read and expect that they will earn a lot of money, but they may end up making much less than they expected. In fact some even find that their business is costing them more than they are earning: websites have to be maintained, and the software needed to keep up with your competition can be expensive. The competition in an internet business is strong, because there are thousands of people like you that are also trying to make money online. But despite these disadvantages, there are still a lot of people making the attempt, and if you are thinking that you want to be one of them, here are some suggestions. Website Marketing E-commerce is a popular trend that is used by various companies and businesses nowadays. You can sell your products or offer your services on the internet through your own website. The downside of having your own website is that it can be quite expensive because it requires constant maintenance; this is more suitable for bigger companies that can afford the expenses involved. However, many individual internet marketers operate websites as individual businesses that can make them a significant income. Online Markets and Auction Sites Another popular way of selling on the internet is through online marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon, and other websites that allow you to sell your products without needing a website. Anyone can sell their products or their own goods through these websites, which offer a cheaper outlet for their goods that maintaining their own websites and staff. This is more popular to small businesses and new entrepreneurs who are engaging in online selling although larger companies also make use of online marketplaces to expand their businesses. Internet Research Money can also be made through internet research businesses. You can carry out research for law firms, corporations, and small and large companies. You need to possess specific research skills to do this, but there is a definite market willing to pay for your research skills. You will need a good web presence in order to persuade companies to trust you enough to employ your services, and it is doubtful if you will be successful without a website. Securing partnerships with other companies, operating professional looking websites and using the power of search engines can all help you to secure research projects. Affiliate Marketing Internet affiliate marketing is another good way to earn money. With this you make money through commissions when your promotion of other people’s products ends in sales. You require web marketing skills in order to be successful in this field, but many people make hundreds of thousands annually. You need to attract a large number of visitors to your website for that level of success, but it is also possible to make money in affiliate marketing without needing a website. Freelancing You can freelance just about any skill online, and there are sites that offer marketing services for freelancers in any field. This means providing different services to people, companies, and businesses. The concept is similar to outsourcing, where business processes are carried out by someone else to cut costs. Freelance services include programming, designing, copywriting, photography, illustration, researching, and many more. The income from these services may vary, and can be based on an hourly rate or per service or output, which depend on the terms of the person offering the work. Recruiting Another way to make money on the internet is through recruiting services. These websites gather or invite people seeking employment to register and create a profile or account with them. The service is free. They let you upload your resume containing the same information that you normally provide when you are applying for a job. Once they have a pool of candidates, they send the details of these candidates to companies seeking employees. The recruitment websites also allow companies to register at their sites for a certain fee. Companies can advertise the vacant positions in their companies through the websites. From there, applicants can apply online. Then, when a hire is made, companies will pay for the recruitment service. Consulting Consultancy services can also be offered on the internet. They offer knowledge-based services to companies, investors, corporations, businesses, etc. You can make some money by providing companies with the information and services they need. They are the knowledge-based equivalent of service-based freelancers. These are only some of the possible ways to earn money through the internet. Some people may do this as a full-time job, while others may just do it as part-time work. There are also people who make use of the internet to expand their current businesses. All of these examples exemplify the range opportunities available online to those with the will and capability to succeed, and if you believe that to describe you then open up your laptop, get online and start making money.

Article source: ArticlePros.com

Tips For Formatting your E-book in word & converting it into a PDF File

by Risna Jajoriya

The basic format for your Ebook is time to move on to the finer details. Here are some more information for formatting your Ebook in Word and converting it into a PDF file. Ebooks often include photos, pictures, charts, and other illustrations. However it's significant to realize that since image contribute to a larger file size, some Ebook publishers only accept text submissions. There is more than one way to add illustrations to your Ebook, but one method is to use a scanner and then convert the pictures to .gif or .jpeg files. You can then format the photos any way you like using software such as Photoshop or the GIMP. You can't really add illustrations directly into Word (you can, but it's a nuisance) so if you plan to create an Ebook with a lot of pictures, it's a better idea to use a desktop publishing program. Always leave enough of a margin between the illustration and the text, and add captions when necessary. This includes the title page, a copyright page, acknowledgements, and a table of contents. To put together the copyright page, take a look at the copyright page of a print book and use the same formatting and information, using your own name and book title, of course. Leave out unnecessary items, such as the Library of Congress information. The only time you'll need an ISBN number is if you're going to sell electronic copies of the book on disk at a later date. The table of contents is easy; Word automatically generates a table of contents when you use Headings formats for the chapter titles and subheads. With an Ebook it's better to label the first page as Page 1, even if it's the title page. Print books don't follow this format, but it works well for Ebooks. Back matter refers to all the information you opt to include at the end of the Ebook, such as an index, bio, and contact information. Here you can also advertise other books you're selling. Time for Acrobat Now that you have everything formatted in Word; it's time to convert the file to PDF format. This is very simple to do. Simply use the Print command in Word and choose Save as File under the General pull-down menu. Select Acrobat PDF as the file type and choose the Destination as File. Click the Print button and that's it! Your file is now a PDF, and can be read in Adobe Acrobat. Or, you can visit the Adobe website and convert the Ebook for free online. If you own a full version of Acrobat, there are more options to play around with. For instance, the full program allows you to hotlink all the URLs in the e-book underline links or make them a different colour so that they'll stick out and your readers won't miss them. There's no point in creating hotlinks in the original Word document, as they will disappear during the conversion process at least.

Article source: ArticlePros.com