If you are a small business owner then you probably take on a lot of the duties in your business. I run a small business and I wear a lot of hats – CEO, secretary, marketing, public relations, and yes, even accountant (my least favorite job of them all). But like all jobs, having the right tools at your disposal makes things easier.

I started off my bookkeeping duties using Microsoft Excel, but it quickly became apparent that I needed something more robust than Excel to manage my small business finances. I was stoked when I ran across some QuickBooks coupon codes online. I saved a lot of money on my initial QuickBooks purchase, and I’ve been hooked ever since then. Now I’m happy to share these QuickBooks promotional coupon codes with you. I hope you can use them to secure a copy of QuickBooks at a great discount!

QuickBooks 2012 Coupon Codes

• QuickBooks Online Edition: Free 30 Day Trial!.
• QuickBooks Premier: Buy QuickBooks Premier and Save 20%.
• Download QuickBooks Pro 2012 Now! Save 20% + Free Shipping.
• Intuit Online Payroll – 30 day FREE trial Try Now FREE for 30 Days!

*Offer Details: This offer is for new Intuit Payroll subscribers only and cannot be combined with other offers and is valid for a limited time only. Terms, conditions, pricing, features, service and support are subject to change without notice

About QuickBooks

QuickBooks comes in several versions, one of which will fit the needs of just about any business, including accounting, point of sale software, sending and receiving payments, making payroll, and more. There are desktop options and online versions as well, making QuickBooks one of the most flexible accounting options available.

QuickBooks supported by just about every accountant out there, which will make your taxes easier to complete. That’s a big one for me because I outsource my taxes now!

Support and background info. QuickBooks is an Intuit product, which is the same company that makes Quicken and TurboTax, so you know that not only is QuickBooks a quality product, but it integrates well with other Intuit products. There is also a great support forums if you run into problems.

Related Articles:

1. Quicken 2012 Coupon Codes – Save Over 40%
2. GoDaddy Coupon Codes
3. Quicken Online Review – Now Available Free

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One of the most frustrating things for any small business owner is establishing credit. However, you know that you need access to credit if you expect to you grow your business effectively. Financing helps keep things moving in the world of business — even for small businesses.

Establishing your credit history as a small business, though, isn’t always easy. Indeed, it can be difficult, and you may have to even put your personal credit on the line for your business. As you strive to build your credit as a business, here are some steps to follow:

1. Set Up a Business and Apply for a EIN

First, you need to realize that you won’t be able to establish business credit if you are a sole proprietor. Instead, you will need to set up as a corporation or as a LLC. Once you have figured out a business structure (an accountant can be valuable in assessing your needs now, and the possibilities for the future), you need to apply for an Employer Identification Number from the IRS.

Your EIN is your tax ID that shows that you are reporting as a business. Additionally, you won’t be able to open a business bank account without one.

2. Open a Business Bank Account

Your next step is to open a business bank account. At the very least, business checking is a must. Establishing your business as a separate entity is important if you want to be able to eventually build your business credit. Realize, though, that many banks won’t consider lending your business money until you have had the account for at least two years. You will need to make sure your cash flow is obvious, and that it is clear that you can handle business debt.

3. Apply for a DUNS Number

There are credit bureaus for businesses as well. Dun & Bradstreet is one of the main business credit bureaus. The company issues what is known as a DUNS number. When you do business with vendors, you should give them your DUNS number. That way, when they report that you have made payments on time, it is reflected in your business credit report. You will need your EIN to receive a DUNS number. Getting this number is free, and it can be helpful as you work to establish your credit history.

4. Build Your Credit History and Establish Trade References

Now that you have your business identity established, it’s time to work on building your credit history. One of the easiest ways to do this is with a business credit card. However, if you are just starting out, it might even be difficult to get a credit card in your business name.

You may have to rely on your personal credit to help you get a business credit card. If you speak with your banker, about a business credit card at the bank where you have your business account, you might have more success. Whether your personal credit is used or not, it’s important that your credit card be in the name of your business. It’s vital that your business credit be established separately.

Finally, augment your business credit report with a trade reference sheet. Some small vendors may not report to Dun and Bradstreet. So, list them out, with contact information and credit limits, and have it available to go with your “official” business credit report. That can help you show banks that you really do have a history of paying on time.

Related Articles:

1. How to Qualify for a Small Business Loan
2. Improve Your Credit Score without Using Credit Cards
3. Best Business Credit Cards for Small and Medium Companies

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You’ve probably heard stories of bartering. Back in the day, you might exchange something you had for something that you needed. This “something” could be goods or services. In simpler times, a cobbler might re-sole a pair of shoes in return for a specific amount of eggs from the farmer. Today, bartering is making something of a comeback. Even some small businesses are finding it helpful to barter for goods and services.

Bartering for What You Need

Do you barter for goods or services?

In some cases, you might be lacking the capital you need to hire certain services, or buy needed supplies. It can be difficult to get the loans you need to pay for needed business products and services when you are in a pinch. However, you might have something valuable to offer another business. This is where bartering can come in. You can exchange a product or service you can provide for what you need.

There are a few business bartering exchanges online that can help you find other businesses who are willing to participate in these types of transactions. You can go through ITEX, BizXchange and The Barter Network. You can also use the National Association of Trade Exchanges as a valuable resource when finding bartering opportunities. Be aware, though, that these bartering networks might comes with costs, and you should know what they are before you agree to participate. Understand the terms and conditions prior to beginning so that you can avoid difficulties with the network.

Bartering the Right Way

Bartering only works when both parties feel as though they are getting a fair exchange. This means that you need to understand how your offering is valued, and you should have a good idea of how to value what you are looking to trade for. You want to ensure that the exchange is as equitable as possible. Most bartering exchanges can help you prepare contracts, or they can set up a way of valuing exchanges. If you don’t use a third party to help you with your bartering transactions, it is still a good idea to create a barter contract, spelling out the terms of the exchange, and what each party can expect.

Realize, too, that the IRS wants to know about your bartering transactions. This means that you need to keep good records of your bartering history. If you have a contract, make sure that you retain a copy, and that there are additionally copies that you can send off if necessary. You can set up barter agreements much as you would cash agreements, and report them as barter revenue (to be offset by the barter services you provide). Make sure that you clearly state that the revenue/expenditure is barter.

Realize that if you come out ahead on a barter transaction, you will have to pay taxes on what is considered income. But you also have to be careful of claiming losses related to bartering. The IRS does not looking kindly on people who give away their services, and claim deductions, insisting that they came out behind in a barter transaction.

It can help to consult with a tax professional before you claim any sort of barter transaction on your tax return. Keep good records, know the rules, and stay on top of things, and you shouldn’t have too much trouble with the IRS.

Have you ever bartered for goods or services?

Photo credit: berniebernardo

Related Articles:

1. Paychex Payroll and HR Services for Your Small Business
2. How to Organize Your Small Business Finances
3. Home Business: Are You Providing a Product or a Service?

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This past weekend I had the pleasure, along with 270+ other individuals, of attending the first annual Finance Blogger Conference in Chicago, IL. The Personal Finance Conference, also known as FinCon (search #FinCon11 on Twitter), was a gathering of financial bloggers, financial professionals, columnists, authors, financial companies, and others who work in or write about the financial industry.

The conference covered a wide variety of topics, including all aspects related to blogging, including writing, marketing, making money, and technical topics; a view of the financial industry; and most importantly, why we write about money to begin with. The later topic was covered in the opening speech, Why We Write, by J.D. Roth of Get Rich Slowly (read his review of the conference).

A Gathering of Financial Bloggers:

FinCon11 was a smashing success! I heard nothing but praise from all conference attendees, and the most asked question of the event was when and where the next conference will be held. We’re all looking forward to it!

Phil Taylor with boxes of swag handed out to all attendees

Special Thanks to Phil Taylor from PT Money: Personal Finance. Phil organized this conference and he and his staff did a great job with making sure the conference ran smoothly (thanks Ryan, Ryan, Jessica, & Justin!).

The photo at right shows the boxes of swag that the sponsors gave away to all conference attendees. Phil, his staff and a bunch of volunteers turned those boxes into over 250 swag bags in a matter of a couple hours. Items included a variety of things such as t-shirts, books, pens, etc. The sponsors were generous and without them, this conference would not have been possible. Thanks!

Love Drop and Giving Back

The conference wasn’t just about blogging – there was also an opportunity for conference attendees to do some good in the community. Phil Taylor the guys from Love Drop (J. Money and Nate St. Pierre ) arranged for some conference attendees to support a Love Drop and visit Phil’s Friends, a Chicago organization devoted to helping cancer patients by providing them with care packages, cards, support, and most importantly, hope. A bus load of conference attendees visited Phil’s Friends to help them with some of their tasks and also made a sizable monetary donation. It was an awesome way for the blogging community to give back.

Hanging out with the bloggers

I’ve had the pleasure of calling many bloggers friends over the years, and previous to this conference I’ve only been able to meet and hang out with a few people in the industry ( one of the interesting things about our industry is that since it is an online business, there aren’t many opportunities to meet up with many of the people you work with unless you live close to them).

Some of the people I had already met in person and had the opportunity to hang out with again include Phil from PT Money, DR from Dough Roller, J$ from Budgets are Sexy, Hank from Money Q & A, Adam Baker from Man Vs. Debt, Glen from Free From Broke, Jeff Rose from Good Financial Cents and Soldier of Finance, Ron Haynes from The Wisdom Journal, and a few folks from USAA Federal Savings Bank, including June Walbert, Scott Halliwell, and JJ Montanaro.

I also had the pleasure of meeting some other bloggers I have known online for years, but had never met in person, including Pinyo from Moolanomy, Jeremy from GenXFinance, Lazy Man, SVB from The Digerati Life, Will Chen from Wise Bread, Ben Edwards from Money Smart Life, Kevin Mulligan, Matt Jabs from Debt Free Adventure, Pete from Bible Money Matters, Flexo from Consumerism Commentary, MBH from Mighty Bargain Hunter, Mike from Oblivious Investor, Bob from Christian Personal Finance, and more.

I got to meet our staff writers! As I mentioned, working online is interesting because people are often spread across different states, or even different countries or continents. Although I have been working directly with our staff writers for over a year, I hadn’t yet met them in person, so I was very excited to meet Laura D. Adams (who had a presentation on working with published authors), Miranda Marquit, and Emily Guy Birken.

I was also happy to meet several other people at the conference, including J.D., Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income, Cap from Stop Buying Crap, and dozens more bloggers and industry folks.

I’m already looking forward to the next Financial Blogger Conference! Thanks, Phil, and everyone else who participated in the conference!

Want to read more about the conference? Check out these recaps from other bloggers:

• Free From Broke: Financial Blogger Conference 2011 – Meeting the PF Blogger World and More.
• Bible Money Matters: Financial Blogger Conference 2011: Meeting Up With The Personal Finance Blogosphere.
• Consumerism Commentary: How to Handle Meeting Hundreds of Colleagues.
• Lazy Man & Money Three Things I Think From a Financial Blogging Conference (and Personal Finance Links).
• Wise Bread: Share Your Favorite FinCon Moments and Win $100!.
• Don’t Mess With Taxes: What a wonderful financial weekend.
• The Smart Passive Income Blog: My First Public Speaking Experience at the Financial Blogger Conference 2011.
• The Digerati Life: First Ever Financial Blogging Conference Highlights.
• Good Financial Cents: 1st Annual Financial Blogger Conference – Sharing the Excitement!.

I’m sure I’ve left out a few people I met and and more than a few reviews. It was a great weekend and I look forward to next year’s event!

Related Articles:

1. How to Start a Blog for Fun or Profit
2. Do Yahoo Personal Finance Questions and Answers Give Good Advice? (Example – Credit Card Debt)
3. Free eBook – Money Matters for All Ages (pdf)

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Running a small business is an adventure. It’s fun, but it also forces you to wear many hats, from secretary, to CEO, and everything in between. One of the least pleasurable tasks, in my opinion, is handling the legal aspects of the business. While my business is doing well, it isn’t large enough to keep a lawyer on retainer. I can handle small time tasks such as reading contracts or incorporating a small business. But if it is anything more involved, I need to do some research and weigh my options before I call on the services of a lawyer. This also means I need to continually research topics as they become relevant to my business and try to remain up to date as things change.

One area I run into frequently is copyright violations. Many people wrongly assume that information on the Internet isn’t copyrighted. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are also other popular misconceptions including the idea that it is legal, and even acceptable, to republish a website’s RSS feed without permission (an RSS feed is a method of distributing content in an easy to read manner which allows individuals to subscribe to regular website updates). Unfortunately, these misconceptions are all too common and copyrighted content is frequently infringed upon, either due to lack of knowledge, or due to blatant theft. Regardless of the reason, it’s important that website owners, writers, photographers, musicians and other copyright holders protect their rights.

Protecting Your Copyrights

I recently had a situation involving someone republishing my content without my consent. I won’t go into the details other than to say that I politely contacted the infringing party and asked him to remove my copyrighted content from his site. After initial refusals by the other party and additional action on my part, my copyrighted content was removed from the other site.

What is a copyright violation?

This is the definition of copyright infringement according to the US copyright Office:

“As a general matter, copyright infringement occurs when a copyrighted work is reproduced, distributed, performed, publicly displayed, or made into a derivative work without the permission of the copyright owner.”

This was the situation which I recently experienced – content from one of my websites was republished, in full, without my permission. Unfortunately, the person infringing upon my copyrighted works had a misunderstanding of copyright rules and believed he could republish articles from my site at will, which is not the case.

Not all copyright violations are as straight forward as the situation I recently experienced. Copyright rules actually can be fairly complex (see title 17, U. S. Code for a full rundown of US copyright laws) and there are entire law firms devoted to copyright protection.

What About Fair Use?

In some cases, it is acceptable to use a small portion of a copyrighted work without violating copyrights. This is called Fair Use. According to the US Copyright Office, there are “four factors to be considered in determining whether or not a particular use is fair:”

• The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
• The nature of the copyrighted work
• The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
• The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work

Notice how I used a quote, listed the four items, and linked to the source? Using a small example, as I did here, would be an example of Fair Use. That would not have been the case had I copied the entire contents of the page and published it on my site.

Fair Use does not include full scale publication of a copyrighted work without permission. It also does not cover derivative works, which occur when someone uses a copyrighted work to create something new. A good example of this is fan fiction, which is a popular form of books which are created using the same characters or same world as an original series. For example, I couldn’t write a Star Wars book and publish it without permission from the copyright holders. Fan fiction is a fun way to continue a series (think Star Wars, Star Trek, James Bond, and similar series), but most of these works are commissioned by the original copyright holders and written with permission and under controlled terms.

Why You Should Protect Your Copyrights

Protecting your copyrighted content is important – first of all, it is yours. If you don’t give permission for someone else to use it, they shouldn’t be able to profit from your hard work. Even if they are not making any money from it, that doesn’t make it right, or even legal. Copyright infringements are harmful to the copyright holders as it can affect your income, branding, website traffic, Search Engine Optimization (through duplicate content issues), and more. It can be especially harmful if a competitor infringes upon your copyright.

Copyright Violations as They Affect Bloggers and Small Online Businesses

Copyright infringement is a major problem for bloggers and other small businesses. As mentioned above, part of the problem is that many people misinterpret or simply don’t understand copyright laws. The other problem is that many people simply don’t care, and blatantly disregard copyrights and knowingly steal and publish copyrighted content.

Unfortunately, republishing copyrighted content is incredibly easy to do with just a few scripts. This has become so prevalent that it has created entire industries and even lead to the creation of new words, such as splogs (spam + blogs = splogs) and scrapers. These sites are harmful to legitimate Internet publishers.

How to Handle Scrapers and Other Copyright Infringements

If you run a website, it won’t be long before you find someone stealing your content. It will happen if it hasn’t already. The first thing I recommend is contacting the other party via their e-mail address or contact form and politely inform them about the issue. If the site doesn’t make this information available you can still try to track the owner down by finding the web host or the domain registrar.

Many times people are unaware they are breaking the law, or they may be a new owner to a website and not be aware some of the content is copyrighted by another party. In many cases, people will remove the content without a fuss.

In other situations, you either can’t find the owner, they will ignore you, or they will fight you kicking and screaming. When this happens, you need to move beyond a simple e-mail. Your next step could be to send a formal cease and desist letter, or you could skip that step and go straight to the DMCA notice.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)

Filing a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notice with the web host is a course of action which might be appropriate here. This is not something to take lightly, however, since it essentially requires the host to shut down the page which is infringing upon your copyright, and since most hosts don’t have access to change one page on a site, they often disable access to the entire site or server. This is why I always recommend a polite e-mail before moving up the chain.

After you send the DMCA notice, the web host will often shut down the site, then contact the owner and forward the notice to the site owner, who then can determine their course of action – either to remove the content, or file a counter DMCA notice, which essentially states they don’t believe they are violating the copyright.

Here is more information regarding contacting web hosts for a DMCA notice, a list of DMCA Contacts, and a DMCA form letter you can use as an example.

Note 1. Using a DMCA notice is only good when the site is hosted in the US or treaty countries, though many other countries have similar laws.

Note 2. Filing a DMCA notice or counter DMCA notice isn’t a step to take lightly since you are  required to make legal statements regarding ownership of the copyright.

Where to Go For More Information about Protecting Your Copyrights

I will be the first to admit that I am not an expert on this topic and none of this constitutes legal advice. I have done my best to ensure this information is accurate and informative, but this is a complex topic which can’t be covered completely in one article (or even a full college semester!). Here are some of the resources which I found most useful in my research and may help you if you find yourself in a similar situation.

Jonathan Bailey @ Plagiarism Today. Jonathan Bailey is the head of a Copyright Consulting Services firm, and the owner of Plagiarism Today, which is a helpful blog in understanding how copyright laws work. I spoke with him during the course of researching this article and his experience and knowledge on plagiarism and copyright protection impressed me greatly. Though Jonathan is not a lawyer, he has a large amount of experience when it comes to finding plagiarized content and getting it removed from infringing websites. I highly recommend reading Plagiarism Today for more information about protecting your copyrights, copyright infringement, plagiarism, and related topics, or contacting Jonathan if you have the need for copyright consulting services.

Lorelle on WordPress. Lorelle is a giant in the blogging world and has one of the best single page resources for dealing with these situations: What Do You Do When Someone Steals Your Content. This article is thorough and links to dozens of related topics which you may find helpful. She also has a wonderful explanation of her Copyright Policy on her About Page.

Photo credit: takomabibelot.

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3. Fighting Poverty in America and Abroad

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My wife and I recently relocated to a new state, which by itself, is a job and a half. But the job multiplies when you are taking a small business with you across state lines, even a portable business like mine. Thankfully, I had someone to help me with the transition – Paychex. Seriously, if it weren’t for Paychex, I would have spent hours tracking down the information I needed, and possibly paid hundreds of dollars to consult with a small business specialist or accountant in my new state of residence. And the assistance Paychex provided me was included in my payroll services at no extra charge – saving my business both time and money.

As a small business owner who employs only myself and my wife, I barely scratch the surface of their capabilities. But they still treat me like a major client each time I call their customer service department or speak with my dedicated representative (this is an important feature because my representative knows my business and I always speak with her, not some random person in a call center – thanks, Kim!).

Here is an overview of Paychex, who they are, what they do, and how and why I use their services. If you are a small business owner, I highly recommend checking out Paychex by visiting their website, or giving them a call at this number: Call Now: 888-797-7846

Paychex Online Payroll Services Review

Paychex provides a variety of Human Resource services to businesses of every size, offering services such as payroll, tax services, 401k and other employee benefits administration, time and labor software, and even on-site HR solutions. They a leading provider of payroll services, human resources and employee benefits outsourcing, and more, providing services for over 500,000 small and medium sized businesses throughout the nation.

Why I chose Paychex. There are many reasons I chose to use Paychex, including their total payroll solution, scalability, the dedicated local account representative, affordability, and the portability of the account. Paychex has offices in virtually every major city, and in many smaller areas as well – there are over 100 branch locations, and you get a local representative assigned to you as your main point of contact. The local payroll specialists are well-versed in both federal taxes and state requirements. The personal attention they provide was another major factor in my decision to use Paychex as my payroll provider.

How and Why I Use Paychex as My Payroll Processor

Before I incorporated my business, I thought payroll preparation was as simple as cutting a check and marking it down in my books. Unfortunately, it’s a little more complicated than that. You have to account for employee payroll taxes, business payroll taxes, state taxes, etc. To top it off, the IRS wants their cut when you pay yourself, not when you file your taxes next year. And your state probably does too. And don’t forget state and federal unemployment taxes and workman’s comp insurance. Unless this is something you have experience with, then I recommend using a payroll processing service or other professional to help you get started.

I am a basic user, and primarily use Paychex to process my payroll and ensure my payroll taxes are calculated, filed, and paid on time. I pay myself on a quarterly basis, so each quarter my payroll specialist gives me a phone call and we discuss how much I want to pay myself and they take care of the rest – and I mean everything, including calculating all state and federal taxes, Solo 401k and benefits contributions, and direct deposit to the respective tax agencies and my personal bank account.

How it works. The process is about as automated as it can get: I gave Paychex access to my bank account and the authorization to make payroll transactions. A few days after my payroll specialist calls me, Paychex accesses my bank account and does an electronic bank transfer to the IRS and state tax agencies, and makes a direct deposit into my personal bank account. At the end of the year Paychex gives me reports for my personal and business taxes (W-2, W-3, etc.). It’s all included in the service, and very helpful when tax season rolls around.

Additional payroll services offered. As I mentioned, I am a small client and have a relatively simple business and payroll structure. But Paychex is capable of handling far more than my business requires. Paychex payroll services include small business payroll service, online payroll processing, payroll tax administration, and employee pay services: including direct deposit, check signing, and Readychex®.

This video shows more about how the Paychex payroll service works:

Paychex Payroll Services and Human Resources Management Solutions

As I mentioned, I only use Paychex to process my payroll, but they offer so much more than I currently need in my business. Here is a breakdown of some of the many services PayChex provides. I recommend calling one of their specialists to discuss your business needs and get a free quote. You can reach them at:

Payroll and Tax Services

In addition to the benefits noted above, Paychex offers an online payroll portal so you can manage your payroll records, make manual inputs, upload and download information, pay your employees with direct deposit or paper checks, and they provide General Ledger Reporting Service and the ability to export in multiple formats, including QuickBooks.

Tax Services. This was a huge help for me when I recently relocated to a new state. My dedicated payroll representative sent me links to the state websites and informed me which forms I needed to fill out to register with my new state tax authority. In addition, she gave me information on how to contact my former state tax agencies to fill out some forms to notify them that I will not have a tax obligation for them in 2011. I never would have thought to do the latter, and that will help me stay off that bad boy list. In addition to helping you get set up with your state and local tax authorities, Paychex Tax Services can calculate, deposit, and file your payroll taxes for you, as well as help you find business tax credits that can save your business money.

Paychex 401(k) and Small Business Retirement Plans

I opened a Solo 401k with Vanguard about a year before I started using Paychex. If you own a very small business like I do, then there are probably less expensive options available to you. For example, Vanguard doesn’t charge me anything to run my Solo 401k. However, a Solo 401k is only good for a business that employs a single employee, or an employee and their spouse. If you employ more than just yourself and a spouse, then you might want to look into a traditional 401k service or another small business retirement plan such as a SEP IRA, SIMPLE Plan, or something else. And Paychex can help you decide which is best for your needs.

Paychex 401k and small business retirement plan offerings. Paychex offers traditional 401(k), Roth 401k, Owner-Only 401(k) plans (Solo 401k plans), profit sharing, and SIMPLE IRA plans. they can walk you through the different options and help you choose the plan that makes the best sense for your business. Paychex can also help you understand the legal and tax requirements of these plans, as well as understand what you need to know about employer matching contributions, vesting schedules, and investment options. Paychex will handle all the record keeping and legal documentation, such as your Form 5500, and other services to help ensure your regulatory compliance.

Paychex Employee Benefits Management – Health Plans and More

Health insurance is a big deal for small businesses, and something most small business owners need assistance understanding. Paychex can help you wit hall aspects of your group health insurance plan, from start to finish, including determining your needs, selecting a group health insurance provider, handling administration, manage a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), and more. They can also help you set and track guidelines for employee eligibility, add/remove employees from plan benefits, handle payments, and administer COBRA benefits.

HR Administration and Compliance

This was a big headache for me. When you are a one man shop, things like payroll, unemployment insurance, worker’s compensation, COBRA administration, and many other requirements probably aren’t number one on your list of things to do. Of course, these are all very important, but when you are just starting out, you may not even be aware of them, much less know where to start. Thankfully the folks at Paychex do – they walked me through the process of getting registered with my state unemployment insurance website and registering my business with my new state when we moved.

Paychex HR Solutions. Paychex offers much more than showing you which forms to fill out. They can actually do it for you – they offer on-site visits and training to help keep your business running smoothly. You can also utilize Paychex to manage your human resource requirements, develop employee handbooks, assist with identifying tax credits and even maintain compliance with OSHA, FLSA, and other federal and state regulations.

Time and Labor Solutions

You probably won’t need this if you are a one man shop like I am. I just pay myself a salary, regardless of how many hours I work. But if you have hourly employees, then you want to look into the time clock solutions Paychex offers.

Business Insurance

Paychex offers business insurance and can advise you on the best solutions for your needs. Some examples of the insurance policies they offer include Business Owner’s Policy (BOP), Business Overhead Expense (BOE), Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI), Commercial Auto Insurance, Umbrella Coverage, Professional Liability, Director and Officer Liability, and more. I recommend giving them a phone call for more information if you need these services: Call Now: 888-797-7846

Conclusion – I Need Paychex

Paperwork and administration is not my strong point. In fact, it is a weakness for me. I don’t like keeping up with regs, tax forms, dates payments and other paperwork are due, etc. My strength as a small business owner is creating, not administering. Outsourcing administrative tasks helps my business be more productive. That’s why I hired an accountant for my taxes. And that’s why I use Paychex for my payroll, payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, and related admin. It works, it’s amazingly simple and hassle free, and it saves me time and ultimately money. And your small business is probably the same – your skills as a business owner are probably best used elsewhere. Use your skills and talents to do what you do best – run the company and make money. Outsource the rest.

Limited time offer – one month free payroll processing. If you have a business, large or small, then contact Paychex. They will be able to give you a free quote based on your needs, and for a limited time, they are offering a free month of online payroll services. Visit the Paychex website or call Paychex for a free quote: Call Now: 888-797-7846

Related Articles:

1. Bartering: A Tool for Small Business
2. How to Organize Your Small Business Finances
3. Establishing Your Credit as a Small Business

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If you do freelance work, are a subcontractor, or are just thinking about moving in the direction of self-employment, a question that comes up is should I incorporate? In general, incorporating a business means that you separate yourself from the business so you enjoy limited personal legal responsibility by setting it up as either a Corporation or an LLC. That allows your assets to remain safe if the business can’t pay its debts or gets hit with a lawsuit.

Many people don’t realize that owning rental property, building Web sites on the side, or making and selling artwork, for instance, makes them a business owner.  Whenever you earn income from a source other than a regular ol’ W-2 job, you’re running a business. The type of business entity you choose is important because it has serious legal and tax consequences.

Should You Incorporate Your Small Business?

Here’s a brief summary of 4 common entities for small businesses:

Business Entity #1: Sole Proprietorship

If you earn money from a business or side gig, and haven’t set yourself up as a Corporation or an LLC, by default you’re a Sole Proprietor. It’s the simplest way to own a business; however, it’s a potentially dangerous one because you’re personally 100% liable for what happens to the business.

Here’s an example: Let’s say you’re a blogger and you spread nasty, untrue rumors about a professional that directly causes them to lose business. They get really ticked, sue you, and take you to court. A jury finds you guilty of libel and a judge orders you to pay $100,000 in damages. Uh-oh. You’ll have to pay up even if you never made a dime in your blogging career.

When it comes to taxes, Sole Proprietors report their business profit or loss on their personal tax return. Depending on the kind of work you do, it may be fine to operate as a Sole Proprietor. But if you have any concerns about legal liability, you should protect yourself by forming a Corporation or an LLC.

Business Entity #2: Partnership

If you have a business with one or more other people, you’re working as a Partnership. It’s similar to a Sole Proprietorship in that each partner is personally liable for lawsuits against the business. Each partner reports their share of the profit or loss of the business on their personal income tax returns.

In general, I don’t recommend doing business as a Partnership because it’s too risky. Not only are you responsible for your own actions, but you’re on hook if a partner messes up and causes a lawsuit or takes on business debt that you’re unaware of.  Forming a Corporation or an LLC is a safer option.

Business Entity #3: Corporation

A Corporation is an entity completely separate from its owners with its own legal and tax responsibilities. A Corporation actually continues to exist even if the ownership dies or changes. You can attract investors by offering the sale of shares of company stock. There’s limited liability for the officers, employees, and shareholders from business debt or lawsuits filed against the business.

A general or C Corporation conducts business, has net profit or losses, pays taxes, and distributes profit to its shareholders. The IRS taxes both corporate profits and dividends paid to shareholders, which are often referred to as “double taxation.”

You can avoid double taxation by creating an S Corporation instead. An S Corp allows the owners or shareholders to report their portion of the profit or loss from the business on their personal income tax returns. In most cases, if you plan to take all the profits from your business, an S Corp is the way to go.

Business Entity #4: Limited Liability Company (LLC)

A Limited Liability Company or LLC is an independent legal entity that’s allowed by state statue and is governed by an operating agreement. The owners of an LLC are called members and they receive limited personal liability from business debts and lawsuits. Additionally, an LLC has flexibility when it comes to paying taxes because it can file either as a Corporation, a Partnership, or a Sole Proprietorship.

What Does it Cost to Incorporate?

There’s some expense to setting up a Corporation or an LLC and renewing your status each year. The price at sites like legalzoom.com and incorporate.com start at about $100 to complete the initial paperwork. Each state has its own fee structure for annual fees, but it’s typically not more than a few hundred dollars per year. If you have questions about the right kind of entity to set up, be sure to consult with a attorney. The cost to incorporate is well worth the protection you’ll receive as you grow your business and exposure to legal liability.

Related Articles:

1. Establishing Your Credit as a Small Business
2. How to Organize Your Small Business Finances
3. Keogh Plan – Retirement Plan for Self-Employed and Small Business

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A couple days ago a friend recommended I read this article on the New York Times: For DecorMyEyes, Bad Publicity Is a Good Thing – NYTimes.com.

I was appalled by what I read. The article profiles Vitaly Borker, the founder and owner of DecorMyEyes.com, a website which sells designer eyeglasses, contact lenses, and related products. A website by itself isn’t very interesting, but the way he generates business is -
Borker uses negative publicity to generate traffic to his site and increase sales. The owner allegedly sold products of dubious quality or authenticity, then threatened customers with violence and other actions if they put a stop payment on their credit card or refused payment.

Treating Customers Badly is Good for Business?

The age old mantra is, “the customer is always right.” But Borker takes the opposite approach. His goal is to generate negative publicity, which in turn makes more people link to his website, which helps him rank higher in the search engines. For an online store, more traffic generally equals more money.

Here is an example from the NY Times article: A customer purchased some contacts and glasses from the site DecorMyEyes. The next day she received a call from Borker informing her the contacts she purchased were not available, and she would need to choose another brand. She declined to purchase another brand of contacts and requested a refund, at which point Borker allegedly became belligerent and tried to bully her into buying a different brand. He refused to refund her money. To make matters worse, the glasses she ordered arrived 2 days later and were counterfeit, and she was overcharged by $125. Again, he refused to refund her money.

It gets worse. At this point she disputed the charge with her credit card issuer, which set off Borker. He began stalking her, harassing her, and making threatening phone calls in an attempt to get her to drop the disputed charge (credit card issuers will ban business owners who generate too many disputed claims in a given time period).

Eventually she contacted the police department, her phone company to block the calls, Borker’s web host to get his site taken down, and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a government owned website where you can report internet crimes. Unfortunately, no one was able to help and the threats escalated.

What happens next? This article goes into great detail with interviews of the customer mentioned here, the police, and Borker himself, who was unapologetic, claiming his actions were good for business. Retelling the entire story wouldn’t do it justice (as it is a fine piece of journalism). I recommend reading the entire article – it is well worth your time (may require you to sign up for a free account).

Google responds

Google isn’t to blame for this situation – it is impossible to know how people will use their search engine. But they have responded with an algorithmic change designed to prevent companies such as DecorMyEyes.com from reaching top spots in the search engines (they made a change to their algorithms instead of directly penalizing the site in question). You can read Google’s official response here: Being bad to your customers is bad for business. Hopefully the other major search engines have followed suit and have made similar changes to their searches.

Protect yourself online

This example, while most likely an isolated incident, is exactly why you should research companies before making online purchases. You can usually protect yourself by making purchases through major online retailers such as Ebay, Amazon, and major department stores. But sometimes the major retailers don’t have the item you are looking for or don’t have the best prices. When this happens, you should always research the website before making a purchase. Just do a quick Google search for the company or website and you should see a few reviews – especially if there is a major problem, such as there is with DecorMyEyes.com.

Recommended articles from around the web:

• Dying with debt: A dirty little retirement secret. This article from USA TODAY discusses how many retirees are ignoring their credit card debt and don’t have any intention of repaying their loans before they die.
• Cute Leather Box Containing Financial Heart Attack. Excellent tips on buying a diamond, and some of the thought process involved.
• My Recent $1500 Banking Mistake. It’s amazing how quickly one small mistake can add up.
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• working for a salary – a bad deal?. I love this article – I strongly believe in generating multiple sources of income.
• Buying Coins From the Mint. This is a great way to earn some free credit card rewards points or cash back.
• LIFE Can Mess Up Your Budget – You create a budget yet things still don’t add up. Here’s why.
• Choosing a Lender: Tips to Help You Make Informed Student Loan Decisions.
• How to Debrief Yourself After Interview Rejection If your interview didn’t go the way you’d planned, use these “debriefing” questions to help prepare for your next interview. And remember: persistence pays off when it comes to your job search..
• Canadian financial planning designations and courses to look for in a financial advisor.
• Why Budgeting is Like Dating – Budgeting can be exciting when you first begin. However, like so many relationships the budget begins to have cracks, then flaws, then serious issues. If you can’t overcome and work with these issues, much like dating, it will soon end in heartbreak..
• How to Become More Self-Sufficient – Channel your inner handyman by following these tips to self-sufficiency.
• Carnival of Personal Finance #285 – Google Search Money Stories Edition, Carnival of Money Stories #82, The Best of Money Carnival, Best of Credit Cards and Saving Money Dayquil Edition, Carnival of Financial Planning #168.

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