Being an entrepreneur like Luke Skywalker (or Count Dooku — rest in peace, Mr. Lee) working for yourself can bring a whole host of benefits – better well-being, better business hours, and being happy in what you do are the positive sides to entrepreneurship along with wielding your trusty light saber. But what usually comes […]

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Who doesn’t love the hairpiece? Seriously. Donald Trump’s the poster child, perhaps, for a special kind of hair, but also for just mega-success, so you’d have to expect that such a man knows a bit about financial forecasting failure. How does one see all the wrong signs and then walk into a financial wall of fire? Very simply, actually, as detailed here:

It’s All About Accuracy When it Comes to Financial Forecasting

Hence, if you don’t have it, you’re going to lose. You’re fired as Donald Trump would say. Given he’s probably one of the most prolific entrepreneurs of our age, these tips would go quite well with his business ethic, so as someone who may be considering everything from a cloud-based bookkeeping service to a rent-to-own consultant or even a 2-hour tax return, you might like to consider the content here as a wealth of resources —

• Go Easy on the Sales Growth — That means focus on a daily sales cap. Remember: growth is good, but don’t try to grow your business too much.
• Be Careful With Business Taxes — This applies to your everyday annual tax liability. Make sure you have an in-house CPA for this one, people.
• Be Skilled With Cash Flow Investments — Or just outsource to someone who can do it! Your income tax planning specialist can get you on the right track. Just read about it more right here.
• Beware the Income Line When It Comes to Cash Flow Forecasting — In other words, the big mistakes don’t happen from the ground up. They happen right at the top. Read this and be careful with the forecasting, please.

And that’s just the beginning. You can read more about it at the Income Tax Planning Network and Cloud Based Bookkeeping, getting access to services that’ll keep you on the right track with your business finances. But more importantly….

“You Have to Think Anyway, so Why Not Think Big?”

Donald Trump said that. Wise words. He also said all the women on the show “The Apprentice” flirted with him, either consciously or subconsciously. We won’t judge. After all, he’s a successful businessman.

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Reason 11 Why #LGBT #Workplace #Discrimination Will Be No More: #Google

Even the search engine we all know and love loves the LGBT community? You got it. Google actually is one of the founders of that global coalition to eliminate workplace discrimination.

Should we even try to convince you that Google's going to continue supporting the cause? No, we won't say a word about the 50K+-strong company making their stamp on the cause for equality. Not at all.

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U.S. #Taxes : a Pay-as-You-Go System

You know what that means? You have a deadline to pay taxes, but you can throw money to the Internal Revenue Service AS YOU GO throughout the year. Hence why your employer would send taxes via each paycheck, and at tax time, you either owe a little more extra, break even, or possibly get a refund.

But what happens when you're self-employed? What then?

Expect to keep up with the IRS yourself if you really think you'll owe more than $1K at tax time. You can get the help with deductions and credits, though, if you sign up with #ITPN (especially given the fact that you're self-employed!). You'll get 1099 (W-9) forms, obviously, and you'll be expected to make estimated payments on a quarterly basis — as if you're your own employer, paying those taxes right out of your paycheck every single time.

Sound like a lot of work? No worries. We can help.

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Strong #GrandRapidsMI Job Growth Means Better Mortgage Down Payments

We at #CBB  take pride in the job economy. It fuels #business. Brings more to the table in terms of ROI, job growth, workforce stabilization and competition. It's healthy.

So when we see that a beautiful city like Grand Rapids in Michigan growing their employment economy, ranking 22nd in the entire nation (and that's saying something for being in Michigan) and a 3.5% job growth rate, you know what that means: better down payment competition between buyers looking for a home.

What's great for real estate is great for business.

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Truthfully, we hate labels. And titles. And name placements. Political correctness: it’s a fickle beast, especially when talking about something as touchy as credit repair. But no worries — we’re not going to sugar-coat or bounce around the topic like some organizations or professionals out there, and we’ll tell it like it is. It’s very simple: when talking to a credit counselor, you have to ask specific questions just to be sure you’re talking to a real credit counselor for the right reasons. Why? Just remember this important fact: credit repair walks a fine legal line. You want to make sure you stay within it.

Here Are Eight Real Questions You Absolutely Must Ask a Credit Counselor — Just to Be Sure You’re Dealing With the Real McCoy

There are a lot of credit repair scammers out there, in other words. Many will label themselves as a credit counselor, but that’s not what they do. As a consumer, you have a right to know what you’re dealing with before potentially getting yourself in hot water, so ask the potential credit counselor you’re consulting with, and interviewing, these specific questions:

• Can You Approve My Bankruptcy Filing? — What we mean by that are the legal requirements to filing for bankruptcy. The credit counselor you’re talking to has to have the certified approval to sign off on the legally mandated requirement to seek credit counseling before filing for bankruptcy. So make it a point to ask this question immediately.
• Are You a “Debt Counselor” or a “Credit Counselor”? — Like we said, we hate the labels. They may sound so similar; but in truth, they’re very different. You ask this question just to be sure you are dealing with a real-life credit counselor. What are the differences? Find out right here.
• Are You a 501(c)(3) Organization and Can You Prove It? — Now you’re getting tough with the prospective credit counselor, and you should. Grill that credit counselor to the bone with this one. Why? Why does it matter that the credit counselor’s a 501(c)(3)? Here’s why.
• Are You Accredited? — Almost seems like a no-brainer of a question, but would you like to know exactly what kind of accreditation you should be hearing from a credit counselor? Read about it right here.
• Are You Professionally Trained? — Remember this important fact: you are interviewing the credit counselor. So you’ll make that professional sweat. Ask them the tough questions. Knowing the ins and outs of credit repair and restoration is one thing — being completely certified is a whole ‘nother ballgame entirely.
• Do You Have Any References? — Honestly, a true credit counselor would, and should, lick his or her own lips at this question, frothing at the mouth at the opportunity to show off the praise and positive reviews from prior clients. So go ahead and ask. Specifically, there’s one other big reason why a credit counselor would love to offer up references….
• Can You Guarantee Success? — AHA! Another ‘trick’ question here. The fact is no credit counselor in the galaxy — nay, the universe — can guarantee anything. Here’s why.
• And, of Course, How Much Do You COST? — Shop around and you’ll find the fees jumping left and right. Obviously, go with the most beneficial solution for the consumer to a certain extent, and you’ll learn why right here.

Just Remember, Though: They’re Not Doing the Credit Repair Work For You….

Rather, they’re pointing you in the direction of what you need to do and maybe even assisting in the legal process. There’s value in that, something not only we at ICS do, but other reputable agencies and organizations like ITPN would do on a regular basis, so it does exist.

You just need to make sure you’re actually talking to a real deal, and not a real poser in the business. You accomplish that, of course, by asking these questions. Because, after all, this is your credit report we’re talking about! And your credit score is the difference between getting that job, or landing the home mortgage, or securing an auto loan.

Make sure you’re talking with a real professional.

The post 8 Real Questions to Ask Your Prospective Credit Counselor appeared first on Independent Credit Solutions.

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Why is #creditrepair  so important? Think about it…. What's one thing you need in order to get that home mortgage secured: a GOOD CREDIT SCORE! That's why #realestate  plays a massive role for us at #ICS, whether it's #RTO  or simply standard home ownership. We'll help you get there.

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Is there any wonder why we have such programs like H.O.P.E. to Own? Home ownership, the ultimate goal, the American dream. And it’s not just about the prestige about owning a home; it’s about so much more: The Fact Is This: Owning That Home Actually Benefits Your Taxes Here’s how our budding real estate market, […]

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Talk about killing two birds with one stone: the 529 college savings plan, operating very much like a retirement plan, not only saves up some on the expense for college later on life, but cuts down on your taxes over time. A nice little tax shelter benefiting you in the long run and ensuring your kids get the quality college education they deserve.

But How Does the 529 College Savings Plan Work?

Also known as qualified tuition programs (QTPs), the way contributions work for these types of plans is that it allows you to defer your taxes. All your contributions to these ‘accounts’, if you wish to call them that, are tax-free. It, therefore, means that when it comes time for your budding college student to leave the family nest and venture out into the unknown, you can pull the funds out and not pay any federal tax for the tuition costs, room, and board. Even better is the benefit that you most likely won’t even have to worry about any state tax if the beneficiary, your child going to college, sticks with a university that’s in the same state. Like we said: killing two birds with one stone, education and finances.

This ultimately saves you on the taxes, as a veritable tax shelter, cutting down with these beneficial credits. Plans do vary, so sign up with the Income Tax Planning Network right away and then consult your ITPN specialist to see what your options are. You may have a variety of lifetime contribution limits, some ranging around $200K, so crunch your numbers and see what you’ve got.

Because the Future of Your Child’s Education Ultimately Revolves Around Your Future Finances

Click here for more information about other tax shelters you can take advantage of, plus some information about tax advice when divorcing, or other business tax write-offs you need to know about. Remember: information is power. Planning is power. And here’s where you get a bunch of it.

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Even When #Credit Goes Down, Our #Hope  Continues to Go Up!

Yes, it's really easy to fall off the bandwagon and get way in over your head when it comes to credit and #finances. We don't deny that…. BUT THAT IS WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.

In the midst of all the turmoil we're seeing (#Paris, #Beirut, etc. etc.), one thing's for sure: we can't be distracted. We have to do our jobs. And we're going to do our jobs in repairing your credit, ensuring you'll always get approval for loans — car loans, credit lines, and even a mortgage — without running into brick walls.

Brick walls, be gone.

The post Even When #Credit Goes Down, Our #Hope  Continues to Go Up! Yes, it’s really easy to fall off th… appeared first on Cloud Based Bookkeeping.

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