The Freditor

2012-01-30T17:35:00.001-08:00

via Gene Marks: CNBC's Phil Simon on 6 things #SmallBiz can learn from the big guys http://ping.fm/WCfyd What about vice versa?

2012-01-30T16:35:00.001-08:00

Everybody loves the Home Office Tax Deduction, right? Not Mitt Romney. And the Wall St. Journal can't make up its mind! http://ping.fm/hILen

2 Views On The Home Office Deduction – From The Same Source!

2012-01-29T13:11:00.001-08:00

Lots of really small businesses – and remote workers – work out of home offices. And many of those folks want to take a tax deduction for that space. It’s one of the most popular tax deductions out there – but it’s also a red flag for the IRS, often triggering dreaded audits.

So what’s a small business to do? Well, if you asked the Wall Street Journal last week, you’d have gotten two very different answers

On January 24^th, the Journal published a helpful collection of Tips To Help You Claim A Home Office Deduction. Author Barbara Weltman lays out the basic rules and concludes with suggestions to talk to your tax adviser (uh, thanks, then why am I reading this?) and keep good records, and a link to the relevant IRS Publication: Business Use of Your Home.

So far so good.

But four days later, on January 28, the Journal warns against taking the deduction in a very different piece on What You Can Learn From Mitt’s Tax Return.In a slick interactive tour of the return, Laura Sanders lauds Mr. Romney for a variety of effective tax-lowering strategies, including Item D:

D. If you have a "Schedule C" business, think twice before claiming a home-office deduction. The Romneys didn't take one on either of two Schedule C forms, which are for business results reported on personal returns. The Romneys used their Schedule C forms for director's fees and speaking fees.

Not only do home-office deductions raise red flags at the IRS, but they can come back to haunt taxpayers when the home is sold: Part of the gain on the home's sale may not be eligible for the $250,000 or $500,000 tax exclusion because taxpayers who took depreciation deductions in prior years have to reduce the exclusion by that amount.

In addition to raising taxes in many cases, this poses a record-keeping problem, Mr. Ochsenschlager says.

To be clear, it seems that the second article is addressing taking a deduction for depreciation on your home office, not other expenses, such as rent (like the Romneys would be renters!)Bottom line: while the home office deduction may be a tempting way to save a few bucks, if the freaking Wall Street Journal can't figure out if it's dangerous, it may not be the best choice for most small businesses. Hell, it’s making me think twice even as I write this sitting in my very own home office.

Does Your Small Business Need An IT Person?

2012-01-29T12:52:00.001-08:00

Technology is incredibly important to many small businesses, yet they often struggle with the expense of hiring a dedicated IT person. And even if they do decide to bite the bullet, a one-or-two person IT staff can’t possibly be experts on every technology issue faced by a typical small business?

It seems that big companies see this problem as a market opportunity. At least according to a recent Wall Street Journal article — Small IT Market Attracts Big Companies — that notes moves by Apple and Best Buy to buy companies dedicated to the market.The article cites IDC research saying “U.S. businesses with less than 500 employees spent roughly $23.5 billion on IT services last year, and are projected to spend $27.2 billion on IT services by 2015.”

That’s a lot of money, but the numbers don't really address how much of that is spent by small businesses (500 employees is more mid-size).

To me, the growth opportunity here comes in small businesses NOT having to invest in these kinds of services, or at least reducing their expenses. Ongoing trends like the consumerization of IT (think iPhones and easy networking) and cloud computing (think Gmail and Salesforce.com) are making it easier than ever for small businesses to handle their own technology needs.

Sure, at some point in a company’s growth cycle, they may need more IT oomph, and then they can look to hire an IT person or hook up with a IT services provider. But in the meantime, I think small businesses should look for every opportunity to leverage technology without having to resort to paying extra for someone to do it for them.

2012-01-28T13:49:00.001-08:00

Does your #SmallBiz need an IT person? The WSJ says it's a market opp for big biz. I say avoid it as long as you can http://ping.fm/VkFg5

2012-01-28T13:11:00.001-08:00

Would you buy glasses in a yurt? NY Times on a pop-store that sells 'em in one in Soho http://ping.fm/zhL1e I love yurts, but... #SmallBiz

Notes From MacWorld/iWorld 2012

2012-01-27T16:37:00.000-08:00

I had a good first impression walking into MacWorld 2012. Unlike the last couple years, it seemed MUCH less like iPhone Case World. Of course, there were still plenty of accessories on the fringes of the show, and I did see this combo iPhone case / bottle opener. Because it really makes sense to spend $20 to turn your $300 smartphone into a $0.39 church key!

I was also pleased to see that the show had a business component: MacIT. But even though vendors throughout the show commented on how Mac use in companies continues to grow, this area was banished to the third floor and seemed relatively sparse and poorly attended.

Imagine what would happen if Apple actually made an effort to meet the needs of business customers and IT departments? Instead of continuing to struggle to force their way into the business world, Macs might be as common in businesses as they have become among consumers!

But most of the show's energy seemed focused on media creation, like this performance by moe.

2012-01-18T09:33:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness had what #SmallBiz can learn from Lady Gaga http://ping.fm/p8lfA Now GigaOm has what you can learn from a crime boss! http://ping.fm/zzgEt

2012-01-18T09:18:00.001-08:00

A good time to sell your business? BizBuySell says more small businesses changed hands in 2011, but mostly flat http://ping.fm/i4YXz #SmallBiz

2012-01-18T09:16:00.001-08:00

WSJ says big banks are lending again. Yay. http://ping.fm/Grgn2 But will #SmallBiz get any of that cash?

2012-01-17T19:22:00.001-08:00

Romney's tax rate is 15%. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/us/politics/facing-pointed-attacks-romney-urges-focus-on-obama.html What's yours? Mine is higher than that...

2012-01-17T12:36:00.001-08:00

I love David Strom's Startup Rules of the Road, especially "keep your recurring costs low" http://ping.fm/vXGPW #SmallBiz

2012-01-17T08:58:00.001-08:00

Check out Springwise's top 10 biz ideas for 2012. My faves? Pothole-detector app and "thermodynamic stones!" http://ping.fm/2HzMb #SmallBiz

2012-01-14T12:37:00.001-08:00

Slate says big businesses innovate better but shouldn't be monopolies http://ping.fm/uWeLw I don't believe they innovate better #SmallBiz

2012-01-13T10:09:00.001-08:00

Ooops, lets try that #SBA story link again: http://ping.fm/negXk

2012-01-13T10:08:00.001-08:00

Obama elevates Small Business Administration to Cabinet level. Why aren't I more excited? http://ping.fm/pNBR9 #SBA #SmallBiz

2012-01-11T12:50:00.001-08:00

What you look at DOES make a difference: 10 inspiring small business office views. http://ping.fm/yTTzI #SmallBiz

2012-01-10T13:24:00.001-08:00

@HarryMcCracken: The Consumer Electronics Show means business, too. Thank the Consumerization Of IT http://ping.fm/8DypQ #CES #AllBusiness

2012-01-10T09:51:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Consumer borrowing surges. Not necessarily good news for small businesses. http://ping.fm/R9Dop #SmallBiz

2012-01-09T13:58:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Ultrabooks to the rescue from Lenovo, Acer, others. Do small businesses care? http://ping.fm/WHBH6 #SmallBiz

2012-01-06T15:00:00.001-08:00

Hiring is picking up. These 5 tips can make sure you don't make an offer to the wrong person http://ping.fm/a4Nxj #SmallBiz

2012-01-06T11:07:00.001-08:00

Study: Parking at first available spot then walking saves time (+ more) over looking for a “better” spot. I knew it! http://ping.fm/gC8eX

2012-01-06T10:55:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Recovery up and unemployment down! Does it look that way to your #SmallBiz? http://ping.fm/rmdis

2012-01-05T13:40:00.001-08:00

10 Radical ways REAL entrepreneurs raised cash in a bad economy. Bet there are a couple you never thought of! http://ping.fm/7lji3 #SmallBiz

2012-01-05T09:08:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Cordray appointment to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is GOOD news for small businesses http://ping.fm/pqMIq #SmallBiz

2012-01-04T14:44:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: #BofA to drop/restructure its risky #SmallBiz loans. Thanks sooooo much! http://ping.fm/Jn3rL

2012-01-03T10:51:00.001-08:00

The Evil HR Lady says "Hire someone you hate." Good advice, but I say "Hire someone, anyone!" http://ping.fm/rmweV #SmallBiz

2012-01-03T09:16:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Consumer confidence keeps rising. So aren't I more confident about the economy? http://ping.fm/GvECQ #SmallBiz

2011-12-30T10:56:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness blogger @MarkStiving covers "price versioning" - something I've been thinking about a lot lately http://ping.fm/CPfeQ #SmallBiz

2011-12-30T10:36:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Flap over Verizon Net-payment fee marks the end of under-the-radar anything. Beware! http://ping.fm/ODC1E #SmallBiz

2011-12-29T11:27:00.001-08:00

@HarryMcCracken lays out what's up for #SmallBiz tech in 2012: Windows 8, the end of XP, the next-gen cloud, and more http://ping.fm/YaRMr

2011-12-29T10:19:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: 2012 optimism abounds - so do new jobless claims. Will this economy ever make sense? http://ping.fm/Igh5x #SmallBiz

2011-12-28T10:21:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Consumer confidence rebounds, recovery still on shaky ground http://ping.fm/PgT1J #SmallBiz

2011-12-27T13:46:00.001-08:00

10 Ways to Win Back Unhappy Customers - hints on what to do if the Holidays didn't go well for your company http://ping.fm/XJ5DY #SmallBiz

2011-12-27T12:19:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Sears/KMart to close >100 stores, less competition but loss of mall anchors may hurt #SmallBiz http://ping.fm/ZASk8

2011-12-23T14:34:00.001-08:00

2012 #SmallBiz Prediction #10: Apple will keep winning the tablet wars, but still won't care much about small business http://ping.fm/gFdSJ

2011-12-23T14:33:00.001-08:00

2012 #SmallBiz Prediction #9: The unemployment rate will drop - SLOWLY - to about 8% - not good enough to save Obama http://www.allbusiness.com/small-business-2012-predictions/16761421-10.html

2011-12-23T14:31:00.003-08:00

2012 #SmallBiz Prediction #8: The Occupy movement will largely move on... http://ping.fm/OXW6R

2011-12-23T14:31:00.001-08:00

2012 #SmallBiz Prediction #7: The Tea Party's influence will become diluted. http://ping.fm/bjq4i

2011-12-23T14:30:00.001-08:00

2012 #SmallBiz Prediction #6: Cloud-computing outages will be big news. Millions of small business outages won't be. http://ping.fm/L0daC

2011-12-23T12:20:00.001-08:00

2012 #SmallBiz Prediction #5: China tries/fails to buy Bank of America. Shoppers still try to save $.15 buying Chinese http://ping.fm/SPWRi

2011-12-23T12:11:00.001-08:00

2012 #SmallBiz Prediction #4: Small business optimism rises, but for a surprising reason http://ping.fm/yf62H

2011-12-23T12:10:00.001-08:00

2012 #SmallBiz Prediction #3: Partisan Supreme Court Crushes Obamacare http://ping.fm/1Ixrp Don't hurt yourself jumping for joy

2011-12-23T12:08:00.001-08:00

2012 #SmallBiz Prediction #2: Dems hold Senate, Repubs keep House, gridlock gets WORSE http://ping.fm/t5mU3 Yes, it can get worse.

2011-12-23T12:06:00.001-08:00

2012 #SmallBiz Prediction #1: Newt wins election, leaves US at Inaugural Alter for younger, prettier country. http://ping.fm/NVUzz

2011-12-23T10:11:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News, Holiday Edition: Consumer confidence up, payroll tax cut extended! http://ping.fm/jj3uY #SmallBiz

2011-12-22T15:24:00.001-08:00

@DuctTape Marketing's John Jantsch has 5 ways to make customers love you! http://ping.fm/13F9b Is love all a #SmallBiz needs?

2011-12-22T13:47:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: GDP growth down + jobless claims down = who knows what? Not a double-dip recession! http://ping.fm/Iamjy #SmallBiz

2011-12-21T11:47:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: House Republicans kill payroll tax cut extension - what now for small businesses? http://ping.fm/6lLyG #SmallBiz

2011-12-20T11:08:00.001-08:00

Business networker extraordinaire Carol Roth shares the 5 secrets to her success. What are you waiting for? http://ping.fm/P8e0o #SmallBiz

2011-12-20T10:22:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Legal battles among mobile companies could affect your small business - here's how http://ping.fm/5GPcB #SmallBiz

2011-12-19T14:32:00.001-08:00

2011 - Small Business Year in Review: immigration battles get even more heated http://ping.fm/lRNA5

2011-12-19T14:08:00.001-08:00

I always heard that people die in 3s: Kim Jong-il, Vaclav Havel, and Warren Hellman (if you don't know him http://ping.fm/HsTwo)

2011-12-19T11:14:00.001-08:00

2011: Small business year in review. 13 things that rocked our world in my first year at AllBusiness http://ping.fm/drkks #SmallBiz

2011-12-19T11:13:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: w/ changes in N. Korea, Iraq, Europe, and Washington, 2012 forecast remains uncertain http://ping.fm/Aw0Ga #SmallBiz

2011-12-16T13:08:00.001-08:00

@Rieva Lesonsky shares her Favorite Things for small businesses, from inspirations to tech tools http://ping.fm/tmLlZ #SmallBiz

2011-12-16T11:08:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: New incentives for businesses to hire veterans. What are you waiting for? http://ping.fm/CCbrx #SmallBiz

2011-12-16T10:27:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: What does NTSB's call to ban cellphones while driving mean to your small business? http://ping.fm/cPGZE #SmallBiz

2011-12-15T09:53:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: DC Gridlock can't stop recovery - unemployment, trade deficit, inflation all down! http://ping.fm/xGiyA #SmallBiz

2011-12-14T13:26:00.001-08:00

Introducing the new AllBusiness Holiday Center: everything a #SmallBiz needs to maximize the Holiday Season http://ping.fm/Eqbii

2011-12-14T13:10:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Payroll-tax cut extension still blowing in the breeze. Will it affect holiday shopping? http://ping.fm/qAS1o #SmallBiz

2011-12-13T11:02:00.001-08:00

@RealEvilHRLady: The Evil HR Lady says it's time for the boss to give HERSELF a performance review! Lookout! http://ping.fm/ZRAyw #SmallBiz

2011-12-13T09:07:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Congress moves to boost/ extend 2 small-business tech funding programs (SBIR and STTR) http://ping.fm/g10My #SmallBiz

2011-12-12T15:33:00.001-08:00

My new favorite phrase of the day: "Flash Robs" http://ping.fm/96KaB #SmallBiz

2011-12-12T10:41:00.001-08:00

Your employees have worked hard all year, so how do you thank them? Try one of these 10 great gift ideas! http://ping.fm/lW5nW #SmallBiz

2011-12-12T10:30:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: What the Eurozone crisis means for US small business- danger but also opportunity http://ping.fm/mqnuC #SmallBiz

2011-12-09T14:25:00.001-08:00

@DuctTape Marketing's John Jantsch has 6 steps to turn your small business' staff into an HR Referral Machine http://ping.fm/qoMoT #SmallBiz

2011-12-09T11:36:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: GOP says payroll tax cut / income tax surcharge plan would hurt small business. Huh? http://ping.fm/6MtLT #Small Biz

2011-12-08T16:22:00.001-08:00

I hate buying gifts: always worried I'm getting the wrong thing. So I love these 10 great gifts for clients http://ping.fm/L8JLY #SmallBiz

2011-12-08T16:20:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: White House unveils $2B assistance program for startups http://ping.fm/lB7dx Yeah, I won't get any of it either

2011-12-07T11:04:00.001-08:00

2012 AllBusiness Franchise AllStars are here! Take a peek insides franchising's scary "new normal" http://ping.fm/RSIjS #Franchise #SmallBiz

2011-12-07T11:00:00.001-08:00

2012 AllBusiness #Franchise AllStars are here! Meet the Top 100 franchises to invest in now. Is yours on the list? http://ping.fm/lXgKA

2011-12-07T10:37:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Did U know Amazon is paying customers to "spy" on #SmallBiz? Price Check promo starts Saturday http://ping.fm/jetLh

2011-12-06T09:27:00.001-08:00

Startup Tips from CNET's Rafe Needleman: First 10 people you hire set your company's DNA http://ping.fm/hB86K #SmallBiz

2011-12-06T09:25:00.001-08:00

Cellular News says companies moving to ditch desk phones and go all mobile faster than expected. It's about time. http://ping.fm/ptPrL

2011-12-06T09:24:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Postal Service cuts threaten pain for many small businesses http://ping.fm/wRkXR #SmallBiz

2011-12-05T13:00:00.001-08:00

Credit in America: 20 Surprising Facts #17 - Credit cards are most common small business financing choice http://ping.fm/aWPb0 #SmallBiz

2011-12-05T12:58:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Early Holiday Retail Numbers = boom or bust? Depends on who you ask! http://ping.fm/xcg5J #SmallBiz

2011-12-02T12:29:00.001-08:00

@Rieva Lesonsky offers some big ideas for teaching entrepreneurship - and why it's so important http://ping.fm/DzxcC #SmallBiz

2011-12-02T12:27:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: US adds 120K jobs, unemployment drops to 8.6% = Yippee! Are we out of the woods yet? http://www.allbusiness.com/allbusiness-daily-news/16741893-1.html #SmallBiz

2011-12-01T10:09:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Online sales tax proposal gets hearing, support. Is it good or bad for most small businesses? http://ping.fm/6XQub #SmallBiz

2011-11-30T15:12:00.001-08:00

Contributing to your community isn't just doing good, it's also good business. Here's how... http://ping.fm/rZacd #SmallBiz

2011-11-30T15:10:00.001-08:00

Even for small businesses, the Holidays should be about giving, not getting. Here are 11 ways to give back http://ping.fm/xA92m #SmallBiz

2011-11-30T09:50:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: House OKs More Green Cards for Skilled Workers -- immigrant-hiring concerns continue http://ping.fm/17W9V #SmallBiz

2011-11-29T13:53:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Does American Airlines bankruptcy affect small business? Probably not, for now. http://ping.fm/D0yzM #SmallBiz

2011-11-29T11:28:00.001-08:00

Is Apple - finally - serious about the #SmallBiz market? @HarryMcCracken says "Yes!" http://ping.fm/WHTpy I'm still not so sure.

2011-11-29T10:53:00.001-08:00

Need a small business loan fast? If the amount is relatively small, a credit union may be your best bet. http://ping.fm/X1pWx #SmallBiz

2011-11-29T10:40:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Facebook IPO could be Net's biggest - offers lessons to ALL bizzes seeking funding http://ping.fm/L4PbE #SmallBiz

2011-11-28T09:47:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Black Friday sets records, Cyber Monday expected to do the same http://ping.fm/Z9As9 #SmallBiz

2011-11-23T14:38:00.001-08:00

8 Things Small Businesses Can Be Thankful For: #8: Being a part of the local community. http://ping.fm/eA91Q #SmallBiz #Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T14:37:00.001-08:00

8 Things Small Businesses Can Be Thankful For: #7: You are master of your domain. http://ping.fm/73kFv #SmallBiz #Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T13:10:00.001-08:00

8 Things Small Businesses Can Be Thankful For: #6: Hiring talented workers is easier than ever http://ping.fm/PwcLn #SmallBiz #Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T13:09:00.001-08:00

8 Things Small Businesses Can Be Thankful For: #5: Free business tools! http://ping.fm/J2OjL #SmallBiz #Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T12:51:00.001-08:00

8 Things Small Businesses Can Be Thankful For: #4: You CAN get a loan. http://ping.fm/tYRo1 #SmallBiz #Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T12:49:00.001-08:00

8 Things Small Businesses Can Be Thankful For: #3 We're 1 year farther away from the Great Recession http://ping.fm/Q0OAH #SmallBiz

2011-11-23T12:31:00.001-08:00

AllBusiness Daily News: Postal Service delivers higher rates. Is there an upside? Not really. http://ping.fm/oe9Cl #SmallBiz #USPS

2011-11-23T11:43:00.001-08:00

8 Things Small Businesses Can Be Thankful For: #2 It can be a family affair http://ping.fm/tYRo1 #SmallBiz #Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T11:42:00.001-08:00

8 things small businesses can be thankful for: #1 You're the Boss! http://ping.fm/PfDvd #SmallBiz #Thanksgiving

2011-11-22T13:03:00.001-08:00

Create your own online Buzz Machine! @DuctTape Marketing's John Jantsch shows you how! http://ping.fm/67kOv #SmallBiz

2011-11-22T11:33:00.001-08:00

NPR on the demise of "ear X-Tacy" a venerable Louisville record shop. Cause of death: The economy? Or MP3s? http://ping.fm/wjwLc #SmallBiz