Want some helpful small business tax advice? Did you know that your Uncle Sam will actually pay you to start a home based business? That’s right, Congress has approved over 100 tax benefits that are available ONLY to home based business owners. These deductions, found in the Federal Tax Code, are 100% legal and 100% audit proof.Before we look at a few of these deductions and how much money this small business tax advice can put in your pocket, let’s look at how much is actually left out of your paycheck. While you know it is not as much as you would like, do you realize how much of your income goes to taxes? When you add up federal, state, country, gas, property, social security, unemployment, etc. the total comes to about 45%. By the time you pay your monthly housing, healthcare, food and transportation costs, you are left with about 20% to pay all others expenses and to enjoy life.Not a pretty picture. Fortunately, you can change that picture with a home based business. I can hear you saying; “I don’t have time for a home business I barely have time for my family and friends now.” And besides, you’re thinking, I certainly don’t have the time or desire to go to meetings or presentations to learn how to start-up and run a home based business. Probably, at one time or another you and your friends have discussed small business ideas that you might pursue.Now’s the time to stop talking and to take action to change your future. Are you on Facebook? Do you have a Twitter account? Do you use Youtube? Ever considered starting a Blog? If you answered yes to one or more of those questions I can show you how to turn these tools into a home business.Aside from the money you will make with a home based business, here are 5 significant tax breaks that can put $300-$500/month in your pocket.1. Home Office Deduction (Renters too; includes a percentage for utilities, maintenance, ins.)2. Business Use of Personal Vehicle ($1 for every 2 miles plus more)3. Hire your children (even as young as 6; big tax savings)4. Healthcare Costs (100% of out-of-pocket costs)5. Business Travel & EntertainmentMore good small business tax advice, there are only two qualifiers to be able to take advantages of the above deductions as well as over 100 others. Here’s what they are:1. Operate your business on a regular and consistent basis (the tax courts have defined this as 3-4 hours a week)2. Have an intent to make a profit.More good news; you can start your home business part-time while you continue with your present position. The Internet has changed the way we communicate, buy things and it can change the way you make the money you need to live the lifestyle you want.To learn more about the tax savings available to home based business owners, click on Resources on the right hand side of the page and watch the 5 minute video by Dr. Ron Mueller, Home Business Tax Law Expert. And, of course, contact me so I can give you further details.By the way, does saving $5,000 a year or more on your taxes appeal to you?How to Save on your Tax with a Home Based Business
If Technology Isn’t the Goal of Education, Then What Is?
I love being an Instructional Technologist, largely because it provides me with such a wide-open field to play in. Education is as broad an industry as it has ever been. And technology is certainly a part of it.
After answering the “what is that?” question, I am usually asked about technology in general, and then its place within education, specifically. People are intrigued by the seeming steady drive toward online or e-learning environments and platforms.
Technology, the Goal of Education?
I am often asked about our school’s new Learning Management System, or why we are interested in moving toward Project-Based Learning. They want to know the how and why of our one-to-one tablet program and when we will be offering hybrid and online courses.
But often people confuse the goal of education with the tools of education.
The goal of education is not:
- Web 2.0 Technologies
- Project-Based Learning
- Blended or Flipped Learning Models
- Online or Hybrid Learning Models
- Smartboards or other Interactive Classroom Technologies and applications
- Mobile computing
Technology and its associated pedagogies simply represent the new tools of education.
But do not make the mistake of thinking these new tools are merely replacements for older outdated tools; like the blackboard and chalk, overhead projectors, and the VHS player. If that were the case, then let’s keep the old tools, they’re cheaper and we already know how to use them.
It is the Learners Who Inherit the Future
No, these new tools are far more than new paint on an old barn; these tools provide the means to transform education. They make it easier than ever for educators to raise the bar on what our students can accomplish. Education should no longer be about memorization, note taking, and multiple choice tests.
The tools have changed largely because our world has changed. The industrial age is over (even if education is just beginning to figure that out). The information age is expanding at an incredible rate. And technology is what allows many of us to keep up. Technology brings knowledge to our finger tips and in often less than a few milliseconds.
One of my favorite quotes is by Eric Hoffer, author of “The Ordeal of Change“, who said, “in a time of rapid change, it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned find themselves in a world that no longer exists.”
Students are Being Asked to Dance to Music Yet Unheard
Our world is changing – as is the world of education. The role of education has always been and should continue to be one of preparation. But the challenge is much greater than it has ever been.
We are in the business of preparing students for jobs that have not yet even been created. We are asking students to dance to music yet unheard. What brings the task within focus and makes the job seem reasonable is technology.
But technology does not equal education. Technology, along with the many new pedagogies associated with it, is the means to the end.
The goal of education, in this age, is to prepare students for a workforce that is already demanding such skills as
- innovation,
- creativity,
- critical analysis,
- collaboration,
- global awareness,
- presentation and communication skills
- and the ability to manage time.
We refer to these as “21st Century Skills.” Teaching these skills, in and along with mastery of content, is the goal of the 21st Century Teacher. Technology simply provides us the tools to do it better.
Effective Marketing Strategies in Product Creation
Marketing includes matters such as pricing and packaging of the product and creation of demand by advertising and sales campaigns. There are other options, of course, like product creation, resale rights marketing, joint ventures and the likes, but they are merely secondary to the above.
If you take the freelance route, it is important to ensure that all rights to profit from the final product, or any materials produced in its making, remain yours. Bookkeeping, physical product creation or delivery of goods can be done better with specialized help. Determining the purpose of the product is vital in niche product creation.
Implementation of Methodology – The choice of implementation of Six Sigma methodology depends on whether development is required on existing processes (DMAIC) or on new process/product design creation (DMADV). Determining what you really want to sell, something that you can be relaxed selling is the first step at the creation of a niche product. With the technological advancements in the hosting industry, from automated control panels and scripts that simplify creation of accounts; to complete turnkey solutions, there is no excessive need to worry about spending time on the actual product sold to the customer.
For instance, you should be prepared to either perform yourself or to subcontract the completion of the following tasks:- Product idea research (are there any existing products or patents already existing for this idea)- Product specification document training (what it will do, how it will look, how will it be powered, and how the user will interface with it)- Marketing study (what it will be named, who would buy this, how much would they pay, how will we get customers to purchase the product)- Schematic or electronic circuit design process- Creation of a bill of material or BOM and an approved vendor’s list or AVL for each component in the design, preferably with multiple sources identified, with a BOM and AVL for each assembly level in the product- Printed circuit board layout design process (single sided board, double sided board, or multilayer board; size of the PCB; board material)- Mechanical packaging design with user interfaces (displays, buttons, switches, key. This removes all product creation costs from your budget as a marketer.
No other database of affiliate programs offers such a possibility for profit on either the affiliate side or the product creation site. Your chosen niche should allow for the creation of more than one product or service.
There are several marketing strategies that are necessary in the creation of a successful e-commerce web site – Email marketing (broadcasting) of prospects/customers – Effective use of auto responders (generate automatic email messages) – Online Newsletter – Online Form / Survey to capture your prospect’s email address – Electronic Product Delivery (if you sold a digital product) – Advertisement (Ad) Tracking – Back End Sales – Affiliate program etc.