It’s a real drain on a business when you can’t get clients to pay. It’s ideal when you can take matters into your own hands and see results, but when you’ve tried everything else, sometimes you need to hire a collection agency. A collection agency is helpful if you haven’t been able to successfully contact the debtor on your own, if several debts have been difficult to collect or if a debt is too big to
The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a ruling that is likely to make it harder for the public to access confidential business records. The court ruled on a longtime exemption under the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), known as Exemption 4, which allows the government to withhold “trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person [that is] privileged or confidential.” While federal law doesn’t define the term “confidential,” courts have regularly said
Suits claiming that business websites and/or mobile apps aren’t fully accessible to people with disabilities are increasing rapidly. In 2019, a quarter of such suits were brought against companies that had already been sued under the same cause of action. The suits were brought under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. The key to protecting your business from such lawsuits is to ensure that your website complies with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0. In a recent
The Lanham Act, a federal law that prohibits scandalous and immoral trademarks is unconstitutional, according to a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. Registering a trademark has its benefits. Someone who owns an registered trademark can use it in commerce and enforce it. Registering a trademark provides “constructive notice of the registrant’s claim of ownership,” thereby protecting the owner against certain defenses if a patent infringement action arises. With a registered trademark, the owner has constructive
Student loan debt is a hot topic and for good reason. Managing the burden that comes during repayment is very difficult. Fortunately, there are ways to get some relief while taking advantage of timely tax breaks at the same time. Here are four ways to help lessen the strain of repaying your student loans. Deduct your student loan interest. The IRS allows you to deduct up to $2,500 in student loan interest payments on your tax
Are you one of the now 33% of Americans who work as either an independent contractor or freelancer? If you answered yes, you are now a participant in the gig economy, a modern term for an economy characterized by workers who earn money through short-term contracts or freelance work. Succeeding as an independent contractor can be challenging because it requires understanding a different set key success factors than being a full-time employee. Here are some tips
The pros and cons of renting versus buying For many folks, the lyrics of a 1960s rock song summarize the American dream: “Our house is a very, very, very fine house.” According to U.S. Census figures, about two-thirds of American families are homeowners. But buying a house or condo may not be the best choice for every family in every situation. Renting offers the following advantages: Greater flexibility. When renting a house, apartment, or condo, you
Here’s how to minimize your risk What better place for online thieves to target than a database that contains 300 million+ Social Security numbers and a treasure trove of financial information? The IRS has 52 Internet applications to help U.S. citizens comply with their tax obligations. But these online portals, which collect, process and store large amounts of personal information and tax data, are also a potential gateway for online criminals and identity thieves. While the
This month: March 16 – Due date for partnership and S corporation tax returns (Forms 1065, 1120S)
It’s easy to get inundated with documents during tax season. You can receive documents from many different organizations, including employers, financial institutions and others. Many documents are now also being sent via e-mail, which increases the likelihood it could get lost in your inbox. As tax season is quickly approaching, here are some of the documents to be on the lookout for: W-2s While W-2s are the most widespread and well-known tax form, it can be
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