Building a Lucrative Business So You Can Quit Your Day Job

If you are a tax preparer, this is the most lucrative time of year for you. Within the next few months you’ll probably make more money preparing taxes than you do year-round. Whether you do this on the side or work for yourself full-time as a tax professional, chances are you’d be interested in ways you can continue to generate a significant income, even after tax season ends.

Do you want to earn this kind of money year round? Do you have customers that you know would do more business with you if you could just figure out how to provide additional services for them? Do you yearn to build your business out and upward in the same type of work you are doing now?

Small Business Accounting, a Sure Profession

Chances are you make good money this time of year. Unfortunately, your client base probably peters out come May. That still leaves you with more than half a year to fill, and we’re guessing you’d like to fill it with lucrative projects.

Every small business must perform accounting tasks in order to survive. Unfortunately, more than half of them fail due to poor financial management. And because there are so many small businesses, more and more everyday, being a small business accountant is a lucrative profession.

UAC: the Small Business Accounting Experts

Alf Bostrum, founder of Universal Accounting Center, spent more than a decade of his life saving small businesses from financial failure. In that time he realized that the majority of accountants are not trained in small business accounting. With this knowledge, and years of experience, he started UAC in hopes of teaching accounting professionals small business accounting and a method for marketing these services. Since 1979, for more than 25 years, UAC has trained countless individuals to become successful small business accountants. They’ve also taught them how to generate a substantial client base so that their small business can thrive.

The Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program

You can spend years in a university environment and never learn the practical application of accounting principles as they relate to the small business. That’s years of seat time and tuition costs that will not sufficiently prepare you for the more than 85% of accounting opportunities that reside in the small business sector. Wouldn’t it be nice to find a program you could complete in less than a year, on your own, at your own pace?

UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program can be completed in less than 60 hours. But those 60 hours are packed with practice in the true application of accounting principles. You won’t have to listen to hours of useless lecturing; you’ll be given valuable worksheets where you will complete real-life accounting tasks. And at the end of your training you’ll be able to earn a professional designation, proof to clients and potential clients of your newly-earned expertise.

Look into providing that invaluable service of year round tax and accounting advice to those with whom you have been doing business as a tax preparer. Expand the great working relationship you have established each tax season and become a year-round asset. Gain the training that will add that essential component to growing your business by enrolling in the Professional Bookkeeper Program today!

All the tools at my fingertips to make $100 per hour… and I don’t need a college degree?

That’s right. An exciting and rewarding career as a Professional Tax Preparer could be the perfect way to create the kind of lifestyle that you are looking for. There are several advantages of owning your own Tax Preparation Service and not the least of these is an ability to earn an incredible income.

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons you should consider this lucrative occupation.

Earn a Better Income

If you’re like most people, you’ve spent a good deal of your life working for someone else and putting money into their pocket. Wouldn’t it be nice to earn the same type of income your boss does? Would you like to do better than that? With a career in Professional Tax Preparation, you can. With the right training, you’ll be able to bill $100 per hour or more for your services.

Be Your Own Boss

Working for yourself can be one of the most rewarding things you can do. You’re in a position to provide for yourself the type of lifestyle you and your family deserve.

Stable Income

Owning your own business can provide a stable income? I thought it was just the opposite.

It sure can. If you plan and use a proven strategy for success, you will be able to create a very stable income and lifestyle.

In years past, you could work in a big corporation and find all the security of lifelong employment, but those days are over. Because of corporate restructuring, layoffs, downsizing, and countless other reasons, many people have found that the career choice they thought would lead them to a secure future didn’t. But don’t despair; you can experience that security by being in business for yourself. You just need to make the right choices.

Lewis Schiff, the “Armchair Millionaire” featured each week on CNN Money says, “There’s financial security to be found in nearly any employment situation–if you know how to build it. You’ll have to work … for that security when you’re self-employed, but the personal and financial rewards can make it well worth while.” We can all agree that the last person fired when a company fails is the owner.

Tax Benefits

When you own your own business there are a few perks that employees don’t get to enjoy. There are many things that you can either partially or completely write off as tax deductions. Your car, your home office, your computer and your office supplies to name just a few.

A Tax Preparation business is the perfect addition to a Bookkeeping service!

Adding a Tax Preparation business to a Bookkeeping service is just like adding Hot Fudge to Vanilla ice cream. It’s a perfect combination. By adding Tax services to your Bookkeeping services you are in a position to offer an even greater level of service to your clients. There isn’t any other person who has the day-to-day experience with your client’s financial situation that you do.

Nobody is better qualified to offer your clients the year-round tax planning advice and guidance that you will be able to offer them. And you will be able to positively affect their bottom-line profits as you help them make well-informed decisions and how they impact their tax particular tax situation. And that’s not all, your clients will see more and more value in your services and advice; and be willing to pay for that value.

Why should I learn Tax Preparation for Universal Accounting?

That’s easy. We’ve been teaching Tax Preparation and Bookkeeping since 1979. With thousands of our graduates in successful careers as Accountants and Tax Preparers we will provide you with all the “nuts-and-bolts” of Tax Preparation. You will be prepared to offer your clients the finest tax advice that they will be able to find anywhere.

Not only that, but you’ll learn tax preparation by hands-on learning. Unlike many courses out there, you won’t just learn tax theory… you’ll prepare over 30 different types of tax returns. I haven’t found a more complete program anywhere.

You’ll learn how to prepare personal as well as business returns. Most courses offer instruction on either one or the other.

Our distance learning course includes DVD instruction, work-books, coaching and support, as well as on-line evaluation to ensure that once you’ve completed the course you’re ready. Universal Accounting is the only organization authorized to award the Professional Tax Preparer certification. This is an exclusive designation that demonstrates that you are proficient in personal and small-business Tax Preparation.

Now is the time. Universal is the Place.

Now really is the time to reward yourself for your efforts and begin. Your career in Professional Tax Preparation is just a few mouse clicks away and if you act now, I’d like to offer you the Professional Tax Preparer course.

I’d like to start my career in Professional Tax Preparation. Show me how.

According to William G. Gale of the Tax Policy Center, more and more people every year have a professional prepare their taxes.

Just look at what Char De Coster, of The Home Improvement Web, has to say about it.

“Each year, federal income taxes increase in size and difficulty. Each year tax software packages get better, but even using software programs require time. Plus, the outcome is directly related to information being entered correctly by the taxpayer. To save you from stress, the services of a paid professional may be something to consider this year.”

We’ve heard it said before, “There are only two constants in this life. Death and Taxes.” Fortunately, you can profit from one of them. While many industries come and go, you can know that not only will qualified Tax Professionals be needed today, but as long as people need to pay taxes, and tax laws continue to become even more complicated than they are now, they will not only be needed… but wanted for their skills.

If you’ve ever thought of making a change in your life… now is the time.

I know there are many opportunities out there, but there are lots of advantages to a owning your own Tax Preparation business and I’d like to spend a few moments with you to discuss them. If a recession-proof business and the opportunity to make $100 an hour or more appeals to you, read on.

Millions of Americans pay professionals to prepare and file their taxes. Will you be ready to take advantage of this trend?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, despite plans to streamline the tax system almost every year, taxes always seem to become more and more complicated. People and businesses will continue to need help. They predict that there will be plenty of opportunities for tax preparers nationally for the foreseeable future.

$2,473,298,000,000.00 is an interesting number. It’s a number that most of us aren’t very familiar with. It’s the projected budget for 2006. The graph at left illustrates where the revenue to support that budget comes from. It’s interesting to note that 43.5%, by far the biggest chunk comes from individual income taxes.

This is a great opportunity for you. In fact, the US Department of Labor predicts that as the economy grows, the number of business will increase, requiring more accountants/bookkeepers to prepare taxes, set up books, and provide management advice. As these businesses grow, the volume and complexity of information developed by these professionals regarding costs, expenditures, and taxes will increase as well.

They go on to say that the increased need for qualified tax preparers and accountants will rise from changes in legislation related to taxes, financial reporting standards, business investments, mergers, and other financial matters.

Wanted! Professional Tax Preparers!

There are several advantages to owning your own Tax Preparation Business and not the least of these is the ability to earn an incredible income! Let’s take a look at some of the reasons that you should consider this lucrative business.

• You will earn a better income. If you’re like most people, you’ve spent a good deal of your life working for someone else and putting money into their pocket. Wouldn’t it be nice to earn the same type of income your boss does? Would you like to do better than that? With a career in Professional Tax Preparation, you can. With the right training, you’ll be able to bill $100 per hour or more for your services.

• You will be your own boss. Working for yourself can be one of the most rewarding things you can do. You’re in a position to provide for yourself and your family the type of lifestyle you deserve.

• You will create a stable income. You might be thinking, “Owning my own business can provide a stable income?” “I thought it was just the opposite.”

Let me assure you…it sure can. If you plan and use a proven strategy for success, you will be able to create a very stable income and a very comfortable lifestyle.

In years past, you could work in a big corporation and find all the security of lifelong employment, but those days are over. Because of corporate restructuring, layoffs, downsizing, and countless other reasons, many people have found that the career choice they thought would lead them to a secure future didn’t.

But don’t despair; you can experience that security by being in business for yourself. You just need to make the right choices.

• You can enjoy increased tax benefits. When you own your own business there are a few perks that the average employee doesn’t get to enjoy. There are many things that you can either partially or completely write off as tax deductions. Your car, your home office, your computer and your office supplies to name just a few.

I don’t have any experience in taxes… can I really start a Tax Preparation business?

Absolutely. There is no question in my mind. Thousands of people just like you are finding the interesting and rewarding business of Professional Tax Preparation is the perfect business for them.

Many of these folks are people just like you and me, people without a background in Tax Preparation, but with the right education, they are finding their Tax Preparation Business to be one of the most rewarding things they have ever done.

“That’s all fine and good, but how can I know for sure?”

The first step is to evaluate your own strengths and weaknesses. If you follow the link below, I’ve included a short questionnaire that might help you determine for yourself if a Tax Preparation business is right for you.

I’d Like to See if a Tax Preparation Business is Right for Me.

If you’d like to learn more about starting a Professional Tax Preparation Business, just click on the link below and you’ll find all the information you’ll need to create a profitable and beneficial Tax Preparation business.

Okay… Show Me How to Start a Tax Preparation Business.

If It’s Accounting, It’s Universal:

Get to Know More About the Company That Will Change Your Career!

Universal Accounting is a company that is making a difference in the lives of their students! For those who are pursuing or looking into the possibilities of pursuing a career path into the Accounting, Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation services, you need to get to know more about what all Universal offers in their comprehensive training programs.

If you prefer onsite classroom study or looking for the benefits received on independent study, we have developed the programs that you will be able to get the one-on-one experience in your own home. The skills we have used over the course of the last 28 years, with the trial and error, the fine-tuning of accounting methods and strategies, and what we and thousands more have experienced running their own practices - we have provided to you the advantage to stay on top of your profession. Our coursework is designed to be exactly what you will be doing when you are servicing the biggest customer base available, the small business owner.

If you are looking for the knowledge, the skills, and the know-how to start or build your accounting or tax practice, or just looking to gain the essential skills to further your career in your place of business, Universal’s Programs are what you are going to need.

Click here to take the Video Tour of Universal and all that we offer to you, the accounting and tax professional to be the best in your field and to have the success in business and in your professional life that you are seeking.Our exclusive short term courses do just that!

Imagine staying on top of the latest in the industry and having access to the experts who can assist you through training? Imagine what you are learning can be applied the very next day at work? Imagine being able to keep the materials, and the reading for continued referencing as you take that path in Accounting, Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation? You don’t have to imagine too hard, because that is one of the many things you receive when you enroll in these specialized programs! Click here to get to know Universal Accounting.

Are You Ready For The Next Step?
Be in business for yourself, but not by yourself getting paid what you’re worth! Are you tired of thinking, “Why not me?” You have gotten this far in your search to do what you want to in your chosen career, take the next step. The time is now to be able to get the training and the change you desire in your professional life. Click here to find out if Professional Tax Preparation Certification is a fit for you.

Be the Profit Expert Professional for Small Business! Don’t hesitate another day in getting the Accounting and Marketing Training that makes the difference. Click here to get more information on what you need to know about becoming the Profit Center Expert for small business accounting and tax!

“60% of college graduates are moving back in with mom and dad within the first 12 months of graduation because they can’t find a job in their field.” I heard this interesting statistic the other day as I drove into the office. I wish I could remember the source, but it caused me to stop and think for a minute.

A college degree doesn’t guarantee financial security like it once did. Whether you have a college or university education or not, what I heard on the radio is very consistent with a survey taken by the folks at Universal Accounting Center earlier this year. This survey includes people who have a formal education and those who don’t.

100 graduates of the Professional Bookkeepers Program or Professional Tax Preparers Program surveyed 12 months after graduation:

74% were working in the accounting or tax field, had been promoted to a management position, or owned their own accounting or tax preparation practice.

The “right” investment in yourself will create the income and lifestyle that you and your family deserve.

Tax preparation has really evolved over the years. Today, a Professional Tax Preparer is armed with more than just a scratch-pad and a pencil. As the tax code increases in complexity the need for specially trained and qualified Tax Preparers becomes more and more apparent.

As a result, your education should take advantage of and reflect the impact that new technology has had on the industry and the profession.

5 Things Every Good Tax Preparation Education Must Have

1. Classroom or Distance Learning.
At first glance, many would consider a classroom setting the most effective environment to learn in. For most of us, demands on our time require that school work around our lives, not the other way around.

Have you ever tried to “rewind” a classroom lecture when you don’t understand a concept? Of course, you can sometimes ask questions, but with so many students in one class, often there just isn’t time to get to every question. Besides, we are often nervous to ask what others might think are “dumb” questions.

Wouldn’t’t it be nice to be able to “rewind” and “review” topics to improve your confidence that you had a thorough understanding? DVD-based training makes that possible at a level that can’t be duplicated in a classroom.

What if you miss a class because it doesn’t work with your schedule, can you make it up? Or do you fall behind? Unfortunately most classroom courses don’t offer make-up classes for students who have conflicts. You’re either there… or you’re not.

When considering a distance learning program, a combination of video (DVD or VHS) and written material provides the most effective combination which not only replicates, but improves upon the classroom experience. Believe it or not, most distance learning programs out there that teach Tax Preparation provide you with a written textbook. And that’s it.

2. Is a complete education important to you?
To succeed it must be. Many programs available only teach you one aspect of tax preparation, and the least profitable one at that. You’ll typically learn about how the tax code affects individuals. But what about business taxes, where the real money is? A Tax Preparation education that only teaches you about half of the system, is only half of an education. Admittedly, there are a few programs that offer, for an additional fee, further education in business taxes, but it’s not their specialty.

In looking for the “right” education, you need to get it from someone that will teach you mastery of personal taxes, and knows business taxes inside-and-out. Because, that’s what you’ll need to start your own Professional Tax Preparation business. CPA’s focus on business taxes. Why? Because that’s where the money is.

3. Learn by doing
Most Tax Preparation training materials focus on tax theory. Often, the difference between having some understanding and really mastering, is in the doing. There is no better way to understand what it’s all about to prepare taxes than by hands-on learning.

I wouldn’t trust a doctor or surgeon who’s only experience came from reading a book or two …would you?

By preparing sample returns, learning how to prepare taxes becomes much like learning how to ride a bike. It will not only become easier, but it will become automatic. The “right” education will include more than just “tax theory”.

4. Who will answer my questions?
With the best Video or Textbook training, there will still be questions. Will your Distance Learning course provide a way for those questions to be answered?

1. • Is there telephone support?
   • Is there e-mail support?

After your coursework is completed and your working with clients, will they still support you? When you have questions, will they leave you to find the answers for yourself? We won’t.

The “right” education will not only answer your questions via phone or e-mail while you’re taking the course, but provides the advice of qualified tax professionals to advise you through your first year as a Professional Tax Preparer. Even after you finish the course, your school should be there to support you so that you’re never left alone.

5. Is your education guaranteed?
When you attend a college, university or trade school, what guarantee do they provide that the training you receive will increase your income or create the lifestyle that you want? None.

The “perfect” education will provide a guarantee that the information and instruction that you receive will create the kind of income and lifestyle that you are looking for.

The “right” education will include a guarantee. Something that says, “We stand behind what we do, what we teach, and what your education will mean.”

“Education is learning what you didn’t know you didn’t even know.”
-Daniel J. Boorstin

With the “right” information you can choose the “right” education. If you’d like to learn more about what it takes to become a Professional Tax Preparer or what’s involved in choosing the perfect tax preparation education, you’re only a couple mouse clicks away. Just follow the link below and find out what’s available for you in the exciting and rewarding business of Professional Tax Preparation.

I want to learn more about a career in Professional Tax Preparation.

Painless Accounting: Increase Your Services and Your Bottom Line

Here’s a quick quiz for you.

1. Would you like to grow your business?
2. Would you like to work smarter and beat the competition?
3. Would you like to make more money?
4. Would you like to make a difference?
5. And would you like to do it all in less time?

If you answered “yes” to one or more of the above questions, than you would probably be interested in becoming a certified Professional Bookkeeper.

If you’re not quite sure yet, here’s another quiz.

1. Would you like the training to be convenient?
2. Would you like to learn at your own pace?
3. Would you like to avoid complicated math and confusing lingo?
4. Would you like to work with the small business, which provides over 85% of accounting opportunities?
5. And would you like to do it all without spending 4 years at a university?

Again, if you answered “yes” to those questions, than don’t wait another day to change your career and your life!

Small Businesses Are Looking for a Few Good Accountants
Over 85% of the opportunities in the accounting field are within small businesses. Universities prepare their students for corporate accounting which doesn’t address small business needs. More than 50% of small businesses fail, and much of that failure can be attributed to lack of accounting expertise. Imagine contributing to the success of small business, which will build your own community while providing you with job satisfaction and security. Why can’t that be you and how would you go about it?

UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program Has the Answer
At Universal Accounting, we understand the needs of the small business like nobody else. We’ve helped people like you advance their career in small business accounting for over 25 years. With a curriculum designed specifically to address the needs of small businesses, Universal Accounting offers the most complete small business accounting course anywhere. And depending on your schedule and situation, it could only take you 60 hours to complete. That’s about 4 weeks. Just think of it, you working for your financial stability and the lifestyle you have set for yourself in as little as 4 weeks!

Endless Opportunities
The Professional Bookkeeper Program will enable you to advance in your current job. Even non-accounting positions can be enhanced with accounting knowledge; this designation alone could impress your boss and earn a promotion. Or maybe you’d like to expand your tax practice by adding accounting services to your menu. This one program can open doors you might not have known existed.

In an informal poll taken by the success coaches here at Universal Accounting, we contacted 100 graduates of our Professional Bookkeeper Program 12 months after their graduation. 74% are now working in the accounting field, have been promoted to a management position or own their own accounting business.

Success Stories
But don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what our students have to say about the program.

When I started this class I knew nothing about accounting. Wow, what a difference 4 weeks can make! My advice, Just Do It. You never know what you can do until you do it. I know you’ve heard it before, but in 10 years do you want to be where you are now? I don’t. That’s why I’m here doing this.
-Dennis Keener

I have the videos and will watch them over and over. This support sets Universal Accounting Center apart from the other institutions. The material presented by Universal Accounting Center is what I have searched for all my life. I know from years of educational experience that no finer information exists and no one puts this material together better than Universal Accounting!
-Benjamin York

I have been very impressed by how much we have learned in such a short time. I had no experience in any accounting but I was still able to complete this course. I would recommend this class to anyone that is interested in accounting.
-Marianne Johansen

Hundreds have found success in the Professional Bookkeeper Program. Won’t you join them?

Universal’s Distance Learning PB Program
An explanation of Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper Program is available on VHS or DVD to provide you with the flexibility and convenience necessary in today’s hectic world. While some students breeze through the program in a matter of weeks, others take their time in order to work the training around their busy lives.

Maybe you have been thinking about this for a while, to getting your PB Certification, take advantage of the opportunity right now. Learn how if you order your copy today, you can get all the modules for only $1485 paid in full! Consider how much a university education might cost. Here is a quick breakdown of typical expenses.

There is no comparison on cost - $33,000 verses $1485 of the Professional Bookkeeper Program! The PB Program wins hands-down. And because our course will take about 4 weeks, rather than 4 years, you can also cut out the cost of lost career opportunities, since you can get working right away. Even a conservative estimate of $2,000/month of wage x 47 months (4 years minus the month that our training takes) comes to $94,000 in lost wages. Add that to the $33,000 in costs associated with a college accounting program and we come to a grand total of $127,000 - the REAL COST of university training!

$1485 is only a mere fraction of the cost of a university education and the Professional Bookkeeper Program will help you take advantage of 85% of accounting opportunities. And if you can’t afford the $1485 right now, click here to learn about our financing. Don’t let anything hold you back from the success you both want and deserve.

Visit Universal Accounting Center today to begin increasing your services and your bottom line!

Are You Where You Want to Be?

Another tax season has come and again you are not where you want to be. For awhile you’ve been thinking you could really “clean up” if you just had the right training and marketing know-how to get your tax preparation business off the ground. You know you have the aptitude; you’ve been doing your friends and family’s taxes for years. Every time you get a chance you read up on the latest tax code changes. Perhaps you even subscribe to IRS Alerts from the latest edition on MSN Money. Doing taxes professionally would be easy for you.

So how can you make this happen? How can you get yourself into the position where you can make your current yearly salary in the first 4 months of the year? How can you become a Professional Tax Preparer?

Perhaps you’ve looked into signing up with the biggest tax prep chains. A couple even looked good, that is, if you like signing your life away for the next two years. And you know that something wouldn’t sit right knowing you’re making them hundreds of dollars with you only seeing $8.50 an hour. The training they provide seems ok, but when you look into it more deeply, you realize their training isn’t complete and would not enable you to work independently later. There has to be something better!

Maybe you’ve even considered opening your own tax preparation franchise. However, the cost of buying into the franchise, with the initial fees, monthly payments and royalties required, makes it difficult to become profitable. It isn’t worth the expense for the mere HOPE that you could recoup the tens of thousands you would have to shell out for name recognition alone. And all that while paying some steep monthly overhead for office space and furniture. There has to be a better way, right?

Complete and Affordable Tax Certification

Universal Accounting has thought the same thing. Since 1979 Universal Accounting Center has been showing businesses how to become more profitable. In his book, In the Black, Allen Bostrom, President and CEO of Universal, details the formula one would use to see their business succeed. And it’s upon those sound and solid principles that Universal has built the Professional Tax Preparation Certification.

There is a better way to do business, and it’s having a business of your own! Universal Accounting has helped over 30,000 other accounting, bookkeeping and tax professionals get the training they need to be successful with their own practices. You could be the next. Don’t let another year pass without you being in the driver’s seat of your career! You can get the hands-on training and marketing know-how while keeping costs low as you work from your home office. Universal knows a better way to making your career change profitable and successful.

Are you ready to take that next step? You have gotten this far in your search to do what you want in your chosen career, take the next step. The time is now to be able to get the training and the change you desire in your professional life. Enroll today!

Serving You with Our Free Newsletters

We enjoy sending you information that we hope improves your work as a tax preparer. Our three newsletters, AB Tips, Tax Tips, and Career Tips, are intended to help professionals like you advance in whatever their current position in the financial field. The AB Tips Newsletter is designed to share accounting and bookkeeping tips with subscribers. Intended for individuals with their own accounting practice or for those who would like to start their own practice, we specifically include tips on how to market your services, how to streamline tasks, how to organize your office space, etc. Our Tax Tips Newsletter is for tax preparers or those interested in tax preparation. We provide tax news, information on starting your own business, tips on building your clientele, etc. And finally, we have our Career Tips newsletter, for those who work or would like to work in the accounting field. In this newsletter we include information on getting the right job, advancing in your field, moving into management positions, etc.

As we learn more about your needs, we alter our approach in order to better serve you. We’re adding a few things to the newsletter that we hope you enjoy. Here’s a breakdown of what’s included and how we hope it helps you.

Two articles

Since we began running our free ezines over two years ago, we have included two articles every issue that offer accounting and tax information, tips on running and marketing a small business, career guidelines and promotional pieces. The newsletters provide us with the opportunity to share our products and services with those we believe they best serve. Universal’s programs are top of the line and life-changing; we promote them because we know they help people like you achieve career goals and realize your business dreams.

We also use the newsletter as an opportunity to expose you to our many free resources, including personalized information from our President and CEO, Allen Bostrom in Allen’s Blog, UAC’s accounting and tax forums, the newsletters, and the Universal video tour.

Recently we’ve responded to requests for purely informational pieces as well. Last summer we asked newsletter subscribers to tell us what you wanted to read about. For the past six months we’ve tried to include articles on all suggested topics. Each newsletter contains one, if not two, informational pieces. We continue to welcome your feedback as we write articles intended to help you improve your financial services. Please visit our forums for a chance to give us feedback on past articles and suggestions for future articles.

Press Releases and New Products

We want you to be in the know about everything Universal, so we include all press releases, enrollment offers, and information about new products in our newsletters. From our new interactive testing center to our customized Professional Bookkeeper Program for Canadian residents, we want you to be the first to know what’s happening at Universal Accounting Center.

Quotable Quote

Everyone could use a little inspiration now and then, so we like to include a quotable quote in each issue of our newsletters. Funny quotes, somber quotes, quotes that make you want to get up and accomplish something, we try to include a variety that inspire and uplift.

“The Bottom Line”

And last but certainly not least is an upcoming addition to our newsletters: a video clip we call “The Bottom Line.” In the serious world of financial statements, taxes, and projected profits, the bottom line is that we like what we do and can enjoy a good laugh about our profession. The humorous clip is intended to help lighten your load and improve your day. We hope you look forward to this new feature and share it frequently with coworkers, family, and friends.

We want our newsletter to help you move forward in your goals as a financial professional. So stay tuned as we continue to improve our newsletters so that they can better serve your needs. We appreciate your support.

Take Our Quiz to Find Out
(Part One of a Two-Part Series)

You have just survived a taxing tax season and find that you just don’t feel like yourself these days. Perhaps you’re lethargic or just can’t get excited about work like you used to. Are you experiencing burnout? Burnout is the result of physical, mental, and/or emotional exhaustion caused by your job. Generally it’s brought on by too much stress and anxiety. Don’t panic. This doesn’t mean you have quit your business. It’s perfectly understandable, and treatable. Take our 10-question quiz to see if you’re a little crisp around the edges.

1. Do you dread going to your office?

This is a telltale sign of burnout. If you find yourself avoiding your office, finding excuses to stay away, or bracing yourself for work that was once enjoyable, you need to consider what has changed. Tracing the burnout back through your symptoms and to the cause will help you better deal with the stressors that are making you feel overwhelmed.

2. Are you feeling unmotivated and depressed?

Often apathy and sadness are emotional signs that you’re struggling with burnout. Consider what, specifically, is making you feel this way. Diagnosing your ailment is only helpful when it enables you to pinpoint what’s causing it.

3. Are you suffering from physical ailments like backache, headache, insomnia, or high blood pressure?

Your body will respond to stressful situations to let you know they need to be addressed. Instead of masking the ailments with medication or chemical substances (see number seven) you should look to the root of the problem to see how it might be eliminated. Perhaps it’s the stress that has made you feel burned out.

4. Is your work suffering?

If you find it takes longer to do ordinary tasks and the quality of your work has declined, chances are you’re feeling overwhelmed by your job and all that it entails.

5. Are you avoiding clients and other tax professionals?

When you’re experiencing job burnout, you develop an aversion for things you once enjoyed. Often that includes those that you work for or share common interests with.

6. Are you irritable?

Things that didn’t bother you much before suddenly become extremely frustrating. You may recognize that your temper has a shorter fuse and you’re taking your anger out on people that you care about, putting relationships at risk.

7. Have you turned to chemical substances for support?

Some people try to cope with burnout by turning to sleeping pills, caffeinated beverages, and cigarettes. This can lead to the abuse of harder substances like drugs and alcohol. If you find yourself turning to chemical substances for support, you need resolve this problem as soon as possible.

8. Do you find yourself consumed with anxiety about unfinished tasks?

Often those with burnout don’t leave the office even after they’ve turned out the light and shut the door. If you find yourself consumed with the stress and anxiety regarding your job and are distracted by work when alone with friends and family or when you should be sleeping, than chances are you’re burned out.

9. Have you lost the excitement and passion you once felt for your work?

You got into this business because it was something you enjoyed and could get excited about. If you’ve lost that lovin’ feeling, you need to determine what has chased it away.

10. Do you live day-to-day rather than look with great anticipation towards the future?

When you’re consumed with the stress and anxiety of your job and have lost sight of your future, than you need to take a step back and ask yourself what’s causing you to feel that way.

If you’ve answered “yes” to three of more of the above questions than you’re probably experiencing job burnout. Thankfully, diagnosing the problem is half the battle. Once you determine that you’re experiencing burnout you can find out exactly what stressors are causing you to feel overwhelmed and unmotivated. This week consider what’s triggering your most difficult symptoms and join us next week when we discuss ways to overcome this common career ailment.

Overcome Burnout by Reducing the Stressors That Cause It
(Part Two of a Two-Part Series)

Last week you took our quiz to determine whether or not you’re experiencing job burnout. We’re guessing you’re back because you are indeed burned out and are looking for ways to eliminate both the symptoms and their causes. We asked you to consider what’s been causing various symptoms, and we hope you took the time to determine which stressors are triggering the burnout. Here’s a breakdown of common stressors and ways to reduce them:

Working Too Hard, Too Long

Are some of your burnout symptoms caused by working long, hard hours? Not taking the time to relax and unwind can lead to job burnout rather quickly. You need to achieve a good balance between your business and your personal life. And we realize that many of you are working long after your day-job has finished. Take the time to evaluate your work schedule and see how you can ensure that you’re getting enough sleep and time to yourself. This may require setting some practical boundaries. One way you can achieve that is by vowing to work only within designated office hours. For example, you might decide that you won’t work after 9pm, and you don’t go to bed after 10pm. Or perhaps it means you reserve your weekends for yourself and your family. Whatever you decide, ensure you reduce this stressor before it leads to greater physical and emotional problems.

Feeling Stressed and Frustrated

Perhaps your feelings have more to do with your day-job than they do with your small business. Either way you need to determine which is causing the stress and frustration. If your full-time job is leaving you overwhelmed and unsatisfied, it might be time to consider starting your own accounting and/or tax practice. If your stress is caused by too much work in your business, again, it might be time to consider moving your part-time business full-time. If you’re not ready to expand your business, you may consider releasing a client or two in order to reduce the workload and stress you may be feeling as a result. Or you can hire an employee to help you manage the workload in your part-time business.

If your stress is associated with another aspect of your business, focus on resolving that problem. Deal with that difficult client, look for ways to better manage finances, organize your office, practice effective time management; the important thing is that you reduce or eliminate the actual stressors. Otherwise, the anxiety seeps into every other aspect of your business.

Perceiving a Lack of Reward or Satisfaction

Again you must determine whether or not this is something you associate with your day job or your small business. If you’re feeling unrewarded or unsatisfied with your business, you need to determine why. Perhaps you could set specific goals and then reward yourself when you achieve them. Having your own business is no fun if you don’t take the time to enjoy some of the fringe benefits. And waiting for your clients to praise your work is no way to live. Learn to appreciate that a client’s continued use of your services is reward enough.

Suffering from Physical Ailments

Chances are if you reduce the above stressors you’ll find yourself feeling much better physically. But you still should visit a doctor to ensure that your physical ailments aren’t caused by something completely unrelated to your job. You may be surprised to find that a simple prescription can eliminate this burnout symptom.

The important thing is that you address the burnout as soon as possible. Unfortunately, if you continue to ignore the symptoms and the stressors that cause them, you may ultimately find that your health, and consequently, your business are at risk. Take the time to take care of yourself today!