A Look at the Value of Bookkeeping and Accounting

Wanted: Accountants and bookkeepers with pleasing personalities and strong moral character. We’re looking for professionals aware of production processes and the intricacies of manufacturing, who enjoy doing figures and have legible handwritten and an average command of English. These applicants should know bookkeeping thoroughly, have taken a specialized accounting course, and can analyze a business by looking at its records.

Did you ever watch those old informational films from the 1940’s? I saw a couple in high school; I think our teacher was trying to make us laugh by showing us how much things had changed. You might be surprised to learn that the above description comes from one of those old films. In fact, here it is, from “Your Life Work Series: Bookkeeping and Accounting” on YouTube:

Each of us is suited to a certain type of work. Is your future in bookkeeping and accounting? As dry as that video may be, much of what it says is still true today, although the opportunities in accounting and bookkeeping are much more exciting than they were 62 years ago.

Small Business Accounting

There were many small businesses in 1945. Things haven’t changed much; today small businesses are booming and the forecast for the future is. Unfortunately over 50% of small businesses today fail, casualties of poor financial management. Whether business owners were convinced they could manage the finances themselves, or whether their accountants didn’t understand their role as profit center expert, these businesses could have been saved with good small business accounting. The need for this type of accountant grows daily.

Start Your Own Accounting Practice

The job of managing small business accounting is perfect for the freelance accountant who has his/her own accounting practice. As a tax preparer you probably “enjoy doing figures” and just need instruction in order to gain the necessary skills to start your own accounting business.

Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program can teach you those skills. Most accounting programs teach big business accounting which makes up about 2% of accounting opportunities. Small business accounting, however, constitutes over 80% of those opportunities, and Universal has over 25 years experience training students in just that. Not only will the PB Program give you practical training in small business accounting, but it will also afford you the chance to earn a professional designation which will demonstrate your expertise to current and potential clients.

But don’t worry, all this doesn’t take years to achieve. In less than 60 hours, you can finish the course, earn the designation, and move on with your dreams. This video-based program enables you to learn on your own time, at your own pace. You can finish in weeks, or if that doesn’t work with your schedule, you can take a few months to leisurely move through the materials, which includes workbooks with real-life accounting scenarios that give you the practical experience you need to excel.

The accounting field is much more exciting than the 1945 Life Work Series film portrays. With your expertise in tax preparation, you can easily add accounting services to your offerings and expand your business into a full-time, year-round endeavor. Don’t wait to become a full-service financial provider. Enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper course today and save $90!

You’re Fired? That’s Great!

Believe me… this could be a great opportunity. Getting fired may be really tough to take, but could be the best thing to happen to you. Just remember, you’re not alone. The halls of history are crowded with people who have been fired.

Sometimes out of the ashes of perceived failure rises the Phoenix of Incredible Accomplishment. Don’t consider it a failure, consider it as an opportunity. Let’s take a minute and talk about Soichiro Honda.

Do You Know Soichiro Honda?

Born in 1906, as a boy he helped his father repair bicycles in his home village of Komyo, Japan. At the age of 16 he left for Tokyo and worked in an automobile repair shop until age 22 when he started his own repair business.

At that time, most of the big businesses in Japan were run by “old money” families and a real “good-old-boys” network, but following the war, a number of new corporations sprang up including, Toyota, Fuji and Suzuki.

Soichiro wanted to make piston rings for Toyota and started a business to do just that, but was mocked because of his inferior designs. Despite the total rejection and humiliation, he was determined to manufacture piston rings for Toyota. Although he was a poor student, he went back to school and eventually came up with a piston ring that Toyota purchased and went to work constructing a manufacturing facility.

Because of the war, without raw materials to build a plant, Soichiro put his engineers to work. They created their own concrete, construction began and piston ring manufacturing followed. Soichiro was in the piston ring business.

Unfortunately a hurricane destroyed his manufacturing plant, leaving him broke and penniless.

What Did Soichiro Do?

Because he couldn’t afford an automobile, he put a small motor on a bicycle and went back to work. He eventually started making his motorized bicycles for friends and neighbors, when the idea to mass produce them made sense.

Because he had no money, he convinced a group of bicycle shops all throughout Japan to finance the creation of what became the Honda Cub, an incredibly popular motor-bike in Japan and the United States during the 50’s.

Soichiro Honda is a True American Success Story (Despite the Fact that He’s Japanese)

Today, Honda Motors is one of the biggest and most successful automobile manufacturers in the world. Who would have thought that after initially suffering humiliation and defeat atToyota, Honda Motors would become such an incredible competitor?

What Does this Have to do With Getting Fired?

Realize that the axe falls on just about everybody at one time or another. Mr. Honda may not have been an employee of Toyota, but he was fired and rejected by them. You are not alone. In fact, Francie Dalton, a business consultant in Columbia Maryland, says there are eight stages that most people go through after being fired.

1. Incredulity
2. Humiliation
3. Terror
4. Resentment
5. Acceptance
6. Perspective
7. Action
8. Control

Understanding your feelings as normal should make it easier to move on.

In fact, how it happens isn’t as important as what you do after it happens. The quicker you can jump to step 5 and move on, the better off you’ll find yourself.

Dalton goes on to say, “You can’t stay in the dumps forever, so why not take the next step now? You can stay miserable for two weeks, or get excited, seek better alliances and see this time as an opportunity.”

You Want Me to be Excited ?

Many folks who find themselves in this position realize that they face a really a great opportunity to do something that they really want. Often, they find it to be the perfect time to start their own business.

Starting a Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation business is a great idea right now. As small businesses continue to grow, the need for qualified bookkeepers and accountants will continue to increase. If you’re interested in a recession-proof profession that has created a profitable income since before the Italian Renaissance, I haven’t found a better profession than bookkeeping and accounting.

To learn more about what a fantastic opportunity awaits you, simply click on the link below. It may be hard to believe right now, but let me be the first to offer my congratulations on the new opportunites that stand before you.

Click Here to Find Out What a Great Opportunity it is to Own a Professional Bookkeeping Business

What Makes a Professional Bookkeeping Business Even Better?

Nothing is a better companion to a profitable bookkeeping and accounting business than adding professional tax preparation. By increasing the number of products that you can offer, you’ll not only be able to provide your clients with a complete financial service package, but will be able to create a better income for you and your family as well.

Why Should I Consider Adding Bookkeeping and Accounting to My New Tax Preparation Business?

As you can see on the graph at the left, income from a tax preparation business will peak during the first four months of the year. Many professional tax preparers are able to bill at rates that are $100 per hour or more, enabling them to work for 4 to 6 months per year and semi-retire the rest of the year.

As you are building your tax preparation practice, many of our graduates have found that adding a bookkeeping and accounting service has provided a means for them to stabilize their income throughout the year.

At Universal Accounting, we’ve discovered over the years that the average small business bookkeeping account will generate an income of approximately $300 per month. By billing your tax clients on a monthly basis and offering tax planning services along with year-end tax preparation services, you can feel confident billing $100 per month for tax preparation services creating a gross billing of $400 per month to clients who receive a complete financial service.

The graph below shows the impact that adding bookkeeping services and tax preparation services can produce for your business. Click on the link below for a more complete description of what combining a tax preparation business with a bookkeeping and accounting practice can do for you.

Click Here and Find Out More About Offering Full-Service Financial Services

Starting a Tax Preparation Business Makes Sense

Click Here to Compare Universal’s Professional Tax Preparer Certification to a Franchise

Unlike franchises, with an education from Universal Accounting you can begin your accounting and tax practice by operating out of your home. In fact, that’s what we’d recommend. You don’t need to run an accounting or tax service out of an expensive office space. The only people who will find you in an office will be the people trying to sell you something.

Business Advice From a 21 year old Entrepreneur? You Betcha!

Learn from Those Who Have Thought “Out of the Box”

At 12-years old Cameron Johnson started his second (yes, second) business. He purchased his little sister’s Beanie Baby collection for just $100. He sold it on Ebay for $1000, after which he promptly applied to become a retailer for several Beanie Baby manufacturers. Using a personal computer he got for Christmas when he was nine, he sold Beanie Babies from his website, eventually making $50,000 from this venture.

Now 21, Cameron has successfully started, managed and sold 12 businesses. You might say he’s an entrepreneurial phenomenon. He continues to be involved in several businesses, has been featured in over 200 news stories, is a motivational speaker, and is currently celebrating the publishing of his first book, You Call the Shots. This young businessman offers 3 principles for success to other entrepreneurs like himself.

Believe in yourself.
Cameron mentions the first principle to success is confidence. A little moxie, pluck, spunk, and self-assurance can go a long way. He says, “It’s actually not that difficult to succeed. It’s much more common sense than rocket science. But it starts with finding the courage to put yourself out there.”

Self-confidence is what give you the courage to respond positively to rejection; it also gives you the ability to trust your own instincts, which Cameron says is crucial when running your own business. “You can learn all kinds of things from other people, but ultimately it’s your own instincts that you’ll need to rely on.”

And finally, a belief in yourself will resonate to those you interact with. While your product and/or service may be exceptional, clients and potential clients must also believe in you for your business to be successful.

Believe in what you’re selling.
It’s difficult to sell something if you don’t believe it has any value. Regardless of what you’re selling, you need to appreciate its worth. Cameron firmly believes that a business person is also a salesperson, and that there’s a difference between being pushy and being persuasive. People resort to being pushy when selling something that’s useless. He says, “I’m persuasive when I’m selling, but that’s because I truly believe in what I’m selling and the value it will create for my customer. My feeling is, I’d be doing my customers a disservice if I let them not buy my product.”

Treat others with respect.
When you respect yourself, respect for others follows naturally. Cameron states that respect is the best secret of business success. When you treat each person you encounter with respect, your client base will grow as more and more individuals are attracted to both you and your services; these same people will also send family and friends your way because they will trust you to treat them well.

For such a young businessman, Cameron Johnson is brimming with confidence and ease. With such a bright past his future appears even more radiant. But the important thing to remember is that Cameron doesn’t have an MBA, and when he first started he didn’t have an impressive repertoire of business experience; he was simply a kid with a good idea, some common sense and gusto. And while he’s just 21, there’s probably a lot we can all learn from this young entrepreneur about believing in yourself.

For this and more information straight from Cameron himself, visit his article “A Teen Millionaire’s Three Principles to Success.”

Are you ready to take that next step? 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.

Young and Successful Entrepreneurs: What’s Their Secret?

Recently Inc.com released an article naming the top 30 entrepreneurs under 30 years old. From iPod accessories to business furniture, from real estate to large and trendy women’s shoes, and from popcorn seasonings to insomnia cookies, these young upstarts are clever and dedicated. But what else to do they have in common and how can it help other entrepreneurial hopefuls like you?

Obviously one thing they have in common is youth. But interestingly, they are part of a generation more likely to start their own businesses, not once but countless times. Donna Fenn reported that a recent survey conducted by OPEN from American Express found that 55% of Generation Y (born between 1977 and 1994) view themselves as serial entrepreneurs while only 33% of baby boomers do.

There are other commonalities among these young entrepreneurs, including a desire to take risks, familiarity with technology, and an understanding of their peers’ wants and needs.

Risk Enthusiasts
We all know that starting your own business requires a fair amount of risk taking. 70% of Gen Y says they like taking risks while only 53% of their older counterparts agree. While some of that can be attributed to having less to loose, it enables them to move forward without fear, focusing all their energy on making their venture work.

Familiarity with Technology
Because they’ve grown up with the Internet, multimedia, gadgets, widgets, and other technologies, they recognize its inherent value in helping promote and build their businesses. Not only do many of these 30 under 30 entrepreneurs have technology-based enterprises but most of them recognize the value of using the Internet to promote their businesses, either through viral marketing, blogging, websites, or other electronic means.

An Understanding of Their Peers Wants and Needs
Obviously, Generation Y makes up a large portion of the American population, nearly as much as the baby boomers. And because Gen Y is a large group of like-minded consumers, it serves these entrepreneurs well to know what appeals to them. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that many of these risk enthusiasts have a pulse on this young and hip market and know which business ventures are viable and which are not.

But you don’t have to be 17 to 30 in order to become a successful entrepreneur. But perhaps we could learn a thing or two from these trendy upstarts. Here’s some advice from just a few of these 30 young and successful entrepreneurs:

One thing I’ve learned is that you have to learn to celebrate the little successes when they happen, and not just worry about the failures all the time. —Ben Goldhirsh, Good

Identify your own weaknesses and find people that you can work with who will make up for that. —Nick Kenner, Just Salad

You have to have a vision of what you’re actually going to provide for someone. Why is someone going to use my service? What is it going to do for them? If you can actually solve somebody’s problem, the money will always follow. —Raj Lahoti, Online Guru

See yourself first, then sell your idea. Ninety percent of investors will invest in a person. If you create an ‘A’ team with a ‘B’ product, then you’ll have an ‘A’ company. If you create a ‘B’ team with an ‘A’ product, then you’ll have a ‘B’ company. —Miles Munz, InterviewStream

The most important thing is just to go out and start something. I think a lot of people feel as if they are not qualified yet or they just need to get X-amount of money in the bank before they go out and start something. And it doesn’t really matter what it is, you’ll get phenomenal experience starting everything. And eventually you’ll get a successful business under your belt. —Hayden Hamilton, GreenPrint

You Really Are Worth It:

Reasons Why People Should Have You Do Their Taxes

Sometimes it’s most important to convince yourself that you’re worth the fees you charge for preparing taxes. But in addition to recognizing your own value, for marketing purposes, it is good practice to articulate all the reasons why tax preparers benefit their clients. Here are 6 things to remember the next time you, or anyone else, wonders if your services merit your fees.

1. You Save Time, Energy, and Anxiety
If you do their taxes, they don’t have to. This usually means they can spend their time on more worthwhile ventures, sleep well, and be worry-free come April 15^th. And for business owners, this means they can spend that time making more money. This is a benefit that most potential clients would absolutely agree with.

2. You Manage Complicated Tax Issues
One thing is always constant: tax law changes. The layperson doesn’t typically follow tax law and would like filing to be less complicated. That’s where you come in. You do know tax law and understand what may appear to be a complex tax jungle. You should put potential clients at ease: you know what you’re doing and can use that knowledge to enhance their lives.

3. You Potentially Increase Returns
Vula! And this is where your knowledge can speak to a potential client’s pocketbook. Because you do know what you’re doing, you can potentially increase tax returns. Understanding the in’s and out’s of deductions, charitable contributions, capital savings, write-offs, and depreciation can mean a lot more money returning to your client, often more than enough to cover your fees.

4. You Provide Tax Planning Services that Ultimately Save Money
If you really want to win a client over you’ll tell them why they should enlist your services throughout the year: tax planning can save them a substantial amount come next tax season. Tax planning is important because it helps clients make tax-saving choices throughout the year that pay off when you file their taxes. You can tell them just which decisions will save them that money.

5. You’re a Pleasure to Work with
And don’t forget that your personality is the frosting on this taxing cake. Your confidence and enthusiasm will inspire them to trust you with their finances. So be personable and friendly: it’ll put potential and existing clients at ease.

6. You’re Certified
You probably know better than most people: tax payers are often weary of tax preparers who lack credentials, because not all tax preparers are created equal. And currently no licensing is required to become a paid tax preparer. Uncle Jo who was good at math can prepare all his nieces and nephews taxes without recourse. Along with Uncle Jo there are fraudulent “tax preparers” who promise higher returns by committing tax fraud; they then skip town and leave their clients to deal with IRS audits. Also in the mix are hard-working, legitimate tax preparers like you who supplement their income or run a small business preparing tax returns. So how do those hard-working tax preparers put existing clients and potentials clients at ease? By earning a professional designation that demonstrates their tax preparation proficiency and competency.

Perhaps you feel confident in your knowledge of tax preparation and don’t have the time to take a certification course. Universal Accounting Center can award you with a Professional Tax Preparer Designation by simply taking their certification text. And this would be the 6^th reason you’re worth your fees: you’re certified. For just $570 you could earn a professional designation and show potential and existing clients that you have the knowledge and skill to properly prepare their returns. This goes a long way to impress tax payers and get additional clients. Order your exam today.

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!

7 Tips on Forming a Good First Impression

Meeting with a prospective client in order to pitch your services can be intimidating and nerve-wracking. Does it help to know that much of your prospective client’s decision will be influenced by their first impression of you? In fact, your contact will form that first impression within mere seconds of meeting. It’s important that you do your best to make it a good one. We recommend you consider the following when meeting clients to discuss your services.

1. Looks matter

We’re not suggesting that in order to succeed you must look like a contender for a beauty pageant or the cover of GQ. But we are saying you need to appear well-groomed and professional. Depending on the setting, a formal restaurant or a casual bistro, you should dress appropriately and ensure that all the details-from your hair to your shoes-are attended to and project a positive image for your practice.

2. Consider the contact

You don’t want your contact to feel out-of-place or uncomfortable. When selecting a meeting place you should consider the prospective client and what would put them at ease. This includes how you dress as well. You would probably select different attire when meeting a tattoo artist than you would when meeting a stock broker.

3. Practice a firm handshake

Just about everything you do in that first meeting will reflect back on your business and the services you offer. A firm handshake projects confidence and strength while a limp handshake projects a lack of confidence and strength. If necessary you should practice your handshake until it becomes second nature.

4. Express thanks

Lydia Ramsey, in her article “Seal the Deal in Seven Seconds,” says that while only 7% of your first impression is formed by the words you use, it’s important that you choose those words wisely. She suggests focusing on your first 12 words by expressing gratitude for the opportunity to meet with the prospective client.

5. Use the client’s name

Everyone loves the sound of their own name. And when talking to a prospective client, especially within those first crucial minutes, it’s essential that you say their name. But don’t overdo it; you just might start to sound like you’re schmoozing which is never very appealing.

6. Smile

No matter how nervous you are be sure to smile. A genuine smile will put the client at ease and set a friendly tone for the meeting.

7. Be energetic and personable

Even your walk says something about you. If your demeanor is sluggish then your prospective client will think that’s how you work. Be energetic, positive and friendly. This effort will communicate volumes about your work ethic.

Almost as important as your pitch is the first impression you give a prospective employer. As you attend to your appearance and the way your present yourself, applying the seven tips described above, you’ll find it much easier to close the deal. Come back next week when we will discuss how to present the perfect sales pitch.

To enhance your sales pitch and learn crucial marketing techniques, you can enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper Program. You can add new services to your offerings and broaden your target market. If you would like to learn more you can order our video “Introduction to the Professional Bookkeeper Program” today. For less than $10 (or free when you watch it online) you can learn everything you need know about this amazing course.

References

Ramsey, Lydia. “Seal the Deal in Seven Seconds.” 2 July 2008 About.com

Note: Here’s another good marketing tool. Include this sheet of helpful year-end tax tips in Christmas cards to current and potential clients. Just copy and paste this into your word processor, delete this note, include some contact information at the end, and you’re ready for a very happy new year of business.

I’m proud to be paying taxes in the United States . The only thing is—
I could be just as proud for half the money. –Arthur Godfrey

As the year winds down, there are a few things you can do in order to save your business some money. Here are five tips to help you maximize your 2006 tax benefits:

1. Defer income
Each and every penny you make up until December 31^st of this year will be included in your 2006 taxable income. Deferring payments to the beginning of January will save you some money in taxes.

2. Make charitable contributions
‘Tis the season to give. It’s important to check your list twice and see if any of your charitable contributions can come at the end of this year rather than the beginning of next. This will maximize your 2006 deductions. Just be sure to keep your receipts.

3. Increase expenses
Don’t procrastinate buying office supplies until next year; all year-end expenses are tax deductible and could save you a considerable amount come April, 2007. Look to things you’ll be using soon, including office supplies and equipment. Also consider paying January bills early.

4. Check for inventory write-offs
Look through your inventory to see if any products are damaged or outdated. Noting market-value loss could provide you with additional tax deductions.

5. Contribute to retirement plan
Small business owners should recognize that being your own boss means you are responsible for your own retirement. If you haven’t started contributing to a retirement account, now is the time. Any contributions made are tax deductible. And if you do have a retirement account, year-end contributions are a great way to boost your deductions.

Professional Tax Preparers can help you get the most from your yearly tax filings. But truth be told, they’re even more valuable when you enlist their help in year-round tax planning. Any good tax preparer worth his or her salt will save you more in taxes than they charge you in fees. Don’t wait to see how much a tax preparer could save you.

End of Letter - Place your contact information here when you create the marketing piece. so those that get this into their hands can give you a call.

This is designed to be able to get you a foothold within the company, and to work with the other handouts we have included in the last couple Tax Tips Newsletter editions. The art of giving your client useful information without giving away what you do for free is exactly how you can best create that account for your business. All these are designed to open the dialogue that you need to have when you go knock on their doors about the importance to have you and keep you on as year round for tax advisement purposes.

Lastly, it’s also designed to be able to light a fire under you to get yourself into the activity of customer acquisition, which is the lifeblood of any business. For more tips, and a program that helps you with your marketing and business growth efforts check out the Art and Science of Getting Clients. Click Here to view today.

The time is drawing close for the next tax season to start. For most of us this is a time that is fast paced in our personal and professional lives. The holidays seem to come and go quicker each year and so does the start of the tax season. Because this time of year can be so hectic, here’s a checklist that you can refer to and see if you have all your bases covered once the clock strikes midnight New Year’s morning.

Office Supplies - Nothing bothers me more when I have set down to do work, when I find that I don’t have the paper, or the letterhead, or any other office supply that is needed. Create yourself a “Supplies Checklist” and go and get those materials that you need on hand to make doing business in your day a smooth experience for you. Paperclips, staples, and even staplers can be things that we don’t readily think about, but often need when we are working with a customer.

Marketing Materials - Speaking of materials, business cards, referral cards, post cards, flyers and brochures are all tools that can be utilized within the framework of working with your customers. Especially if you are concentrating on the individual tax return preparation, you can grow your company if you have an active business promotion that you can spread word of mouth through your own current customers.

Getting these materials created, designed, and produced takes time. On average 3 to 4 weeks minimum. Start thinking and getting into your local printer what you want to be handing out to your current and potential customers both to individuals and companies.

Advertising Spots - Odds are you are not going to be blitzing your local media with tons of commercials and full page ads in the local newspapers, however, if you plan it correctly you may be able to grow your practice as if you have. If you are shooting for the individual side of the tax prep equation, look into sponsorships of local talk radio. If that’s too rich for your blood, look into the local “nickel” ads and having a prominence in that.

If you are looking to gain additional business clients it can be possible to run an ad or two in your local business magazine, up to a quarter page to as small as and in-column “classified ad”. In anything you do try to get their number of the publication’s distribution and break it down to how many clients you need to get from the form of advertising to pay for the advertising.

Customer Service Calls - Nothing better pays off than to be proactive with your clientele. Your current, or last year’s customers may have placed this in the back of their minds and my not know who they are going to to get their taxes done this year. When you are in the “front of their minds” with a customer service call (a couple tips of what to bring to the tax prep meeting, possibly even scheduling out that tax preparation meeting between you and them) you’ll be able to refreshen the good thoughts, times and experiences they had with you last year. Even if you have kept contact with them over the year through various ways a customer service call is agreat way to keep them prepared to visit you.

Training - Probably the last on your list, but most essential is the training you have for the upcoming season. If you have gone through UAC’s Professional Tax Preparer Certification, have you been able to keep up on the latest changes coming out of the tax code. We have tried to keep you appraised of what’s happening nationally, have you kept current with local and state tax changes?

Perhaps you are bringing in a new person to help with the load of clients walking in your door, do they have the training you are comfortable with? Perhaps you have yet to gain the training for tax preparation that makes the difference in business success? What ever it may be, you need to be looking into and purchasing the training that makes sense for you and your employees.

These are just a few ideas of a checklist you can be creating and taking care of right now! Hopefully, this will stir something up for you to remember and to get for your Tax Practice’s success. To become a Professional Tax Preparer, Universal has what you need.

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.