Time-Saving Techniques

Work with Time, Not against It

Practice 10 Time-Saving Techniques

Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of. – Benjamin FranklinTime is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back. – Harvey MacKay

You know what they say, time is money. So if you can learn to better use your time, you’ll increase your bottom line. So how do you go about practicing better time management in order to log more billable hours, making your workday more productive? We’ve gathered ten time-saving techniques that should help.

1. Practice delayed gratificationOften we perform the most appealing tasks first. The problem with this approach is that it often causes the dread for those less-appealing tasks to build, tempting you to delay them even longer and waste more time in the long run. Approach the more consuming tasks at the beginning of your day when you have the most energy; the rest of your day will prove to be more enjoyable (and productive!).2. PrioritizeAt the beginning of each day determine which tasks are most important and timely. That way you ensure that you’re not only productive but responsible, completing those jobs that need your attention first.3. Make a To-Do ListUsing the list of priorities from above, create a To-Do list. You can fill in your list with other less crucial, but still necessary tasks (like running errands or returning phone calls).4. Plan aheadWhile it’s important to plan your daily schedule you should also look ahead and see how you can plan for future projects. For example, as tax season approaches are there things you can do now to prepare, making that crunch time easier and less stressful? As you use down time to manage future tasks you’ll find that you’ll complete them more quickly, giving you even more time for other duties and activities.5. OrganizeTaking the time to organize your office, your files and your supplies will help you work more efficiently. That time you spend organizing now will pay off in the long run because you’ll avoid wasting time later trying to find those things you need.6. Group like tasks togetherYou can save time by completing similar tasks at the same time. For example, return phones call all at once, catch up on all your email, or send all your faxes together. You’ll be focused on the task at hand and can maximize that time it takes to open your email, search for phone numbers, and operate the fax machine.7. Power shopAs with number six, when you run your errands all at the same time (and buy supplies in bulk) you’ll save a significant amount of time.8. Avoid unnecessary meetingsCountless hours could be saved in avoiding unnecessary meetings. Evaluate all appointments currently on your calendar and ask whether or not you could eliminate any by corresponding over the phone or via email. Some people spend hours at meetings designed to gather information or answer a series of questions that could easily be addressed through some other, more time-efficient means.9. Get it right the first timeDo a job right the first time. It may take longer, but it will ensure the quality of your work and eliminate the need to revise your work or redo it altogether.10. Take a breakYou can’t imagine how much time you save in taking reasonable and necessary breaks. Working hard for days on end without interruption or that occasional vacation will eventually take its toll, either through job burnout or illness, costing you in productivity later.

Everyone can improve their time management, and thankfully, it takes little time to implement any of these ten time-saving techniques. Try applying just one a day to see the difference it makes. Imagine all the hours you can save in one month of utilizing these time-saving tips.

Time Management Secrets

Six Time Management Secrets for the Home Business

Everyone has experienced the frenzy of having too much to do and too little time to do it in. Sometimes our poor time management skills require us to run even faster on that crazy hamster wheel. But you went into business so that you could have more time for yourself. So how did you end working even more hours? Here are ten time-saving tips to help you manage your business and recover your life.

1. Templatize How many repetitive tasks do you do in one day? If you’re wasting time creating the same documents or sending the same types of emails, it’s time to standardize some of these tasks. Create form letters, standard documents, and redundant text for typical, lengthy emails. This should save you time, and because time is money, you’ll be able to spend that saved time either making more money or enjoying what you’ve already made.

2. Plan Daily The old adage goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Take a few minutes every morning to review your schedule and plan your day. This time will go far in helping you use your time more effectively.

3. Prioritize Tasks Just last week I spent 5 hours on a project I felt strongly about, but when I looked over my accomplishments later, I realized I hadn’t finished a task that was more important and timely. When we don’t prioritize our tasks, we run the risk of putting a lot of effort into something that isn’t crucial.

4. Avoid Procrastination Procrastination is the great time-killer. It would be interesting to count up all the time wasted simply by procrastinating crucial tasks. How much time and energy do we spend worrying about one of those important to-do items? How often do we distract ourselves with silly things like straightening our desks or purchasing unneeded office supplies in order to delay unpleasant tasks? Take a deep breath and procrastinate no more. And reward yourself for it later.

5. Become a Speed Reader We’re not kidding. Some of us are slow readers, and lots of time could be saved in learning how to locate significant data quickly. It also helps us to keep abreast of information that is crucial to our success in the tax profession.

6. Log Interruptions Everyone business person is interrupted countless times a day. Some of those interruptions help grow your business (like clients who call with work for you to do). But some interruptions are unnecessary and, if anticipated, can be handled in a timelier manner. So take a simple pad of paper and for one week note each interruption. Be sure to note the time, date, interrupter, and the subject of the interruption. Once you have the information you can evaluate it. Which interruptions could have been avoided? Which were of no value? Perhaps you have someone calling you for information that you could teach them to find themselves? While the teaching moment may cost you an hour now, it may save you hours in the end.

Learn More About Learning Tax Planning and Preparation With the Professional Tax Preparer (PTP) Program

The Tools to Make a Hundred Dollars an Hour

At last, all the tools, at your fingertips, to make $100 per hour… and you don’t need a college degree.

Believe it or not, with the proper education, you can bill $100 per hour or more for Tax Preparation services. I say this because there are thousands of people, just like you and me, who are doing it right now. Highly respected professionals, without a college or university education, are providing a specialized and technical service to their clients. And you can do it too.As the graph on the right illustrates, since the year 2000 the number of people who had a professional prepare their taxes has increased from 25.2 million people in 2000 to 43.9 million in 2004; while the overall tax filings have remained fairly constant during that same period.In a recent study conducted by the Tax Foundation Annual Survey of Attitudes on Tax and Wealth, 81% of people surveyed said that the tax code was too complicated and 70% said that they HATED to do their own taxes! I think you’ll agree; the opportunity to begin a successful Tax Preparation practice has never been better.Over the next six of weeks I’d like to give you an overview of the exciting and rewarding business of Professional Tax Preparation. If you are in search of a recession-proof business that will help you create the lifestyle that you and your family deserve, this is the business and now is the time.

Okay… what can I expect over the next six weeks?

Week #1. The Proper Tax Preparation Education. We’ll discuss what you should be looking for in a Tax Preparation education. We’ll outline some of the different types of education that is available and the pros & cons of each.With an overview of what’s available and the kind of education that you’ll need to succeed in the Tax Preparation business, you’ll be prepared to make the next move and arm yourself with the education that best suits your goals.Week #2 How to Set-Up A Tax Preparation Practice. There are a number of things that anyone setting-up a business will need to do. We’ll discuss what those requirements are and provide a prioritized list that will make the process simple and easy to implement.There are several things that are unique to the Tax Preparation business that you’ll want to be aware of. My goal is to arm you with all the information you’ll need to begin your successful practice.Week #3 How to Market Your Tax Preparation Business. (Part 1) Allen Bostrom, President of Universal Accounting and author, in his book, In the Black, says, “Nothing happens until you make a sale.” We’ll talk about what it takes to make everything happen!If you’re like most of us, the idea of being a salesman might not be your favorite thing. Don’t be concerned, there are a number of easy-to-implement methods that will make the entire sales and marketing process something easy and systematic. Anyone can do this!In Week #3 we’ll talk about creating what I call the “Automatic Referral System”. In other words, referrals without begging.Week #4 How to Market Your Tax Preparation Business. (Part 2)We’ll continue our discussion of easy and “doable” marketing methods that extend beyond referrals. We’ll talk about Tag-Team marketing and networking just to mention a couple.Week #5 Universal Accounting: The Perfect Tax Preparation Education. We’ll discuss why Universal Accounting Center is the perfect place to obtain the most complete and comprehensive Tax Preparation Education found anywhere.Week #6 A Tax Preparation Business & Bookkeeping practice are the perfect match for maximum profits. The advantages of combining a Tax Preparation Business with a Bookkeeping service are many. Our final discussion in this series will demonstrate how they might be the perfect combination for you and your future Tax Preparation business.

What can I expect from here?

Welcome aboard. I’m looking forward to showing you why I think a Tax Preparation business is such a wonderful opportunity and for the chance to give you the information that you’ll need to determine if it’s a “right fit” for you.Information on starting your own Tax Preparation business is only a click or two away. Follow the link below and find out for yourself what an incredible business opportunity this really is.I want to know more about starting a Professional Tax Preparation business.

The Right Investment-The Perfect Profession

What’s the Right Education for Me?

I have an artist friend. He is very talented. He’s also very old-school. He paints architectural renderings. Despite his wonderful talent, because of the computer and very capable rendering software, his skills are less and less in demand than they once were.Architects are able to produce a computer generated preview of what a building will look like without having an artist paint it. Of course it’s not exactly the same as a skilled and talented artist creating a painting, but most of the time it’s good enough, and my artist friend is slowly watching his market diminish.If he were to begin his career today… his training would need to be different.

70% of Americans Hate to Prepare Their Own Taxes

When we first met, we talked about what a wonderful opportunity exists in the business of professional tax preparation and how 70% of people surveyed actually hated to prepare their own taxes. Wow! What a great opportunity to earn a very profitable income and create a wonderful lifestyle for you and your family.When you first heard this, you were probably a little skeptical. I think that’s a fairly understandable reaction. But as you’ve looked closer at what’s involved in starting your own business, the type of education you might need, the marketing methods you might employ to grow your business and read or maybe even listened to a testimonial or two; you might be thinking to yourself, “I can do this.”

There is No Doubt in My Mind

If there’s nothing else you gain from our conversations together, know this: I know you can do this. In fact you don’t even have to take my word for it. As we talk to graduates of the Professional Tax Preparer program, and ask them about the success of their practices, they tell us that they are charging $100 per hour for their services. (And that’s the average, some charge even more.)Unlike many programs available, of 100 graduates of our program that we interviewed this year, 12 months after their graduation, 74% were working in the accounting field, had been promoted to a management position, or owned their own accounting or tax preparation practice. The best news is… this can be you… and you can create a wonderful lifestyle for yourself.

“Great success is commoner than great abilities.”-Luc de Clapiers de Vauvenargues

You might be asking, “What does this have to do with me?” Most people will agree that hard work, determination and integrity are what it takes to find success in America. It’s not great ability that makes successful people; it’s doing just what you’re doing right now; making a goal, finding out what it will take to reach that goal and then taking action.

Only Invest in the “Right” Education

With the need for qualified professional tax preparers increasing every year, the opportunity is greater today than it has ever been. And as the opportunity increases, the need to obtain the best possible education available has become more important than ever before.A couple weeks ago, I shared with you what I felt the “right” education must include. Lets take a minute and review the list.

5 Things You Should Look For in a Tax Preparation Education

1. Does instruction come via the classroom or distance learning?
2. Is the instruction complete?
3. Does the instruction include “hands-on” learning?
4. Is there support? Someone to answer my questions?
5. Is the education guaranteed?

Click Here to Refer Back to Our Previous Discussion on What Must Be in the “Right” Education

Universal Accounting Center Offers the Most Complete Tax Preparation Curriculum That Can Be Found Anywhere… Including the Universities or the Franchises. Period.

There are many courses that provide you with the training to get a data entry type position making $8 or $9 per hour, but won’t provide the education that will create financial security and the type of lifestyle that you and your family deserve.DVD-based technology has made it possible to not only duplicate the classroom experience, but improve upon it. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to “rewind” and “review” particularly difficult to understand topics until you were confident that you had a thorough understanding?A distance learning program that includes a combination of DVD-based instruction and written material is the most effective combination to create the perfect learning experience. The distance learning programs I’ve looked at provide you with nothing but a textbook.Not the training solutions from Universal Accounting. In fact, their program not only includes DVD-based instruction and a textbook; it also includes online information and a live voice at the other end of the phone from a qualified tax professional to answer all your questions. That’s a Universal exclusive… I don’t know of another program that offers that.At Universal, unlike other training programs available, you’ll get hands-on experience doing the taxes for different businesses. Experience that will allow you to demonstrate to potential clients and employers that you can save them money. Experience that will build confidence in yourself and your ability to handle any type of tax questions that you might face. Universal is “hands-on” learning. It’s been that way since 1979.

Be Prepared with the Tools You’ll Need

There are no filler classes here. You’ll learn tax preparation… not 10 key or data entry. You shouldn’t be satisfied with learning only enough to be somebody’s clerk. Don’t limit yourself. When you’re finished with our course, you’ll be a qualified tax professional; and if you complete the course material and evaluation with a 90% or better, you’ll earn the exclusive designation of Professional Tax Preparer (PTP). Universal will show you the best way to be successful in the least amount of time possible.

We’ll Help You Start the “Perfect” Business Once You’ve Had the “Right” Education

Just look at the tools that ensure your success.

• If you have questions, you can speak with a live voice on the other end of the phone for 1 year after you’ve completed your course. You can have confidence in your ability to help your clients because of your “support team” that is always ready to help you.
• By learning proper client interview techniques, you’ll learn how to ask the questions that will allow you to properly evaluate what you can offer your clients and what to charge for your services. You’ll be able to address all of your client’s needs, because you’ll know not only what to ask, but how to ask it.
• The exclusive PTP (Professional Tax Preparer) designation demonstrates to your clients and peers that you are a trained and qualified tax professional. Earning the PTP designation allows you to enjoy a level of professionalism and status that demonstrates your commitment to both your clients and your profession.

Any tax preparation course that doesn’t offer you the tools to either find a great job or start your own business, is not complete.

The Good News? This is Good for You!

The education you receive from Universal Accounting will make you a valuable asset to your clients. You’ll know everything you’ll need to know to provide the type of service to your clients that will help them save money.

Affordable Student Financing is Also Available

You can get started for as little as $145 down. There’s no credit check and you’re pre-approved if you have a major credit card. Once your financing is complete, you’ll get your entire set of course materials delivered to your door. No waiting.

Universal’s Ironclad Money-Back Guarantee Removes All Risk:

If, after completing the course materials, you feel the course didn’t live up to your expectation, simply return the materials to Universal, for a 100% refund of any monies paid.Do colleges and universities offer that type of guarantee? What about the franchises? (And unlike franchises, it won’t cost you up to $80,000 to get started.)

If It’s About Accounting… It’s Universal

For the finest education in tax preparation anywhere, with no hidden costs for books, tests, etc. I think you’ll agree that now is the time and Universal is the place.Find out for yourself how exciting and rewarding a career in professional tax preparation can be for you… you’re only a couple mouse clicks away. Follow the link below and create the lifestyle you deserve.I’m Ready for the “Right” Education… I Want to Start the “Perfect” Profession…

The Right Education Makes Financial Success a Reality

(Part One of a Two-Part Series on The Right Professional Investment)

“60% of college graduates are moving back in with mom and dad.” I heard this interesting statistic the other day as I drove into the office. The news story went on to say that 60% or more of college graduates say they can’t find a job in their field.

A college degree doesn’t guarantee financial security like it once did.

Whether or not you have a college or university education, 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 as well as those who don’t.We found that of 100 graduates of the Professional Bookkeepers Program surveyed 12 months after graduation: 74% were working in the accounting field, had been promoted to a management position, or owned their own accounting or tax preparation practice.

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

Bookkeeping and accounting have really evolved over the years. Today, a professional bookkeeper is armed with more than just a scratch-pad and a pencil. As the business regulations that effect small businesses increase in complexity, the need for specially trained and qualified bookkeepers and accountants 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 Bookkeeping Education Must Have

1. Flexibility
2. Complete education
3. Hands-on training
4. A qualified professional to answer questions
5. A guarantee

1. Distance LearningAt first glance, many 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 didn’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 it be nice 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.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 scheduling conflicts. You’re either there, or you’re not.When considering a distance learning program, a combination of video (DVD) 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 teaching bookkeeping and accounting provide you with a written textbook. And that’s it.When you pick a doctor, do you want someone that just learned out of a book? Or do you want someone with hands-on experience? A small business owner wants their bookkeeper to have the same kind of experience you only get by doing. That’s the kind of training you get with the Professional Bookkeeper program.2. Complete educationTo succeed it your education must be comprehensive. Most accounting programs don’t teach you small business bookkeeping and accounting. That’s ridiculous when you consider 85% of accounting opportunities are with small businesses. A bookkeeping and accounting education that doesn’t teach you the ins-and-outs of small business cheats you out of a complete education. In looking for the “right” education you need to get it from someone who can help you master small business accounting and understand small businesses inside-and-out. Why? Because, that’s what you’ll need to start your own profitable bookkeeping and accounting business.3. Hands-on trainingMost bookkeeping training materials focus on accounting theory. Often, the difference between having a basic understanding and really mastering the materials is found in the” doing.” There is no better way to understand accounting than by actually performing accounting functions yourself.In learning with a hands-on approach, accounting is much like learning to ride a bike. It will not only become easier, but it will become automatic. The “right” education includes more than just “bookkeeping theory.”4. A qualified professional to answer questionsEven with the best video or textbook training, you’ll still have questions. Will your distance learning course provide a way for those questions to be answered quickly and completely?Demand an answer from the training program before you enroll.

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

After you complete your coursework and you’re working with clients on the job, will they still be there to support you? When you have questions, will they leave you to find the answers for yourself? That’s just not fair! We won’t!The “right” education not only answers your questions via phone or e-mail while you’re taking the course, but provides the advice of qualified accounting professionals to advise you through your first year as a professional Bookkeeper. Even after you finish the course, your school should be there to support you so that you’re never left alone.Nobody would attempt to climb Everest alone. You need a support system each and every step of your climb to success.5. A guaranteeWhen you attend a college, university or trade school, what guarantee do they provide that the training you will 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. Something that says, “We stand behind what we do, what we teach, and what your education will mean.”Does anyone make that kind of bold guarantee? Only Universal Accounting dares to bet on your success.

Are there people that might take advantage of us with a guarantee like this? Sure, but in all the years offering this guarantee, few take us up on it. Why? Because if you follow the steps to success we outline, you’ll succeed.

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. Enrolling in the Professional Bookkeeper Program is the “right” choice for you. And when you order today, you will receive an additional 6 months of free coaching following your completion of the course. That means you can call us with a question at anytime for an entire year after you complete the program materials! Don’t wait another day to take advantage of the best investment you can make-in yourself! It’s the perfect start to the New Year. Enroll now.

The Perfect Education – Make Your Own Luck

“A lot of fellows nowadays have a B.A., M.D., or Ph.D. Unfortunately, they don’t have a J.O.B.” -Fats Dominoe

Fats is right. The degree isn’t the goal. The income to create the lifestyle that you want is the goal. Unfortunately, a college or university education doesn’t necessarily guarantee that you’ll get a job, much less a job that will provide a great income and lifestyle. The same is true of the “wrong” education in Tax Preparation.Speaking to university graduates, Michael Mandel in BusinessWeek:Online wrote on September 8th, “I’m sorry for obsessing about this, but I can’t help it. I really do wonder whether we’ve passed over a critical threshold where a college degree alone is no longer enough.”

With the “right” education you “make your own luck.”

Most tax training programs only teach you enough about Tax Preparation to get a data-input position making $8 bucks an hour, but I don’t think that’s the lifestyle that most of us are looking for. I believe that the “right” education will give you the tools and training to help you “make your own luck.”

Introducing what makes the “right education in Tax Preparation the “perfect” education.

Maybe we should be a little more specific about what you should find in a curriculum on Tax Preparation. These are the basics. If they aren’t in the course, don’t take it!1. The nuts-and-bolts of the standard tax returns. You should expect to learn about and have experience preparing the tax returns that the majority of individuals will use. This is where it starts.2. How to shelter your income. You should expect to learn concepts and strategies that will ensure that your clients will pay lower taxes. You should expect to learn about legitimate deductions that can save your clients thousands of dollars on a return. You should learn about tax credits, which could reduce your client’s tax burden even more.3. Income adjustments strategies. Expect to learn how to itemize on a tax return, how to deal with business expenses, capital gains and losses, and depreciation in ways that let you and your clients pay the bare minimum tax allowed by law.4. You should become a 1040 expert! You should expect to learn about self-employment and rental property income, Alternative Maximum Tax, extensions, amended returns, etc… If this isn’t a part of your Tax Preparation education, it’s not the “right” education.5. You should be comfortable with the basics of business tax issues. You should expect to learn all about the various types of business types and the tax forms that service them. You should learn about the different types of businesses that exist; partnerships or corporations, to name only a couple, and what makes all the different business structures unique and the tax advantages or disadvantages of each.You must know what business structure to use with your own business so you pay less taxes and keep more of the money you earn.6. You should become a master of the Business Return. Once you know about all the types of business entities there are, you should expect to learn the lucrative and much sought after field of business returns.As you search for the “right” education in Tax Preparation, if these 6 areas of instruction are not a part of the curriculum, it isn’t a complete education and is not the “right” education for a successful Tax Preparation business. Knowing that, I should tell you, I think these 6 areas of instruction are only a part of what you’ll need to have a successful and very profitable Tax Preparation business. There’s still more you’ll need to know to create a truly profitable and rewarding tax preparation business.

Okay… show me what the “perfect” education must include!

Now let me introduce you to the 1/2 dozen things profitable tax services know that will turn the “right” Tax Preparation Education into the “perfect” education. Realize that this is not offered everywhere. (But don’t worry; at the end of this e-mail, I’ll give you some information on where you will find it.)

• In depth marketing strategies. Time proven techniques that will save you years of experimentation and frustration and teach you how to attract and keep clientele. Since the best knowledge only turns into a great income when you have paying clients, learning how to quickly find and keep clients must be a part of the “perfect” curriculum. A library of prospecting letters and fliers to help you begin your Professional Tax Preparation Business with clients should be in your course material.

• Coaching from marketing experts. If there’s not someone on the other end of the phone to help you with your efforts to attract and keep clients, it’s not the “perfect” education.

• How should I charge for my services? How can any school that would make you guess what your fee schedule should be consider itself to be the “perfect” education?

• How should I interview clients to get the information I’ll need? Without the right information, it will be difficult to really service your clients. Any school that doesn’t offer instruction on how to interview your clients to serve them effectively and efficiently is not the “perfect” education.

• Tax Support. Your first year as a Professional Tax Preparer may be full of a lot of tax questions that you are not sure of. If your education doesn’t include access to experienced professionals for that critical first year, I don’t think there’s anyway it could be the “perfect” education.

• Access to all the current tax forms. What kind of instruction on preparing taxes wouldn’t include access to all the forms you’ll need. If the forms aren’t there, it can’t be “perfect”.

• Proven management techniques. Running your business like a pro will make it possible to live the lifestyle that you and your family deserve. If your education doesn’t teach you the proven management techniques that will allow that, you guessed it, it isn’t the “perfect” education.

Now you know what I consider the “perfect” education in Professional Tax Preparation. If you are able to find the right education, you’re on the right track. But if you want to “Make Your Own Luck”, you better be looking for the “perfect” education.

Did We Set Our Sites Too High?

Does anyone really provide this kind of real-world tax preparation training? Yes, but most of them are called a “franchise” and can cost up to $80,000 to start. There is one exception. Universal Accounting’s Professional Tax Preparation Certification is that exception.Click Here to Learn More About The Costs of Buying a Franchise and Why You Don’t Need to Most people don’t have the money to buy a franchise, but they can still create a profitable tax preparation business. Universal Accounting has been teaching the ins-and-outs of small business accounting and tax preparation for over 25 years. We’re the small business accounting experts. Click on the link below and learn more about how to start your tax preparation business with something even better than a franchise.Show Me How to Start a Lucrative and Exciting Tax Preparation Business Today

Your Spouse – The Perfect Business Partner

Look No Further For Your Business Partner… It Could Be Your Spouse

There are 57 million married couples in the United States. Among the vows to love honor and cherish, many couples are making an additional commitment to go into business together. Do you remember your first few dates? Going into business with your spouse requires the same kind of introspection and choices. It isn’t for everyone, but many people find their spouse is the perfect business partner.My parents have been in business together for a long time. As an innocent observer for the last 30 or so years, I think the drive home makes it possible to work together and live together. The success of their marriage has been the ability to be a role-player at work and a spouse at home. The de-briefing time on the commute home makes all the difference for their relationship.I don’t think it was intentional. But they both drive to work in separate cars and come and go at different times. At first you might think it would be more convenient to commute together, but for them, the alone-time in the car to and from work lets them get in the home or work mind-set. This might not work for everyone, but it works for them.

A Tax Practice is a Great Business to Partner with Your Spouse

If you like to be together and enjoy each other’s company working together to accomplish a goal, starting a professional tax and accounting practice could be the perfect choice for you. Just like a marriage, establishing a model for resolving conflict and making decisions is critical.My parents have been very successful at dividing the responsibilities at work and functioning at home as a married couple. In fact, if my Dad wants to “talk shop” at home, my mom “gently” reminds him that the time for “shop talk” has passed, and now it’s time to be a couple. It took them a while to make the distinction, but now they are very successful at keeping work and home separate.

Is It More Complicated If We Work From Home?

It can be… if you’re not careful. I’m a big advocate of working from home, and with a little advance planning it doesn’t have to become an all-consuming life of business, business, business. Click HERE for to see if working from home is right for you.

All Partnerships Have Their Rewards

Expect a hiccup every once in a while. You will more than likely experience times when you disagree with each other. That’s what makes partnerships different from sole proprietorships. When you’re the only one who makes decisions, there’s nobody to argue with. There’s also nobody to give good, objective advice.Working through differences and achieving solutions will not only strengthen your business, but will often lead to better decisions. Besides, if you’ve done your homework ahead of time, the process for resolving differences will already be established and you’ll be able to solve problems at work without taking them home.

Love, Honor, Cherish… And be Profitable

Partnering with your spouse can be a wonderful experience. In fact, for tax professionals it’s the perfect partnership. There may be times when it’s a challenge, but the rewards are great. Because many professional tax preparers work half-time or less, semi-retiring with your spouse can be very fun.

The Professional Tax Preparer Certification Provides all the Tools You Need to Start a Profitable and Rewarding Tax Partnership

Partnering with your spouse might be a good idea for you, but a professional tax practice is a great idea. As the tax code continues to get more and more complicated, the need for skilled and qualified tax professionals has never been greater. Every year, more people have professionals prepare and file their income taxes… this is great news for you. If you take the first step.What’s the next step? Simply click on the link below and learn more about how achievable, profitable and easy starting a professional tax preparation business will be for you. You owe it to yourself to find out more about how you can create the income and lifestyle that you and your family deserve.OK… I’d Like to Learn How to Take the First Step… Show Me How to Earn a Better Income and Improve My Lifestyle

The Right Education Makes Financial Success a Reality

“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 doingMost 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.

Marketing: It Was Really John&Paul

Ringo sang the song. But John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote this Marketing Masterpiece. Why do I call it a marketing masterpiece? Simple… Ringo sang about networking.In the world of marketing, networking is more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.. it’s your Man-of-Steel. From finding a job to building your client list,networking… works.

The Real Truth About Networking

It isn’t new, and it’s not what you think. In the past, networking was informal and random. Today, networking has become systematic and structured. You don’t have to be a skilled negotiator or speaker to network, and I’d like to share with you some successful techniques that will help you improve your network and networking abilities.

We are All Surrounded by a Potentially Powerful Network

The next time you’re in a room with 12 of your closest friends, make a list of all the different people you all collectively know. You might be surprised at what names turn up. Peter Vogt, a MonsterTRAK Career Coach says, “You’ll be amazed at who the people in your everyday life know – and by the additional people those people know. But you’ll never discover any of them until you abandon the ‘I don’t know anyone good’ mentality and replace it with the ‘I’ll start with the people around me and go from there’ philosophy…”I’ve watched my oldest son “network” for years. He started his network as a boy. It provided him with employment, a college schollarship and opportunities to see and do things that I haven’t done.With an average speaking ability, in his own charming way he builds his “network” every time he meets somebody new. Of course, you know you’re being networked, but it’s okay. If you become a part of his network, you can expect that he will be a part of yours. This mutually beneficial network of his works both ways. In fact, I’ve even found myself a part of it from time to time.

How Do I Start an effective network?

Use a formal and systematic approach to working your network. Organization and a plan for keeping track of your network and information is critical. Don’t forget, networking is about relationships. A good networking relationship will be mutually beneficial.The following link to a Microsoft Word document might help you organize your networking contacts and your communications with them. Remember, you can use any format to keep track of this information; you don’t have to use my form.Networking Contact Organization Sheet

“The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with the First Step”Lao Tsu

It all starts with a little action. The first step. Allen Bostrom, President of Universal Accounting and Networking Guru to hundreds of graduates says, “Your own network is the final outcome of all your networking activities and… forms a vital part of your total marketing effort. With this in mind, it is something that should always be [foremost in our thoughts].”Universal Accounting offers the finest curriculum on not only how to start a profitable and rewarding business as a professional tax preparer and bookkeeper, but also offers training on how to best market your business to amplify your profits. With just another couple clicks of the mouse you can find out just how profitable a career in professional tax preparation and bookkeeping can be for you.I Want to Take the First Step. Show Me More About Starting My Own Professional Tax Preparation Business

Updating Your Brand

Have you ever been to a home that was last decorated in the 1970′s? How could you tell? Did the shag carpet give it away? Or maybe the mustard yellow countertops? Or was it the dark wood paneling in the basement?

Most people can tell when you’ve neglected a “look,” be it for your home, your wardrobe or even your business. Unfortunately, when you neglect your business’s marketing materials for too long, your brand becomes tired and worn and your look suggests dated services and an old fashioned approach to financial management.

Your Brand

A brand is what sets a business apart. When you “brand” your small business, you market it in such a way that anyone seeing your promotions will recognize them as belonging to your products and services. If you have branded your business based on the quality of services you offer, all your promotional materials should somehow share that message. And if you designed your website using two colors, those colors should also be found on your print materials, your business cards, and your signage.

1. Stand back and assess

Take a quick look at the promotional materials you use the most. How dated are they? Is the look and feel consistent among all your materials, including your website, your brochures, your flyers, your business card, your newsletters, and even your envelops?

2. Re-evaluate your message

You’ve probably noticed some inconsistencies in your materials. Before you change anything, re-evaluate your message and determine whether or not it’s communicating what you would like.

This may require you to reconsider your business values and the competitive advantage you offer clients. Perhaps in the beginning you thought it was important to offer timely service when now you realize how important accuracy is. Ensure your brand best represents your business and the message you want to portray.

3. Update your look

Graphic design can become a dated as well. Colors come and go, as do design trends. If it’s been over five years since you designed your logo and other promotional materials it may be time to give your brand a makeover. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, consider outsourcing this project to a reputable graphic designer.

4. Update your content

When it comes to tax law, information becomes dated rather quickly. It’s important that you update all your content so it’s current and speaks to your client’s needs.

5. Ensure consistency

Once you update your brand’s look and content, it’s time to ensure consistency among all your materials. You don’t want some random brochure to look completely different from all other branding. This will appear sloppy and unprofessional.

6. Evaluate your marketing approach

Now that you’ve updated your brand, it’s time to think about whether or not your current marketing approach is working. Are you seeing as much success as you’d like? If not, it’s time to consider other strategies that may get your business more exposure, especially using your new and improved brand.

One thing to consider when marketing your business is how to leverage all your skills in order to attract as many potential clients as possible. You may not realize just how much business you could get when properly promoting your QuickBooks expertise. From setup to consultations to help services, you could increase your offerings with no effort at all. It just depends on how you promote it.

Increase your clientele using a skill you already have. To learn how to promote your QuickBooks expertise in order to gain more clients, order QuickBooks Made Profitable today.