Smart Money Choice$

Believe it or not, there is over $266 million in tax refunds that the IRS can’t seem to give away! Did you get yours?

The IRS is looking for more than 279,000 taxpayers who are missing their economic stimulus checks totaling about $163 million, and more than 104,000 taxpayers who are missing their regular refund checks totaling about $103 million.

What’s the problem?

These refund checks were returned by the U.S. Postal Service due to mailing address errors. If you moved since you filed your tax return, or if the address on your tax return is wrong, the IRS may owe you money!

Economic Stimulus Checks

Everyone who has a stimulus check owed to them needs to update their address with the IRS by Nov. 28, 2008. By law, economic stimulus checks must be sent out by Dec. 31 of this year. The undeliverable economic stimulus checks average $583 each.

The “Where’s My Stimulus Payment?” tool on the IRS’s website is the quickest and easiest way to check the status of a stimulus check and receive instructions on how to update your address on their records.

Regular Refunds

The regular refund checks that were returned to the IRS average $988 each. These checks are automatically resent once the address is updated.

If you need to update your address with the IRS, you only need to do it once. The IRS will then send out all checks due.

To update your address, use the “Where’s My Refund?” tool on the IRS website. You can also use it to check the status of your refunds. You’ll need to supply your social security number, filing status and amount of refund shown on your 2007 federal tax return.

Since time is short for getting out the lost Economic Stimulus checks, the IRS has also made this Audio file availabe to help get the word out.

So if you haven’t received yours yet, be sure and contact the IRS pronto and claim your dough.

Here are five quick tips that show you how to increase your cash flow without searching for new clients or quick sales. You could say this is where to find the money you didn’t even know you had!

1.  Don’t Pay Your Bills Early

If you’re one of those people who pays bills as soon as they come in, stop it!

You are probably wasting time doing more administrative work than you need to, and you’re strapping your cash flow in the process. Instead, schedule bill paying just once, or, at most, twice per month. You can still pay on time while holding onto your cash until you really need to let it go.

A great way to make sure no bills are forgotten is to use the Enter Bills and Pay Bills functions in QuickBooks®. Then, use the Reminders or To Do List functions to be reminded when it’s time to pay your bills. This saves time, effort, and a drain on your cash flow.

2.  Reduce Your Overhead

Now that you’ve carved out a little extra time for yourself with #1 above, why not review the regular bills you are paying monthly, quarterly, and annually. Are you getting the most for your money? Do you really need all those goods or services? If you do, can you negotiate a better price?

Review your bills at least annually to trim away accumulated fat from your payables. You’ll be amazed at how much this simple ritual can save you.

3.  Sell Off What You Don’t Need

Since you’re now running in “clean and lean” mode, why not take a stroll around your office and clear out the clutter?

Do you have equipment you don’t use anymore? Put it up for sale on eBay! Wouldn’t you rather have a little extra cash in your bank account than old stuff that just takes up space?

Do you have books accumulating on your shelf too? If you don’t need them any longer, get rid of them! Used books (and many other things) are easily sold on Amazon or eBay’s book site, Half.com. This is all found money.

4.  Prioritize Your Time Based on Cash

If you’re like most of us, you generally think you can get a lot more done in a day than you really can. The reality is we can usually only get two, maybe three important tasks done in a day.

A habit that will make a BIG difference on your cash flow and ultimately your bottom line is to begin each day focused on the two or three (no more) most important tasks you need to accomplish. ‘Most important’ should translate into actions that boost cash coming in to the business quickly.

Write these tasks on a sticky note or an index card and put that short list right in front of your face on your desk or computer.

Focus is extremely powerful. Make it a daily habit to stay focused on cash-related tasks. The effects on your cash flow and your bottom line will be dramatic.

5.  Keep Up with Your Bookkeeping

Huh? Keeping your books up to date will increase your cash flow?

Well, not directly. But it will help you see where exactly your money is coming from and where it’s going, and tell you what you need to do to hold onto more of it.

Timely record keeping also helps you to avoid money-sucking mistakes like double-paying bills and being assessed for late fees. Can you really afford to lose precious cash to unnecessary service charges, penalties, and higher interest rates?

Up-to-date bookkeeping records also save you from facing cash crunches when quarterly tax payments are due. Neither will you get hit with a mega crunch on April 15th because of being blindsided by an unexpected, nasty tax bite when your tax returns are completed for the year.

These five tips are just a few ways to increase your cash flow, to be sure. But even if you use only one or two of these simple techniques, you’ll be well on your way to consistently improving your cash flow.

So which cash flow tactic will you put to work right now in your business?

Additional Resource:

If you’d like to learn how to build a simple system to boost your business cash flow year ’round, then you will want to take a look at my special report, Cash Flow Kick-Start.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR OWN BLOG OR E-ZINE? You have permission to re-publish it, as long as you include the following author’s bio and link:

Gabrielle Fontaine, PB is a freelance Professional Bookkeeper and Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor. She specializes in assisting Internet-savvy entrepreneurs to get control of their books and maximize profits. Gabrielle also publishes the business-boosting online ezine, Smart Money Choices. Get more information at http://www.BookkeepingDirect.com

As with most information surrounding marketing, there can be a lot of hype on a topic like this. But the simple truth is that one of the biggest reasons 95% of all start-up businesses fail is because they hang out their shingle and just expect business to show up.

It doesn’t work that way.

I’m going to make a bold statement here. Marketing is THE most important function in your business. Yes, you heard that from me, the QuickBooks consultant who is always telling you how vital it is to have accurate financial records.

I’m not changing my tune on that, but reality is you won’t have any financial records to keep track of if you don’t have enough business coming in the door. Sales come in by getting the word out about the value your business offers the world for which they need to pay you. It’s really all about communication.

If, by means of your marketing methods you are able to vividly communicate to a large, targeted audience the value of what you have to offer them, you will pull in new business. Guaranteed. Of course, to build a reputation that will keep people coming back, you have to deliver on that promise of value. But even those who do not offer high quality services and products will make money if they use effective marketing methods. You know that’s true.

So, the question is, what marketing methods are most effective? I’m glad you asked.
The answer really does depend, at least in part, to the type of business you want to build and who your customers are.

Remember that marketing is all about communication. And guess what? The Internet is all about communication too. That’s why the two work so well together. And what does communication really do? It builds relationships. And relationships are what drive business. People do business with people they know, like and trust. So effective online marketing is about building relationships with your prospects and customers.

That’s why most companies can benefit by marketing through the Internet. Some prosperous businesses are even marketed exclusively online. Mine is one of them.

I’ve never been one to go along with the crowd. So when it comes to marketing my QuickBooks consulting and training business, taking a non-traditional approach is really paying off.

Because I work exclusively on a virtual basis with my clients (that means I don’t go on-site to visit my clients’ offices, but work with them using the Internet and telephone only), it made sense to market my business using only the Internet as well. But I did more than just put up a website and be done with it.

Of course my website is the central point of contact online. But Internet marketing involves much more. Getting results means you have to be where people will find you AND you need to be proactive about building relationships with them. Here are just a few ways I’ve used to get attention and build ongoing relationships with online marketing:

- List in online directories
- Write articles that are published online
- Publish an online newsletter
- Offer online training and/or information for free
- Participate in online forums and social networks
- Advertise using pay-per-click search engine ads

But not all online marketing methods are created equal. The hardest part is not the actual marketing methods. In fact, those are easy and most are quite inexpensive (when compared to off-line marketing). The most formidable obstacle in using online marketing to rake is more business than you can handle is the learning curve.

It took me a few years to figure this stuff out! Literally. But it doesn’t need to take you that long, You can quickly tap into the abundance marketing online has to offer - and I HIGHLY recommend that you do. So here are the ”insider” strategies I’d use, if I had to start again from scratch to learn how to use online marketing in my business.

1. I’d absorb the information being offered for free by the leading Internet marketers.

2. I would go to live marketing events as soon as I could possibly afford it.

3. I would pay for ONLY the information I needed when I needed it.

So how do you know which Internet marketers to listen to (there are a slew of them) and/or which marketing events will get you the most bang for your buck? Here are the marketers I follow because, in my opinion and experience, they are the best of the best.

Jim Edwards‘ free multi-media online newsletter: I Gotta Tell You.  He also has a membership site (of which I am a long-standing member) called The Net Reporter. Jim teaches everything, nuts-and-bolts style, you will ever need to know about marketing your business on the Internet. The way my business is going, I know that I cannot afford NOT to be a member of Jim’s site!
 
Armand Morin: Live seminar - BigSeminar This is considered THE online marketing seminar and the only one that millionaire business owners consistently attend. The reason? It is the best both for content and for networking. It’s not cheap, but you can learn a ton just by attending the preview training calls Armand hosts with each of the speakers for free.

The next BigSeminar is October 3-5, in Atlanta (I’ll be there!), and the first of the FREE preview training calls starts tonight (Tuesday, August 19th). You can learn more about it Here.

So will Internet marketing boost your business’s bottom line? YES! But you’ve got to get past the learning curve first!

Summer’s here! And with it come thoughts of vacation, relaxation and slowing down.

The effect on most businesses, of course, is that cash flow typically takes a big dip. The looming threat of a recession doesn’t help any either.

But there’s good news. I’ve come up with some tips to help prevent a warm weather cash crunch that may even boost your bottom line.

1.  Ask for your money.

This is a great time to get caught up on your Accounts Receivable and get paid for the work you’ve already done. Review your clients’ accounts and send out statements to remind them that they owe you. 

If you regularly send out statements and still have some slow payers, pick up the phone to give them a friendly nudge. Calling your clients will not only remind them to pay you, but the personal contact from you may remind them that they have more work they’ve been meaning to send your way.  

2.  Invoice your clients promptly.

Riding on the heels of tip #1, be sure to invoice your clients promptly for the work you’ve already done. The longer you wait to send your bill, the longer you’ll have to wait to be paid. Don’t let your client’s “forget” how valuable your services really are. Invoice often and promptly!

3.  Focus on any projects that are nearly done.

If your receivables are in good order, the next quickest way to get money in the door is to finish any projects that are near completion. The sooner you finish them, the sooner you can issue your invoice and the sooner you’ll get paid.

4.  Require a deposit on new projects.

If you have more than your fair share of slow-paying clients, or worse yet, clients who never pay you at all, this is a great time to start weeding out those deadbeats who don’t appreciate your work.

Start charging a 25%-50% deposit up front on new projects coming in. By doing this, you will actually raise your clients’ perception of your professionalism and repel those who don’t truly value your services.

My clients who have had the courage to follow this advice are surprised by the remarkable increase in cash flow, and they are now attracting more high quality, fast-paying clients.

This tactic seems riskier than it really is. If you take the leap of faith, you’ll see an instant increase in cash flow and build a higher quality client base. 

5.  Up-sell, cross-sell, and get referrals from your best clients.

Are your clients aware of the different services (or products) you provide? Send out a personalized letter or greeting card by snail mail to all your best clients.

Tell them about anything new that’s going on in your business, such as your new Web site, a new service offering, etc. Include a separate card that lists all your services and contact information for easy reference. 

Tell your clients how much you enjoy working with them. Mention that you would love more clients just like them, so you’d welcome any referrals they could send your way. 

Just the personal contact from you will usually bring in more business, as well as wake up your clients to the idea of sending you referrals. “Warm and fuzzy” works.

The summertime is a great season to clean up your receivables, weed out less desirable clients, and pull in new business. By implementing these five strategies over the next few months, you’ll not only boost your cash flow in the short term but grow a strong and healthy business for years to come.

Additional Resource:

If you’d like to learn how to build a simple system to boost your business cash flow year ’round, then you will want to take a look at my special report, Cash Flow Kick-Start.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR OWN BLOG OR E-ZINE? You have permission to re-publish it, as long as you include the following author’s bio and link:

Gabrielle Fontaine, PB is a freelance Professional Bookkeeper and Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor. She specializes in assisting Internet-savvy entrepreneurs to get control of their books and maximize profits. Gabrielle also publishes the business-boosting online ezine, Smart Money Choices. Get more information at http://www.BookkeepingDirect.com

It’s tax day!

No, it’s not time to file your income tax return again already, but if you’re supposed to be paying quarterly estimated taxes, today is the day the second quarter payment is due for 2008.

For many who pay estimated taxes, this payment is a tough one. That’s because it was just two short months ago that we had to pony up the dough for any taxes that were due to close out 2007, PLUS shell out even more money for the 2008 first quarter estimated tax payment.

What about you? Do you already have the cash available to make the second quarter payment without feeling a painful pinch?

If not, you’re not alone.

Many self-employed folks–surprisingly, even those making piles of money–come up short on cash when trying to pay their estimated taxes because of not planning ahead.

These people are then forced to send in their payments late or, worse yet, not at all. That costly strategy can really bite hard because it means facing a huge tax bill next April 15th, which can be further inflated by underpayment penalties.

Ouch!

Whenever I see small business clients headed toward this painful yet common tax trap, I suggest my simple two-step system to make keeping up with estimated taxes easy and almost painless. (Of course, we all know paying taxes is never completely painless.)

STEP 1: Use a simple spreadsheet to keep track of your estimated tax amounts.

The easiest way I’ve found to do this is to record your gross revenue in a spreadsheet. Then apply a specific percentage to that amount, say 25%. The result is the amount you should set aside for paying your estimated taxes.

The percentage you use is only an estimate as your income accumulates throughout the year, and it is unique to your tax situation.

A quick way to calculate a reasonable starting percentage is to look at last year’s numbers. Divide the total amount of your tax liability by the total of your gross revenues. Don’t forget to include ALL the taxes you paid–federal, state and local–throughout the year. This percentage is a reasonable starting point.

When your actual 2008 taxes have been calculated next April, you’ll know whether any adjustment is needed in the estimate you are using on your spreadsheet, based on whether you have money leftover or don’t have quite enough.

Now, once you’ve applied that percentage to the gross revenues you’ve pulled in so far this year, the result is the amount you should put aside to pay your quarterly taxes. Since we are already halfway through the year, subtract any estimated payments you have made so far from this amount.

Going forward, every time you receive a payment from your clients, you should update the gross revenue amount you’re tracking on your spreadsheet and it should calculate the corresponding additional allowance for taxes you should immediately set aside.

You will also want to use the spreadsheet to track your estimated payments as you make them throughout the year, including the actual dates on which you made those payments. This information will be needed to give to your tax preparer next spring.

But how do you make sure that you don’t use the money you are earmarking for taxes for something else in a moment of weakness?

STEP 2: Open a savings account just for taxes.

An online savings account is ideal for this purpose. But if you prefer, a savings account at the bank where you have your business checking account will work just as well.

By putting your tax money in a separate savings account, it will discourage you from using that money for any other purpose. As a small bonus, as your tax savings balance builds, you will be paid interest on the accumulating money.

Remember the purpose for this account is to assure that the cash is available when it comes time to make your quarterly payments. This quick and simple method is designed to mimic the ease of automatic withholdings employees get from their employers, and often allows them to look forward to a tax refund.

Using this system, you could get the same result. You may even find that your tax savings account shows “leftover” money when everything is said and done next April. Wouldn’t that be a pleasant tax experience for a change?

Bottom line: By using this simple two-step system, you can stop worrying about having enough cash to make your tax payments.

In fact, I’ve even got an incentive for you to help implement this system right now. I’ve arranged it so that you can get paid $25 just for opening an online tax savings account.

As you might imagine, I can only offer this bonus to a limited number of people, but if you’re ready to make the Smart Choice of “automatically” putting aside money for your tax payments, I’ll show you how to do it and get $25 for taking action when you click here.

Come next April 15th, you’ll be glad you did.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR OWN BLOG OR E-ZINE? You have permission to re-publish it, as long as you include the following author’s bio and link:

Gabrielle Fontaine, PB is a freelance Professional Bookkeeper and Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor. She specializes in assisting Internet-savvy entrepreneurs to get control of their books and maximize profits. Gabrielle also publishes the business-boosting online ezine, Smart Money Choices. Get more information at http://www.BookkeepingDirect.com