IRS Webinars for Small Businesses

Did you know the IRS offers free webinars for small business owners?  From topics as diverse as the ACA to disaster recovery to tangible property regulations, I recommend to many of my clients that they bookmark the site and check back regularly to see what new topics are being offered.

Check it out here: Webinars for Small Businesses

Spread the word — why?  Because educated clients are more likely to run successful businesses.

IRS Budget Set to Be Slashed Again

Unfortunately, Congress is clashing yet again over the state of the IRS budget.  Many are making this out to be an issue of partisan politics, but in fact, it’s an issue that should be completely independent of party lines.  Congress has increased the IRS’s responsibility year-after-year, asking them to monitor new programs and police tax evasion schemes, all the while reducing the budget for doing so.

“Starving the IRS costs the government revenue from tax enforcement, with about a $6 return on every dollar spent.”

In my opinion, this is not — or at least should not be — a partisan issue.  All of us accountants have had to deal with excruciating wait times at the IRS, elimination of hotlines, an increasingly untrained and inexperienced workforce… and the result is to hinder our work with clients.  We’re shooting ourselves in the foot, and setting ourselves up for failure.  “Penny-wise, pound foolish,” as one commenter stated.

If you have sway with your federal representatives, or feel like writing a letter to support increasing the IRS budget, I strongly encourage you to do so.

Source: Republicans Chop IRS Budget Again, Setting Up Clash with Obama | Accounting Today News

Open Co-working Week at Free Range Office Chicago, June 15-19

Open Co-working Week at Free Range Office Chicago is coming up!

From Mon. June 15th through Friday, June 19th, Free Range Office (2nd Floor, 2141 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647) will be offering free workspace for a day, educational seminars, workshops, complimentary food and drinks, and a happy hour to get folks acquainted with their space and with the co-working movement. Email carly@freerangeoffice.com for a free Day Pass.

http://www.freerangeoffice.com/open-coworking-week/

The idea behind the co-working office space movement is to offer alternatives to both the corporate box and the isolating home office. “You set the pace, and the terms, in an environment that promotes comfort, innovation, networking and collaboration. The welcoming ambiance provides extra amenities to make your life easier, including ergonomic chairs and spacious desks; private telephone room; outdoor terrace; chef’s kitchen; gourmet coffee and tea; video blogging studio; laundry and dry cleaning delivery service; and even a weekly chair massage day to work out those knots.”

According to an article in last year’s Chicago Tribune, “coworking spaces are the front lines of Chicago’s new economy.”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/bluesky/series/coworking-spaces/chi-bsi-series-chicagos-coworking-spaces-ngux-story.html

(Note: I’m not affiliated in any way with Free Range Office, or any other co-working space — I just think they’re a genius idea for small businesses and have a few clients who get a lot out of the arrangement, so I wanted to spread the word.)