BizOp Blogs

MarketWatch: The IRS’s online filing system is up and running on time. No last-minute bits of legislation to change the whole playing field. What’s the big news this year? Lots of free advice and better question paths in all services. About 145 million tax returns were filed last year. The IRS... More

New York Daily News: No tax question is too tough for New York’s top accountants, and Your Money is putting them to work for you — for free. The annual Daily News Tax Hotline is returning this week to assist filers. An all-star team of certified public accountants will be on hand tomorrow, Wednesday... More

BusinessWeek: Here’s a welcome report for entrepreneurs this new year: President-elect Barack Obama’s massive stimulus plan is expected to include three key tax breaks for small-business owners. Details are still emerging, but the plan could include a longer window for businesses to “carry back”... More

Inc.com: Captive insurance companies have been growing by leaps and bounds. A captive is an insurance company that insures the risks of its parent company. It is owned by a parent or, at times, by the shareholders of the parent company. The operating entity insures all or part of its risks with its... More

Forbes: Maryann, a home-based Web site administrator in Virginia, owns 11 computers: five desktop models in the formal office area, another in the basement, a laptop by her bed, another in the den, two more in the dining room and one in her purse. “It’s a veritable showroom,” she says. Coming... More

U.S. News & World Report: Running a small business can be a life-consuming process, so sometimes small-business owners miss the forest for the trees. Maybe that’s why only about 16 percent of businesses with fewer than 50 employees in the United States have 401(k) plans. Small-business owners... More

Times Herald-Record: … let’s grab a fistful of paper dollars. Think about stuffing them down a storm drain. Small businesses unwittingly throw money away — well, no. They actually send it to the government. Droves of small-business owners overpay taxes because they don’t know the rules,... More

5 tax-specific benefits that make the 401(k) a smart choice for any small business. Forbes.com: 1. Tax credits make it easy to get started: Businesses with fewer than 100 employees, but at least one besides the owner, qualify for a $500 tax credit to offset the administrative costs of the plan for each... More

BizJournals: A New York congressman has introduced a bill that would offer a standard $1,500 deduction to taxpayers who work out of an office in their homes. The bill from Rep. John McHugh, a Republican, is backed by the National Association for the Self-Employed. It also has won the support of the... More

American Coin-Op: While the tax rebates for individuals are getting plenty of media coverage, the economic stimulus package also includes tax relief for small-business owners. There are a couple of provisions that will help commercial laundry owners increase cash flow and lower life-cycle costs. Todd... More

Kansas City Star: Small-business tax rule No. 1: Don’t mess with the Internal Revenue Service. But that doesn’t mean you should cheat yourself. Take every legal deduction you can. Here are a dozen that even savvy small-business owners and entrepreneurs sometimes forget. 1. Home office Concerned... More

Seattle Post Intelligencer: Here’s a small business stereotype: a wild-eyed company owner, frantically filing for an extension of the income tax filing deadline. Sure, there are many owners panicking as April 15 approaches, but there’s another, calmer group out there – owners who routinely... More