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Tax Avoidance or Tax Evasion? Tax Tiger Explains the Difference

May 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Tax Tiger

Tax Tiger

Tax Tiger explains why tax avoidance is “rewarded” while tax evasion is punishable by up to five years in prison and a quarter million dollar fine.

Q: What exactly does Tax Avoidance mean?

Tax Tiger: Simply put, Tax Avoidance is practiced by every American who files taxes. For instance, claiming a dependent or mortgage interest for the sake of lowering one’s financial liability to the Federal government are examples of Tax Avoidance.

Q: Must a taxpayer be able to prove his or her Tax Avoidance techniques are legitimate?

Tax Tiger: Yes, and we recommend keeping all records and receipts related to tax deductions and credits.

Q: If Tax Avoidance is legal, why is Tax Evasion a crime?

Tax Tiger: Unlike Tax Avoidance, Tax Evasion is the intentional act of providing the IRS with misleading information in an attempt to reduce one’s tax bill.

Q: What are the penalties for an attempt to defeat or evade tax?

Tax Tiger: According to the IRS, an individual who endeavors to evade all or any portion of their tax bill is guilty of a felony, with penalties including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000.

Q: Who pays for the cost of prosecution?

Tax Tiger: If convicted, the taxpayer is responsible for all court costs associated with his or her case.

Q: Why are there such steep fines and penalties for failure to pay taxes?

Tax Tiger: Tax Evasion is punished to the fullest extent of the law because these funds provide monies for national defense, public education, health care for the elderly, social services, and financial aid to the poor and disabled. As well, taxes fund state and local police and other important community civil services.

Q: What is Circular 230 and how is it pertinent to our discussion of Tax Evasion?

Tax Tiger: Circular 230 contains the rules that Enrolled Agents, CPAs, attorneys, and other legal representation must follow in order to represent a taxpayer in front of the IRS. In essence, it states that the service providers must always act in the best interest of their clients, including advising them on all legal Tax Avoidance avenues.

Q: Why are there negative connotations associated with the term “Tax Avoidance?”

Tax Tiger: Unfortunately, Tax Avoidance is not completely understood by the general public. Even many experienced tax service providers struggle with the difference between evasion and avoidance.

Q: What is one example of a Tax Evasion scheme by employers?

Tax Tiger: Paying an employee in cash to avoid payroll taxes is one way that businesses engaged in Tax Evasion.

 

About Tax Tiger

In 2002, Kathy Hill founded Tax Tiger–America’s Most Effective Tax Representation Company–in Sacramento, California. Since the firm’s inception, Tax Tiger has saved taxpayers across the nation in excess of $20 million in penalties, interest, and back taxes. The group employs only licensed professionals who meet the highest educational standards in the industry.

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Markus Lattner | Lean Manufacturing in Agriculture

May 18, 2012 By 5 Comments
Markus Lattner

Markus Lattner

Markus Lattner has learned quite a bit about improving processes in agriculture in his position as an improvement manager for a Schuykill County, Pennsylvania community supported agriculture farm. The farm is proudly chemical-free, Markus Lattner says, embracing his dedication to the environment.

Today, Markus Lattner talks to Interviewing Experts about how he thinks lean manufacturing concepts can help vegetable growers streamline operations.

Interviewing Experts: Markus Lattner, welcome. Now, to clarify, the term ‘lean manufacturing’ originated in the auto industry, right?

Markus Lattner: Right. Toyota put the process in motion, back when the car manufacturer was called Toyoda. They looked at Ford’s system of flow and saw the value of variety, as opposed to producing one model in one color. They developed what is now called the Toyota Production System (TPM).

Interviewing Experts: For those of us who have never heard of it before, what does “lean manufacturing” mean?

Markus Lattner: That’s a good question, but let me expand on it a bit. Lean thinking, since it is not only used in manufacturing environments, looks at maximizing value for the customer.

Interviewing Experts: Like what, for instance?

Markus Lattner: In many businesses, waste can be as much as 100%. Lean manufacturing encourages a company to find this waste and work to eliminate it.

Interviewing Experts: What kind of waste does an agricultural farmer have?

Markus Lattner: One problem we’ve worked to eliminate at the farm is the overproduction of crops.  We have found that much of a crop just goes to waste.

Interviewing Experts: What are some of the obstacles vegetable growers face in incorporating lean thinking?

Markus Lattner: One of the biggest problems I’ve seen is a failure to follow through. Many of us have great ideas but if we don’t know how to implement them and follow through, we never see the rewards.

Interviewing Experts: What do you recommend vegetable growers do to make sure they can see the rewards with lean thinking once they implement improvements?

Markus Lattner: First, I’ve found that writing up procedures really helps. Having it in black and white really makes a difference. Create daily checklists and hold yourself and your workers accountable.

Interviewing Experts: Do you find farmers tend to think of lean manufacturing as a separate program from their normal work?

Markus Lattner: Yes, and it’s important that they come to incorporate it into their daily work. Eliminating waste isn’t a standalone initiative. It’s a way of doing business, day after day.

Interviewing Experts: I agree. What benefits have you found from incorporating lean manufacturing?

Markus Lattner: Less waste, but also more productivity. Farms are able to focus their attention on productive work, which brings in more money and makes employees feel as though they are contributing.

Interviewing Experts: Thank you for speaking with us today, Mr. Lattner. Markus Lattner is an experienced manufacturing manager and lean improvement specialist.

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Pierre Bennett Global Vacations: Don’t-Miss Destinations in Rio de Janero

May 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Pierre Bennett Global Vacations

Pierre Bennett Global Vacations

According to Pierre Bennett Global Vacations, Rio de Janeiro is a city where time stands still and the party never stops. With manic energy and excitement in the air equally during the day and night, visitors might be overwhelmed by options. The team at Pierre Bennett Global Vacations stands ready to help members find the hottest spots in this fantastic city. Because Pierre Bennett Global Vacations travel club offers members discounts – getting to Rio has never been easier.

Rio has a remarkable variety of beaches so it’s completely impossible to name one of them as the best, asserts the team at Pierre Bennett Global Vacations. Pierre Bennett Global Vacations notes that the Copacabana is a very large stretch of sand popular for a combination sport of volleyball and soccer. The travel professionals at Pierre Bennett Global Vacations also suggest that members visit another nearby beach which was made famous by Stan Getz, Astrud Gilberto and João Gilbert in the 1962 hit “The Girl from Ipanema” and is located in the next cove. Pierre Bennett Global Vacation urges members to visit São Conrado to watch hang gliders land and, if visitors want privacy, they should consider visiting Prainha beach, which is environmentally protected. Pierre Bennett Global Vacations members can plan ahead, with access to condo inventory up to a year in advance.

Pierre Bennett Global Vacations believes that visitors to Rio should definitely visit the Palácio do Catete – especially if they have an interest in art, culture and history. The castle, Pierre Bennett Global Vacations notes, has been home to a German baron, eighteen Brazilian presidents, a cultural history museum and an art gallery. Pierre Bennett Global Vacations says that today it is the perfect spot to learn about Brazil’s political history, culture and art.

Music has played an integral part in Rio’s history and Pierre Bennett Global Vacations knows that no visit to Brazil would be complete without going nightclub hopping. The samba and bossa nova styles of music are played every night in clubs around Rio. Pierre Bennett Global Vacations also recommends a visit to the Lupa district to check out some of the famed classic clubs. If visitors want to hear something more sedate, Pierre Bennett Global Vacations suggests visiting Theatro Municipal for symphonies or operas. But if visitors really are bitten by the samba bug, they should come to the Carnival in February when samba takes over the streets. And because Pierre Bennett Global Vacations members don’t have to deal with timeshares and aren’t tied down to one location, they don’t have to work around another vacationer’s schedule.

To contact Pierre Bennett Global Vacations, call (703) 395-1430.

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Talent Acquisition Is Vital to Business, Says Douglas Battista

May 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Douglas Battista

Douglas Battista

Douglas Battista, President of North America Field Operations, had the opportunity to participate in an open dialogue at the 2011 Talent Acquisition Conference. During the conversation, this former Head of Talent Acquisition for Nestlé USA spoke about the benefits of teaming with a recruiting agency that has an established presence at home and abroad. Here, Douglas Battista answers questions about the conference and its purpose.

Q. – What was the main topic of discussion at the conference?

Douglas Battista – RPO, or Recruitment Process Outsource. This is a business practice where a firm’s HR department relinquishes some portion of the company’s recruitment activities to a service provider outside of its own payroll.

Q. – Can you explain what benefit RPO brings to a business?

Douglas Battista – There are many, under the right circumstances. If corporation management is seeking to hire high-level talent in a foreign market, this process can give them access to the area’s most talented individuals. One of the main benefits is scalability.  Recruiting needs rise and fall, and RPOs allow for scalability and cost control.

Q. –What do conferences like this do for the business community?

Douglas Battista – I believe that they bring awareness to the benefit of the services.

Q. – What other companies were represented at the conference roundtable?

Douglas Battista – The Cummins Corp., specifically John Havenaar, who is the Executive Director, Global Recruiting, of the firm.

Q. – What was discussed?

Douglas Battista – We talked about how FutureStep has helped both Nestlé USA and Cummins Corporation improve hiring practices on a global scale.

Q. – What are the main principles of strategic workforce planning, and how can FutureStep assist a company in these principles?

Douglas Battista – They can help a firm understand what skill sets management needs to look for in order to enhance the future of the business. Additionally, they can assist in the identification and rectification gaps in their current talent.

Q. – How assessable is FutureStep?

Douglas Battista – The company employs over 800 recruitment professionals in 20 separate countries with nearly 40 offices.

Q. – Does an RPO strategy involve only permanent employees?

Douglas Battista – No, the firm also specializes in project recruitment.

Q. – Does RPO make a material difference in a company’s level of quality?

Douglas Battista – Yes, it can. When a company has a talent pool of individuals who’ve been prescreened for their skills, they tend to require less time training the employee. The RPO process can save a company money by helping to reduce turnover ratio and ensuring the longevity of their business by allowing them to hire only the best candidates for their open positions.

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Steven Delarge: Tips for a Great Job Interview

May 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Steven Delarge

Steven Delarge

Steven Delarge has years of experience, both as a CEO and CFO. Most recently, he served as president of Silicones & Quartz for Momentive Performance Materials. One of the most important duties of an executive is interviewing potential job candidates. Steven Delarge gives job interview tips to job seekers to help land that dream job.

  • Do your research. Steven Delarge was surprised at how rarely a candidate looked into a company before the interview. Today’s interviewee can find a fair amount of information on any company with just a basic web search. Because of this, Steven Delarge recommends a job candidate set him or herself apart from the crowd by going beyond the basic web search. Ask around and visit the library or local chamber of commerce to get as much information as possible about a company before you show up for the interview, according to Steven Delarge.
  • Cite specific examples. Many of today’s successful interview questions pose questions such as, “Describe a time when you took a difficult situation and turned it around.” Steven Delarge explains the reasoning behind that. Quite a bit can be learned by hearing real-life experiences from a candidate. Answer even basic questions with examples from your past work experience.

  • Be direct. Answer each question with a straightforward, honest response, Steven Delarge advises. An interviewer knows when an interviewee is being evasive. Steven Delarge finds it far more impressive when an interviewee simply looks him in the eye and states, “I don’t have any experience in that.” Sometimes an interviewee who shows ambition and a strong work ethic will be hired even though he or she doesn’t have the desired experience.
  • Dress appropriately. This seems like it should be a given, but Steven Delarge has found today’s job candidates don’t always follow the tried and true. No matter what the job, Steven Delarge advises playing it safe by dressing conservatively from head to toe. This includes toned-down nail polish and covered-up tattoos. Any odd body piercings should be removed as well. A suit is always a safe bet, but be sure your suit doesn’t look dated. Too many candidates save the same suit for decades, pulling it out only when it’s time to look for a job. A good, modern suit will be an investment that pays back when you land that great-paying job, Steven Delarge adds.

These tough economic times have made the job market more competitive than ever, but by following the basic rules of professionalism, Steven Delarge believes anyone can find the perfect job.

Filed Under: Business, Public Speaking, Self Improvement Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

James Stuckey Answers Questions about Real Estate Development

May 9, 2012 By 8 Comments

 

James Stuckey

James Stuckey

James Stuckey, the former President of the New York City Public Design Commission, explains that a city’s economic infrastructure relies on numerous development types.

Q: What is Large Scale Development?

James Stuckey: Like the name suggests, it is any project that affects a great number of people over a large area.

Q: What large-scale development projects are notable in New York City?

James Stuckey: MetroTech, where the NYC Fire Dept. is headquartered, the South Street Seaport and its surrounding shops, and Times Square.

Q: How are Mixed-Use Developments helpful to a community?

James Stuckey: A Mixed Use Development is a benefit to residents, because they can have easy access to their homes, jobs, and shopping, since any or all of these can be zoned in the same building.

Q: Are there environmental benefits to a Mixed Use Development?

James Stuckey: By allowing a single building or a group of buildings to serve multiple purposes, it opens up the opportunity for less reliance on gas-powered vehicles, since living and working in the same area is a feasible option.  It promotes mass transportation.

Q: What is an example of this type of development?

James Stuckey: Battery Park City.

Q.: What is Inner City Development?

James Stuckey: This type of project is completed in a metropolitan area; most people think of “inner city” as low income areas but that is not always the case.

Q.: Are Inner City Development projects unique to the United States?

James Stuckey: They are not. A great example of an inner city development would be a the Staples Center arena in Los Angeles or the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.

Q: What is a Transit Oriented Development?

James Stuckey: Planned communities that are centered on or adjacent to public transport access are considered Transit Oriented.

Q: Why is it important to have areas with access to public transportation when most people drive?

James Stuckey: In large cities, it is not uncommon for most people to live close enough to work to walk. Also, in densely populated areas, public transit is a much more efficient way to travel and it offers many environmental benefits.

Q: Why is it important to have so many development types in a city?

James Stuckey: So that there is a range of accessible jobs and housing. Not everyone has the same financial means to live in a certain area. Also, not all people have the skills or desire to work in an office all day. Having a town with many different development types helps the economy by providing for its resident’s varied needs.  Also, cities often develop in myriad ways over their histories.

Q: Are developers only interested in urban development?

James Stuckey: No, absolutely not. Suburban areas impact the economy just as much as downtown developments.

Q: What kinds of projects have you seen built in suburban areas?

James Stuckey: Suburban office parks, residential areas and commercial property, like retail space. Also, areas outside of the metropolitan region are more open, which can allow for more land devoted to industrial developments or shopping space.

Q: Define Infrastructure development…

James Stuckey: Roads, bridges, tunnels; even energy technology.

Q: What kind of development are courts, hospitals, schools and libraries considered?

James Stuckey: These are government and non-profit projects.

Q: Do most developers focus on one type of project?

James Stuckey: Some can, but many chose to offer both public and private sector services.

 

James Stuckey is the CEO of Verdant Properties, LLC®. During his 30 year long career, James Stuckey has served both the public and private sectors and helped develop some of the most recognizable structures in the city. James Stuckey is a New York City native with personal interests ranging from green and sustainable development to photography and golf.

Filed Under: Real Estate Tagged With: , ,

Traveling to Costa Rica

May 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Kyle Thomas Glasser

Kyle Thomas Glasser

Kyle Thomas Glasser simplifies his mission in life to serving others. This is the number one reason why he was motivated to study medicine. He always had a passion for helping anyone in need and saw how doctors had an impact on the lives of patients. In his career, he spares some time to visit many communities. He visited Costa Rica on a medical mission in 2010 and that set him on his course to become a medical doctor. Kyle believes in the fact that wherever he goes he must make some changes. He is a senior student in the University of Georgia. Even though medical students are busy, that does not hinder him from participating in any other association in the community and in America.

Kyle traveled to South America in the month of May 2010, to give medical assistance to impoverished areas in Costa Rica. As a young adult of 21 years, you must admit that it is an exciting chance to travel the world. That is exactly what is happening to a man of integrity called Kyle. He is a member of International Service Learning Program. This program offers opportunities to students to travel to different parts of the country just to help them attain experience while they offer a hand to the needy communities.

The communities Kyle visited do not receive any medical attention. Thanks to the medical mission team, the people of Costa Rica were able to get health care to improve their morale in life. During that trip, he tutored students who needed help in math. He says that his trip to Costa Rica opened his eyes to the opportunities that he could get to help others in a medical career.  He had a chance to experience hardships people go through, first hand. The trip was advantageous because he was able to practice what he learnt in class while at the same time lending a hand to the needy people he found in the places he visited.

For the two weeks he stayed in Costa Rica, Kyle interacted with people who had never used modern medicine in their entire life. Such a thing might be unimaginable, but the truth is that there are people living in such conditions. If you get such a chance to assist people, it will be a great privilege to do all you can. This trip improved and influenced other people’s lives. In addition, Kyle Thomas Glasser was able to give people information concerning basic health care and the importance of taking medicines to the residents.

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Ian Woodman, Idaho Tax Relief Expert, Gives an Overview of 2012 Tax Changes

May 4, 2012 By 10 Comments
Ian Woodman Idaho

Ian Woodman Idaho

Ian Woodman, Idaho tax resolution firm Instant Tax Solutions co-founder, helps lead a team of tax experts. Together, they work hard to stay abreast of tax changes each year, explains Ian Woodman. Idaho taxpayers and others across the country were impacted by several changes in the tax laws this year. Today, Ian Woodman of Idaho explains what those tax changes were and how they might affect you.

Recently, you may have noticed an increase in the federal withholding allowance, describes Ian Woodman. Idaho residents are now able to withhold $3,800. This allows taxpayers to have more deducted from each paycheck in order to avoid paying at the end of the year. Ian Woodman ’s Idaho Instant Tax Solutions sees some taxpayers who prefer to maximize withholding throughout the year in order to see a larger tax return the following spring. This can help pay for vacations and large purchases, Ian Woodman of Idaho acknowledges. The increase in the withholding allowance means that, according to Ian Woodman, Idaho residents can have more held out throughout the year to receive a larger tax refund at tax time.

Another increase the IRS instituted this year was an increase in the social security wage limit, says Ian Woodman. Idaho residents will be taxed up to $110,000 on earnings in 2012, Woodman adds. The good news is the tax rate stays the same—7.65% for individuals and 6.2% for employers. The Medicare tax will remain the same—1.45%, according to Ian Woodman. Idaho residents should note there is no wage base limit for the Medicare tax.

One of the biggest changes for Ian Woodman ’s Idaho clients this year is the end of the advance payment of the Earned Income Credit. This, Ian Woodman of Idaho explains, was a program designed to help those making low to moderate wages. As the economy begins to once again gain ground, Ian Woodman ’s Idaho office is seeing less governmental programs to help taxpayers. But this is good news as people begin returning to work, concludes Woodman.

Ian Woodman, an Idaho tax relief specialist, established Instant Tax Solutions in 2008 with his business partner Byron Pedersen. Together, they share a mission of providing stress-free tax relief with honesty and integrity to taxpayers. Ian Woodman, Idaho businessman, helps to lead Instant Tax Solutions, which boasts 4,000 clients and is served by 25 employees.

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