Don’t Let Fear of Getting Audited Stop You from Maximizing Your Tax Deductions
Not only is an audit unlikely to happen – if it does, it’s rarely a huge deal Few words inspire such fear in the hearts of Americans as “IRS audit.” In fact, 27 percent of Americans said they rather get an “IRS” tattoo than deal with the agency ever again, writes Money magazine. But one…
Read MoreTax-Deferred Accounts are Valuable – If They aren’t Your Sole Savings Strategy
Why diversification is critical for retirement accounts It sounds like a no-brainer for tax planning: defer as much income as you can from a current high-tax bracket to a time you are likely to be in a lower tax bracket, such as retirement. Tax-deferred accounts can be a valuable vehicle for tax-efficient retirement savings, especially…
Read MoreWhy You Can’t Overestimate the Importance of Tax Planning
Failing to create a plan is the most expensive mistake taxpayers can make Many people scramble to find ways to reduce their taxes as April 15 approaches – and then dive back into busy lives and don’t give them another thought until the following year. But not making time for advance tax planning is one…
Read MoreHow to Avoid Overpaying Tax on Bond Investments
Worried about taxable payouts? Here’s what you should know about taxes and bond investments For any investor, creating a balanced portfolio can take years of practice and market study – not to mention countless meetings with advisors. While bonds aren’t always the talk of the town, these usually-conservative investments do have their benefits. Bond investments…
Read MoreHow to Avoid Overpaying Tax on Cash Investments
While investment planning requires much more than IRS considerations, make sure you’re not paying too much in tax Cash investments are another way that investors can balance out their portfolios with safe, predictable options. These offer stability in returns, as they don’t fluctuate with the stock or bond markets. However, because there is low risk,…
Read MoreGetting the Right People in the Right Seat, Part 2: Evaluating, Counseling, and Firing Employees
What to do when an employee won’t play ball In our previous article, we talked about getting the right people into the right seat. This methodology is especially useful when it’s used to evaluate current employees and ensure that they are the correct person for the job. But the scrutiny doesn’t end there, of course.…
Read MoreGetting the Right People in the Right Seat, Part 1: The People Analyzer
How to evaluate the right person for the job The hardest thing to manage in business is people. The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS®) defines that businesses are comprised of vision, people, data, issues, process, and traction – but in practice, managing people represents probably sixty-percent of the effort. This is one of the reasons it’s…
Read MoreDefining Your Business’s Three Unique Traits
What separates you from the crowd? In today’s market, competition is fierce. It is no longer enough to simply be better than your rivals because there is inevitably a lot of them, most of which may seem identical to all but the most trained eye. You have to show your customers what makes you different.…
Read MoreThe Proven Process: A Map for Business Success
From it, you’re able to distill a documented path – the recipe – your customer will take when they use your product or service. Why does Epicurious – a bastion of gastronomic journalism – declare the best cookbook ever written to be none other than the 85-year-old Joy of Cooking? It’s sold more than 18…
Read MoreWhat is Your Business’s Guarantee?
Customers want to trust you. They need to be convinced. That’s the job of your guarantee. One marketing strategy element you’ll tackle as you put together the Vision Traction Organizer (VTO) is your organization’s guarantee. You’ve spent time digging deep into visualizing your target customers, and you’ve identified the three things that make you unique.…
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