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Looking Out for Your Business During Flu Season

Your business may have already been impacted by the spring and summer outbreaks of 2009 H1N1 influenza. The CDC anticipates more communities may be affected and/or more severely affected this fall and winter than were in the spring and summer of 2009. The Read Article »

Idaho Minimum Wage Posting Requirements

Each employer in Idaho must keep a summary of the wage laws posted in a conspicuous place, in or about the premises where employees are employed, or in a place accessible to its employees.

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Checklist for Starting a New Business

The attached file contains a checklist for all the steps you should take before you start a new business. It's a "to do" list for starting a new business in much the same way that a grocery list is a "to do" for grocery shopping.

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Posting Forms

Regardless of the size of your business, if you have any employees you must display posters that inform employees of their job safety rights. Spanish and English copies of these posters (OSHA 3165 and 3167) are available at the OSHA web site.

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Cash Disbursements and Purchase Journals

A cash disbursements journal is where you record your cash (or check) paid-out transactions. It can also be called a purchases journal or an expense journal.

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Looking Out for Your Business During Flu Season

Your business may have already been impacted by the spring and summer outbreaks of 2009 H1N1 influenza. The CDC anticipates more communities may be affected and/or more severely affected this fall and winter than were in the spring and summer of 2009. The

Recommended 1 Comments

Checklist for Starting a New Business

The attached file contains a checklist for all the steps you should take before you start a new business. It's a "to do" list for starting a new business in much the same way that a grocery list is a "to do" for grocery shopping.

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Special Exemption for Family-Owned Businesses

If qualified family-owned business interests (QFOBIs) make up more than 50 percent of your taxable estate, you may benefit from a special provision that can increase your total effective exemption from estate tax to $1.3 million.

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Sample Equipment Inventory List

Should a theft, fire, or other catastrophe hit your business, you'll want to quickly and accurately determine what you've lost. You'll be aided in making this determination if you've taken the time to document each of your equipment acquisitions. Good records of what you've purchased can also help when things are going well. Accurate information regarding your past equipment purchases can help you forecast your future needs.

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Checklist for Purchasing Used Vehicles

For many small business owners, buying a reliable used vehicle to use in their business makes more sense than buying a new one. By doing so, a business owner can save thousands of dollars on a vehicle's purchase price. That money can be used in other areas of the business that will generate profits. However, a used vehicle that constantly breaks down may interrupt service to customers. And depending on the nature of your business, a shabby looking vehicle that runs could still leave an unfavorable impression with your clients.

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Disposing of Unproductive Equipment

Every item of equipment that you acquire for your business represents an investment of your business capital. Taken a step further, an item that is not currently being used represents capital on which the current return to your business is zero or even negative (if property taxes and insurance costs attributable to the item are taken into account). For this reason, you want to be sure to limit the amount of unproductive assets that your business owns.

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Lien Stripping for Personal Residences

When battling liens against you, it's important to note that lien stripping is not available for a lien secured solely by a personal residence. This provision was added to the bankruptcy law in 1994.

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Accomplishing Goals Economically

If your facility allows you to efficiently carry out the necessary functions of your business, presents the business in a good light, and allows for growth potential, you're well on your way to having made a good facility choice. However, there is one more important attribute of the "ideal" facility: it should fulfill your space needs economically.

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Analyzing Your Financial Position

After you've gotten the basics of financial recordkeeping down pat, and you have a good handle on your company's cash flow and other day-to-day issues, you may want to take a longer and deeper look at the financial state of your company. In some cases, you may need to undertake a fairly detailed financial analysis because you are looking for additional capital in the form of loans or investors.

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Shopping for the Best Rates

Shopping for the best merchant account rate is like shopping for anything else: you want the best value at the lowest price. Don't make the mistake of assuming that you'll get the same rate at every bank. Let's look at some of the terms that are important in credit card transactions.

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Top 10 Books for Small Business Owners

The 10 "must-reads" for Small Business Owners.

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Entrepreneur.com
Startup Journal
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    Discounting is a strategy high-end restaurateurs have traditionally avoided or carried out in subtle ways. But this winter and spring, an unprecedented number of fine-dining restaurants slashed their prices.