Buy a New Car : Special Tax Break

by Ted

WASHINGTON “For those thinking about buying a new car this year, this deduction may give them a little more drive to make their purchase this year,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. The deduction is limited to the state and local sales and excise taxes paid on up to $49,500 of the purchase price of a […]

49 states report jumps in unemployment.

by Ted

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — “The unemployment rate jumped last month in 49 states, with Michigan leading the way, the U.S. government reported on Friday. Nebraska was the only state to escape rising joblessness.” Seven states are reporting unemployment rates over 10%:  Michigan (12%), South Carolina (11%), Oregon (10.8%), North Carolina (10.7%), California and Rhode Island […]

Good backup advice from the IRS

by Ted

IRS Tips on Preparing for a Disaster Planning what to do in case of a disaster is an important part of being prepared. The Internal Revenue Service encourages taxpayers to safeguard their records. Some simple steps can help taxpayers and businesses protect financial and tax records in case of disasters. Listed below are tips for […]

IRS updates Q&A on the COBRA reduction act.

by Ted

More information on the COBRA reduction act can be found on the IRS web site. http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204708,00.html There are now four sections of questions covering: Administration and eligibility Form preparation Reporting and documentation Taxability and recapture Much of the material here was updated on 3/19/09. Important Highlight: FP-17 Q. Does a COBRA premium assistance credit reduce […]

$2.3M in back wages recovered from restaurants

by Ted

NEW YORK – State labor officials said Wednesday they recovered a record $2.3 million in back wages for more than 800 workers at nine restaurants.  The restaurants violated numerous labor laws including those dealing with minimum wage and overtime. The recovery is the largest collection for a single wage-violation case in the state Labor Department’s […]

AIG bonus checks may be taxed at up to 100%

by Ted

Complete Article. If AIG execs won’t return their $450 million in bonuses, lawmakers threatened Tuesday to pass a special new law taxing the payouts at anywhere from 60% to 100%. “To those of you getting these bonuses: be forewarned, you will not be getting to keep them.” Schumer called it “Alice in Wonderland business practices” […]

COBRA: Answers for Employers

by Ted

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204708,00.html Please see the article for full details… Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, certain individuals who are eligible for COBRA continuation health coverage, or similar coverage under State law, may receive a subsidy for 65 percent of the premium. These individuals are required to pay only 35 percent of the premium. […]

10 helpful tips for restaurateurs

by Ted

Chicago Tribune’s Phil Vettel gathered 10 tips for restaurants to follow. Among them: Keep regulars happy; pay attention to basic service; and pay attention to feedback. 1. Assign not the job of the hostess to the unworthy. 2. Prepare for guests a pleasant table. 3. Honor thy regulars. 4. Work well the service fundamentals. 5. […]