Month: May 2016

Real Estate Investing – Free Vacations While Searching for Real Estate Acquisitions

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Real estate investing professionals look for all possible tax deductions because of the generous profits derived from real estate investing.

For example, real estate investors are concerned whether the sale of their real estate is subject to capital gains taxation or qualifies as ordinary income. Determining this status in the sale of real estate investments affects net profit.

In addition to this consideration, tax deductions are allowed for expenses incurred in the normal operation of any real estate investing transaction. These deductible expenses include the costs of office supplies, professional fees, property repairs, and depreciation.

This article is not a legal or accounting commentary on IRS Code regulations, so you should ask your personal professionals about your qualifications for any specific deductions regarding real estate investing.

Consult with your accountant to determine if the search for new real estate acquisitions away from home would allow you tax deductions for travel, meals, and lodging.

If so, why not combine a vacation with a search for new real estate investing opportunities?

Tax deductible expenses always require that you obtain and keep all receipts relating to the property investment search while on vacation. Pick up newspapers, and mark properties investigated in the classifieds. Collect business cards of realtors contacted. Keep copies of submitted offers.

Many of us real estate investing professionals are workaholics, and a fine line might distinguish the difference between relaxing on vacation and work to find investment properties. But the “working vacation” also might be good therapy to clear your head while simultaneously generating new idea after keeping your nose close to the grindstone over an extended period of time.

A Few Things To Know About Sport Physicals

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Many parents choose to have a sports physical conducted on their children during the summer. This makes sure they are ready for another activity filled sports season while last minute, mad rushes to the physician are avoided. Although most parents know that they need to get a sports physical conducted on your child, in order for him/her to participate in athletics, there are still a few unanswered questions.

How Should I Prepare Myself For This Checkup?

Make a list of questions about your child’s health and well being, should you experience any concerns or alarming signs. Ask your child if there is anything they s/he would like to ask the examiner. Take the medical history of your family and your child’s medical history reports with you.

Do Parents Need To Be Present At This Check Up?

Minors under the age of 18 require parental consent in order to have a sports physical performed. Parents also need to fill up the health history portion of the form. All in all, it is best that you are present for your child’s physical.

Is It Required For School Sports?

Yes, most schools do need a pre-participation checkup before enrolling students into their many athletic programs.

For How Long Is The Report Valid?

The report that you get is generally valid for one year. You need to pay special attention to this duration. Students who fail to go for this checkup can be disallowed from participating in sport and athletic activities.

What Should You Expect During The Procedure?

During a procedure, a child’s blood pressure, height and weight are checked. The physician will also look at the lungs, heart and spine. The immunization schedule will be reviewed and signs of puberty will also be taken into consideration.

What Is The Difference Between An Annual And Sports Physical?

Although an annual physical is the same as a sports physical, you go in for a sports physical when your child wants to involve himself/herself in a sport or physical activity. In such cases, the sports physical can be incorporated into the annual physical.

How Can I Prepare My Child For The Upcoming Check Up?

Sit down and have a thorough conversation with your child. Tell him/her about the procedure that is to be conducted and that there is nothing to worry or be fearful about.

These are just a few answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this checkup.

Big-League Customer Advises Bush-League Vendor

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Sudden growth is rarely a smooth ride, especially for a boot-strapped venture. Well past their fifth year in business, one small custom manufacturer serendipitous developed a product that met a real need in a niche market populated by industry giants. The vendor’s new customers were used to buying from large, well-managed firms. As a custom manufacturer, this company had the freedom to focus on one customer per product. It wasn’t yet clear to them that they had entered into a phase of development where the signs of professional management would be taken for granted by customers. In this case study, a frustrated customer advises the vendor to learn how to manage their resources to simultaneously (and seamlessly) complete commitments made to past customers and start projects for new customers.

This is one in a series of case studies highlighting “Key Questions and Course-correcting Quotes” taken from 20 years of B2B customer insight projects. All names are fictitious, but the situations are real. Case studies paint a picture of how important it is to learn what your B2B customers think–but aren’t saying. These are real-world examples of how soliciting and acting on customer feedback has helped companies hold onto customers longer, grow relationships bigger and pick up new business faster.

Case study: Your Bootstraps Are Showing

Key Question (asked of a VP–the vendor’s chief contact in a 6-figure relationship):

VP: “This vendor’s president was badly criticized by customers who attended last year’s trade show. He changed how his company prioritizes customer issues. Do they now seem to be on the right track, or are they overlooking a blind spot that’s obvious to you?”

Course-correcting Quote:

“Their president has to get his organizational structure in place and build a senior management team. He has a bandwidth problem. On the one hand, he hasn’t delivered on all his outstanding obligations to his existing customers. On the other, he needs to make enough sales to keep his company afloat. They need to learn not to make contractual commitments for products that take resources away from their existing obligations. Reality for a small company like that is, you have to make the big sale. It takes a lot of discipline to not over-commit. They need to get a better handle on their existing staff’s capacity.”

My Client’s Quandary:

This $7 million vendor had a product that Fortune 50 companies were interested in, but the company was having growing pains. Their founder knew how to design and develop new products, but he didn’t have a lot of management training or experience. His senior managers were two of his buddies with the same technical background and lack of management experience. His company was at risk of being marginalized by a stronger competitor as soon as someone else developed a decent competing product.

More immediately, the president would be facing his customers at an upcoming trade show. He had been badly pilloried a year earlier. Before risking that again, he wanted a customer relationship consultant to conduct deep-dive interviews with his customers and expose the themes and patterns that would clarify which decisions he needed to make.

Conclusion:

Several of his customers gave similar feedback. My recommendation: Acquire experienced outside talent to manage operational and customer-facing functions. He hired the experienced talent he needed, held onto his customers, attracted funding, grew the company to serve additional niche markets, and eventually found a strategic buyer. Honest feedback from his customers helped him find his way and achieve his vision.

I categorize projects as assessments, investigations, treasure hunts or rescue missions. This project was an investigation. The client’s question was “Why are our customers still angry with us?”

Need Cash For Home Repair? Free Home Improvement Grant Money Can Help

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If you have a home that could classify as unsafe, unsanitary, or inhabitable, you may qualify to receive as much as $50,000 in home improvement grant money to help repair your house. These funds are often provided by government agencies, but you can often find cash for home repair by uncovering private grant programs available to the public.

With a home improvement grant, the funds obtained can typically be used for material and labor costs. Each grant program has different terms, and you’ll want to be sure you are familiar with those terms in order to apply for the grant that is most appropriate for you.

In most cases, as long as you do not violate the terms of the grant, you won’t need to repay the money. Grant are provided as cash awards and do not accumulate interest, and you usually don’t have to pay taxes on the money awarded.

Grants for home improvement may or may not be available in your area, but by searching a grant database you can find what grant programs you can qualify for. For instance, if you are a student or single mother, you may be able to claim grant money for other purposes, which cold free up you spending in other areas.

An up to date grant database will allow you to see exactly what programs are available and how much you can obtain if your application is accepted. Access to the database will also help you with the grant writing process so you can be sure you submit the best possible application to get the money you need.

Civil Rights and the Lawyers Who Defend Them

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A San Antonio civil rights lawyer advocates on behalf of their clients whose rights have been infringed upon. This infringement can come from public officials, such as police officers, employers or any individual. A good civil right lawyer in San Antonio is well versed in Texas civil law and is willing to address a wrong done to their client.

When we say “civil rights,” we are actually talking about the basic rights ensured by the constitution. These rights belong to every American citizen and give everyone the right to practice religion, speak freely, own a gun, and to live without discrimination based on race, gender, or religion. When a person feels they have had their rights breached, they can seek the help of a San Antonio attorney.

The history of our rights is a long, and sometimes unpleasant one. Over the course of that history, countless numbers of people from all racial groups have given their lives to fight for these freedoms. Cesar Chavez, Susan B. Anthony, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are just a few historical figures who drastically progressed the lives of the people from their generations.

Texas state laws and the codes of San Antonio are directly influenced by the regulations of the constitution, and any San Antonio civil rights case should be handled by a lawyer who understands the limitations of all of the state and federal laws. Some of the best attorneys will be very passionate about protecting the rights of all citizens.

A civil rights lawyer should have a legal education in this particular area of law. Their experience should be noted and their cases are well documented. Using online sources to check credentials and review the lawyer’s resume helps the client understand better the caliber of the attorney and their potential to be a good advocate.