File Your Tax Return for Free

February 17, 2010

For most Americans, filing taxes is a huge headache. It is a confusing process that takes a great deal of time. Many people have no idea how to go about complying with the rules or how to fill out the forms properly, especially since the rules and regulations are constantly changing. For these reasons, there are a number of free or low cost ways to get help with filing taxes.

Once such program is the IRS Free File program. The Free File program provides free federal income tax preparation and electronic filing for eligible taxpayers through a partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance LLC, a group of private sector tax software companies.

Free tax preparation and filing via online software is available to anyone with a 2009 Adjusted Gross Income of $57,000 or less. If that’s you, head to the IRS website and choose from a list of approved tax preparers, and get started. If you aren’t sure which preparer to use, answer a few quick questions and the Free File program will suggest some matching companies.

If you made more than $57,000, or just want to do your own taxes, Free File provides a section with blank forms you can fill out yourself. There are many different federal tax forms to choose from, and the program allows you to file your federal taxes electronically.

Filing taxes is a long tedious process, and for many Americans help beyond simply filling in forms is needed. For this reason, it is important that you consult with a tax professional if your tax return will involve significantly more than entering W-2 and bank account tax information.

But, if your adjusted gross income was $57,000 or less, and you only had employment income and bank account interest, the Free File program may be a good match for you.

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Competence Over Bravado

January 30, 2010

Apple plays the marketing game as well as (or better than) any other company. There is a rigorous cat and mouse game of filing patents, trademarks, and domain registrations, fake images, rumors, and leaks in public forums. Each of these manage to whip the public into a frenzy of anticipation which can last for years. Add to this equation the ravenous fans, bloggers, and tech pundits, who all keep the ball rolling, and the situation escalates to a new level of craziness.

None of this would occur if Apple produced mediocre products, though. The key to the company’s ability to create such a stir is that it creates amazing stuff that customers can’t get enough of. Because Apple is true to its core competencies and refuses to release mundane products, it has the unique ability to capture the market’s attention through silence.

Take, for instance, the weeks leading up to the iPad’s release on Tuesday:

  1. The media and the internet exploded with rumors, conjecture and innuendo about a tablet device from Apple;
  2. Apple said next to nothing;
  3. Apple raked in tens of millions of dollars worth of advertising for free;
  4. The iPad was unveiled to millions of slobbering fans who will line up in droves to plunk down their hard-earned money for the device, whether they need it or not (myself included).

Say what you will about Apple and its products, but one thing is for sure — the company is unmatched in its ability to create demand for its offerings. And, it does this largely in part through silence and creating amazing stuff.

In an age where we are drowning in information and bludgeoned by advertisements, many companies could learn a lot from Apple. Focus on creating great products and services, and the customers will follow. Competence will always win out over bravado.

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For another take on Apple’s success in marketing, check out “Don’t Market to Generation Y“

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Copyright Notices Tell The World How Relevant Your Information Is

January 25, 2010

I don’t know about you, but one of the first pieces of information I look at when reading something online or in a book is the copyright date. Looking at the copyright date gives you a quick indication of the timeliness and relevance of the information.
Some topics are not as time sensitive as others. For [...]

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Free Resource for Learning About Business Taxes

January 20, 2010

Bootstrapping entrepreneurs need as many low to no-cost resources as they can get their hands on to start and run their businesses.
A good, free resource for start-up tax information to check out is the IRS Virtual Workshop. The surprisingly modern interactive site is designed to help new businesses owners understand federal tax obligations and [...]

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Deduct Your Business Startup Costs

January 15, 2010

Every new business incurs start-up costs for a variety of things such as market research, training, and fees paid to consultants, accountants, and attorneys. The good news is that most of those costs are deductible, but the bad news is that the rules for deductibility and timing are not as clear as those for operational [...]

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