Idea of the Day®
May 04, 2024
EEOC Final Rule on Pregnant Worker’s Fairness Act
This law went into effect in June 2023 and applies to employers with 15 or more employees. Now there’s a final rule explaining what employers must do to comply. In general, employers must provide reasonable accommodations for conditions including miscarriage and stillbirth, migraines, lactation, and pregnancy-related conditions (e.g., morning sickness). Examples of reasonable accommodations: additional breaks; temporary reassignments; telework; time off for recovery from childbirth or a miscarriage. No reasonable accommodation is required if it would impose an undue hardship on the employer. The final rule is effective on June 18, 2024. #Ideaoftheday
Big Ideas for Your Business
Resources For Your Business
May 2, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
If you’ve incorporated your business or formed a limited liability company, you may have the belief that you can’t be personally liable for your business’ debts. Think again. If you have employees and you fail to deposit the taxes you’ve withheld from their paychecks, you may be 100% personally liable for these taxes. Here’s what […]
April 30, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
As your business expands, you may need more “hardware” to outfit a growing staff or perform new or additional tasks for customers. The new items may be small, such as tablets, smartphones, and laptops (which cost a few hundred to a few thousand dollars), or large equipment, such as cement trucks (which cost from $100,000 […]
April 26, 2024
By Slobodan Kacavenda
Building systems—electrical, heating and air conditioning, and other utility services—must be maintained to prevent shutdowns and disruptions. Using predictive AI can ensure that maintenance is done before problems arise. Selecting the right AI-driven predictive maintenance program for building systems is more than an investment; it’s a strategic move toward operational excellence. Like a master chess […]
April 25, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
The prevalence of remote work, which grew substantially during the pandemic, is obviously not going away. In 2024, 65% of companies offer remote work arrangements. This includes hybrid work—some hours at the company and some remotely. It’s well established that employees prefer to have remote work options, with 66% believing it should be a legal right. […]
April 23, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, so it’s a good time to confront problematic driving actions and the policies and practices to combat them. After all, your business may be financially liable for accidents, whether the vehicle is owned or leased by the company or it belongs to the employee driving on company business. […]
April 19, 2024
Many people try incorporating the outdoors into office interior design, from adding different plants to using colors that mimic natural landscapes. Going through those efforts can be a worthy effort to improve the employee experience, but it’s also possible to encourage working outside. An outdoor workspace is far from conventional compared to working from home […]
April 18, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
April 22 is Earth Day, which started in 1970 as a day to raise awareness of environmental issues. This year’s theme for Earth Day is “Planet vs. plastics,” with a goal of a 60% reduction in plastic production by 2040. Whether you’re a climate change activist or just someone concerned about protecting the environment, Earth […]
April 16, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
While summertime won’t officially begin until June 20, 2024, it’s not too soon to begin planning for it. Running your business smartly requires planning and preparation. Here are 3 areas to be thinking about now so you can be ready when the calendar says summer. 1. Vacation and holiday planning Summertime is synonymous with vacations. […]
April 11, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
Like December 7, April 15 for many is “a date which will live in infamy.” It’s Tax Day in most of the U.S. Calendar-year partnerships and S corporations were required to file their 2023 returns, along with Schedule K-1s for owners, on March 15, 2024, or obtain an extension. Now, the filing deadline for owners […]
April 9, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
Tax credits typically are claimed on tax returns and may be limited to the extent of your tax liability. New rules may allow you to get the benefit upfront or claim the credit even if you lack tax liability. The rules are confusing. Here are 5 things you should know to optimize transferable tax credits […]
April 4, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
Remote work arrangements, which became the norm during the pandemic, are here to stay. Five years ago, fewer than 5% of employees worked remotely, but today 58% have the option of doing so at least some of the time. For some businesses, workers may work remotely on a full-time basis. Other businesses may allow partial remote […]
April 2, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
A blue zone is a region in the world where people live longer than average. The main blue zones are Okinawa Prefecture, Japan; Nuora Province in Sardinia, Italy, the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, and Icaria, Greece. Dan Buettner’s book The Blue Zone: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest explains how […]
March 28, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
Audit Technique Guides (ATGs) are online publications that help IRS examiners during audits by providing insight into issues and accounting methods unique to specific industries or certain tax write-offs. They are not an official pronouncement of the law or the position of the Service and cannot be used, cited, or relied upon as such. While […]
March 26, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
Gig work is temporary or freelance work performed by an independent contractor on an informal or on-demand basis. Side hustles are work performed for income supplementary to a primary source that are not merely additional jobs as employees. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics refers to all such arrangements as “contingent work.” Whichever definition suits […]
March 25, 2024
A cohesive visual aesthetic plays a crucial role in creating a lasting impression on your target audience and differentiating your business from competitors. Photography, in particular, is a powerful tool for communicating your brand’s personality and values through captivating visuals. Developing a photography style guide helps define the visual elements of your brand, so you […]
March 21, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
As the seasons change, so too do business operations. Spring is the time that clocks in most parts of the U.S. and Canada go on daylight savings time. For many farmers, it’s a time for planting and other work around their property. As Leo Tolstoy said in Anna Karenina, “Spring is the time of plans […]
March 14, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
Data breaches—from hackers or insiders—can leak sensitive information about customers and employees. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC)’s 2023 Business Impact Report, 73% of small business owners experienced a data breach or cyberattack in the past year. If this happens to you, are you liable? What do you do? FTC Safeguards Rule Banks […]
February 5, 2024
By Barbara Weltman
By Barbara Weltman THIS SUPPLEMENT REFLECTS CHANGES THROUGH FEBRUARY 1, 2024. IF CONGRESS ENACTS THE TAXPAYER RELIEF FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES AND WORKERS ACT OR OTHER MEASURES IMPACTING 2023 RETURNS, THIS SUPPLEMENT WILL BE UPDATED AND REPOSTED. This year’s book, J.K. Lasser’s Small Business Taxes 2024, reflects the tax rules as they stood on December 1, […]
November 30, 2023
By Barbara Weltman
For more than 25 years, I’m proud to say my tax book for small businesses has been the go-to guide for owners and their tax advisers. The 2024 edition for preparing 2023 returns as well as tax planning for 2024 has been updated to incorporate green energy changes from the Inflation Reduction Act, retirement plan changes […]
Multimedia
Resources For Your Business
Growing Your Business: Expand Your Workforce
Growing Your Business: 3 Ways AI Can Help
Growing Your Business: Offer New Products and Services
How to Address Information Overload
Barbara’s Books
By Barbara Weltman
THE COMPREHENSIVE HANDBOOK FOR AMERICAN TAXPAYERS LOOKING FOR EVERY LEGAL TAX DEDUCTION AND CREDIT This edition of this popular book has been fully updated to reflect the latest rulings and laws (including changes from the Inflation Reduction Act and SECURE Act 2.0), allowing you to easily refer to the appropriate deductions and credits for your […]
By Barbara Weltman
COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO SMALL BUSINESS TAX WRITE-OFFS AND STRATEGIES FROM A LEADING NAME IN TAX If you own a small business, this comprehensive guide explains in easy-to-understand terms the essentials of business taxes to prepare you to work better with your CPA or other tax adviser or handle tax responsibilities on your own. Whether you’re […]
By Barbara Weltman
Ideas you’ll use everyday! With only so many hours in the day, it’s impossible to stay on top of key developments and opportunities to help you run your business better and smarter. 500+ Big Ideas for Your Small Business gives you quick access to resources and tips you can use every day. Whether you’re a […]
By Barbara Weltman
Your GPS to Get You Where You Want to Go in Your Business Do you enjoy driving and being your own boss with flexible work options? Are you looking for a part-time (or full-time) activity that earns good money? Maybe you’ve already discovered that there are great opportunities for making money with your car. Or, […]
By Barbara Weltman
A Step-By-Step Road Map–with Checklists–to Get You Started Up, Profitable, and Successful Whether you want to start up a part-time home-based business or jump in full throttle and work on it full time, you need a start-up guide. A road map! Home-Based Business Start-Up Guide will help you chart your course to work-from-home success. Written […]
What every self-employed person needs to know about their taxes! If you’re self-employed, chances are the majority of your time is spent finding new customers or clients, servicing existing ones, and handling each and every aspect of your business. Freelancers, independent contractors, gig economy participants, and other individuals working for themselves need to be aware […]
By Barbara Weltman
Created for Uber and Lyft drivers as their GPS — to help them get where they want to go in their business, safely and securely. Note: This e-Book has been updated with a new title and revised content (shown). Do you enjoy driving and being your own boss with flexible work options? Are you looking […]
By Hudson Fusion
Presenting a recently-launched, updated, paperback edition! Barbara Weltman takes an inspired look in Smooth Failing at the hard lessons learned when things go wrong. Through extensive interviews with entrepreneurs whose ventures failed for a variety of reasons — some stunningly unexpected, some painfully inevitable — Weltman gleans valuable insights about the small mistakes that can lead to large scale catastrophe. Smooth Failing seeks to save readers from similar disaster — while empowering those who are learning from failures and adversity to bounce back stronger and wiser on the often rocky road to success.
By Hudson Fusion
12 surefire ways for your business to survive and thrive! Owning a small business can be a fulfilling and financially rewarding experience, but to be successful, you must know what to do while the business is up and running, and, most importantly, what to do when the business runs into trouble. This book is definitely […]
By Hudson Fusion
As Vicki Raeburn of Dun & Bradstreet notes in the forward, “…the successful creation of credit by small business has a significant effect on one of the most important business drivers, namely cash flow. … [This book has] the information needed to understand and build business credit.”
Testimonials
You help me become better informed and to feel better connected to other small businesses even if just through knowing we’re all seeing your newsletter and paying attention to the same concerns.
– Sally
Barbara’s newsletter and the information she shares are always useful and topical. Always an excellent newsletter from you, Barbara!
– Bob Benowitz
I love the simplicity of your articles. — Marie
– Marie Porolniczak, CB
Jim Blasingame, Host of The Small Business Advocate Show, and author of the award-winning books, “The 3rd Ingredient,” and “The Age of the Customer” says: “At a time when working from home is becoming the norm, why wouldn’t right now be a perfect time to start a home-based business? If you’re still with me, here’s the next logical question: Why wouldn’t you want to learn how to do that from someone who was home-based before it was cool? Someone who was making being home-based look good before technology made it easy.
Well, that person is my friend, Barbara Weltman, and she’s put all of her experience, wisdom and perspective in a new book, “Home-Based Business Start-up Guide.” It’s a by-the-numbers tutorial on how to launch a successful home-based business.
Let Barbara help you get your home-based business going with her book, and all of the other awesome resources she produces in support of small businesses. She’s the best.” — Jim
– Jim Blasingame, Host of The Small Business Advocate Show
I love your ideas of the day! They have become an instrumental part of my learning!
– Gina Bertoletti
You should sign up for the “Idea of the Day®” by Barbara Weltman. This will give you great tips and help you with your daily business needs. She writes every article with consummate skill.
– Lesley
As a tax attorney and small business specialist, Barbara has a lot of great information to share. Barbara, your blogs contain information that everyone can use! Your newly-expanded ebook, “175+ Big Ideas for Small Business” ebook has lots of great recommendations for small business owners.
– Lisa Rubenfeld
For a small business owner, the information [in your book] is absolutely one of the best I’ve come across! Thanks so much for the break-down of information.
– Michelle Joe
I just wanted to reach out and give you a very big, truly heartfelt “thank you” for all the work that you do to help small business owners grow and succeed.
More specifically, I wanted to offer you some praise for your blog posts and Idea of the Day®. My email inbox gets so very cluttered. And honestly, on most days I will do a wholesale delete of many, many messages. But I literally stop and specifically look for your name and your small business Idea of the Day®. I don’t want to miss it! In fact, I look forward to reading it daily (even on weekends!) because I know I’m going to learn something new that saves me money, time or just adds to my professional knowledge in a way that helps me help others too.
So thank you, thank you, thank you for your efforts!
– Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach
Thank you for finding this important information. Getting your daily email is like getting an MBA in small business.
– J. S. Budnik
“Thank you, Barbara Weltman, for all of your articles and tax advice to small business owners! All the best.”
– Shane Madigan
I follow your blog religiously for the great tips you provide. I love the new look. It makes me smile to see that your blog got an update. Thanks for providing such useful information.
– Lee Drozak
She has been an advocate, public speaker, and resource for small business news since the release of her first book, J.K. Lasser’s Tax Deductions for Small Business, in 1995. Since then she has run her website, her Big Ideas for Small Business® newsletter, and her blog, not to mention written over a dozen books. Ms. Weltman is on this list twice because for many business owners, it is easier to scroll through her Twitter feed for trending topics and news events than search her website. However, if you don’t take a minute to read her newsletters or blog — you’re missing out.
– Meredith Wood, Fundera Ledger
Barbara Weltman is one smart cookie – I follow her on Twitter, and her content is always interesting and informative.
– An eBay Radio listener – purplejaime1976
It’s BRIEF, concise and timely. Funny, I do a quick scan of my bloated mail box, quickly deleting what I feel is a time waster. But I NEVER delete Idea of the Day® until I’ve first opened it. Both you and Napoleon Hill’s Thought for the day ALWAYS get read. You’re in terrific company. Thanks.
– Don Aronowitz
You help me become better informed and to feel better connected to other small businesses even if just through knowing we’re all seeing your newsletter and paying attention to the same concerns.
– Sally
Barbara’s newsletter and the information she shares are always useful and topical. Always an excellent newsletter from you, Barbara!
– Bob Benowitz
I love the simplicity of your articles. — Marie
– Marie Porolniczak, CB
Jim Blasingame, Host of The Small Business Advocate Show, and author of the award-winning books, “The 3rd Ingredient,” and “The Age of the Customer” says: “At a time when working from home is becoming the norm, why wouldn’t right now be a perfect time to start a home-based business? If you’re still with me, here’s the next logical question: Why wouldn’t you want to learn how to do that from someone who was home-based before it was cool? Someone who was making being home-based look good before technology made it easy.
Well, that person is my friend, Barbara Weltman, and she’s put all of her experience, wisdom and perspective in a new book, “Home-Based Business Start-up Guide.” It’s a by-the-numbers tutorial on how to launch a successful home-based business.
Let Barbara help you get your home-based business going with her book, and all of the other awesome resources she produces in support of small businesses. She’s the best.” — Jim
– Jim Blasingame, Host of The Small Business Advocate Show
I love your ideas of the day! They have become an instrumental part of my learning!
– Gina Bertoletti
You should sign up for the “Idea of the Day®” by Barbara Weltman. This will give you great tips and help you with your daily business needs. She writes every article with consummate skill.
– Lesley
As a tax attorney and small business specialist, Barbara has a lot of great information to share. Barbara, your blogs contain information that everyone can use! Your newly-expanded ebook, “175+ Big Ideas for Small Business” ebook has lots of great recommendations for small business owners.
– Lisa Rubenfeld
For a small business owner, the information [in your book] is absolutely one of the best I’ve come across! Thanks so much for the break-down of information.
– Michelle Joe
I just wanted to reach out and give you a very big, truly heartfelt “thank you” for all the work that you do to help small business owners grow and succeed.
More specifically, I wanted to offer you some praise for your blog posts and Idea of the Day®. My email inbox gets so very cluttered. And honestly, on most days I will do a wholesale delete of many, many messages. But I literally stop and specifically look for your name and your small business Idea of the Day®. I don’t want to miss it! In fact, I look forward to reading it daily (even on weekends!) because I know I’m going to learn something new that saves me money, time or just adds to my professional knowledge in a way that helps me help others too.
So thank you, thank you, thank you for your efforts!
– Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach
Thank you for finding this important information. Getting your daily email is like getting an MBA in small business.
– J. S. Budnik
“Thank you, Barbara Weltman, for all of your articles and tax advice to small business owners! All the best.”
– Shane Madigan
I follow your blog religiously for the great tips you provide. I love the new look. It makes me smile to see that your blog got an update. Thanks for providing such useful information.
– Lee Drozak
She has been an advocate, public speaker, and resource for small business news since the release of her first book, J.K. Lasser’s Tax Deductions for Small Business, in 1995. Since then she has run her website, her Big Ideas for Small Business® newsletter, and her blog, not to mention written over a dozen books. Ms. Weltman is on this list twice because for many business owners, it is easier to scroll through her Twitter feed for trending topics and news events than search her website. However, if you don’t take a minute to read her newsletters or blog — you’re missing out.
– Meredith Wood, Fundera Ledger
Barbara Weltman is one smart cookie – I follow her on Twitter, and her content is always interesting and informative.
– An eBay Radio listener – purplejaime1976
It’s BRIEF, concise and timely. Funny, I do a quick scan of my bloated mail box, quickly deleting what I feel is a time waster. But I NEVER delete Idea of the Day® until I’ve first opened it. Both you and Napoleon Hill’s Thought for the day ALWAYS get read. You’re in terrific company. Thanks.
– Don Aronowitz