The Importance of a Private Placement Memorandum
Many new businesses fail during the raising capital stage because of a lack of proper documentation. This is due to many factors but the most likely are unprofessional marketing materials. The following fall under that category and are key to getting start-up funds: Read more
5 Tax Breaks Restaurant Owners Can Take Advantage Of
It’s the time of year, again. Tax season. Business owners and employees alike are trying to figure out how kind, or cruel, Uncle Sam is this year. Fortunately, for restaurant owners, Congress passed a handful of new laws that ease the tax burden for small business owners. Here are five tax breaks that restaurant owners can greatly benefit from, if you qualify.
Expanded Section 179 Deductions
In September, President Obama signed the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 into law. The law doubled the amount business owners can expense on their tax return. The section 179 deductions were increased from $250,000 to $500,000 for property that was put in service in 2010 and 2011. Basically, you can write off up to half a million of new equipment expenses or anything else that qualifies as a 179 deduction.
Bonus Depreciation for Qualified Property
In addition to the increased 179 deductions, restaurant owners can also take a 100% bonus depreciation on new equipment or software placed into service between September 8, 2010 and December 31, 2011. This is part of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act that Congress passed in December. This helps you recover the investment costs faster.
Tax Break for Hiring New Employees
In March, Congress passed the HIRE Act which exempts employers from paying their share of Social Security taxes on qualified employees. The exemption is only for new employees hired between February 3, 2010 and January 1, 2011. The new workers had to be unemployed or work less than 40 hours a week for 60 days prior to employment. For each new employee who falls within this category, the employer qualifies for a $1,000 tax credit per employee.
Tax Break for Leased Building Improvements
Another part of the Small Business Jobs Act allows lease holders to write off up to $250,000 in building improvements. So, if you lease your restaurant space and made any improvements, you can write off the cost.
Tax Break for Entrepreneurs
For new restaurant owners, who set up shop in 2010, the Small Business Jobs Act allows these entrepreneurs to deduct up to $10,000 in start-up expenses. This is double the amount of the previous year and is designed to encourage new business ventures.
With the government doing everything it can to create new jobs, restaurant owners are among the groups benefiting most from new tax breaks. However, talk to your accountant and make sure everything gets itemized on your tax return correctly, because you can bet the IRS is going to be keeping an eye out for anyone who tries to take advantage of the new tax incentives.
About the Author: Monica is a marketing coordinator at Food Service Warehouse, a restaurant equipment and supplies web store.
Photo Credit: the russians are here
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Learn how to Grow your Traffic with these 9 WordPress Plugins
WordPress is one of the best tools that can be used not only for the website development but the WordPress plugins are there that can help you a lot in getting more and more targeted as well as the improved traffic. The number of such WordPress plugins is great and you can go through them easily if you are a new blogger. You must understand the importance of the Search engine Optimization for a blog that delivers the best performance as to making money by attracting good amount of affluent traffic. Read more
Staying On Track With Your Small Business Goals
By thinking big, you will give yourself the ultimate carrot to keep you moving towards you goals. Think big, dream big and go big. Your business goals should inspire you, stir your soul, even bring tears to your eyes when you think about it. What, exactly, do you want to accomplish? Read more
How to Use Brochures to Expand Your Small Business
Brochures can be used to introduce your business to your target audience. You can include a short story about how you started, what products and benefits you offer, and even a map of where your store or office is located. Read more
Your Logo, A Sign of success?
The purpose of a logo is to create a memorable impression in the mind of prospective and existing clients. It’s the very heart of a company’s corporate identity and an essential method to establish a business as unique in a marketplace. When it comes to getting an edge over competitors, a good logo plays an integral part in advertising and marketing a business. Logos are wrapped up in branding and often logos can represent the entire brand image in themselves – just think the golden arches of MacDonald’s.
What Makes A Logo Stand Out?
A memorable image should be attractive and printed to a high standard. A logo speaks volumes about a business. Presenting a new company logo to the general public provides an opportunity to represent a business in a concise and professional manner. In any marketing campaign, it’s important to establish demographics, before the design process begins. Consistancy is key; a company logo should appropriately embody a company’s values, product and service.
How to Print a Logo?
The most commonly used printing techniques are flexography, offset lithography and rotogravure printing. Flexography is achieved when a mirrored image as a 3D relief on a rubber material. Flexo was once low quality but in recent years it has improved drastically with new techniques like colour laser printing, laser engraving and simply overall better printing quality. Rotogravure is also uses an engraving process where an image is engraved on a metal cylinder in a rotary printing press. Lithography uses lighter more flexible sheets of metal to print items such as posters, newspapers and books.
If a range of printing is required, mail room services are suitable for businesses that require a range of services from stock printing, direct marketing letters and invoices. Some printers may take on a project that they’re not equipped for to keep businesses from their rivals. You can get an idea of what company to go with by looking at their portfolio and previous projects. What is certain, whichever printers you choose it’s always good to build up a relationship them. Good communication will ensure your business is astutely advised on aspects such as ink types and paper sizes.
Don’t Underestimate the Importance of a Good Logo
Logos can increase consumer understanding of the efforts made by the company in ethical sourcing, sustainability or recycling packaging. Logos to identify green products and packaging are becoming increasingly common and commercially essential as more consumers demand evidence that a product is manufactured in an environmentally friendly way. Green concepts must be explained in very clear terms, clearly showing what that symbol means and what it represents.
About the Author: Aidan Donovan is a copywriter for a leading electrical company that provide great deals in anything from cheap LCD TVs to bagless cylinder vacuum cleaners.
Photo Credit: jonas_therkildsen
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Considering Fleet Vehicles for Your Business Needs
Car Fleet management for small business is a relatively new concept and has not been utilized by many small business owners. Partially due to the fact since until recently dealers rarely leased fleets with fewer than 10 cars, but as always business models evolve and new avenues are created. Read more
9 Online Branding Tips for Small Businesses
Most small business owners are confused with the term ‘brand.’ It is a misconception that only large companies obsess themselves with branding. Small businesses can also find themselves with a strong brand name that will surely achieve great things for the company. With millions of web sites and businesses out there, it’s hard to stand out. Read more
Small Business Blogging: Don’t Start Until You Have Something to Say
Many small businesses are turning to blogging as a marketing method in larger and larger numbers. In fact, is there any business, whether large or small, that hasn’t yet jumped on the social media bandwagon in some respect? Read more
Moving Office Just Got Easier
Creating an ideal working environment is crucial to creating a successful business. Setting up a fine working area that meets your requirements can go a long way to getting your new business off to a flyer. Read more
