Posted on 2/9/2010 4:57 PM
Eight Tips to Help You Choose a Tax Preparer
The IRS urges people to use care and caution when choosing a tax preparer. Remember, you are legally responsible for what’s on your tax return even if it was prepared by an another individual or firm.
Most tax return preparers are professional, honest and provide excellent service to their clients. However, unscrupulous tax return preparers do exist and can cause considerable financial and legal problems for their clients. Therefore, it’s important to find a qualified tax professional.
The following tips will help you choose a preparer who will offer the best service for your tax preparation needs.
1. Check the person’s qualifications Ask if the preparer is affiliated with a professional organization that provides its members with continuing education and resources and holds them to a code of ethics.
2. Check on the preparer’s history Check to see if the preparer has any questionable history with the Better Business Bureau, the state’s board of accountancy for CPAs or the state’s bar association for attorneys.
3. Find out about their service fees Avoid preparers that base their fee on a percentage of the amount of your refund or those who claim they can obtain larger refunds than other preparers.
4. Make sure the tax preparer is accessible Make sure you will be able to contact the tax preparer after the return has been filed, even after April 15, in case questions arise.
5. Provide all records and receipts needed to prepare your return Most reputable preparers will request to see your records and receipts and will ask you multiple questions to determine your total income and your qualifications for expenses, deductions and other items.
6. Never sign a blank return Avoid tax preparers that ask you to sign a blank tax form.
7. Review the entire return before signing it Before you sign your tax return, review it and ask questions. Make sure you understand everything and are comfortable with the accuracy of the return before you sign it.
8. Make sure the preparer signs the form A paid preparer must sign the return as required by law. Although the preparer signs the return, you are responsible for the accuracy of every item on your return. The preparer must also give you a copy of the return.
You can report abusive tax preparers and suspected tax fraud to the IRS on Form 3949-A, Information Referral or by sending a letter to Internal Revenue Service, Fresno, CA 93888. Download Form 3949-A from IRS.gov or order by mail at 800-829-3676.
Links:
Posted on 1/15/2010 11:03 AM
Yesterday one of my very good friends sent me a text message asserting that she is looking for a job, having recently graduated from George Mason University with a BA in Art History. She was hoping that perhaps I could help her find employment through my sphere of influence. Admittedly I do know many more people than she does, simply because I work for the Chamber of Commerce. I'm surrounded by the exchange of money, ideas, products and personnel on a daily basis. But try as I might, I could not pull anything out of the back of my mind wherein some company might be hiring for someone with any particular education, least of all art history. There have been offerings of part-time, seasonal and administrative positions galore. Craigslist is stacked with requests for massage therapists and graphic artists. But what about those who have dreamed of sailing out of college and into a job with some security, maybe some benefits?
When you search the blogosphere, you find others talking about the lamentable fact that many recent grads can find nothing in their given field. So it goes that those who have family support may take unpaid internships in order to gain experience in hopes that they will be hired with pay once the economy thaws. In doing this, they further put off financial independence. Others who are not so lucky as to be able to move back in with Mom and Dad are forced to grab whatever they can find to pay their bills. So where does that leave this generation who graduated between 2007 and 2010? It looks like the choices are that you opt out of your chosen field and forgo the opportunity to gain experience as an entry level rocket scientist or you work as the one who gets coffee and makes copies for the "real" rocket scientists, your nose pressed against the glass as you wonder when it will be your turn to draw a paycheck. It seems that by the time the economy picks up, these recent grads will not have the experience needed to keep up with someone fresh out of school and they may be lost in the shuffle.
What are your thoughts?
Posted on 5/1/2009 3:23 PM
Well Young Professionals, another work-week is over. I was glad to see that some of you were able to make it out to the MB3 this morning. Hopefully many of you are looking ahead to next week and making plans to check out some Chamber events. Allow me to make a couple of suggestions!
Monday
Network @ Noon
(Western Branch office)
Topic for Roundtable Discussion: Marketing
Bring a lunch and participate in a one hour discussion on what works, what doesn't and/or what you've been thinking of trying but haven't.....yet! Who knows? Maybe you'll walk away with some new ideas, or maybe you can help out someone else.
Thursday
Speed Networking
5-6:30 p.m.
Click HERE for more info on that event.
Friday
Young Professionals Committee meeting
10 a.m. @ the Chamber's main office (Manassas)
Everyone have a great weekend and make sure that you check out What's Happening in the community on the Chamber's News & Events Wire.
Posted on 4/7/2009 1:50 PM
Hello YP's!
I just came back from a conference for Chamber professionals where I got some fantastic ideas for the future of our Young Professionals group. Please excuse my ebullience. This is to be the first of many posts in the new YPNova blog. Feel free to comment and leave me some feedback. For those of you who do not already know me, my name is Andrea Short and I am the Membership & Events Coordinator for the Prince William County-Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce. I manage our Western Prince William (aka Gainesville) branch office.
So why am I starting a blog? Because its about time! We've thought about it for a while and it seems there is no time like the present to get this ball rolling. This blog will keep you informed about Chamber events and our YP group. I will also highlight great upcoming events that you might not know about otherwise. You will have yet another opportunity to build online community. You can leave feedback on recent events and give us (the committee) suggestions for what you would like to see the group doing in the future! Occasionally I will throw in links to articles that I think might be helpful to you as you seek to develop professionally. Maybe we'll even have guest bloggers every now and then. Lets see where this thing takes us!
We are here to remind you that Prince William County is a great place to live, work, and play. Hope to see you all at the YP Committee meeting this Friday at 10am in the main office on Center Street in Old Town Manassas.
Posted on 3/31/2008 1:09 PM
A Business Case for a Young Professional Organization
In the coming years, US cities will be deeply affected by several national labor trends:
- The next generation of talent (“Generation X,” born 1961-1981) is smaller in size than their Baby Boomer (born1942-1960) predecessors;
- By 2012, two workers will leave the workforce for every one entering; (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- The average U.S. worker has 10.5 different jobs before the age of 35. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- Free Agents - 72% of employed workers are seeking new jobs. (Source: Human Resource Management)
- By 2010 there will be a shortage of 10.3 million workers across all employment categories; (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- Three out of four young professionals under the age of 28 place more importance on the quality of the community than the availability of jobs (Source: Next Generation Consulting)
- America’s 500 biggest companies will lose half of their senior managers over the next five years. (Source: Economist, October 2006)
While labor trend like these are alarming, they do not account for the psychographic, preference-based shifts that are also impacting Northern Virginia’s ability to attract and retain talent.
- Adulthood has been pushed back for young talent: “ The average age of a first marriage for an educated Gen X’er (b.1961-1981) is currently 28. By the time young talent considers “settling down” in the US cities region, they are in their late twenties and early 30’s
- Three out of four young people under the age of 28 first pick a place to live and then find a job. What can the US cities region to do position itself as one of the “best places to live” for young talent?
- When asked what makes a community attractive, young talent report that factors like “Third Spaces.” Third Spaces include things like the arts, culture, ethnic restaurants, public parks, trails, recreation areas, and farmer’s markets.
- Young talents behave regionally. In focus groups, young talent routinely report that some of the best assets a community has lie outside the community in which they live.
The winds of change- globalization, talent markets and preferences, and an economy whose value has transitioning form manufacturing to innovation- are gusting in US cities. With an increasingly competitive market for talented and educated professionals, US cities must define the unique regional characteristics that make it attractive to the next generation and position itself in the mediums and with the messages that will appeal to its target demographic.
Why Support a Young Professionals Organization?
Young Professional organizations are a critical strategy to attract and retain talent to communities because:
- Young professionals organizations help connect young professionals (yp) to each other. Some of the key questions yp’s ask when moving to a community are: Will I fit? Who shares my interests? Who looks like me, and how will I meet them?
2. Young professional organizations help connect yp’s to their community. Research shows that when yp’s feel they can make a difference in their community, they are 2-times as likely to stay.
Benefits to Businesses
- Impress Candidates- showcase corporate specialties and community amenities
- Position Competitively- as a young talent friendly company
- Ease Relocation- help new recruits establish a network and learn their way around town
- Save Recruiting Costs- the networks of your best and brightest are your most valuable referral sources
- Boost Employee Effectiveness- generate satisfaction, motivation and greater productivity
- Increase Influence- leverage YP networks to built your business
- Manage Intelligently- learn to serve the needs of different generation differently
Benefits to Communities
- Stem Brain Drain- keep young talent in your community
- Capitalize On Assets- promote your community’s unique strengths
- Engage A Generation- employ models proven tot get “Free agents” plugged in
- Invest In What Matters- measure what matters to talent and use metrics to guide investment decisions
- Count Regional Assets- regional amenities are relevant consideration for young talent
- Fuel Innovation- tap talent resources to build knowledge, foster creativity, and generate new ventures
- Welcome New Residents- show them around and impart a sense of place
- Help Talent Grow Roots- foster relationships that deepen a sense of belonging
- Cultivate Leaders- prepare a new generation to lead with vision and passion
- Leverage Resources- capitalize on young hands and minds to tackle challenges
- Become a Talent Capital- attract growth industry businesses to deep talent pool
Young Professionals of Northern Virginia
The Young Professionals of Northern Virginia exists to attract and retain young talent in the Northern Virginia area. We are dedicated to finding new ways for young adults to connect with our community, grow personally and professionally, and to live life to its fullest.
