It's Tax Time! Tips!

 

It’s Tax Time!

Oh, that dreaded Tax Season! Hopefully you have been tracking everything properly for your business, and if you have, it shouldn’t be so dreadful! Here are a few tips and helpers as you prepare to get your paperwork ready to do your taxes.

The mistakes listed below are just a few of the mistakes that the self-employed make with their income.

1.       New business owners often make the mistake of thinking they are too small for a separate account.

2.       Thinking that if they don’t receive a 1099 from their client, then the money isn’t taxable.

3.       New business owners are waiting until they’ve made a certain amount of money before considering their income as business-related.

Many self-employed also believe that they don’t have to keep track of their cash income. Just know that if you get audited, it will all come out in the wash, and you will have to pay your taxes on the cash income as well as any fines.  Also, by not tracking your cash income, your business analysis will look poor for any potential loan opportunities.

Make sure you are considering everything that is an expense for your business. The following lists will help remind you of anything that you might have forgotten or omitted!

Mileage is another thing that self-employed folks forget to track! Your CPA will consider your mileage vs. money spent on gas. I always took the mileage on my taxes because it gave me so much credit!!! Make sure you track it!

Below is a chart you can use as an example. I always kept track of my mileage in an excel spreadsheet. It did all the totaling for me. I always put a space at the top for the odometer reading at the first of the year. This is especially helpful for your accountant. Keep accurate records of your mileage in case you get audited. Make sure you list the destination and what the purpose was, i.e., meeting, supplies purchase, etc. Use mileage to your advantage!

Income versus Self-employment tax. Comparing Income tax to Self-employment tax.

There is usually a lot of sticker shock when a new entrepreneur realizes that they must pay self-employment tax! Yes, you are acting as your employer and must match your tax for social security and Medicare. Once you start earning a certain amount, you will want to pay your tax quarterly so that you will be compliant with the IRS and not have a huge shock with a tax liability at the end of the year. You can set up your own quarterly payments or have your CPA help you do that. Below is a chart to help you calculate the tax.

Above all else, know the difference between an accountant and a CPA. This was one of my earliest lessons that was learned when I was a very young entrepreneur!

It is best to hire a CPA to help with your taxes. There are so many laws and rules that change year to year for businesses and a good CPA will be on top of it and help you get the most benefits that you can take as an entrepreneur. Yes, CPAs are expensive, but it is worth paying for their knowledge and expertise. Build a report and make sure you tell your CPA everything about your business. They can only work with the information that you give them. Work with them every year as your biz grows so that information is never lost and listen to their advice for your business.

Another perk, if you should get audited, your CPA will be a great resource and a lot of help.

 

Debra Lee, DL Biz Services

Author | Keynote Speaker | Biz & Life Coach | Blogger

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Boost your Productivity! Organize Your Office

 

Boost your productivity by Organizing your Office Space!

Major frustrations can happen when you can’t find an item you are looking for in your office.  Wasted time.

Read this article for some helpful suggestions for organizing your office and let’s get 2024 moving forward!

Organizing your Office Space.

At the first of every year, before business gets crazy, I clean up my office. I get rid of items that are no longer needed, shred papers that are obsolete, and get the cleaners out and give the office a polish!

I am one who cannot work with chaos around me, so I am very organized. However, the office can take a setback during the busiest times of the year. That is why it is so important to have a space created for everything, and to have everything in its place.

One of the biggest wastes of time for a biz owner is spending too much time looking for something in their office or computer! You can increase your productivity by being more efficient in organizing.

Organization is a soft skill, and it will help you better plan your projects and increase the quality of your work.

Organize your office with these steps:

·         Sort & Purge: Sort papers that need to be put into files and purge anything in your office that is no longer needed. Chairs, desk items, etc. Offices tend to get an overloaded look if there are too many items that can distract.

·         Make your office more efficient: Create a work center for your most common tasks, i.e., shipping and mailing. Put all the supplies needed at that work center.

·         Sort through mail: This one is a biggy and can clog up your workspace. My rule of thumb is to only handle a piece of paper once if possible. Sort the mail immediately tossing the junk mail. Open the good stuff and take care of it immediately or put the mail in a file/tray by date to be handled later. Set a designated time of day to take care of the mail.

·         Clean up your digital space: Clean up your desktop, clean up your file folders, delete what is no longer needed, organize the ones you will need and make them easily available. Do the same with your emails. Delete old emails, clean out your folders, and don’t forget to dump the trash bin.

·         Use two monitors: This is a great time saver when you are working on multiple projects and if your client calls wanting to go over their project, you already have it open! You don’t have to move your first work screen/close tabs etc. and you can immediately go back to work!

·         Clear your desk daily: I always have a project file/drawer where I can store the projects that I am working on. I pull one out as I am working on it and put it away and work on another project. I can have 2-3 projects at a time going on, so this helps me keep all materials together needed for a project.

·         Consider scanning over filing papers: I started doing this a few years ago and it has been a lifesaver! Back in the way back day, I kept buying file cabinets to hold the masses!

·         Use a color-coded filing system: I love my color-coded system!!! It saves me so much time when I do have to go to the file cabinet. Blue folders are for bills, red for clients, yellow for contracts, etc. I can reach right for the section I need!

·         Include motivational items to your décor: I have all kinds of positive quotes in my picture boards that hang about my desk. Not only do I have family pictures that bring a smile, but positive words that keep me motivated. Hang your vision board as well!

·         Sort your books: I don’t know about you, but I do a lot of research, so there are a lot of books. Organize your books by author or subject so that you can find the one you are reaching for faster.

·         Hide Wires/Use Labels: I have wasted so much time tracing a cord behind my desk when something is not working. I finally smarted up and used zip ties to keep my cords organized (and easier to dust, yes, I’m one of those) and I used labels on the cords so that I immediately know what goes to what. It’s a time saver!

·         Use a Landing Pad: I have a space in my office where things land so that I don’t forget to take them with me. Long before I go to a meeting, I gather everything up that will be needed for that meeting and place it in the landing area. Sometimes I do this the night before. This keeps me from forgetting items that I need to pack up and from being embarrassed at the meeting when I discover I forgot something important!

·         Lastly, organize your time to increase productivity and to keep your sanity! Use calendars with time blocks for your day/week for making phone calls, handling emails, working or projects, business meetings, etc. Create your success notebook to help! Get yourself into a routine and maintain your schedule.

With an organized office, you will know where everything is and what you are supposed to be doing. Saving time can enable you to be more productive, and the neatness of your office can lower your stress!

Happy organizing for your successful 2024 year!

Debra Lee | Author | Keynote Speaker | Biz & Life Coach | Blogger

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Helpful Steps to Branding for Authors

You KNOW who this is!!!

I’m sure you know who this guy is! Right? Authors are really good at their skill. However, getting some to the marketing table can be a bit challenging! Understanding the branding end of things will help with your book sales, long before your book launches! Read this article for tips and get your brand on!

Authors need to brand!

Here are some helpful steps to branding.

 1. Know your audience.

Your brand is an equal combination of who you are in relation to your goals, and what your dream readers care about – shared in the places you can intentionally connect with one another.

Understand your dream readers and who they are through your market research.

2. Define your unique selling proposition.

What makes your writing unique?

It could be your writing style, your expertise in a particular genre or subject, or your personal story. This uniqueness is what will set you apart from the competition and starts to build that emotional connection to your community.

3. Develop a consistent branding statement.

Develop a clear, concise branding statement that encapsulates your brand’s core values and what readers can expect from your work. This statement can serve as a guideline for your marketing and promotional efforts.

4. Craft a compelling author bio.

Your author bio should succinctly convey who you are and what you stand for. Highlight your accomplishments, experiences, and the essence of your writing. Make it relatable and engaging.

A general template includes who you are, what you write, and who you write for.

5. Be consistent across platforms.

Ensure consistency in your brand visuals, voice, and messaging across all platforms. This includes your author website, social media profiles, book covers, and promotional materials.

Consistency builds recognition and trust.

6. Engage with your audience.

Building a brand involves active engagement with your readers.

Respond to comments, participate in discussions related to your genre, and create opportunities for meaningful interaction. Personal connections enhance brand loyalty.

7. Leverage content marketing.

Produce content that aligns with your brand values and appeals to your target audience.

Quality content helps establish authority and reinforces your brand.

8. Be authentic.

Be genuine and authentic in your interactions and communications. Readers can spot insincerity from a mile away.

Authenticity is a cornerstone of trust-building.

9. Create a visual identity.

Your visual elements, such as a logo, book covers, and website design, should align with your brand’s personality. These elements are the first things the reader encounters.

10. Be open to reinvention.

Don’t be afraid to evolve and adapt your brand as your writing and goals change. Rebranding can breathe new life into your author career and attract a fresh audience.

Content is abundant and attention spans are limited, so authors must go beyond the bookshelf.

With dedication and a well-crafted brand, you can not only thrive, but you can also leave a legacy in the world of literature.

All recognition goes to the contributor who is not known.

Debra Lee | Author | Keynote Speaker | Biz & Life Coach

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Inspirational People…what is that thing that they have?

Inspirational People…what is that thing that they have?

 

There are a lot of women who inspire me. If I started naming all of them, I’m going to end up offending some people because I didn’t mention them!

I will say, that if you are in my life, if I know you, you are inspiring me!

Even the troublemakers in my life inspire me to be a better person!!!

What does the word Inspire mean?

To inspire is to fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative. To inspire is to create (a feeling, especially a positive one) in a person.

Let’s look at two inspiring folks from the Bible. One is a man the other a woman.

Genesis / Noah:

There are things we glance over when we make it a children’s story. Let’s really ponder on this!

It took Noah 120 years to build the Ark.

He was 525-545 Years old when he started.

20 years after he started, he was having the sons that were promised to him by God.

Now can you imagine the talks between Noah and his wife in the kitchen???

·         In the beginning: Hey babe, where are you headed off to with that hammer?

·         60 years in: Really Noah, what are you doing?? You’ve been working on this project long enough!

·         90 years in: Noah, give it up, let your sons finish the project!

Why was Noah chosen to build the Ark? Noah was the righteous man on this earth, he walked faithfully with God.

Genesis 6:22  Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

 

Now let’s look at the Proverbs 31 woman, found in Proverbs 31.

The Words of King Lemuel’s Mother | V 10 starts the verses about the virtuous wife.

The heart of her husband safely trusts her.

She willingly works with her hands.

Provides food for her household.

She considers a field and buys it; She handles business.

She girds herself with strength. She takes care of herself!
And strengthens her arms.

She perceives that her merchandise is good. She works hard at what she does until it is done!
And her lamp does not go out by night.

She extends her hand to the poor.  She is benevolent!

Her clothing is fine linen and purple. She cares about how she looks!

Her husband is known in the gates.  You’ve heard that behind every great man is a WOMAN!

Strength and honor are her clothing.  She is UPRIGHT.

She shall rejoice in time to come.  Doesn’t seek praise.

She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.

And does not eat the bread of idleness.  She is BUSY

Her children rise up and call her blessed;    
Her husband also, and he praises her:

a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

 

So, what do these two people have in common?  Noah and the Proverbs 31 Woman. What makes them so inspirational? Why are we inspired by those in our lives today?

What is that quality, that thing inspirational people have?

They are BUILDERS!!!

They build people up, they build non-profits and businesses to help others, they build up their families, their husbands, they are industrious, not lazy, wise, kind, loyal, they break the boxes and the chains, they climb by influencing others towards good.

AND THEY ARE seeking & obeying what God wants for them, they listen, they are obedient, they act, they respond to God’s call – whether they think they are ready for that call or not, whether they have the resources or not, whether they have the training or not. THEY ARE PEOPLE OF GREAT FAITH! And they do everything that God commands of them.

Inspiring people don’t view themselves as inspirational. They are too busy building and doing what is asked of them, and they don’t seek accolades.

You are a person of influence. Don’t ever forget that. God has given you the power the strength, the calling, that job for you to do. It can be just one thing, or it can be a bunch of things.

God created you, beautiful woman, to be an influence upon the world! He knows how influential and powerful women are, he has given us that gift! Who else can negotiate with a child and talk them into eating broccoli?? Ladies, we have been given so many gifts, you are influential with everything that you do, in all areas of your lives!!!

And don’t forget others are watching!

You don’t need to be perfect to inspire others. Let people get inspired by how you deal with your imperfections.

Great lessons come out of imperfections, not just for you, but for those watching.

Go be a builder and inspire others!

 

Debra Lee

Author | Keynote Speaker | Biz & Life Coach | Blogger 

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"With all that power, and we couldn't contain a lie for two weeks."

In no way am I endorsing anything political by showing you this article that was written back in 1983. I found Colson’s analogy very interesting about the Bible and wanted to share. I do believe he has an interesting point!

Here’s some background on Colson for those not old enough to remember the scandal: Charles Wendell Colson, generally referred to as Chuck Colson, was an American attorney and political advisor who served as Special Counsel to President Richard Nixon from 1969 to 1970. Once known as President Nixon's "hatchet man", Colson gained notoriety at the height of the Watergate scandal, for being named as one of the Watergate Seven, and for pleading guilty to obstruction of justice for attempting to defame Pentagon Papers defendant Daniel Ellsberg. In 1974, he served seven months in the federal Maxwell Prison in Alabama, as the first member of the Nixon administration to be incarcerated for Watergate-related charges.

 

Colson Preaches That Watergate Proves the Bible

By Marjorie Hyer

September 28, 1983

Watergate proves the Bible is true. So says former White House special counsel Charles Colson, convicted felon and born-again Christian, who has drawn packed crowds to the Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church this week to hear his message.

The lesson of Watergate is that a lie cannot live for long, according to Colson.

"Here were the 10 most powerful men in the United States," he said, referring to the Watergate cover-up attempt. "With all that power, and we couldn't contain a lie for two weeks."

Applying the Watergate scandals to the New Testament and to current suggestions that accounts of Jesus' resurrection were a conspiracy perpetrated by His apostles, Colson insisted: "No way."

"Take it from one who was involved in conspiracy, who saw the frailty of man firsthand," he declared, "there is no way the 11 apostles, who were with Jesus at the time of the resurrection, could ever have gone around for 40 years proclaiming Jesus' resurrection unless it were true."

Had the New Testament account not been true, Colson continued, "Peter would have been exactly like John Dean" who, he said, led a parade of White House aides who talked to prosecutors to "save their own skins."

If the apostles' story about the resurrection had begun to unravel, as the Watergate cover-up did, Colson said: "They the apostles would have sold out to save their skins."

As he preached, worshipers of all ages filled the main sanctuary of the red and white, Colonial-style church that is the largest Southern Baptist congregation in the area. The throng spilled into both the social hall and the smaller sanctuary, where they watched his sermon on closed-circuit television.

Colson, who once told a federal judge that he had been "an arrogant self-assured man in the ruthless exercise of power," told the crowd that he has not forgotten what it had been like to be a powerful man.

"I could pick up a telephone and have a jet airplane . . . waiting for me at Andrews Air Force Base," he recalled. "I could call up the Pentagon and give orders to people at the Pentagon. I could change the budget."

Now, Colson said, he preaches repentance. His fast-moving sermon was filled with reminiscence, wisecracks, and political humor.

"When I went to prison, I changed to a Democrat; I couldn't stand the thought of seeing a Republican in jail," he explained to about 1,500 eager listeners Monday night.

Columbia Baptist Church is spending $28,000 to sponsor "The Life Together Crusade" that began Sunday. Colson is to speak, for free, every night. A youth rally is scheduled for Saturday, featuring Redskins coach Joe Gibbs and place-kicker Mark Moseley.

At the close of Colson's sermon Monday night, 25 or 30 of the worshipers who had packed the church came forward in response to his appeal that they commit or recommit their lives to Christ.

The church's pastor, Neal Jones, admitted to being "a little" disappointed, but Colson, who joined Columbia Baptist Church after he was released from jail, said he was not.

"I don't want to know the numbers, or what the decisions were," he said afterward, adding that numbers of converts are not important, because it is "God who deals with people."

 

Debra Lee

Author | Keynote Speaker | Biz & Life Coach | Blogger

 

Please Tell Me About the Jesus You Don't Believe In

Please tell me about the Jesus you don’t believe in.

…why soul winning should be our main focus as Christians.

 

The greatest sin that a Christian can commit is not the failure to tithe, the failure of going to church, sitting up all night to watch TV, etc. The greatest sin of the Christian is a refusal to win precious souls to our Father in heaven.

The following is a list of seven sins that we commit by not taking our call seriously.

• ·         The sin of disobedience to the main command of the Savior. Matthew 28:19-20
• ·         The sin of lack of love for Christ. John 14:21,23
• ·         The sin of not following Jesus. Matthew 4:19
• ·         The sin of not abiding in Christ. I John 3:6, Romans 8:1-2
• ·         The sin of dishonesty in a sacred trust. Romans 1:14-15
• ·         The sin and folly of a shortsighted fool. Proverbs 11:30
• ·         The sin of spiritual manslaughter, soul murder. Ezekiel 3:17-18

Why should soul winning be our main business?

• ·         We have a debt of obligation to get out the Gospel. Romans 1:14
• ·         We are Ambassadors. II Corinthians 5:18-20
• ·         We have been divinely chosen for the task. Matthew 28:19
• ·         Somewhere there are souls longing for someone to tell them.
• ·         No other business is so important. Mark 8:38
• ·         Because of gratitude for what our Savior did for us on the cross.
• ·         Nothing gives such deep satisfaction as winning a soul. John 4:32
• ·         Opportunities will be gone forever, never to be regained. Esphesians5:16
• ·         Because of the fear of the Lord. II Corinthians 5:11
• ·         Because success is promised. Psalms 126:6, John 15:5

The Call. Jesus said in Matthew 4:19, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” The call from Jesus includes two parts: following and being a fisher of men. Following meaning to have a relationship with him. Fishers of men; if believers truly believed they had the words of life they would passionately (desperately, urgently) do everything in their power to share the gospel with people.

How to share your story. Always be prepared and keep it simple. Prepare a two-to-three-minute Gospel-centered testimony that is understandable to a non-Christian that will present them with the opportunity to choose to also follow Jesus.

Using your own story/words, make it a four-part salvation story that contains the following words.

·      God: God loves you and has created you to know him personally. He has a wonderful plan for your life (John 3:16-17

·      Sin: People are sinful and separated from God, so we cannot know him personally or experience his love and plan. (Romans 3:23, 6:23)

·     Jesus: Jesus Crist is God’s only provision for our sin. Through him alone, we can know God personally and experience God’s love and his plan. John 14:6

·   Individual: We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savor and Lord: then we can know God personally and experience his love and plan. John 1:12, Ephesians 2:8,9

These four words make up the core of our salvation story and are combined with our personal narrative to create a testimony that is clean and to the point. The person we are sharing with should be able to figure out why we came to salvation and how they can do the same.

One of the sentences that I use in my testimony is, I wasn’t always like this. People who know me today would never believe the messy life that I had created for myself back in the day. And even more unbelievable is the story of how I was pulled out of the muck and mire by Jesus.

I have a short version of my testimony and a long version for public speaking gigs that I have prepared so that I am ready for any opportunity.

It’s so easy to let obstacles get in our way of sharing. Here is a list of eight helpers.

·   Be ready. Test the waters by asking simple questions and reading their body language. Always be watchful for what might turn out to be a divine appointment.

·       Keep it simple. Don’t complicate things with controversial issues unrelated to salvation.

·   Avoid religious language and spiritual pretense. I call it Christianese. Don’t do it. They won’t understand what you are saying, and you will lose them.

·      Focus on the truth of Christianity, not merely its personal benefits. Focus on the truth claims of Jesus and give your message a solid foundation.

·         Give reasons. People care about reasons. Make assertions with evidence.

·    Stay calm. Don’t get mad, show frustration, look annoyed. Keep your cool. You will appear more confident and be more persuasive.

·         If they want to go, let them leave the conversation.

·     Don’t let them leave empty handed. Give them a tangible way to follow up on what you challenged them to consider.  Tracts, booklets, a Christian website, or something to read. Offer as a gift suggesting that it might be best to let Jesus speak for himself.

How to start the conversation. First, put your ‘on-task agenda’ away. You need to be a great listener and have empathy. No way around it. Come from a point of understanding. Some people are bad at reading the temperature of a room. Pay attention, get good at it, and avoid doing harm! Sometimes these conversations will need to take place over many meetings and time, so build relationships first, never argue their feelings or the Bible.

Once I get to a certain point in the conversation, after surveying their interest and comprehending where they stand, I can either move forward or offer some space to take up the conversation at a later date. If they say that they know about Jesus, but don’t believe, then I ask them to tell me about the Jesus they don’t believe in.

This is a great opener for further discussions, and it will allow you to listen, assess and understand what has happened in their past to get them where they are at. You will hear about their hurts, where their anger comes from, what turned them from the Church, from Christ, and much more. Maybe they have major guilt and feel that a sin is so horrible that they could never be accepted by God and into heaven.

Once you have learned from their sharing, you have a place to begin addressing issues, clear up their misunderstanding of Christ and the gospel, and help them to start thinking in a new way, in a new direction, about a hope that is offered to all who simply believe.

Catch the Passion! God’s grace and love is so powerful. His promise is always. Take your Christian call seriously. There are lots of people out there who are hurting so badly and need the love of Jesus. Answer the call, move when you are nudged. Your task might be the seed planter, getting some of their questions answered, their curiosity going. Or you might be the one assigned to bring it on home and lead them in a believer’s prayer of repentance and restoration in Christ.

Your sharing of the Gospel does not have to be perfect, nor do you have to have all the answers. It’s okay to say that you don’t know something and let them know you will find out and get back with them. The main thing is to move when the Holy Spirit is prompting you so that you don’t end up kicking yourself over missed opportunities.

Winning souls should be our main focus as Christians.

 

Sources: “Tactics” by Gregory Koukl, “This is my story” by Fred Leonard, “Seven-fold sin of not winning souls” by Rev. Carl Hatch

Debra Lee | Author | Keynote Speaker | Biz Coach | Life Coach | Blogger