Wrapping Up Microsoft Word

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday this year, one of those common every day things we forget to be thankful for is the ability to write. It is easy to take for granted and yet, even in today's climate of videos and graphic arts, that ability to communicate via writing is still a blessing. After all, how do we communicate video scripts and the instructions for illustrating? Through writing.

One of the most important writing tools in our modern era is Microsoft Word. And it's never too late to learn more about this tool. That's what the adults in our Microsoft Word class that is wrapping up today learned.

Blogs and micro-blogs like Facebook and Twitter still need tools to help them be at their best. Writing and saving drafts in Microsoft Word

Here's a Twitter tip: Work out your tweet in Microsoft Word first, using the word and letter count tool. It is quicker and easier to maximize your 140 character tweets and cram your message into one tweet instead of serial tweets. Plus, you can save a chronology of your tweets in one document in case you ever need them quickly.

And don't forget, when you fell like you have mastered Word, sign up to take the Microsoft Word certification exams.

Never Stop Learning

There are many good reasons to always learn new things. The obvious one is to learn things like new Microsoft Excel features of a newly released version. Another is for the simple pleasure of learning. It is never too late to experience the awe that we all have as children in the discovery of something new.  As has been said for centuries: It is never too late to learn something new.

Another reason is we may be inspired by teachers who never stop learning.
Then you find that some jobs, like instructors and professors, that require continuing education units.

The act of learning for work and for pleasure should never be forgotten. Not only does the practitioner gain new knowledge, learning new things builds confidence.

And here's a funny thing - a connection to one new idea builds questions that bridge to other new ideas.

With that in mind, here is a quote attributed to St. Jerome:

It has been difficult for researchers to verify the quote but it has been used many times and the sentiment rings true.

March 29 - National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day!

Nowadays, every day seems to be some kind of day to celebrate something. March 29th, then should be left out. Turns out March 29th is not only the anniversary of the Treaty of Saint-Germain (which returned Quebec to French control after the English had seized it back in 1629), it is also:

 National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day!

Okay, it’s not very likely that Hallmark will be offering greeting cards for this holiday any time soon, but it does highlight an important aspect of our economy – small businesses.

Many people dream of owning their own businesses and this is a chance to remember that behind every store front there’s somebody who owns it.

As much as owning a business can be a dream, it takes a lot of dedication and hard work. Most small businesses fail and it’s only the very few that can survive past the 3-year mark.

Purchasing goods and services online is getting easier and easier. Yet, there is nothing like the feeling of going into a locally owned used book store and just spend some time browsing and finally settling on a purchase. That’s the advantage of small businesses.

The origins of #MomAndPopBusinessOwners day, so the story goes, include a couple who decided to mark a day to remember people like their parents who started a hat shop back in 1939. This is one of those businesses that survived and took off to earn over $2 million a year store selling clothing.

The good news is it is now easier than ever to become an entrepreneur. Just be sure to sell something people want to buy. Or sell something in a unique way.

Community Business College offers classes to help people get started in being an entrepreneur. And remember, many of your startup expenses, including education, can be tax deductible.

W-4, Where For Art Thou?

One of our entrepreneurial minded QuickBooks students asked in class yesterday about employee W-4 forms.

She is looking to go into business with her son. She wanted to know about the IRS Schedule for withholding and so it gave us an opportunity to explore the W4 form

The W4 form is an excellent opportunity for employers to keep track of what's been going on with their employees an update their information. New boys always fill out the form, but a solid strong accounting practice is to ask all employees to fill out a new form at the beginning of each year.

Why a new W-4 form each year?

Threw out here a lot of changes can take place and people forget to report it to their employers. For example when somebody moves, somebody got married, and older child moving out and is no longer a dependent?

Another reason can be found directly on the instruction page that accompanies the form: Future developments -  Information about any future developments affecting Form W-4 (such as legislation enacted after we release it).

The way Congress works, they can make rule changes at any time and they don’t have to warn you about them.

All of these things can make a big difference on the W4 form.

You don’t have to wait for an employer to supply you with the form, you can also do it yourself.

I had a friend who would intentionally ask for extra withholdings on his W-4 form. Why? Because he wanted a bigger refund on April 15th. When told he was just giving the government a free loan that's interest free, and that he could just put the money in the savings account, he replied that no it wouldn't work that way. He would just spend the money instead of saving it. This way since it was we hell before he got his check his paycheck each. He would not know he had it until it came at the end of the year.

That is definitely not a good smart way to say, but if you know yourself well, perhaps it's better than nothing.