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September Is National Preparedness Month – Talk to Your People
Sep 10th
From Ready.gov, http://bit.ly/9kuEJg:
Involve Co-Workers
Include people from all levels in emergency planning.
Practice the Plan
Drills and exercises will help you prepare.
Promote Preparedness
Encourage your employees and their families to: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed.
Crisis Communication Plan
Detail how you will be in contact with employees, customers and others during and after a disaster.
Employee Health
People who have experienced a disaster may have special recovery needs.
Monday we will continue with “Protect Your Investment.”
September Is National Preparedness Month – Plan to Stay in Business
Sep 9th
From Ready.gov, http://bit.ly/aXdBbJ:
Business continuity planning must account for all hazards (both man-made and natural disasters). You should plan in advance to manage any emergency situation. Assess the situation, use common sense and available resources to take care of yourself, your co-workers and your business’s recovery.
- Be Informed
Know what kinds of emergencies might affect your company. - Continuity Planning
Carefully assess how your company functions, both internally and externally. - Emergency Planning
Your employees and co-workers are your business’s most important and valuable asset. - Emergency Supplies
Think first about the basics of survival: fresh water, food, clean air and warmth. - Deciding to Stay or Go
Shelter-in-place or evacuate, plan for both possibilities. - Fire Safety
Fire is the most common of all business disasters. - Medical Emergencies
Take steps that give you the upper hand in responding to medical emergencies. - Influenza Pandemic
The federal government, states, communities and industry are taking steps to prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic.
Additional Resources
For more information on business continuity, see these additional documents from FEMA. The National Continuity Program can be reached at FEMA-STTLContinuity@dhs.gov or by phone, at 1-202-646-4145.
Tomorrow we will continue with “Talk to Your People.”
September Is National Preparedness Month – What Are the Costs?
Sep 8th
From Ready.gov, http://bit.ly/ckEwBZ:
What Are The Costs?
How quickly your company can get back to business after a terrorist attack, a tornado, a fire, or a flood often depends on emergency planning done today. While the Department of Homeland Security is working hard to prevent terrorist attacks, the lessons of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks demonstrate the importance of being prepared.
When you also consider that the number of declared major disasters nearly doubled in the 1990’s compared to the previous decade, preparedness becomes an even more critical issue. Though each situation is unique, any organization can be better prepared if it plans carefully, puts emergency procedures in place, and practices for emergencies of all kinds.
America’s businesses form the backbone of the nation’s economy; small businesses alone account for more than 99% of all companies with employees, employ 50% of all private sector workers and provide nearly 45% of the nation’s payroll. If businesses are READY to survive and recover, the nation and our economy are more secure. A commitment to planning today will help support employees, customers, the community, the local economy and even the country. It also protects your business investment and gives your company a better chance for survival.
Ready Business outlines commonsense measures business owners and managers can take to start getting ready. It provides practical steps and easy-to-use templates to help you plan for your company’s future. These recommendations reflect the Emergency Preparedness and Business Continuity Standard (NFPA 1600) developed by the National Fire Protection Association and endorsed by the American National Standards Institute and the Department of Homeland Security. It also provides useful links to resources providing more detailed business continuity and disaster preparedness information.
Business continuity and crisis management can be complex issues depending on the particular industry, size and scope of your business. However, putting a plan in motion will improve the likelihood that your company will survive and recover. The following information is a good start for small- to mid-sized businesses. Companies that already have their emergency plans in place can continue to help create a more robust sustainable community by mentoring businesses in their own supply chain and others needing advice.
Preparing makes good business sense. Get ready now.
Tomorrow we will continue with “Plan to Stay in Business.”
September Is National Preparedness Month – Be Informed
Sep 7th
From Ready.gov, http://bit.ly/cDZF6s;
Some of the things you can do to prepare for the unexpected, such as making an emergency supply kit and developing a family communications plan, are the same for both a natural or man-made emergency.
However, there are important differences among potential emergencies that will impact the decisions you make and the actions you take. Learn more about the potential emergencies that could happen where you live and the appropriate way to respond to them.
In addition, learn about the emergency plans that have been established in your area by your state and local government.
Emergency preparedness is no longer the sole concern of earthquake prone Californians and those who live in the part of the country known as “Tornado Alley.” For Americans, preparedness must now account for man-made disasters as well as natural ones. Knowing what to do during an emergency is an important part of being prepared and may make all the difference when seconds count.
Go to http://bit.ly/cDZF6s and click on the links on the left side of the page for more information about how to prepare for nineteen natural and man-made emergencies, ranging from biological threats to explosions to extreme heat as well as explosions, fires, floods, tornadoes, winter storms and extreme cold.
September Is National Preparedness Month – Make a Plan
Sep 3rd
From Ready.gov, http://bit.ly/dpg6tj:
Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to plan in advance: how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations.
Family Emergency Plan
- Identify an out-of town contact. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.
- Be sure every member of your family knows the phone number and has a cell phone, coins, or a prepaid phone card to call the emergency contact. If you have a cell phone, program that person(s) as “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) in your phone. If you are in an accident, emergency personnel will often check your ICE listings in order to get a hold of someone you know. Make sure to tell your family and friends that you’ve listed them as emergency contacts.
- Teach family members how to use text messaging (also knows as SMS or Short Message Service). Text messages can often get around network disruptions when a phone call might not be able to get through.
- Subscribe to alert services. Many communities now have systems that will send instant text alerts or e-mails to let you know about bad weather, road closings, local emergencies, etc. Sign up by visiting your local Office of Emergency Management web site.
Planning to Stay or Go
Depending on your circumstances and the nature of the emergency, the first important decision is whether you stay where you are or evacuate. You should understand and plan for both possibilities. Use common sense and available information, including what you are learning here, to determine if there is an immediate danger. In any emergency, local authorities may or may not immediately be able to provide information on what is happening and what you should do. However, you should watch TV, listen to the radio or check the Internet often for information or official instruction as it becomes available. For information on staying put or sheltering in place, click here.
Emergency Information
Find out what kinds of disasters, both natural and man-made, are most likely to occur in your area and how you will be notified. Methods of getting your attention vary from community to community. One common method is to broadcast via emergency radio and TV broadcasts. You might hear a special siren, or get a telephone call, or emergency workers may go door-to-door.
Emergency Plans
Use the New Online Family Emergency Planning Tool created by the Ready Campaign in conjunction with the Ad Council to prepare a printable Comprehensive Family Emergency Plan:
http://ready.adcouncil.org/beprepared/fep/index.jsp
Use the New Quick Share application to help your family in assembling a quick reference list of contact information for your family, and a meeting place for emergency situations:
http://ready.adcouncil.org/beprepared/quickshare.html
You may also want to inquire about emergency plans at places where your family spends time: work, daycare and school. If no plans exist, consider volunteering to help create one. Talk to your neighbors about how you can work together in the event of an emergency. You will be better prepared to safely reunite your family and loved ones during an emergency if you think ahead and communicate with others in advance. Read more: School and Workplace.
September Is National Preparedness Month – Get a Kit
Sep 2nd
From Ready.gov, http://bit.ly/9WHvua:
You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water, and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least three days. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it might take days. In addition, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment, and telephones may be cut off for days, or even a week or longer.
Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:
- Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
- Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
- Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First aid kit
- Whistle to signal for help
- Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
- Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
- Local maps
- Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
Additional Items to Consider Adding to an Emergency Supply Kit:
- Prescription medications and glasses
- Infant formula and diapers
- Pet food and extra water for your pet
- Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
- Cash or traveler’s checks and change
- Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container. You can use the EFFAK Emergency Financial First Aid Kit – PDF, 277Kb) developed by Operation Hope, FEMA and Citizen Corps to help you organize your information
- Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
- Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
- Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
- Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
- Fire Extinguisher
- Matches in a waterproof container
- Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
- Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
- Paper and pencil
- Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
Find out how to keep food safe during and after and emergency by visiting: http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/
31 Small Business Tax Deductions
Sep 1st
Since deducting expenses from your top-line revenues reduces your tax burden, it’s easy to be too aggressive in claiming them. However, not deducting all that you are allowed leaves money on table. Use the following checklist of rules to reduce your taxable income as much as legally possible.
To read the rest of this article by Greg Go, the cofounder and CTO of Wise Bread, a top personal finance community, please go to http://bit.ly/dcPMuT.
Top 10 Things Every Taxpayer Should Know about Identity Theft
Aug 31st
IRS Summertime Tax Tips 2010-11 http://bit.ly/avRjSv
Taxpayers need to be careful to protect their personal information. Identity thieves use many methods to steal personal information and then they use the information to file a tax return and get a refund. Here are 10 things the IRS wants you to know about identity theft so you can avoid becoming the victim of an identity thief.
- The IRS does not initiate contact with a taxpayer by e-mail.
- If you receive a scam e-mail claiming to be from the IRS, forward it to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov
- Identity thieves get your personal information by many different means, including:
- Stealing your wallet or purse
- Posing as someone who needs information about you through a phone call or e-mail
- Looking through your trash for personal information
- Accessing information you provide to an unsecured Internet site.
- If you discover a website that claims to be the IRS but does not begin with ‘www.irs.gov’, forward that link to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov
- To learn how to identify a secure website, visit the Federal Trade Commission at www.onguardonline.gov/tools/recognize-secure-site-using-ssl.aspx
- If your Social Security number is stolen, another individual may use it to get a job. That person’s employer may report income earned by them to the IRS using your Social Security number, thus making it appear that you did not report all of your income on your tax return.
- Your identity may have been stolen if a letter from the IRS indicates more than one tax return was filed for you or the letter states you received wages from an employer you don’t know. If you receive such a letter from the IRS, leading you to believe your identity has been stolen, respond immediately to the name, address or phone number on the IRS notice.
- If your tax records are not currently affected by identity theft, but you believe you may be at risk due to a lost wallet, questionable credit card activity, or credit report, you need to provide the IRS with proof of your identity. You should submit a copy of your valid government-issued identification – such as a Social Security card, driver’s license, or passport – along with a copy of a police report and/or a completed Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit. As an option, you can also contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit, toll-free at 800-908-4490. You should also follow FTC guidance for reporting identity theft at www.ftc.gov/idtheft
- Show your Social Security card to your employer when you start a job or to your financial institution for tax reporting purposes. Do not routinely carry your card or other documents that display your Social Security number.
- For more information about identity theft – including information about how to report identity theft, phishing and related fraudulent activity – visit the IRS Identity Theft and Your Tax Records Page, which you can find by searching “Identity Theft” on the IRS.gov home page.
Links:
Identity Theft and Your Tax Records
Suspicious e-Mails and Identity Theft
Department of Treasury’s Identity theft resource page
Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) consumer Web site
YouTube Videos:
Six Tax-Efficient Ways to Pay for Back to School Items
Aug 30th
Students going back to school can utilize a variety of tax-favored ways to pay for college tuition, books, supplies, and computers. Here’s six ideas for paying for school expenses that have varying degrees of tax efficiency:
1. Take cash out of a 529 College Savings Plan. Distributions from a 529 plan are tax-free as long as the funds are used to pay for tuition, room and board, books, supplies, and computer equipment and software.
To read the rest of this article by William Perez, please go to http://bit.ly/aSiUuj.
Ten Tips for Taxpayers Making Charitable Donations
Aug 26th
IRS Summertime Tax Tip 2010-21 http://bit.ly/aVjA6r
Did you make a donation to a charity this year? If so, you may be able to take a deduction for it on your 2010 tax return.
Here are the top 10 things the IRS wants every taxpayer to know before deducting charitable donations.
- Charitable contributions must be made to qualified organizations to be deductible. You can ask any organization whether it is a qualified organization and most will be able to tell you. You can also check IRS Publication 78, Cumulative List of Organizations, which lists most qualified organizations. IRS Publication 78 is available at IRS.gov.
- Charitable contributions are deductible only if you itemize deductions using Form 1040, Schedule A.
- You generally can deduct your cash contributions and the fair market value of most property you donate to a qualified organization. Special rules apply to several types of donated property, including clothing or household items, cars and boats.
- If your contribution entitles you to receive merchandise, goods, or services in return – such as admission to a charity banquet or sporting event – you can deduct only the amount that exceeds the fair market value of the benefit received.
- Be sure to keep good records of any contribution you make, regardless of the amount. For any contribution made in cash, you must maintain a record of the contribution such as a bank record – including a cancelled check or a bank or credit card statement – a written record from the charity containing the date and amount of the contribution and the name of the organization, or a payroll deduction record.
- Only contributions actually made during the tax year are deductible. For example, if you pledged $500 in September but paid the charity only $200 by Dec. 31, your deduction would be $200.
- Include credit card charges and payments by check in the year they are given to the charity, even though you may not pay the credit card bill or have your bank account debited until the next year.
- For any contribution of $250 or more, you must have written acknowledgment from the organization to substantiate your donation. This written proof must include the amount of cash and a description and good faith estimate of value of any property you contributed, and whether the organization provided any goods or services in exchange for the gift.
- To deduct charitable contributions of items valued at $500 or more you must complete a Form 8283, Noncash Charitable Contributions, and attached the form to your return.
- An appraisal generally must be obtained if you claim a deduction for a contribution of noncash property worth more than $5,000. In that case, you must also fill out Section B of Form 8283 and attach the form to your return.
For more information see IRS Publication 526, Charitable Contributions, and for information on determining value, refer to Publication 561, Determining the Value of Donated Property. These publications are available at IRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).
Links:
- Publication 78, Cumulative List of Organizations
- Publication 526, Charitable Contributions ( PDF)
- Publication 561, Determining the Value of Donated Property ( PDF)
