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As in any other industry, there are merchant account providers that are not always completely candid about what business owners can expect from their products and services. Before staking your future on a particular provider, do your homework and investigate the industry, the companies and the service plans.
A Merchant account enables a company to consent to debit and credit card use for sales transactions. There are multiple dimensions to Merchant accounts and their usage thereof.
Regardless of the "processing environment" – stores, websites, mobile merchants and all the rest of the places people do business – there are potent credit card processing software applications to make it all work.
Because of the proliferation of credit card processing equipment, it can be daunting to work through all the “tech and specs” to determine what is best for your business. It may help you to consider the following questions as you begin the selection process.
There are a number of solid performers among the payment gateway packages, the best of which have a very powerful feature set. You need to consider all the variables of your business operation to determine the best one for your particular situation.
WSS (also called SharePoint) helps with all this by giving your employees secure access to company information through their Internet browser on their desktop.
By now, most firms are aware that one of the primary benefits of joining the Microsoft Professional Accountant's Network (MPAN), which is free, is access to the Microsoft Action Pack subscription.
A description of the 1099 Express Enterprise software
The accounting profession has embraced Dell products for servers, workstations and a multitude of peripherals.
Searching for Technology or Services for your Practice or to Help your Clients?
Everyone has heard a story or read about someone who bought a
property without paying a single dime as a down payment. But how
does this work? There are several * classic * methods commonly
used to purchase real estate with no money down. There are an
infinite variety of situations in a real estate transaction that
could lead to a deal with no down payment. But for the sake of
reality, I will focus on those that are most commonly seen in the
current market.
Have you ever watched a squirrel balancing up on the highwires?
He actually makes the balancing act look easy, doesn't he? I
always wonder what will happen to the squirrel should he lose his
balance. You see, the highwires are not part of his natural
habitat. They are manmade, and he has no safety cushion built in
to protect him.
For many modern professionals, finding something you love to do for a living that also allows you time to spend with the ones you love and on other things you do is hard to come by.
Structured settlements were introduced in Canada and the United States in the 1970's. They were introduced as an alternative to lump sum payments, common in insurance settlements and lottery winnings. In the decades since, they have also been accepted as legal financial instruments in England and Australia. In a nutshell, a structured settlement by legal definition is a statutory agreement to pay a specified sum of money over a period of time, on a payment system.
Microsoft developers have been busy, and the upcoming blitz of new versions of both desktop and server products is the result.
It is possible, under fairly narrow criteria, to ask to the IRS to reverse penalties and interest.
Consider these three mid-range accounting systems when your company needs a change in its accounting software.
The AccuFund Accounting Suite offers a series of modules designed specifically for nonprofit and government agencies.
20 PRODUCTS TO CONSIDER
All of the 1099-Etc modules are accessible via a common conventional Windows interface that is pleasant to the eye.
All of the 1099-Etc modules are accessible via a common conventional Windows interface that is pleasant to the eye.
Before you set up a trust, find out if there are any advantages or disadvantages that may affect your decision.
If you're on the lookout for a more creative approach to building retirement funds, the self-directed IRA may be one to consider.
American Riviera Software was founded in 2000, but Magtax has actually been around since the 1980s, first written two years after magnetic media filing began.
Sometimes it's all Boyle Henderson can do to keep his head out of the clouds.
Every business, large and small, has assets that help them perform their work or deliver the services they provide their clients.
An extremely helpful and intuitive pption tab provides users control of program behavior
Learn how to use credit cards wisely so that you don't get buried in credit card debt.
As the marketplace of QuickBooks add-ons continues to grow, the quantity and quality of independent developers is blossoming.
Negotiable instruments like checks and drafts have become an indispensable part of any business transaction today. As a result, it has become increasingly important to safeguard a business against financial losses arising from the receipt of fraudulent or bad checks.
This article outlines the two steps of the bad debt recovery process: 1 - Bad debt identification and 2 - Bad debt recovery.
In a few short years, credit and debit cards have become the most common forms of payment, revolutionizing business and industry around the world.
The past 12 months have been the most dynamic period for the professional tax preparation market in several years.
Designed to provide accounting and financial functionality to nonprofits, The Financial Edge also works in conjunction with Blackbaud's other software products all designed for the nonprofit organization.
As you know, in this column, I primarily discuss practical business issues observed while working in the streets.
BNA Software offers a wide range of specialty compliance tools, including its Estate 38; Gift Tax line, which includes separate preparation systems for each compliance task as well as a combined estate and gift tax planning program.
BNA Software offers a variety of fixed asset management solutions, including stand-alone, server-based and web-based versions.
How friends and family can benefit by lending you money to buy a house
I may be dating myself, but my first job out of school used a computer as large as my home office.
I've spent the last decade bashing America Online as one of the worst facets of the Internet, from its shady accounting to its poor customer service to its sleazy chat rooms.
The different types of automobile insurance coverage, and how to cut costs when insuring your car.
Before you buy a life insurance policy, compare rates, choose a trustworthy agent, and check the reliability of the company.
CaseWare Time and Today 2006 offers accounting firms a thorough practice management software package.
— A little more than a month after announcing the acquisition of another tax software vendor, CCH (www.
On a function-by-function basis, users will likely have no problem doing what needs to be done.
The ProSystem fx suite of tax, accounting and productivity software from CCH is one of the most comprehensive offerings on the market for professional accountants, providing applications for virtually every aspect of client service and workflow.
Users will likely appreciate the simple layout of the program, but the addition of a sortable, on-screen client listing would be helpful.
There is a type of fraud in which an unsuspecting Real Estateinvestor believes he is buying a property worth a certain amount,when in reality the property is worth much less. This places theinvestor in a hopelessly upside down situation, owing more moneythan the property will ever be worth.
Child support tax information you need to know.
How to find a credit counseling agency to that will resolve your credit troubles.
As a business owner, you must be very careful in selecting a professional collection agency for your collection needs. Remember that the agency you would choose will be a reflection of your company.
To claim tax benefits for your dependent partner, there are five tests your partner must pass.
What you should know before co-signing a loan or having co-signing for someone else.
For small and big businesses alike, having an in-house debt recovery department may not be feasible for many reasons. For these businesses, credit collection agencies do the bad job of getting behind defaulting customers until they pay.
When money is owed to you, you must consider your options in getting the customer to pay. One option is, of course, to have an in-house debt recovery department, and the other option is to outsource your debt recovery to a collection agency.
You might, like most people, find collection agency representatives to be unpleasant and unwanted house guests or phone callers. Often, their nagging stance and persistence of having you pay your debts may be viewed as a form or verbal harassment.
Pro collection agencies spring up like daisies in the field of complicating companies who are in dire need of administrative aid and support.
Pro collection agencies are third party companies that creditors hire to recover debt payments of their debtors. Whether this proves effective to their cause of recovery debts owed to them or not, consumers must remember these few things that pro collection agencies can do in performing their job.
If you need a collection agency, there are different types of collection agencies that can assist you, including those for financial debt, medical debt, and bad check recovery.
This article addresses the tough task faced by collection agencies in demanding borrower responsibility, and offers tips for collecting successfully, without coercion.
Bugeting tips for college students
If your business devotes too much time and work to collecting money, commercial collection agencies can help in this respect. They are your helping hands when it comes to efficient monetary transactions in a blink of an eye.
Practice Engine, a web-based product, is tailored to the needs of each customer and thus, is well suited for medium and large firms. Given the customization tools and the ability to program add-on modules, firms looking to grow their business should consider Practice Engine's offerings.
Banks are putting the squeeze on even their best long term card
holders at a time when other sources of credit, such as home
equity loans for example, are harder to come by. A lot of people
are shocked to receive notices that their credit card rate has
jumped to as high as 28 percent even though they've kept good
credit and an excellent payment history.
Even though the real estate market has slowed down (or perhaps for that very reason), the construction industry remains strong.
If you will not be able to repay all or almost all of your debts under a Chapter 13 plan, it is probably not a good option for you.
This article provides a resource for understanding the basics of consumer credit reporting, credit bureaus, and how credit reporting can effect the debt collection process.
When contactless payment terminals were first developed, many people called them the “future” of credit card processing. The fact is, the future is now, as these "tap and pay" contactless payment system are already benefiting retailers and consumers alike, bringing even greater speed and convenience to credit/debit card transactions.
A description of the 1099Convey Desktop Edition, a comprehensive compliance reporting system that supports Form(s) 1098, 1099, 5498, W-2, W-2G and 1042-S.
Cougar Mountain recently released Version 10.
It really is important that business people understand how credit card authorizations are processed.
Whether you use a credit card terminal or some kind of payment processing software for your card transactions normally depends on the environment in which you will be making sales.
How to improve your credit score
Carla Chumley is a financial analyst for the Stephen F.
Using tools easily available on the Internet, it would take a hacker only minutes to take all of the data off of your laptop.
Once you have decided on hiring a collection agency for your credit collection, dealing with a collection agency has four different stages.
Businesses both big and small had risen and fallen because of difficult debtors. This article provides tips for collection agencies on how to deal with such difficult debtors in a professional, patient manner.
Probably the last of the alternatives that a company would have is that of seeking assistance from pro collection agencies to help offset the governing debt issues that any entity would find itself in. While this resolution would still garner significant losses for the company, the amount of loss that will evidently be incurred is lower than that of getting nothing at all in return.
This article provides scenarios involving debt collection, and describes the process which a collection agency goes through to recovery debt.
Most organizations face debt recovery problems that arise from a lack of a coherent approach to expedite customer payments. Here are some sound debt collection techniques that can be followed by businesses to mitigate the bad debt crisis.
Both state and federal laws protect consumers from unfair debt collection practices.
While debt and money management issues can be difficult, they will pass. Here's how to deal with these problems.
Recovering debt payments from individual creditors is a painstaking activity that a company must do in order to recover debts from its creditors. This article examines the pros and cons of employing a commercial collections agency for your business.
The task of a company credit manager, when dealing with outstanding customer debt, is to decide whether to deal with the problems in-house or pass on these accounts to a collection agency that will then be tasked to follow-up and, at best, recover the money owed to your company.
This article offers grounds for deciding whether to create a credit and collection department in your own company or whether to shift your commercial collections to an outside collection agency.
Getting the services of pro collection agencies can give the business owners more time on their hands to take care of other important matters like running the business. But this can also be disadvantageous on their part for some reasons.
Collection agencies are companies or sometimes lawyers, who hire out their services to collect a debt to a creditor who may be a service provider, apartment manager or credit card company.
Information on different types of credit and debit cards.
It's time NOW to plan, strategize and prepare for next year.
The 2008 session of the annual paperless conference sponsored by AIIM was held in Boston again this year.
What's the best choice for your practice?
This review focuses on the full-featured document management systems for accounting professionals. If you're seriously considering an electronic document system for your practice, it would be wise to investigate all of the solutions presented to help you gain a better understanding of the opportunities to improve the efficiency of your operations.
Commerce has moved from brick-and-mortar storefronts to mail order, phone order, mass-mailed catalogs, radio, television and, now, into cyberspace.
How do you know if you really need a wireless payment terminal? Well, if you’re on the road and can’t accept credit card payments, the answer is “Yes.”
How to live below your means in order to have a substantial retirement
Janice Waldemar uses the BUCS Fund Accounting product along with the vendor's CHIPS payroll system.
We have all come to rely heavily on the productivity applications we know as the Microsoft Office Suite.
To qualify, you must convince the IRS that, even though you can pay all the taxes due, you would suffer real hardship if you were forced to pay them.
The program is available in a basic package that supports printing on preprinted forms.
We live in the present and plan for our futures.
Improving engagement efficiency is a topic of huge importance to accounting firms.
Improving engagement efficiency is a topic of huge importance to accounting firms. Here are some helpful hints to improve engagement efficiency.
The most important skill that pro collection agencies’ staff must have is the ability to easily establish rapport with clients. Establishing a rapport with customers is the first stage in the recovery process and should be carefully carried out when dealing with customers who are in debt.
An easy introduction to estate and gift tax laws.
The practice of accounting requires sound business practices to support its operations, as well as a knowledge of how to evaluate technology.
I'd like to share my experience with Exchange 2007.
When choosing a merchant account provider, you must consider the promised features in light of the possible problems you could face.
One of the things that I try to do to keep my knowledge current is to attend vendor-sponsored conferences.
This article explains how debt collection works and examines several fallacies about debt collection agencies.
Ryan McCowan pretty much always knew he would be an accountant.
A collection agency is an organization that arranges recovery of bad debt for an organization or an individual for a small remuneration. One reason most businesses use collection agencies is because collection agencies have a reputation of recovering bad debts faster.
Whether the result of separation, divorce or death, suddenly going solo can come as a shock, both emotionally and financially. Still, you could benefit if you pay attention to tips about how to financially navigate this new road.
All too often, dealing with money matters within relationships is
much like mixing oil and water. The two simply don't mix.
Whether we're talking about family members, friends or others
close to us, when money concerns enter into the relationship, all
too often things turn out badly.
So with recent news events as a backdrop, I felt it would be especially worthwhile to begin a multi-part series that focuses on the topic of confidentiality — threats to maintaining the confidentiality of our most sensitive information — along with reasonable steps and measures we can take to safeguard this information.
To experience customer service off the charts you need only to visit Connecticut-based Mitchells and Richards clothing store (www.
Tax-Mate Print, the base- level product, is designed for businesses that need to produce and distribute a limited number of 1099 and W-2 forms and submit the data via printed Form(s) 1096 and W3.
Tax-Mate Print, the base- level product, is designed for businesses that need to produce and distribute a limited number of 1099 and W-2 forms and submit the data via printed Form(s) 1096 and W3.
Nonprofit organizations continue to grow at an enormous pace.
FUND E-Z Development Corporation has been providing affordable nonprofit software for over 15 years.
FUND E-Z Development Corporation has been providing affordable nonprofit software for over 15 years. The following is an article which reviews some of their newest accounting software.
The holidays are here and whether you have a large clan with little ones running amok around the house or your shopping list is just a few adults, there are always those people for whom it is difficult to shop.
Learn the basics of gap insurance, including need and purpose.
Tired of paying from your bottomless wallet for gas prices thatcan double in no time? Commuting has grown beyond expensive forthe average American household, leaving many Americansresearching alternative fuel sources. Not only do thesealternatives offer new tax breaks, but they can also save a greatdeal of money at the pump while having a less harsh impact on theenvironment.
Clear communication is so important to me.
Since its surge in popularity a quarter-century ago, the facsimile machine (as it is formally known) has become an office fixture whose presence and use have gone unchallenged for far, far too long.
WinFiler Plus, the advanced version of WinFiler from Greatland Corporation, provides support for an unlimited number of payers and recipients in preparation of Form(s) W-2, W-2G, W-3, all 1099s, all 1098s, all 5498s, 940, 941, 943, 944, 945 and corrections thereto
Not everyone can get paid to do something they love, and while more accountants may be so fortunate than those in other professions, few are as lucky as Jason Smith, a CPA in Elberton, Georgia.
I am amazed at how fast time really does fly.
How to make a record of your retirement accounts and pension plans.
Programs Enhance Accountant Controls, Data Integrity Features
If you have tried to bring your debtor's attention to the delinquency and he has not responded, your best chance of collecting the money owed is to place the account with a collection agency that is certified.
While’s it’s true that medical collections agencies give you less headaches with regard to collecting from delinquent payers of debt by default, you need to weigh your other available options carefully.
For many small business operators, debt collection is the most unpleasant task of all; keeping tabs on overdue accounts can be very complicated, and pressing people over financial matters is not particularly enjoyable. Hiring collection agencies – instead of simply relying on the accounts receivable clerk to act as a collector – will not only save time for small businesses, but finances also.
Get the basics on homeowners' insurance and the importance home inventory.
In the Sci-Fi Channel's update to the classic series "Battlestar Galactica," only one of the fleet of human battle ships in space survives the attack of the invading Cylons.
The knee bone's connected to the thighbone, the thighbone's connected to the hipbone, … well, you know the old song.
How to take steps to avoid foreclosure
How to fix your credit report.
This article explains how medical practices, hospitals, clinics, dentists and other healthcare providers can reduce their past-due receivables, collect medical debt, and help ensure that their healthcare operation continues to be profitable.
The closer it gets to the deadline for filing income tax returns, the more likely people will go online rather than to the post office -- and the harder electronic scam artists will work to make victims out of taxpayers.
Here are some suggestions to help you file a return that won't raise any audit eyebrows at the IRS.
How to screen potential tenants
With these types of headlines filling our newspapers this year and in years past, you would think the entire country should be named a national disaster area.
Account Ability is a comprehensive, industrial-strength software solution for preparation and filing of annual wage statements and information returns.
By now, you've surely been flooded with information on Apple's iPhone (www.
Security today is very serious business, but it is an area that tax and accounting firms tend to downplay or assume is being properly handled by internal IT resources.
For the past 18 years, the AICPA Top Technologies task force has surveyed members of the accounting community to identify those technologies that they feel will impact our profession in the year ahead.
Firms rely on information technology to manage every part of their practice, making them more effective and efficient.
Tax and accounting professionals have long been the "Information Communicators" of the business world as they take the data they receive from their clients and transition it to useful business information in the form of budgets, tax returns, financial reports and analysis.
It is important to coordinate the efforts of all the firm's departments in a methodical way, and the best way to do this is with the development and implementation of the firm's own strategic technology plan that takes into account the needs of the entire firm and not just one department.
In a continuing effort to educate my readers on the upcoming new software blitz coming out of Redmond, a.
Information technology is integral to every aspect of production within tax and accounting firms, and to help practitioners understand and benefit from current technology opportunities, the AICPA created the Top Technologies initiative beginning in 1989 to deliver a list and resources for members.
The following article outlines 11 guidelines you can follow to increase the amount of in-house commercial collections your business collects.
The following consumer collections report outlines 11 guidelines you can follow to increase the amount of in-house consumer collections your business collects.
The following medical collections report outlines 11 guidelines you can follow to increase the amount of in-house medical collections your practice or facility collects.
The following article outlines 11 guidelines you can follow to increase the amount of in-house long term care collections your facility collects.
Individual Retirement Accounts and Individual Retirement Annuities (IRAs) are special retirement plans primiarily for individuals who work for themselves.
ANNOUNCEMENTS, PRODUCT RELEASES AND ASSOCIATION UPDATES FOR THE ACCOUNTING PROFESSION
Most tax and accounting firms and other businesses I visit have mechanical issues that need attention and correction.
As an active merchant, have you questioned how merchant and banking service providing institutions create pricing for merchant accounts overall?
Back in 2005, I wrote an article on this same topic for this magazine.
As one of the leaders in the mid- to upper-end tax preparation market, Intuit's Lacerte Tax system has not sat idly by, but rather has continued to evolve into one of the most fully featured programs on the market, offering support for every entity with year-end reporting requirements.
ProSeries is one of the most widely used professional tax preparation programs on the market, geared primarily for tax-focused practices and with users in all types of firms, from small to mid-sized and larger full-service accounting and tax consultancies.
Since branching off into specialty editions, QuickBooks has increased its customer base quite effectively.
If you can pay your debt over time, an installment plan may be the right solution.
Learn about pet insurance, including the types of policies and whether it makes sense for you.
One of your employees at home is browsing the Internet and finds a cool video on YouTube.
Modern payroll preparation systems offer fully-automated processing functions that let users simply enter employee time and accrual data, add bonuses, tips, new deductions or other information, with the program performing all calculation tasks when it's time to pay employees.
Since 1976, FundWare has provided nonprofit organizations with a quality financial product.
You'd agree, right? The more comfortable you are with your office colleagues, the more effective you are working together.
To Find The Right Results, Ask The Right Questions
Legrand CRM, a QuickBooks add-on created by Legrand Software, deals with Customer Relationship Management through its Legrand Accounting Link.
Time Matters with Billing Matters Plus 7 from LexisNexis encases the entire business process, with timekeeping, customer relations, billings, employee scheduling, project management, communications, research tools and document management.
A description of Mag-Filer, a new banking and financial service program.
Collaboration Using Microsoft Small Business Server Sharepoint Services
We all know the old adage about making assumptions.
The property management industry, like the real estate industry in general, has suffered its ups and downs this past year.
Tips on how to tell who owns marriage and property
Most of you should remember the movie with Keanu Reeves where he played Thomas A.
More and more business owners and credit managers are choosing to utilize a debt collection agency as a part of their credit and accounts receivable policies. This article advises businesses on how to maximize their debt collection through these agencies.
Medical Collection Agencies are alternative groups to which healthcare institutions seek assistance for patients when it comes to settlement for the medical services that they have rendered for them.
The naysayers were actually right about the hidden costs of merchant accounts. For some poor business planners, accepting credit card payments was merely another set of business expenses – terminals, card readers, software, account fees and more.
I was recently asked a question by a consultant in the field who attempted to repair her client's files by merging inventory items.
Many, many thousands of people in the third world have achieved
economic independence through the pioneering work of
internationally revered Nobel prizewinner Muhammad Yunus. As the
founder of the Grameen Bank, the world's first lending
institution to focus solely on providing unsecured start-up
capital for the working poor, Professor Yunus has gained
world-wide recognition and a slew of awards for his
extraordinarily effective efforts.
The opening months of 2007 have seen more interest in mid-range accounting than we have seen in some years.
To avoid having to collect on bad debts, it is important for a business to lessen the problem of bad debts before a problem even arises. If a bad debt does occur there are different methods a business can implement in order to collect on bad debt.
Survey Shows VAR/Recommender Attitudes Toward Leading Accounting Vendors
One of Tony Ganze's little pleasures in life is watching hot air balloons as they drift through the Napa Valley.
Key among the system's new capabilities was the introduction of SuiteFlex, which allows users or resellers of the on-demand accounting suite to easily customize the system for vertical industry groups.
If your business needs cash to move forward, you may have to resort to some less-than-ideal financing options or face the possibility of having no business at all. The methods listed below may not be what your accountant would advise you to do, but they will raise cash for you if you are in a pinch.
Office Tools Pro 2006 is a versatile office management suite with a target audience of tax and accounting firms and law firms with fewer than 20 active timekeepers.
I would be the first to admit that in the past, when it came to fixed asset accounting and related deprecation, I was a mountain man.
Mind you, it's not because there are too many tax returns that need to be prepared, nor is it because of the long hours to be worked each week.
Despondent and/or embarrassed, many debtors in need of online credit counseling and financial assistance are reluctant to discuss their financial affairs with an outsider.
Okay, so I'm no economist, but in my view, the evidence is overwhelming that we must be in the midst of a boom (hopefully not a short-lived bubble) in the SME (small to medium enterprise) accounting software marketplace.
Orange Tax Suite Pro is a fully web-based application with e-filing support for all allowable entities, making it a comprehensive option for tax and accounting professionals. The securely hosted online preparation system includes workflow processing features, collaboration tools and significant customization options.
Many doctors are now considering outsourcing their billing services to professional billing companies. While this may sound like a lucrative alternative in place of in-house medical billing, there is a multitude of legal and practical issues that must be considered carefully before taking a step into this direction.
If the employeeworks over a 40 hour workweek, the overtime rate is 1 ½ times the hourly rate.
If you're like me, the vast amount of paper that appears in all areas of your life is just overwhelming.
To do paperless right, certain key features that have a higher return to the business should be considered.
Set financial priorities and goals to gain power within your life
Point of Sale software is proficient, which can make it difficult to determine which system will work best for your business.
Last year's submissions for the practice management review were wide and varied.
Deep-Penetration, a hacker's nom de plume, had been to this network address before and she knew it well.
It was Friday, March 14, and it had been an extremely bad week for Mr.
One of the best tax breaks for most people is the principal residence exclusion.
California Snow
Professional collectors will make sure that payment for medical benefits are always collected on time, as well as ensuring the quality of the benefits. Through their help, any employer or employee will be spared from worries and qualms regarding their medical futures.
This year's group of high-end accounting packages represents some of the very best, most adaptable and customizable solutions available for mid-market companies requiring systems capable of growing alongside their own businesses.
A look at the new ProSystem fx Practice Management software from CCH along with a review of its applications.
Credit-reporting agencies track the credit worthiness of businesses like yours to help suppliers and lenders make decisions about which companies to do business with.
I'll confess that I was never a fan of QuickBooks.
I wrote about the idea of providing data file analysis services a couple years ago, but it continues to be a topic of discussion among professional consultants, so I thought I would give the topic another spin here and repeat my recommendation that EVERY consultant provide data file analysis services for their QuickBooks clients.
Using 'Zero-Dollar Checks' to Record Payroll C