Get Free Help For Your Business
 By Lee S. Shaffer

Working for yourself doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. Plenty of free resources exist to answer your business questions and help guide you through tough business decisions.

Many of these resources are right at your fingertips via the Internet. You can access business articles, get tax advice and brainstorm with small-business consultants – all with the click of our mouse.

Why pay for something you can get for free? Check out a few of these resources that are dedicated to helping small-business owners.

SCORE
The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) is a national nonprofit organization that provides professional guidance and information for existing and emerging small businesses.

Businesspeople who have managed successful small enterprises and careers serve as volunteers and mentors. The more than 10,000 volunteers provide counseling through 389 SCORE chapters and 800 branches. You can even get counseling via e-mail through Score.org.

AFS ProTalk
The AFS ProTalk small-business consultants can give you guidance on every business issue you face. Best of all, AFS Members have unlimited access to these professional business consultants – at no additional charge.

The ProTalk consultants understand small business. And you can reach them with a telephone call or the click of your mouse. They can help you brainstorm ideas. They can answer your questions. They can guide you in the right direction and help you avoid costly mistakes. Don’t get overwhelmed with your small business. Get in touch with the AFS ProTalk consultants about all of these – and other – business issues:

• Sales, marketing and publicity

• Deciding whether you should incorporate

• Employee hiring and firing

• Financing and accounting

AFS ProTax
As a member of AFS, you can get tax advice from a certified public accountant (CPA) at no additional charge.

The accountants at ProTax offer complete and confidential answers to all of your tax questions within one business day. Simply access ProTax through the AFS Web site. The CPAs are ready to answer your questions about these and other tax issues:

• Schedule C

• Self-employment taxes

• Payroll taxes

• Estimated taxes

• Home office deduction

• Business meals and entertainment deductions

• Travel deductions

AFS Focus On Success e-Zine
The monthly online e-Zine features articles and information to help your small business become financially sound, competitive and successful.

Every month, you’ll find new articles posted on the AFS Web site. From how-to articles to resources you can use, these free articles will help you learn what you need to know to be a better business owner.

You can also access the archives to read previously posted articles. Here are just a few of the articles you’ll find:

• “Why You Need A DBA – And How To Get One”

• “8 Tips To Get A Great Logo”

• “Your Guide To The Home Office Deduction”

• “Retirement Plan Primer”

• “The Art Of Managing Cash & Profits”

• “Should You Lease Or Buy?”

• “4 Affordable Ways To Advertise Locally”

TaxCentral
Need help completing and filing your Schedule C tax form? Want instructions for paying your federal estimated taxes? Then check out TaxCentral through the AFS Web site.

TaxCentral is your one-stop online resource for tax information focused on the unique challenges faced by small-business owners and the self-employed.

With TaxCental, you have access to user-friendly interactive tools and easy-to-read content – all included with the cost of your AFS membership. Here are a few of the services and features you’ll find at TaxCentral:

• Exclusive Schedule C Interactive Tax Planning Tool to assist you with calculating your business profit or loss

• Step-by-step instructions for remitting your estimated taxes, including links for making debit and credit card payments to the IRS

• Detailed expense and receipt trackers to help you keep up with all of your tax information

• Easy-to-use online calculators to help you figure your estimated taxes, self-employment tax and medical reimbursement plan (105) deductions

• Convenient and secure online tax preparation and electronic filing

Small Business Development Centers
For one-on-one confidential counseling, check out a Small Business Development Center (SBDC). There are more than 1,100 locations across the nation to assist businesses. Find a center near you at Office of Small Business Development Centers.

SBDCs work in conjunction with colleges and universities. They provide business management assistance through a variety of information resources and guidance, either online or in person at the many SBDC branches. SBDCs also work in cooperation with the private sector, local and state governments.


(Posted September 2006)

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