Ways to start your tax strategy for 2020 ... right now

Ways to start your tax strategy for 2020 ... right nowWays to start your tax strategy for 2020 ... right nowIts no ones favorite subject to talk about and if youre self-employed, it might even send shivers down your spine.Tax knowledge isnt a skill set most professionals or entrepreneurs are schooled on in college, however it is one that could leid only set you up for success but save you money, too. President of Westwood Tax Consulting LLC, Josh Zimmelman explains the best time to think about next years taxes is well, right this second.It makes sense to prepare at least a year in advance because if you plan strategically, you can make the most of the new tax laws and make 2020 a fiscally beneficial year, he explains.But as youve likely gathered from your own research and your fluctuating income, everyones tax picture is not only varied, but it changes over time.In addition to hiring a trusted accountant who can explain the jargon to you in a meaningful, digestible way, consider the se recommendations from Zimmelman on how to win bigIf youre a small geschftliches miteinander owner or independent contractorTheres nothing quite as rewarding as branching out on your own- and finding success. Especially when it comes in monetary value that allows you flexibility and personal, professional growth. But while being your own boss is liberating and exciting, it also comes with new responsibilities you likely werent proficient at before. Though a definite learning curve, Zimmelman says there are a few easy ways to get startedSet up a SEP IRAZimmelman explains if you expect to earn a significant income, you should prepare financially to be able to put away the maximum SEP retirement contributions. Have we s-lost you yet? Its not as complicated as it might seem A SEP IRA is a great alternative to a 401(k) for small businesses because it offers many of the same benefits, Zimmelman continues.This allows employers can contribute up to 25 percent of employees salary up to the annual maximum. While he notes the 2020 max isnt available yet but for 2019, it is currently $56,000 and it is expected to go up somewhat with inflation, as it does every year.Consider SEP IRA retirement savingsSo youre a powerhouse party of one? Go you For self-employed and independent contractors who have access to SEP IRAs for retirement savings, its a bit more complicated to calculate the limit. Even so, its worth looking into, according to Zimmelman.The 25 percent of their self employment income has to be calculated after the reduction in income that comes from the SEP contribution and self-employment taxes. So the number ends up being about 20 percent of gross income for many independent contractors, he shares.However, if you expect to earn significant income, you should leise prepare to put away the max in contributions.Think about your business structureWhen you start to build your empire, growth pains will definitely be part of the package. As you expand, Zimmelman suggests giving your business structure a second examination. If you arent already incorporated, your accountant can investigate whether it makes sense to become an LLC, an S or a C corporation. In fact, even if youre an independent contractor, an LLC or a corporation might be beneficialDifferent business entities come with different tax benefits depending on your needs, so make sure youre set up for the most beneficial tax year in 2020, he notes.Plan write-offsThough tax laws have shifted on what can be written off and what cant be lately, Zimmelman says the more you can plan your purchases in advance, the more hard-earned cash you will save.Businesses can write-off the full cost of new equipment and other property- instead of depreciating the expense over a few years. So if youre thinking about investing in your companys growth, you should plan out the years spending now, he explains. Always check with your accountant before making any major purchases though to make sure that your spendin g has a positive impact on your future taxes, instead of a negative one.Set up estimated tax paymentsFun fact (you probably already know) everyone has to pay taxes on income they earn. But when you shift from an employee to owner, the amount you pay shifts, since your employer isnt fronting some of the taxes. This can be a major shock if you arent prepared for it.In order to avoid a big tax bill all at once, some people make estimated tax payments four times a year instead. You can calculate your estimated tax by figuring your expected adjusted gross income, taxable income, deductions, and credits, Zimmelman explains. Most people use their income, deductions, and credits from the previous year as a basis for this estimation. Then you divide the year up into four payment periods.If youre a full-time employeeSo youre happy in your current gig- and not interested in managing every facet of a business. No biggie. There are still ways to brighten your tax bracket. Here, a few to get you startedAdjust your withholdingGot married? Had a baby? Bought a house? Zimmelman says its time to update your withholdings.You can do this by filing a new W-4 with your employer. A marriage, divorce, or new job are all reasons to file a new W-4. If you owed a lot of money at the end of the last tax season, then your withholding might be too low. If you receive a large tax refund, but found yourself struggling paycheck-to-paycheck, your withholding might be too high, he continues.Budget so you can contribute to your 401K moreNot only will this help you now- but it paves the road to the days when you dont have to work nose to the grind anymore. Zimmelman says when at all possible, contribute to your 401k to the max. He says for 2019, the limit increased from $18,500 to $19,000.There is also an additional $6,000 catch-up contribution limit for individuals over 50 years old. If you have a traditional IRA instead of a 401(k) you should still try to contribute the max, because contributio ns are usually tax deductible if they need certain conditions, he adds.Lastly Get organized - and informedNo matter what type of company you have or are part of, the best ways you can set yourself up for tax happiness (or at least, content) is to inform yourself and stay organized.Whether you want to deal with paper or go totally digital, make sure you work out an organization system that works for you, Zimmelman shares. Youll definitely need to keep track your income and expenses, but might also need to set up a phone log or mileage log depending on how you do business.Start the year off right. If you make an effort to stick to your system at the beginning of the year, then you wont have to stress in April looking for receipts and pay stubs. Dont wait until next tax season to look into it. Start now

Hired! Change Your Resume; Change Your Life

Hired Change Your Resume Change Your LifeHired Change Your Resume Change Your LifeRelocation can be the answer to provide new opportunities.During stable economic times (common wisdom dictates), people change jobs to get more responsibility, more money or a better work environment. During bad economic times, they dont change at all unless their situation becomes unmanageable or theyre laid off.Only rarely, especially in a down economy, will a job seeker admit to having left one job simply to go to a new city wherbeie no job is waiting but a happier life may be. That is, you dont hear it often from anyone who has outgrown their 20s, let alone their 30s or 40s.Jill Greene, 52, did just that, and ended up in a new environment and a new job she loves.My husband and I lived in the Midwest our whole lives, and wed reached a point where we were both disenchanted with our jobs, said Greene, who worked as a marketing manager in Des Moines, Iowa, for a series of advertising agencies and veteri nary pharmaceutical companies. We decided that if we were both going to look for new jobs, why do it in Des Moines? We just said, Were done with the cold and the snow and moved to Texas.Greene and her husband Ricky, a CPA, packed up the car and drove south, ending up between San Antonio and Austin, where they looked around to see if they liked the place, decided they did, rented a house, then drove back north to pick up the rest of their stuff.We have no kids all our family is back in Indiana, so we had notlagehing holding us back, Greene said. We did a lot of planning financially, so we knew how long we could last. If neither of us had another job by July, we would re-evaluate if neither of us had anything by October, wed move back to Iowa, where we still had a house.It didnt take that long, although the insecurity of not having a job and shock of having to find one in a place where she welches completely unknown made Greenes three months of unemployment more stressful than shed ex pected.She hadnt had to look for a job among strangers since getting into the marketing business after college. For 20-something years, my job moves were due to somebody recruiting me based on my experience they knew me or my work, she said. For that first interview in Texas, I welches very ill-prepared. I thought it would be just like before - it would be fine. They didnt know who I welches and could not have cared less. Looking back on my resume and performance, they must have thought I was some kind of idiot.Greene spent days researching best-practices articles on how to do a job interview, how to write a resume and how to search for jobs online. She realized she had spent years helping companies market products but never thought about how to market herself.A resume evaluation from Ladders helped turn that corner.The woman who evaluated my resume implied it was a wonder I got any calls back because my resume was in such bad shape, Greene said.Greenes resume listed her jobs and e ducation but didnt put the highlights of her career up front or emphasize her most visible strengths and accomplishments. It also didnt create a recognizable person or set of skills that would catch the eye of a recruiter or hiring manager faced with dozens or hundreds of resumes.I sat down and really rewrote it and took a really hard, honest look at myself, Greene said. I had to dig back and look at my accomplishments over time. A lot of things I had done I hadnt thought that much about at the time, so I hadnt written anything down. I had to go back and remember all that and describe it and why it was important. It was a real shock.Her resume consultant identified specific accomplishments to highlight not just that Greene had helped launch a product, but that it was a USDA-regulated product the company was able to ship in an unusually quick 18 months, and that after X number of months on the market the product garnered Y amount of sales.If I Can Sell a Toothbrush for a Cat It was all about specific ways you helped a company move forward, Greene said. And in the interview, too, you have to walk in and tell them exactly what you can do for them and tell about a time in the past that you did that for someone else. I told them once I had worked for a company that among other things made toothpaste and toothbrushes for dogs and cats. I said, If I can sell a toothbrush for a cat, I can sell anything.As it turned out, being able to sell things for animals if not dogs and cats was the key to landing a new job in marketing at Applied Biosystems, which makes products designed to sequence and analyze DNA and RNA samples, often for companies diagnosing sick animals or making drugs or other health-related products for them.Applied Biosystems posted this job that said they needed someone with an animal-science degree who had done marketing with animal products, Greene said. I pulled it off and said, This is who I am. Greene graduated from Purdue University with a degre e in animal science, which covers most of the health and biochemistry issues that affect agribusiness diseases and medicines for cattle and chickens, animal biochemistry and other topics critical to those running commercial farms and ranches.She spent her career in Iowa working mostly for companies marketing products and pharmaceuticals to animals usually farm animals rather than dogs and cats. So when Applied Biosciences needed marketing help for a small division in Austin selling products designed for veterinary diagnostic labs trying to identify avian flu or salmonella in farm animals, the match seemed perfect.The recruiter told me, and this is the first time I ever heard this, that they werent even talking to any other candidates, because they didnt expect to find me, Greene said.She got the job with little drama during the interview process and has been in love with it ever since.Much of the reason it went so smoothly, though, is that she prepared for it using the advice shed gotten from Ladders and other sites.You want to be humble, but in this situation, you just cant. You have to dig hard and find the one or two things you can do for them, she said. I asked them to give me a specific challenge they had, the hardest thing theyre facing. Based on that, I could say Heres something I did in the past to solve a similar herausforderung and what I would do to solve this one. Its almost like consulting advice you run the risk of being way off-base, but even if you are, they like that you have opinions.The company must have liked what she said shes currently working on the marketing plan for the product her hiring manager brought up in the interview. (It has not yet been announced.)What she didnt encounter was any hint that her new company was uncomfortable with her age or that any other companies she interviewed with were, either.I did have one friend recommend that I just take all the dates off my resume, which drives some people crazy, and put one thing in there like mentioning I had run a half-marathon last year, that shows youre really healthy and energetic and no one will even think about the fact that youre over 50, she said.Another trick that worked well was to remember the kinds of books on the shelf of the hiring managers she interviewed. At Applied Biosystems, one manager had a marketing-theory book called Blue Ocean Strategy How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant by W. Chan Kim and Rene Mauborgne.I didnt have it, but I went out and bought a copy and skimmed it, she said. So in my follow-up note I was able to say I thought they needed to pursue a Blue Ocean strategy to differentiate themselves and what that meant and make some suggestions on how to do it.It worked. So did Texas. Greenes husband has put off finding full-time work to act as general contractor on a house the two are building.On the day she spoke to a reporter from Ladders, it was 38 and partly cloudy in Des Moines 75 degrees and su nny in Austin. I have yet to put on a jacket this year, Greene said. I just love it.

How to Transition From Military to Tech Career

How to Transition From Military to Tech CareerHow to Transition From Military to Tech CareerRobert Half Technology conducted a panel interview with three military veterans on our staff in an effort to better understand some of the challenges veterans face in finding new and meaningful careers upon leaving the service, and how they transitioned from military to civilian jobs.Here, we begin a two-parte series of QAs based on that interview. (You can find part two of the series here.)The panelists included Zach Torre, a former Army sergeant with experience in networking security, fiber optic repair, and transmission operation, now working as a network operations specialist Jim Lantz, whose government and military career spanned more than two decades, including stints as a detachment commander, exchange officer and Middle East policy planner, currently working as an IT portfolio manager and Philip Bull, a former Air Force satellite communications technician and unit deployment manager no w working as a senior tech asset management coordinator.In our first post, we discuss the many assets these professionals bring to their respective Information Technology teams. We also take a look at how veterans can prepare before separation, and after, to market themselves and their skills - many of which are transferable and in high-demand across industries.1. How do you plan ahead for the move from military to civilian jobs?Zach Torre Resume writing, cover letters, networking and company research all can be done before you leave the military. In my case, planning for finding a job welches easy - working with a recruiting agency like Robert Half Technology made the transition smooth for me.Jim Lantz The onus is upon the service member to take the transition assistance training thats offered prior to separation - attend the classes, do the homework and really prepare yourself to leave. I did the homework. I had a multiple types of resumes based on the jobs I was pursuing. I was networking with friends, family, colleagues and even people I didnt know.2. How important are the resume and education?Jim Lantz Both are important. You never know where your resume may end up. I emailed my resume to an IBM executive in Southern California. He saw the potential I had and emailed it to some of his business colleagues, and eventually it came across our CIOs desk in the San Francisco Bay Area. He looked at it and said, wow, this guy doesnt have a background in IT, but I bet he could help me in this particular job (project and finance management).Philip Bull I landed several interviews simply because I had a degree. One recruiter told me he was leaning toward an applicant with more job experience, but he wanted to talk to me because I had a degree, an impressive resume and portfolio.3. Why a career in Information Technology?Philip Bull I fell into IT asset management in the last three years of my military career. I joined what was previously a one-man shop. The command er came in and said I need you to fix this program. The inspectors came back afterwards and said this is one of the best programs weve seen in the Air Force. I got lucky. Robert Half Technology recruited me three years ago and Im still here.Zach Torre The tech field is always progressing. It keeps you wanting to learn more. Consumer tastes and the tools they are using are constantly evolving. And thats why Im here. Maybe Ill figure out a way to develop something that no ones developed yet.4. What are the most transferable skills you build in the military?Philip Bull For so much of my career, I was in positions where I was writing procedures and policies. And while I may not have been directly supervising people, I was indirectly supervising them and affecting their careers. Its those skills that I developed over time that helped me in my job search. Also, the military has an adapt-and-overcome mentality that transferred well to IT because technology is always changing.Jim Lantz Soft skills are key - the ability to learn, the ability to lead and the ability to communicate are skills that are valuable in any job, but particularly in the tech industry. I told my boss when I interviewed I had limited experience with technology, but over the course of my career I learned Arabic and worked extensively in the Middle East, a place very different from where I grew up, so I was pretty sure I could learn IT. I think he felt confident in my ability to learn and gave me a chance.5. Any advice for other vets considering jobs in IT?Philip Bull Learn how to translate your technical skills into IT skills because thats whats going to get you noticed. But also learn how to sell your soft skills. The technical stuff is impressive, but its going to be the soft skills that will get you the job.Zach Torre Expect to start at the bottom, but work your way up quickly. The technical piece isnt as important as you convincing the interviewer that youve got the ability to learn. And thats something weve all proven in the military. If youve got the ability to teach us, weve got the ability to learn.Robert Halfs Career Opportunities for Veterans - This website features job-search tools for the move from military to civilian jobs. In addition to job listings, Robert Half has a wide range of resources for helping veterans find jobs.Additional resources may be found at the Four Block Foundation, a New York City-based nonprofit organization offering career development and transition support services to returning veterans and their families.This post has been updated to reflect more current information.

Tips for Hiring Front-End Web Developers

Tips for Hiring Front-End Web DevelopersTips for Hiring Front-End Web DevelopersIn the ever-changing technology industry, employers across the country face many challenges. Chief among them is speed, especially when it comes to hiring in-demand candidates like front-end web developers - who are being snatched up fast in some cities.Many hiring managers dont understand how fast the market moves with some positions, says Lisa Maloney, assistant vice president and branch manager for Technology in Indianapolis. Experienced job seekers often have multiple options, and they frequently accept an offer within 24 to 48 hurs.Employers cant drag out the recruiting process. According to our research, more than two-thirds of professionals surveyed said they would lose interest in a position if there were no follow-up within two weeks of an interview. But 41 percent of CIOs we surveyed said hiring takes longer than they would like, averaging out at more than four weeks for staff-level roles.recru iters in Indianapolis and Minneapolis, two cities where managers find it difficult to staff front-end web developer positions, have some insider tips to help employers accelerate the hiring process and land the best candidates - and what companies can expect to pay for top talent.Maintain realistic expectationsEmployers in Indianapolis face increased competition for developers with Angular and JavaScript experience, Maloney says. But she encourages hiring managers to keep a reasonable outlook when it comes to a candidates skill sets. A lot of our clients are also looking for absatzwirtschaft experience. Most candidates are developers or marketers - not both.In Minneapolis, demand for talent is very high, says Jessica Green, branch manager for Technology. As in Indianapolis, competition ramps up over those fluent in JavaScript and Angular, especially if they also know React and Node. Many employers are trying to use referrals and LinkedIn searches to find candidates with the skills theyre looking for - avenues that can take longer than typical job postings to result in promising hits.More resourceful hiring managers are finding the benefits of using specialized staffing agencies like Robert Half, which can save a significant amount of time and effort. Recruiting experts can quickly gather highly qualified candidates from their extensive networks, taking care of the legwork for hiring managers.GET HELP HIRING FRONT-END WEB DEVELOPERS NOWLook for soft skillsEmployers might also consider easing technical requirements for front-end web developers. Some companies overestimate what they really need and wont hire anybody but an idealized candidate who may not even exist. Adding other qualities to the checklist can help managers make the call on offering an applicant the position sooner if they meet a good mix of different criteria.Maloney encourages hiring managers to look for candidates with strong soft skills - often a sign of a professionals versatility and cap acity to collaborate with colleagues and clients. Customer-facing skills and the ability to communicate solutions in nontechnical terms are signs of a strong candidate, she says.Green echoes that sentiment. Front-end web developer roles are much more business-facing than back-end positions, she says. Look for candidates with the soft skills to work well with marketing teams and clients.Offer competitive compensationSalary remains an important part of the hiring equation. Employers must ensure compensation is suited to the market and the candidates experience to avoid stalling at the finish line.The midpoint front-end web developer salary in Indianapolis sits at $70,568. Maloney says that employers should offer higher compensation to candidates with experience working in diverse environments, the ability to work with customers to execute a plan and a portfolio demonstrating proof of work. For these candidates or those with additional in-demand skills or certifications, salaries can r each higher tiers and push or even exceed $100,000.Jason Mellum, division director for in Minneapolis, also urges employers to pay well for experience. In Minneapolis, the midpoint front-end web developer salary is $77,843. Certain factors - including the project, size of the company, location and industry - can increase compensation, Mellum adds. Higher ranges here can also approach or surpass $100,000.Ready to hire? To get a head start on the competition, view our front-end web developer candidates. Tell us who catches your eye, and we can arrange an interview or placement ASAP.Find front-end web developer candidates in Indianapolis, INFind front-web developer candidates in Boise, IDFind front-end web developer candidates in Charlotte, N.C.Find front-end web developer candidates in Minneapolis, MNFind front-end web developer candidates in Tucson, Ariz.

Why Everybody Is Talking About Optimal Resume Ross...The Simple Truth Revealed

Why Everybody Is Talking About Optimal Resume Ross...The Simple Truth Revealed If youre a fresher than its possible to also verify various job application examples online. Simply incorporate the info in case youve got knowledge doing the endeavor. A work application format stipulates the important information which is necessary for a resume, and the format and the best method to present your working details within a reasonable and appealing strategy. The work search could be considered a protracted process just have a look at the stats below Youre asking for some undertaking. If you still want to add things like a profession Objective, make sure to distinguish the hiring manager what you may do for them, NOT the situations you want to break free from doing work in their opinion. For the reason, its important to talk about the work related abilities in detail. This knowledge will impress during an interview, and it will surely help you determine for yourself whether youre a great fit. You are going to be amazed at the number of layouts there are out there offered. The layouts are normally common application types that are often acknowledged by many businesses. The schablone isnt tricky to follow, and you will start immediately. Just about all templates are easy to put into action, with just an individual mouse click. The site provides some helpful prewritten vital phrases you may use if you get stumped wanting to create the own. Its possible for you to survey each template to secure a concept of how your final curriculum vitae is very likely to look. Nowadays you have the plan template, you might utilize it repeatedly. Design template intended for continue is a mean structure that can be used for any work position. Get the Scoop on Optimal Resume Ross Before Youre Too Late There are a lot of disabled talent individuals who are making their living through media broadcasting sector throughout the world. Be persistent with your efforts, but rem ember that large businesses receive thousands of applications on a normal basis. Moreover, it hosts a network for companies on the lookout for new skill. You might also carry out a web-based job search or make a price of living evaluation through their online offerings. In the majority of instances, job hunting involves plenty of waiting. It may vary for certain jobs. You might now opt for work relaxing comfortably at your dwelling. A summer job via your granddad isnt really important to list. The Demise of Optimal Resume Ross Objective can be an important portion of each resume and you want to be rather mindful of the same should you like to get hold of employment. In general, theres elend anything wrong with by employing a continue objective. On any one you observe, you shouldnt locate an objective which is too vague. You might use the curriculum vitae objective whenever youre concentrating on almost any particular job. The 30-Second Trick for Optimal Resume Ross At t he bottom, each work is designed to fix a problem, reduce expenses, make money, or maybe enhance effectiveness. There are plenty of ways a person could maximize their treadmill experience. In case you will submit application to a lot of companies, you have to customize your resume for each firm just by adding or removing details to produce the whole piece more pleasing. When you wish to come across an extremely good continue aid, you can just follow our lead. There are invariably a couple of things you want to understand on the best way to compose a work application. At the present time, your work is merely to start. If that happened, you can be positive that you wont be receiving the job. The objective basically to affix the job. Employers are going to have the impression your task performance might be the exact same. You must tailor your objective relating to each job if required. Take a peek at our 8 job skills you ought to have web page to discover a few of the things which employers are usually looking for. You should organize your work application to help agencies evaluate your knowledge.

The Mystery of Resume Writing Materials That No One Is Talking About

The Mystery of Resume Writing Materials That No One Is Talking About Possessing a well-formatted, clean and professional resume will make a fantastic first impression and pave the best way to landing a job which you truly want. Even if youre qualified for the job, if youre not able to convey your qualifications through a fast glance of your resume, the recruiter will assume that youre not competent and move forward. Any work seeker whether a fresher or a seasoned person has to compose the resume. Everyone can say which he or she excelled at her or his final job. Generally speaking, you wish to use the identical tense throughout your resume. Sometimes youll need to tailor your resume to a particular area or maybe a specific job in a particular firm. If youre sending out 5 resumes to 5 unique employers, ensure each resume is specific to every business. Sales resumes have to show what type of salesperson you are and how well youve performed before. Its also important to thin k about the sort of work you really wish to be hired to do. When youre armed with a lot of information regarding the business and the job which youre targeting, you can start to formulate some essential phrases which you will use in your resume, while its in a qualification or an accomplishment. If you are searching for a more targeted sort of job finder site, you are going to want to find a website that provides additional resources, like resume writing materials or providing the capability to post your resume and have employers locate you directly. One of the absolute most helpful methods to update and boost your resume is to ensure your resume is aligned with each specific job post you respond to. Resume Writing Materials Can Be Fun for Everyone Although generally theres no essential length set for resumes, it is very important that you attempt to be aware of if the company does require some particular length for your resumes. Otherwise, you really need to adhere to a trad itional resume. There are lots of basic forms of resumes used to make an application for job openings. If youre pursuing work search across a wide selection of locations, you can just use the address where you are going to be reachable through the length of your job search. Focus on skills particularly if you havent had much experience. Skills ought to be next to the peak of your resume, and simple to discover and identify. Writing a good resume is extremely critical for securing work. The Demise of Resume Writing Materials After you have written and organized your information according to the sort of resume youve chosen, be certain to format it according to typical professional standards. Your program may call for official transcripts to be able to review your application. The format needs to be easy and plain. You also ought to submit supporting materials before your programs application deadline. The Resume Writing Materials Game When youre drafting your resume thin k which youre writing a story book in order to make your resume also intriguing. Be certain to ask their permission first, tell them what types of positions youre seeking, and offer every one of them with a duplicate of your resume. Keep in mind, resumes are formal documents that need a formal manner of writing. In truth, its better to ask references what they would tell a prospective employer about you so that you will know ahead of time.