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Avoid foreclosure

There are millions upon thousands of people today seeking information on who to avoid foreclosure.

In response to this need for information on avoiding foreclosure, numerous resources have been developed. So many, in fact, are the resources developed for people looking for information on avoiding foreclosure that many people looking for the same information are overwhelmed. It’s not a new phenomenon, this being overwhelmed by the information we need. Someone had seen it before and called it “information overload,” which becomes “information deluge” when pushed to the extreme. So people start to wonder: Couldn’t someone present us with information on how to avoid foreclosure that isn’t full of technical terms, and that it’s condensed, so we don’t have to get bogged down?

It is to address this need that these types of short and to the point resources on avoiding foreclosure have been developed.

The first step to avoiding foreclosure is, of course, keeping your finances organized. There are people who are at risk of foreclosure due to job loss. There are also those who get into the same situation due to drops in income, perhaps due to a slowdown in business or something like that. All this is quite understandable. What is not understandable, however, is the situation where one ends up in foreclosure due to a lack of self-organization: because unless you take control, the money tends to disappear. Hence the need to know exactly what you are doing and where you are really going.

But what if you’re reasonably well-organized, in terms of managing personal finances, but are at risk of foreclosure due to job loss or a drop in income? Can anything be done to save the situation?

Well the answer is yes. The first key is not to lose hope and simply ignore the warnings your mortgage lender is likely to send you: that your mortgage payments are falling and foreclosure is imminent. These warnings are not meant to discourage you. Rather, they are meant to encourage you to find ways to avoid foreclosure.

One way to avoid foreclosure is to talk to your mortgage lender about rescheduling your payments or otherwise modifying the loan. As long as you can do it convincingly and show the mortgage lender that it is to your mutual benefit as parties to the deal, they will most likely take you. After all, it’s not in their best interest to foreclose.

Another way through which you can get to avoid foreclosure is by taking advantage of one of the government loans foreclosure rescue loans.

However, when nothing seems to work, you can consider selling the house (if its value has appreciated), and the money from it will go toward paying off your debt to the mortgage lender, possibly leaving you something. It’s a painful step, but it’s better than foreclosure: where you still lose the house and have bad credit. You can also sign a deed, returning ownership of the home to the mortgage lender (such a deed is said to replace foreclosure), thus avoiding the need for foreclosure (and the damage it would cause to your credit). . You could also offer the house for a short sale, although this is only slightly better than going to foreclosure, in terms of the effects it will have on your credit score. However, it is a better option.

Foreclosure – How long before I lose my house?

Many homeowners have questions about how foreclosure works and how much time they have between when they miss a payment and when the bank actually forecloses. If you are wondering how much time you have before you have to leave, it depends on whether your case will be handled in a judicial foreclosure or a non-judicial foreclosure. Most states allow both, but some states only allow one or the other, so you’ll have to do your research to find out which one is yours insurance, but yours is most likely not court because it moves faster and costs less to the lender.

All foreclosures

– You miss your first payment (for example, we’ll say this is your July payment and it was due on July 1).

– Your grace period is due (usually 15 days) and you have not paid. Your lender now considers your payment late. It is not uncommon to start receiving letters or phone calls from them at this time. Do not ignore these phone calls.

– At most lenders, once you are 60 days late (September 2 in our case), your loan is considered delinquent and the lender can start the judicial or extrajudicial foreclosure process. To bring your current loan to this point, you will typically need to pay all past due amounts (your July and August payments), all late fees, and your September payment.

This is where lenders have the most flexibility in the process.. They are not required to enter the foreclosure process simply because you are a certain number of days late. If you stay in touch with them and have a plan in place to get back on track, you can avoid foreclosure altogether, but you must take action.

judicial executions

– Your lender’s attorney will file a complaint with your county court and request a court date. This usually does not happen until you are more than 90 days late.

– You will be given a notice of this complaint.

– A hearing will be held in your county to determine the sufficiency of the complaint. If you think you have legal grounds to dispute the foreclosure, this is where you and your attorney would argue those grounds. At the end of this hearing, the judge will decide if the complaint is sufficient or not. If so, the foreclosure sale will be scheduled and your credit history will be marked as a foreclosure. If it is not enough, the judge will dismiss it. How long this all takes depends on the courts in your area. Usually it takes about 30-60 days.

– A date will be set for the redemption of the property if the laws of your state stipulate it. You can still update your loan (including fees, etc.) up to the redemption date. Even if the house has been sold and someone has moved into it, if the redemption date has not passed, you can still get your house back…if you can get enough money.

– A date will be set for the foreclosure auction. This usually happens between 30 and 45 days after the sufficiency hearing.

*** A judicial foreclosure typically takes 6 months to 2 years from start to finish. ***

Non-Judicial Foreclosures

– Your lender will mail you a Notice of Default.

– Your lender will send you a Notice of Sale to let you know when your home will be sold at the foreclosure auction.

*** A non-judicial foreclosure typically takes between 1 month and 1 year to complete. ***

All foreclosures

– The foreclosure sale occurs and your home is sold. In about 90-95% of cases, the owner of your first mortgage wins the auction because they bid the amount you owe on that loan, and typically no one else will go higher than that.

Your homeowner then contacts the county sheriff, who posts an eviction notice on your door. This notice gives you 24 to 72 hours to leave the house and remove all belongings from it. If he is there when the bailiff returns, he will escort you off the premises and whatever is left on the property will belong to the new owner.

Avoiding the risks in investing deed of trust in self-employed 401k

All types of businesses and investments that use your self-employment 401k account have their own level of risk involved. Investing in trust deeds holds great promise, particularly in self-employment retirement plans, because this type of investment, along with rental properties and mortgage notes, provides a passive income solution for a retirement account. . Like any other investment, when investing in deeds of trust using your self-employment 401k, there are things to look at to minimize risk. Below are some ideas and tips on how to avoid or lessen the risks when investing with this type of investment.

• Know the value of the property being offered. These days, the market value in some places has been declining, and being able to know the true value is important so that you can get the most out of your investment. To be sure, it’s best to choose the location of the property that you’re familiar with the value of, or ask for a good appraisal.

• You have to know your location. To protect your position and your investment, title insurance is a must. The title company or trustee can guarantee your position and protect your investment. The title company has to be credible and trustworthy.

• Deeds of trust and mortgage notes are good investment options, especially when you want to diversify your portfolio. If you have no other existing investments in your self-employment 401k, it would be best if only a portion of your retirement funds were used in deeds of trust, especially when you are not the first holder of the deed of trust. If you are not the first holder of the deed of trust on your investment, it would be difficult to execute the loan because you need to bring the first deed of trust up to date before you can recover your investment. This could be problematic, especially if the amount of the first deed of trust is more than what you have invested.

• Most of the time, this type of investment requires quick decision-making on the part of the investor. This is because investments in trust deeds are time sensitive, especially on the part of the borrower. You may miss out on good investment opportunities if you don’t respond quickly on an investment that comes your way. To help you with your decision making and reduce the risks in your self-employment 401k, it may be necessary to enlist the help of an experienced real estate consultant.

What to look for when buying door handles

Typically when building a new home or doing home renovations, door handles and knobs are among the last things to consider. This is so because they are quite common. However, for usability and aesthetics, it is vital to give enough thought when selecting the right door handles for your house.

Doorknobs can be obtained at hardware and department stores. These days, they are also available through online websites and auction sites. Shopping online is considered by many to be a convenient option as it saves a lot of time and gives them the ability to shop from the comfort of their homes and offices.

locking mechanism

Door handles are used to open and close doors, as well as lock them. Different rooms require different types of handles or knobs. Depending on the interiors and the purpose of a particular room, door handles are selected. For example, a toilet, bathroom, and bedrooms require a locking mechanism from the inside. The main entrance door requires a locking mechanism from both the outside and the inside; however, the exterior locking system must be secured with a key.

Styles and Designs

Door knobs are available in various shapes such as rounded triangle, diamond, oval, square, and simple round. While the style of door handles usually includes (a) lever handles, plain or decorated (b) Animal head based design (c) Novelty styles – can be any shape and theme (d) Bars protection: widely used in large buildings and for emergency exit doors and windows.

Used materials

In the early days, most doorknobs were made from wood that matched the doors they were installed on. Materials such as hard plastic, stainless steel, aluminum and melamine were also used, and on certain occasions precious metals such as titanium and silver were also used. Eventually, for better usability and aesthetics, other materials came to the fore including wood, glass, bronze, brass, and ceramic. There are four main types of mangoes. They may look similar, but they have different uses. Below, we can review the four types in some detail:

Imitation: Imitation knobs make it easy to open and close the doors and do not contain a latch. They are typically used for cupboard and cabinet doors and other linings where a latch is not required.

He passed: Pitch knobs are the ordinary ones that also do not have a locking mechanism. They are suitable for the living room, children’s bedrooms and other doors where a lock is not required.

Main entrance: The main entrance knobs are the ones with a locking mechanism. They are used for the main entrances of houses/residences and offices.

Private: Private handles or knobs are those that have a locking mechanism from the inside. This is ideal for bedrooms, toilets/bathrooms, guest rooms, and other private areas of rooms.

Buying a property in Cyprus still under construction

It may seem like a strange idea to buy a property before it is even built, but that is the way things are done in Cyprus. Most of the developers in Cyprus do not even lay the foundation until some of the houses have been sold and 25-30% of the cost of the property has been paid. This is great news for them because that way they always have a steady supply of cash to pay for ongoing construction costs. The balance of your Cyprus property payments is expected to be paid in three stages of 25% each as the different construction phases are completed. Usually these are: the shell, ceiling and plaster, then final interior finishes such as tiling etc.

Despite the disadvantages of having to pay for most of your house in Cyprus while it is still under construction and never having set foot in it, this system has worked very well in Cyprus for many years. The obvious difference between buying a property in Cyprus while it is under construction and buying a property in the UK is that you only pay on completion in the UK. Of course any Cypriot or other developer will require some sort of deposit or booking fee. At the time of writing, a developer offering a property under construction in Cyprus would need around £2,000 to reserve a plot for thirty days, after which the first 25% payment is due.

When a contract is drawn up to buy a property under construction in Cyprus by a developer, you will need to retain the services of a local lawyer. The good news is that the legal system in Cyprus is very similar to that in the UK and most lawyers or their staff also speak English very well. You should review your contract carefully and go over anything you are unsure about with your attorney before signing it. The contract not only forms an agreement between you and the developer as to the full specifications of your villa or apartment in Cyprus, but also constitutes your right of title to the property until a separate title deed is drawn up.

Because most property construction in Cyprus takes place on rural land or former farmland, only a deed is passed to the developer. This is why it is unlikely that you will receive your title deeds until all properties in the development are complete and all utilities etc have been installed. The main objective of the contract between you and the developer of your property in Cyprus that is still under construction is to close that gap, thus clarifying your property rights. Once separate title deeds are raised for each individual property, they will void the contract.

However, there are a couple of important things to keep in mind before you dive in and part with your life savings. First, all property within a development must remain undisturbed until separate title deeds have been issued by the land office. In other words, any immovable extensions or structures that were not in the original plans before the Cyprus developer began construction on the property could jeopardize title deeds to each property in the development. This could even include things like barbecue areas and pergolas with a solid covering such as planks or tiles, so it pays to keep an eye on what your neighbors are up to.

The other thing that surprises many foreign buyers a few years later is the cost of obtaining their title deeds! That’s right, you will have to pay property tax based on the original purchase price of your property in Cyprus while it was under construction. This is based on a sliding scale related to the value of the property and at the time of publishing this article was as follows: 3% on the first CYP50,000, 5% on the next CYP50,000 followed by 8% on any amount additional 100,000 CYP. It would be wise to anticipate these “hidden costs” when budgeting for the purchase of any property in Cyprus that is still under construction and even some resale properties.

Home remodeling: luxurious bathrooms

Today, people spend over $10,000 on a total bathroom remodel. Homeowners are opting for more spacious and ornate bathrooms complete with natural stone floors and multiple shower heads. But if your budget can’t handle the expense of a marble tub or shower, there are plenty of options that provide heightened style without a hefty credit card bill.

The best place to start is with paint. Adding a touch of color can do wonders in your bathroom. Start by changing the color of your walls to a light and airy shade. The best choices are blues, light purples, and neutral colors, all of which convey a sense of calm and tranquility that is perfect for feeling relaxed in your bathroom. Another option for a quick update that adds color is to change your faucets and fixtures. Adding a touch of class or style can quickly change the entire look of your bathroom. A hot trend right now is brushed brass fixtures, which have a rich, elegant feel that complements neutral colors. Other popular options are faucets that contrast the standard look with a unique pattern or design.

The main area of ​​focus in today’s luxurious bathrooms is the shower. If you prefer to have a soaking tub, there are three general types to choose from: standard freestanding tubs, freestanding tubs, or wide tubs. Many homeowners are opting for air jet tubs that provide massage and therapeutic effects while allowing homeowners to use bath salts or bubbles. If you prefer the shower-only design, the possibilities are endless. Today’s showers are practically human car washes with the ability to install multiple shower heads with a variety of sprays and angles.

If these options aren’t for you, try going with some simple upgrades. Adding a tall window near the top of your bath or shower can allow natural light into the area, which opens everything up and feels less like you’re crawling into a cave to take a shower. Also, consider re-grouting your current tub and tile. This simple task can go a long way to removing any grime that has accumulated over several years of use. Another option is the installation of a prefabricated bathtub or shower frame, which can replace or be installed over the existing shower depending on the model and type chosen. Finally, consider adding a fancy shower head, such as a rainfall or massage shower head for an extra touch.

The final element that distinguishes a luxury bathroom from a standard bathroom is lighting and flooring. Lighting, while often overlooked, can be a great way to control the feel of your bathroom. A good idea is to install a diverse set of lighting, such as pendant lights near the vanity area and indirect ambient lighting that is ideal for relaxing and discreet bathrooms.

Flooring is also a popular upgrade, as natural stone and tile are especially popular in luxurious bathrooms. Since these types of floors can be cold, many homeowners choose to install radiant floor heating systems that warm the floors with hot water. A cheaper option is to use low-voltage electric mats, which are smaller but provide enough warm area to stand on while getting ready each morning.

In addition to these remodeling ideas, complete the bathroom with accessories that will accentuate the look of your bathroom. If you’re looking for a chic appeal, small but stately glass containers with a stainless steel lid for storing cotton balls and cotton swabs are popular accents. If you’re looking for a warm, understated feel, a popular option is lotion and towel storage baskets. Finally, top it off with new drawer pulls or towel bars to match the updated look and carry the theme throughout the bathroom.

What types of commercial property should you invest in?

When it comes to commercial real estate investments, investors often want to know what types of properties they should consider investing in. This article is about 5 groups of properties and the reasons why you should or shouldn’t consider them.

1.Ground: People who invest in virgin land often expect to buy farmland near commercially zoned land for a few thousand dollars an acre. They dream that their lot will be rezoned as commercial in the near future, which is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars or more per acre. People who convince you to invest in virgin land often try to sell you on this dream. While this dream actually happens as if it were possible to hit the jackpot in Las Vegas, the reality is that most investors either lose money or get little return on their land investment. It is a very risky investment as the land generates little or no income. From an income tax standpoint, the value of land does not depreciate, so you cannot claim depreciation. In addition to that, the interest rate of the land loan is also very high compared to other types of commercial properties. Therefore, each month, you would need to get money to pay the mortgage without charging anything. You should consider investing in land if

– Know how to develop in order to convert vacant land into a shopping center.

– Know exactly what you’re doing and have a deep pocket.

– Own the land of a shopping center (you do not own the buildings).

2. Apartments: This is a management intensive investment as the turnover rate is high. Leases are short term often to one year from month to month. As tenants come and go, you’ll need to spend money preparing the unit for occupancy. Apartment tenants tend to have a higher past due history than other tenants, as they tend to be on a tighter budget. If you don’t like the headaches of having to deal with many tenants, you probably want to stay away from apartments. The key to a successful apartment investment is

– Control or minimize expenses. This may seem like a trivial task until you see the list of expenses provided by the property manager. These expenses include: advertising, bookkeeping, bank fees (for non-sufficient funds), capital improvements, money laundering allowance, cleaning, collection fees, garbage removal, insurance, landscaping, legal (eviction) fees, maintenance, property management off-site property, on-site property management, pest control, painting, repairs, sweeping, security, property, utilities and water.

– Invest only in properties in a good location without deferred maintenance.

– Stay away from rent controlled areas eg Berkeley, Los Angeles.

Otherwise, you may end up getting little cash flow or even negative cash flow. If one of your investment goals is high cash flow, you may want to stay away from apartments. In California, if you own an apartment with 16 or more units, you must have an on-site manager. This further increases expenses. In general, apartments are easy to buy and more difficult to sell. There are always a lot of them in any market. The advantage of apartments is that they tend to have a high occupancy rate, since everyone needs a roof over their heads. Due to this fact, the interest rate on apartments is typically ¼ to ½ percent lower than other commercial properties.

3.Special purpose properties: These are properties designed for a specific business, such as restaurants, gas stations, and hotels/motels.

– Restaurants: Some investors like to invest in branded fast food restaurants like Burger King, Pizza Hut, Jack In The Box, KFC. These are single-tenant properties with a long-term absolute triple net lease that often does not require management responsibilities on the part of the owner. However, the rental income or cap rate for these restaurants is typically lower, in the 5-7% range. Brand name emerging regional restaurants like Johnny Carino’s, Back Yard Burger, Zaxby’s or Tia’s TexMex tend to offer a higher cap rate in the 7-8.5% range. However, when you look deeper into the financial statements, they still may not be making a profit. Restaurant operators sell the real estate to investors with a higher capitalization rate and lease the property for 20 years. In turn, they use the proceeds from the sale to expand their business by building more restaurants. So if you’re willing to take higher risks, you’ll be rewarded with high income with these pop-up restaurants.

– Gas stations: when you buy a gas station, you buy both the property and the business of the gas station. Most gas stations also have convenience stores and sometimes several auto repair shops. Gasoline markup is set at 10-20 cents per gallon [many customers wrongly blame the high gas prices on the innocent gas station operators] but it’s pretty high for a convenience store. This is considered owner-occupied property that qualifies you for an SBA loan with as little as 10% down. If you are not planning to get involved in running gas station, auto repair and convenience store business, you may want to stay away from gas stations as gasoline is a chemical that could contaminate the soil. Once a leak occurs and pollutes the environment, it takes years and a lot of money to clean up the ground. You may even be liable for damages to adjacent property owners, as the contamination may spill over onto their properties. It is almost impossible to sell your property since no lender wants to lend buyers the money to buy it.

– Hotels/Motels: once you buy a hotel/motel, you buy real estate and a business 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This business requires hard work and marketing skills to fill the rooms. Rooms are worthless if they are empty. Business tends to be seasonal and can be immediately affected by economic downturns and political events, for example, 9/11. Many of these properties are owned by Indians surnamed Patel as they seem to work the hardest and know this business well.

4.Office buildings: these properties are single or multi-story buildings. Older two-story walk-up office buildings tend to have trouble finding tenants on the top floor, as many service businesses may have clients with physical disabilities who cannot climb stairs.

– Single Tenant Buildings: The properties are used as corporate headquarters for large corporations such as Cisco. These large buildings tend to be more sensitive to the economy. Once vacant, it is difficult to find a replacement tenant.

– Multi-tenant buildings: these properties are rented by small businesses, eg real estate, tax accountants. Investors who buy these properties want to spread the investment risk. When a tenant vacates a unit, they only lose a small percentage of the rental income.

– High-quality tenants: Most have good credit, lots of assets, and pay rent when due on time.

– Leases: Leases for office buildings vary from full service [landlords pay property tax, insurance, maintenance and utilities] to NNN [tenants pay property tax, insurance, maintenance and utilities]. NNN’s lease is a litmus test of whether or not the office building is in high demand by tenants.

– Medical buildings: these properties are mainly leased by doctors and dentists. A good medical building should be in front of or across the street from a hospital. This makes it convenient for doctors to go back and forth between the hospital and their offices. Some investors prefer medical buildings as medical tenants are very resistant to recession.

5. Shopping/Retail Centers: These centers are mostly single story and can accommodate a wide variety of tenants: retail and service businesses, restaurants, doctors, schools, and even churches. As a result, this is the most popular type of commercial property that investors are looking for. They are always in high demand as there are more buyers and fewer sellers.

– Multi-tenant strip: The advantage of this investment is that when a tenant moves out, you only lose a part of the total income while you search for a new tenant. So you spread the risks on this property.

– Single tenant building: The advantage is that you only have to work with one tenant. Some of the tenants, eg Costco, Home Deporte, Walmart, CVS Pharmacy, sign a 10-20 year lease and guarantee their corporate assets that could be worth billions of dollars. This makes your investment very safe.

– High-quality tenants: Most have good credit, lots of assets, and pay rent when due on time. They often sign long-term leases from 5 to 30 years so you don’t have to worry about finding new tenants every year. They keep their property in good condition and sometimes even spend their own money to make it look better in order to attract customers to the stores.

– Triple Net Leases (NNN): shopping center leases are usually in favor of the landlord. Tenants pay a base rent and reimburse the landlord for property taxes, insurance, maintenance, and sometimes even property management fees. This takes a lot of risk away from you as an investor. The NNN lease, in a sense, is a litmus test of whether or not the property is in high demand by tenants.

– Land lease: occasionally a shopping center is sold with land lease. When you buy this center, you only own the improvement, but not the land underneath. It could be a trophy property, but you should think three times before investing. Once the land lease expires and the landlord refuses to extend it, you own nothing! So it’s easy to buy this center but very difficult to sell.

MLM Success: Rewarding Your Downline

Every MLM person or success story starts at the bottom and has to rise through the ranks to earn the respect and glamor that our business offers. Rewards are best shared across the company and it’s nice to show your appreciation to your downline. Each step towards success must be carefully measured, as there are pitfalls and obstacles that accompany serving. As long as you continue to support your team, your business is sure to grow beyond measure.

How do I reward my downline? Your success in MLM will often come from a strong downline, it’s our job to support them and offer fair rewards for their contributions to the team. We can reward our downlines in a variety of methods and these methods can be company sponsored. What is a good long-term way to reinvest in our commitments and energy with us and our members? If you run your own company and want to reward your members, you can offer everything from gift certificates to exotic vacations.

As we build our schemes and businesses, we must set aside a budget to reward our members. Delivering benefits every month or so will not only boost the effort, but it will keep our members stimulated and motivated to continue their tasks. We may offer different types of goals for individuals and teams to achieve based on location or some other factor. If you decide to go this route, you’ll need to justify the reward for the particular goal. A $10 gift certificate at Starbucks should have a lower requirement than a new car reward. Reasonable goals should be expected, be careful not to make the goal too easy or too difficult for your downline.

Before you yell at your downline about a free trip to Olive Garden, sit down and carefully calculate the costs involved with dinner and figure out if it can be used as a tax deduction. You can balance the cost with potential cancellation with slightly increased requirements to break even. Most members will enjoy the challenge, but may get bored if you just hand out a $20 gas card for sales over $500. It takes practical sense and a smart strategy when developing a rewards platform to help inspire your members. members. On occasion, you may want to take the weekly winner out for a nice dinner or lunch; the particular goal could be the most recruits, conversions, or the most inspiring member.

In addition to the increased business benefits, some of their rewards programs can be downright fun. It never hurts to reward a struggling member with a great attitude for a spa day, amusement park tickets, or a free oil change. Your rewards system will need some time to adjust through trial, error, and development as you reward your members. All the downline must have the same ability to get a great reward. Offering rewards in various degrees is a smart move to help increase membership and spectrum sales. Group rewards can be a bit trickier to develop; a little research and input from their members will help you determine a suitable award. A general list might include movie tickets, amusement park tickets, concert tickets, movie downloads and music downloads, tech freebies, and more.

Some tech gifts that you can give to individuals or group rewards may include computer systems, mobile phones, MP3 players, home theater systems, CDs, DVDs, etc. You can find some of this equipment sold in bulk online and they are awesome rewards. Remember any rewards you decide to use, cash or product; You must establish fair and reasonable requirements for all of your downline to participate. When do you reward your downline? You are showing them that you are supporting their efforts and care enough for them to succeed. Your downline will value your efforts in the rewards system and you may be surprised to see them go beyond the norm to achieve goals. Your MLM success includes your downline, and to continue their MLM success, rewards are great ways to inspire them to greater heights.

Ten Simple Rules for Self-Employed Small Business Owners That Make Getting an IRS Tax Audit Easier

All Americans fear the words tax audit.

A letter from the IRS, especially one ordering a tax audit, will unsettle even the calmest person. But, for a small business owner who does all of their own record keeping, it’s not only scary, it could spell disaster.

If you receive an audit letter from the IRS, call your tax accountant and schedule an immediate appointment; Representing clients in tax audits is part of the job of a tax professional. It will be your job to locate and provide all the documents necessary to win that audit. If you’ve kept audit-proof records, that’s easy.

Because most small business owners have no accounting training, few realize how easy it is to keep audit-proof records. Some end up turning record keeping into a complicated computer task, and many just ignore it until it’s time to pay taxes.

Business record keeping doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. There are only two things you need to do to make passing a tax audit easy. The first is to adopt a record keeping system that is super simple; the second is to learn exactly what the IRS expects of a small business owner at tax time.

Record keeping for a one or two person business is mostly done to satisfy the IRS, so why not keep records that will pass audits? Follow these ten simple rules throughout the tax year, and you’ll not only be ready for a tax audit, but you’ll also simplify your record-keeping tasks.

Rule #1 – Document Income. Absolutely all business income, including all cash and tips, must be deposited into a separate checking account used for business funds only. Do this and all you’ll need at tax time are 12 bank statements to add up your income.

Rule #2: Keep a documentary record. Every penny spent or collected by your business needs a paper record. If a receipt is not provided, you can make your own; be sure to include all the necessary details. Working from expense receipts simplifies the record-keeping process for a small business owner.

Rule #3 – Record barter exchanges. Every business barter exchange requires a paper record assigning value to your time or the product you exchanged. The value of a barter exchange is the same amount you would charge if it had been a cash sale.

Rule #4: Track all expenses. Sorting expense receipts is easy when you use the business expense alphabet. From advertising to Ziploc bags, if you use it in your business, there’s a place on your tax return to deduct that expense.

Rule #5 – Equipment depreciation. Any equipment purchased that has an expected useful life of more than 2 years must be depreciated or expensed at tax time. It is important to keep a list of all business equipment purchased, the date it was purchased and the price paid, along with your tax records.

Rule #6 – Track your Miles. Unless your car is used for business only, keep a small notebook in your car to keep track of business miles. If you do not keep a mileage log and are asked to provide one for a tax audit, you will fail the audit.

Rule #7 – Track inventory. The IRS considers all items you make or buy for resale to be inventory; inventory costs cannot be deducted until that inventory is sold. Inventory spending is easy once you learn how to calculate cost value per item.

Rule #8 – Get informed. No matter how good your tax professional is, if you don’t provide all the necessary information and figures, your tax return will be incorrect.

Rule #9: Plan ahead. Tax laws change every year. During your annual tax visit, ask if there are any new changes that affect you, what tax laws are being worked on, how they will affect your business, and what you can do now to reduce future taxes.

Rule #10 – Keep everything. Without receipts, a tax audit will fail. Pack or bag all of your tax receipts each year and keep them for a minimum of six years. If you receive an audit letter from the IRS, simply take the box or bag containing the audited year’s receipts with you when you meet with your tax professional.

I can’t tell you not to worry about a tax audit, we all do. But, if you’ve followed these ten rules, the receipts and audit should be in the bag!

Catch Most Waves: Crowded Break

You’ve got your surfboard, you’ve waxed it up, you’ve strapped it on, and you’re ready to paddle. Only problem? It’s an epic day and the beach break is FULL of people… Not the best setting for surfers.

I’m from Sydney, Australia, and while I’m not a professional surfer, I’m certainly above the average level of skill and fitness (I am/was a professional tennis player).

Before we get into the tips for getting the most waves, there are a few considerations to keep in mind regarding surf etiquette:

1. I grew up in Sydney. This is a city known worldwide for its surfing. Many breaks are overcrowded year round and full of tourists/first timers. The most famous beach break is Bondi Beach… If this type of beach is your local, then this guide is for you: think Huntington, Malibu, Snapper, Pipeline crowds… only Bondi has waves that don’t come close to Same quality as the aforementioned places, but sometimes bigger crowds.

2. One of the main concerns of surfers is if there are other OPTIONS for nearby waves. If you stop at your beach/area and there are people in each wave, write down the number of wave sets and how many are left unridden, that will tell you if there is room for you or your crew. . Go to another local spot along the way and surf the break there.

If you’re like me younger, and went to the beach with your parents, analyzing the swell/wind/tide changes and expectations, you may have been inclined to push for the “best” surf option. That being said, mom wants her coffee, so we go to the usual crowded place and that’s it. Penalty fee. Paddle through the crowd, but be respectful of others and don’t go for every wave.

Be curious, if you can still ride good waves on a less crowded beach, go for it and save yourself the hassle of those in the water having to deal with someone else on your way.

Okay, with that necessary courtesy disclaimer, let’s get into this:

How to get the most waves when there are a lot of people:

Step 1: Observe

There are a few factors at play that you should first consider before you understand how best to catch waves. As always, you should LOOK at the ocean for 15-20 minutes before you go in to know where the waves are, where the wave peaks are (for a good launch point) and where the best waves are caught…experienced surfers who They are not necessarily in great physical shape, although this is often the case, but they do understand the mechanics of the ocean.

*Note: Do not go out if you think conditions are too challenging for your ability. Watch for rocks, rips, currents, wave heights, or red strings.*

Step 2: Understanding

You want to visualize yourself doing what the best surfers do on any given day. This means having waypoints from the ocean so you know if you are too far or out of position on the reef/shoal. Usually it’s a house/tree/sign whatever… just something you can use to line up where you sit and make sure you’ll be in the best spot to catch waves.

This may seem obvious to an advanced surfer, however many surfers just paddle out and sit next to whoever. This might work sometimes to get a good wave if the shores are messy (they don’t line up in the same spot all the time), but not on really good days. And I know those are the ones you surf.

Step 3: Physical conditioning?

This is where you need to make a realistic judgment about your physical ability, experience, the board, your surfing, the dangers or difficulty of launching, and the ability of others in the lineup.

Ask yourself, “How far back could I sit and still have enough speed to catch the waves I want?” The answer will vary based on factors like your physical ability, board type, etc. as I mentioned, but basically you want to sit “deeper” or “further” than everyone else to get priority riding the wave (I’ll explore this concept momentarily).

Being on the wave earlier means getting on your feet earlier, and getting on your feet earlier means controlling your positioning better/faster on the wave.

A common example is the longboarder vs shortboarder. The 9-foot longboard paddles easier, thus generating more speed with less effort and catching waves “earlier” or sooner than a shorter board with less bulk and float. Therefore, the longboarder sits further away, which allows him to choose his waves better.

An idea on a REALLY good day might be to ride a thicker/longer board depending on the conditions as there will probably be a lot of good surfers taking advantage of the big waves… this provision of a bigger board allows you (perhaps the weaker or less experienced surfer) to have fun and catch some waves, which is what this sport is all about.

Step 4: Priority: the unwritten golden rule of surfing

As I mentioned earlier, the idea is to have “priority” or “be in the best position” to catch the wave so that it becomes “yours”.

Within your ability and that of your board, you should sit further than the other surfers and/or “deeper” or “closer” to the breaking point. This just means that if you’re riding a wave that breaks to the right (from the direction you’re paddling), you want to be to the left of the other surfers who are also looking to catch that wave.

For beach breaks or A-shaped waves that break in an “A” shape (both ways, left and right), there will usually be two people looking for the wave with the highest priority… the only difference is the guy on the beach. the right (with priority to all surfers to its right) goes to the right, and vice versa.

Get priority by paddling early and deeper than everyone else. Many people, when they see someone paddling early with a purpose, usually back off if they are intermediate or below in skill level.

Step 5: Commit – Go for it!

Finally, in a massive recess, everyone goes rowing. It’s just a standard fact. My advice would be to wait for at least the second or third wave in the set so that you have a clearer line to paddle when half the lineup misses the first wave.

You can also let others fight for average waves and gain some goodwill to “give” others some waves. This way, when you turn around and paddle for the really good wave you want, you’ll have people giving you turns to surf more freely than otherwise.

Make noise. It’s a fact that the alpha of any group is bigger and louder than the others in the animal kingdom, so use this psychology to your advantage. People will know you’re serious since you’ve claimed the wave. Although this technique is only really valid among the most experienced surfers due to the increasing need to make the waves you ask for, or you will lose credibility among the lineup and cause the waves to go unsurfed… which nobody wants.

*Note: Only ask for a wave if you are in the best position and have priority. In localized places like Oahu, Hawaii, you could get punched if you do this incorrectly. I would also recommend this idea only in an epic quality session…you are often considered a douche if you push yourself too hard on a bad day of surfing. Just surf, you’ll get your waves even if you don’t have much time.*

That is all! Follow these tips and you will surely get more waves and have more fun. Some spots are obviously more difficult to get more waves due to the skill required to ride them, the size of the launch zone, the quality and popularity of the waves, etc. at the same time. win win

There are plenty of surf-fit videos on YouTube, just search for “surf fitness” and you should be fine if you want to improve your strength, stamina, balance and general surfing ability.

Health.