ACHP is always seeking ways of helping our certified members with more online exposure. We are looking into offering member webpages as a new added benefit. Would you use this benefit?
The thought is: you as a member select a webpage template, insert your content, and point your domain to it.
I strongly recommend you see this video.
http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1155781648001/contractors-3-witholding-tax-to-take-effect-in-2013
Back in June, ACHP started a discussion warning everyone about this 3 percent withholding tax. Most of us are numb and sick of government and political happenings today. But I caution each and everyone to take note: THIS WILL AFFECT YOU !!!
Tom Bohn, Institute of Financial Operations CEO, argues contractors withholding tax will drive small business out of the bidding process.
So, when your customer says “I’m not in a Rush or in a Hurry to have this job completed” do they really mean: “I’d like this done sooner rather than later”?
There’s no secret or surprise of the customer waiting for the last minute to rush to have something repaired or replaced after a month or even a year of procrastinating. They all of a sudden get this itch to have it done NOW – no exceptions.
What do you do?
How do you set your and your customers expectations?
As a baseball player for over 35 yrs I learned that when you get into a hitting slump you go back to the basics. Batting cage, tee swings, balance, eye and hand coordination drills, etc.
It occurs to me that this country, who is in a bad slump and has been for many yrs now, may consider the same – back to basics.
On this July 4th weekend let us think about our freedoms and celebrate them wholeheartedly. Many have died for these freedoms.
Please read the article below called 545 PEOPLE by Charley Reese, written in 1984. Although this article may not be a July 4th patriotic article, it sheds light on things we learned long ago but have forgotten.
545 PEOPLE by Charley Reese 1984
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.
Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, why we have deficits? Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes?
You and I don’t propose a federal budget. The president does. You and I don’t have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does. You and I don’t write the tax code, Congress does. You and I don’t set fiscal policy, Congress does. You and I don’t control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.
One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country. I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.
I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don’t care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it.
No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator’s responsibility to determine how he votes. Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.
What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits.
The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force Congress to accept it. The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. The Speaker of the house is the leader of the majority party. Fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto.
Just 545 Americans have fouled up this great nation.
It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of over 310 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted – by present facts – of incompetence and irresponsibility.
I can’t think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people.
When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise complete power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.
If the tax code is unfair, it’s because they want it unfair. If the budget is in the red, it’s because they want it in the red .If the military is in Afghanistan, it’s because they want them there.
There are no insoluble government problems. Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take it.
Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like “the economy,” “inflation,” or “politics” that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.
Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible. They, and they alone, have the power. They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses. Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.
A little-known federal tax that has the potential to bust the budget of your state and local governments, result in higher taxes, and threaten small businesses, doctors and farmers is headed your way.
Few have heard of it, but many will be affected – unless we can stop it before becoming law in 2013.
The “3% Withholding Tax” mandates that federal, state and local governments withhold 3% from payments for goods and services upfront. It sounds harmless enough until you consider the small businesses that rely on every penny of cash flow to keep their doors open and how they’ll be impacted by a 3% loss of revenue.
Last week, the U.S. Chamber announced a grassroots campaign aimed at repealing the 3% Withholding Tax. Visit RepealWithholdingNow.com to learn more about our efforts and sign our National Letter to stop the 3% withholding.
Here’s how the tax would impact you:
• The federal government, as well as your state and local governments, withhold 3% from payments to any business that provides them with a product or service. This may include your local office supply store, local builders, electric company or even a business selling equipment to first responders.
• These businesses will then be forced to raise their prices to make up for the 3% of revenue being held hostage — or simply take a huge hit and risk going out of business.
• Higher prices could drastically impact government budgets, which are already strapped for cash.
• Local or state governments may be forced to raise your taxes to help make up for the budget gap.
Like most things, when you punish small businesses, the whole economy suffers.
Similar to the 1099 mandate included in the health care bill, the 3% withholding requirement was an unrelated offset included in the Tax Reconciliation Act of 2005. Unless repealed, the 3% Withholding Tax will go into effect on January 1, 2013.
In today’s economy, the decks are stacked high enough against employers. The last thing they need is another provision aimed at raising revenue at their expense.
Visit www.RepealWithholdingNow.com and join our efforts to stop the latest burden on business and assault on jobs.
Bill Miller
Senior Vice President and National Political Director
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Repeal Withholding Now repealwithholdingnow.com
With the economy the way it is, affording a bookkeeper to do your expense reporting is nearly impossible. What do you use to keep track of your monthly expense records?
ACHP Insurance Program now offers insurance for those members who are home inspectors. To get your quote, simply login to the members section, click on the ACHP Insurance Program button and get your quote.
INSURANCE UPDATE: Great News! We are pleased to announce the ACHP Insurance Program – an exclusive insurance program for our members. This program provides to our ACHP members group pricing on liability insurance. There are other insurance options as well – please follow the instructions on the website.
The process is simple. You can call a dedicated 800 number or obtain a quote online. I signed up recently and I am excited to announce that my personal savings on liability insurance was more than 30%.
If you are an ACHP member, login and click on the “ACHP Insurance Program” navigation button. You will then be forwarded to the program main page. Follow the instructions to obtain a quote.
The program is only available to current ACHP members.
If you are not yet an ACHP member and would like to take advantage of this program please go to: www.achpnet.org. Take the evaluation exam and then register for membership status. You must complete the registration in full to become a member.
Another nice article mention of our Association of Certified Handyman Professionals. http://experts.merchantcircle.com/articles/Tips-on-Finding-Jobs-for-a-Handyman-cat-398
Theme: Rubric. Blog at WordPress.com.
