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The United States has a complex tax system. Some politicians have even declared that a “flat tax” would work in maintaining a consistent, marginal tax.
In the meantime, it is up to us to do our own taxes. Taxes to me, is another service that is provided that you can probably do yourself. Most tax preparers have software where they can submit the same, simple information you can enter into tax preparation platforms like Turbo Tax or Tax Act on your own.
Over the last decade, more and more individuals have been either doing their own taxes or having a friend do them (In 2010, professional tax preparers handled only about 60% of those returns)…. and staying away from all the price gouging that companies like HR Block and Jackson Hewitt impose, particularly if you are in financial need and require a rapid return. (Note: as of last year, Rapid Refunds were restricted by federal regulators at HR Block and capped at $1500 for Jackson Hewitt.)
My wife, who is not a certified tax professional, often does the tax returns for about 10-15 of her co-workers and various family members. Does this appear to be the trend now?
While the Mrs. seems to be doing a good job, what are some red flags you should look for when a tax preparer is referred to you? Just because they appear confident and ready to earn your business, should you let them? Read More
How I Destroyed My Blog’s Alexa Rank – And I Couldn’t Be Happier!
Bye Bye Alexa Rank!
Wait? How could a guy be happy about a drastically declining Alexa Rank? I thought Alexa Rank was the key to blogger success and notoriety? (I’m being facetious here.)
I think when most bloggers, (well, the ones who blog about blogging) get started, there is highly competitive nature to stand out amongst the crowd. There are typically 3 tell-tale signs that clue us in on our progress: Subscribers, Comments, and last, but not least, Alexa Rank.
Alexa is a company that offers a proprietary tool bar that web users download to report their web usage. Ultimately, with millions of worldwide users using this toolbar, Alexa ranks the most popular sites based on everyone’s usage data. Remember though – no Alexa Toolbar download means that your visit is not conveyed to Alexa and does NOTHING for your Alexa Rank!
Keep Reading: How I Destroyed My Blog’s Alexa Rank – And I Couldn’t Be Happier! Read More »