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The IRS Does NOT Call (Usually): Communication Alert

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While doing work at the office today, I happen to answer the phone when a call came in from 1-315-227-2006.

They said, “This is the IRS and a lawsuit has been filed against you.”

I knew about this scam, so I just said, OK.”

The person on the other end of the line stated, “I need the last 4 of your social.”

I said, “I will not give you that over the phone.”

I was expecting an explanation, but they went straight to, “Please provide me with your Attorney’s name and number.”

  • I can see where this would bother someone getting such a strange call! But please note, the IRS does NOT call about a lawsuit.

I then told the caller, “I’d be representing myself.”

They asked,”Are you an attorney?”

I said, “Yes.”

They then asked to verify my Bar information.

When I asked them to clarify, they hung up the phone.

 

At this point, I called back…

I told the caller that I had gotten a call and that we got cut off. The person on the phone started to repeat what the first caller had said, but after about 30-45 seconds, they disconnected.

I attempted to call back, but apparently nobody wanted to play anymore.

 

*Once again, the IRS does not call you to tell you they are filing a lawsuit against you. The first step would be documentation- The IRS wants a paper trail! With that being said, if you are in the midst of a matter with the IRS and you are already working with an agent associated with the Department of the Treasury, then you may get a call. However, this is not the typical first line of communication you will receive when dealing with a financial situation being brought against you from the federal government.

If you get a call like this, do not give any information and call your state’s Attorney General.

 

Supersmallbiz.com is a division of Liberty-Ellington Law and Mediation, PLLC.

 

 

Don’t Make Promises When Hiring

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     During the interview and hiring process, managers may have the urge to boast or exaggerate about the opportunities and benefits of being a part of the company. Many business owners and managers “puff up” their company to encourage a great applicant to accept an employment offer. promiseIf you are going to do this, you better be able to deliver what you promised or you may find yourself in hot water. If you tell a potential employee about great stock options or about significant upward mobility and he or she takes the job based on what you said, then they may be able to sue you later on if your statements or promises end up being incorrect. Some courts determine that a contract was formed based on the statements you made if the employee took the job based on your promises. This can get the company into legal trouble if a manager was simply boasting about what he hoped would happen in the future.

     When interviewing and hiring potential employees it is important to stick to the truth and avoid exaggeration about the company or position. Be sure to stay away from predictions about the future, or projected estimates of year-end bonuses. Additionally, be precise about what the job entails. If you are hiring a cashier, but the person ends up doing deliveries as well, you may have a problem. Furthermore, be sure not to tell potential employees that your company “has never done layoffs”, or ”no one has ever been fired for _____.” Statements like these may come back to haunt you in the form of a lawsuit if the individual left another job for more job security at your company due to your comments during the hiring process.

3 Strategies I Use to Make the Most of Your Workday?

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I thought I would take the time to answer a question I was asked earlier in the week. I’m guessing that most business owners would have their own way of answering this. Throughout the years, I have incorporated different methods and strategies to try and get more out of my workday.

As a long-time business owner and parent, it has always been essential to make the most of every workday to maintain a high level of productivity. With multiple responsibilities (personal and business related) it is imperative to come up with your own strategies to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to productive workday time!

The best tip I have -that took me a long time to learn- is to STOP multitasking. As a parent, I was a huge proponent of multitasking. Now when it comes to getting the dishwasher going while the dryer is drying a load of laundry and the Roomba is vacuuming the den, that is perfectly find. I promote any use of technology that saves you time and money! However, when it comes to focused, effective use of your own brainpower, multitasking is a scam. Several studies have come out to show that multitasking is much less effective than once thought. Law school really brought this one into reality for me. I found that 30 minutes in a quiet room would allow me to really focus on the material or task at hand and really allowed me to comprehend things and make decisions quicker.

The #1 system or process I use to promote productivity is time blocking. Again, studies have shown that transitioning between tasks or ideas, bogs down the mind and creating downtime and wasted minutes in moving from one thing to the other. I schedule 1-2 hour time blocks that I devote to specific topics. Unfortunately, emergencies or interruptions may occur. This is normal, but time blocking allows you to get back on task quickly with limited time wasted.

My favorite new piece of new technology for productivity is audio typing. As you read this, you may be one of the individuals that have been doing this for years, but I just happened upon this a few months ago. The basic premise is that you speak much faster than you type. So, if you are in a business or occupation that requires a lot of document preparation (Lawyer, bloggers, writer, etc.) you can actually audio type almost three times faster than regular typing. Most smart phones and current computers have the technology already built in. You probably don’t need any additional microphone or other device to start audio typing today. Several authors shared that audio typing has allowed them to write books in weeks.

These are just three things I do to make the most of my workday.Small Business Strategies

Legal Practice Update

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I’m really excited to report that Liberty-Ellington Law and Mediation is going better than expected. As many of you know I was a little concerned with opening a practice in a small town because all of my previous businesses were started in large to super large cities. (Albuquerque, Denver, Dallas). Liberty-Ellington Law and Mediation-Reception Area

But I did not let this deter me, because I really wanted to establish my practice close to home with minimal commute. My building has been such a blessing. We are located in downtown Russellville, AR at 100 Denver. We are right next door to Fat Daddy’s BBQ and part of a great downtown community. Downtown Russellville is a great organization that is helping to revive the old, downtown feel with monthly activities such as the recent Fall Festival. As a downtown business, we are blessed to have the opportunity to participate and help the community as well. IMG_1776[1]

We have a great community and wonderful clients. I spend about half my time working with various legal clients on business, landlord/tenent issues, and family law. Our community has approximately 30 attorneys, and everyone has been gracious and welcoming.

I offer unbundled services, which I think has been a great factor in our success this first few months. The rest of my time is spent working with businesses and owners to promote good business and prevent legal issues from arising.

I am really excited that business is going well, and I can’t wait to see what 2018 has to offer!

 

Are you Ready for Some Football?

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Shout out to all the female participants in Women’s football! WFA championship

This weekend is the Women’s Football Alliance Championship Weekend. July 21-22, 2017 the WFA is having their 2017 Division I, II, and III final showdown in Pennsylvania.

To those that don’t know, women’s football has been in existence for well over 40 years. Today, women’s football is still run with a grass roots approach. Teams work in their local area to promote the sport and gain local sponsorship. If you can’t make it to the Championship, be sure to check out a game. With over 50 teams throughout the U.S., there is bound to be a team in your area!

Why I love Super Small Business and Law?

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lyngradHey ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for taking the time to visit our (my) website and blog. I say our because there are many individuals, who, without them I would not be able to do what I do. Although I’m the person you will talk to, work with, and share your story, I have a team of people that I work with that help me accomplish all I can.

I started in small business over 20 years ago. As a child I wanted to be a business owner and a lawyer. Both of my grandfathers were business owners. The idea behind small business was that it didn’t matter where you came from. If you worked hard, you could be and do anything you wanted.

To make a long story short, I started my first official business at 19 or 20. I had customers waiting before I even had a business license. I wanted to be a lawyer to fight for all the people that couldn’t get child support (but that’s a own other story).

 

Fast forward several years, I went on to get my bachelor’s degree. For some reason I was terrified to take the LSAT (the Law School entrance exam). I went on to get my MBA. Not only because I enjoyed learning about business, but as a way to avoid taking the LSAT.

In those days, you couldn’t go to law school part-time, so I looked at my first businesses as a way to provide income for me (and my kids) while I went to law school. Over then next several years, I remarried and moved to different locations due to my husband’s job, all-the-while not having to take the dreaded LSAT.

Over the years I had connected with many business owners, networking, mentoring and consulting on various business ideas and concepts.

Throughout my years of working with other business owners, there was a common theme of the unknown. Some started their businesses by accident. Others had no other choice. Many business owners were unaware of federal and state laws that required them to do things in a particular way.

While we were living in Texas, I signed up and took the LSAT, twice. I wanted to make sure my score was one that I would have a great chance of getting in. Next, we moved again!

After relocating to Arkansas, I was determined to apply to the nearest law school (85 miles away). I gave away or sold my businesses to others to devote all my time to law school.

There are so many things that affect small business owners in a different way. Divorce can impact a business value, Death can impact a succession planning and business longevity. And failure to follow the rules and laws in place can open a business to liability that can financially devastate and ruin an organization.

Don’t get me wrong, when someone calls that is not a business owner, I am willing to help them as well. However, many topics must be approached differently when you are a business owner. Sometimes the rules are different as in, wills and trusts, or taxes. Other times, you have more riding on the decisions you make. What may seem like a simple, honest mistake, for example, lack of an employee manual, or failing to provide a piece of safety equipment, can and has resulted in bankrupting a business.

 

 

 

10 Great Businesses To Start In The Spring

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  1. Children’s Activities Coordinator- So many kids sitting around for the entire summer. Promote good health and physical fitness by providing creative games in the park or in the backyard for neighborhood children.ozarks
  2. Hiking Guide- Know the area like the back of your hand? Guide others on a great adventure using the River Valley’s great trails, parks, and mountains.
  3. Garage Sale Manager- Help people that are too busy but have stuff to sell. Host garage sales for a percentage of the profit.
  4. Area Handyman- Pretty good at fixing things? Provide painting, moving, and fix-it services around town
  5. Pooper Scooper-Busy people don’t have time to clean up after the dog… $8-12 for a small backyard could add up to some serious money! IMG_0316
  6. Child Care Services-With the kids getting out of school many parents need dependable care. Provide flexible summer care for working parents.
  7. Floral Designer-Take advantage of your green thumb. Create beautiful flower arrangements for locations, weddings, and events.
  8. 8.Lawn Care Service-Provide one-time or ongoing mowing, edging, and yard clean up to area residents.
  9. Pet/House Sitter-Take care of neighbor’s pets and check on their homes while they are out-of-town.
  10. School Subject Tutor- Have a subject you are good at? Give instruction to children in need of a little extra help over the summer.

 

*** Please Note: Business ideas are simply suggestions. There is no guarantee of business success in any business. Additionally, all business ideas require planning and preparation.

 

22 Great Tips To Spring Cleaning Your Office

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1. Divide your workspace into zones.clean office

2. Throw away old magazines.

3. Set a day to clean the break room.

4. Streamline your desktop icons.

5. Designate a basket for short-term storage.

6. Disinfect surfaces.

7. Backup hard drives.

8. Put up hooks to hang jackets.

9. Create a daily system for documents.

10. Shred old files.

11. Throw out manuals you can find online.

12. Scan large manuals into the computer.

13. Clean the coffee maker.

14. Get rid of unused programs.

15.  Save important e-mails.

16. Clean computer keyboard.

17. Sort out the catchall drawer.

18. Donate never used office supplies.

19. Change passwords.

20. Reorganize files.

21. Delete unneeded e-mails.

22. Create better processes.

Don’t Make Promises When Hiring

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     During the interview and hiring process, managers may have the urge to boast or exaggerate about the opportunities and benefits of being a part of the company. Many business owners and managers “puff up” their company to encourage a great applicant to accept an employment offer. promiseIf you are going to do this, you better be able to deliver what you promised or you may find yourself in hot water. If you tell a potential employee about great stock options or about significant upward mobility and he or she takes the job based on what you said, then they may be able to sue you later on if your statements or promises end up being incorrect. Some courts determine that a contract was formed based on the statements you made if the employee took the job based on your promises. This can get the company into legal trouble if a manager was simply boasting about what he hoped would happen in the future.

     When interviewing and hiring potential employees it is important to stick to the truth and avoid exaggeration about the company or position. Be sure to stay away from predictions about the future, or projected estimates of year-end bonuses. Additionally, be precise about what the job entails. If you are hiring a cashier, but the person ends up doing deliveries as well, you may have a problem. Furthermore, be sure not to tell potential employees that your company “has never done layoffs”, or ”no one has ever been fired for _____.” Statements like these may come back to haunt you in the form of a lawsuit if the individual left another job for more job security at your company due to your comments during the hiring process.