Take Advantage of IRS Free File

Comprehensive tax preparation and e-filing is available to 70 percent of taxpayers, thanks to Free File – a partnership between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a coalition of industry-leading tax software companies called the Free File Alliance.

Every taxpayer with a 2013 Adjusted Gross Income of $58,000 or less may visit www.IRS.gov/freefile to prepare, complete and e-file their federal tax returns at no cost using software from Free File Alliance members. Free File also offers a basic federal e-filing service – called “Free File Fillable Forms” – which has no income limitations.

“Free File is here to make tax time less taxing for 70 percent of Americans,” said Tim Hugo, executive director of the Free File Alliance. “If you made $58,000 or less in 2013, Free File is your portal to free tax software from more than a dozen of the country’s top companies. It’s all online at www.IRS.gov/FreeFile, and unlike commercial products, there are no pop-up ads when you use Free File to access tax software.”

Hugo continued, “Software from the Free File Alliance provides step-by-step help and calculations to make tax-filing quick, simple and convenient. After you e-file, you’ll receive a confirmation email so you can rest assured that you’re done for the year, and you’ll get your refund in as few as 10 days. Free File is fast, safe and – most importantly – completely free.”

Free File is available at www.IRS.gov/freefile, which provides a list of free tax software offered by Free File Alliance member companies. Users may either choose the company that fits their tax situation or utilize the “Help me Find Free File Software” tool. After selecting a company, users will be transferred to the company’s website to prepare, complete and electronically file their federal income tax returns. The service is also available in Spanish.

Free File Fillable Forms, which allow taxpayers who are familiar with tax law and need no preparation assistance to complete and file their federal income tax electronically, are also available at www.IRS.gov/freefile.

Free File has already saved taxpayers an estimated $1.2 billion in preparation and filing costs since the program began in 2003. Free File Alliance member companies have continually worked with the IRS to strengthen the Free File program, and taxpayers have consistently reported that it is user-friendly and efficient. Responding to a 2009 IRS survey, 96 percent of users said they found Free File easy to use, while 98 percent said they would recommend the program to others.

Water Damage Restoration Causes, Tips and Advice for Atlanta Residents

Water Damage Restoration Causes, Tips and Advice for Atlanta Residents

By Bill Smith

Have you ever been confronted with water in the basement or pouring in from your walls or roof?  If you have, then you know how devastating it can be, and downright scary as well.  Water is one of the most powerful elements around, and its strength make it a great nuisance to get rid of.  Water Damage goes far beyond the standing water that is easily visible to the naked eye, the real issue comes with the water that has seeped into crawl spaces, or that has dampened important structural elements of the home, or that has even come to rest behind walls or under floors where mold and mildew will soon set in.  Unfortunately, many homeowners in the Atlanta Metro area only concern themselves with the puddle they can spot easily, and because of this they grab a wet dry vac, suck it up, and believe the danger and damage is gone.  This is a common mistake that will lead to long term expensive issues like the need to tear up floors, tear down dry wall, or rebuild entire sections of a residence – all of which could have been easily prevented by calling a certified restoration company to come do a free assessment.  So now that we have covered why DIY isn’t always the best solution, what should you do if you encounter water in your home?

Immediate Steps:

1)      If the water is flowing from a controllable source like a toilet or sink, cut off the water

2)     Make sure you remove all furniture and personal belongings quickly from affected area

3)     Remove standing water as best you can

4)     Call an IICRC certified firm ASAP to get them onsite to mitigate the damage and do a full assessment

Many of the restoration  firms in Atlanta only do water damage, or fire damage, or only do the clean up, but at Advanced PRS of Atlanta, we specialize in everything from emergency response to entire home rebuilds!  We truly are a one stop shop for all of your restoration needs.  We have drywall contractors, electricians, plumbers, flooring companies, and rapid response water damage emergency crews based locally that can be on site and help your family in as little as 30 minutes, day or night, 365 days a year.  We are a licensed General contractor and have restored many homes and businesses in the Atlanta Metro Area over the last 20 years.

We at Advanced PRS of Atlanta are here to help.  We hope that the information above is found to be useful should you ever have the misfortune of encountering water, fire, or storm damage in the metro area.  If you do, don’t fret, our teams of experience industry professionals are here to put you on the road to recovery quickly, affordably, and properly.  Feel free to give us a call @ (678)733-9797 if you have any questions or visit http://www.advancedprsofatlanta.com for info.

By, Bill Smith

Small Business Resources that Matter

Small Business Resources that Matter
The one thing that anyone can find a great deal of on the Internet is information. Whatever you are looking for one quick Google search later and you will almost certainly have found it. Or will you?
What is a Small Business White Paper Really?

Small Business Resources
By dictionary definition a white paper a white paper is ‘an authoritative report or guide helping readers to understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision’. They originated in government in the 1920s but over the years were also adopted by individuals and businesses as a way to disseminate a larger amount of information to a wide audience. They are also a marketing tool for the authors but that does not mean that the information they impart is not hugely valuable which is why I, and many others, find them to be such a great resource.
Although there are a great many white papers published all of the time finding them is not always easy. The nature of the search engine is to push certain results, the ones with the right keywords, but not necessarily the best information, to the top of a search, making it harder to find these long form pieces that do offer the in depth information you were searching for.

A Wealth of Resources in One Place
Imagine a place where you can find a huge number of white papers and similar long form informational pieces all in one place, covering a vast array of industries. Resources that have been pre-vetted to weed out the spam and the poorly written, inaccurate information that the search engines do not. That is exactly what I did happen upon and it is fair to say the site has become one of my go to resources for information and education in my own field as well as a place to learn something new. It is also an excellent resource for those seeking new career challenges and those who are looking for people who are. The fact that the white papers are free to download is an extra bonus.
I am not claiming that white papers can solve all your problems or give you all of the information you need but as a way to as their definition suggests solve problems, make decisions or simply become better informed about your industry, your career or your future career they can prove invaluable. And addictive, so don’t say you haven’t been warned. Although when can there ever be such a thing as too much learning on the way to reaching your goals?

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