Offbeat Jobs at Startups

Does innovation and variety inspire you? Are you the type of person who thrives around driven, intelligent, creative, passionate people? Then a job at a startup just might be in your future. Be warned though. If you’re going to help build a business from the ground up, you’ll most likely be part of the team building the foundation. In other words, be prepared to get your hands dirty.

It’s not likely that you’ll be hired on as ‘Engineer #1’ and walk out of the office after your first day with a forklift injury, but when you sign on with a startup, be ready to tackle the ”other duties as assigned” part of the job. New companies, especially those with little to no capital, don’t have the means to hire multiple people right out of the gate. So, they rely on the sparse work group they can bring on board to come to work with their A-game every day. As the sayings go, you will have to wear many hats and become a jack-of-all-trades, but the tradeoff can be immeasurable.

Your Government vs. Your Bank: Estate Planning & Eminent Domain

You’d think that banks might be happy for a solution to the mortgage crises. Especially in areas of the country where a majority of homes are underwater, mortgages are delinquent, and homeowners are abandoning their homes in droves. But one recent proposal to help with the problem has big banks up in arms. The solution involves the government obtaining underwater mortgages under its power of eminent domain.

A company called Mortgage Resolution Partners (MRP) developed this proposal, and is working to get county and city governments on board. The idea is that if banks fail to sell the loans to the government when offered fair market value, the government can force the sale under its power of eminent domain. Once the government owns the mortgages, MRP refinances the smaller (fair market value) loans, resulting in much more affordable payments for the homeowners.

Decreasing Labor Force & Increasing Disability Benefit Payments: Correlation?

“Jobs are down!”; “Benefit claims are up!” Alarmists can be heard shrieking and freaking- claiming this is sure evidence that lazy people are fleeing the workforce in order to sit on their butts collecting benefits! – But are they really?

A number of pundits have claimed a direct correlation between the recent upward trend in American’s Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) enrollment and the downturn in the number of people participating in the labor force. For example, according to the Wall Street Journal, the Chief US economist for J.P. Morgan, Michael Feroli, estimated that a quarter of all the people leaving the labor force are enrolling in SSDI. (The Wall Street Journal, 4/10/2013), Adding to the speculation, Fox & Friends commentators claimed the poor numbers shown in a recent jobs report were due to workers choosing to sit on the couch collecting benefits instead of going out to find a job and participating in the labor force. (http://mediamatters.org/research/2013/06/07/fox-rehashes-myth-that-unemployment-and-disabil/194385.)

What the “Fiscal Cliff” Resolution Means for Personal Estate Planning

At the end of 2012 one of the most popular media and water cooler topics was the so-called "Fiscal Cliff."  The Fiscal Cliff was such a frequent topic of discussion and debate because it referred to the serious financial ramifications that the United States would face if the Budget Control Act of 2011 went into effect on December 31, 2012.  These financial changes would have meant an end to the temporary payroll tax cuts, resulting in a 2% tax increase for employees, the end to several tax breaks for businesses, a change to the alternative minimum tax, a rollback of the "Bush tax cuts", and the beginning of taxes related to the Affordable Care Act. However, mere hours before midnight on December 31st, a deal was struck to avoid a financial crisis, and President Obama signed the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the "Act").  Among other things this resolution impacted taxes related testamentary and inter vivos gift-giving that may impact estate planning for some.  

  

The Wage Gap - Only 13% of Food Workers Earn a Living Wage

Using the 5 most populous states (Illinois – 12,875,255; Florida – 19,317,568; New York – 19,570,261; Texas – 26,059,203; and California – 38,041,430) and comparing the living wage (as calculated by  MIT's Living Wage Calculator) to the minimum wage as reported by Minimum-Wage.org, it's easy to see the wage gap – only 13% of food workers earn a living wage.

Your Shrinking Social Security Check After the Government Shutdown

Millions of Americans, who have inadequate or no income, rely on monthly Social Security payments to pay for their basic living needs.  When the government faced a shutdown, earlier in October, new applicants faced the reality of a delayed process.  According to a Providence Social Security Disability Attorney, more than half of all Social Security cases are denied due to a tough application process.  With the government shutdown, many hopeful applicants, in desperate need of assistance, feared that they may never receive the assistance when they needed it.  However, prospective applicants were not the only ones worrying about the fate of Social Security.  Active recipients of government benefits worried that their assistance would be delayed while the government fought to come to an agreement on federal spending.  Fortunately, Americans who receive Social Security continued to receive their month checks on time.  With the shutdown over, many questions are still left unanswered, including the amount of next year’s Social Security.

The Dot-Com Boom: Perils and Promise of Rapid Growth through Incorporation

The year was 2008 and a new startup called Groupon took the Web by storm.
Groupon’s introduction into the marketplace spawned countless copycats and by 2011 it had already raised more than $1 billion in funding. However, as quickly as it grew … it just as rapidly fell.
The rise and fall of Groupon is but one of the many instances of a business growing too quickly in this dot-com era. Rapid expansion without a firm revenue method has seen the demise of many exciting tech startups but troubles in profitability are but one element of the equation.

Rapid growth often leads to quick, brash decisions in areas such as:

5 Deadliest Workplace Disasters

No. 1, the Most Recent

In the wake of the 2013 clothing factory collapse in Bangladesh, at Rana Plaza, people in the developed world are beginning to turn their eyes and minds to the real cost of the clothing they buy.

And not a moment too soon. The more than 1,100 who died on April 24, and the thousands more who survived, are a haunting lesson in Third World economics. It was only when the larger world outside Bangladesh learned that garment workers were forced back into the building in spite of warnings surrounding the huge crack that had developed, that the incident developed moral overtones.

Business Owner Responsibilities, Five Common Injuries from Slip and Fall Accidents

Slips and falls are not only the largest source of injuries in the home; they also occupy the lion’s share of reported injuries in public venues like grocery stores, shopping malls and restaurants. They are also prominent in the construction trades.  More important, they are most often reported in relation to day workers, temporary workers, or seasonal workers, who are at best semi-skilled.

Slips, trips and falls, notes OSHA (the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, a division of the Department of Labor), comprise the majority of general industry accidents as well; “general industry” meaning all the across-the-board enterprises which make, refine, or ship and deliver industrial, consumer and business products around the nation.

Financial Calculator: Avoid Bankruptcy

Even in the worst times, it is possible to avoid bankruptcy. There are, of course, some cases when it is virtually impossible. For instance, many people end up going bankrupt because they suffer a severe illness and, even though they may have a very good job and plenty of savings, they soon find all of their money drained away paying for medical expenses.

What constitutes a Disability?

When people think of individuals with a disability, many assume that it is solely an obvious and physical impairment. So, what exactly is a disability? Whether you look at Merriam-Webster’s dictionary or the Department of Labor, the definition is about the same. A disability is physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of a person's major life activities. A disability is not always obvious and it may occur suddenly, rather than over a period of time or since birth. Individuals with disabilities are often too limited to work and earn enough money to cover basic living expenses. Depending on the disability, some individuals have never been able to have an occupation while others have had to quit work when the disability worsened. SSI or Supplemental Security Income was enacted to offer federal financial assistance to individual with disabilities; assistance with basic living needs such as food, shelter and clothing. If you are a disabled individual and are considering applying for SSI, it’s important to know how the Social Security Administration (SSA) evaluates and classifies disabilities.

Facebook Mobile Phone: Is Everyone Excited for this?”

There was a large, expectant crowd of people representing the press, self-styled analysts and camera toting eager new-hunters present at the headquarters of Facebook, at Menlo Park, California. The steady drizzle of rain did not deter them as they had gathered to garner news about the much hyped Facebook Mobile Phone. Is this going to be another piece of cleverly designed software that will give Facebook the center stage on devices driven by Android? People were eager to know what Facebook had up its sleeve this time.

The local radio stations were busy giving a running commentary, with short breaks in between to announce the impending visit of President Obama to the locality (Bay Area). None other than the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg went onstage, as the announcement was considered important enough to justify the presence of the most important man at Facebook HQ.

Why Are Life Insurance Policies in Decline?

Why Are Life Insurance Policies in Decline?

According to the Life Insurance and Market Research Association, or LIMRA, 56 percent of U.S. households did not have an individual policy as of 2010, a 50-year high. Many speculate that this is due to the lack of mandatory regulation to have any type of life insurance. Because vehicular and home insurance is mandatory, there is a disproportionate number of people who hold those types of insurance policies, but claim that they don’t have enough funds to afford life insurance. There are numerous other reasons that can account for this decline in life insurance policy holders however a few of the most prevalent reasons can be found below.

When Social Security Fails-Reverse Home Mortgages

The future of Social Security Insurance benefits in the country is not looking so well. New tax increases have saved the program for now, but many are wondering how much longer the program will hold up. The problem with the depletion of SSI is that many Americans have not prepared properly for retirement and aging generations are facing the real risk of never receiving Social Security – that’s why many are seeking alternative options. Reverse mortgage loans offers seniors a way to pursue financial security through the equity in their home. Learn about reverse home mortgages to determine if these programs are the best option for you.

Protecting Your Intellectual Property

These days, getting ahead—at least from a financial standpoint—has become more and more difficult. While some people are able to make strides when it comes to advancing in their career field or chosen profession, others fall farther behind. Though there are a number of different ways in which individuals can succeed financially, developing a new product or service is one of the most popular. Individuals who have developed a new invention may want to “protect” their idea—or intellectual property—from theft by other businessmen and women. Understanding the basics behind intellectual property, why it should be protected, and how this task can be done is essential for those who hope to capitalize on their concept. 

Top Ten Tips to Quickly Fix Your Credit

Improving your credit can seem like an uphill battle, especially if your credit score has taken a few hits due to things like late credit card payments, defaulted student loans, or persistently high balances on your accounts. However, with steady adherence to the following tips, your credit will be on the road to recovery.

Preparing for the future…Again- (Social Security)

In case you have never heard of Social Security or are a bit unsure as to what exactly it is- here is a brief definition: Social Security is a type of social insurance meant to protect citizens from succumbing to financial troubles from unemployment or underemployment due to age, disability, and other special circumstances (ideally). Funds for Social Security benefits are pulled from federal payroll taxes and are then paid to the citizen when they qualify for benefits under certain criteria. Social Security comes out of the worker’s paycheck and it is paid back to them once they need it due to retirement, disability, or death – if a worker dies before collecting benefits, Social Security is typically paid out to their spouse or family. The threat of Social Security becoming a thing of the past is nearing closer to reality. The government has had to restructure the program many times to ensure benefits to the current recipients of SSI, but future generations may possibly never collect benefits.

Defining the EPA’s Superfund

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, has a mechanism in place to identify and rectify geographic sites that harbor extensive pollutants as a result of industrial production.

It is called the Superfund, an environmental remediation program that came into being as a result of toxic waste sites. This Superfund, which is also the name of an actual remediation fund - the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, or CERCLA – provides the dollars need for cleanup.

The New Face of Business: Beautifully Deceiving

Online Social Networking has changed the way we conduct business. Our office can now be predominantly our laptop, or any other metal object that supports (Wi-fi). We are constantly “connected,” and many of us feel a nagging feeling when we’re not. Online social platforms have extended a businesses’ reach.  Between updating social statuses, checking Gmail, and tweeting the latest news, we have become disconnected from an essential part of social interaction: the physical part.

The Insecurity of Social Security

When Social Security was first introduced in 1935 by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, or FDR, America’s 32^nd president, it was lauded as a social justice measure that would provide funds for those Americans who ended their working years without enough money to assure the necessities; food, shelter and clothing.

Post-World War II, a period which FDR continued to dominate until his death in 1945, was marked by one of the most unusual social attitudes ever evolved. Instead of older people being cared for by their children or relatives when they were too aged or ill to work for themselves, they were sent to homes or hospices to be cared for by strangers.