Posted by Jim on November 11, 2008
Employers record two basic types of payroll entries: paying the employees (payroll entry) and paying the employer payroll taxes (employer payroll tax entry).
A. Payroll Entry
Example: Employees earn $100,000 for the month, and are paid
on January 31. The employer withholds the following:
Federal Income Taxes $15,000
State Income Taxes $ 5,000
FICA Taxes $ 7,650
After withholdings, the employees’ net pay was $72,350.
Debit Credit
——- ——–
1/31 Salary Expense 100,000
Federal Income Taxes Payable 15,000
State Income Taxes Payable 5,000
FICA Taxes Payable 7,650
Cash 72,350
Note: Examples of other potential withholdings include amounts
for pensions, insurance, union dues, etc.
B. Employer Payroll Tax Entry
The employer’s payroll taxes include matching the FICA and paying state and federal unemployment taxes.
Example: To continue with the preceding example, assume that state
unemployment taxes are $1,500 and federal unemployment
taxes are $500. The employer would record the following
entry:
Debit Credit
——- ——–
1/31 Payroll Tax Expense 9,650
FICA Taxes Payable 7,650
State Unemp. Taxes Payable 1,500
Federal Unemp. Taxes Payable 500
Note: The taxes will be remitted to various government agencies
at a later date.
Payroll tax Expense $647.52
Social Security tax Payable $4,560.00 x 6.50% = $296.40
Medicare Tax Payable $4,560.00 x 1.50% = $68.40
Unemployment Tax Payable - Federal $4,560.00 x 0.80% = $36.48
Unemployment Tax Payable - State $4,560.00 x 5.40% = $246.24
Posted by Jim on March 11, 2008
Jean Ruhlen received a piece of marketing junk mail from the less then honorable organization hiding behind their not fot-profit status at the NYLF. The National Youth Leadership Forum as we know gets names not from educators as their materials and website indicate. Instead their primary source is because your son or daughter checked off a box on a standardized test that said “Yes, I would like to receive information from education institutions” in one form of wording or another.
Do you expect to get post cards or letters from Universities or colleges were your child meets or exceeds the minimum SAT or ACT scores? Yes. Schools about engineering or you checked off a box on the interests not graded section selecting arts, literature or music? No. The schools are smart enough to not waste money and energy on students not in their target demographics.
Why is Jean a smart parent? Because of this email showing she got this junk mail, and wanted to check to see if it is legitimate. Well Jean, yes I did investigate this organization, many times. Every time my child obtained a piece of junk mail from them, which was a lot for several events they run. All game in very large, full color, slick envelopes and flyers from the Surgeon General of the something or another or Doctor nobody or CEO James Jones or another. Big names written bold to impress. And all screaming over and over again how sending my child to the day care program for my pre-college child will make them money, I mean, make my child better.
Call them and ask how they got my name and information? You get the pitch. Ask for specifics and get a hem and a haw. Insist and get told you are on a mailing list obtained from The College Board.
Call The College Board every single time you get the junk mail, and get told that they know, they know. It is frustrating and they are trying to change the way they provide the material to educational institutions.
You need to be more proactive with any material from the National Youth Leadership Forum including
- Call them and ask how they got your names so you hear the lies for yourself
- Then insist on the exact details of who, how and when some educator released your information
- Then insist again, and get told it is from the real source
- Call the real source and let them know how you think they failed
- Make a post here or anywhere else and let people know that this outfit is not as it says it is
Do they run seminars? Yes. Do they run day car camps for teenagers? Yes. Do they charge parents money? Yes. Do they want your hard earned money? Hell yes. Should you give it to them? Hell no.
National Youth Leadership Forum
1919 Gallows Road, Suite 700
Vienna, VA 22182
I read your comment to the article on
2/8/2006 11:02:00 AM
FHS Student Nominated for leadership Forum
Seeks community’s help to get there
JANIS THORNTON
Have you investigated the National Youth Leadership Forum? My child just got the same letter and is only a B student, leading me to believe that this must be a scam. What more do you know about this organization? Like you said, I only want to put my money where it will be best spent.
Thank you
Jean Ruhlen
Avenues Realty Group
1600 W. Bloomfield Road, Suite D
Bloomington, IN 47403
812-323-7300
Everything Real Estate is up our Avenue!
Posted by Jim on March 4, 2008
It is March and the campaign to steal money from parents of high school students is begining in ernest again from the questionable National Youth Leadership Forum. The NYLF advertises itself as a forum for the education of students. It provides parental paid events for children with a tone of educational benefit and opportunity. What is it really?
The organization runs paid seminars and targets names they get from mailing lists. Nothing more.
If a senior member of the NYLF wants to be interviewed to dispute my concerns and opinions on their business practices, please let me know. I will be more then happy to do so, record it, and post it on the Internet for all to see. But parents, ask yourself, do you really think someone just decided to send you all this slick marketing material because Mrs. Jones loves little Billy and how well he is doing in English and nominated his name? All without your prior approval? And that Mrs. Jones has access to his academic record to state that your child is meeting the grade requirements on the nomination website?
The literature would have you believe that your child was nominated by a teacher or educator. Contact them when you get the well polished junk mail and ask them who released your students personal and confidential information. Then sue the local school board and send your child to college for free. This is when you will find out that your child checked a box on their SAT/PSAT or ACT.
What Jim, their marketing materials states -
“Students are nominated by educators, community mentors and alumni of NYLF programs. We also work with educational organizations such as the College Board and the National Research Center for College and University Admissions…”
They say right up front that they get information from mailing lists.
Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. They do say it. AFTER they lead you with the your child is sooo special statement about being hand picked. This is the marketing trap that they use to lure you in.
Parents, if you have $2000 to throw away to the NYLF and send your child out of your hair this summer for a week or two, then go ahead. Pay all of their travel expenses, give them lunch and spending money, and get them out of your hair.
If you need to save for college, if you need your child to get a scholarship, financial aid, and great grades so they can get into college, then take the flyer, call the NYLF, ask them where exactly they obtained your information. Ask them to remove your minor childs name from their databases and cease all mailings immediately. They will agree and advise you that mailers have already been produced for future mailings and those might not stop in time. Future mailings? Oh yes parents, be prepared to receive 3 or more of these slick letters, pleadings and beggings for your hard earned money to send little Johnny or Suzy away to the NYLF and all of its events. All in high glossy color, with plenty of smiling pictures of happy children.
Interested in Medicine? Your son or daughter get an invite to the NYLF-MED events? Take them to your favorite physician and ask them about the benefits and merits of your child going away to this fully paid summer camp. And then as you throw the flyer away, talk to your child about those people in this world who will try and take advantage of you at any turn.
Does the NYLF run its seminars? Yes. Are they worth it? I do not care. So what is the big deal? Their business practices of luring in parents with statements about their special child being nominated. And of course that they hide behind their status as a not for profit organization.
Or that they steal names from unsuspecting parents and students who check off a box on the SAT letting the college board share this information with education institutions. You will not get a letter from Harvard saying your child was nominated by an unknown educator, please send them to us. Yale has your name from that same list, as do all of the other colleges that send you marketing postcards, letters or literature. None of them have the full press marketing effort that the NYLF sends it targets. Be warned.
Is the NYLF a scam? Is the National Youth Leadership Forum a waste of money? You as parents have to decide that between you and your child. Use all the junk mail you will get tragrted as a lesson to educate your child on the value of money and how used car lots target you with slick offers to tug at your heart while they open your purse strings.
where do we put fraud warnings in a wiki?
Parental warning - possible scam
Be aware that this organization gathers names from mailing lists and opted in examinations. Its primary source advertised in mailers and on its website and FAQ states “Students are nominated by educators, community mentors and alumni of NYLF programs. We also work with educational organizations such as the College Board and the National Research Center for College and University Admissions…”
This is a misleading statement. Parents are advised to contact the NYLF and ask them what teacher released their students personal and confidential information without your express written consent, thereby possibly violating federal, state and local school board policies. Then you will be informed that your childs name was provided because they may have selected a check box on their ACT, PSAT, SAT or other regional or national examination to receive marketing materials from educational institutions.
If your childs personal information has been released without your consent to the NYLF without your consent you should contact your local school board to pursue corrective action immediately for the safety of your child.
Posted by Jim on January 9, 2008
Are the police at your door? Are you being pulled over while driving? Are you sitting in your car and suddenly lights flash behind you and you hear a 2 second blast of a police siren? Now is the time to remember that this is the real world, and not what you see on television.
In the real world you can make mistakes and blow things for yourself and your family for years. So lets take a few minutes to collect our thoughts and act properly
- Calm down
- This is very important. Do not get loud, use foul language, make faces, anything. Just be calm, quiet, civil and polite
- Shut up
- Let me repeat this so it is very clear. Shut up. Do not say anything to anyone until you have your lawyer with you. Not a lawyer, a friends lawyer, or a lawyer who happened to walk by, but YOUR lawyer, who agrees to represent you in this matter
- You are not a lawyer
- Police officers are trained in what they can do, and learn what they have to have happen to do what they want to do. Do they want to knock you around? Then they have to get you to do something stupid like run away or start a fight or get in their face. Do they want to search your house without a warrant? Then they have to ask you and have you say yes
- The Police Officer is not your friend
- Forget what you were told growing up, this is the real world and adulthood. If they are there to search you or your property, ticket you, speak to you or arrest you, YOU are the bad guy until your lawyer gets you out of it
- You are not a celebrity with a news chopper following you
- Do not floor it, gun it, or anything but put on your hazards, and slowly and calmly pull over to the side of the road, then put the vehicle in park, resting both of your hands on the steering wheel
- No you may not come into my house
- If people said this on TV, all the cop shows would be over in 2 minutes. If someone asks you if they can come inside your house ask them very clearly “Do you have a warrant, and if so, please show it to me.” Otherwise, it is a very clear and simple No
- If you are arrested, step out of the car or out of the house
- And do not go back until your lawyer tells you to. If they have to come get you, they can search the area. Go outside and they cannot come in. Do you have something illegal in your house? It does not matter, do not give them the chance to find it
- You are not on COPS!
- Do not run away. This adds another offense to the list of things to charge you with, besides being stupid and the reason they came for you in the first place
- You have the right to remain silent
- You will not be let go, they have come for you and are going to take you down to be booked. They already know who you are, what you look like and where you live. Unless you have a cave in the middle east to escape to, give it up
- Do not resist arrest
- This adds another charge, gives them reason to step up the force used on you, and when you fight back, that adds another charge. All of that adds to the difficulty for your lawyer getting you free
- Your eyes are the windows to your soul
- And you secret stash of something you do not want them to find. Your eyes tell when you are thinking or making stuff up and they give away secret places. Keep your eyes down, your mind focused and your mouth shut
- Can we search your trunk?
- If your state or jurisdiction gives them the right, then they will do it anyway. Asking is a way to gauge if you have stuff to hide. So if you do not know ask, “Excuse me officer, but do you have the right to search this vehicle with or without my consent?”
- Do you have anything illegal in here?
Remember this is the real world, not reality TV, Court TV or anything else. You are not on the FBI 10 Most Wanted, you are not on COPS, you are not on the breaking news on FOX News. You are someone who has done something and they are there. Do not make it worse. Do not come to me when you get in worse trouble for following this list. I am not a lawyer, I do not play one on TV and I did not sleep at a Holiday Inn last night. These are just my life learned lessons for trying to stay out of trouble and stop from making a bad situation worse.
If you follow these 13 (It is an unlucky number, and if you forget this list you will make the day worse for you) simple to remember tips when confronted by any law enforcement officers you will be much better off.
Posted by Jim on September 8, 2006
The first step to conquering almost any fear is to make up your mind to do so. Give it a try and you’ll discover that it really does make a difference. Remember, the fear most of us face, in business and in personal life, is doing something for the first time.
- Compartmentalize worry so that it doesn’t carry over from one day to the next
What worries you today may be irrelevant tomorrow. Break your worries down into smaller worries; when observed in a smaller separate context, things will not appear so overwhelming - sometimes it may even be necessary to compartmentalize our worries hourly.
Ask yourself what is the worst that could happen and be prepared to deal with it. Thinking through the consequences of what we are worrying about can help us to put it into perspective and recognize that we will get through it. Often, we realize it “s not as bad as we are making it out to be.
- Prepare to accept the worst that can happen and you”ll find ways to quickly improve things.
This provides some instant relief from the stress because when we are thinking of solutions, we”re channeling our energy in a productive way instead of spinning our wheels worrying.
- Remind yourself of the toll worry can take on your health.
This alone should serve as motivation enough to cease worrying and get on with life. You will begin to feel the physical effects of worrying long before the imagined of effects of your worries.
- Remind yourself that 90 percent of what you worry about will never happen
If you want to develop courage, do the thing you fear most and keep on doing it until you have a record of successful experiences behind you. That is the quickest and surest way to conquer fear. As a reminder, fear doesn’t exist anywhere except in the mind.
Posted by Jim on September 1, 2006
Speaking in front of a group is one of the best ways to enhance your career yet one of the biggest fears most people have is speaking in front of groups ¬ both large and small. This is something you can quickly overcome by practicing a few techniques.
Listed below are 3 quick tips to help you gain the confidence needed to overcome the fear of speaking to any group:
- 1. Get Excited About The Topic
- No matter how mundane you may feel the topic is, you need to find a way to get excited about it. And your enthusiasm will show in your presentation. When you do some research on the topic, you will gain confidence as your expertise grows. Then you’ll be ready to present it. Your colleagues will pick up on the confidence you are projecting and give you their full attention.
- 2. You Have Earned The Right To Speak On This Subject
- It’s a good bet that you wouldn’t have been asked to talk about the subject if somebody didn’t think you were capable. Keep this key point in mind while you’re organizing your thoughts and during the final presentation. Remember, you’re definitely capable of talking on the subject ¬ now go out there and prove it!
- 3. Be Eager To Project The Value To Your Listener
- Decide what the one thing is you’d like to say about this subject and how it could change their view of a situation. Speak passionately and emphasize key ideas by stressing certain words or sentences. Your audience will know that you believe in what you are saying. After hitting the key points on the subject, you should give your audience a chance to ask you questions. Answer the questions quickly and directly - again, showing the audience that you are the “expert” on the subject.
It is also important that you learn to become comfortable when presenting in front of others. Practice your presentation with some of your colleagues or practice with a coach. Practice will enable you to feel more comfortable speaking in front of others. Your excitement and eagerness to deliver your presentation will overcome any lapses, and the audience will know that you were the right person for the job.
Posted by Jim on August 25, 2006
We both know that most employees will struggle with their workload from time to time. It can be from too much work, new job responsibilities, lack of motivation or issues outside of work. These simple tips can help turn that struggling employee into a more productive employee.
- Tip #1. Encourage Them To Avoid Procrastination
- Tasks that are difficult are usually put to the side and worked on at the last minute. This can create unnecessary stress and lead to poor quality work. Review their projects with them and create a schedule to follow. Determine which projects need immediate attention and which ones need to be broken-down into segments.
- Tip #2. Remind Them To Keep Colleagues In The Loop
- Keeping other colleagues in the loop on their progress can keep everything on schedule. Some departments take over projects when one department finishes. By keeping everyone in the loop, they can review any pending/future projects and deadlines other departments have and try to accommodate them in their schedule. This will help ensure timely and uninterrupted workflow, and drastically reduce frustration.
- Tip #3. Have Them Enlist Help
- If you’ve assessed their workload and determined it’s more than they can accomplish (in the required timeframe), you may want to consider getting help from an intern or approach their colleagues for assistance. Time consuming jobs like copying and assembling can be done by interns, while more complicated work can be directed toward co-workers. Remind them to be appreciative of any help co-workers provide and understand they have their own work responsibilities as well. Also, have them spend some time explaining what needs to be done and in what manner so as to avoid confusion.
Posted by Jim on August 21, 2006
It has been proven that companies who create work-oriented teams will have more productive employees. As employees work together to resolve problems more quickly you’ll find that your costs can be greatly reduced - and there is often a corresponding increase in employee satisfaction.
Here are 5 quick tips to create a work-oriented environment at your company:
- Tip #1. Create A Model
- Workplace teams differ depending on the type of organization and industry. To create your own unique model, research and examine your company’s structure and your employees’ talents. The important thing is to make sure that the model you’ve selected fits into your company’s culture.
- Tip #2. Empower Your Work Teams
- In addition to organizing weekly meetings and sharing ideas, enable your work teams to become responsible for project outcomes. For example, ask them to not only identify problems but also create solutions to resolve the issue(s) and reduce costs.
- Tip #3. Create Cross-Functional Teams
- Work-oriented teams are especially successful because they help bring together groups of workers who may not have interacted with each other before. For example, two departments like shipping and customer service frequently are at odds with each other. Customer service wants the product shipped out as soon as possible; but shipping has multiple deadlines to meet and does not want to provide poor service. By bringing the two groups together in a cross-functional team, both sides increase their understanding of the other groups” point of view, and can reach agreements to resolve the issues faster.
- Tip #4. Keep Teams Fresh And Flexible
- The whole idea of teamwork is to bring together people with different expertise to address a specific problem(s). This often results in more creative solutions to the problem(s). Teams should be formed and disbanded as needed. Whenever a person or group identifies a problem, you can quickly gather the appropriate employees to form a team. When the task is completed, you can proceed to identifying new problems and creating new teams.
- Tip #5. Provide The Needed Resources For Your Teams
- To be effective, teams may require access to key service departments such as legal, human resources, marketing and external assistance such as continuing education via consultants. In addition, they may require the company’s financial budget to conduct studies to compare two processes or benchmark a process with other companies.
Posted by Jim on August 11, 2006
Tip #1. Offer help, experience and insight to others.
End meetings you are attending by asking other attendees if there is anything you can do for them and if you do agree to something, make sure you get it done. If not, you will lose a lot of credibility with them.
Tip #2. Communicate and market your unique knowledge and expertise to others.
Let them know how your experience and background will help them. Do this from a position of support, not competitiveness. Don”t forget to put them on some type of drip marketing campaign so they remember what you do.
Tip #3. Do not be afraid to share your own personal contacts judiciously.
If you have a contact that can provide a product or service to another contact, facilitate communication between them. You have nothing to lose by helping one contact solve another contact’s problem and you”ll be the most successful participant in this scenario.
Tip #4. Always be approachable and willing to talk.
Present an air of friendliness and helpfulness. If people are afraid or reluctant to approach you, you”ll risk not connecting with some potentially valuable contacts.
Tip #5. In the event someone helps you in any way, always remember to write a personal thank-you.
People who actually do assist you deserve to be thanked in an appropriate manner. Never risk the perception of appearing ungrateful. Always remember to thank those who should be thanked with a personal handwritten note.
Tip #6. Follow through on your commitments
If you said you would do something or be somewhere, make sure you do so. Never let a commitment slide or be ignored. Not only is it insulting to the other people involved, you risk acquiring the reputation of being unreliable.
I don’t know if I could possibly get 600 more Tweeple in...
