Announcements and Upcoming Events

Please RSVP for

Small Business Forum

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

                                                                                                                                                                                                
Please join us for our upcoming Small Business Forum. Network with other agencies and organizations and meet representatives from the following agencies (and others) to learn about HOT TOPICS   that affect your members:

·        Manny Cairo, Snell & Wilmer Law Office - Learn about how SB 1070 Immigration Bill will affect small businesses  

All businesses today must have an understanding of immigration laws, especially in Arizona which has the strictest immigration laws in the country. Arizona earned that distinction when it passed the Legal Arizona Workers Act and, most recently, the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act (“SB 1070”). Alongside those state laws, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) has stepped up its enforcement of existing federal immigration laws. As a result of both state and federal activity, investigations are on the rise as are prosecutions and penalties. Now is the time to ask yourself whether your business is ready.  Do you know your duties and responsibilities as a business owner? Have you done what is necessary to avoid common mistakes that lead to significant penalties? At this seminar you will learn how SB 1070 affects your business, the current status of immigration laws, and what your business needs to do to minimize risks and financial harm.

·        Arizona Small Business Association

·        Small Business Administration (SBA)

·        Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – Hear about new tax provisions for small businesses and those with employees   

·        Social Security Administration

·        Arizona Department of Commerce

·        Grand Canyon University, Ken Blanchard College of Business

*********************************Mark your calendar******************************

We invite you to have at least one representative from your organization attend this informational event.  If you can’t make it, please invite someone else to represent you.

Date:         Wednesday August 25, 2010

Time:         8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.  (Registration/Networking 8:30 – 9:00)

Location:  Arizona Small Business Association (ASBA)

                  4600 E Washington St. Suite 340

                  Phoenix, AZ 85036

                  RSVP by Friday August 20, 2010.  

Please register at through the ASBA website at https://asba.site-ym.com/events/event_details.asp?id=113854 .    Be sure to include the name of your organization in the RSVP comments section. 

The round-table format will allow you the opportunity to interact with all of the government agencies and other small business organizations.  This is your chance to ask your members or clients to identify any issues or concerns they might have that you can bring to the table.  The issues should not be specific to a particular case, but we would appreciate help in identifying trends and general improvements that could be made to improve service to the public.  (See “Identifying Federal Tax Issues” for suggested questions to address with your members to help identify issues that might exist with IRS.)

Please join us for this opportunity to serve your members and to help make this a successful event!  We look forward to seeing you!

Identifying Federal Tax Issues

To assist us in working together to identify issues, we have compiled a list of questions you may want to address with your members/clients before the event.  Discuss the concept of the Small Business Forum at your upcoming meetings or gatherings and use these questions to help spark conversation about potential issues. 

If you could talk to the IRS and tell them about an issue that is running rampant in your industry that the IRS could change, what would that issue be?

For Instance:

• Have you recently received any written notices from IRS or had contact regarding specific issues?
• Did you encounter any unique issues this filing season, when you prepared your return or gathered your records together? 
• Are there any particularly burdensome issues that you encounter in your business regarding federal taxes?
• Are there any IRS issues or areas for which you would like more information or clarification?
• Did you utilize any of the electronic filing and paying options offered by the IRS?
  

  • Did you encounter any problems or burdens with these systems?  
  • Are you familiar with the electronic filing and paying options or would you like more information?
• Have you used the IRS web site to find information, forms or publications for your small business? 
  • Did you find what you needed? 
  • Did you find it easily and quickly?
  • Are you familiar with the products and services the IRS has available for small businesses?

Small Business Educational Opportunities 

In collaboration with the Arizona Service Providers Network, the Arizona Department of Commerce Small Business Services division hosts an "Event Calendar.” You may access our online calendar through the Small Business Services home page at www.azcommerce.com/smallbiz under Quick Links.

The objective of the Small Business Calendar of Events is to support business events, seminars and/or workshops that our Arizona Service Providers Network offers to the small, women and minority businesses in Arizona. Typically, the events posted are free or of a nominal fee.

Free IRS Phone Forum: Abusive Tax Avoidance Transactions and Emerging Issues

http://www.irs.gov/retirement/article/0,,id=218995,00.html

August 27, 2010

11:00 am Pacific Time

Abusive Tax Avoidance Transactions and how they can threaten saving for retirement will be discussed. The Forum will focus on potential abusive schemes and new emerging issues including insurance funded plans, schemes involving defined benefit pension plans, S Corporation ESOP abuses, ROBS compliance issues, reversion and distribution schemes, management company promotions, abuses involving union plans and other issues of concern.  See the link above for how to register.

HIRE Act Archived Webinar Now Available

http://www.visualwebcaster.com/IRS/69705/event.html

This webinar was originally presented on July 8, 2010.  The topic was the HIRE payroll tax exemption and retention income tax credit.  The webinar covered who qualifies as an eligible individual for each benefit, what businesses may claim each benefit, and how businesses can claim the HIRE benefits.

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