QuickBooks-Blog

More Florida Unemployment Insanity - DOL

We now have some more Florida Unemployment insanity. This time it involves the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). It says that a Florida Unemployment online application violates federal civil rights and nondiscrimination laws.

A Miami Workers Center complained that the Florida Unemployment Compensation (Reemployment Assistance) Program was inaccessible to people with disabilities and those with limited English skills. In August 2011, the state moved to end phone and paper applications. Its online application has a 45-question skill assessment of math, reading and other skills. A 56-page DOL finding said this violates federal law. (Imagine, 56 pages to say a 45 question test is unfair? We know all about Florida Unemployment insanity long ago.)

A state spokesperson said the DOL was aware of the legislative changes before their 2011 passage and raised no objection, but a different DOL division is now challenging the same laws, in response to questionable allegations of a special interest group. The DOL suggested exceptions to online filing for those with language barriers, sending notices to people to apply for retroactive benefits and providing special methods for persons with disabilities.

The state can negotiate voluntary compliance and a conciliation agreement. If it does not, the DOL can enter a final ruling that can disrupt federal funds for Florida. Now that would involve the ultmate in Florida unemployment insanity.

Air Boca: The Best South Florida Air Conditioning

Air Boca has had the best South Florida air conditioning service and sales for more than 20 years. Air Boca is very fast, inexpensive, knowledgeable, honest and clean. Sofia and Juan Iglesias and their staff are simply very nice people, who have long provided the best South Florida air conditioning.

I am proud that Air Boca has long been my CPA client. You might think that this made them do a special job for us, as they impress us every time they come. It was especially good when they custom installed a new air conditioner. Juan completed a creative job less than an hour after the first tech arrived. However, Air Boca also has had the best South Florida air conditioning for everyone we send them. I always get a big thank you from each new person sent. That is why I am adding this long overdue unpaid Air Boca testimonial to the many already on their website.

 

Florida Unemployment Tax Insanity #9, Good News?

Few web pages had the term Florida Unemployment Tax Insanity when I began using it in September, 2009. Google now has 2.5 million such web pages.

Mark Twain said, "No man's life, liberty or property is safe, while the Legislature is in session." That is especially true in Florida, with the latest Florida Unemployment Tax Insanity. By April 2012, Florida employers had spent countless hours and dollars calculating wages based on an $8,500 per year unemployment maximum. We now have new retroactive rates, to January 1, based on an $8,000 maximum. The new rates will not prevent sharp increases in our federal unemployment taxes, plus extra interest on separate bills to every employer. That relates to the deficit in the Florida unemployment benefit account.

Many must now recalculate their accrued payroll tax and hope their payroll system is equal to the task. It will not be unless you AGAIN download new QuickBooks payroll tax tables, as part of your $200 to $349 manual QuickBooks annual subscription. Even then, you must hope QuickBooks can retroactively adjust your prior accrual. It seems unlikely that QuickBooks will do this automatically.

You also can end payroll problems forever, by automating the top-rated PayrollRelief program. Payroll once cost me $1,000+, per client per year, in billable time. I also often had missing return and other tax notices. Many related to Florida Unemployment Tax Insanity losses of repeatedly filed returns.

I am now sending one combined email, to my PayrollRelief CPA, for most of my clients. It tells him to pay fixed amounts, weekly or monthly, for many employees of many clients. In many cases, this will be for $8,000 a year ($888.89/month for 9 months). He will mark most payments as hand (non-existent) checks, so PayrollRelief only e-pays needed taxes. He also will automatically file related tax returns. This will cost clients only about $12 a month.

Please tell me why you want to waste time and pay much more, for a much less accurate and error prone (you, QuickBooks, Internal Revenue and state government) system. I will gladly print your comments, with credit if requested.

Xero Automatic Accounting, South Florida QuickBooks Meetup, Thursday, 1/26/12 @ 7 p.m

I recently sent this, about Xero automatic accounting, to the 250+ South Florida QuickBooks Meetup members (we need topics and outlines for our free CPA CPE) and all my clients.

 

Hi Spencer
(the U.S. manager for Xero)

I would really like to show and discuss some Xero automatic accounting videos at the South Florida QuickBooks Meetup. This could be Thursday night, 1/26/12 @ 7 p.m. Please get me the number of U.S. and worldwide Xero users for this. Xero has the number of its advisors (partners) on its website. Comparing the Xero and QuickBooks user and advisor numbers should show much more opportunity for Xero advisors. Xero also lets us manage data, plan and advise, not act as data entry clerks.

We may be able to accommodate a remote Xero speaker, at these or future dates.

To South Florida QuickBooks Meetup members:
Please review the Download US Partner Packand OMG! Xero is the future of accounting! Please also let me know how long this should be or if you disapprove. We will still have time for our usual introductions and providing concensus-expert answers to all your QuickBooks questions. However, the attached gives us the outline needed for our free CPA CPE.

Michael Block CPA 954-903-7250 888-503-8677 24/7
Intuit CEO: You're amazing Mike, absolutely amazing!

Unlimited Free Expert QuickBooks Answers, South Florida QuickBooks Meetup Tonight, 12/8/11

For unlimited free expert QuickBooks answers, come to the South Florida QuickBooks Meetup tonight and every month.

Two nationally known QuickBooks experts give you free expert QuickBooks answers (search engine repetition), without lecturing. Novice, intermediate and expert QuickBooks users make these free expert QuickBooks answers even better. Exchange ideas and promote your business with other local QuickBooks users. Get an optional good inexpensive snack or meal while you listen, learn and enjoy.

The South Florida QuickBooks Meetup is is the oldest and second largest QuickBooks group! We are now at Crispers in Davie / Fort Lauderdale. It is centrally located, near the geographic center of the tri-county Miami – Fort Lauderdale – West Palm Beach area! Our South Florida QuickBooks Meetup and free expert QuickBooks answers are so good that regular members include some who drive 55 miles, to more than 200 miles, to attend meetings.

This is the HOLIDAY EDITION of the South Florida QuickBooks Meetup, merging the November and December meetings. Come join Mike and Mario -- among the most renowned national QuickBooks speakers. Mario will report from the recent Sleeter Group National Consultants Conference (Las Vegas) and Intuit Solutions Provider Summit (Orlando), where he spoke. Instead of having to spend time and money traveling to distant locations, you will get the best of these conferences free, plus more on QuickBooks 2012. You also will get time for your QuickBooks questions and free expert QuickBooks answers. By the way, you can even get credit for free CPA continuing professional education.

You can even use our secret system to guarantee that you never lose money gambling, on the lottery or otherwise (below):

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Come to South Florida QuickBooks Meetups instead of gambling!

(Only a few of us use this system.)