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TheContractorsGroup.com
Serving Contractors and Related Industries,
Since 2000
Newsletter
Sept. 2004
Editor:
Diane Dennis

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Happy September! Our #1 article this month is about Owner Controlled Insurance Programs. While at first glance they look attractive, for contractors they aren't necessarily so great. They're most likely going to be around for a while though, so we might as well figure out how to make them best work for us. We've also got info on making the government pay you back for your health expenses and, for employers affected by the wild fires in Shasta County, information on how to request an extension on filing deadlines for payroll reports and taxes.

Enjoy the newsletter and have an outstanding day!
Diane and Curtis Dennis


OWNER CONTROLLED INSURANCE PROGRAMS (O.C.I.P.)
Thank you to Kim of Montbleau & Associates, San Diego for her email that sparked this article!

OCIP, or "Owner Controlled Insurance Programs", are insurance policies taken out by the Owner of the property where construction is taking place. Instead of each individual contractor securing his own liability and/or worker's comp and/or other insurance for the project, the Owner secures an OCIP that covers all construction and contractors on the project.

Click here to read the entire article...


Various construction books available at Amazon

I did have a specific book listed here but sadly it is no longer available. So I've placed other books on the page. Please follow this link.
http://www.thecontractorsgroup.com/amz/rlccs-book.html


HALLOWEEN IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER...

Check out our Halloween page! We've got some really cool halloween-ish things there, great for anyone who celebrates Halloween! The Halloween Gingerbread House is too cute and the Pumpkin Decorating Kit lets the little ones get in on the action. Plus lots more including costumes & candy!


WE KNOW OUR ADVERTISERS ARE GOOD BECAUSE WE USE THEIR SERVICES!
Southern California Insurance Brkrg.
For insurance and bonds, call SCIB or visit their website and request quotes and insurance certificates online!
(800) 900-9372
http://www.thecontractorsgroup.com/scib/

Levy • von Beck & Associates P.S.
Levy • von Beck & Associates P.S. provides Credit & Collection services to clients throughout the United States. (206) 626-5444
http://www.thecontractorsgroup.com/levylaw/


EMPLOYERS AFFECTED BY FIRES MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR EXTENSION

From an email I received from the EDD:

Shasta County Employers Affected by Fires Eligible for Extension on Filing Payroll Tax Returns

Employers directly affected by damage resulting from the recent wildfires in Shasta County may request up to a 60-day extension of time from the Employment Development Department to file their State payroll reports and deposit State payroll taxes without penalty or interest.

This extension, applicable only to the third and fourth quarters of 2004, may be granted under Section 1111.5 of the California Unemployment Insurance Code (CUIC). Written requests for extension must be received with a postmark date of October 21, 2004, or earlier.

To request an extension, employers must send a letter along with any late payment or report. The letter must provide detailed information as to why the report or payment could not be submitted timely. The letter should specifically request an extension of time under Section 1111.5 of the CUIC.

Employers should mail the tax return or payment to the address specified on the filing form. If an employer has already been charged a late filing or payment penalty which they believe may qualify for an extension under Section 1111.5, they should send their written request to P.O. Box 826846, MIC 3A, Sacramento, CA 94246-0001.

For EDD information on emergency/disaster assistance, see their Web site at www.edd.ca.gov/eddemerdisaster.htm or call the Taxpayer Assistance Center at 1-888-745-3886.


YOU CAN MAKE THE GOVERNMENT PAY YOUR HEALTH BILLS

There's a little known section in the tax code that can save you big, BIG bucks on your health expenses. You can get back almost everything you spend on health insurance, doctor visits (co-pays and full pays), prescriptions, eye glasses, contact lenses, dental work and appliances, etc.

Your tax savings will be tremendous! We've been using this tax code to save on our expenses for a couple years now. It truly is a legitimate program. :) You don't have to have health insurance to use this program and you don't have to buy health insurance to use this program.

But you're running out of time to include the third quarter of 2004 in these savings. Because it works on a quarterly basis you only have until the end of September to still claim the third quarter of 2004.

Save thousands of dollars on your health expenses
http://www.thecontractorsgroup.com/small-business/base-your-rep.htm

HATE DOING PAYROLL?

I do! Or I did, until I tried PayCycle! :)

When I read that PayCycle is "the 5-minute solution for a small business payroll needs" I chuckled.

Yeah right, payroll done in 5 minutes? Who were they kidding?

So, hoping for the best but expecting the worst, I signed up for their free 30-day trial.

I was actually very surprised that it was as smooth as it was. It all works through your Internet browser so you don't have to worry about whether software is compatible with your computer or not.

I did have a question while going through the set up but their response came so quick that I was able to continue within minutes.

PayCycle is great! You enter how many hours your employee(s) worked and it computes the paychecks for you.

Feed your own checks into your own printer and you can then print your employee's checks!

When it comes time to file your taxes and forms, not only does the PayCycle system remind you about these items, it also fills in the forms for you, to be filed electronically through PayCycle or printed on plain paper in your printer! :)

I am totally pleased with PayCycle and I know you will be too. Before PayCycle, the only way to make payroll easy was to pay an arm and a leg to a payroll processing company. The cost was horrendous and prohibitive.

Now however, when using the PayCycle system, payroll is EASY and CHEAP!

PayCycle is available to all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Go ahead and take PayCycle for a free 30-day spin!


WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

Well, that's it for this issue. Please let me know what you think about our newsletter and what you'd like to see here. It's real easy, just click here to send us an email with your thoughts. Thank you very much, we truly do appreciate it! Have an outstanding day and week! Diane & Curtis Dennis


CONTACT INFO

Diane Dennis
TheContractorsGroup.com
[why no phone]
866-480-7105 fax
diane@thecontractorsgroup.com

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