Whether the market is hot, cold, or neutral, lowball offers can result in big savings to a buyer if they are presented and negotiated properly. Common Lowball Mistakes Buyers Make To get started, let’s look at what not to do when making a lowball offer. Don’t be any of these buyers: Buyers who make a lowball offer because they can’t afford to pay more: Don’t tell the seller that your price is fair because that’s how much the lender has qualified you to buy....

A business will have many different types of budgets, each serving a specific purpose. Such budgets include the operating budget, sales, budget, static budget, and cash-flow budget. Budgets interrelate to one another giving a full financial picture of the company. The Operating Budget The operating budget is one of the two parts of a company’s master budget. The purpose of the operating budget is to describe the income-generating activities of the firm such as ​sales, production, and finished goods inventory....

All states allow you to amend your tax return if you make a mistake, but having a basic knowledge of the fundamentals of tax preparation can go a long way toward avoiding errors with your state taxes. Where To Start With State Income Taxes The starting point for almost every state income tax return is your federal return. You’ll want to be sure that your federal tax return is accurate and complete before you begin preparing your state return....

Here’s what you need to know about new job orientations, as well as how to prepare. The Purpose of a Job Orientation Think of your job orientation as part-introduction, part-training session, and part-tour of the facility where you’ll be working. Your supervisor will familiarize you with the workplace, the company culture, and even your co-workers. Your job orientation is also an opportunity for you to ask questions, and to learn as much as you can about what’s expected of you at your new job....

So, how can you balance these separate savings goals? A key strategy in successfully managing all these expenditures and deadlines is to prioritize. If you need help prioritizing your budget, here are some tips and advice that can help you figure out which expenses to put your full financial effort toward, and which expenses can wait just a little longer. Retirement Saving Comes First Unless you’re in extreme debt, there’s no financial goal more important than saving for your retirement....

But LinkedIn is more than an ideal space for job seekers to build professional relationships, network, and find job opportunities. It also serves as an outlet to connect with recruiters who can help you forge your career path. Below, we’ll explore the roles and significance of recruiters and how to effectively reach out to them on LinkedIn. The Role of a Recruiter If you are job hunting, you need to cultivate relationships with recruiters....

Liens can attach to the taxpayer’s real property or personal property. They record the full amount of the debt owed to the IRS. The IRS is paid first out of any sales proceeds before the taxpayer receives money if the taxpayer sells property that has a lien attached to it. Liens vs. Levies The words “lien” and “levy” are sometimes used interchangeably, but liens are different from levies. A tax lien is a document filed by the IRS to protect the government’s ability to collect money, while a levy is the forced collection of tax, usually by confiscating money directly out of a bank account or a paycheck....

Since the money borrowed through a HELOC can technically be used for anything, it’s made a HELOC a popular financial tool for homeowners. Before taking out a HELOC, however, it’s important to understand how repayment works, some of the risks of accessing this type of loan, and some alternatives to consider. What to Know About the HELOC Repayment Period A HELOC is broken up into two periods. During the draw period, you can borrow from your HELOC for whatever purpose, and as long as you repay the funds, you can use the line of credit repeatedly....

You may also find out by learning that you have a “balance due” or a “refund offset.” Even worse, you may discover that the IRS is trying to collect from you for a year you didn’t file taxes, meaning the IRS thinks you owe them money. (If you are using a tax preparation service, they may be the ones to tell you, but you will most likely get a letter soon after that from the IRS telling you the same thing....

If you’re not sure you can get there for any reason, it’s better to try to reschedule in advance than to call from the road when you slipped off into a ditch during a snowstorm, or are on your way to the urgent care with a sick child. There are appropriate ways to reschedule a job interview to preserve a chance of getting hired, even though you can’t make your scheduled interview....

A tax audit can be a scary process, but it’s easier to survive if you have the information in hand. This article will walk you through an IRS audit to show you that it’s a pretty simple process​ and that you can come out the other side intact. Why Is the IRS Auditing My Business? The IRS says it works hard to make sure the audit selection process is fair and impartial, using the financial information that’s on—or not on—a particular tax return....

This includes your body language and what is known as “paralanguage”—the elements of your speech besides the words, such as your intonation, speaking speed, pauses and sighs, and facial expressions. Nonverbal communication also includes your attire and grooming. Nonverbal communication is as important as verbal communication. The interviewer will be observing your nonverbal communication throughout the entire interview. If your nonverbal communication skills aren’t up to par, it won’t matter how well you answer the questions....

Writing a check is easy, and this tutorial shows you exactly how to do it. Move through each step one-by-one, or just use the example above as a model for the checks you need to write. You can complete the steps in any order you like as long as you sign last and the finished product isn’t missing any vital information. In this example, you’ll move from the top of a check to the bottom, which should help you avoid skipping any steps....

Sincerely, Starting Out in NYC Dear Starting Out, Congratulations on getting your first credit card! A credit card is a great tool to help you build a strong credit score, and with a variety of perks and benefits, it can also help you get cash back on purchases or points to spend on travel. I’ll start with the easiest question to answer here: which card do you choose? As you mentioned, there are tons of options out there, but that doesn’t mean every card is the right one for you....

Leverage and options in futures further aggravate the volatility of results. “Leverage” is using borrowed money to trade. “Options” means exercising your right at any time before the period expires. Ultimately, commodities are traded by those who know what to look for and are skilled in calling and putting; in other words, buying and selling at specific prices. A greater opportunity for profits always comes with a higher potential for loss (risk)....

Industry and sector ETFs track a specific industry or sector index. For example, an ETF designed to track the S&P 500 Health Care index would be expected to perform similarly to that specific index. What Are Industry ETFs? An industry ETF tracks an industry index. The goal of the ETF is to mimic the performance of the correlating industry index, but not outperform it. An Industry ETF usually consists of the same securities as the correlating index....

There are a few concepts to understand about internet marketing before getting started. Learn how to use social media and email marketing, understand how SEO works, and see how to set goals for your business. What Is Internet Marketing? Internet marketing allows businesses to reach their customers through various online channels such as social media, emails, and websites, using different types of content such as text, images, graphics, and videos....

Other rules related to income can also be implemented when necessary. Only One Taxpayer Can Claim the Same Dependent Only one taxpayer can claim each dependent, and this rule can complicate the issue for couples who don’t file a joint return. This rule can affect those who might be divorced or those who have never married their child’s other parent. IRS rules prohibit parents from effectively “splitting” a dependent. Only one of them can claim a child as a dependent per year....

However, employers cannot use your age to discriminate against you. Further, some state laws prohibit questions about age. Therefore, while you might be asked your age on a job application, you should generally not be getting questions about your age during the job interview. Learn more about when employers can ask for your date of birth, what to do if you think you are discriminated against, and how to respond to questions about your age and other subjects....

However, how safe is it to file your tax returns online? Learn about the security measures used to protect your information and the benefits of filing online. Is It Safe To File Your Tax Returns Online? The short answer is yes, filing online is very safe for submitting your tax returns. The chances are extremely remote that your income tax data could be stolen while you file online. Filing online is more secure than mailing a tax return via snail mail because the data in an online tax return is specially encrypted for extra security....