@H001 "NEW" SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Includes summary of signifi- cant law/tax changes, in ad- dition to program enhance- ments since the last quart- erly update release of the SMALL BUSINESS ADVISOR, plus improvements now in process. @H002 The "DATA" selection: Used to allow you to enter data about your business, or planned-for business. The program refers to this base information when performing certain analytical functions. You may also use this menu selection to change the data previously entered. @H003 "INDX" selection allows you to scan thru the alphabetical topical index to locate a key word that describes the topic you wish to explore, such as FICA TAX. When you have found the topic you want, press the key to view relevant information on that subject.. @H004 "KEY" MENU SELECTION The "KEY" selection lets you enter a key word or words, regarding a subject on which you want information. A quick search of an extensive index will be made for the approp- riate text files, which the program will display for you. @H005 Select the "TAXES" Submenu to perform "quick and dirty" tax calculations. It includes current personal income tax & corporate income taxes. Also, you may compute estate taxes (federal) on taxable estates of varying sizes, utilizing different assumptions. @H006 "TEST" MENU SELECTION This selection will give you a brief self-test under which your answers to a series of multiple-choice questions are evaluated to give some sense of whether you're well-suited to attempt to become a small business owner/entrepreneur. @H007 "SCRN" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 This menu selection lets you choose any of a wide range of color and texture combina- tions for the title bar and background of the Main Menu. (If you have a COLOR monitor, Press now to select.) @H008 "USER" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Press now if you wish to page through the "On-Disk User Manual" for general help regarding the use of the pro- gram. If you have the PRINT/ SAVE utility, you can print out any or all of the manual. @H009 "XPERT" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Press now to consult with the "Expert" in question and answer style, regarding a number of complex questions, such as whether or not to in- corporate, whether to deduct home office expense, etc.... @H010 "MONY" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 This menu selection (which is about MONEY) will provide you with information on the sub- ject of obtaining financing for your small business. @H011 "ENTY" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 This menu selection offers a wealth of information to help you decide on which kind of legal form or entity you will choose for your business. Key words are highlighted for in- stant cross-referencing.... @H012 "PLAN" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 This menu selection lets you review and create, and, if desired, print out a short written business plan for the business you are starting up. You may save this worksheet on disk for later revisions. @H013 "MARK" MENU SELECTION This menu item allows you to review and create, and, if you desire, print out a work- sheet on the marketing feasi- bility for your product. You may save the worksheet that you created on disk for later revisions, when convenient... @H014 "HIRE" MENU SELECTION This menu item will allow you to review and create, and, if you desire, print out a work- sheet on personnel policies that you will adopt for your business. You may save the worksheet that you created on disk for subsequent revision. @H015 The "BUY" menu selection will provide you with textual information and advice on how to go about buying a business that already exists, as well as pros and cons of starting starting a new business from scratch vs. buying an exist- ing business operation. @H016 "TRAP" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 This menu selection will give you a list and discussion of a number of the more common traps and pitfalls which you need to beware of if you pur- chase an existing business... @H017 "FRAN" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Choosing this menu item will provide you with some of the pros and cons of getting into a franchise operation, along with questions you should ask yourself and the franchising company before doing so. @H018 "NEG" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� This menu option offers you practical advice on negotiat- ing the acquisition of an ex- isting business, including an allocation for tax purposes, non-competition covenants and other useful tips. @H019 "CLOS" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Discusses various legal & tax matters you need to consider before and after closing the purchase of an existing busi- ness, to protect yourself for tax and liability purposes. @H020 "INTX" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Provides you various inform- ation on income tax require- ments for the various types of legal entities & regarding estimated income tax for such entities. (Federal and state) @H021 "WITH" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 This menu selection reviews requirements for withholding income tax from the wages of your employees--Forms, dead- lines for depositing the tax, registering as an employer, etc.... @H022 "FICA" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Use this selection to review basic information regarding FICA (Social Security) Taxes, including current tax rates, withholding requirements, and possible strategies for cut- ing your FICA tax liability. @H023 "UNEM" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Gives you basic requirements for federal (FUTA) and state unemployment tax filings, tax rates, etc., plus some advice on how to keep down your tax rate under state law.... @H024 "S/E" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Describes basic tax rules for calculating, paying, & avoid- ing (if possible) the federal tax on self-employment income @H025 "EXC" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Provides you with summary of the main federal excise taxes that most small and medium- sized businesses need to know about.... @H026 "SALE" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Gives general information on sales and use taxes that may apply to your business, de- pending on the nature of your business and the states where you operate.... @H027 "PROP" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Provides general information regarding state & local real and personal property taxes, as applicable to businesses, and regarding tax to be with- held when buying real estate from non-U.S. persons. @H028 "INFO" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Provides helpful information regarding Forms 1099 and sim- ilar tax information returns commonly required to be filed by businesses. @H029 "LIC" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Describes federal, state and local licensing requirements that may be applicable to you or your business, occupation, or profession.... @H030 "NAME" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Provides you with information on legal & practical aspects of choosing a trade name, the need to register a fictitious or assumed name, and benefits of obtaining protection for trademarks or trade names. @H031 "COMP" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Provides background informa- tion on legal requirements of Worker's Compensation laws in most of the major states, and the need for employers to ob- tain such insurance coverage. @H032 "WAGE" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 This menu selection provides you with information on wage and hour laws, including the minimum wage requirement, the need to pay overtime in cer- tain situations, and restric- tions on hiring child labor. @H033 "OSHA" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Offers information on health and safety regulations of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration as they affect typical small businesses..... @H034 "EBP" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Provides discussion of legal requirements under ERISA that apply to almost all employee benefit plans, including the rules regarding reporting and disclosure.... @H035 "FAIR" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Provides guidance with regard to anti-discrimination laws, which apply to all but very small employers.... @H036 "IMMI" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Tells you about procedures to follow when hiring ANY em- ployee, under the Immigration Reform and Control Act, which went into effect in 1986, and which prohibits the hiring of illegal aliens.... @H037 "SEC" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Offers guidelines to a small business that wishes to avoid legal liability when issuing stock or securities in a new corporation, under the secur- ities laws and regulations. @H038 "EPA" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Provides general advice about possible exposure to environ- mental cleanup liability, EPA air quality operating permits and other federal environmen- tal laws and regulations. @H039 "LEASE" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Offers a checklist of things that you need to consider be- fore entering into a business lease agreement.... @H040 "ACQ" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� This menu selection gives you a checklist of key items that you need to consider when you acquire an existing business. @H041 "EVAL" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Provides a checklist for the evaluation of a franchise op- portunity. @H042 "START" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� This menu selection gives you a business startup checklist, tailored to your particular situation based on the infor- mation you entered previous- ly using the "DATA" command. @H043 "CTRL" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Provides an internal controls checklist to help you deter- mine if your small business's internal financial controls are adequate to reduce risks of employee fraud, etc. @H044 "FLOW" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Provides a checklist of ways to control and maximize your business's cash flow, and why adequate cash flow management is crucial to the success of most businesses. @H045 "INDEP" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Checklist of factors IRS uses in determining whether a wor- ker will be considered an in- dependent contractor or will be treated as an employee for FICA and w/h tax purposes. @H046 "DISAB" MENU SELECTION 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Checklist that should always be filled out by an employer, when making decision whether or not to hire a person with a disability, under the Amer- icans with Disabilities Act. @BEGIN 01 View summary of recent law changes included in this quarterly revision of SBA 02 Enter DATA by answering questions about your business, for startup checklist 03 Select the INDX command to scan thru a subject matter index & select a topic 04 Enter one or more KEY words and the program will search for relevant info 05 Do tax planning calculations: Estate TAXES, individual or corp. income tax 06 Hit now to give your self a TEST of your entrepreneurial abilities 07 Press key to change the color and/or texture of the menu screen 08 Load USER's Manual from disk to see info on the program, or to print manual 09 Use program's eXPERT systems features for consulting help on complex subjects 10 The MONY selection provides general information on sources of financing 11 Pros & cons of incorporating, partnerships, etc. (With hypertext feature) 12 Follow the outline for writing your own business PLAN, then print out or save 13 MARKeting feasibility worksheet, ready for you to fill in and print out 14 Personnel policy checklist and worksheet, ready for you to fill in and print 15 Tips and suggestions for BUYing an existing business, vs. starting a new one 16 Common TRAPs and pitfalls to avoid if you buy an existing business 17 Advantages and disadvantages of FRANchises; and franchise evaluation checklist 18 Suggestions for successfully NEGotiating the purchase of a business 19 Checklist of items you need to be aware of when CLOSing a business purchase 20 Income tax basics--Personal/corporate tax rates, Fed. and @STATE 21 Summary of income tax WITHholding and tax deposit requirements 22 Basic information on FICA (Social Security) tax rates and withholding 23 Summary of FUTA (Federal UNEMployment Tax Act) provisions and tax rates 24 Explanation of the Federal self-employment tax law and current tax rates 25 General summary of Federal EXCise taxes and typical state excise taxes 26 Information on state SALEs taxes, with emphasis on @STATE 27 General summary of PROPerty taxes in @STATE 28 Guidance to Federal tax INFOrmation return compliance regulations 29 Summary of Federal and state LICensing requirements for businesses 30 Advantages/requirements for registering your business NAME or trademarks 31 Information on Workers' COMPensation law requirements in @STATE 32 Basic requirements of minimum WAGE, overtime pay, and child labor laws 33 Federal Occupational Safety & Health Act regulations affecting most employers 34 Summary of ERISA reporting and disclosure rules for employee benefit plans 35 Legal prohibitions on discrimination in employment practices 36 Federal IMMIgration law requirements that apply when you hire any employees 37 Guidelines for avoiding civil or criminal liability when issuing SECurities 38 Federal air quality, Superfund, and other environmental laws & EPA regulations 39 Checklist of items to consider before you sign a business LEASE of real estate 40 Checklist of considerations for ACQuiring an existing business 41 Checklist for EVALuating a franchise business opportunity 42 Hit to view a customized new business STARTup checklist for your firm 43 Checklist of basic rules for establishing adequate internal financial controls 44 Checklist of ideas for maximizing your business's cash FLOW 45 Checklist of factors for determining if a worker is an INDEPendent contractor 46 Employer ADA checklist (use when interviewing job applicant with a DISABility)