@065 CHAP 10

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           ³    TELEPHONE HELP LINES YOU CAN USE:    ³
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TELEPHONE HOTLINES.  The SBA and several other government
agencies maintain toll-free telephone "hotline" information
services to assist businesses and taxpayers.  Some of the
more important ones to know about are the following:

    . SBA Answer Desk: 1-800/827-5722 (or 1-800-UASK-SBA)

      This is the toll-free number of a new small business
      information and referral service offered by the SBA,
      which you can call from anywhere in the continental
      United States, except Washington, D.C.  In the
      District of Columbia, call 653-7561.

      This telephone Answer Desk is staffed from 8:30 a.m.
      to 6:00 p.m. Eastern time by experts from the SBA's
      Office of Advocacy, who will handle your questions
      regarding problems connected with your firm and the
      government.  (The persons on this Answer Desk have
      advised the author of this program that they have on
      hand a complete set of the STARTING & OPERATING A
      BUSINESS IN ...(STATE)... series of books (also by
      this author) for all 50 states and D.C., which they
      use as the primary reference for fielding incoming
      questions.)

    . SBA On-Line:  The SBA has set up its first electronic
      bulletin board system, called SBA On-Line, to help
      distribute information about its services and publi-
      cations.  There is no charge for this service.  You
      can browse through various files remotely or download
      them, for free, to your computer.  Even the phone
      lines for this BBS are toll-free.  To log on, dial:

             . 1-800-859-INFO (2400 baud service); or

             . 1-800-697-INFO (for 9600 baud service).

    . Small Business Hotline: 1-800/424-5201

      This toll-free line is a specialized free service
      offered by the Export-Import Bank to small exporters
      needing general information or problem-solving assis-
      tance relating to doing business abroad.  It provides
      information on export credit and on assistance avail-
      able from other government agencies and the private
      sector.

    . Interagency Trade Information Center:  1-800/USA-TRADE

      (For general information on exporting, provided by
      various U.S. government agencies.)  Or, for informa-
      tion on doing business in the "unified" European
      Market after 1992, call for written information and
      a quarterly newsletter, from the Department of
      Commerce's Single Internal Market:  1992 Information
      Service, at 1-202/377-5276.  Or call the European
      Community Center's Washington, D.C. office, at
      1-202/862-9500.

      NOTE:  For information on taxes and other aspects of
      doing business in various foreign countries, the ac-
      counting firm of Ernst & Young publishes a series of
      booklets for each of a large number of countries.
      To obtain one of these country guides, call or write
      the Ernst & Young office near you.  (Ernst & Young
      offices are located in most major cities and in al-
      most every state.)


    . EPA Small Business Ombudsman: 1-800/368-5888 (or, if
      busy, try 1-703/305-5938)

      Like certain Scandinavian countries, the Environmen-
      tal Protection Agency now has a "Small Business
      Ombudsman" to give easier access to the EPA, help
      you comply with EPA regulations, and make sure you
      are fairly treated in any disputes with the EPA.

    . Internal Revenue Service National Toll-Free Line:
      1-800/TAX-FORM

      Use this number (1-800/829-3676) to obtain IRS tax
      forms, publications, etc.  The IRS also puts on free
      small business workshops nationwide.  To call for a
      reservation, use the IRS national toll-free number.

    . Americans with Disabilities Act information:  For in-
      formation on ADA, call the U.S. Justice Department's
      information line:  1-202/514-0301

    . Social Security Administration: 1-800/772-1213

      If you want to find out what records the Social
      Security Administration (SSA) has of your earnings
      and your projected benefits at retirement age, you
      can file a simple form requesting a detailed print-
      out of this information (and hopefully find they
      haven't lost your files).  This is something every-
      one should do once every few years, since, if the
      SSA has made a serious mistake in your earnings
      record, you have only a limited number of years in
      which you can contact them and have your record
      corrected.

      To obtain the request form, call the above toll-free
      number.  Or, if you prefer, you can write the SSA for
      this form at:

                      Consumer Information Center
                      Department 72
                      Pueblo, Colorado 81009


@CODE: CA
    . California Franchise Tax Board Information Center
      Phone Numbers:

      In California, call (toll-free):

      . From Area Codes 209, 408, 415, 707, and 916:
        1-800/852-7050
      . From elsewhere:   1-800/852-5711

      From outside of California call: 1-800/852-5711

@CODE:EN
@CODE: HI
    . Hawaii Business Action Center (One-stop center for
      all state permits at 1130 N. Nimitz Hwy., Suite
      A-254, in Honolulu)

      From Oahu, call:   1-808/586-2545
      Neighbor Islands Toll Free Number:  1-800/225-6723

    . Hawaii Small Business Information Service
      (Honolulu):  1-808/586-2600
      Neighbor Islands Toll Free Number:  1-800/541-3289

@CODE:EN
@CODE: LS

    . @STATE provides a toll-free number for loyal
      citizens to use to inform on each other to Big
      Brother: 1-800/YOU-FINK.

@CODE:EN