Small Business Finance Blog

Financial tips and hacks for small business owners

You are here: Home / Blog

Could Walmart Transform Small-Business Health Insurance?

By

Walmart may soon launch a private health insurance exchange for small businesses, which could lower premiums significantly. The federal government isn’t the only player in town when it comes to rethinking health care—Walmart is considering the launch of a private health insurance exchange for small businesses. These exchanges aren’t new; several Fortune 500 companies currently operate them for their employees. Private exchanges operate for the benefit of the employees of the sponsoring … [Read more...]

Exit Planning: Who Says the End Has to Be Bitter?

By

Do you have an Exit Planning for the five Ds: disagreement, deadlock, default, divorce and death? Many small-business owners fail to plan for the five Ds as attorney Michael Burstein describes them: disagreement, deadlock, default, divorce and death. When a business is successful, owners commonly postpone dealing with potentially difficult and uncomfortable situations. But failing to plan can have dire consequences, from the destruction of the business to your heirs being cheated of their … [Read more...]

Small-Business Employee Pay Stays Flat

By

Employees at small businesses can no longer count on automatic raises in base pay. Small-Business Employee Pay Stays Flat. More money only comes for performance that goes above and beyond. The Great Recession has left deep scars in the minds of many business owners, leading them to hold back on employee compensation even as conditions improve. According to several leading payroll processors that specialize in small businesses, employee pay has stayed virtually flat year over year, in contrast … [Read more...]

Small-Business Owner’s Surprising Reaction To more taxes

By

Small-business owner Jed Horovitz questions the belief that more taxes lead to less investment. During the fiscal cliff debate, a key point of contention was the impact that higher income tax rates would have on small-business owners. The argument presented was that higher taxes leave less money available for investment, which in turn leads to lower growth, yielding smaller profits and less income to tax. More taxes, especially on small businesses, would therefore hurt everyone … [Read more...]

Amazon and eBay Looking to Dominate Industrial Sector

By

Leading online retailers are now targeting the B2B procurement space. Are there risks for small-business owners buying supplies from Amazon and eBay? In the span of about 15 years, online retail sales have grown from a tiny niche to more than $200 billion in revenues. Companies like Amazon and eBay are now looking for the next sector to dominate, and it seems business purchases may be their target. Moving beyond books and electronics, they're starting to distribute machine parts, industrial … [Read more...]

Banks Reach $8.5 Billion Settlement Over Foreclosure Abuse

By

The major banks' Settlement Over Foreclosure Abuse with federal regulators over improper foreclosure tactics and failed mortgage modifications points to some relief for small-business owners. The housing crisis has taken another baby step toward resolution with the announcement of a settlement agreement between 10 leading banks and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which oversees banking in the U.S. The settlement agreement, valued at $8.5 billion, resolves complaints regarding … [Read more...]

Small-Business increases on health insurance rates

By

California small-business owners are getting hit with double-digit increases on health insurance rates, as state regulators deal with a loophole in the Affordable Care Act. Small-business owners in California are caught in the middle of a battle between the state’s insurance commissioner and leading companies insurance such as Anthem Blue and Aetna. The companies announced significant small-business premium increases, up to 17.4 percent, for 2013. Insurance commissioner Dave Jones believes … [Read more...]

Bond King Shares 4 Main Risks to U.S. Economy

By

Finance expert Mike Periu on the primary concerns Bill Gross, top U.S. investor and co-founder of PIMCO, has about the Risks to U.S. Economy. Bond king Bill Gross, a self-made billionaire, is one of the most successful investors in the U.S. He co-founded the Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO) which manages nearly $2 trillion in assets. Gross has concerns about the long-term health of the U.S. economy. His four main concerns are: Debt: The world’s developed countries, including … [Read more...]

New Law Helps Small Businesses Win More Government Contracts

By

President Obama recently signed into law new provisions to increase the percentage of federal dollars spent with small businesses with Government Contracts. 2012 was the eleventh year in a row that the federal government missed its small-business procurement goal. Federal agencies are tasked with spending at least 23 percent of their budgets with small businesses but consistently miss this mark. Last week, President Obama signed into law a series of provisions meant to address this problem. … [Read more...]

Why Aren’t Small Businesses Applying for Hurricane Sandy Assistance?

By

Small businesses affected by Hurricane Sandy aren't taking advantage of numerous Hurricane Sandy Assistance programs at the federal, state and local levels. Several months after Hurricane Sandy devastated many parts of the Northeast, many eligible small businesses have failed to take advantage of the numerous assistance programs made available by federal, state and local agencies. Many businesses that have applied are facing delays because documents containing important information were lost as … [Read more...]