Dear Dick I file my taxes on time by April 15. Then, in no time, I get a tax notice from the IRS. Some years, I get several tax notices from the IRS These IRS tax notices are really stressful to deal with. First, it’s hard to understand what the IRS wants. The writing is technical. The paragraphs list tons of numbers and calculations of tax deficiencies, big penalties, and interest charges they say I owe. The IRS tax letters […]
Dear Dick Massachusetts is one of the 46 states in the US that has legalized marijuana. So, I decided to petition my City of Cambridge to open a medical marijuana dispensary. Medical marijuana can effectively treat pain, headache, muscle spasms, eye disease, and many other medical problems. I received a good deal of support locally and from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in forming my cannabis business. That is, until I heard that the federal government still has not legalized marijuana. […]
Dear Dick I am a journeyman finish carpenter. I spent the whole week sorting through my lumber supply invoices and pay records for my construction helper. But….I am relieved. I managed to file my income tax returns by the April 15 tax deadline this year. At the same time, I am worried that the IRS is going to audit me again. I’m being audited for last year. When I went to my mailbox, I noticed a thick letter with the […]
Dear Dick I’ve been happily working at my current job. I’m an electrician. I love my co-workers. I look forward to coming to work every day. The employee benefits are good, particularly, the health care coverage for me and my family. Everything is fine. That is, until 5 pm last Friday. My supervisor called me into the conference room. I lost my job along with 20 other employees. The company needed to cut costs to remain profitable. Since then, […]
February 11th was International Day of Women and Girls in Science. It reminded me that the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are currently the fastest growing segment of the economy with employers desperately seeking talent— and that talent includes women! When I received a job offer from the IBM Corporation as a Scientific Programmer, l was thrilled. So, I accepted without reservation. At that time, I was in graduate school studying mathematics with a focus on analytics […]
The most recent Federal job market report showed a strong economy rebuilding itself in spite of Covid waves. Employers added nearly half a million jobs in January 2022. Even more surprising to many, the restaurant and hotel industry has started adding jobs. President Biden noted, with the usual flair seen from Chief Executives, “America’s job machine is going stronger than ever.” What does this mean? We can certainly be comforted by numbers by the definitive objectivity of numbers, but there’s […]
“It’s hard enough to run a restaurant,” Clark said. “Any loss through criminal activity is even more demoralizing.”
The Comcast RISE program has recently expanded its eligibility scope to include all women-owned businesses across the country, regardless of ethnicity. Comcast RISE, a program that provides small businesses support in the form of consulting, media production, technology and financial awards, will be kicking off 2022 with a broader view of inclusion.
Many people in the U.S. primarily know of Wagyu beef as an expensive cut originating in Japan. They may also believe some of the myths about Wagyu, such as that the cows must be fed beer or sake, and get regular massages. Although that might happen in some isolated cases, there are actually no regulations that mandate such matters. The vast majority of Wagyu cows are simply specific breeds with unique fat networks that create the rich, smooth flavor we associate […]
Mayor Kim Janey announced on August 10 that she had proposed a $50 million emergency relief plan “to support an equitable recovery and reopening for Boston residents, workers and small businesses, using funding the City of Boston has received from the federal government following the passage of the American Rescue Plan (ARP),” according to a press release from the City of Boston. Boston is expecting to receive Over $500 million through ARP through the end of 2024. While many Chinatown […]
