It’s not news that the U.S. is cracking down on illegal immigrants, though there is constant debate on how that should actually be done. It’s a focal issue among presidential candidates, and many people have a set opinion as to how this matter should be dealt with.

And it leaves very few people unaffected, especially business owners. In fact, the newest regulations have caused some new confusion. First, in August the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the implementation of a new “no-match” letter program, which would be a formal letter informing an employer that the social security number provided for an employee does not match that employee’s name. In October, the Northern District Court of California put this new program on hold, but in November the court suspended the injunction, giving DHS until March of 2008 to rework the program.

Continue reading : Immigration Laws Proving Difficult for Business Owners »

Port of Los Angeles

On November 6th 2007, President Bush proposed new safety measures to insure that items imported into the United States meet safety standards. This step is resulting from the increased number of recalls in the past couple of years, specifically items such as toothpaste, dog food and toys produced overseas.

Bush proposes that the following improvements be made:

• Giving the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to order mandatory recalls of unsafe products. As it stands now, the FDA can only encourage companies to voluntarily recall unsafe items, but have no way of enforcing a recall if the company refuses to do so.

• An increase in the presence of U.S. inspectors from Customs, Border Patrol the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and other agencies in countries that are major exporters to the U.S.

• A certification program (“seal of approval”) for companies that meet safety standards on a proven and regular basis. This change is expected to help encourage retailers to use businesses with the certification, and help discern those companies that are not meeting safety standards often enough.

Continue reading : New Safety Measures for Imports on the Horizon »

Truth is, most of us don’t want to EVER consider bankruptcy as an option to get out of debt looming over our heads, especially when it comes to our goal for a successful business. Filing bankruptcy, in the eyes of most, is like admitting defeat at our dreams, and no one wants to do that.

Unfortunately, however, there are often circumstances beyond our control, such as unexpected medical problems, which force us into a financial corner that, no matter how we try, we just can’t seem to get out of. If you’re in that corner, and haven’t consider bankruptcy as an option yet, maybe you should.

Consider the following to determine whether bankruptcy may be your only way out:

Map Out a Payment Timeline
Determine your personal average monthly income, and list your personal expenses (such as groceries, mortgage, etc.). Next, list your businesses monthly income and business expenses (utilities, supplies, payroll, etc.). Determine what you have left each month after expenses. No, list your debts, including monthly interest, and find a total.

Continue reading : When to Consider Bankruptcy as an Option »