Tea Party Taxes

The Tea Party has been the root of the biggest turnover for the last 72 years. And I guess this group won’t be going anywhere for a while.  It’s amazing how this group lasted all those years, this just proves that America doesn’t want to go though progressive socialism yet. They’re not ready, and they think that socialism is not going to lead us anywhere.  They see socialism as regressive and the history proves it.tea party

There is a history behind the name of Tea Party. It was from the Townsend Act, the cause of the revolutionary war and the beginning of the well known United States of America. I was able to have a discussion about Tea Party with a New Yorker lately. He is pro Tea Party and he wants lesser taxes. Good thing when the topic is about taxes, I was able to share at least a few things.

I have been around and I have observed a lot of waste from the government. It’s absolutely astounding to see the waste. I agreed with him when he said lesser taxes. I live in California and I believe New York is not very different with the monetary challenges that California is going through. New York may not be suffering as much as California but they are having a hard time solving the problem as well. Paterson just dismissed another 898 state workers. I think he intended to keep it below 900 so it’ll sound less depressing?

Well, I guess federal income tax will continue to increase and further give us a burden as bureaucracy grows as well.  There is an enormous pension obligation and I don’t know if it is even possible to fulfill those promises. “Read My Lips or Read My Tea Leaves – No to Taxes!” I guess that would be the latest cry of the new members of the Tea Party. Honestly, I don’t have any complain on what they’re doing. They have all the right in the world to voice out what they believe in and ask for a change.  I hope that this matter will be taken into account.

If you want to see how these taxes affect your real salary, check out the Salary Calculator

Salary Negotiation Tips

salary negotiationNegotiation is in fact a skill a lot of people are not aware of, until the time arrives wherein they badly need it. When negotiating, it is important to make sure that it is a win-win situation. There must be something in it for the advantage of both parties. It won’t be a successful negotiation if you won’t offer anything in exchange for the benefits the other party may give you. This scenario is very similar with salary negotiations. To be able to earn the salary that you deserve, you must show the company your capabilities. If you want to know the art of salary negotiation, then read on and get the pay raise that you’re worthy of.

The most important factor in the art of negotiation is communication. Through communication you will be able to inform the company about your past work experiences which may imply the salary you deserve. This must also come with the specifications of what you can provide to the company to be worthy of that amount of salary. Communication also involves conveying your messages clearly to your listener and being a good listener as well to understand the situation. You need to keep this in mind when applying for a job or asking for a raise.

Another step in the art of negotiation is being prepared. You cannot just estimate the salary you deserve from out of nowhere. You have to research about this first. Know how much is the appropriate amount of salary you must be paid for your position and your work experiences. Make a list of all the achievements you had during the past years. Show them what you got; it will be like marketing yourself to the employer. You are the product and you have to let them know that you are worth the price and they need you in their company.

Asking for a raise may not be done anytime you want to, and many people make salary negotiation mistakes. You have to work hard for you to earn the salary that you want. You won’t be receiving any raise if you are performing poorly at your work. Salaries rely on the work that you provide to the company. Be responsible and earn the right to ask for a raise.

You have to know what you want and express it with confidence to earn the raise that you want. Make sure that you deserve the salary that you’re asking for and that the company sees the efforts that you’ve been doing for the company. Remember that confidence and aggressiveness are two different things. Cross the line and you’ll surely lose the opportunity.

Negotiation skills are also useful not only at work, but also in the everyday life. You might be negotiating already and you don’t even know it. Just remember the important factors of negotiation skills and you’ll surely be successful in getting the salary that you deserve.

Obama’s Economic Plans & You

obama economics

President Barack Obama has clearly left a mark on history when he won the presidential elections. Eyes are now turned to President Obama as people wonder about his economic plan and what the country would soon face under his regime. How will he take action on the current situation particularly on increasing job opportunities and restoring America’s sinking economy?  Will he take the same path Bush had gone through or will he choose a different way?

A lot of challenging jobs are awaiting our future leaders. Heidi Shierholz who is an economist at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., stated that America had a devastating decrease of employment during the first 10 months of 2008 by 1.2 million. The situation got worse as the paychecks were adjusted and dropped to 2.5 percent.

Experts say that it is too early to judge the administration of President Obama, but others believe America is ready to resolve the complications that it’s going through. People say that there will be long-term and short-term solutions included in Obama’s economic plan that will handle the situation. There are others though, that believes Obama’s solutions cannot remove but will only reduce the effect of the unavoidable obstacles that America is yet to go through.

I believe modifying policies particularly research and development subsidies, education grants and worker-retaining funds will improve the country in the long run. Education is one of the economic policies that is worthy of the government’s attention. If workers have enough knowledge and training on in-demand jobs, this would come with up to three decades of gains to America.

Obama’s economic plans contain short term income enhancers. The president has included development of unemployment insurance, support in state budgets and improvement of job opportunities to the people of America. $150 billion is invested in clean energy for 10 years to increase jobs by 5 million.

Motivating business people to invest is not very advisable nowadays.  This would greatly affect the number of jobs that can be available to people.  The pains of the credit crisis that the businesses are caught up with are also felt by their employees. It would be better to keep a limit on federal tax rates and not to make any modification on business policies because it would only worsen the situation.

To top it all off, experts believe that Obama’s economic plan should not limit to physical policies alone. America is in desperate need of hope and inspiration to go through these devastating moments. Giving $500 to every employee is not a very wise move to motivate them to work. The people need great leaders that would serve as role models and would stimulate the people to aspire and reach their goals.

Don’t forget to try the salary calculator if you need help figuring out how much you really make with the new tax brackets.

Alternatives To Asking For More Money

We all know that in a rough economic market, it’s tough to ask for more money, but you do have options. Receiving additional benefits doesn’t always have to be cash, and in some cases it can be an even better alternative. We’ve put together a quick list of possible benefits that you can request if you feel like you deserve the extra compensation, but know the employer isn’t able to actually give you a standard raise.

More Vacation Time – This is probably the first one people think of, and it’s a great substitute. Depending on how vital you are to the day-to-day operations of a business, this one could be extremely viable. This doesn’t have to be a bad deal for the business either. The work can build up while you’re gone and can be finished when you return with little effect on the bottom line.

Health Benefits – This isn’t probably what you’re thinking. Most people think this refers to health insurance, but really it’s more of a “lifestyle” benefit. Whether it’s a gym membership, healthier food at work, or a yoga class at the workplace, this is another bargaining chip that can work for both sides. A healthier, more energetic work force is music to an employers ears so this is one of the easiest perks to ask for if you feel like improving your health on your companies dime.

Schedule Flexibility – Being flexible on your schedule doesn’t necessarily mean that you’d work less hours. Maybe there is a time of day, or a day out of the work that you’d rather do your work and haven’t thought to ask. This is largely dependent on your industry and job environment, but for some people there just isn’t a reason why they have to come in early in the morning or leave later at night than they’d like.

Paid Training – Want to earn more money? Get more training or licenses and be qualified to capitalize on things that you may not be monetizing right now. Asking for your employer to pay for additional training is by far the easiest item on this list to request. Employers will very rarely refuse, and it’s nice to show them that you are a driven and focused employee. We highly recommend this option at any time, even if you’ve recently gotten a raise or asked for something else on this list.

Salary Negotiation Mistakes

Pay Raise

Bringing up a contract negotiation can make the most fearless people sweat. While most people have to broach the subject at some point, they also make a good number of mistakes.

One way to make things a little easier is to make sure the new deal works for both sides. The employer and employee should feel good about the situation at the end of the day as to avoid fighting and awkwardness later on. We will try to explain some pitfalls you can try to avoid when going in for a contract negotiation.

#1 – Not Being Prepared

A lot of people go into a bosses office asking for a raise without knowing what they want, and what they are worth. This is the biggest mistake you can make during a negotiation. If you know what you are worth, the employer will see your confidence and understand that if he or she doesn’t give you the raise, you may be smart enough to move elsewhere. Do a lot of research and if you are being underpaid, GET THAT RAISE!

You will also want to practice your talking points before speaking with the boss. Rehearse like you would for an acting part. This may sound silly, but it could make you a lot of money in the end.

#2 – Factor In Everything

When picking a job, or deciding whether to take another job, you really have to look at a lot of factors. Make sure to think about the cost of living, the commute, benefits, and the work environment. Those probably seem obvious, but a lot of people get caught up on the dollar amount. Often times the lower paying job could be the best option either for your wallet or your happiness.

#3 – Be Decisive

Don’t drag things out. When you have to make a decision, make sure you make it quickly. First of all it can put off the employer if you do take the job, and if you don’t take it, it may put them in a bad position. We aren’t advising to rush a decision, but you should be prepared when you go in, and know the terms you want. If they can’t reach it, don’t be afraid to turn them down on the spot.

These are just a couple of tips I have come across that have been helpful in my own life so hopefully they can help you as well. In future articles we will cover these steps in more detail.

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