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On this Veterans' Day, it is appropriate to a take few minutes and consider the great things the men and women of the Armed Forces have done for us. Veterans have protected us and our freedoms, and all too often they do not get proper recognition and thanks. This can be especially true for disabled veterans.

Franchise business opportunity for veterans

One of the great programs that has been brought to my attention recently is franchise program offered by Little Caesar's Pizza. The program is designed to help veterans -- especially disabled veterans -- start their own businesses. The Department of Labor reports that only 82 percent of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan with disabilities are seeking jobs or have jobs. This is compared with the 91 percent of veterans without a disability.

In this time of economic trouble, it is good to know that there are programs that can help veterans get back on their feet and make the often-difficult transition to civilian life. Here is what a press release says about the program:

The Little Caesars Veterans Program was created by Mike [Ilitch] to thank military men and women for their patriotism and the sacrifices they and their families have made for our country. The program offers qualified honorably discharged, service-disabled veterans a substantial benefit of up to $68,000 and a $10,000 benefit for all honorably discharged non-service-disabled veterans towards the start-up costs of opening their own franchises.

So, thank a veteran this Veterans' Day. And consider doing what you can to help those that have given so much to help us.

Yesterday, we had a look at some of the psychological advantages of having a separate home business workspace. But there are more than just psychological advantages. There are also very real financial advantages to keeping your home office separate from the rest of your home.

Financial advantages of a home office

When you have a separate home office, you have specific tax advantages. My home office is in its own room. Because of that, we can figure out how much each of the following can be deducted from our taxes:

* Portion of the mortgage payment.
* Portion of utilities.
* Depreciation for computer.
* Depreciation on the printer/fax
* Monthly Internet usage

It is important to note, however, that in order for you to take advantage of a separate home office space, you need to keep things strictly business. For example, half of my home office is taken up by storage. So I actually measure the 5 x 7 area that counts as my actually home office space (rather than the entire 10 x 14 room) and take that square footage as a percentage of the home.

Also, we bought my computer specifically for use in the home office. My husband doesn't use it for anything. He has his own laptop for his needs. Our Internet usage is determined by the fact that 85% of the time the Internet is used at home, it is for my business.

You can see how keeping business separate from home life, you can reap certain financial rewards.

You've probably heard plenty of times how important it is to have a separate home business workspace. And it is important. Indeed, Amy Fontinelle at Investopedia points out that there are two main category advantages to having a separate home business workspace:

1. Psychological
2. Financial

Psychological advantages of a home office

The psychological advantages of a home office that is clearly designated as such draws a clear line between your work life and your family/home life. Sometimes you have to know when to quit. When you have a home office, it is easier to leave that work behind. Sometimes I even shut the home office door so that I am not tempted to head back in and do more work.

Another psychological line is one that works on other people. My husband started taking my work from home job much more seriously once I had an office with my own computer. When we could point to a room, and I could outfit it as a home office, the whole thing seemed much more "real" to him. It also helps me with neighbors and relatives to have a place I can call my office.

Tomorrow we will look at the financial advantages of having a separate home business workspace.

"We're trying to develop this community that can get stuff done," Barry Krusch tells me. "It's real world business practice that can also advance the economy." Krusch is one of the founders of the Intelligent Community Initiative. The idea is to connect business people -- and small and home business people could benefit from this a great deal -- with others who can help them find the resources they need.

I really like the idea behind this initiative. It seems like a good way to get things moving right now, as well as provide valubable resources to people who otherwise would not have access to a certain level of expertise in a variety of areas. The Initiative could help you with market research, press releases, software analysis and more.

In an email, Krusch fleshes out some of the benefits of the Intelligent Community Initiative:

Through its Business Incubation and Facilitation Division, the ICI will provide
a network for businesses that are integral to (and support) the community. A
not insignificant benefit to this approach is that more tightly linked businesses
and individuals beholden to their bonds in the community require much less governmental
intervention. The ICI plan radically reduces the need for government regulations
that limit efficiency.

This is a fundamentally different approach to what we have today, enormous banks
using the government taxpayers’ funds at a time when the economy is already depressed.
If we stay married to this paradigm of screwup and bailout, we will become more
dependent on the government instead of more self-sufficient.

Krusch admits that the iniative isn't quite there yet: "We've got this blueprint, and there are people who are contributing and working to build it up."

But, if it's not there yet, I hope it will be. It certainly looks worthwhile.

What do you think? Is this something that would be useful to you?

Around my neighborhood, there is a plethora of home day care and home preschool businesses. At last count, on my way out of the subdivision, I think I saw four. At any rate, this is a very popular home business idea. The idea of home day care is very appealing to many. And if you can handle it, it can be very rewarding.

Over at Home Biz Notes, there is a great series on getting started with home day care as your business. Here is one interesting caution about running a home day care business:

Running a home daycare is much like working outside your home. Just because you are home does not mean you will be able to do laundry or clean your bathroom. You have children to care for and their needs come first.

So, this is an important consideration. If you still think a home day care is the right home business for you, head on over to Home Biz Notes and read the rest of the articles in the series.

When it comes to your home business, it is important to keep business accounts and personal finances separate. This means that you should have a separate account for your business income and expenses and for your personal finances. This means that you will need to add another step to your cash flow. Even if you do not have a business set up (like an LLC), but are using a sole proprietorship, it is a good idea to keep things separate.

Here's how your extra step will work. Instead of depositing your money from your home business income directly into your personal account, you will put it into a separate business account. Then you will write a check from the business account to yourself for deposit into the personal account.

Be warned: Most banks do not allow same-day withdrawal. This means that once you put the money in your business account, you will likely have to wait a day before you can write a check for your personal account. Then, your funds may not be available for another day after that. So, it is important to plan ahead with your cash flow needs.

I read a very interesting post over at WAHM 2.0 on Sparkplugging. It's about whether or not you have time to work from home. The insights come from a single mother with a young teen. She points out that the time she has to run a home business is different from many WAHMs:

The moms who marveled at my accomplishments had very different family situations.  Most were married - and face it - men take time!  Also, most of them had more than one child - or their children were far younger than my young teen, requiring more effort and time overall.

I had to laugh at the "men take time!" line. Don't I know it. If you want to maintain your marriage, you need to devote time to your husband as well as your children. So time becomes a very real consideration when deciding whether the WAHM route is right for you.

Honestly answer these questions as you think about whether or not to begin a home business:

* Right now, before becoming a WAHM, do you have time to do what you need to?

* If you quit an outside job, can your family finances survive while you establish a home business?

* Would having a home business cut into valuable "me" time?

* If you have a husband, would he be supportive of you as a WAHM?

* Are your children to a point where they can take care of themselves to a certain extent? Or do you have the means to hire a little extra help if needed?

Can you think of some other considerations that may affect whether now is the time to become a WAHM?

As a WAHM, I am well aware that sometimes children can be tricky when combined with the whole working from home thing. However, there are 4 things I've found that can make the whole experience much better. Here are my top 4 tips for working at home with children:

1. Have an office. Whether you just partition off the back part of the family room, or whether you have your own room, it is important to have an office. This gets the idea across that you are working when you are in your office, and it creates a space for you that is your home office, rather than a mere part of your home.

2. Figure out a steady work schedule. I have a general work schedule. I work in the mornings. This schedule is pretty regular. This schedule not only keeps me sane, but it also helps my son -- he knows exactly when I'll be working, and when he might need to amuse himself.

3. Take a break to play with your kids. I've found that if I take 20 to 30 minutes to play with my son, he's much happier for the next hour and a half to two hours. Before he gets to the pestering stage, I suggest that we play a game together or go for a walk together. That way he feels loved and attended to, and I have more peace to work with.

4. Train them in phone etiquette. I schedule my calls and interviews. If I need to interview someone, I explain to my son that I will be on the phone, and that he needs to wait until I am off. We shut the office door (which is usually open), and he plays by himself. If he has been very good while I am on the phone, I make sure to praise him.

Do you have any tips for working at home with children?

One of the more popular ways to make money working from home is through affiliate programs. These can be very rewarding -- if you have the time and energy to make them work for you.

There are many affiliate programs that allow you to take advantage of your skills and interests. From scrapbooking supplies to programs set up by other work at home moms, it is possible to find affiliate programs that can help you set your own schedule.

Here are some things to consider before you join affiliate programs:

* Make sure that the program is legitimate.
* Don't pay money up front for "training" or "administration fees" (although you may need to buy supplies).
* Realize that income from affiliate programs is usually fairly small each month -- especially when you first start out.
* Understand that you will need to promote your affiliate business if you want success.

Over at My Organized Biz, Becky is offering a contest in connection with a 7-column BBB fridge grid pad. The idea is that you can plan out the week on this magnetic pad and stick it to your refrigerator.

I love this idea. It offers an at-a-glance look at which days are going to be busiest for the family. That would help me plan my work at home schedule (not to mention our meals) more effectively.

Head on over and take a look at the planning grid, and then leave a comment. That's all you have to do to enter the drawing.

When it comes to your home office, it is important to make sure that you are comfortable, and that your workspace is practical for your needs. But it can sometimes be difficult to create that space in your home if starting a business is a relatively new development.

While you can force your home office into an existing space, another option is to do some remodeling on your home in order create the ideal home office space. There are advantages to building home office space:

*It can help you avoid having to hunt for available space in the house.

*A dedicated home office space comes with tax benefits.

*You can create an area that is just right for your home office.

*It can increase the value of your home.

When building a home office space through remodeling, though, it is important to find knowledgeable help and advice. There are several Web sites (like Cal Finder) that can help you find remodeling contractors, and it is important to also call around to find the best options in your local area.

Today's post marks the last in a series about the types of home business you can choose from, guided by a Taxgirl guest post on Problogger. It is important to carefully consider your needs, as well as the tax advantages offered by each type of home business. Consulting with a tax attorney or an accountant can be of great benefit as you make your decision. Today's post is about the C corporation.

C corporation

Most big companies have a structure known as a C corporation. If you plan to expand your home business to something very large, this might be a good idea. But for most small types of home business, the C corporation doesn't offer any real advantages. This is because, unlike the other types of home business, a C corporation is not a "pass through." Taxgirl points out the advantages and disadvantages of a C corporation:

The advantages of a C corporation are continuous life, clear divisibility of assets between personal and corporate, limited liability among shareholders, freely transferable shares of stock, virtually unlimited options on structuring stock ownership, and favorable tax treatment for certain expenses. All good, right?

The disadvantages of a corporation are increased administrative expenses, compliance formalities and the potential for “double taxation.” Increased administrative expenses are due to more complicated accounting and tax compliance (i.e. filing corporate returns).

The bottom line is that for most people operating a home business, there are plenty of other options that are more likely to work better.

Other posts in this series:

Sole Proprietorship
General Partnership
Limited Liability Partnership
Limited Liability Company
S Corporation

Yesterday, we had a look at the limited liability company (LLC) option for your home business. (Disclosure: my home business is an LLC, and I love it.) Today, guided by a guest post by Taxgirl on Progblogger, we will continue the series with an S corporation.

S corporation

Like the other types of home business listed before, the S corporation is a pass through. The S corporation is another of the types of home business that is particularly popular, points out Taxgirl:

The S corporation is another special form of corporation that operates like a C corporation but is taxed like a partnership. There are strict limitations on the structure of an S corporation including the number and types of shareholders.

An S corporation can be helpful if you are going to need additional employees and payroll. But it is also useful for freelancers -- even those who employ themselves as their only "employee." However, if you slip up with procedure, you can lose your "S" status for 10 years -- and that can have serious tax consequences.

Make sure you consult with a knowledgeable accountant or tax attorney before making a decision on this home business, or any of the other types of home business.

Today we will feature another installation in the ongoing series on types of home business. Last time, we looked at a limited liability partnership. Today we will have a peek at the limited liability company (LLC).

The LLC is another pass-through entity, but it has more flexibility than those we have discussed before (general partnership and LLP). It also, points out Taxgirl on Problogger, has liability advantages similar to those offered by a C corporation:

Even though the LLC offers pass through tax treatment, liability is limited in much the same way as with a C corporation. This means that so long as you follow the corporate formalities, as well as keep your personal assets separate from your business assets, your liability will largely be limited to your business assets.

One way you can do this is to separate your business account from your personal account. My home business is set up as an LLC. My income from my home business goes into a business account, and then I write checks to myself and my husband from the business account. These are known as "distributions."

One of the great things that technology has provided us with is the option to engage in working from home...while not at home.

Right now I am in New York for two weeks, visiting my husband's family. And thanks to the wonder of the laptop, and wireless Internet, I can get my work done while sitting on the couch at my in-laws'. It works pretty slick. I can still "visit" to a certain extent, and I'll get my work done, even though I'm not in my home office.

Do you use technology when working from home while away from home?

Today, we are continuing with our series on types of home business. Today's topic is the limited liability partnership (LLP).

Taxgirl points out in a Problogger article that the limited liability partnership is similar to the general partnership: it's simple and it is a "pass through" entity for tax purposes. However, you can register your LLP with your state, and this brings with is some protection, according to the article:

The benefit of registration is that each partner is not liable for obligations and liabilities arising from the “negligence, omissions, malpractice, wrongful acts or misconduct” of the other partners. In other words, so long as you observe the proper rules, liability is largely limited to your own actions.

Consult with a tax attorney or an accountant before making a decision about which type of home business is best for you.

Yesterday, we took a look at the sole proprietorship as a type of home business. Today, guided by Taxgirl on Problogger, we will have a look at the general partnership.

General Partnership

This type of home business arrangement is known as a "pass through." This means that income and tax deductions go through the partnership and then to the partners. Each partner "owns" a certain percentage, and the income and deductions go to each partner in proper proportion. While federal taxes are not paid on partnership income, state taxes or local taxes may be.

Like the sole proprietorship, this is a very easy arrangement. And, like the sole proprietorship, there are some tax limitations according to your personal income taxes. You can have individual assets on the line for the business as well, making your personal assets liable to pay off business losses.

Consult a tax attorney or accountant to make sure that this is the right arrangement for you.

Last week, I introduced a series that will look at the different options you have in terms of organizing your home business. I mentioned that we would be guided by the Problogger article on the subject, which was guest written by Taxgirl. Today we will look at the sole proprietorship.

Sole proprietorship

This is a very simple arrangement. You don't have to file any paperwork or set up any sort of business entity. Your business income is reported on Schedule C of the 1040, and you treat is as part of your income. Business and personal are fairly interchangeable in this instance. But, as is pointed out on Problogger, there are some downsides:

The downside of these “loose” requirements is that sole proprietors are personally liable for debts, obligations and the like of the business, including lawsuits. Personal assets are essentially treated, for liability purposes, as assets of the business.

Another downside is that your taxes are likely to be higher. Last year, I switched to a Limited Liability Company from a sole proprietorship. Instead of paying $15,000 in taxes, I only paid about $6,500. That's a big difference. Once your home business starts doing well enough that it boosts your taxes, you might consider switching from a sole proprietorship.

A knowledgeable tax attorney or accountant can look at your home business and income situation and help you figure out what would be most beneficial for your situation.

One of the easiest mistakes when promoting your home business is overlooking your business information on your print materials. Yvonne Russell at Small Biz Mentor points out that simple mistakes like forgetting the area code on your phone number can cause a problem.

Another item she points out is that it is not wise to use a stamp on product brochures from suppliers. It can get smudged, and it looks unprofessional. Here are some things Yvonne suggests that could be done differently with supplier brochures:

• *Use a sticker or label.
• *Staple your home business card to the brochure.
• *Ask for custom printing.

You want to make sure that clients and potential clients can easily reach you, so make sure your home business contact information is easy to find and legible.

When it comes to setting up a home business, you need to decide what sort of organization you will have. We will look at six different possibilities in the upcoming days, guided by a post on home business choices at Problogger:

1. Sole Proprietorship
2. Partnership
3. Limited Liability Partnership
4. Limited Liability Company
5. S Corporation
6. C Corporation

Each has different tax advantages and different structures with regard to payroll and other items. Hopefully, after this series, you will have a better idea of which would best suit the needs of your home business.

One of the least complex (from a supplies needed and office set-up standpoint) home business ideas is writing. It's actually what I do for my home business. There are many different types of writing that can be done, and the Internet has only expanded the options. But I found this handy list over at Home Biz Notes that includes 13 writing jobs you can do as a home business:

1. Travel writing
2. Copy Editing
3. Column writing
4. Blogging
5. News Reporter (yes, many of these are freelance)
6. Ghost writing
7. Compiling and editing anthologies
8. Web site design and writing
9. Newsletter production (print or online) for businesses
10. PR writing for businesses
11. Educational writing
12. Publishing print and e-books
13. Publishing a magazine or e-zine

Freelance writing and blogging can be very rewarding, and I love that I can still do my job no matter where I am in the world. Well, as long as I have an Internet connection, anyway.

Is there a type of writing that you do for your home business?

There is no shortage of work from home tips. However, when it comes to your work from home job, there are 3 main things you need to be successful:

*Planning.
*Workspace.
*Focus

These three things offer you a chance to really develop a home business or get into a work from home environment that actually, well, works. You can add other work from tips to these three, but if you don't have planning, workspace and focus, your success may not be as great as it could be.

Over the next three posts, we will look at these 3 things that a home business needs to be successful, and how you can apply them to your work from home job.

I'm at my grandpa's house. I'd rather be fishing. But I'm writing a blog post. If I'd pre-posted this, I'd be catching some trout. But I'm not.

One of the best things you can do for your home business blog is to be familiar with the process of pre-posting. If you plan ahead, you can write your blog posts ahead of time, and then posting them doesn't cut into your precious vacation time.

Now, it's time for me to hit the stream.

One of the dreams that many people have is to work from home. And there is no shortgage of ads -- especially on the Internet -- touting "easy" work from home jobs. But it is important to beware these ads, since many of them are scams. The Hartford Courant reports on the prolific nature of work from home scams online:

"There is a 48-to-1 scam ratio among 'work from home' job ads on the Internet!" This figure is well above last year's 42-to-1 and the previous year's 30-to-1.

While there are valid work from home jobs to be found, it is important to watch out for those that sound too good to be true. Especially avoid work from home jobs that promise an easy way to make a lot of money, and be wary of work from home jobs that require a small "investment" to get started.