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Showing posts from November, 2013

Thanksgiving trivia and one of our favorite recipes!

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Happy Thanksgiving from the Law Offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter & Welch, P.C. We hope your Thanksgiving celebration allows you to join with your family and friends for great food and fellowship this year!  Everyone at our firm wants to give thanks for our great clients and for our fantastic attorneys and staff.   Some fun Thanksgiving trivia Thanksgiving throughout History Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird of the United States. Sarah Josepha Hale, an American magazine editor, persuaded Abraham Lincoln to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday. She is also the author of the popular nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb" Abraham Lincoln issued a 'Thanksgiving Proclamation' on third October 1863 and officially set aside the last Thursday of November as the national day for Thanksgiving. The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade tradition began in the 1920's. In 1939, President Roosevelt proclaimed that

Forming a non-profit organization and seeking tax exempt status (the basics)

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The steps required to form a non-profit organization and obtain tax exempt status can be time consuming, cumbersome and confusing.  We hope to provide you with a basic understanding of these steps in this blog.   Key steps to creating your non-profit organization You have decided to form a non-profit organization for a specific purpose.   The next   key steps you will need to address include: Naming your non-profit o The name cannot be the same as the name of any other corporation on file with the state's corporations division. o About half of all states require the name to end with a corporate designator, such as Corporation (Corp.), Incorporated (Inc.) or Limited (Ltd.). o Your name cannot contain certain designations reserved for the state, such as United States, Reserve, Federal, National, Cooperative or Bank Filing the Necessary documents   o Articles of Incorporation o Apply for a federal employer identification number Organizing your Corporation

Building your business dream team - make sure you have legal help!

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Every Entrepreneur knows that when you start a small business, it is impossible to handle all of the demands that may come your way.  Building a business support team to watch your back is critical to the success of your business.  Here is a list of people that should be added to your dream team to ensure the best chance of success. Your Dream Team: Accountant  - having a great accountant is worth his/her weight in gold.  An accountant can make sure your books are in order, that you are following tax laws, and that you are getting the maximum tax relief you are entitled to.    Marketing professional - Many new business owners do not have a marketing degree, so bringing in a professional to help you market your service or product is critical.  A professional marketer will be able to advise you on the best advertising mediums, help craft your message and branding and help you target the appropriate demographics. Mentor - If you can find someone who has experience in you

15th Anniversay of the March of Dimes Signature Chef event

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Learn more at www.marchofdimes.com The Law Offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter and Welch P.C. would like to highlight a fantastic annual event at the Lake of the Ozarks.  In the state of Missouri, 11.7% of babies born this year will be premature.  The March of Dimes has identified and provided geographically-specific data for three “selected contributing factors”: uninsured women, women smoking and late preterm births.  The March of Dimes mission is to help moms have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies. The March of Dimes Signature Chef event is tomorrow night and is one of the finest charity events at the Lake of the Ozarks.  This event is a collaboration of the March of Dimes, local volunteers and local gourmet chefs to raise funds to support Healthier Babies in the Lake Area.  This is the 15th year for the Lake of the Ozarks Signature Chef event and is the 75th year for March of Dimes.  The 2012 Signature Chefs event raised