The Wall Street Journal listed some timely advise on internet help sites in the issue running Monday, November 26, 2001.  Here then are the recommended sites

 

See Government http://www.irs.gov for the government's not too reliable help site.

 

See the quasi-governmental agency the Small Business Administration,  http://www.sba.gov   The recommend the local Small Business Development centers, SCORE, the Service Corps of Retire Executives and some state sites.  A CD-ROM resource guide is available at either the SBA or IRS and it is called "Small Business Resource Guide".

 

Another valuable site is http://www.cch.com  Commerce Clearing House in Riverwoods, IL offers an excellent introduction to starting a small business, "CCH Business Owner's Toolkit."

Look also for Online help at http://www.quicken.com or http://www.fedworld.gov  or http://www.intuit.com or http://www.taxcut.com or http://www.taxact.com   Here are some other niche sites,   http://www.smbiz.com from A/N Group Inc.  or CBS Marketwatch at http://www.cbs.marketwatch.com or MSNBC, Microsoft Money's site at http://www.money.msn.com 

 

The Big Five accounting firms are master's at playing with the tax code and you might find advise at the following sites-  http://www.us.deloitte.com or http://www.ey.com/pfc 

 

For individuals, the small taxpayer may find assistance at http://hrblock.com/taxes

 

Some publishers' specializing in tax info at http://www.fairmark.com  or the cover all bases site at http://www.taxes.yahoo.com 

 

 

 

In July 2001, the carriers under the direction of the FCC have been required to file their rate structures on the internet. In addition they are required through toll-free numbers to respond to additional questions on their rates and conditions to the public. If you are not a member of "CUB" then you generally have no idea of what is going on with regulatory agencies, rates and utilities in Illinois. Many, many strange and exotic marketing practices are designed to relieve rate payers of their earnings. Here's a way to fight back by using the efficiency of the internet and markets to guide you.  Good luck!

 

Please refer to the following sites and as I learn more, I will add additional sites to this page.

 

Sprint- Long Distance provider-  http://www.sprint.com/ratesandconditions

 

MCI- Long Distance provider- http://www.mci.com/service_agreement.res

SBC- Local Service provider- http://www.sbc.com/gen/landing-pages?pid=3308

 

OneSuite- Long Distance - Special Rates- http://www.onesuite.com

 

I would describe the U.S. Post Office as a utility- While they don't have a monopoly on delivering all types of mail they are by law the only official US mail carrier and a quasi-governmental agency. You need to know the new rates being imposed by this nationwide utility.  So head for Pitney Bowes the meter people who have the rates described at their convenient website.  http://www.pitneyworks.com/postalinfo/