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QuickBooks Certified ProAdvisorFreshBooks certified accountant
Tony Novak  800-609-0683
a passionate advocate for small business success

advice quoted in The Wall Street Journal and Money Magazine

Topical List of Articles

Click here for an alphabetical listing of articles

401(k)

How to improve small business 401(k) plans

How to start a small business 401(k) plan

Accounting

3 approaches to small business accounting

Accounting problems with small business HRAs

Not your father's bean counter

Shakeup in small business accounting

Small businesses and non-profits will ditch Facebook

Top 10 things small businesses will love about the new QuickBooks

When using QuickBooks is a no-brainer

Consumer protection

New warnings about fraudulent health plans

Top ten scams in consumer finance

Transparency in financial service fees

Diabetes

Diabetic health insurance coverage update

Health insurance for diabetics

Divorce

Controlling the cost of divorce

Debunking the myths of peaceful divorce strategies

Eight common financial mistakes in divorce

Financial coaching during a divorce

Introducing Uncoupling.net (obsolete)

Dental plans

Comparing orthodontic insurance with discount dental plans

Dental insurance vs. dental discount plans

Employee Benefits

18 things small businesses must know about Health Reimbursement Arrangements

Accounting problems with small business HRAs

Alternatives to health savings accounts

Another obstacle for health savings accounts, Rev. Rul. 2004-45

Are small businesses required to have written employee benefit plan documents?

Case study on how not to handle a COBRA notification

Changing role of small business HRAs, (The)

Consumer driven health plans for small businesses

Debit card problems in small business health insurance

Design tips for consumer driven health plans

Discrimination testing in small business health plans

Eight factors that determine the success of health reform transition in a small business

Is the insurance policy enough to serve as the small business employee benefit plan document?

The future of consumer-driven health plans

Health insurance options for small businesses

Health insurance statistics for small businesses

Health plan rules for small businesses

Health plan survey 2003

Holistic approach to small business benefit plans

How can I get good benefit plan documents for my small business?

How do employee benefit plan documents benefit me?

How do I get employee benefit plan documents for my small business?

How to avoid 4980D excise taxes in small business health plans

How to break up a group health insurance plan

How to establish separate employee bank accounts in a small business HRA plan

How to improve small business 401(k) plans

HRA plan design approved by IRS

HRA plan helps owner/employees

HRA plan overview

HRA plans for small businesses

HRA vs. HSA: Which is best for me?

Introduction to executive benefits for small businesses

IRS approves new HRA plan design

MSAs, HRAs and HSAs: which health plan is right for my small business

New strategies for reducing health costs

'Qualified medical expenses'

Simple cafeteria plans for small businesses

Small business employee benefit plan documents

Small business health plans in 2015

Small businesses may now make IRA deposits for employees

Starting a small business 401(k)

Tax risks of small business employee benefit plans

Step by step guide to replacing group health insurance when changing jobs

Strategies for reducing small business health insurance costs

The problem with the "independent third party substantiation" regulation

Third party health plan claim validation

Twenty five reasons that small businesses choose health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs)

Update on 412(i) pension plans for 2004

Validating small business health care claims

What are the risks if I do not have an employee benefit plan documents?

Financial planning

Accountant's checklist when a client or family member faces imminent death

Changing jobs: what you need to know about your employee benefits

Choosing a financial adviser

Choosing a financial adviser (the Wall Street Journal version)

Fee-only vs. Fee-based financial planning: which is best for me?

Financial planning checklist for unmarried couples

Financial planning for families with special needs children

Financial planning for young lawyers

Mechanics of a personal financial plan

Outsmart rising interest rates with an assumable mortgage

Pension plans for small businesses

Professional wealth management services

Sample letter of instruction for estate planning

The quiet problem of life insurance omission

Surviving a layoff

The other 95%

Troubleshooting checklist for family limited partnerships

Twelve signs that you have outgrown your financial adviser

Uncommon advice on starting a business

Health insurance for individuals and families

10 unconventional tips for replacing health insurance coverage

21 reasons to love health savings accounts

7 things you should know about short term medical insurance

Alternatives to health savings accounts

American Health Shield update

Assurant health savings account setup

Availability of "Basic Health Insurance"

Celtic Insurance preferred risk rates

Changes to short term medical insurance

Comparing child only health insurance

Comparing health discount plans

Comparing health insurance policies

Comparing short term medical insurance policies

Consumer driven health plans

Diabetic health insurance coverage update

Does my doctor accept this insurance?

Don't qualify for a health savings account?

Comparing discount prescription drug cards

Eight things you should know about short term medical insurance

The evolution of individual health insurance

Finding health insurance to cover pre-existing medical conditions

Flex-term medical insurance

Going without health insurance

Getting started with health savings accounts

"I don't have health insurance"

Individual health insurance cost-cutting strategies

Health insurance for athletes

Health insurance for overweight applicants

Health insurance for special situations

Health insurance for young entrepreneurs

Health insurance options for graduating students

Health plan terminology

International medical insurance improvements

Know your health insurance options

New warnings about fraudulent health plans

One small business tackles the national health insurance crisis

Positive trends in children's health insurance

Preferred risk health insurance

'Qualified medical expenses'

Rationing of free health care proves effective in reducing the number of uninsured

Select short term medical insurance review

Six strategies in the search for affordable health insurance

Short term health insurance

Short term health insurance in New York state

Short term medical insurance for special situations

Short term medical insurance survey

Student medical insurance tips

Ten things you should know about short term medical insurance after ACA

Trends in children's health insurance

Twelve ways to get more from your short term medical insurance

Twenty reasons I like medical savings accounts

Understanding a 'Certificate of Creditable Coverage'

Understanding 'Basic Health Insurance'

Which short term medical insurance is best for me?

Health Savings Accounts

Don't qualify for a health savings account?

Early signs of trouble for health savings accounts

Health Savings Account enrollment problems

Health Savings Accounts are officially recognized as a tax break for the rich

Health Savings Accounts after the first three months

Health Savings Accounts after the 2004 elections

Health Savings Account limits for 2005

Health Savings Account limits for 2013

Health Savings Account problems after the first year

health Savings Accounts offer generous benefits

How to start a Health Savings Account

The inside scoop on Health Savings Accounts

Insurance

Calculating the real value of insurance

Insurance companies on the exchange

Update on split dollar life insurance

Investment

Bank of America as an investment custodian

Developing a personal investment policy

Investment strategies for small business pension plans

Mutual fund snapshots

Mutual fund trading scandals

Ten common mistakes of mutual fund investors

The case for annuities

Today's variable annuities

What you should know about private placement limited partnership investments

Life insurance

Tax tips for individual life insurance

Other / Miscellaneous

Books that most influenced my life

Curing Americans without health insurance

Financial service highlights for 2007

Maine mishandles taxation of health care 

Medical Savings Accounts

Medical savings accounts end in 2003

My spiritual journey

Review of Intuit 'Easy Estimate'

Ten tips for writing a strong business plan

What is a small business?

Who is your employee?

Payroll processing

Payroll setup made easy

Retirement planning

412(i) self-employed pension plans

412(i) pension plan suitability

Bank of America as an investment custodian

How to open an IRA account

IRAs and the retirement income myth

SEPs gain popularity

Small businesses may now make IRA deposits for employees

Self-employed

412(i) self-employed pension plans

412(i) pension plan suitability

Pension plan design and contribution calculation example

Primer on 412(i) pension plans

Small business health plans in 2015

Small businesses may now make IRA deposits for employees

Starting a one person pension plan

Two page / 30 minute business plan template

Taxes

4 Things you should know about your income tax return

Act now for year end tax planning

FAQs about tax advisers

Income tax filing changes for the Affordable Care Act (press release 1/12/2014)

IRS dirty dozen tax scams

Tax laws changing for 2012

Tax preparation fees for 2013

Tax opportunities with pension plans, 2004

Tax planning checklist

Tax planning opportunities for small business owners in 2012

Tax problems surface with medical savings accounts

Tax risks of small business employee benefit plans

Tax tips for individual life insurance

Tax update for consumer driven health plans

Taxation of health insurance benefits

Top 10 tax risks for small businesses

Top ten tax savings opportunities

Top ten easy tax shelters

Understanding home office deductions

Vision coverage

Consumer-driven health plans provide an opportunity for opticians


Consumer finance articles now available for reproduction

YouTube video Watch the introductory video: 0:45

I am pleased to announce the completion of a project that makes more than 160 updated and republished articles available for public use. The articles cover a wide range of financial planning and consumer finance topics and were written between 1982 and 2006.

The revisions are published in HTML5 format that is suitable for display on mobile Web browsers. Supplementary video content will be added soon.

The articles are available for republication in their entirety without charge after obtaining the express written permission of the author. Please e-mail a request to the author that includes the name of the requestor (individual and corporate) and the intended destination of publication.


Opinions expressed are the solely those of the author and do not represent the position of any other person, company or entity mentioned in the article. Information is from sources believed to be reliable but cannot be guaranteed. Any accounting, business or tax advice contained in this communication, including attachments and enclosures, is not intended as a thorough, in-depth analysis of specific issues or a substitute for a formal opinion, nor is it sufficient to avoid tax-related penalties. Tony Novak operates as an independent adviser under the trademarks "Freedom Benefits", "OnlineAdviser" and "OnlineNavigator" but is not a representative, agent, broker, producer or navigator for any securities broker dealer firm, federal or state health insurance marketplace or qualified health plan carrier. He has no financial position in any stocks mentioned. Novak does work as an accountant, agent, adviser, writer, consultant, marketer, reviewer, endorser, producer, lead generator or referrer to other companies including the companies listed in the articles on this web site.

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