Time is passing by rapidly for the Local Property Tax Deadline.  You still have a little time however to register online on or before the 28th May 2013.  Simply click the link if you have any questions regarding LPT.

 The Revenue Commissioners have become aware of fraudulent emails purporting to come from Revenue seeking personal information from taxpayers in connection with a tax refund. These phishing emails are headed ‘Important Message - Tax Refund ’.

These emails did not issue from Revenue.

The Revenue Commissioners never send emails requiring customers to send personal information via email or pop-up windows.

Anyone who receives an email purporting to be from Revenue and suspects it to be fraudulent or a scam should simply delete it. Anyone who is actually awaiting a tax refund should contact their local Revenue Office to check its status.

Anyone who provided personal information in response to these fraudulent emails should contact their bank or credit card company immediately.

Please see the Security Page for further information.

Just a reminder that if you are filling a paper LPT return, the deadline for receipt is next tuesday, YES next tuesday, otherwise you have until the 28th May to file your return electronically.  We've listed a few other key dates for your diary, why not schedule them in now so you don't miss them. 

• 7 May 2013: Due date for filing paper LPT returns.
• 28 May 2013: Due date for filing LPT returns electronically.
• 1 July 2013 onwards: Commencement of deduction at source from Salary / Occupational Pension or certain payments from the Department of Social Protection and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
• 1 July 2013 onwards: Commencement of cash payments through certain payment service providers.
• 15 July 2013 onwards: Commencement of direct debits.
• 21 July 2013: Single Debit Authority Payment deducted.

You can click the link to bring you directly to the revenue site   Local Property Tax

Having recently updated my linkedin profile i've been noticing how this social networking tool can tell me who has been looking at my profile.  I guess the whole idea of linkedin is about building on line business relationships, letting contacts know what you are up to and depending on how completed your profile is, it displays a series of self generated facts.  Its a good idea, although I must admit it does create a certain level of curiosity when I see who has been viewing my profile, then again, I wonder............. am I creating the same curiosity in those whose profiles I view.    Your comments are always welcome. Please tell us what you think and if you use linkedin on a regular basis to make or build contacts.  

We complain about being time starved, not enough hours in the day and struggle with getting everything we need to do fitted into our days.  I am across this article on tip productivity tips - there were 21 but i've taken out the top 5.  Let us know what you think.

1. Check email inthe afternoo so you protect the peak energy hours of your mornings for your best work. 

2. Stop waiting for perfect conditions to launch a great project.  Immediate action fuels a positive feedback loop that drives even more action. 

3.

I came across this project that was launched back in 2012 and is about to be re-launched . Bord Bia, Teagasc and Enterprise Ireland combined their resources to launch the inaugural Food Works programme in March 2012. The initiative was aimed at creating and nurturing Ireland’s next generation of global food entrepreneurs.

Food Works is the first comprehensive collaboration between the three support organisations. Teagasc offers its technical expertise; Enterprise Ireland the commercial and business element and Bord Bia with marketing and consumer insight.

An Immerse Yourself event is being offered to anyone interested in finding out more about the programme.  If you are one of those interested parties, then might be worth your while clicking the link to find out more.    

Having attended a seminar earlier this month leadershipo, one of the speakers came out with the hard hitting question.  Is your business 

Moving, Cruising, Snoozing, Loosing?

It raised an eyebrow or two for many in the room.  

If your business is moving then you are by defintion growing, highly profitable and keeping up with or leading the market and you may be recruiting new blood into your business, you may be developing new ideas, products and processes in your business, watching the competition, leading the market.  It has strong leadership.

If your business cruising, its probably growing at a slower pace, holding its own in the market but has lower levels of profit and development.  Recruitment is low and productivity is likely to be at a lower but consistent level.  Leadership is weaker.

If your business is snoozing, there may be little or no development work going on, processes are likely to be delivered in the way they always have been, opportunities are passing you by, you and your business are tired of the fight to survive.  Leadership is sleeping. 

If your business is loosing then its likely that you have some fairly had hard decisions to make and the leadership in your business is loosing. 

The overriding theme of leadership and its importance was highlighted.  A great business leader is likely to be a visionary, one who sees ahead, seeing behind, seeing above, seeing below, seeing beside, seeing beyond and seeing significantly.  The importance of leadership is key and will often determine if your business is Moving, Cruising, Snoozing or Loosing.   So has your business got great leadership?

I was recently reading an article in the irish times where three Irish companies have signed contracts to the value of €1.5 million with French companies operating in the cleantech and construction sectors.

AMCS, the Limerick based integrated environmental software provider for the recycling and waste management industry, Anua, part of the Bord na Móna Group, and their French partner L’Eau Pure, signed their first contract and Cork Plastics, the manufacturer and supplier of high quality PVC products signed a significant partnership agreement with Sarl Duluc, a specialised building merchant in France. It is worth €1 million.

It got me thinking about how businesses are really embracing opportunities world wide to survive and to grow. It begs the question, is your business one to consider expansion to a mainland european country?

Do you love what you do?  Any self respecting entrepeneur is likely to admit that the reason they keep doing what they are doing is because they love what they do.  They have a passion for their business.   Can you identify with this? I guess the challenges of being self employed can pale into insignificance if you are in love with your business.  But there is plenty of help out there when faced with challenges.  I've been looking recently at the local enterprise agency websites and there is really quite alot of information on them. I've noticed too that their suite of training seems pretty comprehensive, however quite generic.  I wondered if there is a particular improvement you would like to make in your business.  What are your skills gaps to make that improvement, what would help you over come some of those challenges.

 Awards can often be an under estimated exercise for businesses.  Particularly for smaller enterprises its an exercise that can often be difficult to undertake. They can be time consuming to write, there may not be the skill in house available to write it, there may be not be an appropriate award to enter.  I'm not sure i buy any of these excuses.  Awards can be great way to gain extra pr for a business, build confidence and give recognition to staff for their hard work.  We've pulled together a series of hints and tips on award writing, pehaps you'll take a little time to see what competitions are out there, identify one that fits your business and make an application. You never know you could be a winner in 2013.

Click the link for our helpful awards hints and tips.

So we are in the 9th day of year and if you are anything like me, you will be wondering what 2013 will hold of business.  I can't help feeling a little excited that with the new year, new opportunity is going come our way.  We have to look forward and not waste time thinking of whats gone before.  As my 10 year old said to me yesterday "thats so last year"!!!  Welcome 2013 and welcome to a whole new year in business. 

For many of you who are involved in the employment of others, you may already be aware of the Job Assist Proramme for Long Term Unemployed.  We were having a meeting early this week and felt that that whilst there is not necessarily anything new with the current programme it may be worth revisiting so that you are fully aware of this scheme.  Click the link to read more about Job Assist for Long Term Unemployed.

 For those of with interests in the UK, you will already be aware of the Chancellor of the Exchequers Autumn Statement which was release last week.  We posted a fact sheet on the hightlights of the statement, Simply click the link to find out more.  But what have your views been on the budget, please email your comments, we'd be delighted to hear from you. Link to Autumn Statement Fact Sheet.

More than 80 businesses from across the Monaghan and Cavan region attended the annual budget event hosted by Amatino Partners.  This year, Rose Tierney of Tierney Tax Consultants along with Amatinos own Linda Scott took to the podium to deliver the highlighted of the 2013 budget.  Attendees at the Monaghan event were also presented with a detailed explanation on personal insolvency as detailed by Amatino Managing Director Barry Kieran, whilst James Fox from Cavan County Enterprise Board brought the audience in Cavan valuable information on funding availability.  To read more on the budget or to download the fact sheet, follow the link below. 

 Its always useful to know where to get the right help if your company is faced with being struck off. The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) highlighted in its latest Annual Report that it continues to investigate companies which have been struck off the register due to a failure to file annual returns.

The ODCE initiated or contemplated disqualification proceedings against the directors of 20 such companies in 2011.

According to the report, disqualification proceedings have been considered in situations where, in addition to the failure to file annual returns, the ODCE finds that the company was insolvent at the time it was struck off and it appears that the directors allowed the company to be struck off so as to avoid creditors and to escape personal liability for the debts of the company.

The ODCE has stated that directors may seek to remedy their default by taking the following actions:

• Regularising the position by restoring the struck-off company to the register, which would involve filing all outstanding annual returns and, in some cases, an application to the High Court.

• Satisfying the ODCE that all liabilities had been settled at the time of strike-off or prior to the issue of proceedings. Directors must be in a position to produce accounts dating back to the last set of filed accounts, or since incorporation where accounts have never been filed.

The comments of the ODCE serve as a warning to all directors that their compliance with company law may be investigated even where their company has been inactive for a number of years.

At Amatino we can assist director to bring returns up to date, have company restored to the register or have it properly struck off or dissolved in accordance with Company Law and Revenue requirements.

Don’t get caught out, simply call Barry Kieran for further assistance with this particular matter.