Letters

Home Office Computing, Dec, 1990 by Sheila F. Scott, Peter McGuiness, Guy Lum, Valerie J. Western, Anne Gilcher

CENSUS ON CD-ROM

In your September 1990 issue, I read an extremely enlightening article by Jerry Cheslow ("The Best Business Opportunities for the 1990s," page 38). He mentioned a package that will compile information collected from the U.S. Census. How can I acquire information related to that disk?

SHEILA F. SCOTT

ST. Albans, New York

EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information on the Census data on CD-ROM, call the U.S. Census Bureau at (301) 763-1580 and ask about TIGER, the geographical database, or write to the Data User Services Division, Bureau of the Census, Washington, D.C. 20233.

ELDER CARE

Thank you for your article in the September issue highlighting your annual survey results ("1990 Annual Reader Survey Results," page 12). In my business as a geriatric consultant, I am aware of another major reason that individuals work at home. The issue of elder care is a major concern confronting families, especially those who must provide care to an aging relative. As the graying of America continues, elder care will present itself as a factor for families coping with professional and personal responsibilities.

PETER MC GUINNESS

ELDER CARE ASSOCIATES

Ardmore, Pennsylvania

TAXING MATTERS

I am an enrolled tax practitioner and have been working out of a home office for more than 25 years. I have been using a computer in my business for about three years and enjoy reading HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING. The September issue had an article by David Hallerman, "My 20 Best Money Hints" (page 28), that contained some errors.

In hint No. 2, he wrote that an enterprise operated as a part-time business lets you deduct expenses that exceed 2 percent of your AGI. This is wrong. If you operate a business, you can deduct the business expenses on schedule C and are not subject to the 2 percent rule on schedule A.

In No. 9, he wrote that you could save self-employment tax by paying your spouse a salary. He failed to state that if you hire your spouse to work in your business, you are required to pay Social Security tax on his or her wages, which would eat up almost all of the savings on self-employment tax.

In No. 13, Hallerman states that you must pay the full amount due on taxes if an extension is filed. In fact, you only have to pay 90 percent of the amount due to avoid a penalty.

CHAS F. LEIN

LEIN ACCOUNTING

Fargo, North Dakota

EDITOR'S NOTE: Thanks for catching our mistakes.

BE SENSIBLE WHEN YOU UPGRADE

I was very excited to see an article with many hardware recommendations for gaining performance from MS-DOS computers ("The Best Ways to Squeeze More Out of Your MS-DOS Computer," page 50, September 1990). I have an original IBM PC that was sold to me at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, the performance capability of such a machine in today's aggressive PC environment leaves something to be desired.

I jump at any opportunity to improve the performance of my machine, but I always keep cost-effectiveness in mind. It's easy to reach the point where the total cost of upgrades exceeds the cost of a new system. Any upgrade I make must be either inexpensive or transferable to a higher-performance machine for future needs.

GUY LUM

Streamwood, Illinois

EXCITED, YET FRUSTRATED

I had recently designed a home-based business to fit my lifestyle: producing a community co-op coupon book. I had every bit of the business planned. I figured I would produce address labels the hard way: Find self-adhesive paper to fit a laser printer, figure out a way to print addresses on it, and manually cut them out. But then your magazine introduced me to LabelPro (see review on page 86 of the July 1990 issue), which a dream come true.

Yet I still don't have the computer system, laser printer, programs, or office furniture. I am finding it difficult to get a small-business loan. I have a "killer," profitable, lifestyle-changing business and am ready to take action, but there are no funds.

AMY LYNN ORANGE

Woodburn, Oregon

WE TOLD YOU SO!

I enjoy your magazine, especially the software and hardware review. Keep them coming! I will never again make a purchase without first consulting your reviews. I made the mistake of purchasing a product even though you had forewarned me of support problems. Lo and behold, even after all that I paid for it, the support was not worth two cents. Needless to say, it has since been returned. Support should be at the top of the list when you're considering a purchase.

VALERIE J. WESTERN

Burke, Virginia

EXPO: COMING TO A CONVENTION CENTER NEAR YOU!

I read with great interest about the Home Office and Small Business Conference and Expo at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey in October, but I was unable to attend. I hope you include a Midwestern city on your tour.

ANNE GILCHER

Sandusky, Ohio

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Home Office and Small Business Conference and Expo is going on the road. The 1991 dates are as follows: San Francisco (Cow Palace), February 22-24; Anaheim (Convention Center), April 12-14; Boston (Bayside Exposition Center), May 17-19; Dallas (Convention Center), July 12-14; Chicago (Rosemont O'Hare Exposition Center), August 2-4; and New York City (Jacob Javits Convention Center), September 6-8.