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BT, more SS info (OT I guess)

Posted By: gourdpainter on 2009-06-24
In Reply to: How are your taxes at the end of the year? - Backwards typist

I would suggest carefully evaluating your situation.  SS has a site on the internet and/or you can go in to their office.  Some of the people in the SS offices are very intelligent and helpful, others are dumber than gourds.


When I did my calculations I came up with at full retirement age I would get right around $1800/mo.  Early retirement it would drop to around $1200/mo.  My husband is a retired Teamster (union) and his retirement is around  $4000/mo plus his SS of $1200 (he took it as early as possible too) and my SS is also $1200.  If I continued to work, even with the allowed income before the 1 out of 2 $ penalty, we would be paying taxes on 85% of our SS income.  Since I quit working the percentage we pay has gone down some...I leave that up to our CPA to advise us.  We both have taxes taken out of our SS as well as his retirement so we usually don't have to end up paying any taxes other than state at the end of the year.


I also earn income but I have a sole proprietor business so that my income is offset by deductions, which means I don't pay taxes (legitimately) on it.  You might be surprised at the deductions you can take as a business, which isn't that hard  and not expensive to set up, the same as the biggest corporation.  We deduct travel expenses, which is entirely legal so long as you do something related to your business during your travel.  This isn't hard either.


Every one is different.  Our farm is free and clear as are our vehicles and we have no payments of any kind other than insurances, property taxes and utilities, so there is no reason for me to work if I don't want to.  Retirement was hard at first after going to work for a  half century.  After a year, I am busier than when I was working for a paycheck, I enjoy my life 24/7 and so retirement at the earliest possible moment worked for me. 


Chatty and I can only tell you our experiences but each person is different as is the amount they will receive from SS.  You might come out better than you think being retired, that is if you want to retire.  I feel like I paid enough taxes in my lifetime and I concluded I could do other things to occupy my time that didn't require paying taxes let alone putting up with the crapola from any MTSO.




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I guess I can use this info about now!
Just started VR a few days ago.  I am totally disgusted and depressed.  I feel like I am being abused (because I am).  Half pay for VR is ridiculous.  It is bad enough these companies don't give raises, but now have this dumped on us.  I am very experienced (over 20 years), type as fast as anybody, but I know from just a few days of doing VR that I have to go and look for another job again.  I am so depressed because I really loved by company until this week. It does not take me 1/2 the time to do VR, maybe 3/4 of the time it would to transcribe, sometimes as much or more than it would take to transcribe from scratch. I don't know where these companies got the idea that 50% of our line rate was fair.  I feel totally ripped off and frustrated.  I have enough stress in my life, didn't need my paycheck to drop drastically too.
I am also from Warminster. Guess I know why we are all looking. Thanks for the info. Nice to know
what is going on in Warminster because no one there will tell you.
Thanks for the info. Guess I will wait till Mon.

s


YIKES!!! This is horrible. Guess I will not be applying there. Thanks for the info!! nm

Any recent info on MedTrans Unlimited? newest archived info is 9 months old... m

Has anything changed in 9 months? Particular worries are the invoice/pay time; one post mentioned 2 to 3 week wait and another post stated 1 week. Info from the company states pay is sent out 10 days after the last day of the billing period, but we all know what is said and what is done isn't always the same. Another concern is the platform; some mentioned it was slow and cumbersome. They have 2 platforms from what I can gather.. Are they both slow? It seemed like certain specialties were done on certain platforms, or at least that is what I got out of the archives. I really hate to jump from the frying pan to the fire so any info would be VERY much appreciated.. the good, bad, and the ugly! TIA!!


Any Axolotl employees willing to share info., platform, ESL %, etc. All info greatly appreciated. sm

Along with the platform, ESL %, pay range, lpd required, split shift or 12-24 hour window available, I would be interested in knowing your personal experience with this company, what type of relationship you have with supervisors and other coworkers, etc.  Otherwise, the all the 411. 


Thanks!


Current info on Diskriter?? Past info was very mixed. Either MTs hated it or liked it, does anyone

love working there and why? Do you easily meet your incentive pay or as past people have said, the ESL are so bad that you never meet the line count. I need current and new information. Isnt there a company out there that has a handful of happy employees or does all of them have both the haters and lovers. It is so hard to sort out fact from fiction sometimes and all of us have different expectations. It kind of goes along with the one man's junk is another man's treasures theory, I suppose.


Any new info on Amphion? Archive search doesn't provide new info (sm)
Looking for a part-time position with decent pay and decent workflow. There's nothing new in the archives.
Need info on eMTS out of Florida. Any info would be appreciated!
nm
Any new updates on Focus for QA? Good info/bad info? sm msg
I checked the archives and read all the messages.  Have things changed for the better here?  Is there steady, reliable work?  Able to make any decent money?  Thanks!
Guess you are not doing your job right then.....
s
My guess...
I may be wrong but my guess is that this is CorT. I have been with them only 4 months but I have many MT sisters who have been with them longer and love it.
I guess Everyone Else....

Since no responses, I guess I am the only MT who works for a national that charges for templates but doesn't tell you upfront or put it in a contract....oh well....time for another company!!!


I guess when you look at it that way...
x
I guess it was just me...
but it came off as sounding like the stereotype of slaves on the "plantation" - it just didn't sit right with me...
You are in the know, but guess what
SO AM I.  Spaces my XXX.  Maybe you but not all of us for sure.  Pay on time.  Come on, talk about not telling the truth.  Last couple of times maybe, but until everyone started screaming on here came whenever. 
Guess what... sm
I am not management and they are a wonderful company. I have heard and read bad things yet I have worked there for quite some time and I have never seen any of what you say. They are nice people and they would not fire someone for being sick or family emergency. There has to be more to that story. TH rocks!
Of course I don't guess!!!!!!!!!!!
No, there's no guessing medical transcription. These dictators are clear as a bell!! A wonderful company to work for.
I guess everyone has a different
I'm with DK and have never been happier.  I have no trouble doing over 1800 lines in an 8 hour shift on the CTS platform.  I will say though that I work on mainly one account (that helps some).
Did they just guess?
nm
I guess both.
zz
guess that's right
I went back to the policies at the top of the page and didn't see anything about naming names, but I'm pretty sure the moderator has asked us not to do this and yes, I was referring to her name, not yours. I guess we're certainly free to use our own, but am pretty sure that at one time we were told not to mention names. Guess I was wrong or it was changed. Thanks.
my guess is because not enough MTs take this job serious enough.
Let's put it this way, every time I turn around I hear MTs saying they want to be there for their kids (nothing wrong with that) but when I was raising my kids, I worked outside the home and if they had a play at school I could not get off to go. The MTs of today want to do it all with their kids and think they can work but the fact is in the real world they would not be able to do that and that is not the real way to treat this job SO COMPANIES HAVE TO COVER THEIR TUSH. There are always going to be those who treat this like a real job but from what I am seeing the majority of the MTs nowadays who are younger just want to work the job in around their life and that just cannot be done and have a company be successful SO companies have to overhire to cover themselves. If they had people who treated this more like a real job, all that overhiring would not be necessary. All of us MTs who take our job seriously have suffered because of this new attitude.
You guess right..(nm)
.
I guess they are still around, but they were the
absolute worst company to work for. Be wary with them is all I will say.
Thanks all..... I guess it is
          better to know the devil than to get surprised again.  I sure do appreciate this input.  I will simply put on the person who is talking with me.  She is supposed to call today to set me up.  It seemed awful pushy and fast to me.   You are, indeed, jewels!!!     
Thanks. I guess I am one. lol
x
I guess it's
anybody's guess!
I guess I have to try this again.......nm
First of all .I have to correct this misconception that Medware is OUTSOURCING MORE now than before.. as far as I know Merit always did a considerable amount of reviewing which wsa typed by India..on the Dictaphone side there were maybe 100 to 300 files edited from India MTs..each day up until about 1-2 monhts ago when they stopped sending them to India altogehter for some reason.... and several editors got moved around in their jobs... by all means I am not defending Medware..whatever their motive i doubt it is a positive one for anyone but themselves.. their high management is acting out of greed, and their actions through all of this were of an incredible lack of any regard for their employees.. and an even greater measure of ignorance for what was being accmoplished in these positions they eliminated. I felt that my job was, or at least my goal.was to help the MTs any way I could to do an amount of work every day that many times seemed out of reach to me, on a system that continually fails them... AT A higher than standard level of quality.... so much of the work they do is not even considered time worked which is one more act of greed I am baffled at how Medware has gotten away with...the leads did a lot to support the MTs..helping them to more readily pump out the work expected of them..in several ways..which made things better for so many people.. and that is precisely why our jobs were not considered important enough to keep...

The point is.. they are NOT outsourcing more at this point.. but less.. what their plans are is another story... but I think in this time especially when people like this are hiding behind lies to their employees.... it is important for those of us with higher standards to keep what is truth in perspective. As far as the email sent out to all the employees by an AAMT person...that was a report that she was required to prepare and hand in .. and I would bet my life . her sending that to everyone was a TOTAL mistake and one she regrets and will for much time to come.. but I have no reason to think..(and I do not know her) personally...that she is being malicious or working toward the demise of all American MTs.. Outsourcing to India is extremely widespread and not just in our field... and it has been common knowdlege that Medware outsources as far as I know... just like half the other national companies are known to be doing... I certainly don't think at this point we can say that everyone who works for a cmopany who outsources ...is supporting that.. nor accommodating it..It is an unfortuante part of this industry whether we want it or not..put there by greedy companies wanting to get more for much much less..I certainly do not support that.. but to say that we are losing our jobs because of INDIA... or that anyone who works for companies who hire them are supporting misplacing our own people... is not true... this is happening through those who are greedy and want to pay less and willingly sacrifice quality...the high management of these companies.. who most times know very very little about medical transcription.. and are focused on what will bring them an extra buck.... focus your resentment on them.. write to them.. but the rest of us need to stick together and can only become like them when we turn on each other...

I get so frustrated editing their work.. when I realize that what they type in one report would be enough to have me fired.. yet I must continually correct their same mistakes.. and the ridiculous things they make up when they have no clue.. You are right.. they are not qualified nor anywhere near proficient.. but they obviously have enough skills for the low life pepole at the top of half these companies to hire them anyway... and get rid of credible jobs like Medware did... These India people are hungry .. and I would do the same to feed my family.. so I cannot blame them... but I despise those who are willing to use the level of desperation and unfortunate lifestyle of these people for their own personal gain...which is just what these companies did and do .. which started all of this and remains responsible for it.. no on else.....
I guess she is still looking
I actually enjoyed that one, it certainly was different than the mundane typical resume I get.  I thought it showed individuality and at least some creativity.  I didn't hire her because she didn't have the required equipment/program, but the resume I really liked.
guess i don't know....
 
I can guess who
Do you live in Florida?
Let me guess!!!!
 
I'm in QA and it would be my guess
that if people are without work it's because they were making too many errors for QA to keep up with. None of the companies I've worked for like outsourcing - it's a PITA - but if it's gotta have full audio QA, you really can't afford to do much else.
bet I can guess who it is
don't give them another second of your time. It will only get worse and you will feel like a fool in the end for having stayed so long.
I would guess

the poster is asking you obliquely to speak with respect and not demand an answer. JMO.


 


just a guess
I'm guessing that they don't really have your resume but got your name from either an MT website, MT publication subscription, MT organization, or something of that nature and are trying to trick you into applying either so they can try to get you to work for them (never heard of them) or to get your personal information.
Just a guess
One add of theirs matched another exactly that said 7 cpl. I'm assuming that was for the straight typing.
LOL guess again
/
B4 i guess
as dont do radiology
I GUESS SO, !!!
y don't u?
CYA I guess.
The last I heard from them is yesterday. They did not offer me another account. I did actually type 3 jobs for them last week, and my lead said I did great work. However, since my Word didn't interface with ExpressScribe, and I had VOIP DSL (not fast enough for them I guess)I just haven't heard back from them. Talk about being left out in the cold.
GUESS WHAT!!!!
I work for a local hospital and have all the benefits of the nationals that you state above, plus all the benefits of working for a local hospital. I work eight hours per day. I have access to the entire work flow system and can see it all. My hospital treats us fairly. I work 8 hours and them I'm done. If I want to work overtime I do, if not, I do not. We get MUCH MORE time off than nationals AND we get the same local doctors which includes a variety of docs, but not a variety of accounts like the nationals. We occasionally get together for a Christmas luncheon, or meeting at the hospital, etc. and it works out VERY WELL!!!

I work from home. My hospital provides the equipment and pays for the internet service. We have constant work and a very good variety of work. I have a base hourly pay and a VERY GOOD incentive pay plan and I do very well.

So, if you are fortunate enough to work for a hospital from your home, it is by far the BEST WAY TO GO.
Let me guess
You are the same person who was arguing continuously last night?
Let me guess...MQ? nm
..
I can help you guess sm

I make a little under $40K a year and I have been at this amount for about 3 yrs (no longer caring to try to do more).  I have gone employee from IC.


IC people file a schedule C and our business expenses go on that form for taxes, not on schedule A like when you are an employee.  If you have itemized in the past, rather than taking the standard deduction, this may completely screw you up.  If you have been taking the standard deduction, you will have more to deduct. 


I can take my income last year of $36K.  Business expenses totalled about $2.5K and I took the standand deduction of about $5K (I don't have the exact figures).  If you take 7.5 from 36, that is 28.5 or $28,500. As I am single and kids are grown, I am in the 24% bracket and I paid $7K in taxes for 2007.  That is tax, FICA and Medicare combined. 


This current year for me is the first time in 25 yrs I have been employed and not contracting.  I am scared to death, but I went to the IRS site and used their calculator and I'll be fine and should have a refund this time, first time in YEARS.  Unfortunately, they don't have a schedule C calculator.


My advice is to talk to a tax accountant who has the numbers in front of them.  Pay your taxes quarterly if there is any way you can swing it.  It is very daunting to know that you still need to eat with eggs at $3 a dozen AND put back 25% of what you make for taxes, but that is how it all works.  Then again, as an employee right now, my base rate is 8 cents a line and I made 10 as an IC, the margin was sorta there. 


My guess would be
they wanted to lower the rates they paid, sort of like Circuit City did with their employees a couple years back.
Usually 98% would be my guess
/
Just my guess, but...
I'd say it's because 13 cents in my pocket beats 14 in someone else's. It's that way everywhere. We're in competition for local work. It's survival instinct.
I guess so
but I've talked to other MTs and they have gotten paid also. Sorry.
My guess is that...

the reply is meant in general, not necessarily to TT...just commenting on what they received in the past from the company they work for .