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PA requires you to charge sales tax on your work...

Posted By: PAMT on 2006-04-01
In Reply to: steps to becoming an IC - JB

if you send your completed work to a MT company or doctor within PA.  However, I send my work out of state, so I don't have to charge sales tax and I don't need a license.  I had asked someone at one of the companies I IC for and she said that she had heard of that before from one of the other girls.  When I lived in WA state, I had a business license from the state and had to file every year.  The sales tax thing was a real shock to hear at first!  


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You also may have to charge sales tax sm
depending on what state you live in. PA requires an MT to charge sales tax on work that is sent to someplace within the Commonwealth. I am exempt because my work is received from/sent to out of the Commonwealth. However, to answer the business license question, I don't have to have on for PA.
Doubt you can charge 15 cpl for VR work to the docs - you can't even charge them 12 for straight
x
Only if your city requires it. I work as an IC
and my city does not require a business license for this.
Where I work requires average of 1200
lines per day for a 2-week period.
I won't work for a company that requires me to pay long distance
After getting reamed over by one MTSO who verbally promised to pay my unlimited long distance bill and didn't. I have no use for long distance because I use an inexpensive calling card or the Internet.
Company requires a C-phone. Will a Lanier Lx-219 work as well? sm

What is the difference in a Dictaphone, C-phone, Lanier LX-219 and Lanier Expresswriter or Voicewriter?


Thanks!


Agree! Board is like chatting. Work requires more brain cells.
x
DH has one through his work, but he's in charge of over 100 people. Can't see
x
what to charge for work on the side

A doc is interested in my services.  It's been so long since I did work on the side that I'm literally out of the loop.  Can anyone give me any idea what to charge?


In the past I charged by the page, as the docs preferred it.  Truthfully, I haven't even explored the character count on XP.  If someone could provide that as well, I'd certainly appreciate it.


Thanks!


How much do most people charge for doing IC work for doc offices, just

What program is good to use for line counting?


I was thinking 13/cents a line?  Is that undercharging?  I have to remember that I have to pay my overhead so even though 13 sounds high, I have to pay equipment,  equipment, equipment.


help


I think you would have to charge an hourly rate for this type of work.

I would charge more per line for working holidays or if asked to work scheduled days off. SM
But did you address that in your contract? 
Charge what the credit card companies charge when they don't get paid on time!!!!
 
Audio hour charge - what is fair rate to charge company?

you don't have to charge $60/HR - all you have to do is charge a good rate and then..
work smart, not hard. If you have a great dictator, charge him 14 cpl on a 65 char gross line, then set up your templates and word expanders, you can make $80/hr. But you need all three to work together, otherwise you might only be making $60/hr. Some people are just really good at what they do - shouldn't they make more if they are more productive?
I'd still charge by line, just charge a lower
rate, like maybe 8 cpl.  Do you have to pickup and deliver work?    You could also setup a one-month contract until you see how it goes and then you can figure out the best way to charge and go from there.  You could also charge a flat rate per page and keep it fairly low.  
One office I charge .12, another I charge $2.25 page--nm
//
i'm right there with you. i was in sales
for 15+ yrs and turned to MT so that i could get away from the mean world. 90% of people have the attitude that "start off evil and you'll get what you want faster and sometimes even more than you wanted just to get rid of them".  i hardly ever hear please or thank you from someone.  i'm teaching my 3 yo please/thank you/share/etc, etc, but then i cry to see how he's treated by his class mates.  i feel like i'm setting him up to be stomped on just for being polite and doing what is right.  I'm also in my mid 30's and went back to college last semester just so i could add some things to my resume since nowadays a b.s. alone isn't worth beans but i took my class over the internet through a local college.  i couldn't afford this semester, but next semester i'll take another class online. if i had to sit next to these people 1/2 my age with the attitudes that most seem to have i would snap. I wish being nice was as contagious as being mean.   i know there are nice people out there-but boy are they getting harder and harder to find!!!
Oh, of course, I'm certain you have the sales...

numbers right at your fingertips.  It appears you are the one how has been duped by believing the BOS is the ultimate authority.  The majority of MTs know better, and the majority of healthcare providers have never HEARD of it.  Many of us bought the book thinking it was actually useful, and newbies are told they MUST have it.  Now, mind you, they are told this by the very people who are in bed with the AAMT.


Buy into it if you will (obviously you already have).  That doesn't mean the rest of us need to do so.


ebay sales
Well, my accounts were always looked at..I had soaps, body facial products and line reducers (for face), lingerie, halloween products, kitchen products..movie videos, CDs, candles, shoes (Pay Less always has two for one or one for half price), books (you can get great used books for cheap and sell them for so much more..like a used Harry Potter..you can get a lot)..I just posted them and they were looked at..what matters is how you introduce your products..you post them and then tell about them..so you need to post good things about your products, you know, pump up your product..Yes, I truly think you can quit anything else and go ebay full time..I was thinking about that but going to the post office every day and packaging the products got to me..If I had had someone to help me, I think I could have done it..Like I posted previously, Im gonna do it again, when I move back to NY next year..There are so many surplus companies, manufacturers who will sell to you wholescale..Gosh, I had so much left off when I quit.LOL..I had purses, body jewelry, lingerie, kitchenware..you name it..I gave it all away to friends and used it for myself..Just surf for wholescale companies in the net..I loved selling on Ebay, plus you meet such nice people..I met people from England, Germany and all over the USA (through emails and phone calls)..It was a great experience..What I recommend is surf for wholesale companies and when you shop, buy two for one, go to Factory for U, Big Lots, Annas Linens, always when you shop be looking for something you can sell..Buy one get one for free always was great for me..
have a friend who does car sales

She said some banks won't finance KIAs because of that.  Way too easy to stay upside down in your financing.


 


It is all about marketing and sales. Looks like they have your $$
x
Sales slip?
If you still have the sales slip, you have a good chance of returning it.
Sales Letter
Well,you could make a cute flyer with your picture in it and possibly your email and phone number. But you best bet is to dress up nice and go straight to the office manager with flyer in hand and say, "Help me get my foot in the door please?"
You are obviously young and eager with little experience. Any job at this point is your ace in the hole. So be direct and serious and leave the flyer with them. Most people just use business cards. If the local area proves fruitless, there are companies online that hire and you could get your experience that way also.
SALES PEOPLE LIE

Did you know that it is totally legal to lie?  I mean, it may be immoral and NOT right, but it is totally legal.  So, those who can profit by it, have everything to gain by lying to us and nothing to lose by being dishonest in this way.  This seems like such a simple rule of life, but it is one that did not become crystal clear to me until I became a medical Transcriptionist (and also when I bought a house, but that is another long story).  Sadly, it is my own fault for being so trusting and gullible.


Six years ago, I was incredibly naive and fell for the STUFF that was feed to me by the people selling the CS course.  They offered me was seemed at the time to be hope.  In reality, they took advantage of my state of neediness.


I graduated from CS almost 4 years ago.  I work my butt off, sometimes as many as 3 jobs at a time, and my gross income last year was a pathetic $21,000!!!  I have one adult child who takes care of himself.


So, I wish this woman, the one with the 5 children with one being a special needs child and her husband in Iraq, much luck, and I hope she has a great support system.


 


 


PA Sales Tax - HEADS UP PA MTs

Everyone has to know about this. I posted this on the tax board, too.


How desperate are the governors getting? PA sent out tax forms to everyone that bought cigarettes from a Native American reservation and they want their tax money. One woman in PA was hit up for over $4,800 and last week, they slapped a Sheriff's Sale sign on her property.


Now, my DH received a letter today. They want anyone in business who bought anything from out-of-state companies (office supplies, equipment, tools, etc.) that don't reciprocate taxes to PA, to pay up. This doesn't just apply to last year. This goes all the way back to 1981!!! Since when, since records do not have to be kept after a certain amount of years, how can they do this?  DH doesn't have to worry about it that much. He usually always buys in PA.


I certainly do not have any receipts back to 1981 when I was an IC!


It's bad enough the governor is "threatening" to raise property taxes if he can't pass the higher income tax, but now this. I think our state government should stop the spending like he's always done. We're broke, yet he keeps handing out money.


Out-of-state sales tax question
I would have posted on the other thread, but it is gone already. My apologies.

Do any MTSOs charge sales tax to out-of-state clients? Long before transcription, I worked for a company that did not charge sales tax on product sold out of state but did charge sales tax for any services peformed on-site, even for out-of-state customers. They insisted if the service was performed in the state, they needed to charge sales tax. I have been subcontracting out of state and every time I called to get a sales tax license they would very nicely tell me to stuff it until I got an in-state customer. Now I have just gotten my first out-of-state account (direct client) and want to make absolutely sure I should not charge sales tax for my service.

Thank you.
Idea for sales letter
What do you all this of this? I just graduated, and I want to market to doctor's offices. I made a flyer to send. I thought I would also send a sales letter that is formatted like a SOAP. I don't know how much competition I will have, and I'm trying to stand out. Too silly? Any comments?
VR demo - not a sales pitch

You need to have the Windows Media Player loaded onto your system to view the video. It takes about 30 seconds to load and is about one minute in length.


I think after you watch it you'll understand why so many medical professionals (i.e. doctors) are switching over to speech recognition.


If you're an IC, you should be charging PA sales tax as well. sm
I know there are A LOT of PA MT's who are not doing this, making it more difficult for those on the up-and-up. However, if you are providing MT services to anyone other than a non-profit (with valid PA Sales Tax exemption), then you should be charging the 6% State Sales Tax and filing a Sales Tax Return.

The Use Tax issue that started this post has been in place for a long time, it's just that the Commonwealth has decided to become more aggressive in their pursuit of this lost revenue stream.
It was for a job, which requires me to ....sm
download ExpressScribe. I am trying to get this on there and it won't let me. To take the test, I have to have this ExpressScibe. So that is why I was trying to do it.
If you have a Paypal account, pay to sales@mtstars.com. Thank you!
/
hit some yard sales early in the morning

This belongs on classifed board, for sales
x
If it requires that much knowledge
above the normal they might consider paying a wage for it - starting .07 cpl doesn't exactly scream you're valued for your knowledge.
Editing requires a somewhat different set of SM
talents and skills, Carole. Some make more, some less, depending on that. Also, very important, depending on how the lines edited are being counted compared to the amount of work required--this can vary widely, even within a company depending on which account being worked on.
Excuse me, but VR requires the same
skill as a QA also. It would be exactly like reviewing a report sent to QA as it has to often times be corrected for grammar, punctuation, spelling, words, etc.; just as if an MT had sent it in for a question.
Did you see the story about bake sales/childhood obesity?

From the AP out of Minneapolis. "Study links bake sales, weight problems."


Puhleez. What next?


When are the "Diet Police" going to stop and realize that the majority of the obesity "problem" among children begins at home? Who gives these kids the money to go eat at McDonalds and loads their cupboards with junk food anyway?


Sure my kids like sweets and they like McDonalds, but monitor and moderation goes a long way.


Something tells me that a pencil sale just isn't going to bring in that much cash flow.


I've never heard of sales tax being charged for a service, only
for a tangible product.  
It is true...and the sales reps will tell you anything to obtain your business, but then they...sm
get you once you start using the ULD.  I know, I have been told the same thing that you say you have been told but then I received the dreaded "cut off" notice.  I wish you the best, but it is just a matter of time until they get to your area.  It's not allowed! 
Garage sales, consignment stores, coupons
If your income for the prior year is below 24,000 in Calif., you are eligible for 20% discount on gas/elec. Also, if your income is less than 12,000/yr, you are eligible for food bank visits once a month which total about $120.00. It has been six years since I went down this road, so the figure may have changed.

After a divorce, major surgery and no job, I found myself penniless. I had yard sales daily. Went to swap meets and sold my things there. Also, took my finer clothes to a consignment shop. Used coupons to determine what I would be eating. Thank God, I had no children.

I think when you have kids, you really need a nest egg of some sort that is absolutely untouchable.

This sounds like a temporary situation if you price your home to sell.
That doesn't even matter if the DOJ only requires your
SSN and address.  The criminal background checks aren't coming from the DOJ.  The MTSO or national is requiring a criminal background check.  That's their prerogative.  You either submit to the criminal background check, or you look for work elsewhere.  It's that simple.  There is NO law requiring background checks.  It's not a violation of privacy because you agree to it before it's done.  As the other poster said, what's wrong with it if you've got nothing to hide?  Many times, you're getting a computer and access to people's private health records.  I don't want a criminal having access to my medical records.
Co. requires outdated version...

Trying to get started with Focus and they require Microsoft Office Professional 2003.  I cannot get this from a reputable company.  They tell me that 2007 is not compatible with their system, but the people from microsoft doesn't see how it couldn't be.  Does anyone know a legal and reputable way to get this?


I have 1 year of experience.  Does anyone know of another good company that willh hire PT with this experience.  Thanks. 


But QAing requires much more knowledge
and experience than VR editing. They can hire newbies to do VR editing, but not QA.
If the law requires that a patient's record be
protected by HIPAA, and HIPAA laws have no effect overseas, wouldn't it logically be a violation to send the record overseas?
Try ebay, yard sales, Recycled Software or BuyCheapSoftware.com
to find inexpensive software. Also, see if you can find a newer version of MS Works because I think it comes with Word now, or you can buy a standalone version of Word without springing for MS Office.

For that matter, wait until you find a job before worrying about it. Not everybody uses MS Word, and some companies provide their own software for you to use. What about going back to Medware or another company that provides software and/or equipment?
I hate crowds. Big sales bring out the worst in people.
I tried it twice several years ago. Never again. People were just rudely shoving everyone else around trying to get from store to store to gather up all the freebies or super deals.

We tried to go to the movies instead, but all the Harry Potter matinees were sold out. Again.
My question is why do you want that kind of pressure in a job that requires you to
work 80 hours a week? If working 80 hours is part of the job at any given time, why would you want it?
Becoming a nurse requires education and certification.

MT does NOT.  A flying monkey could become an MT with a little training.  Some people make it sound as if we're doing brain surgery here.  Honestly, we are glorified typists.  Anyone who thinks it's more than that is just trying to feel better about being a medical typist.  I get slammed all the time for this opinion, but the harsh reality of it is that this is NOT a difficult field to get into IF you have the proper skills.  Don't slam someone for being a nurse and wanting to transition to MT.  She has more education and certification in the medical field than we do.  As long as she has good grammar, spelling, research, and typing skills, SHE WILL DO GREAT!!!!  Why do people have to be so egotistical and negative on these boards?  We ought to encourage newbies getting into the field instead of telling them it's too difficult or they aren't qualified.  Hey, let's just alienate all the newbies and send the work overseas to people who don't have EFL skills.


You need Microsoft's Word. It is a program that requires
installation. The account sounds good at 13/cent a line. Better invest in Word (costs a bit) unless you have a kind friend who will share theirs with you.
Thanks for all the info. I will check and see what my State requires(nm)
xx