Budget for Tax Enforcement to Double in 2010

Government and Economy

Obama Doubles Tax Law Enforcement Budget

President Obama has proposed a near doubling of the funds to enforce U.S. tax laws next year, with an aim of more than quadrupling funding for tax compliance to $2.1 billion within five years. Reuters.com

Stress Test: Banks Need More Money, Taxpayers May Not Have to Pay

True, the stress tests show that the banks need more funds, but that does not necessarily mean they will get that money from the government as the Obama administration is suggesting that the rescue money that Congress has already approved will be enough to fill the gaps. NYTimes.com

Consumer Credit Drops as Job Losses Mount and Banks Reduce Lines

US Consumer credit contracted by a record amount in March as the jobless rate broke records of its own and banks made it harder for individuals and businesses to get loans. Bloomberg.com

Management and Financial Issues

Recession Fallout: A New Relationship Between Small Business and Banks

Business owners are saying that they are turning to regional or community banks and credit unions for their banking needs, and away from the major banks. Is it any wonder? The big banks don’t seem to be able to help them anymore. WSJ.com

Technology Issues

Google is Looking For You

Online search leader Google says that most of its revenue comes from working with small companies, and that it needs more of your business. The question is: Should you hire it? CNNMoney.com

Malware-Friendly Search Engines on the Rise

Cybercriminals behind the ongoing attacks that hijack swine flu-related queries in order to introduce scareware, have brought back an old tactic—fake and malware-friendly search engines. ZDNet.com

Benefits and Labor Issues

Using Facebook To Catch 'Sick' Workers

Social networks like Facebook are an easy and cost-effective way to market your small business and even screen potential employees, but can you use it to check on employees who call in sick to work? You bet! BusinessKnowHow.com

The Promise of Voluntary Benefits

More small companies are discovering that voluntary benefits offer a low-cost way to bolster their businesses and empower their employees. MSNBC.com

Supreme Court Reverses ID Theft Ruling; DHS to Target Employers

As a result of a recent Supreme Court decision and policy changes by the Department of Homeland Security, enforcement efforts on illegal immigration will shift away from illegal aliens and toward the employers who hire them. Workforce.com

Sales and Marketing

Integrated Marketing: Social Media Benchmarks
You need benchmarks to know how your efforts are progressing, but not all benchmarks are created equal. Here are some to avoid and others to embrace. ClickZ.com

Attracting Customers in a Recession

During a recession, consumer spending falls, meaning that offering quality products or services at a reasonable price may not be enough of a draw to keep the customers coming in. Four businesses, however, have attracted customers in spite of the recession. Here's how. BusinessKnowHow.com

Local Search: Yelp and Your Online Reputation
With the development of consumer-generated review sites, local businesses need to manage not only their brick and mortar reputation, but their online reputation as well. Here's where to start. ClickZ.com

Email Newsletters: Get Your Customers to Actually Read Yours

Your customers' in-boxes are overflowing, but here are some things you can do to get them interested enough in your company's email newsletters to look forward to them. BusinessWeek.com