Horizons January 2015

4A | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com

FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2015

Horizons

A publication of the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce

Presented by Northside Hospital-Forsyth

Prestige Members

Business Awards Breakfast Small businesses are an essential component to expanding growth in the American economy; employing much of the country’s private work force, creating jobs, generating and driving American innovations while also increasing competition. Forsyth County, the seventh fastest growing community in the nation, is an environment where businesses have the opportunity to thrive. The CummingForsyth County Chamber of Commerce, in an effort to support entrepreneurship in the community, is excited to host the 2015 Business Awards program.

These awards are given to businesses that demonstrate leadership within the community, practice a high standard of business ethics, make contributions to the community and play a significant role in the continuing economic growth of the business communit y i n Fo r s y t h C o u n t y. T h e Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce needs as many individual nomination contributions as possible.

Submit nominations by Tuesday, February 17, 2015 via e-mail to Director of Small Business Services, Jason Mock at

jmock@cummingforsythchamber. org. The Chamber only needs the nominee’s name of business and a c o n t a c t ’s n a m e a n d e - m a i l address.

The 2015 Business Awards Breakfast will be held on Thursday, April 30, 2015 from 7:30 a.m.-9 a.m. at the Forsyth Conference Center, located at 3410 Ronald Reagan Boulevard in Cumming. For more information on the 2015 Business Awards program please contact the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce.

Partners in Education

Northside Hospital-Forsyth

Forsyth County Government

The City of Cumming

DeKalb Office

Georgia Power

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

The Hendricks family established the prestigious Don Hendricks Partnership Award in 2002 after the passing of Don Hendricks, long-time member of the Board of Education. Mr. Hendricks lived a life of service to the community, and believed in the Forsyth County School System and its quest for quality learning and superior performance for all. The Don Hendricks Partnership Award is given to a Partner in Education who best exemplifies the mission of the Partners in Education program and demonstrates loyalty to the school system and to the community.

The 2014 recipient of the Don Hendricks award was Automation Direct. They have donated thousands of dollars to the schools’ national award winning robotics programs, and have provided countless man hours to assist the school teams and at local competitions. This Partner in Education has also been an integral part of establishing and growing the state award winning STEM Academy at Forsyth Central High, and has worked tirelessly on the county’s Workforce Development curriculum, particularly in

jTech Networks

Inspiring Smiles

Lou Sobh Honda

Taubman

Alpharetta Children’s Dentistry

Kaiser Permanente

Atlanta Landscape Group

Month in Review Representatives from Automation Direct pose for a photo with the Don Hendricks family, former Forsyth County Schools Superintendent Buster Evans and Chamber President James McCoy after receiving the 2014 Don Hendricks Partnership Award.

Business After Hours

the area of engineering. Lastly, they also support the district’s Special Olympics and have donated hundreds of iPads to special needs students.

The 2015 Don Hendricks Partnership Award recipient will be announced at this year’s Celebration of Excellence to be held on Friday, March 13, 2015 at the Forsyth Conference Center.

Community All ‘IN’ 4 CURE

Melanie and Randy Romanaux and Mike Fazio

Coins4CURE is simple – children helping children.

Coins4CURE is an exciting opportunity for Forsyth County children will have a tangible way school clubs and groups to raise to make a positive difference for money for CURE Childhood their friends fighting cancer. In Cancer during the month of empowering kids to help kids, February, while spreading awareCoins4CURE is much more than ness of childhood cancer. an important fundraiser,” said Coins4CURE is a student-lead CURE Childhood Cancer coin drive with 100 percent of Executive Director, Kristin proceeds directly benefiting Connor.

CURE Childhood Cancer - an “We can’t wait to see its success Atlanta-based non-profit organizaJanuary’s Business After Hours at The Villas at and anticipate the program will Coins4CURE. Businesses can tion dedicated to conquering Canterfield choose to match the amount raised grow quickly as other communichildhood cancer through funding at a participating school up to a ties see the great things Forsyth targeted research and through supCounty is able to accomplish,” certain dollar amount, or make a port of patients and their families. one-time donation to a participatConnor added.

Forsyth County school clubs With the online donation fea- ing school’s February coin drive. and groups will work together to ture, everyone is able to donate to For more information about spread awareness of childhood a Coins4CURE coin drive! Online Corporate Coins4CURE, e-mail cancer, while encouraging fellow d o n a t i o n s m a d e t o C U R E info@coins4cure.org. students, along with their friends Coins4CURE was founded in Childhood Cancer through the and family to collect coins to raise Office of University Relations 2014

by Alpharetta Children’s Coins4CURE website will count money for CURE Childhood 706.864.1950 • www.ung.edu/university-relations as a funtoward the grand total raised at Dentistry & Orthodontics Cancer. any participating school during the draiser for Forsyth County school “We are very excited with the File name: support coinMCCoB_Cummingad-10x4o69 drive. This enables schools to clubs and groups toThis ad has and been approved in its current form. Should any Coins4CURE program. It proraise money for CURE Childhood changes be required for production adjustments or any other awareness and for Versionraise Date: October 27, 2014 8:14money AM vides a simple but very significant reason, please notify me immediately. We reserve the right their coin drives on a broader Cancer.

Final Ad Location: Server/Advertisements - misc way to help children with cancer to cancel payment on any ads in which the publisher makes To sign-up a Forsyth County level. changes tovisit: the appearance of an ad without our consent. introduces a text poll in our community. The wideSchool club or group, simply Moderator Paul Chambers Designer:Forsyth Lacey Pyle • lacey.pyle@ung.edu County businesses can spread participation of schools in www.coins4cure.org/sign-up. to the audience. also participate through C R O P MCorporate ARKS INCLUDED: THIS HEADER NOT TO BE PRINTED WITH AD BELOW Forsyth County ensures Forsyth’s

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forsythnews.com | FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | 5A

FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2015

Horizons

Presented by

A publication of the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce

Who Does Your Taxes:

Understanding the Differences in Who You are Trusting

By Ann-Margaret Johnston

Ann-Margaret Johnston is a practicing CPA in Cumming, Georgia.

Feel free to call her at 770-205-2221 or visit her website at www.johnstoncpas.com

Johnston & Associates

Now more than ever, it is important to make sure you file an accurate tax return.

With all the new complicated t a x l aw s , e s p e c i a l l y t h e Affordable Care Act, it is important to know what you are doing when it comes to having your taxes prepared.

Did you know that someone can do your tax return completely wrong and that the ultimate person responsible is you?

You hear so many terms for a c c o u n t a n t s — C e r t i fi e d Public Accountant (CPA), Enrolled Agent (EA), Bookkeeper and of course, Accountant. What does it all mean and how can it affect you? It is important to know who to trust and why. Here is a bit of clarification.

A Certified Public Accountant, or CPA, is someone with a college degree geared toward taxes and many other aspects of accounting.

After receiving a degree, and in many cases a masters degree, they take an exam called, the CPA Exam. This is

a grueling test that is taken in four parts that cover not only taxes but law, auditing and other detailed areas of financial accounting. It is a very difficult test and the majority of people take the exam several times before passing all four parts of it. Even after obtaining your degree and passing the test, you have to work in the accounting industry before becoming a CPA. Individual states regulate and govern CPA’s and each state has different rules in order to obtain a license to practice as a CPA. You also have to document what type of work experience you have obtained when filling out your application to become a CPA. Then, the state licensing board gets to decide if your experience is in enough areas

of accounting to grant you the license. After you receive your license, you are required to take continuing education courses. In Georgia, you are required to take 80 hours of classes every two years and you have to prove that you have taken these courses or the State will not renew your license to practice. The courses cost about $300 per eight hours. If you think hiring a CPA is expensive, remember the old rule of thumb — you get what you pay for.

While many people are familiar with the CPA title, they may not be as familiar with the EA title. An EA is a person that is authorized by the IRS, not the state. The right to p ra c t i c e c o m e s fro m t h e Federal government, specifical-

Upcoming events February 3

February 17

February 3

February 19

Women Who Mean Business7:30 a.m., Renasant Bank Member Power Networking LunchNoon, Dickey’s Barbecue

February 10

Member Power Networking LunchNoon, El Don Mexican Bar & Grill

Member Power Networking LunchNoon, City Boyz Bistro 2015 Business Showcase4:00 p.m., Forsyth Conference Center

February 24

Member Power Networking LunchNoon, Taco’s and Tequilas Mexican

Key to the events Member Power Networking Lunch — Meets every Tuesday at noon at a different location and includes casual networking for 20-35 other business professionals.

Business After Hours — Meets the second Tuesday of every month from 5-7 p.m. at a different host location every month. The purpose is networking and to experience new businesses in the community.

Women Who Mean Business — Meets the first Tuesday of every month at 7:30 a.m. This is a specialized networking group of over 50 female business professionals. Join them for breakfast.

• Please visit our Event’s Calendar at www.cummingforsythchamber.org to see a full list of events, more information and registration.

ly the Department of Treasury (IRS).

In order to become an EA, you either pass a test administered by the IRS or work for the IRS in an area of tax/auditing for five years. Instead of focusing on all areas of accounting like the CPA exam, the test focuses on tax code. An EA has to keep up continuing education just like a CPA but they are only required to have 72 hours every three years.

People that call themselves tax preparers, bookkeepers and/or accountants typically have only taken some tax courses in a specific area, such as individual income taxes.

Accountants or bookkeepers are not allowed to defend you against the IRS. They cannot obtain a Power of Attorney to represent you. They have to fill out a form called a Tax Authorization Form which only allows them to inspect and /or receive confidential information on your behalf. In other words, a lot of times you are on your own if there is a problem with the return that they prepared.

Finally, be careful of the guys that are in a costume

waving on the street corner during tax season. You know the ones — they promise fast refunds and do a “while you wait” tax return. They work on volume, to get you in and out quickly. In my opinion, this is fine for an easy return but I would not feel comfortable for a more complicated return to be prepared while I am sitting there. Again, be sure that you feel comfortable that this person is knowledgeable enough for your particular situation. If they are not licensed, they do not have a license to lose if they are negligent.

Because I am obviously a bit prejudiced to CPA’s, I have to point out that it all boils down to hiring the person that you feel the most comfortable with. It’s best to find someone that is familiar with your type of tax situation. As I said before — in life, you usually get what you pay for, so be sure that you are willing to be comfortable with the person responsible for reporting your taxes to the IRS. Make sure your taxes are filed timely and enjoy the rest of the year!

The Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce is excited to host the third annual Business Showcase.

The event pairs the Business After Hours environment (networking, great food and beverages and a relaxing atmosphere) with an expo-like element. This event is a perfect fit for businesses that might be interested in hosting a Business After Hours event but do not have a true brick and mortar location to do so.

• Companies can purchase tables to showcase their operation for only $100 and still enjoy local food vendors and networking with event attendees.

• This year’s showcase will be held on Thursday, February 19, 2015 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Forsyth Conference Center located at 3410 Ronald Reagan Blvd in Cumming.

• To become a sponsor or to purchase a showcase table please contact the Chamber’s Membership Services Department at 770-887-6461.

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