Blog Posts by genConnect.com

Taxpayers have until April 17 to file their tax returns. For Americans who are self-employed, doing your taxes may seem unwieldy and confusing, so we reached out CPA Bob Jennings for last-minute tips for self-employed entrepreneurs filing returns.

1.) Pay your kids. Let's teach them a life lesson, and write it off as well! Set your kids (under 18) up as a real employee with job descriptions, time records, hourly pay, actual paychecks, the whole shebang. When you pay the kids, you deduct their salary and save both income and Social Security tax for yourself, and they can earn several thousand dollars before they even have any tax due.

2.) Hire your spouse. Generally the number one expense a self-employed person has other than housing is medical costs. For the self-employed person with a spouse there is a very simple, secret solution. First, hire your spouse for a valid work purpose and treat them as a real employee. Then, set up an health reimbursement account (HRA) to

Read More »from 3 Tax Tricks for the Self-Employed

"The Hunger Games" is here.

The movie, which opened in theaters Friday and is likely the most anticipated young-adult movie to hit theaters since the "Twilight" series, earned an estimated $155 million, making it the biggest-grossing opening for a nonsequel film.

With two more books to cover and starring the likes of new young stars Jennifer Lawrence, who plays ace archer Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, as well as veteran actors like Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson, the "Hunger Games" franchise is sure to be a box-office record smasher in the future.

The film is based on the young adult trilogy by author Suzanne Collins and has become a cultural phenomenon even before it hit the big screen.

"Hunger Games is a phenomenon that's really following in the phenomenon of Twilight," said Paula Silver, founder of Beyond the Box Productions, who has more than 25 years of experience in the marketing of motion pictures like "Dirty Dancing," "My Big Fat

Read More »from 'The Hunger Games' - Another Trilogy Scores Big at Box Office

Just for a second, imagine what your life would be like if you absorbed the greatest and most powerful teachings from the best teachers in the world from the beginning of time.What would your life be like? With PhilosophersNotes by your side, you can imagine just that.

These collections of mini-CliffsNotes, created by philosopher Brian Johnson, distill the most important ideas from ancient and modern philosophical gurus on success principles, personal growth, wellness, health and more that will inspire and empower you to live your deepest truths. Browse Brian's recommendations below for a sampling the most effective self-improvement guides ever:

1. The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams by Deepok Chopra

Deepak ChopraThe creation of wealth has always been regarded as a process that requires hard work and luck--often at the expense of others. In this remarkable book, bestselling author Deepak Chopra reveals how to align with the

Read More »from The 7 Best Philosophy Books of All Time

Brand Facebook pages will receive mandatory makeovers on March 30, 2012.

The change will transform your brand page into a Timeline Design. You've probably already seen such a design on your own personal profile page or friends'.

The switch will involve some work to make your page fit the new dimensions and templates. Social media pro Kathryn Rose offers tips on how to ease the transition.

Plus: How Facebook Can Change the World

How to prepare your Facebook brand page for Timeline Design:

1.) Your current images must be adjusted. Logo size is square no more than 180 x 180 pixels.

2.) The "cover photo" is a maximum 851 x 399 pixels. Please be advised, though, of the Facebook cover page guidelines. Cover images may not contain:

• Price or purchase information, such as "40% off" or "Download it at our web site"
• Contact information, such as web address, e-mail, mailing address or other information intended for your page's "About" section

Read More »from Tips for Facebook Brand Pages Switching to Timeline Design

Drugstore chains Walgreens and CVS announced they would begin stocking a male infertility test in April, marking the first time men can get an over-the-counter test of their sperm production. Rising rates of male infertility has created a $440 million market for male fertility tests.

Scientists such as Dr. Shanna Swan, Professor and Vice-Chair of Preventive Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, have found that chemicals play a role in the increase of male infertility in the population. "There is no question that pesticides reduce sperm count," Swan recently told Global News Canada. "The question is, how much do you need to do the damage?"

Because we now know that chemicals in every day products can lead to low sperm counts, there are simple steps that men can take to avoid them. These include:

1.) Using safer pans: Teflon, the most common non-stick coating, is made from perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). Research shows that men with higher levels of PFCs had fewer

Read More »from How You Can Help with Your Man's Fertility

Now that the awards season has swiftly come and gone, punctuated by the Writers Guild Awards two weekends ago and the Academy Awards on Sunday night, there's a lot of career mojo and moxie to be learned. Or at least fodder for copious thoughts.

One by one, as each team member of the production picked up their hardware from actors to producers to screenwriters to cinematographers, it's hard not to be inspired by pursuing a dream, no matter how lofty. But, it's also hard to overlook the statistics.

Last week the Women's Media Center asked an Oscar-related question: Essentially, where are the women?

Of the 180 nominations, 35 women were nominated; this equates to 19% female nominees to 81% male nominees! Furthermore, one-quarter of the categories didn't have any women at all. As grim as the numbers are, we must wonder if this is also reflective of women in the industry.

The Women's Media Center also pointed out that 77% of the voters for the Oscars are men!

Read More »from Are Jobs in Hollywood Biased Towards Women?

What makes you happy? To answer the question, we went straight to Gretchen Rubin author of the international bestseller The Happiness Project and she offered tips on how to lead a more meaningful life. Click here to watch or read the wisdom below:

1. Connect with other people. Scientists and philosophers agree that strong connections with other people can improve our mood. Foster new relationships and continue to strengthen the ones you already have.

2. Challenge yourself. Whether you are learning something new, overcoming a challenge, fixing something or helping somebody, any instance in which you challenge yourself will give you a feeling of accomplishment. Rubin suggests taking a class, cleaning out your garage, helping a friend move or donating your time.

3. 'Do good, feel good' rule. Make introductions, perform thoughtful acts and give back to your community. "One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy," Rubin told genConnect.

4. Mind your Read More »from 6 Easy Ways to Find Your Happiness

When a woman is over age 30, single and childless, people want to know why. Not just her doting parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Not just her married mom friends or co-workers. Just about everyone is just dying to know: What is she waiting for?

But it doesn't seem to matter what her response is because before they've finished asking the question, the same inquisitors have already added their own reasoning: "Are you too focused on your career?" Or, "Well, you are a career woman."

The term "career woman," for which there is no male equivalent (ever hear of a "career man?"), has taken on a pejorative meaning to women who have not chosen a career over having children. Assuming she's made a choice to focus on her career instead of getting married (or finding a life partner) and having children with that partner is a punch in the gut to the amazing single woman who wants to be a mother. It implies the stereotype that she's cold-hearted, selfish or just completely naïve or

Read More »from The Worst Question to Ask Single Women