G I V E M E

LIBERTYM A G A Z I N E

®

Volume 3 Number 1 / 2016

GREENIS THE NEW BLACK

FIGHTING FRAUDTax refund I.D. theft is on the rise. Liberty is fighting back.

3 LetterfromFounderandCEO

4 LetterfromPublisherandEditor-in-Chief

5 FromDropouttoSuccessfulBusinessOwner

9 StanPhelpsWantsYoutoWin

11 WeAreLiberty

13 LookAtWhatLibertyDidThisYear

15 FranchiseeClose-up:MeetAngeliaAlden

16 CanYouSpottheDifference?

17 GreenistheNewBlack

21 CombatingTaxIdentityTheft

23 BewareIRSPhoneScammersAreLurking

26 TheySaid“Yes”ToHealthInsurance

27 FranchiseeClose-up:MeetLeslieLessing

28 RaisingMoneyforChurchesandCharities

29 TaxesintheDigitalEconomy

CONTRIBUTORS:Publisher and Editor-in-Chief:MarthaO’Gorman

Executive Editor:MicheleChesley

Art Director:OliverDimalanta

Writers:NicoleGilmet,CatherineMarrin

Guest Editor:KathleenGuzman

ON THE COVER:RachaelLang,ourreigningLadyLibertybringsafresh,colorful

twisttoourFanaticalmarketing.Fullstoryonpage18.

Volume 3 Number 1 / 2016

CONTENTS

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y2

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10

30

12

18

16

26

29

6

Ivisitedatrainingsession lastsummerandwas asked about the name of our newestbrand–SiempreTax+.

“Whatmadeyoupickthatname?”thenewfranchiseeasked.

“Doesitmatter?”Iresponded.

Then, Iencouragedherand theassembledgroup to think about my question. Whatdid McDonald’s mean before it becamesynonymouswithfastfood?WhoeverheardorthoughtofaWalmart50yearsago?And,even thoughHewitt is aname I happen tolike,whatdidJacksonHewittmeanbeforeitbecameataxpreparationcompany?

My point is that names don’t meananything, initially. It’s the type of companyyou build that matters. It’s the serviceyou provide customers that matters. If weexceed customers’ expectations and makeour brands synonymous with exceptionalservice,thenournameshavetruemeaning.

AtLibertyTaxService,weknowoursuccessdoesn’t come from some secret sauce.It’s what we do day in and day out toletour customers knowwe’re lookingoutforthem,anddeliveringtothem

thebestserviceinthe business. Wecouldn’t have growntomorethan4,000locationsin 18 years if we didn’t do the hard work ofpleasingcustomers.

With Siempre, we have an opportunity tocapture a huge market that is hungry fortop-qualitytaxpreparationservices.Butjustbecause themarket is there doesn’tmeanwecanexpectcustomerstoflocktous.Wehave to demonstratewhy they should.Weneed to be out in communities, talking topeopleandspreading thewordaboutwhoweareandwhatweoffer.Whencustomersvisit our offices, we have to exceed theirexpectationsandgetthemtalkingaboutouramazingservice.

Will they care about our name? Sure,oncewe’ve proven ourselves. Then, they’llrememberournameandreferittoothers.

As we head into a busy tax season,let’s not worry ourselves with

names. Instead, let’s stayfocused on providing thefanaticalcustomerservicethatgivesourbrandnamemeaning.

JohnHewitt,FounderandCEO

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y3

JOH

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WHAT’S IN A NAME? NOT MUCH, REALLY

MA

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O’G

OR

MA

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HE

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ISH

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G I V E M E L I B E R T Y 4

Ihaveagoodlife.Iworkforagreatcompany.Ilovemyjob.

Recently I was at a conference and wasmovedbyasermongivenbyBishopTDJakes.Hetalkedaboutmovingyourtent.Minehasbeeninthesameplaceforover30years.

It’s not like there’s some sort of quicksandpullingmedownorthat I’minabadsitua-tion. It’s just that I haven’t donemuch re-centlytochangemylife,mypointofview,ormydreamsandgoals.

Tobehonest,Ididn’tthinkanythingneededchanging. But as the Bishop talked about“movingyourtent,”hereallygotmethinkingaboutmylife.ItchangedmeintermsofhowIthinkaboutmyself.Hemademequestionwhat Imightbemissingbymaintainingmyownpersonalstatusquo.

AsIsaid,mytenthasbeeninoneplaceforquite some time. I’ve known John Hewitt longer than some of my employees havebeen alive. I worked with him at JacksonHewittandhelpedgetLibertyoffthegroundand into the history books as the fastestgrowingtaxfranchise.

In thattime, I’ve learneda lotabout lifeand financesandbusinessownership.CouldImovemytentandsharesomeofthatwisdom?

Maybe I could teach a class at the local community college. Financial literacy issomething toomany of us lack. I have theskills;Ihavetheability.Icouldshouldsharemy knowledge. My marketing experience

wouldmakeagreattopictocover at our local adult edu-cationcenter.MaybeIcouldleadagroupdiscussionaboutwomeninleadershiprolesormentorfuturebusinessowners.

Themore I think about what I can do, themoreexcitedIbecomeaboutwhoIamandwhat Ihave to share. It’s a littledisappoint-ingtothinkthatIneededtobeshakenbytheBishopJakestoawakentomyownreality.

I guess we all need a little shaking now andthen.

Maybe you’ve been the owner of one locationforsolongthatyou’vebecomecom-fortable.You’refamiliarwiththeroutine.Youcanpredicthowtheyearwillgo.But thinkabouthowyoufeltwhenyouwerethatrisktaker opening your first store. Think aboutallthatyou’vebeenabletoaccomplishsincethen,thepeopleyou’vemet,thelivesyou’vetouched.What’sstoppingyoufromopeningthat secondor third store and getting thatfeelingagain?

What’sstoppingyoufrommovingyourtent?

Idon’tknowwherethisjourneyisgoingtoleadme,butI’mbaskinginit.Ifeelrenewed,likethisisafreshstartforme,andIpromiseyou,I’mgoingtomakethemostofit.

MarthaO’GormanChiefMarketingOfficer

IS IT TIME TO MOVE YOUR TENT?

MitchBrownispacingthefloorbeforehispresen-tationtoaroomfullofeagerfranchisees.Hecan’tseemtogetthePowerPointslidesworking,andit’sfrustratinghim.He growls a little, suckshis teeth,andconfessestothecrowd,“I’mnotverytechnical.”

Mitchwillmakeother confessionsduringhis two-plus-hourpresentation. Hedoesn’treadbooks.

Hedoesn’tlikesalads.

Hethoughthekneweverything. Butthemoststunningmightbethis:“Ididnotfinishhighschool.Theyaskedmenottocomeback.Ihave10½ years of education. No high school diploma. NoGED.”

Yet,hereheis,theCEOofasuccessfultaxfranchisebusiness.

Watching himwork the room, you know you canbelieve him when he says he got here just by workinghard.

His trajectory in life: Hemoved out of hismom’shouseat16.Gothisfirstrealjobasavinylwindowinstaller.Workedhiswayuptocorporateinstallationmanager, overseeing five locations that installedwindowsinhigh-endhomes.HemovedtoSeattlein2006andgotintothetaxbusinesswithhisbrotherbecause“itwasfourmonthsofworkeachyear.”

Mitchwilltellyouthattaxpreparationisn’thisthing,managingstoresandgrowthis.Still,heworkedhistailoffinhisfirsttwoLibertyTaxstores.Hedid320taxreturnsinhisfirstyear.Hewaseverythingtohisorganization. The stores were successful enough,

FROM DROPOUT TO MILLION-DOLLAR OWNER

Hard work and belief in the system took Mitch Brown to new heights

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y5

butMitchhadaplanforthelifehewantedtolive,andtwostoresweren’tgoingtogethimthere.Heopened twomore stores in 2007 and developedhis model for how he’d continue to grow. He’dstudy territories and growth potential before he purchasedanymorestores.Ifthestoresdidn’tlooklike they could pay for themselves in four years,Mitchwouldn’tbuythem.

Theplanworked.By2010,Mitchhadsixstores,buthealsohadaproblem.Hewasintheway.Youknowthetype,themicromanager.ThatwasMitch.

Healsowasn’tadiscipleoftheLibertyTaxsystem.Hewenttotrainings,hadlunchwithotherZees,pickedup techniques andtips thatwouldhelphimgrowhisbusiness,butthewayMitchsawit,hewasthesmartestguyintheroom.Hedidn’tcallclients,be-causeheknewtheydidn’twanttobebothered.Hedidn’tbuy intotheguerrillamarketingtechniques.Infact,forhisfirstsixyearsasaLibertyowner,hewas embarrassed when people said, “you’re withthatcompanywiththepeoplewhodance.“

ThenMitchhadanepiphany,twoepiphanies,actually.

First,herealizedthathecouldn’tbeinhissixstoresallthetime.Hehadtoletgoandtrustthepeoplewhoworkedforhim.Thattrusthadtostartatthebeginning–at thehiringprocess.Hecouldn’t justlookfortaxpreparerswhodidanOKjobandcamebackyearafteryear.Heneededpeoplewhounder-stood his vision and were invested inmaking the vision a reality.Heneeded to help them seehowthey fit into that vision and how they might beabletoclimbtheladderfromtaxpreparertooffice managertodistrictmanager.Heneededtorewardthem for greatwork and not keep people on thepayroll“justbecausetheywerebreathing.”

Then, he got the question from Liberty CEO JohnHewitt.

Johnaskedifhecalledclients;Mitchsaidno.

“Domeafavor,”Johnsaid.“Callyourclientsthisyear.”

Mitchdid,butheconfesses:“Iwasjustcheckingabox.Wedidn’tdelivertherightmessage.”

Stillhisrevenuewentup3percent.

Johnaskedagain.“Whomadethecalls?”

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y 6

“The year my attitude changed was the year my revenue really started to change.”

7

Office Manager Courtney Hicks and Operations Manager Danaia Stuck work with Mitch Brown at his Seattle-area stores.

Mytaxpreparers,Mitchsaid.

“Whydon’tyouhaveacallcenter?”Johnasked.

Becausethatwouldcostmoney,Mitchsaid.

“You need a call center to free upyourpreparers todowhat theydobest,”Johncounseled.

Mitchrelented.

Hisrevenuewentup15percent.

Hmmmm,Mitchthoughttohimself.MaybeJohnknowsmoreaboutthetaxbusinessthanIdo.

Mitch shares these stories withthe group because they representa turningpoint forhim.Theywerethedistinctmomentswhenheun-derstood he was being selfish andarrogant.

Fromthatpointon,Mitchmadechangesthatwouldpaydividendsforhisbusiness.ThebiggestmayhavebeenhischangeaboutLiberty’s“SendaFriend”campaign,which

payscustomersforreferringnewclients.“Iusedtomicromanage ‘Senda Friend’,” he says. “I used toprofilemyclients. Imightsay, ‘I’mnotpayingthatSendaFriend.Ihadtogetoverit.”

In2013,with12stores,MitchwontheChooseYourAttitudeAwardatLiberty’sannualconvention.

“I didn’t recognize it, but Libertydid,”hesays.“Theyearmyattitudechangedwas theyearmyrevenuereallystartedtochange.”

MitchhasbeenintheElite18sincehisturnaround.Thistaxseason,hisstoresprocessed9,900returns,100shyofhis10,000goal.

AshemakesittothelastslideinhisPowerPointpresentation,Mitchex-halesthenoffershislastconfession:“Ican’tbelieveIdidthis,”hesays.

He’stalkingaboutthepresentation.

His audience is thinking about his life. His success.Theirstory.

His revenue went up

15 percent.

Hmmmm, Mitch thought to himself. Maybe

John knows more about the

tax business than I do.

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y 8

COMMUNITY-MINDED:

Liberty Tax Service is committed to the communities in which it operates. Here, a Liberty Tax mascot hams it up with

cheerleaders for Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

He’s seen companies that fail to give customers a great experience, and he knows what happens tothem.

Theydie.

Standoesn’twantyourbusinesstodie.Hewantsittothrive.

THE TRICK? Thereisnotrick.Justalagniappe,somecyanoacry-late,andsomethingStancallsThe Goldfish Rule.

We’llgetbacktothoseinaminute.

Stangavethekeynoteaddressatthe2015LibertyTaxConvention.TheauthorofWhat’s Your Purple Goldfish? brought with him examples, energy,and ideas to help Liberty Tax franchisees betterunderstand thevalueof thecustomerexperienceand how it relates to their bottom line. Heacknowledgedthathewaspreachingto thechoirbecause “you guys absolutely get it.” But, even

thoughLibertyhasafanaticalapproachtocustomerservice,there’salwaysroomforimprovement.

So, about that lagniappe. It’s pronounced lan-yap,andit’sCreoleforalittlesomethingextra.AccordingtoStan’sbook,“thepracticeoriginatedinLouisianain the 1840s, whereby a merchant would give acustomer a little something extra at the time ofpurchase. It is a signature personal touch by thebusinessthatcreatesgoodwillandpromoteswordofmouth.”

The lagniappe is a great way to get customerstalking about your business, to get them to referyoutotheirfriends,andtokeepthemcomingback.It’sallaboutthecustomer’sexperience,saidStan.“You’ve got to spend money on experience forcustomersyoualreadyhave.”

That’s where the cyanoacrylate comes in. That’sthescientifictermforSuperGlue.No,Stanwasn’trecommendingthatweglueourtaxcustomerstotheirseats.Hedidsuggest,however,thatweneedtocreaterelationshipsthatare“sticky.”Weneedtoprovideservicethatstayswithcustomersafterthey

PURPLE GOLDFISH AUTHOR WANTS

YOU TO GET STICKY WITH CUSTOMERS

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y9

C O N V E N T I O N K E Y N O T E S P E A K E R 2 0 1 5

Stan Phelps wants you to do better.

Stan’s Sticky Note

G = Giving. How do you do a

little something that goes

beyond?

L = Little. It doesn’t have to be

big, just the gesture is important.

U = Unexpected. Creates an

emotional response.

E = Extra. Go beyond the

transaction. Do a little more.

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y 10

leaveouroffices,andgetsthemcomingbackyearafteryear.

He showednumbers fromaGartner study thatfoundthat89%ofcompaniescompetemainlyontheexperiencetheyprovide.

Thenhesharedastoryofhisformerlife.“Imadea60foottallM&MStatueofLibertyandfloateditintoNewYorkHarbor,”hesaid.“IgaveawayaMediterranean islandfor ICan’tBelieve It’sNotButterwithFabio.”

“Alltheseweresuccessfulbutnotsustainable.”

Stan said he then had a moment of truth. “I realizedmeeting expectations is amyth. Youeitherexceedexpectationsoryoufail.”

Sincethen,Stanhasbeenmeetingwithcorporateleaders,businessownersandemployees to talkabout The Goldfish Rule. In short, five factorsdeterminehowbigagoldfishcanbecome.Thosefactorscanbeappliedtoanybusiness.Theyare:

1. Sizeofthebowlorthesizeofyourmarket; 2. Numberoffishinthepondoryour competition; 3. Qualityofthewateroryourenvironment; 4. First120daysoflifeoryourstartup orgrandopening; 5. Geneticmakeupordifferentiation.

No.5,Stancontends,istheonlyoneyoucontrol.Do a good job at separating yourself fromeveryoneelse,andyourbusinesswillthrive.

Stanshareda touchingstoryofacancer-riddengrandma and her request for Panera clamchowder. It was a summerMonday in Nashua,NH.PaneraonlymakesthechowderonFridaysinthesummer.Theailingwoman’sgrandsoncalledthePanera, toldhis story, and themanagerdidthe exceptional – shemade the clam chowder.The grandson wrote about it on Facebook. HismomputitonPanera’spage.Thepostgotnearly36,000 comments. It resonatedwith customersandendearedthemtoPanera.

“Ifyougotthecall,wouldyouhavedonethelittleextra?”Stanaskedtheaudience.

Panera’searningswentup28percentinthe3rdquarterand34percent in the4thquarterafterthestorywasposted.

Toclose,Stanwalkedtheaudiencebackto1957,when Walt Disney opened Disneyland. WaltdecidedhewantedaparadedownMainStreet.Itwouldcost$350,000.“Theaccountantsheardaboutitandflipped.Theysaiddon’tdoit;peopleare already here. They don’t expect it. That’sexactlywhyweneedtodoit,Waltsaid.HereatDisneylandwealwaysneedtodomorethanthecustomerexpects.”

Then Stan left each of uswith one question toponderbeforetaxseason:What’sthestickythingyoudoforyourclients?

WE ARE LIBERTY

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y11

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y 12

★

LOOK WHAT WE DID!

LTS YEAR IN REVIEW ★ JUNE 2014-OCTOBER 2015

JUNE 2014Named a “Top 50 Franchise” for Vets

byWorldFranchisingNetwork

AUGUST 2014 Launched Liberty Accounting

SEPTEMBER 2014Named “Best for Vets”byMilitary Times

OCTOBER 2014Launched Incentive Program for Military Veterans

Ranked #27 on Forbes listof “100BestSmallCompaniesinAmerica”

Liberty and John Hewitt Named Small Business Influencers

Named “Top 50 Franchise for Minorities” byWorldFranchisingNetwork

NOVEMBER 2014Launched SiempreTax+

firstnationalHispanic-focusedtaxbrand

DECEMBER 2014Published Fanatical at Liberty

JANUARY 2015Published John Hewitt’s, iCompete:

My Extraordinary Strategy for Winning

Named “Franchisee Satisfaction Award Winner” byFranchise Business Review

FEBRUARY 2015Published Obamacare e-Book,

The Ultimate Guide to Health Insurance and Taxes

Named Top “100 Global Franchise” byFranchiseDirect

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y13

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y 14

MARCH 2015Ranked #28 on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500

Named a “Top Tax Firm” by Accounting Today

APRIL 2015Named “Franchisee Choice Winner” byCanadianFranchiseAssociation

MAY 2015Named a “Top 100 Franchise in Canada”byBeTheBoss

JUNE 2015Partnered with IRS on Fraud Initiative

AUGUST 2015Named “Best of the Best” by Hispanic Network Magazine

OCTOBER 2015Named to the Franchise Times “Top 200+ Franchise” list

“We support charities because we are passionate about who they are and what they do for those who are insecure or in need,” said Angelia.

Angelia Alden’s compassion and positive energyshine, especially in her community. Year-round,she uses her business as an avenue to supportlocalcharitiesandorganizations. Angeliaandheremployees have an internal mission: Educate,Encourage,andEmpower.Shehiresandtrainsherstaffwith these values inmind. They strive everydaytobuildrelationshipsandmakeadifference.

In the 2015 tax season, Angelia and her teamsupportedmorethanadozenlocalcharitiesincluding: • Bladen We Care–providingassistancefor BladenCountyresidentsdealingwithdifficult medicalissues; • Wings Backpacks Full of Blessings–combating childhoodhungerwithbagsfilledwithhealthy foodandsnacks; • His Little Ones Pregnancy Support Services– offeringpregnancyclassesandmaritalsupport; • Boys & Girls Home at Lake Waccamaw– providingfostercareandadoptionprograms forchildreninneed; • Food Bank of Eastern North Carolina– collectingfoodforpeopleatriskofhungerin 34counties.

Angeliabringsthecommunitytogetheratroadsideparties. Over the years, she and her staff havecollected everything from canned goods andbackpacks,tobikesandhelmets.Duringtaxseason,each office displays collection boxes welcomingdonationsfromvisitors.

“We support charitiesbecausewearepassionateaboutwhotheyareandwhattheydoforthosewhoareinsecureorinneed,”saidAngelia.

Angelia’s advice for other franchisees hoping tomakeadifferenceistobesurethatcommunityservice

isapartofwhoyouareandnothowyoumarket.Ifyourheartisnotintherightplace,itwillshow.

“Ifwepickacharityjusttocreatearoadsidepartyorjusttodrawattentionforprofitability,wewillfailbecausewearen’tpickingthecharityfortherightreason,”Angeliasaid.“Webelievethecharitieswesupportmakeabettercommunity.”

By August each year, Angelia has her calendarfilled with community events and fundraising forthefollowingyear.Onceherplansare inplace,shepromoteseverywherewithflyers,emails, seminars,events, and social media. She partners with theChamberofCommerce,smallbusinesses,localradiostations, andnewspapers. All year, Angelia remainson the lookout for opportunities for communityinvolvement.Therearefewlimitsonwhatshecandoandwhoshecanhelpwiththerightteam,therightmotivation,andtherightattitude.

CLOSE-UP: Angelia Alden

Charity begins at this owner’s office

5 STORES IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINAYearswithLiberty:Morethan5

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y15

SPOT THE DIFFERENCEAnswers: Red Hat, brown hat stitching, missing name tag,sunglasses color, and LTS logo missing on white hat

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y 16

Can you find the five details in the photos

below that don’t match up?

“I love the excitement people get when seeing me, their reactions are unforgettable.”

– Lady Liberty Rachael Lang

Green is the

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y17

Lady Liberty doesn’t just step into the job. She sprays it on.Imaginecomingtoworkeachdayandtransform-ingintoahistoricalmonument.Doesn’tsoundlikeyouraverage9to5,doesit?ForRachaelLang,thisisanormalworkday.

RachaelisLadyLiberty–intheflesh.

She represents Liberty Tax Service at events acrossthecountryandinnewvideosthatshowhowoftentaxes–andbyextensionLibertyTaxService– intersectoureverydaylives.Hertransformationistop-to-bottomart,andit’sanythingbutsimple.

ItstartsinthedressingroomwithalittleBrittneySpearsonPandoraandthefeelofthebackstageonamovieset.

Makeup artist Kim Pineda plugs in the airbrushspray gun and gets to work. She starts with Rachael’slegs,slowlysprayingonlayerafterlayerof green, until every inch of Rachel’s pink skin hasvanished.

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y 18

NEW BLACK

Rachael stars in a series of videos, including this one, which features a wedding party celebrating

the big event. The videos are designed to show how taxes are a part of our everyday lives.

Kim doesn’t use just any green. She has hand-craftedtheperfectLibertygreen.Themakeupisaprofessional, theatergrade thatdoesn’tbleed, sothoseposingforapicwithLadyLibertydon’thavetoworryaboutthecolorsrubbingoff.

WhenKimtookonthisproject,shehadnostep-by-stepguide.Therewasa lotof trial anderror, shesays.Shetried fakegreennails,andsoonrealizedthey were not practical. She also found that topstick,acleartapemadeformen’stoupees,comesinhandyforkeepingthingsinplace.

“Atfirst Ididn’tknowwhatdirectiontotake,”shesays,asshefinishesupRachael’sarmsandinspectsthework.Now,theduohasgotitdowntoasciencethattakesabout90minutes,fromstarttofinish.

Rachael takes a deep breath and holds it for thenext part. Kim points the spray at Rachael’s face.The contours come next. Kim dabs a brush intoa white shimmery powder and highlights every featureofRachael’seyes.

Rachaelsitsincrediblystillthroughitall.

Whenshedoestakeafewminutestotalk,shetellsyouhowmuchshelovesherjob.Itallbeganwhenthe freelanceactressgotthecallfromhertalentagency.“AllIrememberisthemsayingtheyneededsome-onewhowasgoodwiththegeneralpublicandnoallergiestogreenmakeup.”

HerfirstappearancewasataliveeventonTaxDayinNewYorkCity.“Itseemedtoevolvefromthere.”

Evolveitdid.RachaelrecentlystarredinaseriesofvideosdesignedtoshowhowLibertyTaxServiceisthere for taxpayers.ThevideosshowLadyLibertycomingtotherescueinsituationsthathavetaxim-plications.Earlierintheyear,RachaelandKimmadeacross-countrytrek,bringinggiftsandgoodwishesfrom Liberty Tax to individuals and families thathad been struggling. “Giving people life-changing supportwasmyfavoritepartofbeingLadyLiberty.”

Thenot-so-favoritepart?Belowfreezingtempera-tures inChicago.For thefirsttime inher life,Ra-chaelgottoexperiencewhat-12degreesfeelslike.Insteadoflayersofairbrushpaint,sheworelayersof Liberty green undergarments, tights, leggings,andjeans–evengreenrainbootsandUGGs.

It takes makeup artist Kim Pineda about 90 minutes to get Lady Liberty ready.

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y19

Rachael laughsasshebeginstotell thestoryof that trip. Kim laughs, too, at the mention of ColoradoSprings.

“There was no dressing room,”Rachael explains, “so Kim had todomymakeupinabathroomstallwhileIsatonthetoiletseat.”

There was a problem with theelectricity, so Kim had to paintRachael byhand. The experiencewouldn’thavebeensobad if thetoilet hadn’t had an automaticflusher. Every time Kim made abrushstroke, she triggered thesensor,andthetoiletflushed.

They didn’t need Brittney Spearsforbackgroundmusicthatday.

“When someone would come into the restroomanduse thestallnext tous, I’d say ‘don’tmindthegreenfeet!’”

Thegreenfeetareessentialbecausethe Liberty gown doesn’t cover Rachael’s feet. She puts on thegownafterKimhasfinishedher

face. Then it’s time for thewig. Kim gently takes Rachael’s hair and begins to twist it strand by strand and pin it up under the crown.While Kim

works, Rachael considers a ques-tion: “What’s the hardest part ofyourjob?”

“Removing the makeup,” she sayswithouthesitation.Ittakesherdaysto get the green off, and several vigorous scrubbing sessions. Let’sjust say she can’t be Lady Liberty todayandgoonadatetomorrow.

With thewig set, her look is com-plete. Rachael Lang is gone, andLady Liberty is ready to meet andgreetthoseassembledforthe2015LibertyTaxConvention.

This,Rachaelsays,isthefunpart.“I love theexcitementpeoplegetwhenseeing me, their reactions are

unforgettable.”

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y 20

“Giving people life-changing

support is my favorite

part of being Lady Liberty.”

– Rachael on delivering Liberty-Tax sponsored gifts

to families in need.

Ifyou’reataxpayerintheU.S.,you’vebeenavictimoftaxidentitytheft.

Maybe you weren’t a direct victim – one of thehundredsofthousandswhohavehadbogusreturnsfiled using their personal information. But youcertainlywere an indirect victim. The IRS paid outmorethan$5billioninfraudulentrefundsin2013.That’smillionsintaxdollarsgonetoidentitythieves.

And,theproblemisn’tgoingaway.It’sgrowing.

Inthefirsthalfof2013,some1.6milliontaxpayerswerevictimsoftaxIDtheft,upfrom1.2millioninall of 2012, according to the Treasury InspectorGeneralforTaxAdministration(TIGTA).

That’s one reason Liberty Tax Service and othertax preparation companies have joined an IRSefforttocombatidentitythieves.Thecollaborationis unprecedented. It includes a more rigoroustaxpayerauthenticationprocessbeforethereleaseofrefundsandanagreementtoshareinformationandreportsuspiciousactivitythatwillhelpprotecttaxpayersandreducefraud.

“Thiseffort is justthebeginning,”saidLibertyTaxCEO John T. Hewitt. “We anticipate working withthetaxagenciesandourcolleaguesintheindustry

toaddressotherkindsoftaxfraud,aswell.Weareunitedandcommittedtoprotectingtaxpayers.”

THE GROUPS AGREED TO:• Taxpayer authentication.Allwillsharedataat thetimeoffilingthatcanhelpauthenticatea taxpayeranddetectidentitytheft.

• Fraud identification.Allwillexpandthesharing offraudleads.

• Information assessment.Considerationsare beingmadeforaformalizedRefundFraud InformationSharingandAssessmentCenter tomoreaggressivelyandefficientlyshare information.

• Cybersecurity framework.AllwillalignwithIRS undertheNationalInstituteofStandardsand Technologytopromoteprotectionof informationtechnologyinfrastructure.

• Taxpayer awareness and communication.All willincreaseeffortstokeeptaxpayersinformed aboutfraudandwaysinwhichtaxpayerscan protecttheirsensitivepersonalinformation.

Theactionsareexpected tobecompletedduringthe2016filingseason.

COMBATING TAX IDENTITY THEFTLiberty works with IRS to fight fraud

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y21

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y 22

• Don’troutinelycarryyourSocialSecuritycardoranydocumentwithyourSSNonit.•Don’tgiveabusinessyourSSNjustbecausetheyask–onlywhenabsolutelynecessary.•Protectyourpersonalfinancialinformationathomeandonyourcomputer.•Checkyourcreditreportannually.•CheckyourSocialSecurityAdministrationearningsstatementannually.•Protectyourpersonalcomputersbyusingfirewalls,anti-spam/virussoftware,updatesecurity patchesandchangepasswordsforInternetaccounts.•Don’tgivepersonalinformationoverthephone,throughthemailortheInternetunlessyou haveeitherinitiatedthecontactoraresureyouknowwhoisasking.

REDUCE YOUR RISK OF ID THEFTThe IRS offers the following tips to help you reduce your risk for identity theft:

IF YOU BECOME A VICTIM THE IRS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU:• Fileareportwithlawenforcement.

• Reportidentitytheftatwww.ftc.govandlearn howtorespondtoitatidentitytheft.gov.

• Contactoneofthethreemajorcreditbureaus toplacea‘fraudalert’onyourcreditrecords: - Equifax, www.Equifax.com, 1-800-525-6285 - Experian,www.Experian.com, 1-888-397-3742 - TransUnion,www.TransUnion.com, 1-800-680-7289

•Contactyourfinancialinstitutions,andcloseany accountstamperedwithoropenedwithout yourpermission.

HOW LIBERTY CAN HELPLiberty Tax also has measures in place to assistcustomers who paid for tax preparation servicesand who may have become victims of identitytheft,including:

• Free copies of tax returns.Taxpayersmayneed accesstopastreturnstohelpprovetheiridentity.

• Free consultation.Informationandtaxadviceis availableateveryoffice.

• Correspondence assistance.LibertyTaxwill handleIRScorrespondence,includingletters andinquiriesabouttaxreturns.Ifataxpayer’s identityhasbeenstolenandusedinattemptat refundfraud,theIRSwillsendaletternotifying thetaxpayerthatanincometaxreturnalready hasbeenfiledusinghisorherpersonal information,orthatthetaxpayerowesabalance orhasadditionalwagesfromanunknown employer.

• Identity Protection Personal Identification Numbers (IPPINs).TheIRSoffersthisserviceto expandprotectionfortaxpayerswithanidentity theftindicatorontheiraccounts.LibertyTaxcan helptaxpayersapply.

TofindalocalLibertyTaxoffice,call 866-871-1040orvisitwww.libertytax.com.LibertyTaxdoestakeappointments;however,

theyarenotnecessary.

CONSUMERS BEWARE:Thewomanwasdistressed.Hercellphone had been ringing non-stop.Thecallersaidhewasan“IRSAgent.”He told the woman she owed thegovernmentmorethan$7,000,andthat he would send police to herdoorinafewhourstocollect.Ifshedidn’t have the money, the policewouldtakehertojail,hewarned.

Frightened and unsure, she wenttoherbankandwithdrewthecash.Shewasonherwaytogetaprepaid

creditcardwhenshestoppedattheLibertyTaxofficeinPittston,Pa.,andaskedforhelp.

DaveMartin, the office supervisor,listenedtoherstory.Hewassuspi-cious. He knew about the nation-widephonescamsbecausetheIRShad sent warnings. They said thescamsoftenfeatureheavilyaccentedcallers posing as IRS agents and demandingmoneyfromunsuspect-ingtaxpayers.Thescammersmightevencallbackpretendingtobethepoliceor aDMVagentwhowouldrevoke a person’s driver’s license.Dave thought these callers fit thepattern.

With the woman’s permission, hegot on the phone to talk with the“agent.”

“Ithoughthemightjustgiveupwhenhe realized he was talking to a taxpreparer,” Dave said. “But this guywaspersistent.Hekeptinsistingtheladyowedthismoneyandthecopswere coming for her.He even gavemeanagentnumber thatmatchedtheformatthattheIRSuses.”

Dave hung up. He made sure thewoman hadn’t given her informa-tion,SocialSecuritynumber,dateofbirth, to the scammers. Then hecalled the fraud hotline run by theTreasury Inspector General for TaxAdministration.

“These scammers are slick,” Davesaid. “They really have peopleconvincedtheyowemoney,andit’sa shame how much they’ve beenable to swindle from unsuspectingtaxpayers.”

The IRS said there are red flagstaxpayers should know to avoidbeing scammed. Most importantly,the IRS will never call about taxeswithout first sending an official

These scammers are slick, they really have people convinced they owe money, and it’s a shame how

much they’ve been able to swindle from unsuspecting taxpayers.

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y23

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y 24

Phone scam has bilked taxpayers of $20 million

Graphic courtesy of FTC.gov can be found at https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/attachments/press-releases/tax-id-theft-tops-ftc-complaints-2014-irs-imposter-complaints-more-2300-percent/0519-irs-imposter-scams-infographic.jpg

• Ifyouknowyouowetaxesoryouthinkyoumightowetaxes,callthe IRSat1-800-829-1040.TheIRSemployeesatthatlinecanhelpyou withapaymentissue,iftherereallyissuchanissue.

• Ifyouknowyoudon’towetaxesorhavenoreasontothinkthat youoweanytaxes(forexample,you’veneverreceivedabillorthe callermadesomebogusthreatsasdescribedabove),thencalland reporttheincidenttoTIGTAat1-800-366-4484.

• YoucanfileacomplaintusingtheFTCComplaintAssistant; choose“Other”andthen“ImposterScams.”Ifthecomplaintinvolves someoneimpersonatingtheIRS,includethewords“IRSTelephone Scam”inthenotes.

• YoucanalsovisityournearestLibertyTaxlocationtoaskforhelp. Call866-871-1040orvisitwww.LibertyTax.comtofindtheoffice nearestyou.

If you get a call from someone claiming to be with the IRS Here’s what the real IRS says you should do:

noticeinthemail.Theagencyalsowillneverseekaspecificmethodofpaymentorask fordebitor creditcardinformationoverthephone.

The phone fraudsters have stolenmore than $20 million since thescam began in earnest in 2013,and complaints have skyrocketed.In 2013, the Federal Trade Com-mission received2,545 complaintsabout the scam; in 2014 that numberclimbedto54,690.Thieveshave victimized more than 4,000people, according to the TreasuryDepartment.The largest individual

losswas$500,000.Mosthave lostabout$5,000.

Thescamcontinues,eventhoughtaxseasonhasended.NewspapersandTVstationsacrossthecountryhavereportedinstancesoflocalciti-zensbeingtakenbythescammers.

DaveishappythathewasabletohelpacustomerattheLibertyTaxofficeinPittston.

“This ladywasn’t a customer,butwehadanobligationtohelpher,”Dave said. “In the end,we savedherover$7,000.”

If you don’t think health insurance is the GameChanger John Hewitt has said it is, you certainlyhaven’ttalkedtoToddSwicegoodorDavidPerez.

ToddandDavidarefranchiseesonoppositesidesofthecountry,buttheirexperiencewithhealthinsur-ancehasbeenprettymuchthesame.It’ssentmoreclientstotheiroffices,boostedtheirrevenue,andmade themabsolutely giddyabout theadditionalservicetheynowcanprovidetocustomers.

Bothtickoffthepositiveoutcomesasiftheyhavebeeninagroupsessiontogether.Theyhaven’t.Infact, they took different routes to adding health insuranceagentsattheirstoresandarrivedatthesameconclusion.DavidwenttheUnifiedPartnersroute.ToddisafoundingpartnerofTheBenefitCorner.

Hereiswhattheyhadtosayabouttheirfirstseasonwithinsuranceandtaxes.

Q: How many policies did your stores do this year?

David: We had 12 agents who helped hundreds of customers and wrote more than 600 policies. It added toour clientbaseandhelpedboostourcustomer service because theywere peoplewhowalkedinandsaid,‘Ineedhelp.’ Todd:Wehelpedhundredsofcustomersandwroteabout1,100policiesinourstores.

Q: How did health insurance affect your tax business?

THEY SAID “YES” TO HEALTH INSURANCE AND GOT A BIG SURPRISE

DAVID PEREZYears with Liberty: 6,

planstoadd3morebyyear’sendNumber of stores: 6Liberty;2Siempre

Location: TexasFranchise/AreaDeveloper

TODD AND KAREN SWICEGOODYears with Liberty: 12 Number of stores: 7

Location: NorthCarolina

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y25

David:Ourincometaxreturncountwasupabout30percent.Wesawgrowthofabout1,000taxreturnsdirectlyrelatedtoofferinghealthinsurance.

Todd:Morethan60percentofAffordableCareAct(ACA) that we did were non-Liberty clients. TheycameininFebruary,aftertheyhadhadtheirtaxesdone.Imaginewhatit’sgoingtobelikethistaxsea-sonwhenwe apply 50/50 to those relationships.Wethinktherealbouncewillbethisyear.

Q: How did you decide which partner to use to implement the insurance piece?

David: I hadbeen trying to implement the insur-ancepiecefortwoyearsandcouldn’tdoitalone.Youhavetohavestrategicpartnerstomakeitbet-terandeasier.IworkedwithUnifiedPartners.Theyalready had carrier relationships and training material. Theyhada system,great leadership,nofranchise fee,butmyNo.1 reason forpartneringwithUnifiedisJohn.Johnisawinner.IfJohnputshisstamponit,youknowtherest.

Todd:Ihavebeenintheinsurancebusinessforabout30years.WhentheACAfirsthatched,Iwaslookingatmysevenstoresthinkingtherewasagreatoppor-tunitybecauseofhow integrated thehealth insur-ancemarketplacewasgoingtobewithtaxes.IcalledRyanDodsonandScottCurtis,myareadevelopers,andsuggestedthatweconsiderthefullscopeofthisopportunity. Scott, Ryan and twoothers on the insurancesidepartneredwithme,andwecreatedTheBenefitCorner.TheBenefitCornerisafranchisemodel. It offers training and helps individuals get licensedtosellhealthinsurance.

Q: What do you see in the future with the tax and insurance model?

David:Myvisionforthisiswithhealth,propertyandcasualty and auto insurance, I can recruit enoughpeople to sell all four products, and we can keepthememployedallyearlong.Wecanhelpcustomersin theoff-season. Then,when tax season comes, Iwon’tneedtorecruitandtrainatonofpeople.Ourtaxschoolrecruitmenteffortscanbemorerefined.Whenwewanttoexpand,wewon’thavetoworryabouttrainingnewstaff,theywillalreadybethere.

Todd:We’rea full-line insurance serviceprovider.Wedo life, health, annuities, auto. The goal is tostart creating careers.We’re going to train theseagents to also be tax preparers so we can get multiplevaluefromtheirexperiences.Wecancreateataxteamthatcanbethere12monthsoutoftheyearservicingclients.Wethinkthateachagent is asphereof influence.Eachonecancreatenew relationships, which, hopefully, mean new tax returnsandinsurancerevenue.

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y 26

For more information about ACA and enrolled agents, visit ZeeNet>Operations>Affordable Care Act or email ACAteam@libtax.com.

About four years ago, Leslie began a relationshipwith the Canadian Association for CommunityLiving(CACL)thathaspaiddividendseversince.

CACL’s mission is to help peoplewith intellectual disabilities expe-rience full inclusion in their com-munities.Onefacetoftheirworkis employment outreachbecausetheir clientsoftenhaveadifficulttimegettingintotheworkplace.

That’s where Leslie comes in. Leslie used to hire Wavers the old-fashioned way – Craigslist,signsinherwindow,jobpostings,andmore.ThensheheardaboutCACLataconvention.Shecontact-ed the group and discussed job opportunities. Soon, CACL sentprospectiveemployeesherway.

Now,Leslieestimatesthat98percentofherWaverscome from CACL. “They go through their list ofpeoplewhoaretryingtogetintothejobmarket.Iinterviewandhire.”

Thingshaveworkedsowell, thatLeslienowhiresalmostallofher12-15Waversfromtheassociation.Each works about three, 4-hour per week shifts.

Most stay for the whole taxseason.Somehavebeenwithherformorethanoneseason.

“They’reveryreliable,”Lesliesaid.Theirwork for Liberty gives themconfidence in themselves and jobexperience they can use to landotherjobsaftertaxseasonends.

People in the community noticewhat’shappeningatLeslie’sLibertyTax stores. “We get a positive responsefromthepublicbecausetheyappreciatethefactthatwe’vehiredtheseemployees.”

“It’sreallyawin,

win,win,”saidLeslie.“Iwin,theassociationwinsandthepeoplewhoworkwin.”

CLOSE-UP: Leslie Lessing 3 STORES IN BRITISH COLUMBIAYears with Liberty: “Since before it was Liberty”

“They go through their list of people

who are trying to get into the job market. I interview and hire.”

~ Leslie, on the candidates she hires through the Canadian

Association for Community Living

Serving Canadian taxpayers and offering opportunity for people with disabilities.

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y27

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y 28

THE FORTUNATE MUST GIVE BACK.

That’s the title of Chapter 11 of JohnHewitt’s book,iCompete: My Extraordinary Strategy for Winning.

As CEO of Liberty Tax Service, John is serious about givingbackandmakingsurehiscompanyisdoingwhatitcantosupporteverycommunityinwhichitoperates.

To that end, Liberty recently launched two newpro-grams thatwillhelp charities, LibertyGivesBackandTheRedemptionFund.

Leah Bryant, our director of corporate partnerships,oversees both programs, and she’s eager to sign upchurchesandcharitiesfortheupcomingtaxseason.

“WepreparemillionsoftaxreturnseachyearatLibertyTax,”Leahsaid.“Justthinkhowmuchwecanhelpbyproviding a portion of the money we make to local organizations.That’swhatweaimtodo–givebackasmuchaswecan.”

LIBERTY GIVES BACKLiberty Gives Back uses our online tax preparation softwaretogeneraterevenuefornon-profits.Onceacharitysignsupfortheprogram,LibertyTaxprovidesthecharityapromocode itcanthensharewithem-ployees,familyfriendsandsupporters.Whenpreparingtheir taxes online, customers can enter the specificcodeatcheckoutand100%ofthetaxpreparationfeesaredonatedbacktothecharity.Therearenocapson

theamountoffundsthatcanbegenerated.It’saneasyandcost-freewaytosupportyourfavoritecharity!

THE REDEMPTION FUNDTheRedemptionFundalsouses taxpreparationas away to raise money for churches. Liberty Tax offers customized vouchers to churches that sign up to participateinTheRedemptionFund.ThevouchersaredistributedtochurchmemberswhobringthevoucherswiththemtoparticipatingLibertyTaxofficeswhentheyhavetheir taxesprepared.Withpaid taxpreparation,LibertyTaxredeemsthevoucherandcontributes$50tothechurch’sRedemptionFund.ThereisnocaponTheRedemptionFund.Theonlylimitisthenumberofmemberswhohave their taxespreparedat a LibertyTaxoffice.

BothprogramsarepartofLibertyTax’soverallmissionto support the organizations that support people inneed.IncitiesthroughouttheUnitedStates,ourfran-chiseesgivebacktocharitiesandhelppeopleintheirlocalcommunities.

Ifyouwouldlikeforyourorganizationto participateinLibertyGivesBackor

TheRedemptionFundthistaxseason,contact Leah at leah.bryant@libtax.com.

Youcanalsolearnmoreaboutourprograms byvisitingourcommunity outreach page

at LibertyTax.com.

Liberty launches two programs to raise money for churches and charities

WE GIVE BACK

Two tax rules to know before you raise money online.

GoFundMe, Kickstarter, and other personal fun-draising websites have spread like digital wildfire–theirpurposebeingtoassist inraisingfundsfordifferentcampaigns.You’veprobablydonatedtoacauseorknowsomeonewhostartedapagetoraisemoneyforabucketlisttrip,torebuildahomeafteranaturaldisaster,or to startanewbusiness.Youmayhaveevenstartedacampaignyourself.

Youmaythinkthemoneycollectedonthesesitesistax-free.Well,you’dbewrong–andright.

Crowdfunding services have to report to the IRScampaigns that total at least $20,000 and 200transactions.Money collected fromcrowdfundingisconsideredeitherincomeoragift.

NON-TAXABLE GIFTS. Thesearedonationsmadewithouttheexpectationofgettingsomethinginreturn.ThinkofallthosePa-triots’ fanswhogavemoneytoGoFundMetohelpdefraythecostofquarterbackTomBrady’sNFLfineforDeflategate.Thosefansaren’texpectinganythinginreturn–exceptmaybesomesatisfaction–sotheirdonationsareconsideredgifts.Under IRS rules,anindividualcangiveanotherindividualagiftofupto$14,000withouttaximplications.So,unlessaBradyfan is particularly generous, his or her GoFundMegiftwon’tbetaxed.

TAXABLE INCOME. NowconsiderthatsameBrady fandonating$300toaPatriots’businessventure. If the fanreceivesstock or equity in the company in return for the

TAXES IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY

E-commerce has added new dimensions to the tax process. Taxpayers need to understand

the implications before they sign on.

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y29

donation, this isconsideredan investment.The in-vestmentisnottaxable,butgainslatermadeonthe investmentcouldbetaxable.However,ifthebusinessownerdoesnotofferstockorequityinthecompany,themoney donated could be considered business income and the business ownerwould need to reportitonataxreturn.

Crowdfundinghasbeenaneffectivetoolforraisingmoney,butbeforeyoudecidetoopenthatKickstarteraccount,it’swisetoconsultataxprofessional.

How 15 Days Could Ruin Your Rental Experience

You’vedecidedtomakesomeextracashbyrentingout your homeonAirbnborHomeawayor someotherrentalservice.Great,butmakesureyoureadthefineprint,especiallywhenitcomestotaxes.

Youhave14daysperyeartoopenyourhometooth-ersandcollectrentfreeoffederaltaxes.It’saprovi-sionsometimesreferredtoastheMastersexemptionbecause it’s popularwith homeowners in Augusta,Ga.,whorentouttheirplacesinAprilfortheMastersGolfTournament.Thetournamentlastssevendays,sothehomeownersfacenotaximplications.

WHAT IF YOUR VISITORS WANT TO STAY LONGER? Aslongastheydon’thitthe15-daymark,you’reokay.AtDay15,youwillowefederalincometaxonallofyour rental income. That’s why most renters stickwiththe14-dayperiod.It’slesstaxing,youmightsay.

Even ifyoudon’tplantorentyourhomeformorethan14days,youneedtobeawareoftaxissuesinyourhomestate.Somestatesexpectyoutocollectlodgingtaxesonyourhomeorroomrentals.Airbnbcollectsthosetaxesinsomestates,butnotall.Youneedtomakesureyouknowtherulesforyourstate,and,ifyoumustcollectlodgingorothertaxes,youmaywanttoincludethosetaxesinyourrentalfee.

DO I HAVE TO REPORT MY INCOME TO THE IRS? TheIRSstill iscatchinguponhowtechnologyhaschangedour lives.Currently, there is noplaceon

G I V E M E L I B E R T Y 30

the tax return for you to acknowledge that youhadrentalincomethatitistax-free.Whyisthata concern?Well,Airbnbandotherswill sendyoua1099-K or 1099-MISC that shows how much in-cometheyhavereportedtotheIRSonyourbehalf.WhentheIRSseesthe1099,itmayalsowanttoseesomeaccountingfortheincomeonyourtaxreturn.

Youshouldcheckwithyourtaxprofessionalabouthow orwhether to report this income. Some taxpreparers advise their clients not to include theincome on their tax return but to keep detailedrecords to share with the IRS should they wanttoknowmoreabout themoney.The recordsyoushouldkeepincludeyourrentalagreement,rentaldatesandfeescharged.

What You Must Know Before Taking the Wheel

AreUberdriversemployeesorindependentcon-tractors? This question is being debated lately in anumberofcourtcasesthroughoutthecountry.Accord-ingtoUber,theirdriversareindependentcontractors.

SO, UBER DRIVERS, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?Unlikefull-timeemployeeswhoseemployerswith-hold income taxes from paychecks, independentcontractors are responsible for their own taxes. And since you aren’t reimbursed for business expenses,it’simportanttoknowhowtoclaimthemonyourtaxes.

ThemoneyyoumakeasanUberdriver issubjectto self-employment taxes. In January, you shouldreceivea1099-Kand1099-MISCformshowingthetotalamountcollectedforyourrides.Keepinmind

thatthesetaxformswillnotincludeUber’sfeesoryourout-of-pocketexpenses.

WHAT ARE YOUR FILING OPTIONS? • Thestandardmileagedeductionis57.5cents permilefor2015.Keepalogorjournalofall mileagedriven.(Ifyouchoosethisroute,you cannotdeductactualexpenses.)

• Actualexpensesincludevehicleleasepayments (depreciationifyouownthevehicle), maintenanceexpenses,gas,oil,insuranceor registration.Trackyourspendingandkeep receiptsfromeveryoilchange,gasfill-upand repair.

Inadditiontomileageandmaintenance,youcanalsodeductotherexpenseslikeyourmobilephonebillandpassenger supplies, likemints andwater. AdditionalbusinessexpensessuchasfeestoUberandcityandstatebusinesslicensesmaybedeductible.

WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW TO PREPARE FOR TAX TIME? •Reviewthetaxinformationsectioninyour driveraccounttoseeyouryear-to-date mileageandfees.

•Consideraccountingfortheself-employment taxaheadoftimebymakingestimatedtax paymentsoradjustingyourwithholdingswith yourmainemployer,ifyouhaveone.

•Holdontoyourreceiptsandkeepanaccurate recordofyourmileage,usingamileagelog, andbusinessexpenses.