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When dealing with business travel deductions, comprehension of what you can claim is crucial for maximizing your tax benefits. You can deduct various expenses, such as transportation, lodging, and meals, but there are specific criteria you must meet. For instance, your trip needs to qualify primarily as a business endeavor. To navigate this complex area, it’s important to know the details of eligible expenses and the required documentation. What other factors should you consider to guarantee compliance? Key Takeaways Deductible transportation costs include airfare, train fares, rental cars, and associated travel expenses like parking and tolls. Lodging expenses are fully deductible if the trip primarily serves business purposes. Business meal expenses qualify for a 50% deduction when they serve a necessary business function. To fully deduct international travel, at least 75% of the trip must focus on business activities. Accurate documentation, including receipts and detailed itineraries, is essential for substantiating all claimed deductions. Understanding Business Travel Deductions When you travel for business, grasping the rules around business travel deductions can greatly impact your tax return. Comprehending what qualifies as business travel expenses is vital. You can deduct costs like airfare, train fares, car rentals, lodging, and 50% of your meal expenses, provided they’re ordinary and necessary for your work. If you’re traveling internationally, at least 75% of your trip must focus on business activities to fully qualify for deductions. Keep in mind, if your trip includes personal elements, you can only deduct expenses related to the business portion based on time spent on each activity. Proper documentation is fundamental; save your receipts and maintain a detailed itinerary to substantiate your claims. Familiarizing yourself with these guidelines can guarantee compliance with IRS rules and maximize your eligible deductions, ultimately enhancing your financial situation during tax season. Qualifying Your Trip as a Business Trip To qualify your trip as a business trip, it’s important to understand specific criteria set by the IRS. First, your travel must leave your tax home and primarily focus on business activities. To secure a full business trip tax deduction for international travel, at least 75% of your time abroad needs to be spent on business-related tasks. Travel days are counted as business days, so if your itinerary includes travel alongside business meetings, you can still claim deductions for those days. Furthermore, guarantee your trip is planned in advance, supported by a documented itinerary that outlines the business purpose. It’s essential to recall that personal vacations can’t qualify as business trips; the primary intent of your travel must be business-related to be eligible for deductions. Deductible Travel Expenses In terms of deductible travel expenses, you need to understand the categories that can greatly reduce your taxable income. Transportation costs, lodging expenses, and meal allowances are key areas where you can claim deductions, provided they meet specific criteria. Keeping accurate records, like receipts and travel logs, will help guarantee that you can substantiate these expenses come tax season. Transportation Costs Breakdown Transportation costs represent a significant portion of the expenses you can deduct when traveling for business. Transportation costs that are deductible include airfare, train, and bus tickets, in addition to any baggage fees incurred during your trip. If you rent a car for business purposes, those expenses, including fuel, tolls, and parking fees, are fully deductible. You can also claim deductions for your personal vehicle’s use by either applying the standard mileage rate—70 cents per mile for 2025—or calculating actual expenses based on the percentage of business use. In addition, taxi and rideshare fares to and from airports, hotels, and meetings are fully deductible, provided they serve a business purpose. Keep thorough records to substantiate these expenses. Lodging Expense Deductions Lodging expenses can be fully deductible when your business trip is primarily for business purposes and you’re away from your tax home. You can claim various costs associated with accommodations, including: Hotel, motel, or Airbnb rental fees. Additional charges such as internet access and parking. Costs incurred during personal days if strategically planned, like weekend stays between business days. Meal Allowance Rules How can you guarantee that your meal expenses during business travel are deductible? To qualify under the meal allowance rules, keep in mind that only 50% of your meal costs are deductible, as long as they serve an ordinary and necessary business purpose. You’ll need to document these expenses carefully; receipts should clearly indicate the amount, date, place, and purpose, especially if dining with business contacts. Avoid lavish meals, as those won’t qualify for deduction. Furthermore, when traveling to and from a business destination, meals still count for the 50% deduction, provided they meet the same criteria. You can use per diem rates to simplify tracking, but keep in mind, the deduction will still cap at 50% of your actual meal costs. Transportation Costs for Business Travel When you travel for business, grasp of the costs associated with transportation can help you maximize your tax deductions. Awareness of what qualifies as deductible transportation costs is vital for claiming business travel deductions. Here are three key areas to reflect on: Airfare and Ground Travel: Airfare, train, or bus tickets—along with baggage fees—are fully deductible if the primary purpose of the trip is business-related. Car Rentals: Rental car expenses are deductible, including gas, tolls, and parking fees incurred during your business trips. Personal Vehicle Use: You can deduct mileage using either the standard mileage rate (70 cents per mile in 2025) or the actual expense method, which accounts for total vehicle costs based on business use. Keep thorough records and receipts for all these transportation-related expenses, as they’re vital for substantiating your claims on tax returns. Lodging Expenses During Business Trips During business travel, comprehending the intricacies of lodging expenses can greatly influence your overall tax deductions. You can fully deduct lodging expenses during business trips as long as the trip is primarily for business purposes and your stay aligns with business activities. This includes costs for hotels or motels, in addition to related fees for internet and parking, provided they’re business-related. If your trip spans a weekend, lodging costs for those days may likewise be deductible if planned strategically to minimize travel expenses. Nonetheless, keep in mind that personal days during a business trip don’t qualify for deductions unless they coincide with business activities. Documentation is essential; always retain receipts that clearly detail the amount, date, place, and nature of your lodging expenses to substantiate your claims. Properly managing these details can help maximize your tax benefits. Meals and Entertainment Deductions Regarding meals and entertainment deductions, comprehending what qualifies can save you money. Typically, you can deduct 50% of your meal expenses if they’re necessary for your business, and meals during travel likewise count as long as you keep proper documentation. Deductible Meal Expenses Grasping deductible meal expenses is crucial for maximizing your business travel deductions. To qualify for these deductions, you should keep a few key points in mind: Deduction Rate: Business meal expenses are typically 50% deductible, as long as they’re ordinary and necessary for your business. Business Purpose: Meals must serve a business purpose, like being consumed during meetings with clients or associates. Documentation: You need proper documentation, including proof of the amount, date, place, and nature of the business discussion. Entertainment Expense Guidelines Comprehending entertainment expense guidelines is essential for effectively maneuvering your business travel deductions. Usually, business meals are 50% deductible if they’re ordinary and necessary, but don’t forget to keep those receipts that specify the meeting’s nature. Nevertheless, entertainment expenses like tickets to shows or events can’t be deducted unless they’re directly tied to a business meeting and meet specific IRS criteria. Meals consumed during traveling can similarly be 50% deductible, but again, proper documentation is key. Documentation Requirements Comprehending the documentation requirements for meal and entertainment deductions is vital for maximizing your business travel claims. To guarantee your travel expenses are deductible, follow these guidelines: Receipts: Always keep receipts showing the date, amount, place, and business purpose of each meal. Remember, only 50% of eligible meal costs can be deducted. Business Purpose: Document that meals are ordinary and necessary for business. Lavish meals aren’t deductible. Entertainment Details: For entertainment deductions, detail the business relationship and reason for the meeting. Only expenses directly tied to business qualify. Special Rules for International Travel When you travel internationally for business, it’s essential to comprehend the specific rules that determine your eligibility for deductions on travel expenses. To qualify for a full business travel deduction, you must spend at least 75% of your time abroad on business activities. If your business days fall below this threshold, you can only deduct the proportionate costs related to your business days. Travel days are likewise counted as business days, allowing deductions even with some personal time, as long as business days outnumber personal ones. Furthermore, if the primary purpose of your trip is business and you meet certain criteria, your round-trip airfare is fully deductible. For short trips, lasting one week or less, you may qualify for a full deduction if business activities are predominant. Grasping these specific rules can help maximize your deductions effectively during your travels internationally for work. Bringing Friends and Family on Business Trips When you bring friends or family on business trips, it’s essential to know what expenses you can deduct. Typically, travel costs for those accompanying you aren’t deductible except if they’re performing business duties, like your spouse if they work during the trip. Keep in mind that although some costs, like car rentals, may be fully deductible, additional expenses related to non-business travelers often aren’t eligible for deductions. Deductible Travel Costs Business trips often come with the added consideration of whether to bring friends or family along for the adventure. Although it can be enjoyable, be aware that certain costs may not qualify for business trip deductions. Here are key points to remember: Expenses for friends or family are typically non-deductible unless they’re employees on business duties. You can fully deduct rental car costs if the trip’s primarily for business, even if your spouse is a passenger. Lodging costs may be partially deductible based on single occupancy rates, only for the business-related portion. Keeping clear records of the trip’s purpose and your relationship with accompanying individuals is crucial to substantiate any potential deductions. Non-Deductible Expenses Though it might be tempting to bring friends or family along on business trips for some extra company, you should be aware that most associated expenses are typically non-deductible. Expenses for additional passengers, like friends or family, can’t be claimed as business trip expenses. The only exception is if a spouse is employed by your business and performs work during the trip, making their expenses potentially deductible. Although you can fully deduct the car rental costs if the trip is primarily for business, personal travel expenses, including family activities during the trip, aren’t deductible. It’s essential to clearly separate your business and personal costs to guarantee compliance with tax regulations. Vehicle Use for Business Travel How can you effectively manage your vehicle expenses when traveling for work? Comprehending your options for vehicle use for business travel can help you maximize your travel expenses deductions. Here are three key points to reflect on: Deduction Methods: You can choose between deducting actual expenses like gas and maintenance or using the standard mileage rate of 70 cents per mile in 2025. Car Rentals: If you rent a car, all related costs, including gas, parking fees, and tolls, are fully deductible. Log Your Miles: To use the standard mileage rate, keep a detailed log of your business miles, noting the date, destination, and purpose of each trip. Recordkeeping for Travel Expenses When managing vehicle expenses for business travel, effective recordkeeping plays a pivotal role in ensuring you can substantiate your deductions. Start by documenting crucial details like departure and return dates, the number of business days, and the trip’s purpose. For travel expenses examples, keep all receipts for lodging and significant business-related costs over $75, as well as documenting smaller expenses, even if they fall below that threshold. A travel log is invaluable; it should record your destinations, expenses, and the business purpose behind each cost, ensuring accuracy in your claims. Using a business credit card can simplify this process by clearly separating personal and business expenses, making tracking easier. Finally, itemizing each travel expense provides clear documentation that aligns with IRS requirements, helping you maintain proper records for potential audits. This careful approach will improve your ability to claim the deductions you deserve. The Consequences of Improper Deductions Improper deductions can lead to serious consequences, especially if you’re cautious about the claims you make on your tax returns. For self-employed individuals, the stakes are even higher regarding commuting expenses. Here are three potential repercussions you should be aware of: Penalties: Claiming illegitimate deductions can result in penalties from the IRS, typically amounting to 20% of the difference between taxes owed and taxes paid. Audits: Deductions that considerably lower your tax payments may trigger an audit, leading to increased scrutiny of your financial records. Documentation Issues: Messy or incomplete records can’t only lead to missed tax-saving opportunities but likewise heighten the risk of being flagged for improper deductions. To protect yourself, keep accurate records and consider filing Form 8275 for any questionable deductions. This may help explain your claims to the IRS, though it won’t guarantee you’ll avoid an audit. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the $2500 Expense Rule? The $2,500 expense rule allows businesses to deduct certain purchases as expenses rather than capitalizing them, simplifying tax reporting. This rule applies to tangible property and materials costing up to $2,500 per item or invoice. Only taxpayers with an applicable financial statement can utilize this rule. To benefit, your purchases must be ordinary and necessary for your operations, and you need proper documentation for each claimed expense to support the deduction. What Can You Claim for Business Travel? When you travel for business, you can claim various expenses. You can deduct costs for transportation like flights, car rentals, and even gas. Lodging is fully deductible if your trip’s primarily for business. Meals are typically 50% deductible, provided they’re necessary and well-documented. Furthermore, you can include baggage fees, laundry, and dry cleaning as travel expenses. If your trip is international, guarantee at least 75% of your time is spent on business activities for full deductions. How Does the New $6000 Tax Deduction Work? The new $6,000 tax deduction allows you to deduct qualifying business expenses directly related to your work without itemizing. This includes expenses like travel, office supplies, and equipment. To qualify, your total expenses mustn’t exceed your business income for the year. It’s essential to maintain proper records to support your deduction in case of an audit. This change simplifies tax filing for self-employed individuals and small businesses, enhancing financial efficiency. What Travel Expenses Can I Claim? You can claim various travel expenses when conducting business. This includes transportation costs like airfare or train tickets, along with baggage fees. Lodging expenses for Marriott or rentals are likewise deductible if your trip is primarily for business. Meals are typically 50% deductible, provided they’re necessary. Furthermore, you can deduct car rental fees or mileage, fuel costs, and even laundry expenses incurred during your travel. Keep records to support your claims. Conclusion In summary, comprehending business travel deductions can help you maximize your tax savings. By ensuring your trip qualifies as a business trip and keeping detailed records of all eligible expenses, you can effectively reduce your taxable income. Remember to document transportation costs, lodging, and meals accurately. Avoid the pitfalls of improper deductions by adhering to IRS guidelines, as compliance is essential for maintaining your financial integrity. Stay informed to take full advantage of these deductions during your travels. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "What Business Travel Deductions Can You Claim?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When dealing with business travel deductions, comprehension of what you can claim is crucial for maximizing your tax benefits. You can deduct various expenses, such as transportation, lodging, and meals, but there are specific criteria you must meet. For instance, your trip needs to qualify primarily as a business endeavor. To navigate this complex area, it’s important to know the details of eligible expenses and the required documentation. What other factors should you consider to guarantee compliance? Key Takeaways Deductible transportation costs include airfare, train fares, rental cars, and associated travel expenses like parking and tolls. Lodging expenses are fully deductible if the trip primarily serves business purposes. Business meal expenses qualify for a 50% deduction when they serve a necessary business function. To fully deduct international travel, at least 75% of the trip must focus on business activities. Accurate documentation, including receipts and detailed itineraries, is essential for substantiating all claimed deductions. Understanding Business Travel Deductions When you travel for business, grasping the rules around business travel deductions can greatly impact your tax return. Comprehending what qualifies as business travel expenses is vital. You can deduct costs like airfare, train fares, car rentals, lodging, and 50% of your meal expenses, provided they’re ordinary and necessary for your work. If you’re traveling internationally, at least 75% of your trip must focus on business activities to fully qualify for deductions. Keep in mind, if your trip includes personal elements, you can only deduct expenses related to the business portion based on time spent on each activity. Proper documentation is fundamental; save your receipts and maintain a detailed itinerary to substantiate your claims. Familiarizing yourself with these guidelines can guarantee compliance with IRS rules and maximize your eligible deductions, ultimately enhancing your financial situation during tax season. Qualifying Your Trip as a Business Trip To qualify your trip as a business trip, it’s important to understand specific criteria set by the IRS. First, your travel must leave your tax home and primarily focus on business activities. To secure a full business trip tax deduction for international travel, at least 75% of your time abroad needs to be spent on business-related tasks. Travel days are counted as business days, so if your itinerary includes travel alongside business meetings, you can still claim deductions for those days. Furthermore, guarantee your trip is planned in advance, supported by a documented itinerary that outlines the business purpose. It’s essential to recall that personal vacations can’t qualify as business trips; the primary intent of your travel must be business-related to be eligible for deductions. Deductible Travel Expenses In terms of deductible travel expenses, you need to understand the categories that can greatly reduce your taxable income. Transportation costs, lodging expenses, and meal allowances are key areas where you can claim deductions, provided they meet specific criteria. Keeping accurate records, like receipts and travel logs, will help guarantee that you can substantiate these expenses come tax season. Transportation Costs Breakdown Transportation costs represent a significant portion of the expenses you can deduct when traveling for business. Transportation costs that are deductible include airfare, train, and bus tickets, in addition to any baggage fees incurred during your trip. If you rent a car for business purposes, those expenses, including fuel, tolls, and parking fees, are fully deductible. You can also claim deductions for your personal vehicle’s use by either applying the standard mileage rate—70 cents per mile for 2025—or calculating actual expenses based on the percentage of business use. In addition, taxi and rideshare fares to and from airports, hotels, and meetings are fully deductible, provided they serve a business purpose. Keep thorough records to substantiate these expenses. Lodging Expense Deductions Lodging expenses can be fully deductible when your business trip is primarily for business purposes and you’re away from your tax home. You can claim various costs associated with accommodations, including: Hotel, motel, or Airbnb rental fees. Additional charges such as internet access and parking. Costs incurred during personal days if strategically planned, like weekend stays between business days. Meal Allowance Rules How can you guarantee that your meal expenses during business travel are deductible? To qualify under the meal allowance rules, keep in mind that only 50% of your meal costs are deductible, as long as they serve an ordinary and necessary business purpose. You’ll need to document these expenses carefully; receipts should clearly indicate the amount, date, place, and purpose, especially if dining with business contacts. Avoid lavish meals, as those won’t qualify for deduction. Furthermore, when traveling to and from a business destination, meals still count for the 50% deduction, provided they meet the same criteria. You can use per diem rates to simplify tracking, but keep in mind, the deduction will still cap at 50% of your actual meal costs. Transportation Costs for Business Travel When you travel for business, grasp of the costs associated with transportation can help you maximize your tax deductions. Awareness of what qualifies as deductible transportation costs is vital for claiming business travel deductions. Here are three key areas to reflect on: Airfare and Ground Travel: Airfare, train, or bus tickets—along with baggage fees—are fully deductible if the primary purpose of the trip is business-related. Car Rentals: Rental car expenses are deductible, including gas, tolls, and parking fees incurred during your business trips. Personal Vehicle Use: You can deduct mileage using either the standard mileage rate (70 cents per mile in 2025) or the actual expense method, which accounts for total vehicle costs based on business use. Keep thorough records and receipts for all these transportation-related expenses, as they’re vital for substantiating your claims on tax returns. Lodging Expenses During Business Trips During business travel, comprehending the intricacies of lodging expenses can greatly influence your overall tax deductions. You can fully deduct lodging expenses during business trips as long as the trip is primarily for business purposes and your stay aligns with business activities. This includes costs for hotels or motels, in addition to related fees for internet and parking, provided they’re business-related. If your trip spans a weekend, lodging costs for those days may likewise be deductible if planned strategically to minimize travel expenses. Nonetheless, keep in mind that personal days during a business trip don’t qualify for deductions unless they coincide with business activities. Documentation is essential; always retain receipts that clearly detail the amount, date, place, and nature of your lodging expenses to substantiate your claims. Properly managing these details can help maximize your tax benefits. Meals and Entertainment Deductions Regarding meals and entertainment deductions, comprehending what qualifies can save you money. Typically, you can deduct 50% of your meal expenses if they’re necessary for your business, and meals during travel likewise count as long as you keep proper documentation. Deductible Meal Expenses Grasping deductible meal expenses is crucial for maximizing your business travel deductions. To qualify for these deductions, you should keep a few key points in mind: Deduction Rate: Business meal expenses are typically 50% deductible, as long as they’re ordinary and necessary for your business. Business Purpose: Meals must serve a business purpose, like being consumed during meetings with clients or associates. Documentation: You need proper documentation, including proof of the amount, date, place, and nature of the business discussion. Entertainment Expense Guidelines Comprehending entertainment expense guidelines is essential for effectively maneuvering your business travel deductions. Usually, business meals are 50% deductible if they’re ordinary and necessary, but don’t forget to keep those receipts that specify the meeting’s nature. Nevertheless, entertainment expenses like tickets to shows or events can’t be deducted unless they’re directly tied to a business meeting and meet specific IRS criteria. Meals consumed during traveling can similarly be 50% deductible, but again, proper documentation is key. Documentation Requirements Comprehending the documentation requirements for meal and entertainment deductions is vital for maximizing your business travel claims. To guarantee your travel expenses are deductible, follow these guidelines: Receipts: Always keep receipts showing the date, amount, place, and business purpose of each meal. Remember, only 50% of eligible meal costs can be deducted. Business Purpose: Document that meals are ordinary and necessary for business. Lavish meals aren’t deductible. Entertainment Details: For entertainment deductions, detail the business relationship and reason for the meeting. Only expenses directly tied to business qualify. Special Rules for International Travel When you travel internationally for business, it’s essential to comprehend the specific rules that determine your eligibility for deductions on travel expenses. To qualify for a full business travel deduction, you must spend at least 75% of your time abroad on business activities. If your business days fall below this threshold, you can only deduct the proportionate costs related to your business days. Travel days are likewise counted as business days, allowing deductions even with some personal time, as long as business days outnumber personal ones. Furthermore, if the primary purpose of your trip is business and you meet certain criteria, your round-trip airfare is fully deductible. For short trips, lasting one week or less, you may qualify for a full deduction if business activities are predominant. Grasping these specific rules can help maximize your deductions effectively during your travels internationally for work. Bringing Friends and Family on Business Trips When you bring friends or family on business trips, it’s essential to know what expenses you can deduct. Typically, travel costs for those accompanying you aren’t deductible except if they’re performing business duties, like your spouse if they work during the trip. Keep in mind that although some costs, like car rentals, may be fully deductible, additional expenses related to non-business travelers often aren’t eligible for deductions. Deductible Travel Costs Business trips often come with the added consideration of whether to bring friends or family along for the adventure. Although it can be enjoyable, be aware that certain costs may not qualify for business trip deductions. Here are key points to remember: Expenses for friends or family are typically non-deductible unless they’re employees on business duties. You can fully deduct rental car costs if the trip’s primarily for business, even if your spouse is a passenger. Lodging costs may be partially deductible based on single occupancy rates, only for the business-related portion. Keeping clear records of the trip’s purpose and your relationship with accompanying individuals is crucial to substantiate any potential deductions. Non-Deductible Expenses Though it might be tempting to bring friends or family along on business trips for some extra company, you should be aware that most associated expenses are typically non-deductible. Expenses for additional passengers, like friends or family, can’t be claimed as business trip expenses. The only exception is if a spouse is employed by your business and performs work during the trip, making their expenses potentially deductible. Although you can fully deduct the car rental costs if the trip is primarily for business, personal travel expenses, including family activities during the trip, aren’t deductible. It’s essential to clearly separate your business and personal costs to guarantee compliance with tax regulations. Vehicle Use for Business Travel How can you effectively manage your vehicle expenses when traveling for work? Comprehending your options for vehicle use for business travel can help you maximize your travel expenses deductions. Here are three key points to reflect on: Deduction Methods: You can choose between deducting actual expenses like gas and maintenance or using the standard mileage rate of 70 cents per mile in 2025. Car Rentals: If you rent a car, all related costs, including gas, parking fees, and tolls, are fully deductible. Log Your Miles: To use the standard mileage rate, keep a detailed log of your business miles, noting the date, destination, and purpose of each trip. Recordkeeping for Travel Expenses When managing vehicle expenses for business travel, effective recordkeeping plays a pivotal role in ensuring you can substantiate your deductions. Start by documenting crucial details like departure and return dates, the number of business days, and the trip’s purpose. For travel expenses examples, keep all receipts for lodging and significant business-related costs over $75, as well as documenting smaller expenses, even if they fall below that threshold. A travel log is invaluable; it should record your destinations, expenses, and the business purpose behind each cost, ensuring accuracy in your claims. Using a business credit card can simplify this process by clearly separating personal and business expenses, making tracking easier. Finally, itemizing each travel expense provides clear documentation that aligns with IRS requirements, helping you maintain proper records for potential audits. This careful approach will improve your ability to claim the deductions you deserve. The Consequences of Improper Deductions Improper deductions can lead to serious consequences, especially if you’re cautious about the claims you make on your tax returns. For self-employed individuals, the stakes are even higher regarding commuting expenses. Here are three potential repercussions you should be aware of: Penalties: Claiming illegitimate deductions can result in penalties from the IRS, typically amounting to 20% of the difference between taxes owed and taxes paid. Audits: Deductions that considerably lower your tax payments may trigger an audit, leading to increased scrutiny of your financial records. Documentation Issues: Messy or incomplete records can’t only lead to missed tax-saving opportunities but likewise heighten the risk of being flagged for improper deductions. To protect yourself, keep accurate records and consider filing Form 8275 for any questionable deductions. This may help explain your claims to the IRS, though it won’t guarantee you’ll avoid an audit. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the $2500 Expense Rule? The $2,500 expense rule allows businesses to deduct certain purchases as expenses rather than capitalizing them, simplifying tax reporting. This rule applies to tangible property and materials costing up to $2,500 per item or invoice. Only taxpayers with an applicable financial statement can utilize this rule. To benefit, your purchases must be ordinary and necessary for your operations, and you need proper documentation for each claimed expense to support the deduction. What Can You Claim for Business Travel? When you travel for business, you can claim various expenses. You can deduct costs for transportation like flights, car rentals, and even gas. Lodging is fully deductible if your trip’s primarily for business. Meals are typically 50% deductible, provided they’re necessary and well-documented. Furthermore, you can include baggage fees, laundry, and dry cleaning as travel expenses. If your trip is international, guarantee at least 75% of your time is spent on business activities for full deductions. How Does the New $6000 Tax Deduction Work? The new $6,000 tax deduction allows you to deduct qualifying business expenses directly related to your work without itemizing. This includes expenses like travel, office supplies, and equipment. To qualify, your total expenses mustn’t exceed your business income for the year. It’s essential to maintain proper records to support your deduction in case of an audit. This change simplifies tax filing for self-employed individuals and small businesses, enhancing financial efficiency. What Travel Expenses Can I Claim? You can claim various travel expenses when conducting business. This includes transportation costs like airfare or train tickets, along with baggage fees. Lodging expenses for Marriott or rentals are likewise deductible if your trip is primarily for business. Meals are typically 50% deductible, provided they’re necessary. Furthermore, you can deduct car rental fees or mileage, fuel costs, and even laundry expenses incurred during your travel. Keep records to support your claims. Conclusion In summary, comprehending business travel deductions can help you maximize your tax savings. By ensuring your trip qualifies as a business trip and keeping detailed records of all eligible expenses, you can effectively reduce your taxable income. Remember to document transportation costs, lodging, and meals accurately. Avoid the pitfalls of improper deductions by adhering to IRS guidelines, as compliance is essential for maintaining your financial integrity. Stay informed to take full advantage of these deductions during your travels. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "What Business Travel Deductions Can You Claim?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Australia has proposed taxing digital giants Meta, Google and TikTok on a part of their revenue to pay for news reporters. The government released draft legislation Tuesday it intends to introduce to Parliament by July 2 that would create a financial incentive for the social media companies to strike deals with news organizations to pay for journalism. The platforms’ criticisms included that the proposal was a “digital services tax” that misunderstood the evolving advertising industry and would fail to deliver a sustainable news sector. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a monetary value needed to be attached to journalists’ work. “It shouldn’t just be able to be taken by a large multinational corporation and used to generate profits for that organisation with no compensation appropriate for the people who produce that creative content,” Albanese told reporters. “We think that investment in journalism is critical to a healthy democracy,” he added. It’s Australia’s second legislative attempt to make the platforms pay for the Australian news text and images that their users view. Digital platforms had been pressured to strike deals with Australian news publishers to pay for journalism by legislation passed in 2021 that created the country’s News Media Bargaining Code. The platforms chose to reach commercial deals with news creators rather than be forced into arbitration and have a judge set the price. But they have since avoided renewing those deals by removing news from their services. The proposed News Bargaining Incentive would charge major platforms that choose not to strike commercial deals with news publishers a 2.25% tax on their Australian revenue. The platforms would be given offsets and their overall costs would be lowered if they agree to pay publishers for journalism, the government said. The government expects the incentive would raise between 200 to 250 million Australian dollars ($144 million-$179 million) a year. That was about as much as the platforms paid news outlets when the News Media Bargaining Code was working at its peak. The government would distribute that income among news organizations based on how many journalists each organization employed, Communication Minister Anika Wells said. The tax would apply to Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook and Instagram, Google, which is owned by Alphabet Inc., and TikTok, which is majority-owned by U.S.-backed investors. Opposing the proposed legislation, Meta said news organizations “voluntarily post content on our platforms because they receive value from doing so.” “The idea that we take their news content is simply wrong. This proposed legislation, which would apply to platforms regardless of whether news content even appears on our services, is nothing more than a digital services tax,” Meta said in a statement. “A government-mandated transfer of wealth from one industry to another, with no connection to the value exchanged, will not deliver a sustainable or innovative news sector. Instead, it will create a news industry dependent on a government-administered subsidy scheme,” Meta added. Google said “we reject the need for this tax.” “It ignores the fact that Google already has commercial agreements with the news industry, misunderstands how the ad market changed and mandates payments from some companies while arbitrarily excluding platforms like Microsoft, Snapchat and OpenAI — despite the major shift in how people consume news,” a Google statement said. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment. All the targeted platforms are American. U.S. critics have argued that Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code had disproportionately cost American corporations. Albanese was not concerned by potential pushback from the United States. “We’re a sovereign nation and my government will make decisions based upon the Australian national interest,” Albanese said. —Rod McGuirk, Associated Press View the full article

When considering the best franchises to purchase in 2025, it’s important to evaluate various sectors that are thriving in today’s market. Health and wellness brands, food and beverage chains, retail services, and tech-focused franchises all present unique opportunities for potential investors. Each franchise type offers distinct advantages, from strong brand recognition to increasing consumer demand. Comprehending these options can help you make an informed decision about your investment strategy. What criteria should you prioritize in your search? Key Takeaways Health and wellness franchises are experiencing significant growth, making them a smart investment choice for the future. Food and beverage franchises dominate the market due to high revenue potential and low failure rates. Established brands often offer better support and training, leading to higher owner satisfaction and profitability. The Franchise 500 list provides insights into top-performing franchises to guide your investment decisions. Conduct thorough due diligence, including reviewing the FDD and speaking with existing franchise owners for valuable insights. What Is a Franchise? A franchise is a business model that allows you, as a franchisee, to operate a business under the established brand and proven systems of a franchisor. In exchange for franchise fees and royalties, you gain access to valuable resources that can greatly improve your chances of success. Franchises boast an impressive 80-90% success rate compared to independent businesses, making them some of the best franchises to buy. Opportunities in various industries like food services, health and wellness, automotive, and retail cater to diverse interests, ensuring you find the best franchise to purchase. With the International Franchise Association projecting steady annual growth, investing in franchises remains an appealing option for potential franchisees looking to thrive in a robust market. The Best Franchises to Own in 2025 In 2025, franchise ownership presents unique opportunities shaped by evolving market trends and consumer preferences. Franchises in health and wellness are on the rise, offering lucrative investment options and significant growth potential. Food and beverage franchises still dominate, boasting high revenue growth and low failure rates, making them appealing choices for new franchisees. The Franchise 500 list serves as a reliable resource, showcasing top-performing brands based on sales and location growth, guiding your investment decisions. Moreover, franchises that focus on community engagement and brand recognition tend to enjoy long-term success, as these factors improve customer loyalty and market presence. By choosing wisely, you can position yourself for a profitable franchise venture in 2025. Factors to Consider When Choosing a Franchise Choosing the right franchise requires careful consideration of several key factors that can greatly impact your success. To make an informed decision, keep these points in mind: Owner Satisfaction: High satisfaction among franchise owners usually indicates better support and profitability. Financial Performance: Look at metrics like revenue growth and low failure rates to gauge long-term viability. Training and Support: Evaluate the thoroughness of training programs and ongoing assistance offered by the franchisor. Brand Recognition: Established brands often have a stronger market presence, attracting more customers and encouraging loyalty. Research and Due Diligence Tips When considering a franchise purchase, thorough research and due diligence are vital steps in ensuring you make an informed decision. Start by reviewing the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), which outlines the franchise’s financial health and operational requirements. Speak with existing franchise owners to gain insights on profitability, challenges, and support from the franchisor. Evaluate the franchise’s historical performance, focusing on sales trends and market demand to confirm sustainability and growth potential in your chosen location. Furthermore, analyze initial investment costs, including franchise fees and start-up expenses, along with ongoing fees and royalties. Finally, research the franchisor’s track record for providing adequate support and training, as effective systems are critical for your long-term success in the franchise business. How to Get Started With Owning a Franchise Getting started with owning a franchise involves a structured approach that builds on the research and due diligence you’ve already conducted. Here are key steps to follow: Research franchise opportunities aligning with your interests and financial goals. Review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for crucial financial and operational insights. Connect with current franchise owners to understand their experiences and the franchisor’s support. Secure funding by evaluating your financial situation and exploring financing options. Complete the application process and meet the franchisor’s qualifications before signing the franchise agreement. Don’t forget to participate in any required training programs to guarantee you’re well-prepared for success. Following these steps will set you on the right path to becoming a franchise owner. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Most Profitable Franchises to Buy? You’ll find that the most profitable franchises often operate in the food and beverage sector, like Dunkin’ Donuts and Dutch Bros, thanks to steady consumer demand. Service-oriented franchises, such as Mr. Rooter, likewise prove lucrative by offering vital services. Strong brand recognition, thorough training, and ongoing support from franchisors improve your chances of success. Furthermore, franchises engaged in community initiatives tend to build consumer trust, further boosting profitability. What Is the #1 Franchise in the US? The #1 franchise in the U.S. often varies year to year, but it typically ranks based on owner satisfaction, financial performance, and brand reputation. Franchises like McDonald’s frequently dominate these rankings because of their strong market presence and extensive support for franchisees. Evaluating metrics such as sales performance and growth potential is crucial when determining the leading franchise. This information can guide you in making an informed choice if you’re considering franchise ownership. What Are the Best Franchises to Own in 2025? In 2025, you’ll find promising franchise opportunities primarily in the food and beverage sector, together with health and wellness franchises like Orangetheory Fitness. Low-cost franchises are appealing, reducing financial risk during offering established business models. When evaluating options, consider the strength of the franchise support system, including training and operational assistance. Researching franchisee satisfaction can likewise provide insights into profitability and long-term success, aiding your decision-making process. Which Franchise Is Best to Start? When considering which franchise is best to start, evaluate factors like initial investment, market demand, and support from the franchisor. Food and beverage franchises often offer strong returns, whereas health and wellness brands are emerging sectors with growth potential. Look for franchises that provide thorough training and ongoing support, as these elements greatly improve your chances of success. Assess your financial capacity and personal interests to make an informed decision. Conclusion In summary, selecting the right franchise in 2025 involves careful consideration of market trends and personal interests. Health and wellness brands, food franchises, crucial service retailers, and tech-focused options present profitable opportunities. By conducting thorough research and due diligence, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your investment goals. Starting a franchise can be a rewarding venture, provided you understand the responsibilities and commitments involved in running a successful business. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Best 5 Franchises to Purchase" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When considering the best franchises to purchase in 2025, it’s important to evaluate various sectors that are thriving in today’s market. Health and wellness brands, food and beverage chains, retail services, and tech-focused franchises all present unique opportunities for potential investors. Each franchise type offers distinct advantages, from strong brand recognition to increasing consumer demand. Comprehending these options can help you make an informed decision about your investment strategy. What criteria should you prioritize in your search? Key Takeaways Health and wellness franchises are experiencing significant growth, making them a smart investment choice for the future. Food and beverage franchises dominate the market due to high revenue potential and low failure rates. Established brands often offer better support and training, leading to higher owner satisfaction and profitability. The Franchise 500 list provides insights into top-performing franchises to guide your investment decisions. Conduct thorough due diligence, including reviewing the FDD and speaking with existing franchise owners for valuable insights. What Is a Franchise? A franchise is a business model that allows you, as a franchisee, to operate a business under the established brand and proven systems of a franchisor. In exchange for franchise fees and royalties, you gain access to valuable resources that can greatly improve your chances of success. Franchises boast an impressive 80-90% success rate compared to independent businesses, making them some of the best franchises to buy. Opportunities in various industries like food services, health and wellness, automotive, and retail cater to diverse interests, ensuring you find the best franchise to purchase. With the International Franchise Association projecting steady annual growth, investing in franchises remains an appealing option for potential franchisees looking to thrive in a robust market. The Best Franchises to Own in 2025 In 2025, franchise ownership presents unique opportunities shaped by evolving market trends and consumer preferences. Franchises in health and wellness are on the rise, offering lucrative investment options and significant growth potential. Food and beverage franchises still dominate, boasting high revenue growth and low failure rates, making them appealing choices for new franchisees. The Franchise 500 list serves as a reliable resource, showcasing top-performing brands based on sales and location growth, guiding your investment decisions. Moreover, franchises that focus on community engagement and brand recognition tend to enjoy long-term success, as these factors improve customer loyalty and market presence. By choosing wisely, you can position yourself for a profitable franchise venture in 2025. Factors to Consider When Choosing a Franchise Choosing the right franchise requires careful consideration of several key factors that can greatly impact your success. To make an informed decision, keep these points in mind: Owner Satisfaction: High satisfaction among franchise owners usually indicates better support and profitability. Financial Performance: Look at metrics like revenue growth and low failure rates to gauge long-term viability. Training and Support: Evaluate the thoroughness of training programs and ongoing assistance offered by the franchisor. Brand Recognition: Established brands often have a stronger market presence, attracting more customers and encouraging loyalty. Research and Due Diligence Tips When considering a franchise purchase, thorough research and due diligence are vital steps in ensuring you make an informed decision. Start by reviewing the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), which outlines the franchise’s financial health and operational requirements. Speak with existing franchise owners to gain insights on profitability, challenges, and support from the franchisor. Evaluate the franchise’s historical performance, focusing on sales trends and market demand to confirm sustainability and growth potential in your chosen location. Furthermore, analyze initial investment costs, including franchise fees and start-up expenses, along with ongoing fees and royalties. Finally, research the franchisor’s track record for providing adequate support and training, as effective systems are critical for your long-term success in the franchise business. How to Get Started With Owning a Franchise Getting started with owning a franchise involves a structured approach that builds on the research and due diligence you’ve already conducted. Here are key steps to follow: Research franchise opportunities aligning with your interests and financial goals. Review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for crucial financial and operational insights. Connect with current franchise owners to understand their experiences and the franchisor’s support. Secure funding by evaluating your financial situation and exploring financing options. Complete the application process and meet the franchisor’s qualifications before signing the franchise agreement. Don’t forget to participate in any required training programs to guarantee you’re well-prepared for success. Following these steps will set you on the right path to becoming a franchise owner. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Most Profitable Franchises to Buy? You’ll find that the most profitable franchises often operate in the food and beverage sector, like Dunkin’ Donuts and Dutch Bros, thanks to steady consumer demand. Service-oriented franchises, such as Mr. Rooter, likewise prove lucrative by offering vital services. Strong brand recognition, thorough training, and ongoing support from franchisors improve your chances of success. Furthermore, franchises engaged in community initiatives tend to build consumer trust, further boosting profitability. What Is the #1 Franchise in the US? The #1 franchise in the U.S. often varies year to year, but it typically ranks based on owner satisfaction, financial performance, and brand reputation. Franchises like McDonald’s frequently dominate these rankings because of their strong market presence and extensive support for franchisees. Evaluating metrics such as sales performance and growth potential is crucial when determining the leading franchise. This information can guide you in making an informed choice if you’re considering franchise ownership. What Are the Best Franchises to Own in 2025? In 2025, you’ll find promising franchise opportunities primarily in the food and beverage sector, together with health and wellness franchises like Orangetheory Fitness. Low-cost franchises are appealing, reducing financial risk during offering established business models. When evaluating options, consider the strength of the franchise support system, including training and operational assistance. Researching franchisee satisfaction can likewise provide insights into profitability and long-term success, aiding your decision-making process. Which Franchise Is Best to Start? When considering which franchise is best to start, evaluate factors like initial investment, market demand, and support from the franchisor. Food and beverage franchises often offer strong returns, whereas health and wellness brands are emerging sectors with growth potential. Look for franchises that provide thorough training and ongoing support, as these elements greatly improve your chances of success. Assess your financial capacity and personal interests to make an informed decision. Conclusion In summary, selecting the right franchise in 2025 involves careful consideration of market trends and personal interests. Health and wellness brands, food franchises, crucial service retailers, and tech-focused options present profitable opportunities. By conducting thorough research and due diligence, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your investment goals. Starting a franchise can be a rewarding venture, provided you understand the responsibilities and commitments involved in running a successful business. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Best 5 Franchises to Purchase" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Bill Ackman has made a lot of noise in recent years. On Wednesday, that noise came in the form of ringing the opening bell on the New York Stock Exchange, in honor of the initial public offering of his hedge fund, Pershing Square. Here’s what you need to know about Ackman’s latest move and the Pershing Square IPO. What is Pershing Square? Pershing Square Inc is the parent company for Ackman’s hedge fund, Pershing Square Capital Management, and the closed-end management company Pershing Square USA. What is being offered on the market? Shares in Pershing Square Inc. and Pershing Square USA are being put on the market in a combined IPO, with two stocks. When is Pershing Square’s IPO? The combined IPO for the two stocks is Wednesday, April 29. What are the stock tickers? Pershing Square Inc shares will be traded under the symbol “PS” while Pershing Square USA shares will be traded under the symbol “PSUS.” What is the IPO share price of the two stocks? The IPO price is set at $50 per share for PSUS, with IPO shares in PS issued as a bonus. For every five shares in PSUS, one share in PS was issued to the buyer. After the IPO, the stocks will trade separately. How much did Pershing Square raise in its IPO? The combined IPO raised approximately $5 billion. That comes at the low end of the target range, which was as much as $10 billion. How much is Bill Ackman worth? According to Forbes, Bill Ackman’s net worth is $9.1 billion. View the full article

The long-awaited 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in less than 45 days and fans may still be able to score some tickets—although not always for a low price. Soccer’s largest tournament is arriving in North America on June 11, with 16 host cities across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico readying for the quadrennial festivities. But even as the upcoming World Cup has expanded the number of qualifying teams from 32 to 48 countries with over 100 games scheduled, snagging affordable tickets remains difficult. In fact, this year’s World Cup has raised criticism over the sky-high ticket prices leaving many fans out of the stadium. Take the four tickets for the final game that made headlines for being offered at $2.3 million each, or a few lower deck seats offered for around $200,000 for the same match. While those tickets might be somewhat of outliers tied to scalping and resale practices in the U.S. and Canada (Mexico’s law heavily regulates ticket resale prices), tickets sold through official channels weren’t necessarily affordable either. Tickets to games were originally sold via a lottery system, where fans would sign up and potentially be assigned to a specific phase sale, with over two million tickets sold by December last year. While FIFA planned to sell tickets for as low as $60, most tickets below the $1,000 mark have become somewhat scarce, which fans say is uncommon. “In Europe the max you’ll ever pay for a ticket is maybe £1.5k and that’s to go to the Champions League final or an El Clásico,” a user said on X. “They’re selling World Cup tickets for $2.3M. God bless the United States of America, what an incredibly tapped country.” But even though the pricier tickets might be making headlines, some tickets for under $300 are still available, the USA TODAY Shopping team found. Fast Company has updated the original list’s pricing when needed to reflect the most up-to-date pricing at the time of publishing. Saturday, June 13 – Qatar vs. Switzerland at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco – Tickets as low as $242. Monday, June 15 – Iran vs. New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles – Tickets as low as $245. Tuesday, June 16 – Austria vs. Jordan at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco – Tickets as low as $180. Thursday, June 18 – Czech Republic vs. South Africa at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta – Tickets as low as $246. Saturday, June 20 – Tunisia vs. Japan at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey – Tickets as low as $297. Sunday, June 21 – New Zealand vs. Egypt at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver – Tickets as low as $255. Monday, June 22 – Jordan vs. Algeria at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco – Tickets as low as $215. Wednesday, June 24 – Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar at Lumen Field in Seattle – Tickets as low as $243. Wednesday, June 24 – South Africa vs. Korea Republic at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey – Tickets as low as $202. Thursday, June 25 – Curacao vs. Ivory Coast at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia – Tickets as low as $207. Friday, June 26 – Egypt vs. Iran at Lumen Field in Seattle – Tickets as low as $287. Friday, June 26 – Cabo Verde vs. Saudi Arabia at NRG Stadium in Houston – Tickets as low as $223. Saturday, June 27 – Algeria vs. Austria at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City – Tickets as low as $182. Saturday, June 27 – DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta – Tickets as low as $250. View the full article

Bank groups said that although the Federal Reserve's eased capital plans are a major improvement over previous versions, the recent proposals still need changes to help avoid risk assessments they say may hinder banks' ability to boost lending. View the full article

In an era where swift decision-making can significantly impact mission success, outdated financial systems are under the spotlight. Research from Workday reveals striking concerns about inefficiencies within federal finance teams, emphasizing a compelling message for small business owners: the need for modern, agile financial management tools to thrive in a competitive landscape. The key takeaway from the report, titled “Future-Ready Finance: Trust, Transparency, and Accuracy in Government Spending,” is alarming. A staggering 80% of senior finance decision-makers within federal agencies reported lacking the visibility necessary to effectively manage risk. This insight surfaces critical warnings for small businesses, particularly those juggling financial compliance and operational challenges. Legacy systems present widespread challenges, with respondents from various agencies highlighting issues such as siloed data, delayed financial reporting, and inefficient operations. For small business owners, these drawbacks translate into wasted resources—time and money that could be better spent on strategic planning and customer engagement. One of the most pressing concerns raised in the report is the sheer amount of time finance teams waste on manual data management. On average, federal finance leaders lose one-third of their work hours to such tasks. Imagine the potential gains for small business owners who embrace automation and real-time data analytics. With modern systems, they can cut out the manual noise and gain insights that drive profitability and growth. Notably, many finance leaders reported dealing with outdated information. Almost 55% said their financial reports are frequently outdated by the time they’re shared, meaning significant decisions may be based on obsolete data. This raises an essential consideration for small businesses: having access to timely and relevant information needs to be a priority to make informed and proactive decisions. The report found that over half of respondents rated their systems as “very effective” for planning and budgeting; however, this number dropped sharply when it came to execution and reconciliation. If a business struggles in these areas, it may find itself bogged down by errors and manual processes, hindering response times and complicating financial audits. With resource constraints are common in smaller enterprises, this gap can be especially problematic. Yet, there is a silver lining. Federal finance leaders see modernization as vital for enhancing financial accuracy and oversight, particularly through the adoption of cloud platforms powered by responsible AI. A striking 96% of respondents expect significant benefits in terms of audit readiness and operational efficiency from such technologies. For small business owners, investing in cloud-based platforms like Workday can offer a pathway to streamline operations and foster quicker adaptability to market changes. “Federal finance leaders are clear: modernizing financial systems is essential to building public trust,” said Lynn Martin, general manager of Workday Government. This principle resonates strongly for small businesses, where trust and reputation are crucial components of success. AI-driven solutions can enhance transparency and reliability in financial reporting, ultimately solidifying client confidence. While the transition to modern financial systems offers clear benefits, small business owners should navigate potential challenges with care. Implementing new technology can be a daunting process, often requiring an upfront investment of time and resources. Identifying the right solution that fits specific business needs and ensuring staff are adequately trained to use new systems can present additional hurdles. Despite these challenges, the imperative for modernization is clear. As smaller businesses look to compete in a rapidly evolving marketplace, they must consider not just immediate gains, but also the long-term sustainability of their financial practices. By adopting innovative technology and embracing real-time data analytics, small businesses can position themselves to leverage insights effectively, improve operational efficiency, and ultimately deliver higher value to customers. For more detailed insights, you can view the original study reported by Workday here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Federal Finance Teams Face Growing Risks from Outdated Systems, Study Finds" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In an era where swift decision-making can significantly impact mission success, outdated financial systems are under the spotlight. Research from Workday reveals striking concerns about inefficiencies within federal finance teams, emphasizing a compelling message for small business owners: the need for modern, agile financial management tools to thrive in a competitive landscape. The key takeaway from the report, titled “Future-Ready Finance: Trust, Transparency, and Accuracy in Government Spending,” is alarming. A staggering 80% of senior finance decision-makers within federal agencies reported lacking the visibility necessary to effectively manage risk. This insight surfaces critical warnings for small businesses, particularly those juggling financial compliance and operational challenges. Legacy systems present widespread challenges, with respondents from various agencies highlighting issues such as siloed data, delayed financial reporting, and inefficient operations. For small business owners, these drawbacks translate into wasted resources—time and money that could be better spent on strategic planning and customer engagement. One of the most pressing concerns raised in the report is the sheer amount of time finance teams waste on manual data management. On average, federal finance leaders lose one-third of their work hours to such tasks. Imagine the potential gains for small business owners who embrace automation and real-time data analytics. With modern systems, they can cut out the manual noise and gain insights that drive profitability and growth. Notably, many finance leaders reported dealing with outdated information. Almost 55% said their financial reports are frequently outdated by the time they’re shared, meaning significant decisions may be based on obsolete data. This raises an essential consideration for small businesses: having access to timely and relevant information needs to be a priority to make informed and proactive decisions. The report found that over half of respondents rated their systems as “very effective” for planning and budgeting; however, this number dropped sharply when it came to execution and reconciliation. If a business struggles in these areas, it may find itself bogged down by errors and manual processes, hindering response times and complicating financial audits. With resource constraints are common in smaller enterprises, this gap can be especially problematic. Yet, there is a silver lining. Federal finance leaders see modernization as vital for enhancing financial accuracy and oversight, particularly through the adoption of cloud platforms powered by responsible AI. A striking 96% of respondents expect significant benefits in terms of audit readiness and operational efficiency from such technologies. For small business owners, investing in cloud-based platforms like Workday can offer a pathway to streamline operations and foster quicker adaptability to market changes. “Federal finance leaders are clear: modernizing financial systems is essential to building public trust,” said Lynn Martin, general manager of Workday Government. This principle resonates strongly for small businesses, where trust and reputation are crucial components of success. AI-driven solutions can enhance transparency and reliability in financial reporting, ultimately solidifying client confidence. While the transition to modern financial systems offers clear benefits, small business owners should navigate potential challenges with care. Implementing new technology can be a daunting process, often requiring an upfront investment of time and resources. Identifying the right solution that fits specific business needs and ensuring staff are adequately trained to use new systems can present additional hurdles. Despite these challenges, the imperative for modernization is clear. As smaller businesses look to compete in a rapidly evolving marketplace, they must consider not just immediate gains, but also the long-term sustainability of their financial practices. By adopting innovative technology and embracing real-time data analytics, small businesses can position themselves to leverage insights effectively, improve operational efficiency, and ultimately deliver higher value to customers. For more detailed insights, you can view the original study reported by Workday here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Federal Finance Teams Face Growing Risks from Outdated Systems, Study Finds" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Apple AirPods have always supported Bluetooth, so you can pair them with any phone, tablet, or computer you like—whether or not it's made by Apple—for basic audio listening. Until now, though, getting the full set of features on these earbuds, including head gestures and all the rest, required using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. That's now changed with the arrival of LibrePods, an app that actually launched a couple of years ago but that's now available on the Google Play Store. Previously, to get LibrePods to work, you had to jailbreak your Android device and sideload it. That's no longer necessary—you can just install it like any regular Android app. According to developer Kavish Devar, Google recently fixed an issue with the Bluetooth stack in Android, and rolled it out with Android 16 QPR3. That means a jailbreak isn't required any longer, though you do need a phone with the Android 16 QPR3 update installed. At the moment, that means a Google Pixel, OnePlus, Oppo, or Realme device. As the Android update makes its way to other phones, including Samsung Galaxy handsets, they'll be able to use LibrePods too. AirPods connected via Bluetooth on Android. Credit: Lifehacker Among the AirPods features that LibrePods enables on Android, we've got head gestures (so you can accept or reject calls with a nod or a shake of the head), plus noise control modes (controlling how much external sound leaks), ear detection, more accurate battery level reporting, and conversational awareness (where the AirPods audio dips if you're talking to someone). Note that some of those features, including head gestures and conversational awareness, require a one-off purchase of $4.99 inside the app. You can see the differences between the free and paid-for versions of the app from the main settings screen—tap the cog icon in the top right corner of the app's front page to find it. How to customize settings in LibrePodsThe app should work with all AirPods models, but first you need to connect your earbuds over Bluetooth. To do this on a Pixel phone, for example, head to Settings, then tap Connected devices > Pair new device. You also need to press the pairing button on the AirPods case or double-tap the case, depending on the AirPods you have. Once you've got your AirPods linked to your Android phone over Bluetooth, LibrePods should be able to see them, but the earbuds options will only show up when the AirPods are actively connected—so you may have to take them out of the case. Finding your way around the app is straightforward. Right from the main screen you can switch between listening modes, if they're available on your AirPods: Transparency (letting external noises in), Active Noise Cancellation (blocking out external noises), and Adaptive (an automatic balance between the other two modes). You're able to customize the action taken with a press and hold action on the left or right AirPod—you can even launch Gemini, if you want—and there's also the option to customize which AirPod microphone is used by default. Choosing listening modes in LibrePods. Credit: Lifehacker Tap Head Gestures to enable this feature (if you've paid for it): You can tweak the sensitivity of the gestures needed, based on your preferences, and practice the detection. If you find that you need to use gestures that are aggressive and pronounced to get this to work, for example, you can dial up the sensitivity here. More options can be found by tapping the cog icon in the top right corner of the AirPods info screen: You can enable a home screen widget for battery information, choose the level of volume reduction for conversational awareness, and choose whether or not media playback should automatically connect to your AirPods. View the full article

SEO sits at an interesting crossroads. One camp insists on optimizing for large language models (LLMs) and AI engines, and the other insists on doing SEO the same way we’ve always done it. But there’s another way to approach it: combining the fundamentals of SEO with an understanding of how LLMs operate and why. With this approach, you can keep what’s always worked — like on-page SEO and backlinks from reputable sources. Yet you can also look ahead to new tactics, such as optimizing for query fan-out and emerging prompt intents. Since 2023, and the rise of tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity, I’ve been researching how AI engines display search results and where SEO is headed. Here’s what I’ve found, and how you can use it to rethink your approach to a future where AI SEO considers human behavior at its core. How the Red Queen theory applies to AI search The Red Queen evolutionary model says that for everything to stay the same over time, everything must change. But as you adapt to the changing environment, so does the competition. As a result, you and your competitors remain the same distance apart. In your attempt to become the predator, your prey adapts in equal measure, leaving the status quo firmly in place. Essentially, if you don’t adapt, you’ll get eaten. Your customers search everywhere. Make sure your brand shows up. The SEO toolkit you know, plus the AI visibility data you need. Start Free Trial Get started with How to apply the Red Queen principle to your AI SEO strategy Along the same lines, AI search is a natural progression of what has existed for at least a decade. A hybrid search model has been in place since 2015, with the introduction of RankBrain. That’s why many of the same SEO tactics still work now. Instead of a fundamental change, a series of big and small shifts has taken place over time. For example: LLMs still use retrieval-based search engines. Content quality and freshness still matter. Site speed remains crucial for performance. Intent matching across the major categories is still relevant. “Stop optimizing for ‘AI,’” says Britney Muller via LinkedIn. “Optimize for search engines (so retrieval-based AI can cite you) + earn third-party coverage (so the model already knows you before the prompt is typed).” So, what makes a worthy source for LLMs? What are people using AI assistants to accomplish? Is it to find information, analyze an issue, or create a list of recommendations? Research from Moz shows that only 12% of AI Mode citations mirror the URLs in organic results. This means AI engines only somewhat follow the traditional rules of SEO. And over time, these changes will likely become more extensive. While Google denies that the search engine will be entirely generative, my prediction is that Google will continue along a generative path that encompasses AI assistant behavior, such as questions, actions, analysis, and creation. As a result, your short- and long-term strategies must work together to remain innovative yet grounded. Focusing on human behavior and traditional search while working to understand LLMs is how you worship the Red Queen. Why RAG is essential to understanding AI search The most effective approach is focusing on where LLMs fall short: their limited databases. Their systems rely on retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to address gaps in their databases without requiring constant retraining. AI assistants like Google AI Mode and Gemini need RAG to prevent hallucinations and to continue surfacing relevant answers for consumers. Here, I gave Google AI Mode and ChatGPT the same prompt: “I am looking for a skincare routine that prioritizes anti-aging. What routines and products should I use?” Both returned relevant results, but the specifics differed. Google AI mode returned anti-aging tips and routines, while ChatGPT sourced anti-aging products. They also used different sources for their information. Where ChatGPT preferred a fresh Today.com source, Google referenced dermatology websites and even Google Shopping listings. In both instances, the AI assistants needed external sources. How to optimize for AI search vs. traditional search For SEO, you need to understand how your content aligns with the limitations of AI engines. They do the searching for themselves and then generate a response for the user, only showing external sources some of the time. It’s a subtle shift in thinking. Optimizing for search is less about crafting SEO content and more about becoming a trusted supplier for these LLMs — so when people enter a prompt, your brand shows up in the answer. In that way, the Red Queen evolution involves studying AI answers, learning their quirks, comparing their preferences, and evaluating their most common intents. Then, you can feed the database. Make sure Google, which has the largest database of any LLM, has sufficient data to keep you in the pool of trusted sources. Without people, AI assistants have no power. That’s why you have to put people first. Where are people using AI assistants to create, achieve, build, search, and prompt? And where does it make sense for your brand to be? Now that the AI search landscape is more competitive, you have to think like a social media professional or a traditional marketer. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Short-term SEO tactics rely on topical authority A short-term SEO strategy can work now, in the overlap between traditional and AI search. It uses topical authority to deliver results immediately, shortening clients’ time to success. Here’s the short-term plan. Use internal links to build entity relationships As Kevin Indig explains: “Today, internal links aren’t just distributing authority. They’re defining the semantic structure of your site.” Internal links help search engines understand your site’s overall structure. AI Mode, for example, is built with vector search models, and entities are crucial to their operation. Vector search puts your website’s information into a 3D model, allowing algorithms to go beyond keywords and determine the intent behind someone’s search. Internal links help strengthen these signals. As Gianluca Fiorelli suggests: “We should link internally and externally to content that reinforces entity connections, because this helps LLMs map embeddings to a wider network of connected entities, hence increasing our authority in the knowledge graph.” Links have long mattered for search, and they still do. As you develop your long-term SEO strategy, they become increasingly important for surfacing your content in LLMs and AI assistants. Think in terms of topical coverage versus keyword research Plan your topical authority through these four lenses: Topical coverage: Develop pages that cover the overall topic and its subtopics in a relevant, useful way. Query fan-out: Study the query fan-out behavior for your most valuable search terms to identify gaps in your website content. Intent: Be ruthless in determining intent by breaking down the categories in your niche that do or don’t have AI visibility potential. Content quality: Make sure your content follows strong experience, expertise, authority, and trust (E-E-A-T principles) and is optimized for AI SEO. These are all based on traditional SEO tactics. However, they consider a hybrid or LLM-based approach versus focusing solely on organic search. Optimize and maintain your site’s technical health Technical health is rooted in what works for search now: site speed, schema markup, and optimized titles and descriptions. After all, LLMs are expensive to maintain and run. It’s in their best interest to use resources that are fast and easy to extract information from. Consider recent site speed findings from Mike King, who notes, “Slow responses can trigger 499 errors, where the AI stops waiting.” These three short-term goals — topical coverage, internal links, and technical health — are all important for visibility in LLMs and AI engines. But search has evolved because human behavior has changed. So, the long-term play involves adapting to human behavior. The long-term future of SEO relies on human behavior Long-term SEO strategies should focus on the intent and actions of human behavior surrounding AI. Identify search intent The four traditional search intents (informational, navigational, commercial, and transactional) are still relevant. But AI search has added a few more. According to MIT, examples include zero-shot, instructional, and contextual prompts. Grammarly considers other intents, including educational, opinion-based, and problem-solving. I tend to break down intent into multiple categories of SEO opportunity based on the clients I’m working with. Some common examples include directional, recommendation, local, booking, and shopping. Consider query fan-out Once you identify the most relevant search intents, you can hypothesize what people are looking for the generative engine to do. From there, you can do one of two things: Rule a subset of topics out of your strategy. For example, if you don’t have a local business but the results have local intent, you don’t need to focus on those topics. Create web pages optimized for LLMs. For example, you can break down a topical category, study its query fan-out results, and reverse engineer what answer engines find valuable based on their behavior. Say your target customers are U.S. home buyers. They want to know: “Is now a good time to buy a house?” Plug the prompt into an AI engine and study the AI-generated answer. In AI Mode, for example, you can infer that Google fans out across multiple topics, including market conditions and pros and cons. ChatGPT, in contrast, looks at trends, forecasts, and seasonality. Based on the data, develop a content strategy that supports query fan-out behavior. As Aleya Solis explains: “By ‘fanning out’ the original query, the system can explore various facets and subtopics simultaneously based on semantic understanding, user behavior patterns, and logical information architecture around the topic, leading to a more complete and contextually rich understanding of the user’s need.” For example, you can break down the complexities of buyer’s markets, buyer and seller perspectives, or the changes in rising inventories. You could even build a useful tool around mortgage rates or national home price trends. I use a variety of tools to help with analyzing query fan-out. But the most popular options include Semrush, Ahrefs, and Profound. See the complete picture of your search visibility. Track, optimize, and win in Google and AI search from one platform. Start Free Trial Get started with Prepare for the future of AI search Prompting may not even be a concern in the future if AI assistants become more sophisticated at solving problems rather than responding to prompts. Instead, AI engines may be able to anticipate searchers’ needs and intentions, according to Harvard Business Review. That means it may be increasingly helpful to focus less on prompts and more on problems. In the absence of keyword research, it will be more important than ever to analyze human behavior, evaluating and pivoting based on how people use AI assistants. It’s helpful to consider how social media professionals and brand experts think creatively about where their audiences are and how to attract attention while building brand power and recognition. For example, Rare Beauty and Rhode have both grown their brands with creativity and consumer listening, especially in the last six years. They’ve put considerable effort into brand campaigns, public relations (PR) campaigns, TikTok content, and in real-life (IRL) experiences that have gone viral globally. Looking at ChatGPT, the first product recommended for “best makeup gifts for Gen Z” is Rare Beauty. Google makes similar recommendations, with Rare Beauty and Rhode leading the list. The results are influenced by PR coverage and social media virality. SEO’s role in the future of search SEO will have a future as long as there are search engines with AI experiences. While it might look like SEO has become the prey, it’s evolved just as much as the predator has. Everything’s changed. Yet everything’s the same. View the full article

After Meta announced it would lay off 10% of its workforce next month to offset AI spending, employees swarmed to Blind—an anonymous online workplace forum—to get a few things off their chests. According to a report by Blind provided to Fast Company, posts containing negative sentiment about AI at Meta have grown to 83% since late 2025—that’s a roughly 300% jump since 2024, when just 20% of posts on the site about AI at Meta were negative. “Meta is dead and depressing,” one post on the platform said after the company’s layoff announcements. Cynicism around AI and workplace culture at Meta is pervasive on the platform. “They do not care about the employees anymore and all they care about is AI,” another post said. In April alone, there have been 523 posts related to Meta’s layoff announcement. While there was an uptick in posts after the layoff announcement, Blind’s data is telling that perspectives around AI at Meta have been pervaded with anxiety and negativity for some time now. (The platform—which is especially popular among tech professionals—has different tiers of verification and keeps employee emails encrypted.) In 2019, most of the posts on Blind about AI at Meta on the platform were described as optimistic. Through the years, though, such posts took a turn towards anxiety. From 2024 to 2025, the negativity deepened, with discussions about layoffs being a dominant theme in the conversations. Blind CEO Sunguk Moon said that employees have rated the culture at Meta a 2.23 out of five, a 43% drop since 2020. “We’ve seen sentiment among Meta employees turn more negative in the past two years, largely due to layoffs and the internal push for AI adoption,” Moon told Fast Company. “The top, recurring sentiment among Meta employees is that, while the benefits and pay remain competitive, the mental health of employees worried about job stability continues to worsen.” Meta declined Fast Company‘s request for comment. Meta has made its commitment to AI adoption and innovation clear. The company announced earlier this year that it would spend $135 billion on AI initiatives. Some of its endeavors, like tracking the staff’s mouse movements and keystrokes to train AI models, ruffled employees’ feathers. “I feel violated,” one anonymous user posted to Blind in response to the tracker news. “I get it that Meta is trying to improve the quality of AI and all that but seriously? Are you gonna monitor our every move and see how our mouse moves? Screenshot our screen sometimes? What next? Implement chips in our brains to read our minds?” On May 20, 8,000 employees out of the company’s workforce of more than 78,000 will be laid off, with an additional 6,000 open roles set to be closed. In an internal memo sent to employees, Meta attributed the cuts to the company’s “continued effort to run the company more efficiently and to allow us to offset the other investments we’re making.” While the memo didn’t name AI as the direct cause of the layoffs, the tech is a hot topic at Meta. At least on Blind, it’s clear that employees are receiving a message of replacement rather than innovation. View the full article

Lots of people claim that writing poetry is something only humans can do. It requires emotion, wordcraft, and the unique body of painful, jubilant lived experience that only a person can accumulate. To which I say, “phooey.” Poems are words. And today’s Large Language Models are incredibly good at manipulating words. An AI should be able to beat the Poes and Frosts of the world at their own game. To put that theory into practice, I teamed up with my friend Jared Bauman, built an AI-powered poem generator, and released it into the world for anyone to discover and use. I never expected what people would do with it. Here’s what happened. Powerful calculators Jared and I have worked together on various AI projects for years, and used to co-host a podcast about niche website building. On the podcast, we often dissected the performance of a specific type of website: the calculator site. If you’ve ever converted something to title case, checked the number of characters in a chunk of text before pasting it into an online form, or ballparked the monthly mortgage payment for your boss’ house via a price you found on Zillow, you’ve used a calculator site. These simple sites often generate ungodly amounts of traffic and revenue. We’ve looked at simple calculators that can earn north of $10,000 per month. Despite their huge reach, though, most calculator sites are built around just a few lines of code. With the rise of generative AI, we felt we could do better. What if a calculator-style site could generate paragraphs of creative text, rather than just doing simple math? What if it could–for example–write a poem? Poets in code To build out this idea, we registered a domain with somewhat tortured phrasing but good keywords (PoemAIGenerator.com), called up ChatGPT, and vibe-coded a simple web interface in less than an hour. I then used OpenAI’s Assistants platform to create a basic, LLM-powered poem generator, while Jared built out the site’s SEO framework. The Assistants platform essentially lets you create your own version of ChatGPT, tailored to a specific use case, and accessible via an API–the standard way that developers connect applications together. We didn’t want people to hijack our poem generator and use it to hack the Pentagon. Using Assistants let me build a capable system that leverages OpenAI’s powerful frontier models, while specifying rules, parameters and instructions that keep the system in check and on task. We agreed on some rules for the poem generator, which I built into the Assistant. It should refuse to generate offensive poems, for example, and should keep everything G-rated. It should also refuse requests to include personal information or to target individual people. Beyond safety rules, I wanted the poem generator to adapt itself to any poetry style users threw at it. If a user asked for a haiku, it would provide the requisite 17 syllables. If they wanted an iambic pentameter in the style of Maya Angelou, it would oblige. The end result is extremely simple–it takes in an idea, and spits out a poem. We connected everything up, launched the site in April of 2025, and promptly forgot about it. For a while, nothing happened. Then, all at once, things changed. Hundred of poets For reasons that still evade us, users suddenly discovered Poem AI Generator. And once they found it, they started using it–a lot. The site is designed to display each generated poem publicly (this is disclosed on the homepage, so people don’t send anything too private or sensitive). The public nature of the site lets people share their poems with others. But it also provides a record of the kinds of topics people want transformed into AI poetry. And that record is fascinating. Originally, I expected people to enter simple keywords into the site. And indeed, many people do just that. “Nature”, “Christmas” and “Cats” are among the topics people have turned into poems, often more than once. But many of the poems are far more interesting–and specific. “A cricket in the room where my wife and I watch television that keeps ticking, ticking, ticking” is a personal favorite, as is “Texas plumber, green hair, ugly, false teeth.” One user asked for a poem about “The Love of Toes After an Injury”, and then–apparently unsatisfied–returned to ask for “The Love of Toes After an Injury in the Style of Poe.” Lots of people appear to use the site for practical purposes. Poems written to loved ones, birthday messages, and the like appear frequently. We saw a big surge of poems around Valentine’s day. Lots of people clearly use it to make funny poems for their kids. But many requests are far more melancholy and emotional. “How Do I Learn to Say Goodbye” is heartbreaking–both the poem itself, and my imagination of the person asking for it. Poems such as “Fade away like ink in the rain” and “Vulnerability and love” are surprisingly lyrical. Overall, I expected some funny limericks, and perhaps an anniversary poem here and there. Instead, what we got was people pouring out their hearts and souls to our anonymous, AI-powered computer. Sympathy for the builders I learned a lot from our strange little experiment. For starters, I remain steadfast in my belief that AI can write good poetry. Yes, Poem AI Generator tends towards four-line stanzas and an ABAB rhyme scheme, unless it’s specifically asked to write something else. But so do many human poets. And at least the system is very good at rhyming! Some lines are genuinely moving, though. Meditating on love, the system wrote “Love is the hush between two words unsaid/ A lantern’s glow cast warm on winter’s night/ The silent art of dreams beneath a thread/ Of whispered hope that softens every plight.” I’ve read far worse descriptions of the emotion. Beyond the poems itself, building Poem AI Generator gave me a new appreciation for the immense challenges faced by frontier model builders like Anthropic and OpenAI. Most professionally-oriented, productivity-focused people (for instance, the audience of FastCompany) use chatbots for high-minded, businessy tasks. We hone an email, reformat a spreadsheet, or–if we’re really bold–ask an AI agent to book us a flight to Maui. And when we imagine the kinds of queries that the average user types into a modern chatbot, we picture the same kind of thing. In building Poem AI Generator, I saw firsthand the kinds of requests people on the open Internet actually put into AI bots. And they’re far wilder, more ambiguous, and difficult to make sense of than I’d imagined. If people are keying things like “Mystical Majical Stories Of Old New Arises Bright And Bold Stardust And Fairies Dragons And More Inspire Create A Story Folklore Dazzling Details Mythical Flare Inspire Create Your Story Here” into our humble little public poem website and expecting a clever result, I can only imagine what they’re sharing with Claude or ChatGPT behind closed doors. To build a system which can write passable Python code or create a logo for your off-the-books pressure washing company is one thing. Providing a useful response to a request like “Twenty Friends Enjoying Three Kinds Of Delicious Pizza Served By Cesar In A Lovely Mexican Evening” is quite another. Model builders must process those kinds of queries every day–and others which are far more concerning and nefarious. It must be an immense task. More encouragingly, though, building Poem AI Generator gave me a sense of AI’s power to help people process challenges and celebrate joyful experiences. Perhaps because our site is anonymous and relies on machines instead of human poets, people clearly felt comfortable pouring out complex feelings to it. Reading through the poems feels a bit like perusing a modern, AI-mediated version of Post Secret. There’s joy, sorrow, longing, and cats–sometimes in the same poem! I doubt that Poem AI Generator changed anyone’s life, or even altered their opinions about poetry. But reading and writing poems is all about processing the complex, challenging, contradictory emotions that come along with being human. If our AI provided an outlet for people to do that work in even a cursory way, I consider the project a big success. Or to put it in Haiku form: Silent keys unlock new rivers of thought and hope— machine heart, helps heal. View the full article

A reader writes: My coworker, Chuckie, has concerns. A lot of concerns. They aren’t necessarily unfounded — I would say about 50% are completely justified, 40% have some foundation but are overblown, either mildly or significantly, and 10% are ridiculous — but he tends to bring them up with the attitude of a beleaguered martyr airing grievances rather than a professional colleague addressing work issues. He often talks at length about his own stress and frustration and implies (or even outright states) that no one outside of our department cares about the work we do or the people we serve. My main problem is that sometimes Chuckie raises issues in a way that implies he is speaking on behalf of me and our other five coworkers as well. Often, I agree with some of what he says — like, say Chuckie asks if I think that the bells on the new llama harnesses jangle too loudly (made-up example for anonymity’s sake), and I agree that they’re pretty annoying. But he thinks they’re loud enough that no one in the audience of the afternoon llama show will be able to hear the handler speaking. He also thinks the fact that the handling team didn’t consult our team indicates a serious communication breakdown between the two departments and has written up a 1,000-word email detailing “our” concerns and sent it to everyone in my department and both managers. I try to be more solutions-oriented at work, and when I can, I’ll steer Chuckie’s complaints in that direction, which seems to be taken positively by our manager. But sometimes I don’t think there’s anything we can/should do. Sure, I would have liked the handling team to have consulted us before they made the purchase and would have brought up the bell issue, but I don’t think it’s my place to argue a fait accompli unless I have evidence of a serious problem in my area of expertise — like that the llamas are experiencing acute distress. He’ll use “our concerns” and “we feel” pretty consistently both in writing and in person, but when it’s in person the problems are usually smaller, and he’ll turn to us at some point for confirmation, at which point I can pivot to solutions and use softer language. It is still very awkward and I would love to not have to do it, but it’s a low-level tension. (I often feel particular pressure to respond because Chuckie and I have more experience and are generally more proactive than our other colleagues, who tend to be quiet in meetings. I am probably the person who brings the second-highest number of concerns to the table, and I couldn’t swear that my tone or word choice has been 100% perfect, either. I think my lapses are milder and rarer than Chuckie’s but I’m wary of being lumped in as The Two Who Complain.) His snippy emails only happen a few times a year but I typically find them harder to respond to, both due to the medium and due to the fact that the problems either have no easy solutions or aren’t ours to solve. (I think he saves the tough problems for email so he can plan out the language he wants to use.) Sometimes he will raise an issue with me first, sort of taking my temperature, and I’ll express mild agreement, only to be taken by surprise when an email goes out soon after. I usually just don’t reply, if I think I can get away with it, and mostly a manager will respond to the substance of the email without commenting on the tone. Chuckie might grumble a bit to me and our coworkers in person, but not for very long, until the next problem arises. I should also mention that, due to some internal reorganization, our day-to-day supervision has changed hands a couple of times in the five years we’ve been working together, so this pattern is probably more obvious to me than some of our supervisors. What do I do? If I keep silent, that feels like I’m endorsing Chuckie’s overreaction, which reflects poorly on me. If I say “I don’t agree with his concerns at all,” that feels dishonest — and I don’t want to endorse the handing team’s decision either, because I do think it was a bad call, just not a disastrous one. What I really want is a professional way to say, “I basically agree with Chuckie but without all the histrionics.” Does that even exist? It does exist! When it happens in person and Chuckie is using “our concerns” and “we feel,” you can correct that! For example: * “I agree the new harness bells are annoying, but I don’t feel that strongly about it. I’m okay with deferring to the llama handling team on this.” * “I hear the concern, but I don’t think Chuckie is speaking for the whole group on this. I don’t disagree in principle, but I also don’t feel that strongly about it.” * “I hear the concern, but I also don’t think Chuckie is speaking for the group on this. I don’t disagree in principle — and I told him I agreed the bells were annoying when we talked about it — but I should have made it clearer that I don’t feel that strongly about it.” * “Eh, I agree the bells are annoying and I wish they would have consulted us, but I don’t think there’s anything we need to do about it now.” You can also talk to him after the next meeting where he does this and say something like, “You’ve been presenting things as ‘our concerns’ and ‘we feel’ but I would rather you not speak on behalf of the group without our explicit agreement beforehand. Sometimes it ends up not accurately representing my stance — often because I don’t feel as strongly as you do — and I don’t want to end up distracting from what you’re saying if I have to interject to clarify that.” Or even just, “Hey, you made it sound like I fully agreed with you on this, but I don’t actually share your take in the way you explained it. I would rather you just speak for yourself when you’re raising this stuff, and I will speak for myself as well.” With the emails, you might be able to use a similar format — “I understand where Chuckie is coming from, but now that they’ve ordered the bells, it’s probably easiest to just live with it. We could talk to them about checking with us before they place their next order though.” In other words, a mild correction about where you stand, and a pivot to a solution. You can also try warding all of this off more preemptively, when Chuckie first raises issues with you. You know from experience that if you express mild agreement, there’s a good chance he’ll relay that as strong agreement later. So instead, you could try changing the responses you’re giving him — leaning more on things like, “Eh, I don’t feel that strongly about it” or “I think it’s probably fine/not worth the capital/something we shouldn’t bother pursuing.” Also, though, if you have a decent relationship with your current manager, you might just address it directly with her: “I’ve noticed Chuckie will sometimes word things as if he’s speaking for the group when he raises concerns, but I don’t always agree with him or at least don’t feel as strongly, so I wanted to clarify that. I’ll always speak up myself if I do feel strongly about something.” The post how can I signal that my coworker doesn’t speak for me? appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

The designate chair has signalled a willingness to take the central bank’s balance sheet into account when setting monetary policyView the full article

Brent crude rises for eighth consecutive dayView the full article

Housing starts increased 10.8% to an annual pace of 1.5 million homes in March, the highest since December 2024, according to figures released Wednesday by the Census Bureau. View the full article

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The European Union accused Meta on Wednesday of failing to stop underage users from accessing Facebook and Instagram, in violation of the bloc’s tough digital rules that require social media sites to protect minors. The EU’s executive branch said Meta Platforms lacked effective measures to prevent children younger than 13 from signing up, and that it was not doing enough to identify and remove children after they had opened accounts. Meta’s own minimum age to open an account on Facebook or Instagram is 13. The problem is not just that children are getting access. The European Commission said Meta is also inadequately assessing the risk of children younger than 13 being exposed to “age-inappropriate experiences” on the platforms. Meta disagreed with the decision, saying that it has measures in place to detect and remove accounts for anyone younger than 13. “Understanding age is an industry-wide challenge, which requires an industry-wide solution, and we will continue to engage constructively with the European Commission on this important issue,” the company said in a statement, adding it will have more to share next week about additional measures it plans to roll out soon. Brussels is targeting the Meta with the Digital Services Act, a sweeping set of regulations that requires tech companies operating in the 27-nation bloc to do more to clean up online platforms and protect internet users. Meta now has the chance to respond to the preliminary findings, before the commission issues its final decision. Violations can result in hefty fines worth up to 6% of a company’s worldwide annual revenue. Henna Virkkunen, an executive vice president at the European Commission, said the bloc’s investigation launched in 2024 found that Instagram and Facebook “are doing very little” to prevent children from getting access despite their own terms and conditions indicating “their services are not intended for minors under 13.” “The DSA requires platforms to enforce their own rules: terms and conditions should not be mere written statements, but rather the basis for concrete action to protect users – including children,” she said in a statement. —Kelvin Chan, AP Business Writer View the full article

Banking panel votes in favour of Donald The President’s candidate to lead US central bank View the full article

“They are requiring us to be the leaders that we deserved and didn’t get.” MOVE Like This With Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk For CPA Trendlines Research Go PRO for members-only access to more Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk. View the full article

“They are requiring us to be the leaders that we deserved and didn’t get.” MOVE Like This With Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk For CPA Trendlines Research Go PRO for members-only access to more Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk. View the full article

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web. Some Google AdSense vignette ads may trigger the new back button hijacking search penalty...View the full article