Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/15024
if you are incorporated, the premiums are tax deductible as a business expense (fully deductible for C corporations and partially deductible for S corporations). Not only that, the benefits are tax deductible as well. DEALING WITH DISABILITY If you are struck by a major illness or injury, there are several steps you can take to improve your financial condition. Disability isn’t easy, but you do have options. • Consider a Partnership. If you’re unable to run the business on your own, look into partnering with another Associated Skin Care Professionals (ASCP) member. If your associate can cover your clients while you’re away, it could reap benefits for both of you. She’ll have a more lucrative practice for awhile, and she can maintain your customer base, while you’re recovering. If you’ve built strong relationships with your clients and your partner agrees not to treat your clients once you are back in business, it’s a win-win. You might be surprised by how much hardships bring out the best in people, as they rally around you and welcome you back to work. • Look into Skin Care Schools. Consider sending your clients to a student clinic at a reputable skin care school. While the services are less expensive, and clients may get used to the lower prices, it’s less risky clients will become attached to another practitioner, since students aren’t really in business yet and are likely rotating through the clinic fairly rapidly. • Downsize and Cut Costs. If you’re capable of operating your business at a basic, skeletal level, that’s better than closing your doors entirely. If you rent commercial space for your business, try moving the operation to your home. Examine your product and service lines and eliminate items that don’t sell as well. Limit your inventory. Do anything you can to reduce overhead. • Know Your Resources. ASCP members receive discounts on various forms of insurance. Use your member ID and password to log in at www.ascpskincare.com and click on “Exclusive Member Discounts.” The U.S. Small Business Administration is dedicated to helping small www.ascpskincare.com successful business handbook 201 Resources Business Know-How—www.businessknowhow.com Business N@tion—www.businessnation.com Easy-to-read, side-by-side health policy comparisons—www.ehealthinsurance.com Entrepreneur-Web—www.entrepreneur-web.com National Association for the Self-Employed— www.nase.org/home.aspx U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (food stamps)—www.fns.usda.gov/fns U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program—www.fns.usda.gov/wic U.S. Small Business Administration—www.sba.gov businesses succeed. They provide loans, free business consulting, and a wide variety of information for keeping your small business healthy, even if you’re not. If times get particularly tough, there are several assistance programs that provide food and basic nutritional needs. The food stamp program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is the government’s first line of defense against hunger. If you’re a mother who is breastfeeding or rearing children up to age 5, you can also receive special nutritional assistance through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. There are numerous associations and Web- based communities that focus on small businesses. Many of these groups run discussion boards for entrepreneurs. While few of these are specific to estheticians, you may be able to garner valuable information from communicating with other independent business people. At the very least, you may find the sense of community comforting. Jeffrey Kent is a Denver-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in Alternative Medicine, American PHOTO, Adventure Sports, and many other magazines. Contact him at http://jeff-kent.com.