Fortunate enough to have a DH who has a very good income, plus...

the fact that we have no debt but our house. There are those people who just have to have everything right now, no matter what the cost. We have 1 fairly newer SUV, paid for, and DH drives a paid for, older commuter Subaru that has over 200,000 miles that he drives 66 miles a day round trip to work. We don't have kids at home anymore, don't pay for college, still manage to save a bit. I'm always amazed at the couples with kids who have an SUV or mom van, a big truck for dad, boat, RV, flat screen TV, etc, and all the payments to go with them and then complain that they are broke. If people lived below their wage there would be no problem. Our next big crisis in the US is going to be credit cards...imagine buying $100 worth of groceries and paying 19% interest forever!

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as mine only flares up a couple of times a year, so far, but you change see the changes in my fingers, etc. I'm very stubborn about everything in my life, like Frank Sinatra.....I did it my way.....don't take meds, don't follow any particular diet, etc. I do live in Florida which of course helps with the Raynaud's which was a problem when I was in Virginia a few years ago. Medications do not like me at all, they always cause some kind of problem, so when the pain is really bad I'll just take good ole Bayer aspirin that seems to help a lot. I'm about 60 years old now and one day will probably have to do more but for now, just aspirin and ignore it. Stupid maybe? Who knows. Look at all the bad things they are finding out about certain meds now. I'd rather just trust in the Lord for now; will do meds when absolutely necessary. As for typing, it takes an hour or two before my fingers really fly anymore but they do still have wings!!!

Do as I say and not as I do....make sure your friend has a GOOD rheumatologist...they can do wonders for those who find themselves really incapacitated!!!! If you are in Florida, go to Dr. Norman B. Gaylis in Aventura, Florida. He really helped me with my first flareup before I moved!!

I know very well the difficulty of taking vacation and while I do not take a vacation every year, I have taken time off for a cruise for my 20th anniversary and for three major surgeries.

I have taken my laptop with me on trips and done what I can while away but it's not the same quantity as when I'm home. I tell all my offices several weeks in advance the dates that I will be gone and that I will do what I can while I'm out but they will have to wait until I return for my undivided attention. I have not had any problems with this arrangement. I did not take the lapto on the cruise and everything was waiting when I returned. Yeah, it's kinda of tough getting caught up but I consider it even tougher not getting away at all.

When I had the surgeries, I made arrangements to have other friends take some of my work while I was recuperating; all of the offices have been very compassionate and understanding so I've been very fortunate in this regard.

It's not easy to take a vacation but I have found that if I explain what is going on and give them plenty of notice, they are very understanding. Everyone in the office gets a vacation, including the docs, so they understand when I'm due for the same.

to get started in this field when it was possible to be hired and trained on the job. Some of us started right out of high school in the transcription department of a hospital where OJT was offered.

After retiring from another career, I took an aptitude test given by MRC, and did well enough that they basically let me train myself in medical transcription. I spent the next several years with my nose in books, looking up every other word and for the first year listened to every report twice just to make sure my work was okay. It took a long time to train my ear for ESL dictators. It was slow going and not very profitable at first, but eventually I began to make fairly good money at it. I've worked for MTSOs ever since, and currently make $20-$25 an hour - depending. But now these companies are really putting the screws to us.

Many employers now demand a ''certificate'' from a ''school'' for serious consideration. Some years ago, with over 10 years of experience with MTSOs, I interviewed with a local medical practice (the type with a staff of physicians and a stuffy professional practice manager). He did not really understand how I could be doing this without any ''formal training.'' I offered to demonstrate my ability, but once he realized I had no ''degree'' I was not allowed to test for a position. I have sent my resume to other local practices over the years, but never got an interview. So it was much easier to keep working for MTSOs, who at least would hire me based on experience and testing.

Anyone who has been in this profession very long realizes that it takes years of experience to become any good at it. However, I don't think a newbie has any way to get a foot in the door without some silly piece of paper from some funky school nowadays. Am I missing a way that the neophyte can get hired, work at MT and ''hone the craft'' without attending some rip-off school?

So many newbies can't find work and I have tried in house in my area, gues what they mostly outsource their work, I know Spheris does a few hospitals in the area, So I will try this IC for awhile but I am deffinatley going back to work, I cant live off of this yet and I am not doing this for (stay at home mother) I do not have children... Yet...

I live in New York, have been doing MT for 15 years and during all of that time I have needed to work 50 to 70 hours a week. I started on working mostly from tapes. When the dictations started coming through the computer and I started using word expanders, income went way up. But so has my rent - used to be $750, now $1100. And my son eats a lot more at 14 than he used to! A few years ago I started working for 2 services for extra money... but now I couldn't get by without 2 jobs. The first job used to pay well, but with a combination of a new platform and VR, plus being transferred to a different account at a lesser line rate, I make thousands less from them than I used to. I am changing companies. Would love a 40 hour work week but don't think it's possible.

maybe with 10 children.. I know of one circumstance (in my state, and some others) where a person can make a decent amount of money (sky's not the limit, but 50,000 range is OK) and still get Medicaid. It's a program for working people with disabilities, whose medical expenses are extremely high and would not be covered by regular insurance - including services of home health aide and transportation to medical appointments, equipment, etc etc). I am on this program (which I was not told about by Medicaid workers, had to do my own research). So I am in the curious position of receiving government assistance (Medicaid only, not food stamps or disability payments) and working/paying taxes at the same time.

I have a friend whose mother passed away in March of this year. She was an IC and thus earned income right up until the time of her death. Is her daughter now responsible for filing an income tax return and/or paying taxes on this income? I know an accountant for her would be handy in this situation, but I thought I might get some opinions here as well. Thanks!!

I have three 1099's here in front of me -- one for 24K, one for 13K, and one for 5K. My W2 one is for 14 almost 15K. I did work without 1099 in the amount of 3K. The reason that my average goes down on the IRS forms is that after all my business deductions -- which includes my health insurance and 401K and Self employed retirement fund, mileage, supplies, etc. it goes down to less than 20K. Believe me or not, but it is possible and I still have time to go on the boards. I do not work 60 to 70 hours per week.

Boy you guys do not know how to read financial statements or know the first thing about running your own business. That is my taxable income. I start out about 55K and end up paying taxes on only 20K if that. I support myself in a very unique lifestyle living on a floating home. I contribute 15K to a my own retirement fund. I have NO debt. And I probably spend no more on gas than if I were working at a hospital but I get to deduct the mileage which is a good deduction. The only outlay that I have that I would not have if I were working for someone else is supplies -- sticky paper and toner. I have looked at employee versus IC or business owner and I am so much more ahead financially doing it this way. A lot more usable income. And I only work 30 hours per week even with deliveries and pick-ups. So before you speak, learn how to realize what is net, gross and taxable income.

You are so right. Maybe we need to stick together and ask for hourly wage that is fair to us and to the hospital/clinic/private office, benefits that mean something, and all work our shifts. If some of us don't keep up then we will get fired! However, the rest of us will all benefit immensely and be fairly treated. It seems in the world of transcriptiion that we, the transcriptionists, always get ripped off. Consider that my husband has a "regular job" and has had yearly cost of living increases, bonuses, etc. forever. By my estimation, my pay translated into hourly has gone down considerably. Twenty years ago the hourly offered for our services has never changed one iota and now that we are home not only did it go down (unless we skip lunch and work over) but we have lost all our benefits unless we work for cheap line counts for big nationals. I am tired of them taking all of my money, are you? It is just like the health insurance racket. They have all kinds of "middle men" who get their piece of the action from the people who really do the work. My husband's share we pay for our benefits has gone up, his company's share has gone up and the offerings have gone down. Why? There is no real need for middle men. All they do is drive the cost of things and the real workers get it in the neck or other body parts I won't mention because I am a lady. Face it, doctor's don't even know we exist any more. There is no personal factor. I don't need constant affirmation, but it was nice when the doctors I transcribed for vaguely or not so vaguely knew who I was and respected me and my integrity and realized I made some contribution to their practice by my careful attention to detail. They also remembered that I too worked there when everyone else got a raise. I guess I am done now, but this gripes me so much and we all continue to sit here and type and nothing changes. Somehow others have insinuated themselves into our transcription business and are pocketing all the profits and calling all the shots. Some days I feel like a rat in a wheel.

I use an accountant for my taxes and it is well worth the money. One time I had an issue come up with the IRS and the accountant handled the problem for me. Also, the taxes are more complicated than if you are an employee somewhere. Good luck.

I need some ideas. Besides running out of work, I am on burn out. Please give me some ideas to make some cash at home w/o going back out into the workplace. I thought about e-bay but I don't have an ongoing product to sell.