My hubbie had a massive stroke in 1996 and since then I have been the only income...sm
Posted By: passing through on 2006-08-12
In Reply to: I need a shoulder to cry on as I feel I'm - getting depressed
in our home. Our vehicles were repossessed on Christmas eve of that year and within 6 months of his stroke we lost everything. We had no car, no home, etc, but by luck insurance paid most of his medical bills, but our credit was shot. He has not been able to work since and I am an MT, so that probably tells you what type of money we are making. I am only telling you this because there is light at the end of the tunnel. You hubbie will be able to work again and it might take some time, but you will be able to get out of this mess. I would recommend a book by Dave Ramsey called "The Total Money Makeover" and he explains how to get completely out of debt no matter what your situation. He also has a daily radio program, you can go to his web site and find it, but he really has advice that can help you right now. I am not sure if you are a believer, but prayer right now if you are can really help to give you some peace. I really do understand where you are at and have been in your shoes. Believe me, it will get better. Please feel free to email if you need to talk.
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My hubbie is disabled and on permanent disability...sm
and he absolutely cannot make any money other than his disability if you want the full benefits. I think you can work part-time and get part-time benefits, but you will have to check on that. My understanding was they deduct any amount of money you make from your benefits and you would get what was left. But, again, the best thing is to go to the agency or call them and make sure before you do anything, as the rules seem to change constantly, but for full benefits you cannot make any money under your name.
Theydon'tpayforspaces - massive ESL
xx
Hubbie's birthday...pizza, salad, but the most important thing
cheesecake and banana split dessert for his birthday..... Am looking forward to it! Yuummmm!!
Not sure, I have deductions for federal income tax, SS tax, Medicare tax, and state income tax. ???
nm
i have a massive library but still prefer the internet
Especially when working on-line, the Internet is a much faster, up-to-date resource.
Your brand of rudeness is a terrible thing to have in this profession.
Ever hear of the doctor with no bedside manner? This applies to MTs helping MTs also. The next time you need assistance, I pray for your sake Divine Intervention doesn't help you first!
I tried the Wellbutrin and broke out in massive hives
nm
I think they have had one running since 1996!
x
1995-1996. nm
x
I've been dealing with AOL since 1996...
so U may be eligible! I don't think I've ever hated a company more...well...yeah. LOL
She looks like she has had a stroke.
nm
Only one key stroke
You can set it up so that you use just CTRL L or whatever combo you want. If you do a lot of editing, this can save you one or two Keystrokes from placing the spaces in, deleting the first character of the next sentence and making it a capital.
Someone on here posted once that she has a macro that only saves her one total keystroke. She's a QA editor, though, and she uses that macro hundreds of times a day.....................doing the math......................
Anything that saves you keystrokes = more productivity = more $$$.
Have a 1996 Suburban, bought in 02/1999 with 64K miles - sm
now has 184K miles, still going strong. Paid $26K. Have gotten our money's worth on it. Just started making repairs here and there over the last 2 years, new fuel pump, new fitting from radiater to engine, a couple engine seals, water pump, cleaning of fuel injectors. Probably about $2K all together in the last 7 years we have had it, not bad I think, other than regular maintance stuff, i.e. brakes, tires, oil changes, air filters, engine belt, etc. Gets about 15 MPG, 18 sometimes. Thing is a tank and I love it. Had a Blazer before that, though I had to put a lot of $$$ into it over the years I had it (10), about 16 MPG---Going to run the Suburban into the ground, hope to get 250K miles at least out of it. Has a few tics now and then due to age but all in all is in great shape and runs well, and I have made a point of fixing things immediately engine-wise and cosmetically. Go GM, have heard the transmissions last a lot longer (mine is proof of that, 184K original transmission) my husband has a 1990 Ford F-250 that had its transmission rebuild at 90K miles. His truck now has 189K miles on it and shifts rough.
It's no more 6/6/6 than june 6 1996 was. Nobody otherwise calls the year only by the last digit.
sss
1996 LIMITED 4-RUNNER TOYOTA, PAID FOR
Will last forever, body will fall off before the engine ever quits.
He wrote the song, but it was sung by Celine Dion...around 1996 I think. nm
x
One character or key Stroke is equal
... to one byte (including spaces or anyother character, remember one KEY STROKE regardless of the input). If you ever want to calculate your bytes for certain amount of text -> paste it on NotePad and save it as text file. Later you can right click on the file to get it's properties to see it's exact size.
I knew one that worked 18 hours a day and had a stroke
and could not work for a long time after that. We have to be so careful in this business.
I understand some don't pay for spaces, but that one key stroke isn't a big deal IMO.
I would think having your document look right would be more important than whether or not you had to strike one extra key. After all, we use a lot of tools like ShortHand and get paid for the whole word even if we just use a 2-3 letter code.
I guess I am just not getting what the big deal about hitting the space bar again would be even if you aren't paid to do so.
My doc is speaking....fruit salad...not making any sense. ?stroke
 This doc stutters, stammers, doesn't know how to use the reverse key to make corrections and ...corrects over himself all the time so I have no idea what he REALLY means...
Talks through his nose, buries the words up somewhere in his left sinus I think, drops off the ends of words, I think he EATS that last parts of words so they never get said....
and now tonight he will just say terms like ...Temperature 98.5....then a pause...then Temperature 98.6....then he says I'm sorry....then he just starts in talking about the spine.
It's like standard phrases are just falling out of his mouth as he sits there and he's not even knowing he's saying them and they have no connection to what he's doing.
HE'S DRIVING ME NUTS.....ER than I am. 
It sounds like you've got a key stroke in your macro that retrieves from your clipboard.
I would delete the macro and start again. Be very deliberate and slow so you are aware of every keystroke in the macro. That's what I've had to do in the past. Sometimes I will even just one finger it so I can watch every key I hit. It's a pain, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
I nearly suffered heat stroke taking a bike ride in 105 degrees.
dd
it can also perform utilities - one stroke deletes 1 through X words to the left, jump up
x
FDA warns that it delivers higher doses than expected, and has a higher rate of stroke. (sm)
http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/115/111590.htm
MT income
I am at #6, but have been an MT for 30+ years.
But for those who need FT income...sm
I can see how that could be a problem for some. It is my intention to get a PT job, and if I don't get enough work, find another to fill it out; then, who ever pays best for the best work and least hassle WINS. However, my DH is the primary wage earner around here. My income helps, but we don't require it to live.
income
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.
40,000 not low income
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.
Likely the OP is not in this category.
Income Tax after Death
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!!
Disagree - it is NET income
You pay your social security on your NET income not your gross, after all your deductions and look around you will find them. Also you are only paying 7.5% MORE than if you were an employee. Again, as an employee you have the convenience of someone controlling and withholding your income tax while as an IC you do it. I have more usable income as an IC than as an employee because of my deductions. If your husband is working have him take one less deduction or have them hold out a specific amount that will offset what you make, they will do that and that way you don't have to worry about paying quarterly taxes. The IRS doesn't care who pays as long as if you are filing jointly the tax has been paid.
He can't cut his income intentionally.. sm
It's written into the divorce decree (if you have a halfway decent attorney) that income cannot be reduced.. and even if it is.. the child support and other payments remain the same as ordered. Been there...and done that..
Monthy Income
I would like to know what short cuts "nm" is using in order to make $60K a year. Maybe that will help us all make more money. Thanks.
Yearly income
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.
I have my own accounts and my income
was around $38,000. That is around $3,100 a month. I work M-F and usually work 8-hour days, though there are times I need to put in an extra hour or two on the weekend or in the evening when the work is really coming in. If you work for someone else, that person is charging at least 3-4 cents per line over what they are paying you in order to turn a profit, so if you are making 7 cpl, you can bet they're charging at least 11 cpl, if not more. At 11 cpl, if you can achieve 1400 lines a day, that would be around $3000 a month. That would be 175 lines an hour and that is not an extraordinary amount for an experienced MT with Expanders and other production tools in place. I would venture a guess that most saying they make that much have their own accounts and those making less than that a month work for someone else.
Low income housing?
My sister is getting divorced and wants to move into this place that bills itself as "low income". They told her they would take 30% of her income. BTW, she is also an MT. She says she makes about $1350 a month, but has a van payment and various bills. I am asking on here because the place won't answer any of her questions right now. She needs to be moved by the 15th of March. I am wondering if anyone knows how they can take over $400 of her income and still call themselves "low income" that doesn't seem fair. I knew a lady that lived their with one child and paid less than $10 a month. I mean what about her other bills? She has 4 little children (twins 4, and 6- and an 8-year-old). I hate to see her move in there and overpay. My mom and I don't know what to tell her. She's been through quite an ordeal already. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! Aunt Maria
annual income
Watch out, you will be accused of being childish from the same person who refers to "some" fellow MTs as unfortunately not having a brain. Hmmm, pot calling the kettle black? That was so rude and so not called for.....is that necessary!
20K is my taxable income
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.
loss of income
I think this is happening to many of us in this profession. I am making two thirds of what I made 13 years ago and there is no way to get clients in my area as one hospital went out of business, two merged and gave the docs laptops and the largest only uses one service and has a 10 year contract but I have heard they are giving all new doctors laptops too. The hospitals in my area own most of the clinics, family meds and speciality offices too. Time for me to think about something else.
income taxes
Hi - Now working as an IC. Can anyone tell me what form or format you use when filing your taxes to list deductions from work-related items. Would appreciate any help on this. Thanks
Income potentials...
There are so many variables to that, but since no one has posted yet...
I think the average for a newbie (which you will be starting out until 2 years) is around 5-7 cents per line. The average after your "2 years of experience" goes up to about 8-10 cpl. There are so many variables, and every company is different. Of course, if you were to be running your own business, that is another story altogether, which maybe someone else will respond to (as I have no idea on that). Most companies require between 1000 to 1200 lines per day (full time) to 5000 to 6000 (part time). That is my understanding as a general rule. I'm not an expert, but that might give you some idea anyway. There is a website/magazine called Advance for HIM. They have a salary survey on their website for MTs you might find helpful.
Hope this helps!
Rae
Just report your income
Keep copies of your invoices, and just report your income from her. Some do not provide 1099's. It is your responsibility to keep track of your income and report that.
Still if she has $11-22K a month of income - sm
you don't think that is enough to pay all her bills with some left over for herself? What is her equipment made out of? Gold or some other precious metal. Most call in systems run $5-10K, even if she has 5 of them I would think she could have them paid off in a year, 2 tops; granted I do not know how long she has been in business but with 44 clients/accounts I would guess it has been a little while. If she is working out of her home then she has her "home office" deduction, if she rents an office I would suggest finding something cheaper obviously. It is just hard to comprehend that she has $11-22K a month in expenses; how many QA people does she have? What is she paying them, hourly or by the line? Are they cheating her if paid hourly? She definitely needs to do some restructuring/reorganization in order to keep afloat. She doesn't give any details so it is a little hard to give her a sensible answer, we can only guess and she will have to see what fits and what advice she finds useful. If her 44 clients barely produce 2000 lines a month, then that is $8800 a month for herself to pay bills, QA, attorney, etc. That is a much slimmer number but that is still a high cost to doing business, $105K a year, just does not seem right. But again we do not know details and can only guess.
Variable 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.
#2 is a good income but
//
taxed on net income
You take off all your deductions and pay the SS on the net business income. Then you take that income, deduct half of the SS, your personal deductions and pay federal income tax on that net.
Income after deductions.
Income after expenses is what you are given credit for making. If you grossed $40,000 and had $10,000 worth of expenses, you made $30,000. This is your taxable income and what is credited as your social security income.
MT, whenever I see someone saying a good income isn't possible SM
I immediately suspect that person is still typing most dictation out slowly and laboriously, letter by letter, word by word, like in the old days. Not as bad as trying to do this work on a Selectric, making corrections with Liquid Paper, but still way behind the times.
I have over 37,000 entries in my Expander program--words, phrases, paragraphs, whole report sections, and macros--and I'm still trying to catch up with people who use a lot more.
But just for instance, two Keystrokes are what it takes me to separate a run-on sentence into two and start the new sentence with a capital "The." My ShortHand knows I'm not really computer literate, so it recorded the strokes I use to type that normally and asked me to give it a name. I chose ".t"--the two keystrokes.
"Dr. Samangaranapour" is "drsam." And so on. And on.
For a slow typist, with the help of my expander I'm now record-breaking fast by the old standards.
And that's how it's humanly possible, and why so many people are still making good incomes on the current pay rates.
Since 2000, my income has gone down sm
every year and I am working more hours. That's it in a nutshell.
Income Taxes SM
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.
supplementing my income
 I decided to apply for a U. S. Census 2010 job, took the test, and was hired. Hooray! Training starts in my area in a couple of weeks. It's just the thing to supplement my MT income. Depending on where you live, there are still lots of census jobs available. The census bureau has already hired 140,000 census-takers and is planning to hire at least that many more. In my area, the pay is $12.50 an hour. It depends on your area of the country as to how much you make. You have to commit to 20 hours a week for a minimum of 10 weeks, maximum of up 10 months. You can work up to 40 hours if you want. That's what I'm going to do: Census 40 hours and MT 20 hours. Personally, I can't wait! I'll get to do the 2 things I love the most: walk and talk.
How much did your income fall?
NM
income drop
My production is about even with SR/VR as straight transcription, sometimes even less (the reports come in that full of garbage). Hence, with a rate per line decrease, my hourly pay dropped to 1/3.
Not for long. I just won't lay down and take that sort of abuse. And I do consider this situation abusive.
I have yet to find anyone that I can verify that that they are producing double, let alone triple their usual transcription lines per hour.
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