if you discussed (in ANY way) business, yes.

• independent contractor lunches - MT
  • There are lunches and there are business lunches, the latter deductable. sm - mthere
  • I tried to deduct price of deck by sitting out - there to work, but tax guy said no can do. nm
    • she did say IC lunches as in contractor/client business related network.nm - anon
      • Yea. And I was going to do ALL my work on - deck but was told IRS wouldnt go for that. nm
        • You really thought that would work? - ROFL
          • I was WISHING it would work, lol. Just me and - DH so my exclusive use could be arranged. nm
  • if you discussed (in ANY way) business, yes. - anon

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At least that's what I think I read below in one of the posts.

The economy of our country is in the toilet right now.  Very few things are secure.  Times are tough and fixing to get tougher.  If there is any way you can slow down, get your bearings, get into a halfway secure position --- your mental health will be better.

You need your mental health in order to be there for your kids.

Have you considered moving the "molehill" instead of the "mountain"?

If the BF has already been approached about the split, what is his position on HIM MOVING out and not you and the kids?  That would be lots less destructive for them.

Also, I wouldn't count on any PT transcription job anywhere right now.  Trust me on this.  This job type is so fluid right now - it's a circus.

I wouldn't move from square one until I got the FT at the hospital.  DON'T MOVE UNTIL YOU FIGURE OUT IF YOU CAN GET THAT JOB.  Then get into it, see what you have to work with.

Secondly, I would not leave myself dependent on the BF for anything but money, and then the courts can get it for you if he decides he doesn't like this, gets a new honey, or gets a "wild hair" and decides to leave the country.

Don't depend on him for babysitting, don't "be nice" and try to share the babysitting.  DON'T DO IT.  Get yourself positioned so you are calling all your shots. 

I know MT looks good on paper when they are selling you an idea of working from home and STAYING WITH YOUR KIDS, but it doesn't work.  The mom ends up the zombie and life becomes like the twilight zone.  I know.  I tried it.  You need to get at the hospital, get daycare, get your childsupport coming in, .........and then think about moving or even buying.  In fact, if you wait, the housing prices are expected to fall even more.  There was an article in our paper about it again yesterday.  Hold off.  If you rent, if the plumbing goes, if the A/C or heater goes......the landlord is responsible.

I don't know if this will give you some things to consider but I hope so.  I raised my kids by myself (of course it was different times but the men were the same, ugh!) and at some times I didn't seem them for having to work so many hours.  I wish now I had just gotten me a State worker job, 8-5, insurance, retirement, gotten a little house even if I had gotten on a program where it was federally assisted, and gone that route.  We could have been together as a family, I wouldn't be doing this horrible life I have now with trying to still work at 60 years old with no place to live.

Think about the future - it's right around the corner.  The kids will be gone and trust me, they won't look back even if they love you lots.  They will be BUSY and you will be an afterthought.  All things in moderation.

First thing - DON'T MOVE, let him move. 

Second thing - WAIT FOR THE FT JOB.

Third thing - Be getting that child support coming in.

I wish you the best. 

p.s. Even if you decide you just have to move and rent even a 2-BEDROOM...it can certainly be done.  My ggg grandparents raised 13 kids in a 2 bedroom old farm house.  Kids slept all over the place!    You and the older kid could share if it's a girl/or if a boy, let him share a bedroom with one of the little ones, and you put the other little one in your room and make a game of it - they will all pitch in and later you all will have "war stories" to talk about when everbody is grown up. 

Is there anyone out there kind of enough to point me in the right direction of starting my own MT business.  I have been doing a lot of research but found some outdated books online.  I need to know how to write up the contract. Can I do this myself or do I need it done legally?  the choice of software and line counting software.  It would mean so much to me.  I know a lot of you have done everything on your own, but don't I need to have a good starting point?  If someone could e-mail me with some or little info, it would be greatly appreciated.   Thank you again.

I empathize with all of you.  The MT industry is definitely going downhill.  What makes me especially angry is that it seems that the hospital HIM departments are responsible for a lot of what goes on, especially the misunderstandings between doctors and MTs.  During my very short time of working at a hospital, I noted that the department manager was too chicken to actually communicate with the doctors.  All she did was speak softly and flatter them whenever they would call to complain, and she would go in to that familiar rhetoric about being so sorry and having a talk with the offender, etc., etc.  It made me sick to listen to it. 

In a few short years, I will attain the label of geriatric.  I guess I lived my life backwards.  I was an RN first.  I really wanted to be a psychiatric nurse, but was stuck in Med Surg.  Just couldn't find the right opportunity, though I did get to work on one temporary assignment at the jail with the alcoholics and drug addicts.  Then, I did word processing.  Twenty years ago, I was commuting via subway and bus 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening, earning about $10 per hour as a word processor.  I made more money then than I do now, but I also had expenses for transportation and wardrobe, and I was not paid for those 4 hours a day of commuting.

I've been an MT for almost 2 years.  I went into it blindly.  AS has been my pattern in life, I always believe the good reports and think that a situation is going to be wonderful; I am often disappointed.  I've been waiting for my supposedly dream job, for a company that, one year ago when I took their tests and scored 97, required 2 years of experience.  Now that I have 2 years of experience, I see that they are requiring 3 years of experience. 

I live in a rural area.  The local jobs are mostly all just a bit over minimum wage.  So, I am thankful that I can work at something at home.  I just could not afford to earn minimum wage, while still needing to provide gas and wardrobe, not to mention the commuting time. 

I did work as an MT at a local hospital; not so local, as it is 60 miles round trip.  Talk about office politics, it was awful.  The manager had no clue what medical transcription was all about.  She was not a very good leader, and her top priority was to make herself look good.  The health insurance benefits were wonderful.  But, I couldn't stand working there.  Working at home is so much better in my case, in my opinion, at this time.

I feel lucky that I bought a home a few years ago and now my mortgage is a little less than the rent for a local one bedroom apartment.  I realize that, if I have to work another 10 years or more, I should change professions, too.  I figure that I could become a psychiatrist if I wanted to go through medical school.  I guess I might try for a PHD in psychology and become a therapist or something.  Unfortunately, I am now spoiled and don't want to commute to work.  I know of no way to be a psychologist from home unless I move to a home that is set up for seeing patients; this one will not work for that.  

I think that I am going to become a professional nutritional consultant.  That way, I can be a nurse and a psychologist all at the same time, without having to stick needles into anyone.  Blood tests have their place, but I am not one that ever was good at drawing blood or starting IVs.  I might have to consult with someone's MD, but not all of them are bad.  They can often be trained to treat you with respect.  I never allowed a doctor to talk down to me when I was a practicing nurse, and I certainly will not allow it now.  It makes me seeth when a doctor spells easy words for me.  This morning, a doctor spelled FLATUS, as if he thought I wouldn't be able to figure that one out!! 

Also, one of my pet peeves is that people take way too many prescription drugs for chronic diseases that could be corrected nutritionally.  So, this is probably going to me my next profession.

I've often wondered how a person gets a audience in front of the US Congress?  Do you submit a request or do you have to be invited?  I think I know how to send out press releases, and I bet we could find the email addresses of major newspapers and start submitting.  Remember that big report that one of the major morning shows had about how great it is to work at home as an MT?  Well, I wonder if they would like to hear the rest of the story?  Actually, I realize that many of their feature stories are promoted by the advertisers.  So, unless some big group backs us up, it is not likely we will get that type of coverage.  I guess we will have to contact some news journalist who covers stories regarding the underdogs of the world.  Did anyone contact Oprah yet?  I think this is not just an MT issue, but a woman's issue, since most of us are women, and as such, seem to have less respect in this country.  

I usually edit my postings, but decided to just let this one go through as written.  Recently, I read a story about life decisions and the theme was that, whenver we make decisions, we must be aware of how our decisions will affect the next 7 generations.  I really wish that the last 7 generations would have considered that.  And, as MTs and as mostly women, we must stand up for our rights to be treated with respect.  Consider the impact on the next 7 generations.  

Thank you for reading my message.      

Employees are most costly in terms of benefits, taxes and equipment. As IC is personally responsible for all of the above but not at your beck and call, either. Personally, as an IC, I prefer it that way, but I have the luxury of a hubby whose company can provide medical/dental benefits. You may find that when you notify your employees that they are now ICs some will find other work because they need the benefits (if offered).

Hope this helps in your decision-making process.