NASE Survey Results
Topics that Are Important to Small-Business Owners
Here’s a snapshot of how micro-business owners feel about the hot topics of the day.
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As the debate over immigration reform heats up in Congress, The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE), the nation’s leading resource for the self-employed and micro-businesses, today released an online survey of over 400 of its’ members nationwide on the issue.
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"The findings of our tax survey re-emphasize the growing impatience of the self-employed as Congress continues to fail to address comprehensive tax reform," said Director of Government Affairs Katie Vlietstra. "Seventy-eight percent of respondents support efforts to reform both the individual and corporate tax structure; in fact, 61% of respondents are open to exploring proposals that drop the individual rate and eliminate deductions."
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NASE along with key partners within the self-employed and small business community released new research on the micro-business community and their impact on the economy and its recovery.
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Colleges and universities have been welcoming students back this fall in full force. Thirty-seven percent of self-employed families have a child that is working toward a degree this fall. The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) knows that financing one or more college educations can be tough for the small-business owner and conducted a poll to dig deeper into the impact.
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In the wake of the Supreme Court’s final ruling on the Affordable Care Act, the self-employed and micro-businesses are concerned as to the impact the law will have on their health care budgets when the law goes into full effect in 2014. Nearly 900 self-employed and micro-business owners responded to the survey released within hours of the Supreme Court ruling. With the law moving forward into the implementation stage, the self-employed are, once again, looking for more information from the federal government regarding issues of affordability and cost of care.
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The self-employed and micro-businesses (10 or fewer employees) continue to struggle with finding, affording and managing their health care. A recent study by the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) showed that one-quarter of respondents believe that the cost of health coverage will go up under the Affordable Care Act. Unlike most Americans, the more business owners know about the law, the less likely they are to support it.
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The unstable and often increasing energy and gasoline costs are a constant concern for most Americans. A recent survey of its members by the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) revealed that over half of the self-employed and micro-business owners surveyed indicated that their business was negatively impacted by unstable energy prices.
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The nation’s smallest businesses are still feeling negative effects of the economy, including cash flow issues for business and family, according to a new survey by the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE). Three-quarters of the self-employed and micro-businesses owners say their company provides the main source of income in their household.
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Its budget season in Washington D.C. which means Members of Congress and the Administration are hashing out funding for federal government agencies and programs as well as discussing how to address the growing U.S. deficit. In this survey, NASE's member businesses shared their point of view on the direction lawmakers should take to balance the federal budget and deal with the deficit.
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One big promise made during the reform debate was that you will be able to keep the health plan you currently have, if you like it. To follow up on this promise, the Administration recently issues new regulations on "grandfathered" or existing health plans. The NASE recently conducted a survey of micro-business owners to determine their perspective on these rules and whether they think they will be able to keep their existing health plan post-reform.
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Whether you open a local or national newspaper or turn on the TV or radio, we cannot escape the daily news coverage of our nation's worst oil spill which continues to rage on in the Gulf. In light of this environmental disaster, the NASE sought the opinion of its membership on U.S. energy policy and what key proposals should be the focus of policymakers.
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Many of the nation’s entrepreneurs are about to become more familiar with the IRS. According to a new law set to go into effect in 2012, business owners must report annually every payment for goods or services over $600, utilizing IRS Form 1099. A new survey by the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) found that the average self-employed and micro-business (those with fewer than 10 employees) currently issues two Form 1099 per year. Under the new law, the same business will have to issue roughly 27 reports, mostly to large corporations.
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Companies with fewer than 10 employees – micro-businesses – are asking Congress to keep in mind that a big part of being able to create jobs and grow their companies depends largely on their ability to pay for health coverage. Self-employed business owners say that access and choice of providers/benefits is less important to their businesses than lower bottom line costs. With the clock ticking on a final vote in Congress on health reform, the online poll conducted by the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) received over 1,200 responses regarding the concerns of the self-employed about health reform.
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Along with the usual allocations for priorities like defense and education, the Obama Administration’s recently released FY2011 Budget also includes new regulations on independent contractors that may have a direct impact on small businesses. Almost 50 percent of the self-employed and micro-business owners were opposed to one of the proposed regulations, while opposition to two other proposed regulations was over 70 percent for both, according to a survey by the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE).
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While Congress and the Obama Administration are hoping that small businesses will continue to be the engine of job creation and spur recovery, the sluggish economy has had a negative impact on the operations and hiring plans of many small businesses. Over sixty percent of self-employed and micro-business owners indicate that their business has experienced a significant decrease in sales and/or revenue, and almost fifty percent say they have had to utilize their personal savings or retirement savings to address cash flow issues, according to a study undertaken by the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE).
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For millions of Americans who run their own business, health coverage is one of the most pressing issues they face. Over 1,800 micro-business owners weighed in on this online survey to give their opinion on the health reform recommendations being discussed by our nation’s policymakers. Close to 60% of survey respondents believe that the primary focus of reform must be cost containment. Survey results highlight the micro-business perspective on mandating coverage, the inclusion of a “public”, government-run health plan option, and the tax treatment of health insurance.
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Taxes have long been a source of frustration for the self-employed. With April 15th looming, a spotlight is shined on the need for reforming our federal tax system. The National Association for the Self-Employed has long supported tax simplification and tax fairness for micro-businesses.
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Currently, 46 million Americans have no health insurance, with 60 percent of uninsured Americans representing owners, employees or dependents of those working in small business. With the economy continuing to decline, micro-business owners like you are making tough choices about how to keep their business afloat. Some are dropping health coverage due to the added cost burden.
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The NASE has long been a fervent supporter of federal small-business programs that have a proven track record of efficiently aiding the self-employed and micro-businesses, such as the SBA Office of Advocacy, the Small Business Development Centers, and SCORE. With a new administration about to take office, there is opportunity to improve and expand current small business federal programs.
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As the economic crisis facing our nation and the world continues to deepen, the self-employed and micro-business owners will have to make tough decisions regarding the operation of their business.