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JCSM Shareware Collection 1996 September
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F107.SBE
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@065 CHAP 10
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│USEFUL TELEPHONE HELP LINES AND INTERNET SITES:│
└───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
TELEPHONE HOTLINES. The SBA and several other government
agencies maintain toll-free telephone "hotline" information
services to assist businesses and taxpayers. Some of the
more important ones to know about are the following:
. SBA Answer Desk: 1-800/827-5722 (or 1-800-UASK-SBA)
This is the toll-free number of a new small business
information and referral service offered by the SBA,
which you can call from anywhere in the continental
United States, except Washington, D.C. In the
District of Columbia, call 653-7561.
This answer desk is a system providing voice mail
messages on a wide variety of small business subjects.
. SBA On-Line: The SBA has set up its first electronic
bulletin board system, called SBA On-Line, to help
distribute information about its services and publi-
cations. There is no charge for this service. You
can browse through various files remotely or download
them, for free, to your computer. Even the phone
lines for this BBS are toll-free. To log on, dial:
- 1-800-697-INFO (for 2400 or 9600 baud service)
. Small Business Hotline: 1-800/424-5201
This toll-free line is a specialized free service
offered by the Export-Import Bank to small exporters
needing general information or problem-solving assis-
tance relating to doing business abroad. It provides
information on export credit and on assistance avail-
able from other government agencies and the private
sector.
. Interagency Trade Information Center: 1-800/USA-TRADE
(For general information on exporting, provided by
various U.S. government agencies.)
NOTE: For information on taxes and other aspects of
doing business in various foreign countries, the ac-
counting firm of Ernst & Young publishes a series of
booklets for each of a large number of countries.
To obtain one of these country guides, call or write
the Ernst & Young office near you. (Ernst & Young
offices are located in most major cities and in al-
most every state.)
. EPA Small Business Ombudsman: 1-800/368-5888 (or, if
busy, try 1-703/305-5938)
Like certain Scandinavian countries, the Environmen-
tal Protection Agency now has a "Small Business
Ombudsman" to give easier access to the EPA, help
you comply with EPA regulations, and make sure you
are fairly treated in any disputes with the EPA.
. Internal Revenue Service National Toll-Free Line:
1-800/TAX-FORM
Use this number (1-800/829-3676) to obtain IRS tax
forms, publications, etc. The IRS also puts on free
small business workshops nationwide. To call for a
reservation, use the IRS national toll-free number.
. Americans with Disabilities Act information: For in-
formation on ADA, call the U.S. Justice Department's
information line: 1-202/514-0301
. Social Security Administration: 1-800/772-1213
If you want to find out what records the Social
Security Administration (SSA) has of your earnings
and your projected benefits at retirement age, you
can file a simple form requesting a detailed print-
out of this information (and hopefully find they
haven't lost your files). This is something every-
one should do once every few years, since, if the
SSA has made a serious mistake in your earnings
record, you have only a limited number of years in
which you can contact them and have your record
corrected.
To obtain the request form, call the above toll-free
number. Or, if you prefer, you can write the SSA for
this form at:
Consumer Information Center
Department 72
Pueblo, Colorado 81009
@CODE: CA
. California Franchise Tax Board Information Center
Phone Numbers:
In California, call (toll-free):
. From Area Codes 209, 408, 415, 707, and 916:
1-800/852-7050
. From elsewhere: 1-800/852-5711
From outside of California call: 1-800/852-5711
@CODE:OF
@CODE: HI
. Hawaii Business Action Center (One-stop center for
all state permits at 1130 N. Nimitz Hwy., Suite
A-254, in Honolulu)
From Oahu, call: 1-808/586-2545
Neighbor Islands Toll Free Number: 1-800/225-6723
. Hawaii Small Business Information Service
(Honolulu): 1-808/586-2600
Neighbor Islands Toll Free Number: 1-800/541-3289
@CODE:OF
HELPFUL INTERNET AND WORLD WIDE WEB SITES (MODEM AND
INTERNET ACCESS REQUIRED):
Many businesses, government and nonprofit organizations
have set up home pages (or "storefronts") on the World
Wide Web of the internet, where you can browse through
or download information, view videos and catalogues,
and place orders for merchandise, in some cases. Some
of the more useful sites for small businesses include
the following ones:
. SBA ONLINE-- The Small Business Administration has
a Web site, providing tips for starting, financing,
and expanding a small business, at the following
Web address: http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov
It includes links to other Web sites, including a
nifty new "U.S. Business Advisor" site that is under
construction at present.
. IRS -- Even the Internal Revenue Service now has a Web
site from which you can download tax forms and instruc-
tions and obtain other tax information. Web address is:
http://www.ustreas.gov/treasury/bureaus/irs/irs.html
. EDGAR -- The SEC (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commis-
sion) Web site contains corporate filings that have
been submitted to the SEC under the securities laws,
including 10K's, 10Q's and other forms. EDGAR's
address is: http://www.town.hall.org/edgar/edgar.html
. THE WHITE HOUSE -- The Clinton Administration has set
up this popular Internet site, which offers informa-
on many areas of the executive branch of the federal
government, among other things. The address on the
Web is: http://www.whitehous.gov
. THOMAS -- Not to be outdone by the executive branch,
the U.S. Congress has set up THOMAS, a huge collection
of accessible information about the workings of the
Congress, including the full text of House and Senate
legislation. You can now read the full text of pending
bills for yourself, without need to hire an expensive
and Gucci-shod Washington lobbyist to tell you what is
in a proposed new bill. THOMAS can be reached at:
http://thomas.loc.gov
. Other -- The University of California at San Diego
library makes available a reference shelf with much
information that can be useful to businesses. Its
various menu options include dictionaries, encyclo-
pedias and a facility for linking to the United
Nations to get the United Nations Currency Exchange
Rates. Address on the Web is: http://www.ucsd.edu