Month: July 2021

Are Online College Courses Easier?

There is a rumor going around the education industry that online courses are easier than traditional classroom courses. Some people state they barely put forth an effort and still pass their online classes. There was a stigma about online education created a few years ago which agreed with this exact statement. Schools like University of Phoenix, Kaplan, and Devry were actually frowned upon by certain employers. They didn’t want to recruit graduates from these schools because they were known as “online schools”. Since then, the perception on an online degree has definitely changed. More students are going back to school than ever before, and many of them are doing it online. In this article we are going to discuss some of the major differences between online and on-campus classes and why online courses are not easier.

Going back to school can be a daunting task. Most people already have enough going on in their lives, let alone adding an extra 20 hours a week for education. Contrary to popular belief, online classes tend to be more difficult to most people who have done both online and traditional classes. Students state online classes need more attention, dedication, and motivation to be successful in them. They argue there is no one telling you when to log in and complete your assignments so it is easier to forget about them. In a traditional class you have to attend class at least once a week, sometimes more. The professor requires you to show up for their lecture or you lose participation points. In an online course everything is virtual-based, including your classmates and professors. You typically never meet any of them. So what is the motivation to do well in your group work if you are never going to have to answer to your group face-to-face? This is just one dilemma an online student faces.

The content is the same. For the majority of online classes the content taught in the class is the same exact content as you would learn sitting in a classroom. So how can online classes be easier if this is the case? You do not get to meet your professor or classmates, but are held to the same standards as a student who gets that face-to-face interaction on a weekly basis. Online courses are typically more reading and writing than a traditional class and have less interaction with others. The students who prefer online courses like the flexibility and convenience, but the majority of them do not think they are “easier” than a traditional course on campus.…

Continuing Education for Physical Therapists

Continuing education for physical therapists ensures that the men and women working in this profession are always on the top of their game and up to date on the latest techniques, breakthroughs and standards. While it isn’t necessarily a legal requirement in every state for physical therapists to complete a certain number of continuing education hours to stay certified, it’s always a good idea. Some employers require it, and all employers appreciate it. The clients that come to see physical therapists definitely appreciate their continued education, as it enhances the services they are able to provide.

A Variety of Choices

There are many different types of continuing education courses that physical therapists can take, both online and at local schools or professional institutes. While coursework may vary, continuing education classes are generally meant to provide a broad understanding of any new concepts that have developed. The coursework will also typically include information about any changes in rules, regulations, laws, professional standards and best practices that have taken place, which practicing physical therapists may be unaware of.

Not all continuing education courses are the same, and that means some are also of a lower quality than others. If you’re going to invest your time and money in taking a class, it’s important to make sure that it is acceptable to various physical therapy associations. In fact, many of these professional associations provide some sort of continuing education courses, so you can always just contact one of the associations in your state and see what they offer. For example, the American Physical Therapy Association offers many different classes, and if you are a member of the organization, they are free. These classes do not replace the training you got in college; they simply provide a wider array of the latest information so that you can stay on track and continue working towards your professional goals.

While continuing education for physical therapists isn’t required in every state, it is required in 33 of the states, so there’s more than a 50 percent chance that you have to take these courses every few years to keep your license. Even if it isn’t required, it’s still worth the time, effort and money involved. And if you’re lucky, you can even find courses that are completely free. Online courses are also available so that you can fit the education into your busy lifestyle. Know that, above all, your clients will definitely appreciate the effort you took.…

Benefits of Continuing Education

Are you stuck in a rut at work, doing the same job year after year with little or no hope of moving up the ladder? Do you constantly wish you could switch gears midway through your career in pursuit of that dream job? Are you the idealist who believes education is a continuous process and has an undying thirst for knowledge or the realist who just wants that promotion and the consequent increase in salary?

The situations described above may be different, but the solution to all of them is one – continuing education. The term continuing education, which includes degree credit courses amongst many other types of learning activities, is generally used to refer to education that is imparted to students who are older than the traditional age of university-going students.

According to a national survey of students in continuing education, the adult learners in both two-year and four-year college degree programs were considerably older than traditional students.

Rising Numbers

In it’s latest higher education projection, the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics reported that the total enrollment of students who are 35 years or older in degree granting institutions is expected to increase 7 percent between 2005 and 2016.

One of the important reasons for continuing education could be the state of economy. According to an annual report by Sloan Consortium, a group of organizations dedicated to quality online education, bad economic times often have a good impact on education. It pushes working professionals to enhance their skills not just to retain their current jobs, but also to improve their chances of advancing as well as increase their employability.

Some of the common benefits of continuing education are:

• By enrolling in advanced or graduate degrees in their field, adults improve their chances of climbing up the corporate ladder and an increase in salary. There are certain specialized roles, such as nursing administration, which usually require professionals to obtain advanced degrees.

• Many people pursue an education to enhance their skills and position themselves favorably in the job market.

• Sometimes, continuing education becomes necessary if you want to switch careers and you don’t have the qualification, training, or experience to enter the new profession of your choice.

• Some adults pursue education because they have a hunger for learning. For them, education is a lifelong quest. Some pursue degree programs related to their professions, while others choose fields that they are interested in, which may or may not be related to their professions.

• For some, the reasons for continuing education have nothing to do with learning or earning. They look at it as something which will improve their image amongst friends and family.

• Successfully completing continuing education courses is known to have a positive impact on people’s self-esteem and quality of life.

Education may be a necessity for some and a passion for others. But the fact remains that for many, it may not be possible to give up a full-time job for continuing education. That’s where online degrees and distance learning programs are helpful – as they allow working adults to learn and earn at the same time.

A wise old man (or woman) once said that it’s never too late to go back to school. The greatest tribute to that age-old adage is being paid by the working adult population of our country that fights all odds to go back to school!…

Things to Consider in Dealing With Continuing Education

Now that you have already been employed, your next step in your career would be to continue your job plainly as a staff nurse or take some dream to level up and specialize. This is when continuing education comes in. To some states, continuing education in nursing is but a requirement in order to maintain the validity of the license and not just something like of a military promotion adding decorations to their nursing uniform. For some nurses, continuing education is their way of updating their skills and practices so to be able to comply with the demands of the advancement in the profession and in the technologies associated with it.

To back us with some current stories about the importance of continuing education for skill development, we can turn to some news channels. Just a few weeks, a video of a British nurse who accidentally turn off a quadriplegic’s life support system had become viral over the net. So viral that said video has even featured to local TV news outlets around the world. The patient, according the news, suffered irreparable brain damage caused by such accident. For one, the nurse in her nursing uniform have been identified and known to be in her late 40’s to early 50’s. As initial assessment, the said nurse could have been no longer updated about the system.

Now we proceed on the things that you need to know in dealing with continuing education.

Let us take by way of an example the nursing profession particularly Masters in Nursing or what is basically known as nursing specialization. Specialization is another step toward nursing profession success. It is a way of leveling up and to vie for a promotion or a salary increase. Other forms of continuing education vary according to purpose and credits and may be in a form of seminars, weekend conferences, online classes, and send-in quizzes.

The first thing that you should take into consideration is your budget. If you are working, try to save first and be as earnest as you can so as you can pursue post-graduate courses. It is not just taken as a trend, but also it is for your personal gain in the future. There are a lot of nurses who opt to wear nursing uniforms outside their domiciled city, yet they become successful. Missing your family is a little sacrifice compared to the large amount of money that you can obtain in your employment.

Then, you need to consider your current situation in the family. If you are married and you have a working husband or wife, you might think first of discussing the idea with your partner. Also, you should remember that going back to school will require time. You can choose the weekends to take on classes of in between your shifts. You may also take a modular scheme so you will be able to read your materials at least 3 hours of your vacant time then get ready for a periodic exam.

Continuing education is becoming an integral part of the nursing profession and for a nurse to complete her or his dream of caring for the sick while on his/ her nursing uniform, CE is the way. Now, sit back and weigh the things you need to consider for your next feat in your career.…

Determining California Residency Status for State Income Tax

The first requirement for anyone filing a California state income tax return is determining residency status. This is not always so easy for individuals who earn some of their income in California while not permanently residing in the state. For an enrolled agent California provides particular challenges.

California has two standards for considering someone a resident. The first is anyone who is present in the state for more than a temporary or transitory purpose. The second type of resident is domiciled in California but outside the state for a temporary or transitory purpose. These rules obviously require some definition of the terms. And the state provides this.

“Domicile” is defined differently than merely where a person maintains a residence. California views an individual as domiciled in the state for tax purposes when voluntarily establishing a home with an intention of making it fixed and permanent rather without having a special or limited purpose. It is a place where the person returns when not absent for temporary reasons.

For this reason, a California resident may have a domicile in another state. Alternatively, someone with a domicile in California may be a resident of another state. A person is only permitted to declare one domicile at a time. Changes of domicile occur by physically moving or abandoning a location as well as making a clear intent to stay in a new location.

The definition of a part-year California resident is anyone who changes residency between California and another state during the year. The key concept to residency status is whether a California resident who leaves the state for employment reasons intends to return. Although the state provides more guidance on this matter, accurate interpretation is more certain with assistance from a California enrolled agents.

An individual maintaining a domicile in California who leaves the state for employment consisting of an uninterrupted period of at least 546 days is no longer considered a resident for tax purposes. Spouses and registered domestic partners of an individual covered by this rule are also considered nonresidents when accompanying the individual outside California for at least 546 consecutive days.

However, there are exceptions to this general rule about employment outside the state. An individual maintaining a domicile in California is still considered a resident if that person has annual intangible income exceeding $200,000 or the principal purpose of the absence is avoidance of state income tax. The variety of circumstances causes taxpayers to seek reliable advice from someone with enrolled agent certification.

Return visits to California that don’t exceed a total of 45 days during any year are considered temporary and therefore have no impact on the outside employment rule. Anyone not covered by this rule determines residency based upon the subjective reasoning of facts and circumstances. Enrolled agents located in California can obtain continuing education tax courses involving laws of their state.A� Any individual who is a California resident remains with that status if absences from the state are only temporary or transitory.

Anyone in California for a temporary or transitory purpose is a nonresident. For example, vacationers or students from other states attending California colleges are nonresidents. These individuals therefore only owe California tax on income earned within the state.

Someone in California for other than a temporary or transitory purpose is a state resident. As such, that person is taxed by the state on income from all sources. Individuals spending more than nine months per year in the state are presumed as residents. This includes anyone assigned to an office in California by an employer, retired and present in the state, or recuperating from an illness within the state. Defending nonresident status can therefore become complex. Using an enrolled agent vs. CPA provides the benefit of a professional specifically trained to represent clients regarding only tax matters.

IRS Circular 230 Disclosure

Pursuant to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service Circular 230, we inform you that, to the extent any advice relating to a Federal tax issue is contained in this communication, including in any attachments, it was not written or intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (a) avoiding any tax related penalties that may be imposed on you or any other person under the Internal Revenue Code, or (b) promoting, marketing or recommending to another person any transaction or matter addressed in this communication.…

Simple Ways to Build Your English Vocabulary

When you’re learning English as a second language, acquiring as many new vocabulary words is an important part of the learning process. You can learn more English words easily by taking part in a number of exercises and activities that increase your vocabulary and also encourage you to use the new words in sentences and when communicating different expressions. Here are some simple tips for learning more English words easily:

1. Create English vocabulary lists. Choose a specific category or theme such as ‘school’ or ‘food’ and build a vocabulary list of English words to work from. This will provide some context for the words you are learning and make it easier to assimilate these words for use in writing, speaking and communicating.

2. Learn English words through pictures. If you’re a visual learner, you may be able to increase your English vocabulary easily by associating each word with a picture. Cut out pictures from magazines or newspapers and start linking the image to the new word. This will increase your retention rate and make it easier to construct sentences in natural conversation.

3. Buy or create flashcards. Vocabulary cards of common and not so common English words will help you learn a wide range of words quickly and efficiently. You can use vocabulary cards as a memorization tool, but also to practice your pronunciation. Note down the pronunciation of each word on the card so that you can become comfortable with how the word sounds in conversation.

4. Listen to radio or watch TV in English. Tune into English programs on the radio or television so that you can become comfortable with how the language is spoken by native speakers. Even if you don’t understand all of the words at one time, you should be able to pick up the context of the words by the expressions and tone of the actors and actresses. Simply listening to the language will also help you become comfortable with the general rhythm and structure of sentences in English.

5. Learn slang words and expressions. Not all words in the English language have literal meanings when used in day-to-day conversations. You may need to pick up a slang dictionary or learn about cultural norms and sayings with additional research. You can learn more English words by practicing expressions and sayings, thereby learning the contextual meaning of different words.

6. Play word games with English words. Playing word games can help you build your English vocabulary easily. It’s a fun way to encounter new words and will give you a chance to use the English words in different situations or contexts. Simple word games such as Boggle, Scrabble or doing crossword puzzles are great for both beginning students learning English as a foreign language, and native speakers interested in increasing their vocabulary.

Building your English vocabulary is easy when you complete a variety of English vocabulary lessons and learn how different words can be used in different contexts. Take the time to work through English vocabulary training guides, build vocabulary lists and learn more English words easily with these essential tips.…

Deduction Possibility for Tax Return Preparer Courses

Tax consequences for educational expenditures normally consider only college costs. But continuing professional education for adults might also have tax implications.

Many individuals complete CPE courses that are required by their employers. In other cases, self-employed individuals incur work-related education costs. The key tax factor is whether the education is related to a taxpayer’s existing profession.

For example, a tax deduction is available for tax return preparer continuing education.

However, a person attending tax preparation school to train for initially entering the tax profession will experience an interesting new career but isn’t entitled to a tax deduction for the education costs.

Individuals already working in tax jobs can deduct the expense for tax return preparer courses. Most professionals in the tax field take courses annually to maintain knowledge and obtain tax law updates. Enrollment in online continuing education courses also counts as professional education. The new designation of Registered Tax Return Preparer that the IRS issues has annual RTRP CPE requirements effective in 2012.

Self-employed people – such as tax practitioners with their own businesses – deduct education costs on Schedule C. Employees must itemize deductions in order to receive a tax advantage for CPE classes. For example, the cost of tax CPE for an employee of a tax practice is a miscellaneous itemized deduction. It is therefore subject to the deductible limitation of having to exceed two percent of adjusted gross income.

In most cases, tax preparation companies will pay for tax preparer CPE and deduct the cost as a business expense. A tax return preparation business can also deduct its costs for training new employees. However, prospective employees cannot deduct their personally paid costs to qualify for entering the tax profession.

Tax-deductible education costs for an individual in any field must maintain or improve skills for a present job. In that case, seminars and course fees are tax deductions along with transportation and books.

Educational expenses incurred to meet minimum job requirements are not tax-deductible. These fit the same deduction limitation category as training to switch jobs. However, costs to attend classes at an institution of higher education are eligible for the Lifetime Learning Credit. So a tax benefit is still possible for someone looking to begin work in a tax return preparer career.

IRS Circular 230 Disclosure

Pursuant to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service Circular 230, we inform you that, to the extent any advice relating to a Federal tax issue is contained in this communication, including in any attachments, it was not written or intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (a) avoiding any tax related penalties that may be imposed on you or any other person under the Internal Revenue Code, or (b) promoting, marketing or recommending to another person any transaction or matter addressed in this communication.…