Readers Answered: How to Find an Affordable Accountant ? Frugal ...

?OH MY GOD, I cannot reply FAST ENOUGH ? get an accountant!!!! The money you shell out to them is worth all the time and energy and stress and frustration that you save?just THINK, in cost-benefit analysis, how much more time it allows you to play with your children, or get exercise, or read a book (maybe?), or?whatever!!! It enables you NOT to be cranky!? ?Elizabeth Shammash

This note was just one example of the outpouring of support, encouragement, advice, and recommendations that readers sent me in response to my post a few weeks ago about whether and how I should hire an accountant to handle my self-employment income taxes.

Thank you. Your knowledge is impressive, and I was touched by your generosity with your time and expertise. Now it?s my turn to share what I learned with others who might be looking for an accountant.

(If you have a more straight-forward tax situation, like I did last year, you might like these posts:

How to Get Free Help in Preparing Your Taxes

Free and Low Cost Options for Filing Taxes

Why the Self-Employed Should Fork Over Accounting Fees

The first hurdle for me was figuring out whether I really did need an accountant to handle my husband?s and my new small business income. Being a DIY-enthusiast, I wondered whether I should just buck up and deal with it myself. Readers put me to ease, and everyone whole-heartedly agreed that hiring an accountant for small business taxes is essential:

You were writing the other day about learning to delegate certain tasks ? I highly recommend you make this one of them. The time, energy, and positive emotions that you will spend trying to do your own taxes when they become this complicated are not worth it. You?ve got your self-employment income, your husband?s, his other job ? it really does get complex, and you can find yourself paying a lot more than you?d like to. ?Michelle

Listen to your uncle about hiring a CPA to do your taxes. You are a busy lady with Frugal Mama and your young family and time is precious to you. Initially, you may think you can do taxes yourself or a regular, plain vanilla accountant can do your taxes but depending on your circumstances hiring a CPA specializing in tax work could save money in the long run. Know your strong suit and then hire experts for the rest. ?Elizabeth Carmody

You definitely want to get some help with your business accounting and your taxes. It is not worth the worry, time, effort and possibility of costly mistakes to try to do it yourself. I am sure there are great books and software programs out there, but nothing beats a 30 minute consultation with an accountant that deals with small business matters every day. ?Amy

I have ALWAYS paid an accountant, ESPECIALLY as a self-employed crazy freelance opera singer working in 15 states. AND they are specialists in knowing what you can deduct and all that so that you probably save a bit more in the end. ?Elizabeth Shammash

I agree with your other readers, this is one place to ?splurge,? you will save yourself boatloads of anxiety and late nights. Your accountant will likely find ways for you to keep some of the income that you won?t realize you can keep/claim/deduct, etc on your own. ?Autumn Penaloza

How to Find a Reputable Accountant

OK, so I am convinced that a professional is going to make my life simpler, as well as possibly save me money in the end. But how do I choose an accountant? Just look up someone close by in Google Places? Post on the neighborhood listserv? Ask friends? I did all of those things, but I still wasn?t coming up with the right person.

?I am not a CPA but am married to one,? reader Elizabeth Carmody wrote me. ?I would urge you to call and talk to my husband and I am sure his advice will be invaluable ? not because he is my husband, but because he knows his stuff and how to communicate it effectively to his clients.?

I took up Elizabeth on her kind offer to call her CPA husband, Timothy Carmody, based in Dallas, Texas. Tim spent a good 30 minutes on the phone with me discussing how to find an accountant, what to look for, and how to save money on fees. You will find his advice sprinkled throughout this post, as well as his contact information (under Personal Recommendations), in case you are looking for an accountant that can work long-distance.

Tim recommended that I ask my husband to talk to other doctors he practices with. If an accountant can handle physicians? income, he or she could definitely handle my small business income. Here is some more advice from readers:

You may want to check with your local Small Business Development Center (SBDC). SBDC can give you a referral to a CPA that may work primarily on small business, as some of the big firms can be very expensive. In Syracuse I pay our CPA about $450 per year ? which includes our personal (and business) tax return, and estimated quarterly payments. ?Joan Hebert, MBA, MS, Hebert Performance Training

Call a few, see what services they offer and what they?ll charge, shop around, and get recommendations from other business owners. ?Bonnie Timmerman via the Frugal Mama Facebook page

You want to be sure that the person you hire to do your taxes is certified with the IRS & has had ongoing updated classes with new tax laws & tax updates.
Full disclosure: I work for H & R Block. We truly have the best tax professionals qualified to take care of you & your small business. We are required by HRB to take at least 24 hours/year of federal & state classes before being hired back. You can go to www.hrblock.com and find a tax professional there. We all have biographies online with our tax experience & also personal interests. You want an enrolled agent &/or someone that specializes in small business taxes. You also want to be able to sit down with the person that is doing your taxes & ask questions while they are being done. This is a process that you want to understand. If the IRS questions anything, they will hold you accountable because you signed the return. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. I have been working for HRB for over 10 years now. I love my job!! I love doing taxes, both personal & small business. ?Gina Barnowsky

You might also contact your state or local CPA society. They may be able to provide a listing of tax CPA in your area. ?Liz Carmody

So what did I do?

I started with the one CPA recommendation I was given: by my lawyer. As I feared, my lawyer?s accountant was a little bit (OK, a lot) pricey. At $340 per hour, he was exactly the kind of high-powered CPA that my readers were telling me I didn?t need. But of course he was knowledgeable and would provide business consulting as part of the package. I started convincing myself that maybe a top accountant was an investment I should be making in Frugal Mama, and that his advice would not only save me on taxes but help me grow my business.

I noticed that my lawyer?s accountant was listed in Washingtonian magazine?s round-up of the city?s best tax accountants, so I called another guy on the list to see if he was any more affordable. At $290 per hour, he wasn?t giving me any breaks. The two accountants, plus Tim, were estimating that our small business accounting fees would run between $500 and $1000, and ? if I went with one of these high-profile Washington CPAs ? it would definitely be toward the higher end of that range.

Thankfully my husband and my mom brought me down to earth, and I kept on trucking in my search for an affordable accountant.

How to Save Money on Accounting Services

Tim Carmody explained to me that there are varying levels of accounting professionals, and the ones with more experience and education, of course, charge more. A bookkeeper is not licensed but has some knowledge of tax software and accounting; an accountant is anyone with an accounting degree; and a certified public accountant (CPA) has achieved a certain level of experience and has passed an examination that sets national standards for the profession.

He also mentioned I might be able to save money by hiring an enrolled agent, instead of a CPA. An enrolled agent is a tax adviser registered with the federal government, and here in D.C., they are often also retired IRS employees. Here is some more advice from readers:

I am an accountant and almost a cpa. If you can do good bookkeeping yourself, then hiring a tax accountant is much cheaper. The less I have to do to manipulate the wrong numbers (to make them right)? the cheaper it is. So my advice? Learn bookkeeping well. Hire an accountant that knows your industry well. Compare prices of three firms with varying sizes. ?Abbie Billings

I am a new mom and a CPA and enjoy reading your blog, so I am very frugal myself. You do not need a high powered (i.e. high cost) accountant to help you as I am sure you are not dealing with complicated tax issues. I am working part time for an expensive firm, but also am self-employed doing taxes and bookkeeping from home. My goal is to be able to stay home with my daughter, but also contribute to the family budget. I am sure you could find someone like me that would be happy to consult with you and not charge the fees that come with the expensive firm. ?Amy

Determine if you need accounting services or just bookkeeping and see if a junior partner can take care of your needs just as well. ?Bonnie Timmerman via Facebook

The main points I took home here are:

1. You can save money with someone who has less experience or fewer credentials.
2. You can seriously reduce your costs if you are organized (something I find true in life). For example, Tim Carmody said that 90% of his CPA fee can be spent on ?scorekeeping,? which is translating raw data (like the proverbial shoebox full of receipts) into an organized spreadsheet.
3. If organization is not your strong suit, you might save money by using a tax service which charges by the form (not the hour) like H&R Block. H&R Block might charge $225 for an income tax return, but if you are really methodical, a CPA could do it in 45 minutes for $180.
4. Finally, tax prep fees are deductible the next year, so whatever fee you pay, it might be reduced by as much as 35% by deducting it from the following year?s taxes.

On my to-do list: find a good book on accounting to make sure I?m organizing my finances in the right way. If I want to cut my costs, I am going to have to give up the hand-holding and business consulting.

Personal Recommendations of Accountants for Hire

I was so overwhelmed with the prospect of finding an accountant that when readers gave me a name and a number, it was like they were throwing me a lifesaver in a stormy sea. It sounds melodramatic, but the fact is: we are faced with thousands of decisions every day, and when we are hit with too many big choices one after another, we shut down. It?s called decision fatigue.

So if you find yourself in my situation and just need someone to tell you, ?Here?s my accountant. She?s good. Use her,? maybe this list will help. The accountants you see below were either recommended to me by readers or were the readers themselves who offered advice in this post:

Gabe Gayhart, CPA |? gabegayhart @ gmail.com? |? 614-575-0544? |? LinkedIn

?I just recently read your post about hiring an accountant.? You might have everyone coming out of the woodwork to recommend an accountant, but I thought I?d throw this out there?? My husband became a CPA about 3 years ago.? He has worked for an electric company in Ohio for about 10 years in their Accounting and Finance departments.? He?s been talking for a while about venturing out on his own but needs to build a client base first.? ?Melissa Gayhart, owner of Wooky Baby

Timothy E. Carmody, P.C., CPA? |? 972-386-2814

?I am not a CPA but am married to one who specializes in taxes.? He has clients around the US and overseas even though his practice is in Dallas, TX.? His client list ranges from the single taxpayer to corporations, but his bread and butter is with growing entrepreneurs like you.?? ?Elizabeth Carmody (Tim is the CPA who offered a lot of the information that appears in this post.)

Jim Colitsas, CPA? | Thomas Colitsas?& Associates? |? 609-452-0889

?Last year, my husband tried to do our taxes on Turbo Tax, despite the fact that we both had self-employment income, plus I had income from another job. We ended up paying nearly $40,000. When my brother Jim, a CPA, reviewed our taxes, he got us nearly $10,000 back! If we?d let my brother (or my dad, also an accountant!) do our taxes last year, we?d never have had to pay that in the first place. My brother and dad?s practice specialize in self-employed folks like you and me.? ?Michelle Marston

Rena C. Pitchess, CPA? |? Pitchess.com

?My hubby, my brother and I have all used the same woman for almost a decade. She is fantastic. So down to earth, extremely smart and more than fair with the rates she charges. Rena Pitchess is her name, find her here if you like: Pitchess.com.? ?Autumn Penaloza

Abbie Billings? |? abillings @ mn-cpa.com |? LinkedIn

Abbie is a Frugal Mama reader and CPA candidate who contributed advice to this post.

How to Get Accounting Services for Free

Tim Carmody pointed out that, if my husband had used a medical billing service (he doesn?t), they might throw in free tax prep as a bonus for using their company. Here are some more ideas from readers:

Find an accountant to know personally or has a passion for your business that simply can be your go-to question person without charging. It?s good to have lawyer and accounting friends. ?Abbie Billings

It sounds like you probably just need some occasional consulting and questions answered during the year and then your taxes prepared at year end. You could maybe even offer a trade situation to a self-employed accountant in your area! ?Amy

?Depending on income level or age, you can get your taxes done for free by an AARP volunteer in your community. My dad is a volunteer, and ? it drives him up a wall often, but he adores it. ?Christine Jesensky Bennett on Facebook

?Some universities offer these services for free to teach their students which is also a more cost effective alternative. ?Abbie Billings

?I saw your comment about needing to find an affordable accountant and I wondered if bartering with one who you could offer an ad to would work, particularly since your blog is about money management. ?Sarah Fernandez of Chateau & Bungalow

In the end, this is what happened. Melissa Gayhart, the owner of the small businesses that advertises on my site ? a Netflix-style children?s clothing service called Wooky Baby ? offered her CPA husband?s services as a trade for free advertising. How could I turn that down? (Gabe Gayhart?s information is listed above. He is interested in expanding his practice, so if you need someone?)

Given that Gabe is in Ohio and I am in D.C., we are not going to be able to sit down across from each other and talk about accounting practices and ideas for improving my bottom line. But as Liz Carmody pointed out, while it?s always nice to ?see your expert in the flesh, many CPAs will have clients with whom they have a long distance relationship. Thanks to fax, scanning, and Fedex the transmittal of information is less of a problem than days of yore.?

So I?ll check out a book about the right way to organize business expenses, but the tax prep itself is in the competent hands of a Certified Public Accountant. I?m so relieved, and grateful, to Gabe, Tim, and all the readers and friends who have helped me solve this once-challenging issue in both a frugal and high-quality way ? right up my alley.

Final Words of Wisdom about Taxes ? and Getting What You Need

The bottom line is get some help -? you don?t want the IRS sending you love notes! Oh, and 2 more cents ?- get the help sooner rather than later ?- accountants are anal and like to show you how to do things right from the beginning, not clean up a mess!? ?Amy

For one last take-away from this experience, I think about the three steps for achieving goals. Figure out what you need, write it down (on a to-do list or a Facebook wall), then talk. The last step is the coolest part, because the world is just a better place when we cooperate and share. So if you tend toward introversion like I do, go against your nature. Reach out. Ask. Say hello to the person in line next to you. You never know what good will come of it. And it will always be good.

Photo credits: Tax shelter, dictionary, board game, calculator with coffee.

You also might like:

1. Question for Readers: How Do I Find a Good but Reasonable Accountant?
2. Free Ads to Frugal Mama Readers for the Month of December
3. Question for Readers: When Does Frugal Become Embarrassing?
4. Readers, Share Your Tips: How to Get the Best out of IKEA
5. Free and Low Cost Options for Filing Taxes

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Source: http://www.frugal-mama.com/2012/02/readers-answered-how-to-find-an-affordable-accountant/

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Woman charged with stalking Yankees GM Cashman (AP)

NEW YORK ? A woman stalked and shook down New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, getting him to pay her $6,000 and demanding more by threatening to harm his reputation, prosecutors said Thursday.

The case represents "a long-term effort to control and manipulate the victim," Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Eric Iverson told a judge as Louise Neathway, 36, was arraigned on grand larceny, stalking and harassment charges.

Her lawyers said Cashman had had "an inappropriate relationship" with Neathway, a medical sales worker and single mother of a 14-year-old daughter, and he turned on her when it ended badly.

"The Manhattan district attorney's office bought his account of how this happened, hook, line and sinker," lawyer Stephen G. McCarthy said. He and fellow Neathway lawyer Alan M. Abramson said Neathway denied the allegations.

Cashman said through spokesman Chris Giglio that he is "very grateful that this matter is in the hands of law enforcement."

The Yankees declined to comment.

Neathway ? who has a history of arrests on similar charges, prosecutors said ? sometimes called and texted Cashman more than 10 times a night and threatened to harm someone he knew, prosecutors said.

After he told her last April that he didn't want to talk to her anymore and even changed his contact information to avoid her, she asked him to pay for a $15,000-plus medical procedure and threatened to contact the press and his family with claims that would hurt his personal relationships and professional standing, according to a court complaint.

In response, he put $6,000 into two of her bank accounts Jan. 18 and tried again to extricate himself, but she instead demanded more money for operations, the complaint said.

A British native who also goes by Louise Meanwell, Neathway has a record that goes back to a 1998 trespassing arrest in North Carolina, Iverson told a judge. She's still on probation stemming from a 2008 trespassing conviction in a New Jersey case that involved allegations of stalking and sending someone as many as 200 text messages in a weekend, and she has an open 2010 Manhattan harassment case, Iverson said.

McCarthy noted in court that the Manhattan case had been put on track to be dismissed, and he suggested prosecutors were making too much of the New Jersey case.

As for the current case, "it would be unfair to all of the parties involved to speculate about what occurred," he and Abramson said in a written statement.

Neathway was being held on $300,000 bond. Her next court date is Tuesday.

___

Follow Jennifer Peltz at www.Twitter.com/jennpeltz

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120203/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bba_yankees_cashman_harassment

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UVS Junction Hiring New Director of Marketing | RV Business ...

Following six years as director of marketing with Giant Recreation World, Robin Beebe-Moussaoui joins UVS Junction to oversee marketing for the Winter Springs, Fla.-based RV web development firm.

?UVS has such a well-rounded platform and we continue to roll out new products and software updates every month,? Angie Cellucci, director of UVS Junction, said in a press release. ?We teach our clients about so many strategies but, until now, we felt penetrating this market full speed would fall us short with our development. We needed the right fit to oversee an in-house marketing department.?

With UVS Junction, Beebe-Moussaoui?s?primary role will be to offer augmented digital marketing, media and traditional advertising services that compliment and enhance the primary UVS product.

?Unlike traditional marketing companies that service our industry from the outside looking in, Robin?s expertise truly offers the best of both worlds,? Calucci said. ?She understands how dealerships run from the inside out. She was able to bring her automotive marketing and operations background to the RV industry and help the dealership dominate its market.

In addition to Giant Recreation World, Beebe-Moussaoui?s background includes marketing positions with: Chuck E. Cheese Pizza, Little Caesars Pizza, Cox Radio, Tribune Publishing and Centex Homebuilders. She? also handled digital marketing strategies regionally for the Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA) since 2009.

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Source: http://www.rvbusiness.com/2012/02/uvs-junction-hires-new-director-of-marketing/

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Prince Harry's duty: Beach volleyball in Rio (AP)

LONDON ? Prince Harry will combine sports, military exercises and meetings with school children and locals on his first-ever trip as an official representative of Queen Elizabeth II, palace officials said Wednesday.

His destinations sound pleasant, at least to Brits freezing in the February cold. The red-haired prince will travel to Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica and Brazil, where he will find the time for a few games of beach volleyball in sensuous Rio de Janeiro. He also plans a visit to Usain Bolt Stadium in Jamaica, where he hopes to meet the Olympic hero.

Most of the trip is connected to the queen's diamond jubilee celebrations in British realms throughout the world.

While Harry prepares for this jaunt, his older brother Prince William is about to start a six-week military deployment to the Falklands Islands, where he will serve as a search and rescue helicopter pilot.

Officials have not confirmed William's departure date because of operational security concerns amid indications that his departure is imminent. Tensions over the disputed islands ? claimed by both Britain and Argentina ? have risen in recent weeks.

In a concession to her advancing years, the queen has asked her children and grandchildren to attend jubilee festivities overseas, and officials say she asked Harry to travel to the Caribbean on her behalf.

He will also travel to Brazil at the tail end of the trip at the request of the British government on a trip to promote ties and emphasize the transition from the upcoming 2012 London Games to the summer Olympics to be held in Rio in four years time.

Hence the beach volleyball in Rio. Officials won't say which beach has been chosen, but it won't be Copacabana or Ipanema, the city's two most famous. The matches also may disappoint photographers longing for the chance to catch the prince playing sports with women volleyball stars. Officials say it is likely to be a men's only game.

Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, Harry's private secretary, said Harry is excited about the trip.

"Prince Harry is really bouncing about this tour, that's the first thing to say. He's hugely, hugely looking forward to it," said Lowther-Pinkerton. "The tour's itinerary reflects, with its mixture of formality and informality, Prince Harry's wish to pay personal tribute to his grandmother the Queen but also to spend time wherever possible with young people in all three countries."

The prince is expected to arrive in Belize on March 2.

The diamond jubilee festivities in Belize will include a raucous street party, Lowther-Pinkerton said, and Harry will also have a chance to tour a Mayan temple and meet with school children and military forces.

In the Bahamas, officials say Harry will give a speech chronicling the royal family's links to the islands and take part in a maritime security operation.

He plans a number of events in Jamaica, including a stop at Usain Bolt Stadium.

Officials say they hope Bolt is able to meet with the prince, despite the sprinter's intense training schedule, and may be willing to offer Harry a few pointers about how to get a quick start in a race.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/britain/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120201/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_prince_harry

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Black History Month at NC Museum of History | Triangle Arts and ...

Scenes from the 11th Annual African American Cultural Celebration at the N.C. Museum of History

MUSEUM?S AFRICAN AMERICAN CELEBRATION SETS ATTENDANCE RECORD

Black History Month kicked off early in a BIG way at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh on Jan. 28. The museum?s 11th Annual African American Cultural Celebration attracted a record-breaking 10,256 visitors, an increase of over 3,000 attendees at last year?s event. In honor of the festival?s 11th year, the African American Cultural Celebration saluted the contributions of North Carolina?s 11 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) ? the largest number of any state in the nation. All 11 HBCUs were represented.

The celebration, presented in partnership with the N.C. African American Heritage Commission, featured more than 75 presenters ? well-known musicians, award-winning authors, storytellers, dancers, playwrights, re-enactors and others ? who highlighted the contributions of African Americans to North Carolina.

?The African American Heritage Commission is delighted at the overwhelming response to this year?s African American Cultural Celebration,? said Michelle Lanier, Acting Director of the N.C. African American Heritage Commission. ?As honorary hosts of this dynamic and vibrant event, we cannot imagine a more appropriate way to recognize the contributions of African Americans to the state and to the world.?

The annual festival marked the beginning of a full slate of programs during Black History Month that focus on North Carolina?s African American history and culture.
?The annual African American Cultural Celebration is certainly the museum?s largest program celebrating African American history, but we hope it is also a reminder that the museum holds great programs all year long,? noted Emily Grant, Youth Programs Coordinator at the N.C. Museum of History.

Other free programs during Black History Month follow. Information on a March 2 play about Sojourner Truth is included as well. The play is $5.

African American History Tour
Saturday, Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25
1:30-2:30 p.m.
Explore the lives and accomplishments of African American North Carolinians from the antebellum period to the Civil Rights era.

History ? la Carte: Operation Dixie
Wednesday, Feb. 8
12:10-1 p.m.
Bring your lunch; beverages provided.
Nearly 10 years before the Montgomery bus boycott, black workers in eastern North Carolina campaigned for civil rights in tobacco warehouses. Discover how thousands organized and secured union contracts in nearly 30 ?leaf houses.? James Wrenn from the Phoenix Historical Society will present the program.

Music of the Carolinas: Boo Hanks
Sunday, Feb. 12
3-4 p.m.
Drawing from a deep musical well, Hanks showcases his virtuosity in the delicate finger-style guitar of classic Piedmont blues. The performance is presented with PineCone, with support from the N.C. Museum of History Associates, Williams Mullen, and WLHC-FM/WLQC-FM.

To Free a Family: The Journey of Mary Walker
Monday, Feb. 13
11 a.m.
Leaving her son and daughter behind in 1848, Mary Walker fled from slavery and the plantation that is now Historic Stagville in Durham. She spent 17 years trying to recover her family. Dr. Syd Nathans, Professor Emeritus at Duke University, will present a talk based on his book about her remarkable story. The program is sponsored by the N.C. African American Heritage Commission.

Return to Tradition
Saturday, Feb. 25
10 a.m.-noon
Presented in conjunction with the Sons of the American Revolution, this program focuses on a lesser-known fact about the American Revolution: significant numbers of people of color fought for the Patriots during the war. Hear keynote speaker Gen. James Gorham, North Carolina?s only African American four-star general.

First Friday Performance: Sojourner Truth and Her Children
Friday, March 2
7-9 p.m.
$5 per person; ages 12 and under free
Purchase tickets in advance at ncmuseumofhistory.org or night of event in Museum Shop.
This new readers? theater work by local performance group Voices in Concert dramatizes the family life of 19th-century abolitionist and women?s rights activist Sojourner Truth.
Come take advantage of these programs, and mark your calendar for next year?s African American Cultural Celebration on Saturday, Jan. 26. The 2012 celebration was sponsored by Wells Fargo, with additional support provided by the N.C. African American Heritage Commission, the N.C. Museum of History Associates, and the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, with funds from the United Arts campaign as well as the N.C. Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes a great nation deserves great art.
For more information about the N.C. Museum of History, call 919-807-7900 or access ncmuseumofhistory.org or Facebook.
About the N.C. Museum of History
The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton Street, across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.
About the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation?s first state-supported symphony orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council, and the State Archives. Cultural Resources champions North Carolina?s creative industry, which employs nearly 300,000 North Carolinians and contributes more than $41 billion to the state?s economy. To learn more, visit www.ncculture.com.

Source: http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/event/black-history-month-at-nc-museum-of-history/

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Lilly Ledbetter: Three Years Ago Today, Fairness Prevailed

I grew up in Possum Trot, Ala., chopping cotton in the springtime and picking it in the fall. The work was hard on our hands and the sun was hot on our skin. But we learned early on -- boys and girls alike -- that we had to do a good day's work for a good day's pay.

Years later I was hired as an overnight manager at a Goodyear factory. I thought the same principle I learned in my poor, rural town still was true, so I worked just as hard as everyone else.

I got some treatment you might expect as a young woman at a factory in the South -- so I worked even harder to prove to the men around me that I was smart and good at what I did. I took pride in my job. And twice a month I went to my mailbox and found the paycheck I thought I'd earned.

One day I opened that mailbox and found something that would change my life. An anonymous coworker -- to this day, I don't know who -- had left a pencil-written note on a torn piece of paper with some numbers on it. It showed how much more my male coworkers were making, even though they had less education, training and experience.

I'd been at Goodyear almost 20 years, and was still making 20 percent less than the lowest-paid male supervisor in my same position. I'd been praised and promoted by my bosses, but rewarded with much smaller raises than my male coworkers got.

It hit me in the gut like a ton of bricks. I immediately thought of the countless overtime hours that I worked every chance I could, and realized I was paid for them based on an unfair salary. All those good days of work hadn't earned me the good day's pay I deserved.

It was about fairness, and it was against the law. It was about supporting my family -- school, doctors' bills, groceries and the mortgage. It was about my local economy, and the money I didn't have to spend in the community.

And it was about my retirement: Since that's based on our salaries, too, I'm still shortchanged long after I've stopped working. Because my Goodyear pension isn't enough to pay two bills, I burned through my small 401(k) in two years before I became eligible for Social Security.

So I went to court, and won. The company appealed and the case went all the way to the Supreme Court, where Goodyear won by one vote. The Court said I should have filed my complaint within six months of the first unfair paycheck I'd received almost two decades earlier. There was nothing the men could do that I couldn't -- but I couldn't fight for fair pay if I didn't even know I was being paid unfairly. Like so many women, I've never asked for or gotten a handout. I've only asked for a fair shot.

Barack Obama heard about my case and went to work. His grandmother worked in a bank her whole life, including long after she'd hit the glass ceiling. She even had to train the men who were paid higher salaries to do the work she'd showed them how to do. And he never wants his two girls to be disrespected in the same way.

As a senator he fought to give women enough time to file a complaint after we learn we're being discriminated against and underpaid. He believes we should reward hard work and responsibility. He stands up for the middle class because he's struggled, too. And he continues to fight because he knows what happened over a generation can't be fixed overnight.

I had to wait more than a decade and a half before I even knew I was being discriminated against. Within a week and a half after President Obama was inaugurated, he signed his name to the law that bears mine. Three years ago today, he made it the very first one he enacted.

I'll never see a cent of the salary I lost over all those years at Goodyear. My case is over and the Lilly Ledbetter law won't help Lilly Ledbetter. But in recognizing what's right and fair, President Obama's leadership has given me a much richer reward: knowing that my daughter, my granddaughter and every other woman in America will never again feel helpless when they don't get an equal day's pay for an equal day's work.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lilly-ledbetter/lilly-ledbetter_b_1242981.html

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