A few weeks ago, when I called an appliance repair service to fix a problem with my refrigerator, the technician was extremely clear about the cost of his services. The minimum for a house call was $89, and after that, he billed in 15-minute increments for his labor. He would not be charging for his travel time. However, the parts were extra, and at that point he didn’t know if any would be needed to fix a freezer with a layer of ice building up underneath the ice cube trays. I appreciated his direct approach and transparency. Upon arrival, he quickly diagnosed the problem and made the tricky repair. The total bill of $170 didn’t surprise me, Read more

Like house painting, preparing to prepare your tax return comprises the bulk of the work. With good preparation, actually completing your tax return is a piece of cake. If you’re one of those people who carefully manage tax documents all year long, pat yourself on the back. If you’re like those of us who find tax preparation painful at best, read on.

First: Organize
Whether or not you’re using a tax preparer, having organized paperwork will make all the difference. As your W-2s, mortgage interest statements and bank paperwork arrive, put them in a large, well-marked envelope. Ideally, throughout 2014, you’ve done the same with all of your receipts for tax-deductible expenses (if you haven’t, Read more

Have you received your free copy of the Winter Diamond Certified Directory Update in the mail? It provides instant access to hundreds of local, top rated Diamond Certified companies across a wide range of service industries, from auto repair and landscaping to optometry and dentistry.

Every Diamond Certified company must continue to deliver on its promises to you, the consumer. That’s why we conduct ongoing customer satisfaction research, perform credential-based ratings, monitor each company’s performance, and back you up with mediation and the Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee.

If you haven’t received your copy of the 2015 Winter Diamond Certified Directory Update, simply click this link and we’ll send one as soon as possible. Read more

2017 update: ‘Tis the season once again! Add a food bank, a shelter or another other worthy cause to your list and experience the fun of playing Santa.

‘Tis the season! Ashley and I dropped off the bounty collected from our holiday food drive at the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank  yesterday and were lucky enough to get a private tour.  Given that the San Francisco Bay Area is one of the wealthiest regions in the country, I was shocked and saddened to learn that 25% of the residents of San Francisco and Marin are in need of food assistance. Consequently, I’m so grateful that there are organizations like the SF-Marin Food Bank. Read more

The San Rafael Chamber of Commerce  held their Forecasting the Future Economic Conference a few weeks ago, and from where I was sitting, the future looks bright. The annual conference features expert speakers discussing local, regional and global issues impacting businesses in Marin County. This year, the conference had an explicit focus on the region’s push to attract Life Science businesses to Marin.

The morning began with a sunrise breakfast at Embassy Suites San Rafael. Marin County corporate stalwarts such as Bank of Marin, Kaiser Permanente and Toyota Marin (a Diamond Certified company) rubbed elbows with government officials and hardworking Marin-based nonprofits. Read more

Many parents want help teaching their children about using technology safely, so Google has created a Family Safety Center to address that need. One section explains Google’s safety tools, including “Safe Search,” which allows you to eliminate sexually explicit content from search results. You’ll also find a detailed explanation about sharing controls and privacy settings for YouTube, Google Talk and Picasa Web Albums.

My favorite part of the site is “Tips From Parents at Google,” where engineers, executives and other employees talk about their own challenges managing their kids’ Internet use. Here are two suggestions: Keep your home computer in a central place so you can monitor your children’s online activity, Read more

If you have a dispute that can’t be resolved through mediation, you might need to go to Small Claims Court. For example, you might file a case against a landlord who won’t return your security deposit or against someone who damages your car and won’t pay for the repairs. This special court is designed to help people resolve problems quickly and inexpensively without lawyers or a jury.

How much can you sue for in California? Any individual or business owned by an individual can file two cases per year for up to $10,000 each. You must file where the contract was signed, where the person being sued lives, or where the business being sued is located. Read more