Specializing in Self-employment for People with Disabilities
Services
UWISE.BIZ offers services all along the continuum of exploring, planning, opening, and beginning to operate a small business. For individuals who are receiving Social Security, Medicaid, or other public assistance benefits and need help with benefits planning related to a business situation, we can help there, too.
We work one-on-one with prospective business owners, as well as with any service providers or team members including any family members they may be working with. Our services are not duplicative. We have a working understanding of the array of business services that are out there and will help you access them to your best advantage. By design, we do what they do not do. We developed our services to fill the gaps.
We offer a free initial consultation to help you determine which of our services may fit your circumstances and needs. Download a brochure if you're a VR Counselor.
Service #1. Initial Assessments of Self-employment Readiness and Feasibility of Business Idea
Individuals with interest in self-employment can benefit from an initial assessment of their personal readiness for self-employment and of the apparent feasibility of their business idea. Determining the answer to the question, "Should I open this business?" is a key goal of the entire business planning process, but pursuit of the answer starts here, along with a look at the question, "Is self-employment for me?" At this stage, UWISE.BIZ gathers and analyzes information to
- Identify any personal barriers to self-employment so they can be acknowledged and, if possible, addressed before moving on to next steps;
- Take an initial look at the feasibility of the business idea;
- Provide an initial indication of financing options, including loans, Social Security work incentives, IDAs, etc. that may (or may not) be able to be brought into the financing mix.
Service #2. Consultation Related to Individual Clients
UWISE.BIZ provides targeted, one-time or short-term help for Counselors and other staff related to self-employment issues of a specific client. This service is highly flexible--within our expertise and capabilities, for example we are not attorneys--and is primarily designed to give support to Counselors. For example, we can review and provide an assessment of a business plan a client presents as complete.
UWISE.BIZ provides targeted, one-time or short-term help for Counselors and other staff related to self-employment issues of a specific client. This service is highly flexible--within our expertise and capabilities, for example we are not attorneys--and is primarily designed to give support to Counselors. For example, we can review and provide an assessment of a business plan a client presents as complete.
Service #3. Benefits Analysis and Planning Based on Self-employment Rules
Beneficiaries of Social Security and other public assistance programs should understand the impact of self-employment income on their benefits and learn more about work incentives and other resources they may be eligible for relatively early in the business exploration process. This service is comparable to benefits analyses provided to Social Security beneficiaries considering wage work by Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach (BPAO) and Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Benefits Specialists, but is based on the separate and sometimes more complex rules program/benefit and work incentives specific to self-employment. This UWISE.BIZ service
Beneficiaries of Social Security and other public assistance programs should understand the impact of self-employment income on their benefits and learn more about work incentives and other resources they may be eligible for relatively early in the business exploration process. This service is comparable to benefits analyses provided to Social Security beneficiaries considering wage work by Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach (BPAO) and Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Benefits Specialists, but is based on the separate and sometimes more complex rules program/benefit and work incentives specific to self-employment. This UWISE.BIZ service
- Provides individualized information about the client’s benefits and basic rules that apply to their situation, and an explanation of how self-employment income may impact their benefits;
- Alerts the Social Security beneficiary to rules and record-keeping requirements they will need to comply with in addition to those that apply to any small business owner such as tax filings and other governmental reporting;
- Informs the client of other benefits, programs, etc., that may help them meet their financial and health care needs until their business is profitable;
- Provides additional information about the potential role work incentives and other programs—such as a PASS (Plan for Achieving Self-Support), IDA (Individual Development Account), and/or Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funded training—can play in helping them finance their business and enhance its chances for success;
- Gathers benefits information that will be utilized in the business plan, e.g., to determine appropriate business structure, develop the work schedule, develop their financing strategy, and prepare financial statements.
Service #4. One-on-One Help Writing a Business Plan
A prospective business owner with promising circumstances and a good business idea still has a lot of work to do before they're ready to launch their business. Most need a business plan, not only to help them obtain financing for their business, but because the business planning process is a powerful tool to help them prepare to own and operate it. No one is born knowing how to navigate the business world . . . nor how to effectively research and write a business plan. UWISE,BIZ uses a one-on-one, step-by-step method we developed to provide individuals reaching this stage with the help they need to make the most of the business planning process. The result is a business plan that will meet the needs of the owner and any financing entity. The process we use
A prospective business owner with promising circumstances and a good business idea still has a lot of work to do before they're ready to launch their business. Most need a business plan, not only to help them obtain financing for their business, but because the business planning process is a powerful tool to help them prepare to own and operate it. No one is born knowing how to navigate the business world . . . nor how to effectively research and write a business plan. UWISE,BIZ uses a one-on-one, step-by-step method we developed to provide individuals reaching this stage with the help they need to make the most of the business planning process. The result is a business plan that will meet the needs of the owner and any financing entity. The process we use
- Guides individuals systematically to look at all sides of running their business and developing a plan that indicates that the bases are covered and how;
- Helps them to look realistically at their start-up and early operating costs and consider wherever possible a mix of financing options that features partnerships and future planning;
- Compiles the results of their research and thinking about their business into a complete, solid business plan needed to accompany applications for financing assistance from any applicable source;
- Coordinates with other agencies involved with the client’s self-employment goal;
- Assists agency staff to prepare financing requests and helps other decision-makers assess the business described in the business plan and its potential to result in the successful employment of the prospective owner .
Service #5. Mentoring
This service is designed to provide support and advice after the business plan is finished―help that can increase the chances that the new business will be successful. It can range from reviewing financial information to spot needed adaptations, troubleshooting, help covering bases that may have been missed in the planning phase, helping pursuing additional financing opportunities such as an IDA (Individual Development Account), and so on. We can also help the new owner learn how to comply with tracking and reporting requirements of Social Security and other public entities, as well as respond to agency queries and reviews. We can serve as a resource to service providers, business teams and families supporting a business owner.
This service is designed to provide support and advice after the business plan is finished―help that can increase the chances that the new business will be successful. It can range from reviewing financial information to spot needed adaptations, troubleshooting, help covering bases that may have been missed in the planning phase, helping pursuing additional financing opportunities such as an IDA (Individual Development Account), and so on. We can also help the new owner learn how to comply with tracking and reporting requirements of Social Security and other public entities, as well as respond to agency queries and reviews. We can serve as a resource to service providers, business teams and families supporting a business owner.
Service #6. Help Writing a PASS
A PASS (Plan for Achieving Self-Support) is a Social Security work incentive that can help appropriate candidates finance a work-related goal, such as starting a small business. Successfully applying for a PASS requires completion of a lengthy application in accordance with specific rules. It is similar to writing a grant proposal, so expert help knowing what Social Security is looking for can be essential. UWISE.BIZ can provide that help to maximize the chances that a PASS application will be approved. Since a business plan--meeting SSA's extensive requirements for financial statements--is needed, this service should be delivered in conjunction with our Service #4. (This service option can be utilized to help individuals with non-business work goals, too.)
A PASS (Plan for Achieving Self-Support) is a Social Security work incentive that can help appropriate candidates finance a work-related goal, such as starting a small business. Successfully applying for a PASS requires completion of a lengthy application in accordance with specific rules. It is similar to writing a grant proposal, so expert help knowing what Social Security is looking for can be essential. UWISE.BIZ can provide that help to maximize the chances that a PASS application will be approved. Since a business plan--meeting SSA's extensive requirements for financial statements--is needed, this service should be delivered in conjunction with our Service #4. (This service option can be utilized to help individuals with non-business work goals, too.)
Service #7. Books, Bookkeeping, Reporting, and Tax preparation
An effective bookkeeping system and fulfilling certain associated requirements are critical. Some prospective business owners underestimate what this will take or start out thinking it's not that important. The basic tasks include setting up the company’s books and then entering income and expense data, preparing quarterly and/or annual reports to entities like the Internal Revenue Services, State Tax Commission and others, and using internal financial data to monitor the health of the business. There are many individuals and firms that perform these services (a CPA is not required, although may be needed for other purposes), but this UWISE.BIZ service is specifically designed to fill a serious gap--financial experts who understand Social Security and other program rules that limit choices or conflict with IRS rules. To our knowledge, there are currently no other bookkeeping services with staff who understand and take into account complex self-employment rules of SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, and other public benefits programs. We offer this service to accommodate this situation.
An effective bookkeeping system and fulfilling certain associated requirements are critical. Some prospective business owners underestimate what this will take or start out thinking it's not that important. The basic tasks include setting up the company’s books and then entering income and expense data, preparing quarterly and/or annual reports to entities like the Internal Revenue Services, State Tax Commission and others, and using internal financial data to monitor the health of the business. There are many individuals and firms that perform these services (a CPA is not required, although may be needed for other purposes), but this UWISE.BIZ service is specifically designed to fill a serious gap--financial experts who understand Social Security and other program rules that limit choices or conflict with IRS rules. To our knowledge, there are currently no other bookkeeping services with staff who understand and take into account complex self-employment rules of SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, and other public benefits programs. We offer this service to accommodate this situation.
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