Smart Tax featured in Brooklyn Business Trends

Smart Tax was recently featured in an article in Brooklyn Business Trends called, “Nick’s Smart Franchise,” where Nick Rizzi, Founder and CEO of Smart Tax discussed his process of putting the company together. Realizing the potential of the tax industry, Nick looked for franchise opportunities with Liberty Tax and Jackson-Hewitt however all of the markets were sold out…leading to the inception of Smart Tax franchise. After the first two years, Nick’s colleagues wanted to get involved and the brand started franchising in November of 2009 and opened with nine locations. Just one year later, the brand has 27 open locations and 46-territories sold in all five boroughs, North and South Jersey, Philadelphia and South Carolina. Click here for the full story.

Nick’s ‘Smart’ Franchise
By Tim Ronaldson

Nick Rizzi is a walking, talking advertisement for public transportation marketing.

No, he’s not a salesman and he doesn’t work for the city’s Transit Authority.

But an advertisement on the side of a bus did serve as a catalyst – at least in part – for Rizzi starting his own business, Smart Tax, that in six years went from a one-location operation to a 29-location franchise. The advertisement wasn’t awe-inspiring, and it wasn’t sexy. It simply beckoned, “learn how to prepare income taxes.”

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Smart Tax Featured in the San Antonio Business Journal

Smart Tax was recently featured in the San Antonio Business Journal in an article called “Alamo City earning reputation as a good market for franchises,” which discusses Smart Tax’s expansion plans for the San Antonio market. Smart Tax’s low investment cost and recession-friendly industry makes it the perfect opportunity for entrepreneurs in San Antonio to franchise in today’s economy.

Smart Tax featured on AllBusiness.com

Smart Tax was featured in the online national business news magazine AllBusiness.com in an article entitled “The Pros and Cons of Owning a Part-Time Franchise." In this article, franchisee Yvonne Murray talks about how part-time franchising with Smart Tax allows her to work only during the four month tax season, during which she puts in 12 hour days. This allows her 7-8 months off during the year, which makes for a pretty great vacation policy and should definitely attract some entrepreneurs looking for a similar setup. Allbusiness.com reaches a wide audience of entrepreneurial people and this article is a great way to spread the word about Smart Tax as a great opportunity for potential business owners interested in franchising part-time—it should definitely generate some quality leads! Click here to read the article in its entirety!

The Pros and Cons of Owning a Part-Time Franchise
by Sara Wilson

Franchise ownership is a goal shared by many; however, successfully transitioning from working a full-time job to running a full-time franchise may seem dauntingly difficult. The bills still need to get paid, the children still need to eat, the risk might be too great. However, there is another option that makes franchise ownership more attainable: going part time. And, better yet, it’s an option offered in franchise categories ranging from hair cutting to interior decorating to fitness.

So what’s the catch? (Or is there one?) Here are some of the pros and cons that come with becoming a part-time franchisee:

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Smart Tax Honors Unsung Heroes in the Community; Offers Free Tax Returns for Firefighters

To Support Firefighters through the Recession, Smart Tax Franchise offers free Tax Returns for Full Week

While many businesses are buckling down due to the rocky economic climate, Smart Tax, a newly-launched tax preparation franchise, is continuously finding new ways to engage with and give back to the local community. Smart Tax has led the industry in innovative approaches to connecting personally with each community it enters, which has allowed them to triple in size from 10 locations at the start of the 2010 tax season to 29 franchise locations operating in 2011. To celebrate a group of individuals that is very meaningful to the brand, Smart Tax is hosting a free tax week for firefighters.

“We are always trying to find ways to create close ties with our communities and provide an experience that is quicker and better than our competition,” said Nick Rizzi, CEO and Founder of Smart Tax. “Our free tax week for firefighters will be one more way we are connecting with our new and existing customers personally and a way to say thank you to those who serve our community.”

The free tax week will be offered from Friday, February 25th to Friday, March 4th at each of Smart Tax’s participating locations. Any volunteer and full-time firefighters can visit for free tax preparation service.

Elmhurst Smart Tax Franchisee Joe Fontana is also a volunteer firefighter and this offering is especially significant for him. He is passionate about supporting his fellow firefighters and is proud to be able to offer this opportunity with the support of the entire Smart Tax system. As firefighters are often known for swapping patches in the fire station, Fontana is continuing this tradition with his tax preparation franchise.

“The catch is, I need your patch,” said Joe Fontana, Smart Tax franchisee and Vice President of Franchise Development who will be trading free taxes for firefighter patches at his Elmhurst Smart Tax office. “We are offering a very significant service to a group of individuals who I am proud to call my brothers. I am very appreciative of the how the Smart Tax family is supporting me with free tax week.”

For more information on participating Smart Tax locations and details on receiving free taxes as a firefighter, please visit www.thesmartwaytofile.com or our Facebook Fan Page.

Smart Tax featured in Franchise Times Magazine

Jorge Quintana, the franchisee featured in the Franchise Times
article, at work in his Queensbridge Smart Tax Location

Smart Tax featured in the Chattanooga Times Free Press

Recently, Smart Tax was featured in the Chattanooga Times Free Press in an article entitled "Chattanooga franchises let entrepreneurs focus on business operations." The article is about launching a business in the current economic climate and why franchising is often an attractive method for business ownership. In the article, Nick Rizzi, CEO of Smart Tax, discusses the tremendous growth potential for Smart Tax in the Chattanooga market and the ability to run a profitable tax preparation business. Rizzi discusses the low cost of entrance for opening a Smart Tax in which the business can be up and running for as low as $20,000. This low start up cost has allowed Smart Tax to expand incredibly fast, tripling in size over the past year despite the economic climate. Click here to view the article in its entirety.

Chattanooga franchises let entrepreneurs focus on business operations
By ELLIS SMITH
February 2, 2011

Starting a small business is risky.

With one bad decision, an entrepreneur could watch his entire savings go down the tubes in a matter of days.

Only 50 percent of small businesses survive more than five years, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, a statistic that has some potential business owners searching for safer alternatives.

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Smart Tax featured in The Bergen Record

Smart Tax was recently featured in The Bergen Record about its development plans in the North Jersey region, and its new openings in Lodi and Kearney. The article discusses the Smart Tax brand and how it is a low-cost investment business opportunity, as well as the company's new presence in the region. Despite the economic climate, Smart Tax has tripled in size and is continuing to grow with driven entrepreneurs who are able to take advantage of the low start-up costs and tremendous growth potential that Smart Tax provides. Click here to view the article in its entirety!

New tax preparation chain sees potential for many returns in North Jersey
By JOAN VERDON

A new tax preparation company has targeted North Jersey as a potential growth market, with locations in downtowns and in a discount store in Lodi.

Smart Tax, a four-year-old company with 29 locations and big expansion plans, opened this month in Kearny and inside the National Wholesale Liquidators store in Lodi. The Brooklyn-based chain is hoping to create a niche as the lower-priced alternative to tax preparation giants H&R Block and Parsippany-based Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, both for taxpayers and potential franchisees.

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Smart Tax featured in NFIB

Smart Tax was recently featured in NFIB in an article entitled “7 Tax Deductions that Small Businesses Often Overlook.” This article was built from an in-depth interview with Nick Rizzi as an expert on the topic. Click here for the entire article.

"7 Tax Deductions that Small Businesses Ofter Overlook"

Not many small businesses have a dedicated CPA on board, making it easier to miss deductions that could lower their tax burden. “When people think of deductions they usually think of inventory, payroll, office supplies, rent and utilities,” says Nick Rizzi, CEO of Smart Tax, a Brooklyn, N.Y., tax preparation company. “What they don’t think of are the smaller things.”

This year, be sure to take advantage of all the tax breaks the law provides, starting with these seven areas:

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Smart Tax Featured in Brooklyn Downtown Star and Greenpoint Star

Tax season has officially begun and we are excited here at Smart Tax to jump in head-first and start preparing our customers taxes. Smart Tax, which started out as an idea, has now taken the next step as a franchise concept and we are growing and preparing to launch the tax season with each of our communities. Smart Tax was also just featured in the Brooklyn Downtown Star and the Greenpoint Star about our growth in the region and how Smart Tax came to be what it is today. Below you will find a section of the article and a link to the full article on the website.


On The Record: Nick Rizzi, CEO/Founder of Smart Tax
by Holly Tsang

Nick Rizzi works himself to the bone for three or four months, and then for the remainder of the year, he’s pretty much free to come and go as he pleases. What does he do for a living? Why, he’s an accountant, of course.

He actually started out as a financial planner at a bank, but people were often asking him how certain decisions were going to affect their taxes, so he decided to take some basic tax preparation classes.

It turned out to be something he really liked, and Rizzi realized he could actually make a living doing it.

“Although it might seem boring doing a tax return, you see all the changes going on in your clients’ lives. You celebrate things like people buying a house or having a child,” he said.

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Smart Tax Was Recently Featured in The Wall Street Journal; End-of-Year Tax Advice

Smart Tax franchise is a newly launched, 10-unit, New York-based tax preparation franchise. As the end of the year is approaching people are looking to take advantage of the different government programs created in order to help people in the current economic climate. Smart Tax was recently featured in the Wall Street Journal on this exact topic and what tax credits people should look out for when filing end of year taxes. Below you will find a portion of the article and a link to the full article on wsj.com:

Federal Recession Aid -- Get It While You Can

By Anna Prior

Time is running out to take advantage of some of the government programs set up to help consumers during the economic meltdown.

Among them are programs meant to shore up the credit markets, which allow for more available credit and lower interest rates on loans for homes and automobiles, as well as tax benefits to entice consumers to buy that new house or car.

Of course, there's always the chance that these programs could be extended; some already are running on extensions and expansions. But here's how they stand for now, how much time you have left to take advantage of them -- and how their end could affect you.

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