inside costco
Spinning a new website
Costco and GoDaddy.com are offering
several exclusive packages for Costco members, with no setup fees, including:
Self-starter bundle. Create, manage and
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GODADDY.COM IS THE world’s No. 1
domain registrar, offering domain registrations, world-class Web hosting and much
more. Costco is a leader in the membership-club world. Both companies offer customers
great products at solid values, backed by
superior service, so it only makes sense that
they would come together.
promote a secure website using one of thousands of predesigned layouts, adding your
own photos and text. Includes a domain
name, unlimited hosting, online marketing
tools, state-of-the-art security, Web-based
email, email marketing, search engine optimization, site surveys and more. $10.99 per
month for Executive members; $12.99 per
month for Gold Star and Business members.
Online merchants. Build a Web store
with up to 100 products. Accept all major
credit cards, offer real-time shipping quotes
and more, all with no sales fees. Plus, support
your store with a companion website and
online marketing tools. $14.99 per month for
Executive members; $17.99 per month for
Gold Star and Business members.
Search engine visibility. Harness the
power of Google, even if you don’t have a
website. Search Engine Visibility Premium,
powered by AdSpace Local Advertising,
attracts local buyers using a Google ad written
and placed by GoDaddy.com. Customer ads
can be up and driving new business in as little
as one day.
There are also exclusive website packages
for personal use, starting at $2.69 per month,
and others for business owners, managers and
online entrepreneurs with design and maintenance help from Go Daddy’s solid Dream
Design Team™. All packages represent 20 to
75 percent savings over Go Daddy’s standard
pricing. And if one of the bundles doesn’t suit
your needs, Go Daddy is offering Costco
members 20 percent off its other products
and services.
For more information, or to start your
online venture, visit Costco.com and search
“Domain2” or call toll-free 1-877-818-3680.
— Steve Fisher
Healthcare for Costco
small-business members
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT was
enacted on March 23, 2010. It contains tax
provisions that take effect this year and more
that will be implemented during the next several years. Of interest to small-business members is the recent implementation of the
small-business healthcare tax credit (
www.irs.
gov, search “health care tax credit”).
The small-business healthcare tax credit
helps small businesses and small tax-exempt
organizations afford the cost of covering their
employees, and it is specifically targeted for
those with low- and moderate-income workers.
The credit is designed to encourage
small-business employers to offer health
insurance coverage for the first time or maintain coverage they already have.
Since April 2010, millions of small businesses have received postcards from the IRS
that alerted them to the new small-business
healthcare tax credit and encouraged them to
check their eligibility. Even if you didn’t receive
a postcard, your business may be eligible.
n Pay average annual wages of less than
$50,000
Amount of credit
The credit is worth up to 35 percent of a
small business’s insurance premium costs in
2010 ( 25 percent for tax-exempt employers).
On January 1, 2014, this rate increases to 50
percent ( 35 percent for tax-exempt employers).
The credit phases out gradually for firms with
average wages between $25,000 and $50,000
and for firms with the equivalent of between 10
and 25 full-time workers.—T. Foster Jones
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Eligibility rules
A qualifying employer (both taxable and
tax-exempt firms qualify) must:
n Cover at least 50 percent of the cost of
healthcare coverage for some of its work-
ers based on the single rate
n Have less than the equivalent of 25 full-
time workers (for example, an employer
with fewer than 50 half-time workers
may be eligible)
Business health program features
n Competitive rates negotiated especially
for Costco Executive members
n Comprehensive network of doctors and
dentists
n Dedicated sales and service team
n Online quoting, enrollment and billing
n Option to add dental and life insurance
where available
n Currently available in CA, OR and WA.
n To obtain a quote, call 1-800-611-9056 or
visit Costco.com and enter the search
term “businesshealth.”
Health and dental options are also
available for individuals
n A Personal Health Insurance program
with specially priced plans is now avail-
able to Costco members in seven states
(AZ, GA, IL, MI, NV, PA and TX). To
obtain a quote, call 1-888-370-6930 or
visit Costco.com and enter the search
term “personalhealth.”
n A group dental plan for individuals is
available to Costco Executive members
in California. To obtain a quote, call
1-800-422-4234.
Health and dental insurance at Costco
COSTCO HAS TEAMED up with insurance carriers to offer businesses a simple, cost-effective way to provide quality health and dental insurance to their employees.
AUGUST 2011 ;e Costco Connection 75
