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SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD J. AUSTIN III: Well, Secretary Galvez, it's great to see you again so soon after my trip to Manila in February and it is a pleasure to host you at the Pentagon. So thanks for taking the time to meet again after a very productive Two Plus Two ministerial dialogue yesterday.

And as I've said yesterday, this is an historic moment for our lives. As we take critical steps together to deepen our ties and strengthen peace and stability in the region. We share a vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. One grounded in transparency, freedom of navigation, the rule of law, respect for sovereignty and the peaceful resolution of disputes.

Now those principles have faced growing challenges lately. We've seen a troubling increase in coercion and dangerous operational behavior, including in the South China Sea. And we remain deeply committed to our alliance obligations.

And as we've made abundantly clear, the mutual defense treaty applies to armed attacks on either of our armed forces, our public vessels or aircraft anywhere in the South China Sea.

Now I'm proud of the rapid strides that we've made to modernize our alliance, Mr. Secretary. We've made important progress to bolstering the capabilities and capacities of our armed forces to resist coercion and gray zone aggression.

And we're close to finalizing a security sector assistance roadmap that charts a path forward to strengthen deterrence and align our defense investments with the evolving security environment.

And as we discuss yesterday, we're also expanding our cooperation under the enhance defense cooperation agreement, which will make our armed forces more flexible and more resilient. And support our ability to train and operate together.

And we're very pleased to have announced the locations of these four new sites recently. And finally, I want to affirm our commitment to strengthening interoperability across all domains, including space and cyberspace.

So Mr. Secretary, thanks again for being here. And I look forward to a great discussion. Over to you, sir.

CARLITO GALVEZ: Thank you, Secretary. My (inaudible) and also our ambassador (inaudible).

Mr. Secretary, thank you very much for your warm welcome and also for the honors that you have given to me. And thank you for this opportunity of meeting you again this -- in Pentagon.

I've been here in 2006 and I never dreamt that I'll be here besides you, and I feel -- I belong in this family.

Todays meeting is a good opportunity to build on our discussions during your visit in the Philippines last -- (inaudible) and reaffirm our commitment to the Philippines-U.S. mutual defense treaty.

In addition to the most productive Two-Plus-Two, is the consultations that we had. The conduct of the Exercise Balikatan, the most, I believe -- the biggest among the 38, of this month are among some of the (inaudible) that our alliance is in hyperdrive.

Our regular exchange and close coordination demonstrate the extent of our defense relationship. And I have mentioned on several occasions that the importance of our Philippine - U.S. defense cooperation in the region, especially at this time when significant challenges are becoming increasing complex and evolving.

As I have said yesterday, is that our alliance is for peace. Our defense alliance is critical in assuring the safety and security of our citizens, and we continue to work together to enhance our capabilities to meet the current and future security challenges, including disasters.

To modernize our alliance we need to focus on separate areas. Number one is that we need a common understanding of our policies and priorities. That's why we will be having our defense guidelines. And upgrade our equipment to sustain our militaries capability to respond to threats.

Second, we must enhance our cyber defenses to protect our critical infrastructures and sensitive information.

Number three is we need to increase intelligence sharing and cooperation together against (inaudible) and respond to the challenges. And we want to thank you for giving us always the highest (inaudible). That really helps a lot.

Fourth, we must improve interoperability between our forces to better coordinate and conduct joint activities.

May I also reiterate our, also to express our appreciation for the U.S. government's support to the Philippines government's management of the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro.

Thank you very much. Mr. Secretary, with the phone call that we had it was materialized immediately, and we really thank you because it really helped us to manage the oil spill that we had.

I believe the -- where we -- went there, in Mindoro, together with the Coast Guard, they're very happy when the -- our army was able to patch up all the 23 leaks that we have identified with the ship.

We appreciate the unwavering support of the U.S. Navy through the deployment of remotely operated vehicle of the (inaudible), as well as the technical support provided by the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in order to -- for us to help contain, and scientifically respond with the crisis.

I am looking forward to another fruitful discussions to strengthen our alliance and work together towards the more peaceful and secure future.

I would like also to inform your noble secretary that we have good responses with our former generals and also our colleagues, with the fruitful outcome of our 2 Plus 2, and they are very grateful for the important achievements -- the achievements that we have together as allies. Thank you.

SEC. AUSTIN: Mr. Secretary, again, thanks for being here. And we're delighted to have you back in the Pentagon. We look forward to working with you to strengthen our relationship. So thanks everybody.

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Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Welcomes Carlito Galvez Jr ... - Department of Defense

To decide which providers made the cut for this guide, we assessed the available free payroll software to determine which would best meet freelancer, startup and small business needs. This assessment was based on the softwares free plan features and functionality, free plan limitations, add-ons and extra fees (if any), upgrade options and customer reviews. Below is a deeper look at our assessment process.

Pricing 20%

In putting together this guide, we aimed to include software with feature sets that went beyond the expected. Such added features included HR functions and capabilities, reporting, employee portals, multiple payment format optionscheck and direct depositdeduction management and unexpected security features, such as biometric face recognition.

Additionally, as we assessed the free plans features and functionality, we paid close attention to the limitations the free plans imposed on small businesses. The limitations assessed included the number of employees the software would allow businesses to pay or even maximum and minimum amounts businesses could pay each employee to qualify for free software usage. We weighted pricing at 20% of our total score.

Features 30%

We worked to uncover plans that were truly free without extra fees for essential features. We also looked for plans with nice-to-have add-ons that users could take advantage of as their budgets permit. The essential general features we looked for included having a self-service employee portal and offering contractor payments. Other good-to-have features included new hire onboarding. third-party integrations, ledger reports and other reporting and analytics offerings.

In ranking the top free payroll software, we prioritized the providers that offered paid, more full-featured plans so freelancers, startups and small businesses can start with the free plan, then advance to plans that fit their needs as they grow. Features accounted for 30% of our final score.

Third-Party Reviews 15%

As we chose providers for this guide, we listened attentively to what customers who have and are using the software had to say about it. Namely, we looked at what software features, capabilities or services met their needsor, better yet, delighted themand which inherent bottlenecks kept customers from meeting business goals. These accounted for 15% of the total score.

Expert Analysis 35%

Using our market research and close scrutiny of the categories listed above, we also ranked additional criteria from customer reviews, such as any detailed or stand-out features, popularity, ease of use and value for the money. Altogether, these criteria made up 35% of the total score.

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Best Free Payroll Software In India 2023 Forbes Advisor INDIA - Forbes

Happy federal income tax filing day. To celebrate, lets raise our voices to say why free tax-filing software provided by the federal government should be available to anyone who wants it.

First, Ill review why we dont have that, according to investigations by others in recent years. The vast majority of people who prepare their own taxes pay private companies for the use of software to do so.

ALSO READ: Heres what to know for the 2023 tax filing season, from deadlines to late refunds

Then, Ill tell you why I dont do my own taxes and why people with any financial complexity in their lives should pay a professional to do theirs.

In 2022, 95 percent of all individual tax filings were done electronically, a process called eFile. About 150 million tax returns wereeFiled last year.

Of those, 44 percent of eFiled taxes were self-prepared, while 56 percent were prepared by tax professionals.

The annoying part of having to pay to file federal tax returns is that for a majority of people, the IRS already tracks their income with a W2.

For people with a single source of wage income, filing should be done the way it is in other countries, where the government sends a form to each such taxpayer with all the information it knows filled in. The government essentially asks: Is this right? Anything to add?

If the information on the form is correct, the taxpayer affirms it for free and in minutes and their tax filing is done.

It stands to reason that, since the dawn of the internet, we should be able to do this for free. What a sane world that would be.

ALSO READ: Six Texans, two from San Antonio, indicted in $111 million IRS tax fraud scheme

In the U.S., free filing is technically available, but its hard to do and rarely done.

Technically, if you earn less than $73,000 in adjusted gross income per year, you may use the IRS free online filing system, known as Free File. About 70 percent of taxpayers are eligible. Traditionally, however,only about 4 percent of tax filers or fewer use Free File, according to the Government Accountability Office.

Also, before you can use the Free File program, you start on the IRS website, from which you are redirected to use a private tax preparation companys software.

The IRS agreed in 2002 not to build free software that would compete with private, do-it-yourself tax software providers, as long as the industry participated in and offered a Free File option. TheIRS didnt pay the private providers, who were willing to offer Free File to prevent the IRS from creating a competing product. But at the same time, they are happy not to promote a service that they dont get paid for. In fact, they historically have made it very difficult to find Free File using a search engine.

When the IRS moved to negotiate for a different and presumably better taxpayer experience, the two largest private software companies opted out of the Free File program: H&R Block in 2020 and Intuit the maker of TurboTax software in 2021.

Before that, these companies in particular seemed to be conspiring to keep consumers from using the Free File program.

According to a ProPublica investigation and a lawsuit filed by the New York attorney general, Intuit purposefully hid the Free File function from search engines and tricked taxpayers into paying for TurboTax when they could have used the free option. ProPublica, an independent and nonprofit investigative journalism organization, worked on its story for years, explaining why households choose to pay for something that can be done for free.

H&R Block, another maker of tax preparation software, has also been accused of employing such strategies.

In May 2022, Intuit paid $141 million to settle the New York attorney generals lawsuit.

In 2019, Congress nearly passed a law forbidding the IRS from offering free online tax filing, something the tax software industry seems to want. Fortunately, that was blocked.

The Free File agreement between the IRS and the remaining private companies remains in place until October 2023, but the IRS now has the right to build and offer its own software for Free File. Hopefully, after October 2023, the IRS will create a free and simple way for the majority of filers to do their taxes. The IRS has reportedly allocated $15 million toward developing this program.

In a just world, the federal government would provide simple filers with a free and easy online eFile method that they can do in minutes, which would put companies like Intuit and H&R Block out of a big part of the do-it-yourself tax filing software market.

For people with multiple sources of income and business ownership, it makes sense to pay someone else to help navigate their tax complexity. If you own a business, you already cant use the existing Free File system. And you really shouldnt use a do-it-yourself system.

I am not a fan of do-it-yourself filing for my financial life, which is a bit complex. I have paid a tax preparer to do my household taxes since at least 1996, when I got my first real job.

MORE SMART MONEY: Taylor: Like a zombie, Texas corporate welfare threatens to rise from its grave and plague taxpayers

The most important reason to pay someone else is that few of us know enough about the intricacies of the federal income tax code to be sure we are taking every advantage we can, while still remaining safely on the side of legality and not running afoul of the IRS.

But for those in the simplest category of wage earners with few investment assets, it makes sense as a matter of principle that the federal government shouldprovide free do-it-yourself software.

Michael Taylor is author of The Financial Rules for New College Graduates and host of the podcast No Hill for a Climber.

michael@michaelthesmartmoney.com | twitter.com/michael_taylor

Link:
Taylor: Why the IRS doesn't offer its own free online tax software - San Antonio Express-News

i-Plantnutrition, a member of Yellow Brick AgTech, has made its fertilization software available for free to private growers, NGOs, and non-profit organizations. This decision comes after more than 12 years of commercial sales in over 72 countries, during which time the company has accumulated invaluable data to support the algorithm behind its fertilization recipes.

The i-Plantnutrition fertilization software is renowned for its accuracy and effectiveness, with growers using it to make informed decisions and reduce their fertilization use. The software's output is based on years of data that have been carefully analyzed to provide reliable and unbiased results.

Johnathan Kol-Bar, CEO of i-Plantnutrition, commented: "Recognizing the importance of sustainable agriculture practices, i-Plantnutrition has decided to make its software available to all growers for free. This move demonstrates the company's commitment to supporting sustainable farming practices and its dedication to ensuring that growers have access to the latest tools and technology. "

The decision to make the software free also ensures that good fertilization practices are not influenced by any fertilization company and that its fertilization recipes remain accurate and non-biased. This independence is crucial for growers who need reliable information to make informed decisions about their fertilizer use.

With this announcement, i-Plantnutrition is not only providing a valuable tool to growers but also encouraging the adoption of sustainable farming practices worldwide. By making the software available for free, the company is removing financial barriers that may have prevented some growers from accessing the software in the past.

The i-Plantnutrition fertilization software is a testament to the company's commitment to innovation and sustainability. The software's accuracy and effectiveness have helped growers around the world reduce their fertilizer use and improve their yields. Now, with the software available for free, more growers will be able to benefit from this valuable tool.

By providing this software, the company is helping growers to make more informed decisions about their fertilizer use, reducing their environmental impact and improving their yields. The i-Plantnutrition fertilization software is an example of the power of innovation and collaboration in promoting sustainable agriculture practices.

For more information:i-Plant Nutritionjohan@ybcap.comwww.i-plantnutrition.com

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i-Plantnutrition made its software available to all growers for free - hortidaily.com

While research shows that employee monitoring improves worker productivity, it can also be destructive when it comes to morale and company culture. No one wants to feel like they are being watched or are not trusted. Benefits of employee monitoring could include increased productivity, increased security and cost savings, downfalls can include employee frustration, increased turnover, ethical issues and potential legal issues.

With remote work becoming the norm rather than the exception, many companies want to ensure their employees are as productive working remotely as they are in the office. A few nontechnical ways to do that is to schedule weekly review meetings, create a healthy workforce culture with consistent open communication, focus on employees growth, incorporate positive feedback and create transparent feedback rituals.

To keep employee trust, companies that do elect to use employee monitoring software should be transparent with their employees about when, where, how and why they are being monitored. Companies should clearly state work expectations, have specific policies in place around employee monitoring, ensure employees are aware of these policies, only use their software in visible mode and be open to honest conversations with employees about any concerns that may arise.

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Best Employee Monitoring Software Of 2023 Forbes Advisor INDIA - Forbes