From June 1,
Home-Based Travel Agent, a respected industry publication, highlighted some of the findings of a recent PhoCusWright survey on the home based agent.Some of the findings:
- On average, you are selling in excess of $300,000 annually. Independent agents generate on average $350,000 in sales, while the hosted/agency-affiliated business averages $257,000.
- You can be divided into two camps: those of you who are totally independent (56 percent) and those of you who are affiliated with an agency or a host (44 percent).
I thought that it was interesting that Home-Based Agent pegs the "legitimate" home based market at 31,000 and this represents 28% of ALL agents. Apparently they are not counting the 100,000+ MLM agents as legitimate, which is a good thing. That puts the legitimate agent community at 110,750 agents with nearly 80,000 of them being brick and mortar.So, how does the average MLM agent stack up against the average home based agent. In one MLM firm, the average "agent" sold $3162 annually. The average legitimate home based agent affiliated with a host or agency sold $257,000. Put another way, every 4.5 days, a legitimate home based agent sells more than a MLM agent sells in a year.So, with all the money being made in MLM selling travel, there MUST be another source of income. Could it be recruiting? Because it certainly is NOT travel!
From June 1, Home-Based Travel Agent, a respected industry publication, highlighted some of the findings of a recent PhoCusWright survey on the home based agent.Some of the findings:
So at 10% an home based real agent makes $25,700 a year. And a YTB one makes $316.20. What a freaking joke! But we have all laughed at this before.
ReplyDeleteWait that's right they make so much recruiting--I believe YTB said the average was $like $300.00 a year.
Tax "advantages" aside, this program just sucks and the independent study by PhocusWright sort of proves it!
And to think Bill Alverson said Peter Stilphen was the xit on the ass of the travel industry!
The whole Alverson thing boggles the mind!
ReplyDeleteIt's not the income that the RTA's make it's the tax deductions they are taking. They are writing off little Jimmy's cruise because he is in the kids' program, they are writing off their wide screen TV's because they play a YTB dvd, they write off Viagara because hey sex helps stimulate recruiting. And on and on and on. They don't give a damn what they make. All they care about is the tax write off.
ReplyDeleteIf YTB is promoting tax advantages, they should be very careful. The IRS allows tax write-offs only to a legitimate business venture, not to a "hobby". There is a technical definition to what is not a "hobby" with the requirement of a profit. Otherwise, those deductions do not hold. Once enough YTB'ers claim deductions for their non-existant business, the IRS will be involved.
ReplyDeleteNote that the requirement of a profit is over a period of 5 years. This means most YTB'ers will have burned out and left the system before it becomes an individual problem for them. The problems will be left to the corporate office for promoting sham benefits.
ReplyDelete"If YTB is promoting tax advantages, they should be very careful. The IRS allows tax write-offs only to a legitimate business venture, not to a "hobby". There is a technical definition to what is not a "hobby" with the requirement of a profit. Otherwise, those deductions do not hold. Once enough YTB'ers claim deductions for their non-existant business, the IRS will be involved."
ReplyDeleteHey Anonymous where have you been? They constantly promote the tax deductions. Travel for free and hey get a tax deductions. You need to read this blog more. Thread on here earlier this week on what they are all taking for tax deductions. Blows ones mind. Doug took his family on a cruise and wrote them all off. He put Doug Jr. in the kids club, wrote Junior off on the first hand experience and invaluable crap. Rod admitted writing off his TV and on and on. They write off everything.
If you want a real eye opener google YTB or go to craigslist under travel and see their spiels. And, they wonder why we are all upset? Gee whiz prostituting the industry for tax deductions. And, then there is Coach unleashing a bunch of untrained, uneducated RTA's on the world.
As to the IRS you want to turn them in be my guest.
http://www.irs.gov/compliance/enforcement/article/0,,id=121259,00.html
By the time the IRS investigates the RAT will be long gone....
What a yawner of a week on the anti-YTB blog.
ReplyDeleteTough to continue to come up with new material.
John tries, though, as he is the anti-YTB whor of the internet.
He pops up all over the place as he spends his "2-3 hours per week" (right) rallying the TTA troops against YTB.
And the understanding of home business tax law is laughable.
Most at home TTA are full-time and sit behind their desk all day.
Real impressive with the $25,000.
YTB RTAs are part-time.
The tax advantages average $5000 per year.
On our Team it is higher.
Add in travel commissions and some marketing commissions and it makes sense for $600 per year.
And many get a marketing bonus of $50 per month because they have referred 6 RTAs.
We pursue a profit and keep excellent records.
It all works well . . . and continues to confound the TTAs.
YTB and TRAVEL: A Great Mix!
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=172833,00.html
ReplyDeleteAn activity is usually considered a business if it makes a profit during at least three of the last five tax years, including the current year.
If you are conducting a trade or business you may deduct your ordinary and necessary expenses.
Losses from a not-for-profit activity (hobby) may not be used to offset other income.
Check mate
ReplyDeleteSorry, Charlie.
ReplyDeleteSpend some time reading a book by Sandy Botkin . . . "Lower Your Taxes Bigtime".
Sandy is a former IRS Counsel, Lawyer and CPA.
You can find it at any Barnes and Noble or Borders.
He understands and teaches home business tax law.
Pursuit of a profit is the key.
And keeping accurate records.
A recent court ruling with the IRS ruled in favor of a couple with a home business.
They were working their business in pursuit of a profit 45 minutes a day, 4 to 5 days a week.
And they won the case.
Check mate.
YTB and TRAVEL: A Great Mix!
"Real impressive with the $25,000."
ReplyDeleteTry 100k you twit. You people know nothing about the travel business....
The average at home TTA makes 100k?
ReplyDelete$257,000 at 10% . . .
Try 25.7k you twit. You people know nothing about math . . .
YTB and TRAVEL: A Great Mix!
"The average at home TTA makes 100k?
ReplyDelete$257,000 at 10% . . ."
I did not say the average made that you twit. Again, you can't read. I said I made it. And, I billed way more than $257,000 at higher than 10% commission plus over rides. Again, you know nothing of the business. It's not unheard of for TTA's to make 6 figures especially those in corporate and high end leisure.
Again, you know nothing of the travel industry nor can you read.
Travel and YTB and absurd Mix.
OK, you twit.
ReplyDeleteI made $67,000 part-time with YTB last year.
Part time, you twit.
Along with my traditional company where I made 189k.
It's not unheard of for YTB Directors to make 6 figures . . . many 7 figures.
I love this business.
And I love to read your complaints.
YTB and TRAVEL: A GREAT Mix!
CONGRATULATIONS! I will not call you a liar and will take you at your word.
ReplyDeleteBut I do want to point out that your are 1 out of the 163 who earned more than $20K with YTB last year.
You are at the top of your class in the top 0.0534%. However, this bell curve is very skewed as the 99.64% of people in YTB earned less than $1850 last year and 95.64% earned less than $100.
Does your boss at your Just Over Broke know you spend so much time on here? I might expect more form an employee that I was paying $189K
JF -
ReplyDeleteI am on vacation.
I average 5 posts per week.
I am an independent contractor with my other company, so I am the boss.
Good try on the 1 out of 163.
Many of the Coach's Corner RTAs made over 20K last year and their were 931 of those total.
All but one of the Directors made over 20K.
One shows up as 12K, but had not received the 24K profit sharing yet.
There are now over 1300 on Coach's Corner.
And we are just getting started.
I will address your how you use the 302K reps at another time.
Yes there were 302K on the books, but certainly not an accurate indication of things presently with YTB.
I am on vacation and have to tend to the grill.
YTB and TRAVEL: A Great Mix!
We have hashed this before. The Coach's Corner members ranged from $497 to $218K for the year. The AVERAGE was $20K. Care to dispute that? And yes there were 931 of them.
ReplyDeleteOf all directors, the earnings ranged from $12K to $4.9M with the average $276K.
The 163 directors earned a collective $45 million dollars of the $80.5 million paid out in commissions for marketing. That leaves 304,892 Reps to split the remaining $35,533,372. Or an average of $116.54.
Well you will say that YTB did not have 305K reps. But that number sounds good doesn't it? Wink wink!
OK so let's go with the ones that earned ANY money. That number includes directors and so forth and is 44,926. So when you take out the people at the top of the pyramid (directors) that leaves 44,790 people to split $35,533,372...or a whopping $793 for an annual income.
Regardless of what number you use, the directors--the ones making any money represent less than 1% of the eligible people.
And this system is designed to be a success for everyone? My ass!
"But I do want to point out that your are 1 out of the 163 who earned more than $20K with YTB last year."
ReplyDeleteYour comment above . . . is absolutely incorrect.
More than 163 earned over $20K.
Case closed.
Or are we working with your math from a few days ago . . .
When you erroneously posted that FINALLY ONE REP HAD EARNED THE FAST START BONUS.
When in fact, FIVE HAD EARNED IT.
And the FIRST was weeks before.
But the FACTS did not matter to you as you would not correct your post.
It made for a good entry for the day and you would not let the FACTS get in the way.
It fit your anti-YTB template.
Like I said, we will discuss the 305K Reps another time.
When others might have a chance to read it.
YTB and TRAVEL: A Great Mix!
YTB and TRAVEL - You sure have a lot of free time to post so much. What do you do for a living? If it's YTB full time, you must not spend much time at it. Maybe that's why you only make $120 per year.
ReplyDeleteIf the case is closed prove it. Let me see a statement from YTB. The last one i saw indicated otherwise!
ReplyDeleteJohn said...If the case is closed prove it. Let me see a statement from YTB. The last one i saw indicated otherwise!
ReplyDeleteThat is the last you'll hear on that subject. Once you show proof or claim otherwise and the YTB idiots can't post the proof, they move on to the next subject. It's a gift they have.
It has been proven that Mr. Frenaye is math-challenged.
ReplyDeleteHe cherry-picks and, when, confronted with the truth, goes and hides out.
Notice that he conveniently moved right past the issue about YTB's Fast Start Program that I reminded him of today.
He was totally wrong on his entry for that day with his claim.
Finally responds after numerous challenges.
And his flippant response was buried down in the comment section a couple of days later.
Rather than admitting that his post was patently wrong.
That's what I am here for.
To dispute his incorrect claims about YTB.
To use the above words . . . "That is the last time you'll hear from JF on that subject. Once you show proof or claim otherwise and John Frenaye can't post the truth, he moves on to the next subject. It's a gift he has".
Thanks, anonymous . . . Couldn't have said it better myself!
YTB and TRAVEL: A Great Mix!
YTB and
Well, at least you are being truthful and admitting that you are not in YTB to sell travel!
ReplyDeleteYTB and TRAVEL said....He cherry-picks and, when, confronted with the truth, goes and hides out.
ReplyDeleteThis coming from a person that refuses to give out location, name, website, anything. What a loser.
That's "looser" to you!
ReplyDelete"This coming from a person that refuses to give out location, name, website, anything. What a loser."
ReplyDeleteFamous words from an anonymous poster.
YTB and TRAVEL: A Great Mix!
YTB and TRAVEL said....Famous words from an anonymous poster.
ReplyDeleteAsk me. I will give you my name, address, and phone number in exchange for yours.
Mix you are so full of crap it isn't funny. No way do you make what you claim. Ten to one you are some nerd who has no friends, no life, no job other than YTB and no grill.
ReplyDelete