Associated Press reporter Mark Jewell, in writing about the study, said that if you add up all the duties that a typical mom performs … housekeeping, day care, van driving, counseling … she would collect a six-figure salary.

Some stay-at-home moms might say that’s a little low.

The biggest factor in calculating the salary was overtime pay for working more than a 40-hour week. The 18,000 moms in the survey said their typical week included 94.4 hours of work.

Telephone tax rebate

The IRS is reporting that less than 6 percent of business taxpayers have made claims for the Telephone Excise Tax Refund. The refund is estimated to affect as many as 15.9 million businesses. But only 720,000 of the 12.8 million that filed 2007 tax returns made phone tax refund claims totaling $876.6 million. That’s a small portion of the $5 billion collected and now available for refund.

In 2006, after the government lost several lawsuits, it announced it would stop collecting the tax and implement the refund program. To find out more, go to http://www.irs.gov or http://www.treas.gov/tigta/.

Telecom merger benefits?

A major telecom merger announced last week could bring more high-speed Internet offerings to Southwest Washington. Clearwire and Sprint Nextel say they will combine their wireless broadband units to create a $14.55 billion communications company to deploy a mobile data network based on WiMax technology. Columbian business reporter Courtney Sherwood says Clearwire is in the process of placing wireless antennas around Clark County. Once its network is complete, it will be able to provide over-the-air high-speed Internet access, in competition with local companies such as Infinity Internet and Air Speed Wireless.

Bean counter bands

Five amateur rock bands all formed by accountants will be performing Saturday in Seattle to raise money for scholarships. Band names? Bubba and the Bean Counters, Lien on Me, Terminal Liability, Age Gone Bad, and Disregarded Entity. All are members of the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants.

60 & Single blog update

Thanks go out to Angie and to Betty for comments last week on my new 60 & Single blog. Angie is asking if there are others who might be interested in starting a 60 & Single Investment Club. Betty suggested that Columbian business section columnist Malcolm Berko offers investment advice for stocks with good dividend yields.

Other 60 & Single blog topics: Shopping with coupons, best advice about financial planning and getting out of credit card debt. Join the discussion at http://www.columbian.com/business/60andsingleblog/

Julia Anderson is The Columbian’s business editor. Reach her at 360-759-8071, or julia.anderson@columbian.com.