advancedtaxsolutions

October 2021 Client Update Newsletter

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 14:07:18 GMT

W ith the 2021 tax filing season just a few months away from starting, the IRS is warning taxpayers to be on the lookout for signs that your identity has been stolen. This month’s newsletter alerts you to some of the common signs of identity theft and what you can do if you discover that you’re an identity theft victim.

Also in this month’s edition, learn about a bank secret that can be yours, tips for dealing with common accounts payable problems in your business, and the story of a Tweet worth $2.9 million!

Please call if you would like to discuss how this information could impact your situation. If you know someone who could benefit from this newsletter, feel free to send it to them.

IRS Warns of Identity Theft Signs

With identity thieves continuing to target the tax community, the IRS is urging you to learn the new signs of identity theft so you can react quickly to limit any damage.

The common signs of ID theft

Here are some of the common signs of identity theft according to the IRS:

In early 2022, you receive a refund before filing your 2021 tax return.
You receive a tax transcript you didn’t request from the IRS.
A notice that someone created an IRS online account without your consent.
You find out that more than one tax return was filed using your Social Security Number.
You receive tax documents from an employer you do not know.

Other signs of identity theft include:

Unexplained withdrawals on bank statements.
Mysterious credit card charges.
Your credit report shows accounts you didn’t open.
You are billed for services you didn’t use or receive calls about phantom debts.

What you can do

If you discover that you’re a victim of identity theft, consider taking the following action:

Notify creditors and banks. Most credit card companies offer protections to cardholders affected by ID theft. Generally, you can avoid liability for unauthorized charges exceeding $50. But if your ATM or debit card is stolen, report the theft immediately to avoid dire consequences.
Place a fraud alert on your credit report. To avoid long-lasting impact, contact any one of the three major credit reporting agencies—Equifax, Experian or TransUnion—to request a fraud alert. This covers all three of your credit files.
Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Visit identitytheft.gov or call 877-438-4338. The FTC will provide a recovery plan and offer updates if you set up an account on the website.
Please call if you suspect any tax-related identity theft. If any of the previously mentioned signs of tax-related identity theft have happened to you, please call to schedule an appointment to discuss next steps.

This Bank Secret Can Be Yours

Know the way loans work...and use it to your advantage!

Every banker knows that the majority of the money they make on a loan is made in the first few years of the loan. By understanding this fact, you can greatly reduce the amount you pay when buying your house, paying off your student loan, or buying a car. Here is what you need to know:

Your payment never changes

When you obtain a loan, the components of that loan are interest, the number of years to repay the loan, the amount borrowed, and the monthly payment. Assuming a fixed rate note, the payment never changes. Here is an example of a $250,000 loan.

It is important to note that your payment in month one is $1,158 and your monthly payment thirty years later is the same amount...$1,158.

Each payment has two parts

What does change every month is what is inside each payment. Every loan payment has two parts. One is a payment that reduces the amount of money you owe, called principal. The other part of the payment is for the bank, called interest expense. Now look at the component parts of the first payment and then the last payment:

So while your monthly payment never changes, the amount used to reduce the loan each month varies DRAMATICALLY. Remember your total cost of borrowing $250,000 includes more than $166,000 in interest!

Use the knowledge to your advantage

Here’s how you can use this information to your advantage.

For new loans

Only sign up for loans that allow you to make pre-payments without penalty.
When borrowing money, keep some of your cash in reserve. Try to reserve a minimum of 10 to 20 percent of the amount borrowed. So in this example, try to reserve $25,000 to $50,000 in cash.
Immediately after getting the loan, consider using the excess cash as a pre-payment on the note. By doing this you can dramatically reduce the interest expense over the life of the note, all while keeping your payment constant. Even though your monthly payment may be a little higher, the extra payment amount will pay back the loan more quickly.

For existing loans

Create and look at your loan’s amortization table. This table shows how much of each payment is used to pay down the loan balance and how much goes to your lender as interest. In the above example, 67 percent of the first payment is for the bank, while only ½ of 1 percent of the last payment is for the bank.
Pay more to you than the bank. Aggressively prepay down any loan until more of each payment goes to you versus the bank. This is the crossover point of your loan.
Find your sweet spot. After hitting the crossover point, next consider the efficiency of each prepayment and determine when you consider your prepayment ineffective. No one would consider prepaying that last payment when interest expense is only $4.00. But if more than 25% of the payment goes to interest? Keep making prepayments.

Final thought

When you make a prepayment on a loan, reduce the loan balance by your prepayment, then look at the amortization table. See how many payments are eliminated with your prepayment and add up all the interest you save. You will be amazed by the result.

Tips For Dealing With Common Accounts Payable Problems

The accounts payable process is typically very labor-intensive for many small business owners. While moving to a paperless environment may help alleviate some of your accounts payable headaches, there will be new problems you’ll have to successfully navigate.

Here are some of the most encountered accounts payable problems and several solutions to consider.

Common problems with accounts payable

Double payment. A vendor sends you an invoice for $100. Your company promptly pays this vendor $100, but a short time later another payment for $100 goes out to the vendor. Sometimes this can be the fault of the vendor sending an invoice in different ways (i.e. via fax and e-mail). Or the vendor moves to digital invoicing and emails more than one person in your company, effectively duplicating the invoice electronically. Or even worse, you print out a digital invoice twice.
Vanishing invoices. Your company could get an invoice from a vendor and have that invoice get misplaced, or the invoice accidentally gets destroyed before ever making it into your A/P system. With digital invoices, how do you know which one is the original and which one is a duplicate?
Sending payment prior to delivery. There are sometimes benefits to paying an invoice as soon as possible. However, if your company pays an invoice before a shipment arrives, that could lead to an awkward conversation with your vendor if any of the shipment arrives with damaged or missing items.
Matching errors. A manual investigation is often required if a discrepancy is discovered between purchase orders, invoices and other documents. This often happens when multiple invoices are paid with one check, and the breakout of the invoices does not fit on the check stub or other payment documentation. It gets more complicated if your supplier applies payments haphazardly creating a past due account, all while you continue to pay the bills.

What you can do

Update your internal controls. Have your A/P team help update internal processes and document how invoices should be handled. Pay special attention to separation of duties and full use of purchase orders to ensure invoices are accurate.
Have one inbox for A/P. All e-mails with invoices should go to one inbox. This will help reduce the chances that an invoice will be received or paid twice. Limit access to this billing address.
Limit access to cash accounts. It’s more important than ever for someone without authorization to your company’s cash accounts to review bank reconciliations. Not only will this help to potentially uncover erroneous payments, but it could also help to uncover potential fraud that is occurring in your company.
Track key performance indicators. Create a report each month of all unpaid invoices and another report that shows payments made. Explore bank security features to identify duplicate payments and allows you to control checks that are confirmed for payment. Use your accounting software to help identify duplicate dollar amounts and duplicate invoice numbers.
Be cautious with ACH. Giving a vendor automatic access to your firm's checking account needs to be tightly controlled. Explore ways to ensure you are reviewing these auto payments on a timely basis and that you are receiving supporting invoicing of these payments.

Please call if you have any questions about improving your business’s accounts payable process.

The Tweet Worth $2.9 Million!

The collectibles industry used to be defined by classic keepsakes such as stamps, coins, and trading cards. Today, a new kind of collectible called non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has exploded in popularity. From music to digital game pieces, NFTs are digital assets that sometimes sell for millions of dollars. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey sold his first-ever Tweet as an NFT for $2.9 million!

But is there any substance behind the hype? And what does it mean for you?

Understanding NFTs

NFTs offer a blockchain-created certificate of authenticity for any digital asset. This asset can be a piece of music, a token for a popular game, or a piece of digital art. To understand an NFT, consider its components:

Non-Fungible...Where cryptocurrency like a Bitcoin is designed to be readily tradable (fungible), non-fungible is just the opposite. There is one and only one of it.

Token...In this case the non-fungible identification is attached to a specific digital asset or token.

Therefore, each NFT is unique and can readily solve the problem of users creating multiple copies of a digital asset. In effect, Jack Dorsey's original tweet cannot be copied or duplicated because of NFT technology!

Why NFTs are popular

Traditional artists rely on auction houses and galleries to sell their work. These galleries and auction houses authenticate the work as original. Now artists can sell digital works at the same prices as rare works of art by using NFTs to do the authentication work for them. It is so popular now that even companies are getting in on the action. For example, a Charmin digital brand was auctioned off to raise funds for charity.

Why some NFTs are so expensive

Just like physical collectibles, there’s a market for NFTs. Current NFT buyers tend to be tech workers and entrepreneurs who understand the intricacies of purchasing digital goods. Artists are also dipping their toe into the NFT waters. For instance, superstar artists like King of Leon and Steve Aoki have sold NFTs for millions of dollars. Just imagine if your favorite musician decided to record an exclusive piece of music and then only sell 100 copies of the song. How much would you pay?

What you need to know

Here’s what you need to know about getting involved with NFTs:

Large cash outlay not necessary to invest. There are multiple NFT marketplaces where you can get involved as a buyer without getting into 5- and 6-figure bidding battles. Some of the more popular marketplaces are Opensea, Rarible, SuperRare and Nifty Gateway.
Beware of fees to create NFTs. If you want to create your own NFT, you’ll likely spend hundreds of dollars in various fees to make your own tokens. If you end up selling your tokens, you may be able to cover the cost of these initial fees. If you struggle to sell your tokens, however, you’ll end up eating the cost of creating the tokens.
Do your research. Since NFTs are so new, there isn’t a lot of history to judge its performance. As with any investment, you could either make a fortune, lose everything you invested, or end up somewhere in between. And these digital assets are treated just like other property, so you would pay capital gains taxes if you sold an NFT at a profit.
NFTs require power. NFTs use blockchain technology. Blockchain technology requires power. Lots of it. There is growing concern on the energy usage for this new digital marketplace and whether it is sustainable.

Because NFTs are becoming so popular, so fast, many experts are leery of what the world of NFTs will look like in the future. Regulation is currently lacking, and legal precedence is unclear. While blockchain technology can verify your purchase, does owning the NFT of something really mean you own the asset? Will NFTs stand up in court? These are some of the questions being asked without concrete answers.

As always, should you have any questions or concerns regarding your tax situation please feel free to call.

September 2021 Client Update Newsletter

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 19:35:35 GMT

With a little over four months remaining until you can begin filing your 2021 tax return, now’s the time to kick your tax planning into high gear. Also read about several tips to protect your property BEFORE thieves arrive, how to give your business a financial check-up, and becoming aware that inflation is with us and what you can do about it.

Please call if you would like to discuss how this information could impact your situation. If you know someone who could benefit from this newsletter, feel free to send it to them.

Time to Schedule Your Tax Planning Session

Now is the time to schedule a tax planning appointment. If you are on the fence, here are some things to consider:

It can make a difference. This is especially true if you have a major event that occurs during the year. For example:
Selling a house? You can avoid taxes if primary residence requirements are met.
Starting a business? Choosing the correct entity can lower your taxes every year!
Getting ready to retire? Properly balancing the different revenue streams (part-time wages, Social Security benefits, IRA distributions and more) has a huge impact on your tax liability.

Even in uneventful years, external forces like new tax laws can be managed if planned for in advance.

Put yourself in control. Timing is important when it comes to minimizing taxes, and the timing is often in your control. For instance, bundling multiple years of charitable contributions into one year can create an opportunity to itemize deductions. Plus holding investments for longer than one year to get a lower tax rate, and making efficient retirement withdrawals are other examples of prudent tax strategies that you control.

There are tax planning opportunities for every level of income. There are tax strategies to be implemented at all income levels, not just those at the top of the tax bracket. Tax deductions are available for student loan interest, IRA contributions and others even if you claim the standard deduction. Certain tax credits (called refundable credits) will increase your refund even if you don’t owe taxes. Missing any of these tax breaks can unnecessarily increase your taxes.

There may still be COVID tax breaks. While it’s true that many one-time tax breaks were offered for only the 2020 tax year, there are still plenty of COVID tax breaks available in 2021. Some of these tax breaks include an expanded child tax credit, an increased child and dependent care credit, the ability to roll forward unused funds in your Flexible Spending Account and charitable deductions that are available to all taxpayers, even if you don’t itemize your deductions.

You have help. Tax planning is often as simple as looking for ways to reduce taxable income, delay a tax bill, increase tax deductions, and take advantage of all available tax credits. The best place to start is to bolster your level of tax knowledge by picking up the phone and asking for assistance.

Thankfully, it’s not too late to get on track for 2021. If you haven’t scheduled a tax planning session, now is a great time to do so.

Protect Your Valuables BEFORE Thieves Arrive

If you are concerned about protecting your valuables, here are several suggestions to consider for protecting them from would-be thieves:

Rent a safe deposit box. It may make sense to keep seldom worn jewelry, coins and other important documents in a traditional safe deposit box at your local bank. But beware if you go this route, as it is often inconvenient to retrieve your valuables, it is easy to forget what is in the box and who has the key. Plus it’s important to fully understand your rights under the contract terms.
Install a home safe. There are several types of in-home safes you can choose from, including wall, floor, free standing, fire and gun safes. There are also diversion safes for small items that are designed to look like everyday household objects that can blend in with its surroundings.
Secure your house. In addition to installing a state-of-the-art home security system, there are several other ways to physically secure your home. Consider updating your locks every several years, and remember to actually use them! Many burglars are looking for easy targets, and unlocked doors and windows provide easy access. Also consider reinforcing your doors and windows, and installing motion-sensing lights both inside and outside.

Be prepared if a theft does occur

Unfortunately, thieves can still sometimes steal your valuables despite multiple layers of protection. Here are some suggestions to prepare you if any of your valuables go missing:

Be familiar with your insurance policy. Read your insurance policy to know what items are covered. Review your policy once a year or whenever you acquire another valuable asset.
Get an appraisal. It may be difficult to know how much insurance you need without a proper valuation of your assets. Some assets may be worth much more than you think, while other assets may be difficult to pinpoint a value without professional assistance.
Keep a home inventory. Create a list of all your valuables that includes photographs and purchase receipts. If an asset is stolen, having this inventory always up-to-date can help quickly jump-start filing an insurance claim.

Give Your Business an End-of-Summer Check-up

As summer winds down, your business’s financial statements may be due for a quick check-up. Here are several review suggestions to help determine the health of your business prior to year end.

Balance sheet reconciliations. Reconcile each asset and liability account every quarter. A well-supported balance sheet can guide decisions about cash reserves, debt financing, inventory management, receivables, payables, and property. Regular monitoring can highlight vulnerabilities, providing time for corrective action.
Debt service coverage. Do you have enough cash to adequately handle principal and interest payments? Calculate your cash flow to ensure you can handle both current and future monthly loan payments.
Projected revenue. Take a look at your income statements and see how your revenue has performed so far this year versus what you thought your revenue was going to be. If revenue varies from what you expect, get with your sales and marketing team to pinpoint what has gone better, or worse, than expected.
Projected expenses. Put a stop to disappearing cash by conducting a variance analysis of your expenses. What did you expect to spend so far in 2021 on salaries and wages compared to what you actually paid your employees? What about other big expenses like rent or insurance? Take the amount of money actually spent so far in 2021 in each of your major expense accounts and compare it to your spending forecast. Then create an updated forecast for the balance of the year.

A review of your financial statements now will help you be prepared if you need to navigate an obstacle or capitalize on potential opportunities to expand your business.

Please call if you have any questions on how to dig deeper in your analysis of your business’s financial statements.

It's BACK! Inflation is Among Us

Recent high inflation rates are driving up the price for almost everything and eroding the value of your money. With varying opinions on the potential duration of the current inflation surge, it’s important to understand the causes and how you can protect your money.

Possible causes of this inflation

While the root causes of inflation are not always easy to identify, the premise is simple – prices are going up for goods and services. This is often because demand is higher than supply. Here are some of the basic drivers of today's inflation.

The demand-pull situation. Demand for a product increases but the supply remains the same. Think of a vendor selling ponchos at a state fair. If it rains, demand is going to spike and fair-goers are willing to pay up to keep dry. This situation is rampant during the pandemic, as we all see runs on things like toilet paper and hand sanitizer. And now we are seeing pent-up demand being released, as some of the pandemic restrictions are eased. An example of this is popular vacation locations being all booked in advance.

The cost-push situation. Demand stays constant but supply is reduced. An example of this is a lower-yield crop season when a major drought hits a region. Consumers still want their dinner salads, but lettuce is sparse. So retailers charge more to cover their increased costs. Or when paper mills switched production to handle higher toilet paper demand, pulp used for paper and packaging had supply reductions creating a shortage which increased their prices.

Factoring in the money supply. The more money there is available to spend (high money supply), the more the demand on all goods and services goes up. This is being manifested in wage increases as employers are having a hard time filling jobs and is also the result of many of the government spending programs during the pandemic.

Ideas to protect yourself during high inflation

Alternative savings that is NOT cash. The value of your money sitting in your wallet or in low interest bank accounts is shrinking before your eyes. The past year has seen the highest inflation rates in the last decade at 5.4%, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). That means if your savings account is earning 0.6%, you've lost 4.8% in purchasing power over the last 12 months. Get your money to work for you by considering:
Low risk, dividend-paying stocks
CDs, bonds and other investments with various maturities to prepare for higher rates
Direct lending vehicles through vetted, respected facilitators
Investing directly in property, small businesses or other tangible assets
Invest in yourself to learn a new trade or skill

Lock in fixed rates on debt. Inflation can be your friend if you have a low interest, fixed-rate loan. For example, inflation will tend to increase the value of your house over time, yet your monthly payment will remain the same. So borrowing money at a low fixed interest rate, while the underlying property value increases with inflation, can be a strategy to consider.

Delay large expenditures. Do your part to reduce demand by postponing large purchases. Consider delaying the purchase of a new car, adding to your home or taking an overseas trip until demand flattens and prices come back to a normal rate.

It’s impossible to avoid the effects of high inflation altogether, but with some smart investing and the will-power to temporarily curb spending, you can reduce inflation’s impact on your personal bottom line.

August 2021 Client Update Newsletter

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 19:29:58 GMT

Summertime means the 2020 tax filing season is firmly in the rearview mirror for millions of Americans!

This year, summer also means more money for you thanks to the child tax credit advance payments. Find out what you need to know about these payments in this month’s newsletter.

Also read about how to maximize your vehicle expense deduction if you’re a business owner, several things to consider when looking for your next banking relationship, and how to protect your privacy from companies spying on your every move.

Please call if you would like to discuss how this information could impact your situation. If you know someone who could benefit from this newsletter, feel free to send it to them.

Get Your Child Tax Credit Payments NOW!

The first advance payment from the newly expanded child tax credit was recently sent out by the IRS. Payments are scheduled to be made on the 15th of each month through December. Here’s what you need to know about the child tax credit and the advance payments.

Background

For the 2021 tax year, an expanded child tax credit reduces your tax bill by $3,600 if you have a qualifying child that’s age 5 or under, or by $3,000 if you have a qualifying child from age 6 to 17.

If the total amount of the child tax credit for your family exceeds the total taxes you owe, you’ll receive the amount of the credit as a refund.

Child tax credit advance payments

Instead of waiting to file your tax return to receive the entire amount of your child tax credit, the IRS is directed by Congress to send 50% of the credit to you in six monthly payments beginning in July 2021.

For example, say you have three kids, ages 10, 12 and 16. Also assume your income is not too high and your children meet the IRS definition of a qualifying child. Instead of waiting until 2022 when you file your 2021 tax return to receive the entire $9,000 child tax credit, you can get paid half of the child tax credit amount, or $4,500, in 2021.

The advance payments began July 15 and continue for six months until December 15. The family in this example would receive six payments of $750 starting July 15, for a total of $4,500.

What you need to know:

The monthly payments are automatic.

You’ll automatically receive advance payments if:

You filed a 2019 or 2020 tax return and claimed the credit, OR
You gave information in 2020 to receive the Economic Impact Payment using the IRS non-filer tool, AND
The IRS thinks you are eligible, AND
You did not opt-out of the early payments.

Register with the IRS. If you didn’t file a 2019 or 2020 tax return but are otherwise eligible for the child tax credit, you’ll need to register with the IRS to receive the child tax credit. Click here to visit the IRS website to find out if you need to register.

Consider if you should opt out of the advance payments. Getting half of your child tax credit ahead of time may not be the right move for everyone. For example, if your 2021 income ends up higher than expected, you may need to pay back the advance payments when you file your tax return. To opt out, click here to visit the IRS’s child tax credit update portal.

Make the Most of Your Vehicle Expense Deduction

Tracking your miles whenever you drive somewhere for your business can get pretty tedious, but remember that properly tracking your vehicle expenses and miles driven can lead to a significant reduction in your taxes.

Here are some tips to make the most of your vehicle expense deduction.

Keep track of both mileage and actual expenses. The IRS generally lets you use one of two different methods to track vehicle expenses – the standard mileage rate method or the actual expense method. One year the mileage method may result in a higher deduction, while the actual expense method may be higher in a subsequent year. But you won’t know which method results in a higher deduction unless you track both your mileage and actual expenses.

Consider using standard mileage the first year a vehicle is in service. If you use standard mileage the first year your car is placed in service, you can then choose which expense tracking method to use in subsequent years. If you initially use the actual expense method the first year your car is placed in service, you’re locked in to using actual expenses for the duration of using that car in your business. For a car you lease, you must use the standard mileage rate method for the entire lease period (including renewals) if you choose the standard mileage rate the first year.

Don’t forget about depreciation! Depreciation can significantly increase your deduction if you use the actual expense method. For heavy SUVs, trucks, and vans with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating above 6,000 pounds, 100% bonus depreciation is available through the end of the 2022 tax year if the vehicle is used more than 50% for business purposes. Regular depreciation is available for vehicles under 6,000 pounds with annual limits applied.

Don’t slack on recordkeeping. The IRS mandates that you track your vehicle expenses as they happen (this is called contemporaneous recordkeeping). You’re not allowed to wait until right before filing your tax return to compile all the necessary information needed to claim a vehicle deduction. Whether it’s a physical notebook you stick in your glove compartment or a mobile phone app, pick a method to track your mileage and actual expenses that’s most convenient for you.

Please call if you have any questions about maximizing your business’s vehicle expense deduction.

I See Where You Go and What You Do

Companies are following your every move. When you have a cell phone, they are tracking what apps you use, where you go, who you talk to and more! Other smart devices listen to your conversations in your home, keep track of what you view on your TV, and report where you visit and what routes you take to get there. Even worse, the more you share the greater the chance a hacker gets this information.

Consider these tips to more actively protect yourself and your information.

The power of the opt out

Apple recently introduced an opt out feature on their iPhones. Historically, when you download a new app onto an iPhone, you have to manually opt out of sharing your device’s data. Now when you download a new app on your iPhone, you’ll be asked whether you want to opt in and allow the app to have access to your information.

So if you are an iPhone user, start with the opt out and then deliberately select who you wish to give access to your information. And opt out does not have to be global. For instance, a direction function needs your location when you use it. But it does not need to be turned on all the time.

Actions:

Leave opt-out as default on iPhones and set default to opt-out on other mobile phone brands.
Review all apps and turn off tracking and data sharing.
Actively turn off your phone if you do not wish to be tracked.
Review all smart devices and select your opt out options. Include TVs and personal assistants in your review.

Protect your web browsing

Companies love to keep tabs on your browsing habits. And it is not just limited to their own sites. They might spy on ALL your activity. They see every website you visit, monitor all your clicks, and track all social media likes and videos you view. They then use this information to determine what you see and read. In short, they control your world view, both in content and in what ads you see.

Actions:

Actively use ad blockers such as AdBlock and uBlock.
Turn off cookies and periodically empty your cache.
Avoid downloading any and all extensions unless absolutely required.

Use best data protection practices

As the internet and smart devices evolve, so do the thieves that wish to steal your identity and your financial resources. So keep up-to-date on best data protection practices.

Actions:

Vary passwords and user IDs. Keep track of them outside of your computer.
Keep operating systems and software up-to-date.
Encrypt your emails and computer hard drive.
Keep banking information off your cell phone.
Back up all your devices remotely.
Use current antivirus software.
Monitor your credit reports for any suspicious activity.
Confirm before opening suspicious emails or attachments.

Most importantly, stay informed. In the end, the burden of protecting your data always falls on you.

Get the Best Bank for Your Buck

A checking account at one bank is the same as a checking account at another bank, right? Well, maybe not. In fact, according to the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study, now 41% of people do all their banking online. This is a pretty big shift from traditional banking.

After reviewing the financial strength of a bank, here are several other things to consider as you decide what's really most important to you in selecting a bank.

The online bank versus nearby location

While having a nearby brick and mortar location is important to many banking consumers, you might find better interest rates with an online-only bank because they don’t spend lots of money to maintain physical branches. As people switch to taking care of all their basic banking transactions online, one of the reasons to visit your local bank branch is to talk with a banker. If you believe you’d benefit from such discussion, make sure the online bank you’re considering will facilitate that for you.

Understand key bank fees

In addition to charging loan fees when they lend out money, banks bring in much of their revenue by charging fees on your deposit accounts. You’ll have a much more positive experience by ensuring your bank's fees don’t outweigh the benefits of the account you’re considering. Here are three key fees to understand:

Monthly maintenance fees. This is a monthly fee a bank charges on an account. Understand how yours works. Banks will waive these fees if your account is above a certain balance. Others waive the fees if you behave in a way they want you to behave. For instance, if you use a debit card versus writing a paper check. Others want you to make direct deposits. Still others want you to use their bill pay service. Understand this fee class and determine if you can abide by the terms your bank sets for them.
Overdraft fees. These fees are charged to a checking account if you attempt to buy something but don’t have enough money in your account. There are a variety of ways to avoid overdraft fees, such as signing up for a protection program or linking your savings account to automatically pay the rest of the bill. Take the time to understand your bank's options to avoid overdrafts and the cost associated with them.
ATM fees. Some ATMs require you to pay money to use their machines, especially if the ATM you’re using isn’t in your bank’s network. Don’t overlook the opportunity to save money by ensuring that the bank you’re considering supplies ATMs in your area so you won’t have to pay a fee every time you need to use an ATM.

Other banking tools

Banks often provide tools to help you budget your daily and monthly expenses. Many offer free credit scores and credit monitoring. Others offer automatic transfers into a savings account. Still others offer the ability to open multiple savings accounts and label each account for different purposes.

Keep these tips in mind the next time you need to choose a new bank. With many different banks to choose from, a little research can ensure the bank you choose fits your financial needs and priorities.

July 2021 Client Update Newsletter

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 19:19:07 GMT

Now that 2021 is more than half-way in the books, it’s time to kick your tax planning into high gear! Included in this month's newsletter are several ideas to help you reduce your tax bill.

There is also an article that provides some ideas on how to think about debt. Some of it is good, while other debt is bad. Plus, the IRS is turning up the heat on small business audits. All this and a fun article on what to expect in the future with hi-tech travel.

Please call if you would like to discuss how this information could impact your situation. If you know someone who could benefit from this newsletter, feel free to send it to them.

Ideas to Lower Your 2021 Tax Bill

Now is the time to begin tax planning for your 2021 return. Here are some ideas:

Contribute to retirement accounts. Tally up all your 2021 contributions to retirement accounts so far, and estimate how much more you can stash away between now and December 31. So consider investing in an IRA or increase your contributions to your employer-provided retirement plans. Remember, you can reduce your 2021 taxable income by as much as $19,500 by contributing to a retirement account such as a 401(k). If you’re age 50 or older, you can reduce your taxable income by up to $26,000!

Contribute directly to a charity. If you don't have enough qualified expenses in order to itemize your deductions, you can still donate to your favorite charity and cut your tax bill. For 2021, you can reduce your taxable income by up to $300 if you're single and $600 if you're married by donating to your favorite charity.

Consider a donor-advised fund. With a 2021 standard deduction of $12,550 if you’re single and $25,100 if you’re married, you may not be able to claim your charitable donations as a tax deduction if the total of your annual donations is below these dollar amounts. As an alternative, consider donating multiple years-worth of contributions to a donor-advised fund if you have the available cash so you can exceed the standard deduction this year. Then make your cash contributions from the donor-advised fund to your favorite charities over the next three years.

Increase daycare expenses. If you and/or your spouse work and have children in daycare, or have an adult that you care for, consider using a daycare so you and a spouse can both work. This is because there is a larger tax break in 2021. If you have one qualifying dependent, you can spend up to $8,000 in daycare expenses while cutting your tax bill by $4,000. If you have more than one qualifying dependent, you can spend up to $16,000 in daycare expenses while cutting your tax bill by $8,000. To receive the full tax credit, your adjusted gross income must not exceed $125,000.

Contribute to an FSA or an HSA. Interested in paying medical and dental expenses with pre-tax dollars? Then read on...If you have a flexible spending account (FSA), you can contribute up to $2,750 in 2021. This allows you to pay for medical expenses in pre-tax dollars! Even better, unspent funds in an FSA can now be rolled from 2021 to 2022. And if you have a health savings account (HSA), you can contribute up to $3,600 if you’re single and $7,200 if you’re married. So add up all your contributions to your FSA or HSA so far in 2021 and see how much more you can contribute between now and December 31.

Please call to discuss these and other tax planning opportunities.

Good Debt vs. Bad Debt

Not all debt is created equal. Knowing the difference can change the way you look at your spending.

Good debt adds value

Good debt often leads to financial growth, because the product or service being purchased adds more value than the debt that comes with it. Student loans are usually an example of good debt because the related education allows you to earn more income.

Some purchases result in value more directly. Taking on a mortgage, for example, can be valuable simply by giving you access to a place to live all while building equity. Additionally, a mortgage is often considered good debt because your property can be used as collateral for other debt once you’ve made some payments on it, or your home has gained in market value. Even better, good debt often comes with a tax deduction on the interest you pay on things like your mortgage or student loans.

Bad debt adds expense

Credit card debt is almost always bad debt. Not only are interest rates on credit cards higher than most other types of debt, but most purchases made with credit cards are for things that do not contribute to personal financial growth. In fact, interest expense is so high that credit card companies are now legally required to display the cost of this debt directly on their billing statements. Auto loans are another example of bad debt, because cars usually lose value quickly, often leaving more money owed on the debt than the car is worth! But even good debt can turn bad if there is too much of it. Take out too large a mortgage and you may struggle to make payments!

Debt always means higher cost

Debt's big benefit is allowing you to pay for something over time. The cost of any purchase using debt MUST include the interest expense of taking on that debt. You can compare that with the option of saving up money and then making the purchase without interest. Is the extra interest worth the benefit? Comparing the cost of the purchase with interest, to the value you stand to gain by purchasing the asset, can help you determine whether using debt is a good or bad choice for you.

Final thoughts

Here are some ideas on how to manage good versus bad debt.

Consider carefully what you can afford and make a plan for how you will pay off any debts before you take on the debt.
Never carry a balance on a credit card unless it is an emergency. Pay the balance in full every month.
Calculate the entire cost, including interest, of anything you purchase using debt. This is the REAL cost of an item.
Use savings, whenever possible, to purchase goods and services that would otherwise be considered bad debt.
Pay off high interest debt first.
Financial growth is often the key measure for defining good versus bad debt, but not always. Other factors, like personal interest, growth, and well-being can also be measures for your debt decisions, as long as you can truly afford the payments

Reach out for help if you aren’t confident whether a potential debt will lead to more good or harm. Making the right choice could save you money.

Hi-Tech Travel - Just Around the Corner

Living in the information age, we are accustomed to new and innovative tools that change the way we live. We can control everything in our homes with our voice. We can talk face-to-face, albeit digitally, with anyone, anywhere in the world. We even carry supercomputers with all knowledge known to man in our pockets.

As we celebrate summer vacations, why not explore some hi-tech travel changes that could be coming over the next few years. Enjoy!

You might be trading in your vehicle for a self-driving car subscription. Autonomous cars have been around for a few years now. You can grab a self-driving Lyft in Las Vegas or utilize Telsa’s autopilot software to allow your car to accelerate, steer and brake on its own while staying in its lane. While they’re out there, autonomous cars are still considered somewhat of a novelty. According to intellectual property company GreyB, every car manufacturer is working to change that.

At some point soon, self-driving cars will be commonplace. And some time after that, they will be the standard. Once that happens, rideshare programs will offer subscriptions that guarantee a car will pick you up and get you where you need to be. Instead of buying and maintaining a vehicle, all you’ll need is an app and a credit card to get around town.

Magnets and a large vacuum might be the preference over airplane travel. From the beginning of time, the force of friction has been the biggest puzzle to solve in order to move something from point A to point B. Enter the Hyperloop. Originally diagrammed by Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, the idea is to build a pod in a tube that eliminates ground friction with the use of magnets and reduces air resistance by creating a vacuum.

The result? Ground travel at 700 miles per hour with very low operating costs. It could get someone from San Francisco to Los Angeles (380 miles) in 30 to 35 minutes for about $20 according to Discover Magazine! The first test drive involving passengers was successful at the end of 2020. The hope is the first one will be fully operational within the next five years.

More hospitality services will be performed by robots. In many hotels around the world, everything from front desk support and luggage assistance to room cleaning is being handled by artificial intelligence. In China, you can check into FlyZoo hotels with facial recognition, according to CNBC. In San Jose, you can order snacks or blankets to be delivered by a robot right to your room. In New York, a Yobot will collect your things and deliver it to your room when you check in. Hotels that utilize this technology are considered early adopters, but it won’t be long before it’s mainstream.

Like all new technology, there are kinks to work out and new problems to solve, but one thing is certain - big changes are right around the corner!

Small Business IRS Audit Mistakes

In late 2020, the IRS announced that it will increase tax audits of small businesses by 50 percent in 2021. Here are several mistakes to avoid if you do get audited by Uncle Sam.

Mistake: Missing income. A long history of investigating has led IRS auditors to focus on under-reported income. If you’re a business that handles cash, expect greater scrutiny from the IRS. The same is true if you generate miscellaneous income that’s reported to the IRS on 1099 forms. Be proactive by tracking and documenting all income from whatever source. Invoices, sales receipts, profit and loss statements, bank records—all can be used to substantiate income amounts.

Mistake: Higher than normal business losses. Some small businesses struggle in the early years before becoming profitable. If your company’s bottom line never improves, the IRS may view your enterprise as a hobby and subsequently disallow certain deductions. As a general rule, you must earn a profit in three of the past five years to be considered a legitimate business.

Mistake: Deductions lacking substantiation. Do you really use your home office exclusively for business? Does your company earn only $50,000 a year but claim charitable donations of $10,000? Do you write off auto expenses for your only car? The key to satisfying auditors is having clear and unequivocal documentation. They want source documents such as mileage logs that match the amount claimed on your tax return and clearly show a business purpose. If you can’t locate a specific record, look for alternative ways to support your tax return filings. In some cases, a vendor or landlord might have copies of pertinent records.

Mistake: No expense reports. If you use your credit card for business, create an expense report with account numbers and attach it to each statement. Then attach copies of the bills that support the charges. This is an easy place to blend in personal expenses with business expenses and auditors know it.

Mistake: No separate books, bank accounts or statements. Never run personal expenses through business accounts and vise versa. Have separate bank accounts and credit cards. A sure sign of asking for trouble is not keeping the business separate from personal accounts and activities.

Mistake: Treat the auditor as an enemy. Auditors have a job to do, and it’s in your best interest to make their task as painless as possible. Try to maintain an attitude of professional courtesy. If you’re called to their office, show up on time and dress professionally. If they come to your place of business, instruct staff to answer questions honestly and completely.

Please call if you either need help preparing for an upcoming IRS audit or would like to know how to audit-proof your financial records.

June 2021 Client Update Newsletter

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 19:19:05 GMT

Do you know your net worth?

Find out why knowing this number is one of the most important financial concepts you’ll want to understand. If you own a small business, read about why you should consider hiring your kids for a part-time summer job.

Also find out how a continuous 12-month forecast can help you better organize your finances and tax obligations, and take a look at some of the most popular podcast genres playing over the cyber airwaves today.

Please call if you would like to discuss how this information could impact your situation. If you know someone who could benefit from this newsletter, feel free to send it to them.

Know This Number!

Knowing your net worth and understanding how it is changing over time is one of the most important financial concepts that everyone needs to understand. This number is used by banks, mortgage companies, insurance companies and you! Your net worth impacts your credit score, which in turn impacts your interest rates and things as mundane as the amount you pay for auto insurance.

A simple definition

Net worth is the result of taking all the things you own (assets) minus what you owe others (debts and liabilities).
Assets include cash, bank account balances, investments, your home, vehicles or anything else that you could sell today for cash. Assets also include any businesses or business interests you own.
Liabilities are what you owe others, such as a mortgage or car loan, and any other debt, like credit card or student loan debt.

Your net worth changes over time, reflecting how you spend your money. For example, if you have tons of bills and spend more than you bring in, your bank account balances will be lower. If you spend a lot on your credit cards, your debt will go up. The net effect is a lower net worth.

Everyone has a net worth

Yes, everyone. Even a 6-year-old with money in their piggy bank has a net worth. If your child is saving up for a bike, they will convert one asset (cash) into another asset (their new bike)!

Calculating your net worth

Step one. Reconcile your bank accounts and loans. Try doing this every month, as these are the easiest parts of your net worth to track and calculate.
Step two. Calculate the value of all your remaining assets. For some of your assets, such as stocks, you can go online and find the current value of the stocks you own. For other assets, you'll have to estimate what you could sell that asset for today.
Step three. Add up all your asset values, then subtract all your debts. What you're left with is your net worth (and yes, your number could be negative)!

Why you should know your net worth

Knowing your net worth contributes to the big picture of your financial circumstances. Here's why it's beneficial to know your net worth:

You want to apply for student loans. You'll likely need to submit an application that details all your cash and other assets when applying for student loans. If your net worth is high enough, you may have to foot some of the tuition bill yourself.
You want to get insurance. Some types of insurance use your credit score as part of the calculation for determining your premium payments. Knowing if you have a high net worth may help in obtaining a favorable premium amount.
You want to diversify your investments. Certain investments are available only to individuals who have a high enough net worth.
You want to buy a home. Banks want to see that you have plenty of cash when compared to your debts. If you have too much debt, you may need to either pay down

Knowing your worth and how to calculate it can help you achieve some of your financial goals. Please call if you'd like help calculating and understanding your net worth.

The Wonderful World of Podcasts

It’s an audiobook! It’s a radio show! No, it’s a podcast!

Podcasts have taken the world by storm over the past decade. Whether you’re a seasoned podcast consumer or first-time listener, navigating the podcasting landscape can be overwhelming. Here is what you need to know.

Podcast basics

Its beauty comes from its simplicity – the spoken word recorded and uploaded to the internet. It can be as basic as one person reading the top news stories of the day or as sophisticated as a highly-produced, multi-layered story that takes a full-time crew and multiple episodes to narrate. Its low cost to entry and wide reach attracts podcasters small and large to create a vast library of content available in every genre you can imagine.

Unlike over-the-air radio, podcasts are not regulated by the FCC, so anything goes. If foul language and mature subjects are not your thing, carefully read descriptions and reviews so you understand the nature of the content. Many podcasts will also put a disclaimer at the beginning of the episode if it contains mature themes.

Podcasts are also easy to find and use. Simply search podcasts and follow the instructions to use them. The more popular apps for listening to podcasts include Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google.

Popular podcasts

For the family. There are thousands to choose from. The podcasts in this group are a great way to keep kids engaged while on a road trip or as an outlet that is not the TV. Several of the most popular, per Common Sense Media, are: But Why : A podcast for curious kids. Ear Snacks : A funny podcast for preschoolers and little kids. This American Life : The most downloaded podcast in America by NPR that tends to be popular with all ages, but especially teens.

News. This category is the most listened to podcast category per Apple. According to Feedspot.com, here are some of this category's most popular podcasts: The Daily : Top news from New York Times' journalists, 20 minutes a day. WSJ What's News : Wall Street Journal reporters cover top stories on business, the economy, markets, and politics. BBC Global News Podcast : Top news from across the world from the BBC World Service.

True Crime. According to vulture.com, true crime is the genre that elevated podcasts into the stratosphere. Here are some of the popular choices according to the website: Serial : A spinoff from This American Life, the Serial podcast pioneered investigative storytelling by going deeper into true crime narratives. Bear Brook : Details a decades-long investigation about four unidentified bodies discovered in New Hampshire and an unknown serial killer. Undisclosed : Tells stories about innocent people caught up in a corrupt judicial system.

Information. Some of the best podcasts are those that don't fit into a specific category. According to Feedspot.com, the following podcasts do a great job of storytelling across a wide array of subjects: Stuff You Should Know : Tackles one topic per podcast. Subjects can vary from war history to Tupperware to how the Electoral College system works. Freakonomics : Explores the hidden side of everything, usually from a monetary perspective. TED Talks Daily : Brings you the latest TED talks in audio format.

Hire Your Kids for Tax Savings

Summer’s almost here, and soon most children will be on their long-awaited summer vacation. If you own or manage a business, have you thought of hiring your children, nieces, or nephews for a summer job?

If you do it right, it can be a win-win situation for everyone.

The kids will earn some money and gain valuable real-life experience in the workplace while your business will have some extra help during summer months when other staff may be on vacation. If it’s a family business, there might even be some tax advantages as well.

If your child is doing a valid job and the pay is reasonable for the work, your business can generally claim a normal tax expense for wages paid. Your child will probably pay no or very little income tax on the wages they earned. And if the child is under age 18 and your business is unincorporated, neither your child nor your business will have to pay Social Security or Medicare payroll taxes in most cases.

To make the arrangement work, follow the following guidelines:

Ensure it’s a real job. It could be a simple job, such as office filing, packing orders, or simple production activities. But it needs to be an actual job.
Treat your child like any other employee. Expect your child to work regular hours and exhibit appropriate behavior. Don’t show favoritism or you risk upsetting regular employees.
Keep proper documentation. Keep records of hours worked just as you would for any employee. If possible, pay your child using your normal payroll system and procedures.
Avoid family disputes. If the arrangement is not working, or is disrupting the business, help your child find a summer job at another business.

How to Roll with a Continuous 12-Month Forecast

Tax and financial planning is a year-round proposition. In fact, you can benefit personally from a continuous, 12-month rolling forecast, much like a business does.

What is a rolling forecast?

Rolling forecasts let you continuously plan with a constant number of periods 12 months into the future. For example, on January 1, you would plan what your financial picture looks like each month through January 1 of the following year. When February 1 rolls around, you would then drop the beginning month and add a forecast month at the end of the 12-month period. In this case, you add February of the next year into your 12-month forecast.

The month you add at the end of the 12 months uses the finished month as a starting point. You then make adjustments based on what you think might happen one year from now. For example, if you know you are going to get a raise at the end of the year, your next-year February forecast would reflect this change.

How to take advantage of a rolling forecast

By doing tax and financial planning in rolling 12-month increments, you may find yourself in position to cash in on tax- and money-saving opportunities within the next 12 months. Here are several strategies to consider:

Plan your personal budget. Will you need to put a new roof on your house? How about getting a new vehicle? Do you need to start saving for your kids' college education? A rolling 12-month forecast can help you plan for these expenses throughout the year.
Plan your healthcare expenses. If you have a flexible spending account (FSA) for healthcare or dependent care expenses, forecast the amount you should contribute for the calendar year. Although unused FSA amounts are normally forfeited at year-end, your employer may permit a 12-month grace period (up from 2½ months) for 2021. This means that you could potentially roll over your entire unused FSA balance from 2021 to 2022. Your forecast can help you see the impact of this change.
Plan your contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA). When an HSA is paired with a high-deductible health insurance plan, you can take distributions to pay qualified healthcare expenses without owing any tax on the payouts. For 2021, the contribution limit is $3,600 for an individual and $7,200 for family coverage. In this case, you can forecast an increase in contributions and double-check to ensure you have enough money on hand to pay future bills.
Plan your estimated tax payments. This is often significant for self-employed individuals and retirees with investment earnings. The quarterly due dates for paying federal and state tax liabilities are April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year (or the next business day if the deadline falls on a holiday or weekend). So if your personal income is seeing a recovery from the pandemic, your rolling forecast will show this and allow you to plan for the estimated tax payments.
Plan your retirement contributions. If you participate in your company’s 401(k) plan, you can defer up to $19,500 to your account in 2021 ($26,000 if you’re 50 or over). Contributions and earnings compound tax-deferred. As the year winds down, you might boost your deferral to save even more for retirement.

While initially setting up a rolling 12-month forecast can be a bit of a pain, once established, it is pretty easy to keep up-to-date as you are simply rolling forward last month into the future. A well-planned system can often be the first sign of future challenges or potential windfalls!

May 2021 Client Update Newsletter

kari@estesllc.com (Kari Estes) — Fri, 01 May 2020 12:46:03 GMT

Tax day is finally here! To celebrate getting your tax return finished, test out your knowledge of tax history with our trivia quiz. Also read about some helpful hints that can make paying your bills less stressful. We also have some suggestions for how small businesses can help one another stay afloat until the entire economy returns to normal. Finally, read about some tips from the Federal Trade Commission on keeping your kids safe online. Please call if you would like to discuss how this information could impact your situation. If you know someone who could benefit from this newsletter, feel free to send it to them.

Tax History Trivia!

With the IRS moving tax day back for all U.S. filers for the second time in as many years, it’s time once again for a fun diversion by looking back at tax history! Test your tax knowledge using these questions to stump your friends and family.

The Art of Bill Paying

Paying bills is an inevitable part of everyday life, but that doesn’t mean it has to be stressful. Here are some ways to get control of your budget and perfect the art of stress-free bill paying.

Make a budget. Knowing what you are making and what you are spending is essential to proper bill paying. First, find out how much you are making every month and then subtract the static items such as rent or mortgage payments, credit card payments and cell phone expenses. Then, budget out how much you will need for other essentials (such as food and clothing). Once the essentials are accounted for, you can look at the money you have left and decide where to allocate the rest.
Find a budget tool that works. Create a tracking system that works for you. There are many to choose from, but your bank may have a free app to track your spending, so that is a good place to start. You can then choose which tools to use to make a budget and categorize the transactions to be allocated to a certain part of the budget (such as food, car, and housing).
Set up autopay. Put recurring bills such as utilities, internet, and your cell phone on autopay so they will be automatically deducted from your account on their due date. If you decide to use autopay, it is still a good idea to look at the amounts being deducted every month to make sure everything is correct.
Consider your non-regular payments. Don't forget to account for bills that come due occasionally and plan for the cash outlay. Common examples of this are property tax payments, income taxes, and annual/semi-annual insurance payments. You will need to plan to have enough cash on hand for these expenses when they come due.
Adjust due dates. Paying bills isn’t as stressful when you know that you can afford to pay them, and what better time to pay bills than right after you get paid! The money will be there and you can pay those bills before that money has a chance to go anywhere else. Consider asking if you can change the due dates for some or all of your bills to correspond with when your paychecks are deposited into your bank account.
Don’t forget to pay yourself! One of the best ways to start developing a savings account is making yourself part of your budget! Take however much you think you can spare and set up an automatic transfer to a separate savings account. Use this money to establish an emergency fund of approximately six to nine months of expenses. This extra cushion will come in handy if something unexpected occurs.

Helping Your Fellow Business Owner

Your firm survived 2020. Now you may be asking yourself when will the economy return to pre-pandemic levels? Will it be this fall? A year from now? Longer?

Until the economy fully emerges from the pandemic, small businesses can help one another stay afloat. By collaborating with other like-minded firms, your business can find creative ways to strengthen local markets and encourage consumer loyalty.

Consider the following ideas of how you can help each other:

Partner with industry peers. One Vietnamese restauranteur in New York City was eager to open his business for in-person dining. Then the pandemic hit. According to a Time Magazine article , two years of careful planning, hard work and sacrifice seemed fruitless. But sympathetic restaurant owners in nearby Chinatown reached out with an innovative idea: offer a punch card to encourage customers to support local businesses. By partnering with this newly-minted entrepreneur and introducing him to like-minded people, established firms kept the restaurant business alive in their locale and helped a fledgling owner pursue his dream.
Donate staff resources. During government-mandated quarantines, some industries enjoyed burgeoning revenues while others were trying to keep staff employed. Why not offer to help if you have excess labor? For example, businesses selling camping gear and recreational vehicles saw an uptick in consumer demand. A company supporting that industry might offer some of its staff on a temporary basis to help another firm meet customer needs. Such a partnership could provide the added benefit of boosting morale and avoiding layoffs.
Leverage locations. Say you’re a company that raises chickens. You might partner with a firm offering other meat products to share a tent at a farmer’s market. Or two dance studios might join forces to enable patrons to attend similar classes at across-town venues. You could team up with others to organize a business fair. Or you might donate space to help another business sell goods at a common location for centralized pickup and delivery.
Share your expertise. Perhaps you’ve experienced great success with your business website, but other firms are struggling to make inroads in the digital marketplace. You could teach these companies how to connect with customers via social media. Train them to build and market a website. If you have remote workers, share your experience about helping home-based employees stay productive.
Cross promotions. Look for businesses that you can help and that can help you. Then cross-promote each other's services. Customers of dog groomers need veterinarians and vice versa. Accountants need their hair cut and customers of hair salons need accountants. Vacation rental property owners can offer restaurant deals for their renters and restaurants can offer the rental owners coupons for meals. The ideas are endless, you just need to think creatively.

Before making a commitment to help another business, be sure to weigh the pros and cons. Any potential relationship should benefit both parties. Don’t be afraid to consider companies outside your industry or local market, but look first to businesses with services and products complementing your own.

How to Protect Your Kids Online

Do you know what your kids are doing online? That question may seem like it has a simple yes or no answer, but that’s hardly the case. With so many streaming platforms, social media outlets and new gaming options popping up every day, it’s nearly impossible to fully protect your kids from what they can encounter online.

The Federal Trade Commission has several suggestions for protecting your kids online. Here are some of its recommendations.

Over-communicate. How successful you will be with your child’s online safety hinges on communication. Ask them about the newest apps and online trends. Be open about the dangers of the internet and teach them to be skeptical about every website and app. Encourage them to bring concerning items they find to you to have a discussion. The goal is to make your child as concerned about their online well-being as you are.
Limit where and how they use their devices. Most phones, tablets and computers have parental control options that allow you to set age, time and content restrictions. Spend some time to understand what’s available to parents and how it works. It can be hard to know where to draw boundaries for your children, but don’t let that discourage you. A good practice is to start by over-restricting and then becoming more lenient over time. In addition to what your kids can access, set rules about where they can use their devices.
Stress the safe-guarding of personal information. Most kids know not to openly share addresses, phone numbers or personal information online, but there are a few places where it happens inadvertently. One of those is in your profile you set up for a website or app. In some cases, your profile is made public to other users. Another place it can happen is in-app chatting. Most apps and games have a forum that allow users to interact with one another. Frequently ask your kids about who they are interacting with online and follow up on any suspicious online relationships. Never allow photos of your home or address to be shared or posted.
Observe attitude and behavior. Monitor your child's activity and let them know you are doing so. If your child is struggling with something they came across online, or have found themselves in a dangerous situation, they may show signs through their behavior. If you notice them withdrawing emotionally, looking to access devices in private, or showing signs of anxiety or depression, your kids may need your help.

Discussing the dangers of the online world with your child can be uncomfortable and awkward, but in today’s interconnected world, it’s imperative in order to keep them mentally healthy and physically safe.