Category: 529 College Account

End of the Year Tax Preparation (Part Two!)

12/24/2020

In part two of this blog, we are going to be finishing up our recommendations on how to prepare for your end of the year tax prep. Our gift to you is to suggest that you get it done now so that when tax season is here in a blink, you'll be ready for it no matter what!

Hello Goose Creek and to all of our readers! As we are now sitting in the last few days of 2020, and we hope that this blog reaches each of you and helps you prepare for the coming tax season. We have always believed at Hoods that being prepared way ahead of time can not only save you huge amounts of stress and worry, but it can also potentially save you huge amounts of money. This year has been difficult, we've touched on it in almost every blog of 2020. This pandemic has been a devastating blow in more ways than one, and our finances have taken some of the biggest hits and blows. While there is still so much uncertainty about what is to come with the future of our finances, what is in our power now is to control what we do know and what we do have.

Being prepared can help make any transition or event that may or may not come from the government easier to deal with and easier to move forward with. Who knows what financial help we might receive between now at April 15th or what might even happen between now and April 15th. What we do know is that there will still be tax day and that we have the power in our own hands to organize our tax documents from this current year and get ready to face 2021 head-on. This season might not be as jolly or bright as the years past, we understand. However, we are here to make it as holly and jolly as possible. If you have any questions, concerns, or need help finishing out this year or starting off strong in 2021, please never hesitate to reach out. We believe in our community and what to help and support each of you as best we can, let us do our job for you!

What is left of 2020 is still ticking down, so let's hop back into part two of this blog. We will be continuing and wrapping up with our tips, suggestions, and ideas on how to wrap up your finances and taxes this year, and get ready for the upcoming tax season!

HELLO, 2021!
Now that you've read part one of this blog and you have a few ideas on how to prepare for the end of this current year, let's focus on how to prepare for the beginning of this new year. Remember, one of the first things we will always recommend in these situations is to work with a tax advisor or a tax preparation company. Of course, we would recommend working with us, but we understand if you work with another company currently. We've said it before, but please note that tax law does change every year. With how uniquely challenging this year has been, there are bound to be some very new and unique things we will be facing with our 2020 taxes. Working with a company like ours will help ensure that all of these new compliances are followed and that nothing is missed. This will help you avoid any tax penalties, avoid underpaying your taxes, will help avoid overpaying your taxes, and will help get your refund much faster!

Don't begin your filing process until you've received all of your 1099s or W2s. Don't be quiet if a client or your employers are taking their time getting you your tax papers. Make sure to reach out and mention it to them once it's getting a little late in the year. If you haven't received anything by the end of February, it's time to start making phone calls!
When you sit down to file your taxes, make sure you have all of your 2019 tax documents organized and ready to use. Make sure you have all of the documents that you will need and will be used to file for 2020 organized and within reach. This will help the process go faster and will be much less of a headache for you.
Make sure to be prepared for and aware of tax scams and fraud that will begin to pop up starting January 1st!! We've already seen our fair share of scams this year involving our stimulus checks and promising to provide the vaccine early as long as you provide very personal and vital information about yourself, most of the time about your bank account. Please do your research about what scams and frauds are looking like right now, how to spot them, and how to protect yourself from them. Also, if you have loved ones who are unfamiliar with these scams, please make sure you help keep them aware of these possibilities and teach them about what scams are and what they can do.
Decide who's going to prepare your taxes this year as quickly as possible. Decide if it is going to be a tax professional like us here at Hoods or an online option filled out by you. Make the choice now to save money and not miss out on working with a tax pro. The closer you get to tax season, the higher their rates will be. Also, take the time to familiarize yourself with the programs you're going to use and understand how much you will be paying to use them.
Please do not ignore the IRS. If you owe late fees, back taxes, or penalties, please take care of them. Go one step farther and make sure to prepare your taxes on time, if not early, to avoid these issues again.
Make sure your salary is correct, that all of your deductions from your paycheck are correct, and that you've been paid the proper amount throughout the year. This will determine a lot in your taxes.
Consider turning your IRA into a Roth IRA, which will help you save money over time. With a ROTH IRA, withdraws are not looped into your income and you won't have to take out RMPs once you turn 70 and a half.

Just to make sure that we didn't overwhelm you with either part of this blog, we listed only the top things and tasks you need to be thinking about and preparing for now for both your end of the year tax preparation and the tax prep you should be starting 2021 off with. Don't worry, there will be more to come over the next few months and as we inch closer and closer to tax day 2021. We hope that both of these checklists help prepare you to close this year out strongly and to start 2021 out focused and prepared. If you need help to make this upcoming tax season the most stress-free of them all, never hesitate to reach out!

Remember, if you are looking for the best accounting services in Goose Creek, the best tax preparation in Goose Creek, business consulting in Goose Creek, bookkeeping in Goose Creek, or payroll services in Goose Creek, we are here for you! Our phone lines and inboxes are waiting for you. Don't hesitate! Please stay safe, everyone. As our last blog of 2020, we want to thank all of you for your support, your business, and for letting us be apart of this wonderful community. We will continue to work hard for the people of Goose Creek and our whole community. From our family to yours, we hope you had a wonderful holiday and have a fantastic New Year! We will see you soon!

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How to Start Saving for College; Even When The Sky Is Falling (Part Two)

11/18/2020

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In part two of this blog series, we will be finishing up our list of tips on how to start saving for college, even while we are all dealing with a very difficult year personally and financially!

Welcome back Goose Creek readers, friends, supporters, and those new to the blog! We are so thrilled that you came back to read the second installment of this blog about how to save for college even when it feels like the sky is falling. We know that this hasn't been an easy year personally or financially for our Goose Creek community, and we know that saving money might be the last thing on your list of priorities right now. We do urge you to continue saving for important things like retirement, college, and for a rainy day as much as you can for the rest of this year if you are able. We know that treating yourself on the holidays and throughout random days throughout this year has made you feel better. Please take it from us that while this can be a temporary salve, this can be a hemorrhage to your finances and your bank account. This year might put us through many challenges, but defeating your bank account does not have to be one of them. You can stay strong both financially and personally, while still being able to find joy in the last few weeks of 2020. We know this has been a very difficult year for our parents, both with first-time students and students heading off to college. We've seen your struggles, we understand them, and we are here for you. With that in mind, let's finish up our list of some of the best tips to save for college even when it feels like the sky is falling.

TIP FOUR: Keep On Trucking!
While you want to have as much money saved for when you or your child goes off to school, you don't have to have every penny saved before the first day of class. Having four years of college tuition ready to go on day one of Freshman year? Sure, that's a dream come true, but it's not the reality. You can pay year by year or even semester by semester. There is no one way that you have to pay for college, you have to move with the ebb and flow of what works best for you and your financial journey. We also urge you to continue saving for college and other college related things even after your child has started school. Even if you've saved up enough to pay off tuition and loans, these extra savings can help contribute to continued education for your child, it can help them start off financially after they graduate, or you can add these funds back into a 529 account for a different child. This option of continued savings can help when you're looking at or planning to pay for multiple tuition's for multiple children.

TIP FIVE: Calling In The Big Guns: Loans and Financial Aid
One of the very first things your student or you will need to do to get the paperwork rolling to go to school is filling out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FASFA. Based on a number of questions and information about your investments, income, and savings, this will allow you to know how much aid you are eligible for from the federal government. This will also give you options for grants, and both subsidies and unsubsidized loans. This is a yearly process for every year that you or your child is in school, so please keep up with it. FASFA can be a lifesaver in more ways than one. Then, of course, you can apply for student loans, but please do your research. Some student loans come with an extreme interest rate while others can come with a very high monetary price tag. You'll need to keep up with these loans, or you can damage your child's or your personal credit for years. There are three different types of loans you can look into:

Private loans. These you can get from banks, credit unions, and third-party lenders. These have very high interest rates and the individual whose name is on on the loan is fully responsible for it.
Unsubsidized loans. These are federal loans available to anyone that needs them, no matter how much you need to borrow. You are responsible for all interest accrued by this loan.
Subsidized Loans. These are loans from the government for those in need. The U.S Department of Education will pay your interest if your loan goes into deferment six months after you graduate.

TIP SIX: Where You Least Expect It!
Sometimes looking for college funds feels like digging for quarters in your overstuffed couch. Everyone has done it, but sometimes these funds might be found in some of the most surprising places!

Work: We briefly mentioned this in part one of this blog, but according to Student Loan Hero, many people don't spend the time searching out loans or support for college from their workplace. This money might not be something that you negotiate in your contract, but something that is already established within your company. All you need to do is approach your company and ask if they have scholarships for your dependents. According to WorldatWork, almost 85% of employers do offer benefits like tuition reimbursement.
Churches: Not everyone is involved or connected to a religious organization, which we understand. For those who are, your Church can be a great place to look for educational support and funds. For example, according to Student Loan Hero, both the Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ offers many different kinds of grants and scholarships to families in their congregations. The United Methodist Church offers more than 40 different kinds of scholarship opportunities.
Unions: Many of our towns and companies still have strong operating labor unions and other professional associations. For family members of retired and active members of multiple unions, there are scholarship funds and money waiting to be claimed. The railroad, which has one of the oldest operating unions in the United States, offers scholarships to member's children and grandchildren.
The Military: This might not be an unknown source of college funds, but the amount of scholarships and the opportunities available to prospective students is incredibly substantial. If you are apart or have been apart of ROTC, are a veteran, or are related to a veteran, there are so many different assistance programs, service organizations, and scholarships waiting to be claimed for your service or in thanks to the service of your loved one.

There you have it! Six of the top tips and tricks on how to start saving for college or receiving college funds. Remember, with any savings situation, you have to find what works best for you and your family. While you're saving, you still have to find a plan that allows you to still lead a successful and happy life. There are also so many ways to start saving and preparing for school, these are just some of the many options available to you. We encourage you to go out there and do your research. If you have any questions or need help, we are just a phone call or click away! Remember, if you are looking for the best accounting services in Goose Creek, the best tax preparation in Goose Creek, business consulting in Goose Creek, bookkeeping in Goose Creek, or payroll services in Goose Creek, we are here for you! Our phone lines and inboxes are waiting for you. Don't hesitate! Please stay safe, everyone. We will see you soon!

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Hoods Tax &
Accounting Blog

End of the Year Tax Preparation (Part Two!)

How to Start Saving for College; Even When The Sky Is Falling (Part Two)

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​Hoods Tax & Accounting Blog

End of the Year Tax Preparation (Part Two!)

How to Start Saving for College; Even When The Sky Is Falling (Part Two)

Author

Archives

Categories

Hoods Tax &
Accounting Blog