As zodiac-obsessed as we are, chances are you've been reading up on all that 2019 has in store for your work, love, and personal lives. But what about for your home's decor? For those itching to make a change to your space, our guide to the year's top trends will help you pick one that's perfectly suited to your star sign.
Capricorn: Throwback Furniture: Capricorn has a reputation as a workaholic, so they need decor with a laid-back vibe that reminds them to take a break. We're prescribing a dose of west coast ’70s cool for maximum relaxing.
Brit + Co Pick: EQ3 Replay Leather Sofa in Coachella Cognac ($4,000)
Leo: Statement Lighting: Leos are known for being the center of attention, so it stands to reason that they can't resist a good statement piece. Luckily, scene-stealing chandeliers and other unexpected light fixtures are trending right now, and that suits Leos just fine.
Brit + Co Pick: Possini Euro Tovia Brushed Nickel Rod Chandelier ($300)
Libra: White On White: Elegant and understated, but still with plenty of interest, the white-on-white look is a natural fit for Libra's love of peaceful vibes.
Brit + Co Pick: Ceramic Multi-Vase Tray ($30) (Image via Studio Life Style)
Pisces: Patterned Wallpaper: Dreamy, artistic Pisces loves the dramatic things in life, especially a bold wallpaper. Painterly, oceanic patterns like this will appeal to fishes, in more ways than one.
Brit + Co Pick: Flat Vernacular Balance Marine Wallpaper ($275/roll)
Cancer: Cozy Textures: If there's one sign that has committed to the hygge craze, it's Cancer. Cancer's notoriously sensitive, maternal nature feels best feathering the nest in soft and comforting elements that make guests feel instantly at ease.
Brit + Co Pick: Project62 Sherpa Armchair ($250) (Image via Oberto Gili for D'Apostrophe)
Sagittarius: Global Details: Sag is all about the life well-lived, which, in their case, means well-traveled. Whether picked up on a recent exotic adventure or sourced them from the local imports store, eclectic textiles from far-flung locales are sure to make this sign feel at home.
Brit + Co Pick: Olli Ella Atlas Beni Rug ($599)
Scorpio: Dark, Dramatic Walls: Known for being one of the most intense signs of the zodiac, Scorpio doesn't do anything halfway, and that includes color. The uptick in dark, dramatic wall colors is a boon for this sign's particular tastes.
Brit + Co Pick: Clare Paint in Goodnight Moon ($49/gallon) (Image via Studio Gild)
Taurus: Natural Materials: Taurus likes to feel connected to the earth, so it's no surprise that the trend toward earthy, eco-friendly materials is a good match for this sign. Plants, rustic live-edge furniture, and organic woven pieces are sure to find their way into the space one way or another.
Brit + Co Pick: Armadillo & Co Malawi Rug ($1,490+)
Virgo: Textured Walls: Virgo's perfectionist streak requires some shaking up every now and then. We'd love to see them embrace the wabi-sabi approach that's been so buzzy lately by trying a lime-wash technique on walls. Sometimes a little imperfection is just what this sign needs.
Brit + Co Pick: Toscana Limewash Paint ($50/gallon) (Image via Portola Paints/Dabito)
Aries: Pattern Mixing: Perhaps the most likely to try a controversial new style, Aries is used to being a tastemaker. Loud patterns are for those who always want to be the first on their block with the newest look. After all, when something strikes Aries' fancy, they can't resist getting a little carried away.
Brit + Co Pick: Chairish Black Ribbon Blackout Curtains ($239) (Image via Sarah Dorio)
Gemini: Maximalism: Geminis are often pulled in multiple directions — no surprise there. The only way to satisfy all their impulses? Pile it on. More is definitely more, so add in all the patterns and make those walls into showpieces.
Brit + Co Pick: The Goodies Dutch Floral Wall Mural ($305+) (Image via Massucco Warner Miller)
Aquarius: Sculptural Furniture: The rebel of the zodiac, Aquarius prefers to go her own way and has a *bit* of a problem with authority. The water bearer will no doubt be drawn to unconventional forms in furniture. Who says a chair has to look like a chair?
Brit + Co Pick: Design Within Reach Spun Chair ($895)
Which of these trends speaks to you? Follow us on Pinterest for more zodiac-inspired ideas!
Which of these trends speaks to you? Follow us on Pinterest for more zodiac-inspired ideas!
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures