Spring is right around the corner, but while you’re itching to take advantage of the warmer weather and new blooms, the season hasn’t quite kicked off. But that just means it’s time to start planning your first party for when the warm weather season finally rolls in. Whether you’re hosting a bridal or baby shower, or birthday party, it’s never too early to start looking for ways to celebrate. Scroll on to find trendy ideas for a garden party, tropical soiree, boho-inspired celebration, and (of course) unicorn-inspired shindig that will usher in all the magic of the season.
Garden Party
DIY Flower Balloons
Balloons are essential decor items for any party you’re planning to host this spring. DIY your own beautiful (and budget-friendly) flower balloons that are sure to bring a fresh flair to your next get-together. (via Design Improvised)
No matter what type of event you’re hosting, a gorgeous tablescape is a must. Add greenery, a mouth-watering food selection, and a memorable centerpiece to make it the belle of the ball. (via
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DIY Carnation Backdrop
Photo booths are a colorful way to let your guests capture memories during your event. This vibrant backdrop will make a sweet addition to any garden-themed party this spring. (via A Practical Wedding)
You can never have too many beautiful backdrops. Use this version for your photo booth, bar, or your head table. (via
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If you’re hosting a boho baby or bridal shower, create a seat for the guest of honor that is both chic and comfy. Add flowers and stunning fabrics to make the chair fit for a queen. (via
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Boho Chic
When hosting a boho-inspired party, the seating possibilities are endless. Add fluffy pillows, textured blankets, and string lights to your outdoor area to bring the vibe to life. (via
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Nothing says boho chic like a beautiful teepee lounge. Add decor elements (like framed photos!) inside that speak to the special occasion. (via
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This colorful photo booth is sure to bring the bohemian vibe in all of the snaps and photos from your event. (via
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Keep the vibe relaxed at your next shindig by moving the party outside. Grab brightly colored blankets, palm tree printed pillows, and oversized umbrellas — now you’re on the way to a great tropical party. (via
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Tropical Party
An eye-catching tablescape always makes a great first impression. Add faux palm tree leaves, colorful cocktails, and a vibrant centerpiece to make it really pop. (via
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DIY Lawn Games
Break the ice and get your guests moving with a fun outdoor game like the classic Memory. (via Studio DIY)
Piña Colada Ice Cream
What’s a tropical soiree without a refreshing dessert? Treat your guests to the taste of summer with cool ice cream cones and these free printables. (via Sarah Hearts)
This beautiful tablescape combines your love of
and bright decor. To add a touch of personalization, don’t forget to include on-theme cards to label the yummy treats. (via Kara’s Party Ideas)
Unicorn Party
Carousel Lane Rainbow Tassel Party Backdrop
Whether you’re hosting a party for your favorite little unicorn or a girls’ night in, this backdrop will get the party started.
Cotton candy is *always* a good idea! Put these out and your gal pals will be like kids in a candy store. (via
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With Glitter N Confetti Unicorn Piñata
: This adorable piñata will steal the show at your next unicorn party. Use the tiny one as a quirky party favor, centerpiece, or party prop.
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:
You X Ventures for Unsplash
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.
Kobu Agency for Unsplash
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