
There’s a bit of a Goldilocks dilemma when it comes to finding a stylish pair of winter boots. While snow shoes are too big and bulky, your average fall booties are just a little too basic for winter wear. So when it comes down to it, turn to these 15 chic boots that don’t sacrifice style for comfort when the temperature drops. In our eyes, that’s just right. :)
1. Shellys London Houndstooth Pony Hair Ankle Boot ($120): Everyone knows there’s no pattern more chic than Houndstooth, especially when paired with black, pony hair paneling. Maybe these ankle boots aren’t the best for wet weather, but they’re perfect for kicking around the first dusting of freshly fallen snow.
2. Casual Winter Boots ($232): These suede, knee-high boots are an instant classic. Pair with a grey trench coat or quilted bomber jacket for seriously high-end winter look.
3. Wedge Heel Boots ($60): Keep your feet warm and fuzzy in these wedge heel booties. Faux fur will surely tickle your ankle’s fancy ;)
4. Dollar Vintage Wellies ($30): We couldn’t pass up these basic Wellies based on their color alone. ‘Cause who wouldn’t want to splash through a sleet storm in these bright mint boots?
5. Women’s Medina Rain Ankle Boot ($225): These waterproof ankle boots were the main inspiration for this chic boot roundup: functional for winter weather, yet so incredibly cool. When we saw the coral color block heel, it was love at first sight.
6. Swedish Hasbeens 877 Zip It Emy Ankle Boots ($454): Is there any kind of shoe more durable than a clog? We’re big fans of Swedish Hasbeens’ ability to design footwear that’s inspired by tradition, yet so fashion-forward, just like these matte-finished ankle boots.
7. Valenme Snowflake Booties ($340): Saddle shoes meet riding boots in this amazing winter boot mashup. We’re obviously smitten with the side snowflake embellishment.
8. Ash Yahoo Hidden Wedge Ankle Boot ($275): Hidden wedge heels just got incredibly cozy. Get a boost from your winter boot with these shearling-lined ankle boots.
9. Abigail Neoprene Ankle Boots ($60): These black and blue ankle boots might be the ultimate winter boot. Flexible neoprene ankle panels let you slip in with ease no matter how thick your socks are.
10. Women’s Joan of Arctic Wedge Mid Boot ($240): These waterproof, wedge ankle boots are a trendsetter’s ultimate snow shoes. A sleek, yet durable design will let you frolic through the snow in style.
11. James Embroidered Booties ($140): Get cozy with these Western-inspired winter boots. Wear this pair with a pair of fleece-lined leggings for ultimate comfort!
12. Report Signature Allon Heeled Booties ($160): Kick Jack Frost in the butt with these fierce heeled combat boots! Faux velvet gives them a shiny, winter wonderland feel.
13. Ash Yes Triple-Buckle Hidden Wedge Boot ($335): This might be our favorite pair of chic winter boots on the list. Trendy on the outside, comfy on the inside—you can’t ask for much more!
14. Bass Tanner Lace Up Boot ($119): These two-toned suede boots are perfectly preppy. Lace up this handsome pair with wool peacoat or roomy cocoon coat on any winter day.
15. Dani Boots ($235): You know a pair of boots are warm when they come equipped with a pair of tweed leg warmers! Tan contrast straps dress up this pretty pair of totally wearable chocolate boots.
Have you found the perfect pair of chic winter boots? Where did you find them? How do you style them? Talk to us in the comments below!
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