
Maybe ruffles aren’t the first things that come to mind when you’re trying to put together a date-night outfit that strikes just the right balance of edgy, sexy and romantic. But all ruffles are not created equal. Let’s set the record straight — it’s totally possible to rock ruffles without looking like Little Bo Beep. Don’t believe us? We promise these 14 flirty, feminine and totally cool tops, frocks and skirts will elevate your Valentine’s Day style.
1. Mango Fluted-Hem Blouse ($30): This vibrant topper is perfect for Valentine’s Day — the color is totally on point. But what we really love is the shirt’s relaxed fit that gives the ruffled hem a more laid-back look.
2. H&M Sleeveless Ruffled Dress ($60): Forget frilly; this ruffle-hemmed dress is cool and contemporary. The bright blue scuba fabric is on trend, but it’s the asymmetrically cut ruffles that drive the look home.
3. Koshka Ruffle Sleeve Grid Top ($64): Oversized sleeves and a cropped waist give this printed top big personality. Pair it with a leather pencil skirt or high-waisted trousers and pumps (might we suggest a chunky heel?) for maximum impact.
4. ASOS CURVE Jumpsuit in Scuba With One Shoulder ($85): With its dramatic neckline, striking jewel-tone hue and scuba material, this jumpsuit is the piece you need if you’re looking to make a grand entrance. It’s sure to turn heads.
5. Nasty Gal Thread Lightly Top ($58): You’d think eyelet + ruffles would be a recipe for a fashion disaster, but this fun, flirty top is anything but. Dress it up with sleek, tailored pieces for a Valentine’s look that is both stylish and sweet.
6. Forever 21 Ruffle Trim Romper ($30): We’re all about fuss-free style, especially when it comes to holidays, which is why we love this simple, sassy romper. Throw it on and get on with the festivities.
7. H&M Ruffled Crêpe Dress ($50): Looking for something a little more sophisticated? This understated shift dress, with its strategically situated ruffles, seriously delivers.
8. Plenty by Tracy Reese Flared Faux-Leather Skirt ($148): If you’re a no-frills kind of girl, this ruffled faux-leather skirt will give you the edgy look you love, but with a subtle feminine touch.
9. Red Long Sleeve Ruffle Top ($17): Not totally sold on the ruffle idea? These sheer ruffled sleeves make this sweater the ideal entry-level piece for ruffle-phobes (yup, we just made that word up) this V-day.
10. ASOS Crepe Ruffle Sleeve Cold Shoulder Top ($53): Go ahead and give him the cold shoulder this Valentine’s Day. The ruffled cutout shoulders on this trendy tee pack plenty of eye-catching appeal.
11. DailyLook Ruffled Crop Top ($30): Short (literally) and sweet, this coquettish crop top (which comes in black too!) makes the ideal Valentine’s get-up when paired with an A-line midi skirt and heels.
12. Cameo Warm Thoughts Ruffle Halter Dress ($170): Yes, there is such a thing as statement ruffles, and these are definitely it.
13. Clu Too Plaid Ruffled Top ($54): If you’re hitting the lifts this Valentine’s Day, make this girly plaid top your après ski go-to. It pairs perfectly with fireside chats and a bottle of wine.
14. Tobi Ruffle Me Up Blouse ($32): Bold blooms are on our list of must-try trends this spring, so why not get a head start by rocking this flirty floral number for your Valentine’s Day rendezvous?
Think you’ll rock some ruffles this Valentine’s Day? Tell us which piece is your favorite in the comments!
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