
One of the biggest silhouettes of the year is the A-line skirt, and that’s great news for us all. Not only is the flared-from-the-waist shape universally flattering — a style attribute that’s near impossible to come by — but it’s also easy to wear in the sense that you’ve most likely been slipping on some iteration of the piece for years (need we remind you that circle skirts, skater skirts and midi skirts all fit the bill?) How convenient is it that this familiar basic will put you totally on trend? The answer: so convenient. We’ve made a style resolution to get the most out of our wardrobes in 2015, so here we’re showing you three ways to style your A-line skirt, whether you’re pulling from your closet or trying out this season’s coolest version — a hot leather mini ($129). Scroll through to see how we’d wear the perky skirt to the office, on a night out and on a lazy weekend.
ON DUTY
Make up for the extra inch of leg you’ll be flashing by layering on a lightweight knit over a silky button-up that drapes over the skirt’s waistline. Also, heeled loafers couldn’t hurt in this calf-baring situation, whether you slip them on over tights or not. Continue the Casual Friday vibe with a dark wash denim jacket and luxe-looking accessories like marbled sunnies, a beaded choker and a leather tablet carrycase that will forever change your professional on-the-go game.
Zara Leather Mini Skirt ($129) + Topshop Boutique Silk Satin Shirt ($150), COS Contrast Knit Jumper ($89), Mango Dark Denim Jacket ($70) Charles & Keith Pointed Loafer Heels ($66), Maslo Jewelry Gobi Necklace ($44), Illesteva Leonard Cream Marble Sunglasses ($177), Materials + Process Earhart Tablet Carrycase ($120)
PARTY ON
This outfit proves that you can still look fierce even when you’re not wearing a traditionally sexy color. We’re pairing the flared mini skirt with a slinky cami and lacy bralette — the latter of which will turn the rather basic separates into a getup worth a second glance. Go high-shine with the rest of your accessories to keep the look playful (+ stay in the spotlight!): a metallic mid-rise heel and a kooky wristlet means you’ll be able to own the dance floor without stumbling or snagging, while chic elements like a delicate ring and geode studs help to balance the flashier bits.
Zara Leather Mini Skirt ($129) + Topshop Button Front Strappy Cami ($35), Free People Bedroom Eyes Bralette ($38) ASOS Shuttle Heel ($67), Batsu Maru Whirl Ring ($20), Leif Geode Earrings ($128), Nasty Gal x Nila Anthony Cute as a Button Wristlet Clutch ($58)
WEEKEND RETREAT
The skirt’s mod-inspired shape was just asking to be matched with other retro-feeling pieces, and lucky for you there’s plenty to pick from this season. Channel your best Penny Lane in admittedly over-the-top accessories like a faux fur jacket and rainbow-lens shades that glam up sporty basics with a distinctly ’70s vibe, ’cause why not? (after all, someone has to put the “fun” in “Sunday Funday.”) Keep the look easy and the high-low fashion contrast alive by topping off the tee and sneaks with a canvas backpack. To make it feel less costume-y, zap it back into this decade with quirky charm jewelry that boasts that you’re a #nofilter kind of gal.
Zara Leather Mini Skirt ($129) + H&M Ribbed Top ($23), Warehouse Pink Crop Faux Fur Jacket ($71), Fred Perry Phoenix Navy Canvas Flatform Sneakers ($95), Gorjana No Filter Hashtag Necklace Set ($48), Quay Chelsea Girl Shades ($48), Stone + Cloth the Benson Backpack ($95)
What pieces in your closet deserve more attention, but stump your style game? Tell us about your trickiest wear-again garments in the comments below and we might feature them in our next Style Resolutions post!
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