The Conversation
The holiday that marks the end of summer is quickly approaching *sad face.* Is it just us, or does the distance between Memorial Day and Labor Day get smaller every year? Instead of crying about it, make the most out of your Labor Day weekend with fizzy spritzers galore. Whether you choose to mix up a vintage Fresca cocktail or a hip La Croix cocktail, bubbles and booze are where it’s at in the summertime. Get your unique hot dog toppings ready and keep reading for 20 refreshing spritzers that will keep you cool by the pool all Labor Day.
1. Coconut Lemon Spritzer: Staying hydrated is key in the hotter months. This mocktail blends coconut water with lemon juice and lemon soda for a thirst quenching beverage you can’t put down. (via Unexpected Elegance)
2. Sangria Spritzer: Sangria is essential for your Labor Day festivities. Try stepping it up a notch with a little bit of fizz from sparkling wine. Muddle raspberries and add sliced citrus to the pitcher for a fresh and fruity vibe. (via Brit + Co)
3. Cherry Sorbet and Rosé Wine Spritzers: Why should you have to choose between sorbet, wine and soda? You shouldn’t, and this drink proves it. (via Yes to Yolks)
4. Earl Grey Ginger Spritzer: If you need a little caffeine boost and iced coffee isn’t your jam, try a tea spritzer. This one has only two ingredients: Earl Grey tea and ginger beer. (via Culinary Ginger)
5. Cucumber Lime Basil Prosecco Spritzer: Give your basic bottle of Prosecco a spa-like boost with fresh basil and cucumber. Stick your Champagne glasses in the freezer for a few minutes before pouring for an even more invigorating experience. (via FANNEtastic Food)
6. Sparkling Champagne Spritzer with Peaches: Peach Schnapps, white wine and Champagne give this drink a summery and fruity feel. Garnish with sliced peaches and edible flowers to make it truly impressive. (via Salted Mint)
7. Lemon Blueberry Vodka Spritzer: There’s no need to play bartender all Labor Day weekend. Set out blueberry vodka, honey simple syrup and lemon sparkling water and let everyone make their own drinks to the strength they desire. (via Honey and Birch)
8. Lime Rosé Spritzer: This cocktail tastes like a girly garden party and we’re not mad at it. It mixes elderflower liqueur with lime juice, rosé and seltzer, meaning it goes down smooth while cooling you off. (via Hungry Girl Por Vida)
9. Melon Basil White Wine Spritzer: We found what you can do with all of that leftover cantaloupe you have. Puree it with a bit of water and top with basil and white wine. You’re welcome. (via The Sweetest Occasion)
10. Orange Red Wine Spritzer: It seems like once Labor Day comes, we’re all cheering on fall, which means red wine is totally acceptable. With flavors like cinnamon simple syrup and Angostura Bitters, this spritzer is more than enough to get you pumped for the upcoming season. (via Honey and Birch)
11. Peach Raspberry Spritzer: This delicious concoction is so easy to drink that you may have to monitor how many you’re indulging in. The recipe makes eight servings, so you can pour everything into a pitcher and fuhgettaboutit. (via Smart Little Cookie)
12. Pineapple Mint Spritzer: If you have just five minutes and three ingredients, this pineapple mint spritzer could be yours. Moscato works well as the wine for this drink because of its sweetness, but feel free to use another white wine you have on hand. (via Damn Delicious)
13. Pineapple Rosemary Spritzer: If you feel like having something a little more herby and non-alcoholic, this pineapple rosemary spritz will do the trick. The star of the drink is easily the rosemary simple syrup that pairs perfectly with fresh pineapple juice. (via Oleander and Palm)
14. Raspberry Lemonade Spritzers: Using fruit preserves is a great way to add intense fruit flavor to your drinks. Here, raspberry jam is topped with lemon juice and lemon sparkling water, and it’s just as good as it sounds. (via Freutcake)
15. Red Wine Berry Spritzer: Red wine can sometimes be a bit heavy for outdoor summer gatherings. Freshen it up by adding berry La Croix and frozen blueberries… And plenty of ice, of course. (via Aggie's Kitchen)
16. Rose Lemon Spritzer: When used with restraint, rose water can transform any drink or dish into something spectacular. If you’re planning on having a girly day by the pool, this is the cocktail you want to have in-hand. (via Half Baked Harvest)
17. Strawberry Peach Spritzer: Sparkling wine has made the spritzer game WAY easier. The simplest way to do it is to find your favorite flavor and throw in some fresh fruit. That way it enhances the flavor of the wine and you get to eat the fruit at the end. (via What the Fork)
18. Very Berry Spritzer: Frozen berries are great for drinks because they release a ton of juice as they thaw. The only other ingredients to this mocktail are fresh strawberries and lemon-lime soda, so you probably have everything you need to make them right now. (via Deliciously Sprinkled)
19. Pamplemousse La Croix and Lavender Mocktail: This recipe mixes Pamplemousse La Croix with a homemade lavender simple syrup and fresh grapefruit juice to hit the spot when you're gathered with friends (and even when you're not). (Brit + Co)
20. Blackberry Sage Spritzers: Woodsy sage and tart blackberries are the perfect pairings for gin and soda water. It’s simple and the perfect way to usher out summer with a bang. (via 1-2 Simple Cooking)
Follow us on Pinterest for more refreshing cocktail ideas!
This article has been updated from a previous post.
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More From Food
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