Mommin' ain't easy. Whether you're new to this or true to this, motherhood is filled with transitions and can sometimes be downright chaotic. From late night and early morning feedings to tantrums and diaper blowouts, the days of the mother are unpredictable at best, especially for working mothers. Thankfully, there are a plethora of useful products out there that can make #MomLife a little easier, some of which you never knew you needed. We know, you don't want to junk up your house with a bunch of new gadgets, especially when you struggle so hard to keep it semi-clean with your little ones running around. These products aren't just cool, they're practical and solve everyday hassles, which make them great additions to your household. You're guaranteed to add at least one of these products to your mommin' essentials.
The Wanderer Poncho ($59): This poncho is not only cozy but "whateverproof", built with a technology that repels all types of spillage making it a neat must-have for breastfeeding and momming in general.
Elvie Double Electric Breast Pump ($500): This wearable breast pump fits inside your nursing bra which makes pumping not only discreet but convenient too.
Croissant Contour Underwire Nursing Bra ($67): Moms swear by this seamless, full-coverage maternity and nursing bra. Unlike some other nursing bras, this bra caters towards fuller busts.
Circle Home Plus ($129): This little gadget helps you to manage screen time by controlling access to the internet as well as filter content.
Washable Organic Nursing Pads ($13): These organic nursing pads are ultra-soft, good for the planet and for your boobs.
Ciao! Baby Chair ($60): This portable baby chair folds up like a lawn chair and fits in a tiny carrying bag. It's perfect to keep in the trunk for picnics, trips to grandma's house and other travels.
Stain & Odor Laundry Detergent Pods ($20): After finally getting around to doing laundry, the last thing you want to worry about is detergent that may be too strong for baby's skin. Dropps has a variety of natural detergent pods that make laundry that much easier.
WiZ 60 Watt Smart WiFi LED Light Bulbs ($38): Control the lights throughout the house without leaving your seat. Schedule the perfect settings for bedtime and mornings with the touch of a button.
PRIA Max 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat ($330): One car seat to rule them all, the Maxi Cosi carseat grows with your child so no need to fear those impromptu growth spurts.
Wash. It. Later. Soak and Save Bags ($15): Don't fear the blowout, these emergency soaking bags can handle anything your child dishes out.
Compression Socks ($38): Gradual compression can help reduce minor swelling after you've spent the day chasing after your young one.
ÉCLEVE Pulse Ultimate Comfort Hip Seat Baby Carrier ($150): This baby carrier is super comfortable and comes with a detachable hip seat.
HD Wifi Baby Monitor ($200): You can monitor baby at home or on the go with this HD wifi monitor that comes with high image quality and security features.
Golden Milk ($28): Golden Milk is a natural coffee alternative for new and seasoned moms that uses high curcumin tumeric, ashwagandha and ginger that can reduce anxiety and fuel you with energy at the same time.
Car Cache Handbag Holder ($20): ​Keep your purse at arms reach with this car cache that makes your bag easily accessible.
BuddyPhones WAVE ($80): These headphones offer safe audio so your child can enjoy their favorite cartoons and you don't have to worry about damage to their ears. They're also hypoallergenic and toxin free.
Beanko Baby Diaper Changing System ($90): This changing system makes diaper changing in the car a piece of cake.
The Rowledge ($375): This do-it-all nylon backpack is great everyday bag for working moms. You can fit your laptop, bottles, changing pads and more without sacrificing style.
Peanut (Free): Find your mama tribe with the Peanut app. This app is a great place to share stories and find community in your motherhood.
Storq Kit Bag ($48): This diaper bag kit makes changes on the go a breeze.
Rockit Portable Baby Stroller Rocker ($50): Does your little one wake up every time the stroller stops moving? Rockit can help with that. This diaper bag sized gadget keeps your stroller rocking so your baby stays snoozing.
A+D Original Diaper Rash Ointment ($11): Let's be real, A+D ointment isn't just great for baby, it's also great for mama who may be experiencing postpartum constipation.
Drink in the Box ( 8 oz: $13; 12 oz: $16): Cut down on waste with these reusable juice boxes.
LaVie Lactation Massager ($40): Gentle pressure and vibration can improve your breast milk flow which makes this tiny massager a must-have for breastfeeding mamas.
Baby Brezza Pro Advanced Formula Mixer ($200): Formula-feeding moms will appreciate this formula mixer that automatically makes a warm bottle for baby.
Multi-Task Eye Gel Cream ($65): Tackle bags, puffiness, dark circles and file lines under your eyes head on with this eye serum.
Lansinoh Lanolin Nipple Cream for Breastfeeding ($8): Nursing moms know you can never have enough this soothing cream.
UV Sanitizer and Dryer ($169): Babies are germy. Sanitize everything from makeup brushes and cell phones to toys and bottles with this sanitizer.
Nutrient Vitamin Coffee ($30 for 30pk): Caffeine and vitamins? Yes, please. This instant coffee comes packed with 13 daily essential vitamins to help you avoid the crash and get the most out of your energy.
Multi Flask 7-in-1 Travel Beverage System ($45): Cut down on pantry space by using this 7-in-1 travel mug.
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
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