
After months of puffers and pea coats, we’re more than ready to pack away our winter layers for some new spring duds. Sure, the weather may be unpredictable, but it also allows for light layers, printed jackets and a peek of skin. In between all your picnics and bike riding, spring is also full of dress-worthy occasions, like showers, brunches and of course, weddings. Pastel dresses are the perfect match for this green season, so we’re betting you’re gonna want to try one of these for your next event.
1. Free People Floral Dress ($128): This lemony-hued mini is perfect for spring brunch or a shower. Pair it with neutral flats and stackable bangles for a fresh look on a sunny afternoon.
2. Whitney Eve Organza Overlay Dress ($148): ’90s flair meets elegance with this spaghetti strap dress. An organza overlay and seafoam green color make this dress a great spring date piece.
3. ASOS Marble Print Bodycon Dress ($82): Edgy cutouts balance the light marble pattern, making this dress your spring go-to for Friday nights and that upcoming bachelorette party.
4. Lace Inset Cami Dress ($150): Those perfect sunny spring days call for an airy dress. Slip on this light lavender piece and slide-on sandals for an effortless ensemble.
5. Animal Print Fit ‘n Flare ($88): Sweeten up your wild side with this pastel pink dress. Wear it to brunch with an anorak on crisp weekends, or dress it up with strappy heels.
6. Lace Overlay Dress ($25): What’s prettier for a spring wedding than pink? Twirl all night in this crochet and lace piece, paired with a statement necklace and your best dancing shoes.
7. Faux Leather Dress ($80): Wear this short-sleeve frock to work with a blazer and oxfords for a #girlboss look. Add a statement necklace for a pop.
8. Peach Maxi ($54): This easy, flowing piece will stun at a spring soiree. Its layered look and back closure add pretty details while keeping this dress fresh. Just add a metallic sandal and printed clutch to complete your look.
9. Needle and Thread Embellished Dress ($331): From picnic to party, this dress can be casual with a denim jacket and booties or dressy with bright wedges.
10. Lavender Shirtdress ($1490): Okay, we know this one is a major splurge, but how chic is this lavender number? A shirtdress is a classic; wear it with flats and a satchel bag for a show-stopping work look.
11. Asymmetric Printed Wrap Dress ($28): Sport this flowy frock to any spring affair. The hem will have you twirling down the blooming sidewalks.
12. Cowl Back Maxi ($162): Brighten up the party with this modern backless dress. Show off sky-high heels with this dress’s sexy side slit.
13. Baby Blue Shift ($30): Throw this crisp frock on for weekend errands, or wear to the office with a cardigan. Its embellished shoulders give it a unique touch.
14. BB Dakota Alva Lace Midi ($130): Wear this to a wedding or make it casual by adding sneakers and a denim jacket. Either way, this dress will be a great addition to your spring and summer wardrobe.
15. Blue Trapeze Dress ($69): The neckline of this dress is as fun as its flowy skirt. You’ll want this dress for all those sunny days at the park.
16. Lace Print Collar Dress ($98): This sophisticated frock has adorable details and can take you from the board meeting to happy hour with your besties. Wear with white lace socks and bright oxfords for a preppy look.
17. Ombre Maxi Dress ($295): Dance the night away in this flowy, strapless maxi. With a statement bracelet on your wrist and contrast colored clutch in hand, you’ll be prepped for everything wedding season is sending your way.
18. Cozy Spring Sweater Dress ($224): Those spring showers may be raining on your parade, but that doesn’t mean your fashion should suffer too. This soft dress is perfect for kicking back and relaxing with your fave book.
What pastel piece is your spring go-to? Let us know 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:
You X Ventures for Unsplash
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.
Kobu Agency for Unsplash
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