
We’re loving stamps right now. They’re clearly the best of both worlds. Makers love ’em because they’re super artsy and fun, and non-artistic gals love ’em because they make things look creative without any effort at all. So whether you’re into making your own stamp or getting a stamp made of your own face, it’s clear that stellar stamps are here to stay. And we’re not complaining.
1. Funny Face Stamp Set ($20): Be your own Picasso with these wooden rubber stamps. While its quirky nature lends itself to children, this is a fun set for any age.
2. Handmade Rubber Stamp ($10): This handwritten stamp is a must-have for makers. From home-baked cookies to handmade trinkets, you’ll be stamping everything in the house.
3. Fashion Stamp Set ($20): Save your lipstick kisses for your pet and play with one of these stamps instead. This set is a fashionista hipster’s dream come true. Yep, fashionista hipsters are a thing.
4. This Is My Fave Stamp ($20): This stamp is our fave. And because you never have one favorite thing, it’ll come in handy more often than you think.
5. Rotating Stamp ($20): You get 12 clever sayings in one when you purchase this intelligent stamp from Kate Spade. With phrases like “Live Colorfully” and “Don’t Mind If I Do,” the stamp is appropriate for almost every occasion.
6. Made In The USA Stamp ($19): The age of American-made goods is upon is, which is why this trendy “Made in the USA” stamp is so perfect. Stamp it on clothing tags. Stamp it on greeting cards. Stamp it on your forehead.
7. Baked With Love Stamp ($10): If it involves a whisk, all signs point to deliciousness. And while you can’t literally eat this rubber stamp, we’re sure whatever you use it for is as sweet as sugar.
8. Vintage Office Stamp Set ($25): This vintage stamp set has Mad Men written all over it. You might as well start calling yourself Joan Holloway if you start using these at work.
9. Many Thanks Ice Cream Stamps ($13): Whether you want to say a simple thanks or many many many many thanks, this ice cream scoop stamp set’s got you covered. As if you needed another reason to scream for ice cream…
10. Mason Jar Stamps ($30): Who doesn’t love mason jars these days? If you’re using them for jams, sauces or even handmade candles, it’s nice to have a label to match. Enter: mason jar stamp kit.
11. Flamingo Pineapple Stamp Set ($13): So… is it bad that we want to stamp pineapples and flamingoes on everything we own?
12. Custom US State Stamp ($18): Make a statement with a custom state stamp. Stamping the place you live and love is sure to put you in a jolly state-of-mind. Get it?
13. Place Card Stamp Set ($10): These whimsical stamps are just what you need for your next dinner party. Don’t be surprised if your guests want to keep their place cards. We know we would!
14. Camera Rubber Stamp ($20): Say cheese! Not only are these camera stamps a great gift for amateur photographers, but they also add a nice touch to a blank greeting card or envelope.
15. Alphabet Stamp Set ($20): You can say anything you want with these stamps. Write a poem. Tell a joke. Heck, write a novel! Kidding. That would take forever.
16. You’re A Gem Stamp ($17): Shine brightly like a diamond gem. You should totally stamp these on people’s hands when they come over for a party.
17. Thank You Stamp ($24): This is the perfect gift for a newlywed couple. Your thank you cards have never been easier!
18. Hello Stamp ($11): You’ll never have to say hello again with this gorgeous and friendly handwritten stamp. Why not stamp it on your head so you have an excuse to be adorably anti-social?
19. Footprint Stamps ($20): These endearing stamps are the quintessential gift for animal lovers. Or parents teaching their kids about animals. Either way, ink paw prints on paper are better than dirt ones on the carpet.
20. Typewriter Stamps ($20): These petite wooden stamps in lowercase letters are inspired by a classic typeface and come in a vintage wooden box. While it’s definitely not as quick as a typewriter, you can get the same effect minus the heavy metal machine.
21. Custom Pet Portrait Stamp ($65): Take good ‘ol Sparky with you everywhere you go with this custom pet portrait stamp. What a cute gift for obsessed pet owners (aka everyone who owns a pet).
What stamps are you dying to get your hands on? 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:
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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