
Whether you plan to peace out for a short stint on the sandy beach of some island oasis or you’re set on spending a few days pounding the pavement of your favorite sunny city, a chic ensemble is a must. Not sure what to pack in your suitcase this spring? Take a style note or two from some of our favorite traveling ladies.
@garypeppergirl: No escape is complete without a light, airy dress. Easy to pack and totally versatile, you’ll get major mileage out of this simple piece. Tack on a hat and some sleek shades for a undeniably cool look (that also offers some serious sun protection).
BDG Voile Maxi Voile Shirt Dress ($30): This light denim number works just as well off the beach as it does on.
Playful Printed Romper
@chiaraferragni: This outfit is everything a getaway getup should be: bright, fun and effortless. We’re loving the funky accessories and bold prints that pull it all together.
Wayf Wrap Front Romper ($88): This vibrant onesie will take you from afternoon coffee with friends to a night out on the town. Swap out your fabulous flats for a killer pair of heels and you’ve got a seriously chic look.
Flowy Separates
The Chriselle Factor: For spring 2015, stripes are a definite must-pack item, whether you’re planning an impromptu island getaway or a relaxing staycation. Striped wide-leg bottoms paired with a bright and equally flowy top make for a winning combination that is perfect for strolling along white sands or the city streets.
Forever21 Striped Wide-Leg Pants ($40): These pants scream vacay indeed. You can also work them into your professional wardrobe by adding sleek black pumps and a tailored top.
Dressed Down Culottes
Late Afternoon Blog: High-waisted culottes and a crop top are a look we love. Lattice-lace bottoms and a floral, fluted-sleeve top feel fresh and feminine with a modern, beach-ready twist. To transition to evening, pair with chunky-heeled sandals, a silky cami and a light tailored jacket.
The Letter Easy Lace Culottes ($89): After you’ve packed up your bags and headed home, rock this lacy pair on the job by styling them with pretty pumps and a colorful, structured top.
Sleek Finishing Touches
Gabi Fresh: If you’d rather hit the boutiques than the beach, a few polished pieces should find their way into your suitcase. Go for a mix of punchy prints and sophisticated details for a edgy, on-point look
River Island White Bonded Sleeveless Tux Jacket ($120): While this tailored tux topper is the ideal piece for giving a vacation getup a polished finish, it’s also perfect for keeping your 9-to-5 ensembles looking stylish even when temps are scorching.
Elevated Maxis
Tales of Endearment: Forget boho, this maxi skirt is anything but. The bold graphic motifs are edgy, rather than flowery, while a strapless, brass-embellished bustier completes the chic pairing.
ASOS Curve Exclusive Maxi Skirt with Split Front in Color Block ($49): When paired with the right pieces, this color blocked skirt will take you from the boardroom to the beach.
Standout Tunics
With Love from Kat: A stylish tunic is one of those pieces worth packing. You can head straight to a laid-back lunch or aperitif without needing a costume change.
Ann Taylor Loft Beach Floral Bloom Swimsuit Coverup ($55): Save room in your suitcase and transform this coverup into a dinner-ready ensemble with a metal belt and polished block heels.
Overall Dresses
Bartabac: Now that overalls have come back into style, we know you just can’t bare to part with them. Work them into your vacay wardrobe with a cool pair of Birks and layered silver baubles for the ultimate city-exploring ensemble.
Topshop Moto Vintage Wash Pinafore Dress ($60): If you’re going for the overalls, classic denim will never steer you wrong.
Comfy Kicks
Peace Love Shea: Another way to work stripes into your spring break lineup? A playful romper, of course. Add on a pair of sleek sneaks for a subtle sporty touch and polished accessories for a smart finish.
Adidas Farm Adria Low Shoes ($55): Sure, white kicks are always classic, but we’re seriously diggin’ these rainbow-colored trainers.
Gingham
Viva Luxury: Is it just us, or is this cute gingham getup perfect for a quaint Saturday stroll through a flower market in your favorite Southern locale or what?
Forever21 Cropped Knot-Front Gingham Shirt ($18): Short and sweet, this gingham topper is the perfect partner for high-waisted pants or a structured skirt.
Kimonos
Style Scrapbook: A sassy kimono is the way to go for transitional dressing while you’re away. And we say the brighter the better.
ASOSÂ Kuccia Maxi Kimono With Tassel Detail In Tropical Bird Print Co-Ord ($99): Whether you want to add an extra layer to a sophisticated ensemble or introduce a pop of color to an off-duty look, this fabulous flamingo piece will do the trick.
Bright Floral Toppers
Sincerely Jules: While we’re loving this fabulous frock, it’s the flower crown that really caught our eye. It might not make it on your packing list, but we think a vibrant bunch of blooms should be right up there with all the essentials.
Urban Outfitters Dalia Flower Crown ($20): Toss this on with your favorite flowy frock or romper for a chic, boho look.
Where are you headed this spring? What are your vacation essentials? Tell us 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.
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