It’s one thing to say you’re going to work out every day, but it’s quite another to actually do it. In need of a little motivation? You’re not alone. Stylish workout wear is the perfect thing to get you off the couch and to the gym (or studio). Whether your activity of choice is cycling, yoga, pilates, boxing, running or the latest fitness trend, these chic staples are just what you need to build a fitness wardrobe that makes you feel confident and excited to get moving. Because if you don’t like what you’re wearing, why bother? Not only will these must-haves help you stick to your New Year’s resolution — and look fly AF while doing it — but they won’t break the bank. So if your other goal is to save money, we’ve got you covered there too!
1. adidas Originals Satin Pullover ($85): Say buh-bye to boring sweatshirts and hello to this oil-painted, pastel, marbled camo pullover. And while camo is supposed to make you blend in, we predict this particular print will do just the opposite.
2. CALIA by Carrie Underwood Women’s Everyday Printed Tank Top ($35): This long tank (by American Idol phenom, turned country singer, turned activewear designer, Carrie Underwood) keeps you covered no matter how much bending, stretching and toe touching you do. Plus, the antimicrobial and sweat-wicking fabric keeps you fresh as a daisy.
3. 2(x)ist Cross Back Sports Bra ($36): Perfect for yoga, pilates and barre, this light-support sports bra features a wide logo band, crisscross back and stretchy microfiber lining to keep you comfy well before, during (duh) and after class. And we love the vibrant pink color. Go ahead and show it off sans shirt (if that’s appropriate where you work out).
4. Nike Leg-A-See AOP Print Leggings ($50): Ready to hit the trail — or, more likely this time of year, the treadmill? This bold sneaker pattern gets you amped up to hit the pavement. The stretch fabric and elastic waistband guarantee you feel good from the first to the last mile (and all those in between).
5. P.E. Nation The Glide Tank in Black ($89): Step up your studio (and street) style game with this bold tank. The relaxed fit makes it easy to move, whether you’re hitting it hard at ShadowBox or spinning your butt off at Flywheel.
6. ShowMeYourMumu Cleopatra Bra ($72): Flaunt your feminine side with this floral print sports bra. Thick, stretch fabric, a scoop neck and a crisscross back deliver the perfect balance of comfort and support.
7. Zella Print Midi Leggings ($59): You heard it here — 2017 is all about the printed legging. This optic, cloud-like design is rather dreamy. Rock ’em to yoga and enjoy a long savasana. Hey, you earned it.
8. Terez Womens You’re a Stud Performance Reversible Crop Top ($60): This tank takes reversible to a whole new level. Instead of turning inside-out, this studded crop top reverses back to front. Sport it as a high or low neck style. Either way, you’re bound to make an edgy statement.
9. Beyond Yoga Lux Palette Essential Long Legging ($69): At the intersection of performance and fashion are these painterly yoga pants. As if the quick-drying, four-way stretch fabric wasn’t enough, this poly-spandex blend is infused with cooling properties! Hot yoga anyone?
11. Alo Airbrush Legging ($88): We can’t get enough of the cool camo print. And if that’s not enough to make you stock up, these babies also boast a seamless fit, tummy-flattening waistband and high-performance fabric. Be warned: You’re going to want to wear them even on your off days (hey, we won’t tell anyone).
12. C9 Champion Women’s Cold Weather 1/2 Zip Pullover ($49): Can’t get into running on the treadmill? Or maybe you’re just brave enough to make it outdoors to get your fitness on. This half-zip is for you! The brushed fabric retains heat, so you can stay toasty, even on the frostiest of days.
13. prAna Roxanne Capri ($69): To say these super soft capri pants are an essential would be an understatement. Between the eye-catching print, high-performance functionality and flattering waistband, you’ll never want to take them off!
14. DYI Crochet Crop Pullover ($50): We never thought we’d see the day when we could add crochet into our fitness wardrobe. This must-have crop top proved us wrong. It’s totally beautiful and breathable.
Forever 21 Active Mesh-Panel Leggings
actually go from the studio to the street. These ultra-flattering knit leggings are enhanced with contrast and open-mesh panels.
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