How Does the New Tax System Affect My Moving Business?

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“You’ll be able to file your taxes on a postcard” was the claim made by more than one person during the final weeks of 2017 when the new tax bill was being wrangled out.

If you follow politics at all, then 2017 seems so long ago.

“[The] postcard concept is out the window,” says CPA and financial advisor Mark Kohler. “Tax advisers are going to be even more critical for the small business owner.”

Okay, so what’s going on now? We can offer all sorts of moving industry advice, but we’re less (see: “legally”) confident in our tax advisory expertise. But that caveat aside, here are a few key takeaways from the recent tax reform that a small moving company owner may find interesting.

Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, LLCs and S-Corporations

This probably includes just about everyone in the HireAHelper mover community.

You do not get any sort of break in the form of reduced taxes. Instead, these “pass-through companies” – meaning companies where income passes through to the company owners who report said income on their individual tax returns – are now able to deduct 20% from that income. This may be of interest to you, depending on how your individual taxes pencil out. (The charts in this Investopedia piece may help.)

However, any earned wages from your business that you report are excluded from your “QBI“ (Qualified business income). In other words, if you pay yourself wages out of your business income (a scenario most likely if you are an S-Corporation), you can only deduct your 20% from the business income that passes through to you as an individual. (Yes, this sort of set-up is ripe for abuse, with people adjusting their wages or salary in order to reap the biggest tax break.)

Also, if you are pulling in more than $157,500 as a single filer or ($315,000 for joint filers) you may not be eligible for the full 20% deduction, depending on how your business is classified (i.e., personal service versus employee-based). If that is the case, your best bet here is to consult a tax expert.

Deducting Costs For Trucks

Easier to comprehend is the change in how businesses can deduct the costs of depreciable assets – like vehicles, hand trucks and four-wheelers.

Whereas before, deductions for capital expenses would be made over several years, now you can deduct the full cost of any and all equipment you purchase from your taxable income for that year (up to $1,000,000).

This is perhaps the biggest boon for small business owners, as it helps ease the financial burden of purchasing the equipment that can help those owners increase productivity and grow their businesses. If you have been putting off buying that truck or updating your equipment inventory, you may now find your procrastination rewarded!

Changers For Your Customers

But for us, the most significant change in the tax code might be one that is directed not at us, but at our potential customers: As part of the tax reform, individuals will no longer be able to write off their work-related relocation expenses.

Now, could this mean that fewer people will be moving for work? Possibly. But how many have that choice? The more likely effect is that this will encourage more people to look for ways to save on their move.

Which could benefit all of us in the HireAHelper community, no matter which tax bracket we’re in.

Have a prosperous year everyone! (And good luck on your taxes!)

Moving Paperwork 101: How to Organize, What to Keep, Who to Contact

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Listen, we are organized people.

At any given moment, our countertops are usually cleared of clutter, our files are neatly kept in labeled file folders, and our medicine cabinets are filled with colorful baskets of bathroom essentials. Organizing is our jam, mostly because we can’t take the stress that comes with living in a state of disorganization.

But recently when Bridget bought a new house and put her old house on the market, she became immediately bombarded with moving paperwork, emails and electronic files that quickly had someone who prides herself on her organization … feeling overwhelmed! All of the documents and information streaming into the mailbox and inbox were so important, yet it seemed like a whirlwind of information was getting lost in the shuffle. Not good.

With that in mind, today we’re diving into:

  • Who you can expect to hear from when you begin to move
  • What paperwork you need to keep tabs on, and
  • A few quick strategies that will help you keep track of your sanity (and those important docs!)

First, we go over the two different methods that helped me, then we get into the details about what you’ll be organizing (and with who!)

The Organization Must-Do’s

Create your official “Moving Binder” for the hard copies of paperwork.

No matter if you’re just moving, just selling, or possibly even both, the paperwork is bound to come streaming in right away. Heck, even when your home hits the multiple listings service (MLS) market or your name is given to a loan company, your address is often shared with businesses in the moving industry so they can start marketing to YOU. Some of these documents you receive in the mail are bogus and won’t really help you, but some coupons or information can be very helpful for your upcoming move. New furniture, carpet cleaners, deals on boxes—you name it and you’ll probably receive some type of paperwork for it. 

That’s why we think it’s important to set up a binder/folder system that will keep all of the hard copies of these important docs safe and together. You should immediately discard any information that is junk, but any paperwork that is important should be filed in this binder right away. We would also recommend adding a spiral or paper in the binder so you can take notes as you go. You can even add an envelope into the binder in order to save your receipts as you make purchases. Having this system in place before the paperwork gets out of hand is essential. Also keeping this binder out of the moving boxes and with you (even on moving day) will ensure you have access to paperwork up until, during, and even right after your move.

Start an official email folder for moving stuff.

Not only will your mailbox outside fill up quickly, so will your inbox! No one likes a cluttered inbox, yet sometimes it’s hard fielding all of these emails when they seem to never stop coming. Your lawyer, realtor and loan agency are going to bombard you with time-sensitive instructions for you to follow in order to move forward in the process. And if these emails get overlooked, you may have a serious problem!

We recommend starting a folder (at least one) in your inbox to start sorting out these important documents. You can always print the really important stuff to add to your binder, but also having the electronic copies of these items accessible and in one spot will be a lifesaver down the road!

But what exactly will you need to sort via email? Allow us to give you the heads up on which documents you’ll probably be receiving so you can have a better understanding of how you can manage your system accordingly.

Who Will be Contacting Me Before My Move?

The professionals that will be filling your inbox most frequently are your realtor, your real estate lawyer, your lender, and the insurance agent (and anyone from those respective teams of people). Although they will all eventually work on your behalf, communication with all of them is crucial for an on-time closing.

The Realtor

Right after the seller accepts your bid on a new house, you will most likely receive important documents from your realtor, such as:

  • A copy of the home’s signed contract
  • Any correspondence about the property from the seller
  • A scanned copy of the receipt of earnest money
  • A timeline of the next steps (deadlines for the inspection, lender’s approval, home owner’s insurance, and written mortgage commitment)

Most of these documents can be saved and filed in the binder and/or electronic file folder. However, we would definitely suggest printing out the timeline for the upcoming deadlines. It’s imperative you meet the outlined deadlines so your closing isn’t delayed! Having these dates printed out and marked on your calendar will help you do this. We also want to remind you to ask your realtor about any questions you may have throughout the process because they are very familiar with this process and should act as your coach over the next 45-60 days. If your realtor is unsure of the answer, the next person on our list is the next best coach to guide you to your closing.

The Lawyers

Alongside realtor papers, you’ll probably simultaneously receive the following documents from your real estate lawyer and their team:

  • An introduction to the upcoming closing process, the timeline, and the fees associated with the attorney services
  • A request to sign and return a contract to work together throughout this deal
  • A request for you to send over additional information about the property including whether or not this is going to be your full-time home, the correct spelling of all buyers’ names as they will appear on the loan and/or title to the property, your current address, phone number, current marital status and your lender’s contact name/information.
  • Property Appraisal
  • Any negotiations that take place after the inspection with the seller
  • Any inspection problems that have been addressed by the seller (with receipts attached that identify proof of work)
  • Tax escrow information

Yep, it’s a lot! (That’s why you need to organize first!)

These steps need to be completed and returned almost immediately if you feel comfortable moving forward with this law firm. If you don’t, it is time to secure a new attorney immediately. You need this team right away, but you don’t want the time sensitivity of the process to force you to work with someone you aren’t comfortable with.

The Lender

While your lawyers are working closely with the realtor and the seller’s attorney, the lender is busy reviewing your finances in order to eventually approve your home loan. You can’t move forward with the contract on this property until your loan has been “cleared to close”, which is a process that can take up to (and even over!) a month. It’s a lot of stuff to cover, but here’s the information the lender will need over that month:

  • Permission from you to order the property’s appraisal (with fees associated, which is about $300-$500)
  • An itemized list of all of the updated documents he or she needs in order to update your loan and get that “clear to close” completed in time for your closing date. This paperwork will include (but is not limited to)
    • Copies of your 30 days most recent consecutive pay stubs
    • Copies of all of your W2 forms/1099 forms
    • Complete copies of your personal federal tax returns with all schedules/pages
    • Complete copies of your 2 months most recent consecutive bank statements for all assets
    • Copy of retirement funds
    • Copy of your most recent homeowner’s insurance renewal information, if you decide to purchase, non-contingent on the sale/close of your current home
    • Copy of Earnest Money Check
    • Proof of a homeowner’s insurance policy in the new home (needed two weeks prior to closing)
    • Copy of your Photo IDs for the Patriot Act
    • Signed and dated letter of explanation to confirm your intent to occupy the new property as your primary residence, if you are purchasing non-contingent on the sale/close of current home
    • Updated printout/activity of your bank account showing your Earnest Money Check clearing your account

Some of the paperwork you won’t be able to produce until right when the lender needs it (i.e., most recent paystubs, the Earnest Money Check, etc.), but some of this paperwork you probably already needed for the pre-approval process. We would advise you to put all of those documents into your moving binder system so they are easily accessible when your lender asks. This will save you tons of stress and will keep the process running as smoothly as possible.

The Insurance Agent

You’ll also need to provide proof of insurance on the new property around two weeks before your closing date. Therefore, you’re going to be in close contact with your homeowner’s insurance agent to secure this coverage.

You’ll need to send her the MLS information about the house. If you want to be considered for a few discounts, you may need to provide additional information (and proof) of the age of the roof or the home’s mechanicals. Make sure you ask your insurance provider about these opportunities so that you can save as much money as possible on your coverage!

Realtors, lawyers, lenders … oh my! The month before your move is a busy one that comes with a lot of paperwork, emails and new items on your to-do list. It can be overwhelming, even for an organized person like myself, so having a plan before the flood of information starts is key! Also knowing what to look for in your mailbox or inbox will help you get a better sense of how to stay organized and what you can have prepared in advance. The last thing you want is a delayed closing date because you missed a deadline. Use these tips so you avoid that at all costs.

Married and Moving In: What Does That Mean for My Money?

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Getting married and moving in with your partner is a significant turning point in both your lives. But in the process of packing up and combining all your worldly goods, things can get a little bit hectic. You may have found your dream home, but this is just the beginning – in the midst of all this excitement, you shouldn’t forget to keep a critical eye on your personal finances.

Things can get a little weird, so with that in mind, here are a few money protips to help you navigate life as a newlywed.

Clear the Air and Tell Eachother Your Debts

First things first: communication isn’t just crucial for your feelings! Openly communicating about finances is a massive step towards keeping tension out of your marriage.

Make no mistake: money is (perhaps unsurprisingly) one of the biggest causes of stress in relationships. So be honest and forthcoming with each other about your finances prior to moving in, so you can work on a plan to move forward together. That means laying all your cards out on the table. Make sure to discuss:

  • Your spending habits and priorities
  • What you each carry in terms of debt
  • Your credit standing
  • Current investments and income
  • Your goals are for the future

The more you communicate, the better you’ll be able to negotiate your financial landscape as a team.

Knowing What’s Mine and What’s Yours: What’s Separate in the Eyes of the Law

The distinction between separate and shared marital assets differs from state to state. In general, assets acquired before marriage, as well as gifts, inheritance and personal injury awards are considered separate.

Most other assets, specifically those acquired during a marriage, are seen as shared. This includes retirement accounts (like IRAs or 401(k)s), businesses, properties, income and investments. However, remember that some of these assets will be assessed differently depending on whether you live in one of these common law or community property states:

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Idaho
  • Louisiana
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Texas
  • Washington
  • Wisconsin

This can totally affect how you handle those assets, so read the links and be prepared!

4 Times You Should Really Move to Save You Money

Do You Share Debts Too?

In common law states, assets owned by only one spouse are legally considered separate, which can provide what’s sometimes called an asset protection advantage.

Those community property/common law states I talked about earlier, on the other hand, treat both spouses as equal contributors to the family unit, regardless of individual income level, which means they divide all assets 50/50. This includes everything earned or purchased during the marriage years, no matter if the deed, title or account registration is only in one person’s name. This also means that here, debt or liabilities acquired by one spouse are shared equally by both.

Yep, that means in the event that you want to override your state’s property laws, you’ll need to hire a lawyer to draft a prenuptial agreement. This will stand in court even if you move between states that apply different property laws.

‘Till Death (and Taxes) Do Us Part

Tax laws can be complicated, so make sure to do some research to determine whether you should file jointly or separately as a married couple. It will highly depend on factors such as children, rate of income and even nationality.

Filing jointly means your tax liability will likely change, pushing you into a lower or higher bracket. However, even with a higher tax rate, there are benefits. Married-filing-jointly couples receive exemptions, deductions and credits not available under other statuses. Adjusting your W-4 to the married rate or claiming the additional allowance also reduces the taxes withheld from your paycheck. Plus, spouses are also allowed unlimited tax free gifts to each other, which can affect how you handle larger assets.

Add it All Up – Together

One of the most proactive steps you’ll need to take is to – for real – sit down and make a mutual budget. This will keep both of you accountable to the shared responsibilities you’ll now have, so you don’t fall into debt.

Even if you decide to put one of you in charge of the finances, it’s still important to create a plan together. List all of your expenses, most of all including:

  • Rent or mortgage payments
  • Utilities
  • Food and entertainment
  • Car expenses
  • Loan and credit card payments
  • Savings and retirement contributions

Discuss individual needs or preferences and make sure you come to a compromise in areas where you disagree. You’ll also need to decide whether you’ll split everything equally, or have each person contribute a percentage to the household based on their earnings.

Save for a Rainy Day

Finally, build an emergency fund! This is critical in keeping your marriage stable when life gets rocky, and is severely lacking on most people’s ledger. It is guaranteed to come in handy when the car breaks down, the basement floods or a family emergency occurs. It will also protect you during job losses, serious accidents and extended illnesses.

There’s no way to predict what or when these events will crop up, but one thing is for sure: something always does. Make this a priority so an unexpected life event doesn’t end up driving your marriage into the ground.

Moving into a new home together as newlyweds can get a bit daunting as you’ll have to do things a bit differently. Make sure you take the previous tips into consideration when planning out your finances for your new life together – it’ll make many of your future issues a lot easier to deal with so that you can focus on each other and your marriage.

Beth Kotz is a contributing writer to Credit.com. She specializes in covering financial advice for female entrepreneurs, college students and recent graduates. She earned a BA in Communications and Media from DePaul University in Chicago, where she continues to live and work.

4 Cases Where You Really Should Move to Save Money

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It’s true what they say: there’s never a “perfect” time to move. But sometimes making that decision is the best thing for you and your family.

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Is Your Move Tax-Deductible? It Might Be for Almost 8 Million Americans

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Did you move for work last year? Did you pay for any of it yourself?

If you answered yes to both these questions, Uncle Sam wants to help!

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The Best DIY Methods for Sorting Important Stuff

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When it’s time to get our personal taxes done, we stress out at how much we wish we had organized last year. Extra receipts, mortgage payments, escrow account status, business expenses … yikes! But this year is going be different.

Seriously.

For the first time ever, we organized. Now we’re finally heading into tax season with a whole new perspective. And it feels great.

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Do You Donate Your Old Appliances? You Should. Here Are the 3 Easiest Ways

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It all happened when we got new appliances for our kitchen. Never had I been more excited for a refrigerator, stove and dishwasher. The day our kitchen appliances were delivered, I eagerly ran home from work to check out my new beauties.

Then it happened. Yep, it’s official.

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