Tag: paycheck

First, Create an Emergency Fund with Your Tax refund

Posted on by Dawn Kennedy

This is the week that the IRS is estimated to process to filers. In the first quarter of every calendar year federal (and sometimes state) tax refunds are issued to qualified filers. In fact the average tax refund for the 2018 filing year (2017 return) was over $2,200.00. I’ve already spoken about how to ensure every dollar you can keep goes into your pocket each month, and not into the IRS coffers (until you file the next year’s return). Another issue, comes from the fact that the money received by many taxpayers is immediately spent paying down debt accrued the previous year. Some of that debt is from short-term overspending during the holidays, accounting for about 39% of Americans using the refund to clear that debt.

It is this cycle of annual debt that needs to be addressed, because if $1,000.00 of that refund was placed into a “baby” emergency fund, many Americans would not have to incur debt for “emergencies.” The stats are incredibly scary. The latest figure is that 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. Almost 8 in 10. Following the logic, everyone knows at least a few people who are unable to cover even the smallest of budget hits without putting another bill in jeopardy. Additionally, a full 70% of Americans are in debt.

The recent government shutdown highlighted that for many Americans just treading water with money, they are one missed payday from being in financial distress. And we all saw the comments and memes about how government workers should have something put away or should be able to cover one month of expenses. Based on the statistics, 8 out of 10 cannot.

So, why am I telling you this? If you have a tax refund coming, and do not have $1000.00 saved for an emergency, you are not taking full benefit of the Uncle Sam Savings Plan. $1,000.00 goes a long way for car or home repairs, unexpected expenses, and other hits to the budget that throw a wrench in how the bills are paid. And once you put $1,000.00 away, be diligent in keeping it that way. Refill it if it gets used. Seriously. Mike and I had a pipe burst recently during the Polar Vortex, and we mopped up the water, grumbled a little, and called the plumber, knowing it could be covered from the emergency fund. (For Ramsey listeners, we are finishing baby step 2.)

Of course, $1,000.00 isn’t a “full” emergency fund, which is three to six months of expenses saved, but it is a good start to cover many, many of the instances where Murphy moved into the spare bedroom for a week. Of course, my next piece advice is to get out of debt as fast as you can, so YOU control your income, not some credit card company or bank. When you commit to payments, you promise to give them a share of your income each month, no matter what life throws at you. And I would strongly urge anyone getting the “average” refund to apply the $1200.00 over that emergency fund starter towards any outstanding debt.

The Sinking Fund- My Car Tags Were Due Again

Posted on by Dawn Kennedy

In many states, the driver’s license and car registration expire on your birthday. The not so gentle reminder that you are a year older, and they want money. When you stop and really think about it, there are probably a few things that are renewed annually. My Microsoft 365 for example, some insurance types, etc. These are not necessarily discretionary items- many of us need computer programs and certain insurances to work and protect our property. So, because I am a nerd, I started to think about the annual fees we pay, and when they are due.

Lawyering bar fees and practice related fees aside (which are also annual) our family pays roughly $468.00 a year for various things. Our computer programs, including virus and malware stuff, state registration renewal on two vehicles, and yes, I have Amazon Prime (I can explain, but I don’t want to). The due dates are sprinkled throughout the year, with some due in November, March, July… you get the idea. Since we know these fees are coming every year, we should plan for them. Lots of people plan for Christmas, birthdays, holidays and may save a bit aside, but not for our expected, routine, boring annual commitments.

If we round up our annual commitments to $500.00 a year, and divide that by twelve, I have to save roughly $42.00 a month to cover these fees. If I receive 26 paychecks a year (paid bi-weekly) I have to save about $19.25 each payday to meet our commitments. This is the basic idea of a “sinking fund,” aptly named because businesses deposit money into these accounts to “sink the debt” (fun fact)**.

Placing the estimated amount of money into a “holding” type account or reserving them separately in your checking account will allow you to have the funds available when the payments are due. Here are a few things to consider when you decide to start a sinking fund, and save a little each payday for your expected annual expenses:

1. Make sure IF you open a separate CHECKING account at the bank, you have a FREE account. Service fees will eat up what you put aside and cause you to go a bit backwards. I recommend a small(ish) regional bank or credit union for these accounts.

2. Do NOT open a SAVINGS type account if you will make frequent withdrawals to pay these bills as they come due. “Regulation D” is a federal rule that limits the amount to free transfers or withdrawals to six, afterward, you can be charged a fee for each additional .

3. Have that baby emergency fund,$500-$1000.00 saved, BEFORE you start a sinking fund. Those pesky little emergencies, such as the need to buy a tire or repair a leaking faucet, can quickly eat up the money you allocated for other expenses.

4. In the beginning, you may have a bit of overlap with what’s due and what is saved, so you may have to pay a bit more and continue saving. I know if you are living paycheck to paycheck this doesn’t always allow much room, but if you don’t start soon enough before the next expense, you may have to stretch. Example: You have $85.00 due in three months. You typically put away $21.00/ month. In three months, you have $63.00 saved, but are $21.00 short. Pay the $85.00, but still try to put away the $21.00 so you are on track for the next expense due.

It’s so easy to get frustrated we forget when the annual bills come due, and of course they still come due. Consider the sinking fund as a way to put a little away each check to cover what you will need. The stress is really reduced when the amount you need for an expected expense isn’t squeezed 100% from the same paycheck.

**And for all of you bond asset types, yes, there is a sinking fund term meaning to pay a trustee an amount to retire bond debts before they come due… though most of us have no idea what that even means. I just don’t want angry email.

Where Did 2018 Go? Thoughts on the 12 Weeks Until Black Friday

Posted on by Dawn Kennedy

This past weekend consisted of various discussion with the (grown) children about Halloween costumes for the grands and some early planning for the holidays, and it hit me, we are close to the 2018 holiday season. This year has flown by, way too quickly. And now there are only 12 weeks until Black Friday, or for many people, six paydays. But before you close this article, call me “scrooge”, and delete me from your friends list because I want to chat about the Black Friday in September, give me a moment, and I will explain. So why is “Black Friday” my measure of the season and not the actual festivities on, say, Christmas or Hanukah?? Because that shopping day after the turkey traditionally “kicks off” the holiday season. And the spending begins for many. And we love to spend.

In 2017, consumers spent an average of $967.00, between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, accounting for approximately 20% of ALL annual online shopping those days. The amount budgeted on gifts for children has averaged about $500.00 per child, relatively unchanged over the last few years. But gifts aside, there are other expenses around the big season from food, wrapping paper, shipping costs, travel expenses, and new outfits that don’t always make it into the average household budget. In fact, last year almost two-thirds of the average holiday budget went to “non-gift” spending.

All these articles quaintly mention the “holiday budget” as if this was planned in advance. I really don’t know anyone, myself included, who likes a holiday budget. Because sometimes I see something and think, “wow, this is great for…”and want to purchase that thing. For many people, the total holiday cost is really only unveiled after the revelry as the statements start coming in the mail. And the reality comes in January that for too many people, they blew out past the budget, and accumulated quite a bit of debt for the season. The average American woke up in January 2018 with over $1050.00 in DEBT. Not what was spent as a whole, but what they spent in the hole to finance the season. For the 78% of average American families living paycheck to paycheck, an additional $1000.00 in debt, and at incredibly high interest rates, is a burden.

Good news, we all have twelve weeks, or an average of six paychecks to squirrel away some cash. But even better? Companies with seasonal hiring opportunities are at the best it has been in years, and with low unemployment, retailers are competing for seasonal employees. The reported average wage is $12.00/ hour for temps, but Costco is reportedly paying $20.00 and hour!

It’s not too early to start to plan the season. And not just where you are going for dinner on which days. It’s time to think about how to pay for it. Too many people raid emergency funds and take loans from retirement accounts to fund the holidays. And because these holidays come every year, it can become a vicious cycle. But, with all this time available before the shopping and revelry begins, that second job, or extra shift, or part-time side hustle may be just what you need to make this season “Merry and Bright.”

source: imtresidential.com

Budgeting for Two: You and Your Business

Posted on by Dawn Kennedy

In a recent trend, I am learning that more and more entrepreneurs do not have a bright line separation between their business budget and their personal budget. And you NEED to have both. Separately. The written business budget is the plan to spend the businesses money. You need a business budget to know what you “must make” each month to cover all overhead and expenses. A personal written budget is the plan to spend your personal money. You need to make a written personal budget, so you know what your minimum “take home” salary needs to be. And yes, that “side hustle” is a small business, so even if it is “only” worked part-time, you must have a separate budget.

Once you know what the business needs to make and what you personally need to take home, you can prevent “co-mingling” your business and personal money. And it takes only a moment to fix: just write yourself a “reasonable salary” paycheck. On the personal side, after your paycheck, set aside the amount for your personal taxes. Have an accountant help you figure out your quarterly deposits but set aside each month (or each payday) towards your quarterly. Pay yourself on a regular basis (yes, for startups this can be hard). However, if you pay yourself a paycheck, on a regular cycle, you can budget personally.

If that sounds like an unnecessary “extra step” because it’s really all “your money anyway” you are skipping an opportunity to manage your finances better on both sides of the table. Many businesses have an “ebb and flow” of income and expenses. Proper budgeting allows for the buildup of a business emergency fund, the “management reserve” if you will. This is any money that the business has earned that is not needed for current expenses. This “extra” money, so to speak, should be set aside for lean months, when you are struggling to meet your minimums. By making yourself an expense, instead of just a “leftover” you know what you must do to make sure a regular paycheck comes in.

Why am I so adamant about this? Because we made this mistake early on as business owners. Using the business cash out of the till as it comes in, without tracking, can become a huge issue for taxes, as well as making overhead payments on time. What bills are you paying? Did you pay personal self-employment taxes on your draw? Do you know how much you’ve taken this week? Month? In fact, debt and taxes doom many small businesses. And you should know where it’s all going. This can be a huge challenge when you are just starting up, but you can make the decision early to schedule yourself in the budget, wait between paydays, and do not just write business checks for personal bills. Happy entrepreneuring!

                    www.nancynwilson.com

Why is My Paycheck Short? I wasn’t Sued

Posted on by Dawn Kennedy

When a debt is in default to a federal agency, notably student loans for many Americans, a debtor’s wages can be garnished without a lawsuit through a process known as “Administrative Wage Garnishment” (AWG). This process is different from garnishments based on having a judgment against someone after a lawsuit, because the Treasury does not need to obtain a court order to have an employer withhold up to15% of an employee’s “disposable income.”

Now, there are specific rules surrounding these processes to get you to pay back the debt. For example, an employee must be at the current job for at least 12 months, and the employee left the previous job involuntarily through something like a layoff. But generally, they can take your money, right out of your paycheck, without taking you to court. And it can be frustrating and scary because the agency is in control of the money, and you are short and have other bills to pay.

The Debt Management Service

The Debt Management Service and their Office of Debt Management (ODM) is basically the Treasury’s collection agency. In addition to AWG, there are other processes that can be used to collect on debts owed to the government, such as taking tax refunds to apply to debts, called an “offset.” If you are a Veteran receiving disability compensation, or a retiree, your money can be garnished to satisfy an ODM debt. In fact, your entire monthly disability compensation benefit can be taken. If you receive a Social Security check, and are, or your student borrower is, in default, they can garnish your social security check. Not kidding here.

This post is meant to be a strong reminder that nobody should ignore federal debts. Again, getting a letter from a government agency can be frightening. Period. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the best known, and there are a ton of ads on tv for help with “tax debt.” But these other types of federal debt? Many people are surprised at the power these other agencies have. Not unlike the IRS.

If you are being garnished, and you do not owe a debt to the agency, my suggestion is to contact a lawyer immediately. You may be a victim of identity theft, or the treasury may have wrong information about the debtor, and you are unfortunately targeted. There are stories of two “John Smiths” with a single digit off on the Social Security or account number. Make sure you do not ignore the notices that you may think are just mistakes, you may end up with a paycheck surprise. Not in a good way.

Steps You Can (and should) Take

Student Loans- if you are more than a few months behind in payments, know that after 270 days they CAN intercept your tax return and garnish your wages. If you take steps, such as contacting the servicer, there are steps to take. If you are already in garnishment, get some legal or financial help to see what you need to do to “rehab” your account and stop the garnishment.

Other Federal Debts- similar advice, contact the Treasury Department in charge of collecting your debt, or get legal or financial help in dealing with the agency. For Veterans there may be an option for a waiver, or a payment plan so you receive a portion of your compensation while paying back principal debt.

Final tip. Remain calm and respectful. If you receive a letter, call the numbers on the letter. If not, here is the general contact site for the Treasury Collections Department. You can take back control of your money, even if you are being garnished by a government agency. Get a plan, get help if you need it, and you can get through it.

The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information contained in this post should be construed as legal advice from The Law Office of Dawn K. Kennedy or the individual author, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through, this Post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction.

 

Dings to the Budget: Traffic Tickets and Criminal Justice Fines

Posted on by Dawn Kennedy

 

Fun fact! The first speeding law in the U.S. was passed in 1652 in the Colony of New Amsterdam which is New York today. Thou shalt not gallop thine horse or wagon. The fine back then would be equivalent to $150.00 in 2016 dollars. Yikes! Not much has changed.

The average speeding ticket still runs around $150 nationwide, but based on the infraction, fines can range wildly from $50.00 to $2,500.00 and from state to state. Americans shell out about $6 billion annually on our “need to speed.”

For the 8 out of 10 families living paycheck to paycheck an unexpected bill like this is a big deal. The startling reality is that 28% of us cannot handle a financial emergency of even $10.00. We are strapped as a nation and are not prepared for even the most mundane of surprises. And traffic tickets are really sort of a mundane surprise. Most people (ok, not YOU) receive a ticket or two in their lifetime. Between 2010 and 2015 about 1 in 5 drivers did.

Putting it together, most of us can’t afford a ticket, any ticket. And many Americans will reach for the credit card or borrow the money from friends, family, or a lender. Even a payday lender. Because, the consequences of ignoring a citation can be devastating. Let’s face it, fines can continue to grow and in the worst case, you lose your license or car and then how do you get to work? But borrowing the money can mean interest on top of fines. And if you already struggle to make your minimum payments? Danger, Will Robinson, danger.

So, what to do? My recommendation is to get a “baby” emergency fund, set aside in a bank account, as quickly as possible. Aim for $500 to $1,000.00. Another option is to utilize the “grace period” that time between the ticket and the court date, which is approximately 4-6 weeks or a few paydays, to pick up an extra shift, make some side money, or take another part-time job to earn all or part of the cost. If you do use part of your baby emergency fund, make sure you replenish it as soon as possible after you pay your fine.

For higher traffic and criminal justice fees and fines, this can be very difficult and create a huge hardship. So, you need a meticulous plan which requires a written budget, and cutting back on expenses, which may include cancelling unnecessary services such as cable or fancy ring tones, or a monthly subscription service for the short term. But you CAN do it.

Time to think about those dings to the budget that are unexpected, but really very likely to happen at some point. Take the smart step to put some money away “just in case” and get your monthly cash flow under control by knowing where your money is going with a written budget. Be the boss of your money.