Authentically Nita

If you're not already budgeting, you should start now. Budgeting can be a great way to keep track of your family's expenditures and evaluate where you spend the most money.  What is a budget?  A budget is an estimate of how much money you’ll make and spend over a certain period of time, (usually a month). A budget will tell you if you can spend less money on some things and more money on other things. It will help you manage your funds to ensure there is enough money for paying bills and living expenses. It can also help you get out of debt, and create a plan for  saving.  Follow these six simple steps to create a budget:  1.  Gather three months of your pay stubs and get your average monthly earnings. 2.  Get out your bills for fixed expenses such as rent, phone bill, car payments and other loans that come monthly. 3.  Take out three months of your credit card bills. Add them up and get the average. 4. Create a list of your monthly living expenses such as groceries, clothing,

Life after Divorce is difficult. You vowed to be with one another for eternity and someone broke that vow. You may feel betrayed and confused. You are not alone. It is okay to hurt. It is okay to cry. But, eventually, you will have to pick yourself up. You will have to come to terms with detaching from your spouse and becoming whole within yourself. Divorce is not the end of your life but rather, it is a new beginning. This is going to take some time. It could potentially take weeks or months to move nearer to reality. Take as much time as you need. Heal at your own pace. Here are some things to consider while going through the process: Don't dwell on unanswered questions So many things may be running through your mind; Why did this happen? What did I do wrong? How did we get here? You may never get all the answers. Don't dwell on it. Move forward in comfort knowing that everything happens for a reason.  Forgive Yourself It's easy to look at divorce as failure. People

I want encourage everyone to use this portal and keep your contact information updated.  IRS.gov Online Account It can be used for a number of the things including the following: Viewing your balance Viewing and creating payment plans Accessing tax records Managing communication preferences Viewing notices and letters For 2022, one of the most significant uses of this portal will be for individuals to securely access their child tax credit payment amounts and/or to access their economic impact payment amounts.   The IRS will mail out forms 6419 and 6475 with this information but if you do not get the form in the mail this is another way to access the information. 

Three key items from the IRS that you should consider when filing your taxes in 2022.  1. Changes to the charitable contribution deduction Taxpayers who don't itemize deductions may still qualify to take a deduction for charitable contributions made in 2021 to qualifying organizations. Married taxpayers filing jointly can deduct up to $600, and all other filers can deduct up to $300.  2. Advance child tax credit payments If you received the advance child tax credit payments in 2021, you will need to compare the amount of payments you received in 2021 with the amount of the child tax credit that you can properly claim. If you received less than the amount for which you are eligible you can claim a credit for the remaining amount. If you did not get the monthly advance payments in 2021 you can get a lump-sum payment by claiming the child tax credit when filing your  return. This includes families who don't normally need to file a return. Note : In January 2022, the IRS will send