by Solange Lopes | Dec 21, 2017 | Make More Money
Ask a CPA_ 3 Can’t Miss Tax Savings for New Parents
Congratulations on becoming a new parent! Not only is this a major life-changing event, it also has some seriously positive tax implications. There are several tax benefits available to new parents, as well as considerations to take into account as you plan your new child’s future.
First off, keep in mind that in order to claim your child as a dependent, s/he would need a Social Security card first. Make sure to take care of this as soon as your child is born, in order to claim them as a dependent as soon as possible. Remember that even if your child is born on December 31, you can still claim him/her for the entire year. Additionally, you may want to submit a new W-4 at work in order to adjust your tax withholding status.
Here are some tax savings to keep in mind as your family starts growing:
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Check if your employer offers a dependent care Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA).
Take advantage of any dependent care Flexible Spending Arrangement offered by your employer as a tax benefit. FSAs allow you to contribute on a pre-tax basis $5,000 towards childcare. This is $2,000 over the normal contribution limit of $3,000, and you should definitely take advantage of it.
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Invest in a 529 Plan.
Even if you can’t fund it right away, consider opening a 529 plan for your new addition. Even minimal monthly contributions can add up over time. Additionally, consulting a financial planner on a yearly basis to discuss your current financial standing as well as your college savings goals can prove rewarding as you plan your child’s future. Also keep in mind that grandparents are allowed to fund a 529 plan, so encourage them to help as well.
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Use a tax pro!
Don’t let the variety of tax deductions and credits available to you as a new parent overwhelm you. Instead, consider hiring the services of a tax professional to avoid mistakes as you do your taxes yourself.
Becoming a new parent is one of the most exciting milestones you’ll ever reach. Congratulations on this new part of your journey, and don’t hesitate to consult a tax professional to answer any questions you may have!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Dec 20, 2017 | Working Mom & Woman Tips |
10 Things NEVER to Say To A Mom Who’s Had a C-Section
If you’re a woman who’s ever had a C-section, you know how challenging of a process it can be. In addition to being traumatic for many women who have had to suffer emergency procedures to deliver their babies, at the cost of their own lives. If you’re a woman who hasn’t had to endure one, this is not to speak against anyone. However, we all know that giving birth is such a precious and precarious process which puts both mother and child between life and death.
It’s also the reason why I’m utterly amazed at some of the words and slights spoken at any woman who’s had a C-section. Having gone through the C-section experience myself, I have been at the end of many of these. From some women questioning the legitimacy of my womanhood, to inappropriate questions about how I gave birth, I’ve heard it all…Interestingly enough, I never addressed these directly, for the simple reason that I didn’t know how to. I know I’m not the only one either…
So many women are suffering silently under the false stigma surrounding C-sections, especially in certain cultures. There is this untrue image that giving birth naturally represents some sort of badge of honor. The only badge of honor is from God and represents the gift of life. Which also means that it’s not exactly up to us to determine anyone’s worth based on our opinion of who they are, what they do, or anything really…
10 Things NEVER to Say To A Mom Who’s Had a C-Section
While many comments come from a place of misinformation and miseducation, they are still damaging. From my own and so many other women’s experiences, here are 10 things NEVER to say to a woman who’s had a C-section:
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So, is that giving birth, technically?
FYI: Giving birth is the process of bringing forth life. This means that regardless of the delivery experience, the act of carrying life IS giving birth. Even if it doesn’t come from a bad place, refrain from taking any of this experience away from a mom who’s had a C-section. Period.
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You’ll never experience giving birth naturally
I remember standing in absolute shock as this woman said these exact words to me. Although I thought I was mentally prepared and had heard just about anything about C-sections, this took me by absolute surprise.
Make no mistake, such a statement, or anything close to it, is not only of bad taste, but it is incredibly cruel. However, it only reveals ignorance and an extreme lack of compassion. Don’t be that person.
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It must be so easy to give birth by C-section
FYI: C-sections are major surgeries, for which women undergoing it are awake. Then these same women get sent home a couple of days after being cut open, with some medication and a new human life to care for! Think about it, most people undergoing major surgery are sent home with prescription painkillers and ordered to rest!
Add to it the struggle to care for your surgery wound, to use the bathroom, or to simply walk around! We may need to reframe the definition of “easy”, huh?
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You’re so lucky to have given birth by C-section
Many, if not most, women undergo C-sections after extensive labor, and in order to save their child’s life. These are women who suffer through BOTH labor, surgery and the trauma of fearing for theirs and their child’s health. Don’t assume that social media images of wealthy women opting for C-sections is what happens to everyone. And don’t downplay the trauma affecting so many women!
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You can try again next time to do it naturally!
The process of life and being born is a NATURAL process! What you may mean by “natural” is “vaginal birth”. In which case this statement may have to be rephrased.
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At least, you’re intact down there
Getting cut open while a child is being taken out of you doesn’t exactly fall under the “intact” category. Or maybe there’s no need to compare. At all.
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At least, the baby’s healthy
Yes, and that is why many women undergo C-sections. However, that woman standing in front of you also has worth and feelings too. Acknowledge her process as well, because every time a child is born, a mother is being born as well.
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You don’t have to pee yourself, at least
FYI: Having a weakened pelvic floor is not correlated to how you give birth. As a matter of fact, it can happen to any woman for the simple fact of being pregnant. So eventually, we may all end up sharing those Depends diapers.
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That’s too bad.
Giving birth (refer to point #1) is a miracle, and an absolute joy, regardless of how it happened! So please don’t dampen this whole magical experience. Everyone’s healthy, it’s a happy time!
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Don’t worry, the statistics about C-sections are (insert statistics)
When you meet someone who reduces your entire experience to a bunch of statistics, albeit accurate. And you just want to tell them to be happy with you, let it go, and leave the Birth Encyclopedia alone…
Here’s to all the brave mothers, biological or by heart, who devote their lives to nurturing others! You are worthy, you are enough, you are loved!
The Corporate Sis
by Solange Lopes | Dec 20, 2017 | Career
How to write your Career Vision Statement
“You can’t be what you can’t see”. You may have heard this phrase before, and so have I. Not only have I heard it, I have come to make it a powerful principle in my career and life in general. It’s also the reason why I started creating a Career Vision Statement for myself, because rather than hoping and wishing, I wanted to see where I wanted to be and what I wanted to do in the future.
Your Career Vision Statement is the equivalent of a mental picture of what inspires you and where you aspire to be. These are not expectations from society or what others think about you, or want you to do. It’s about your own view of success according to your personal values and interests. The reason why a Career Vision Statement is so powerful is because it helps draw out a path for your work, create meaning behind it and direct your actions as you move towards your career purpose.
How to write your Career Vision Statement-2
This study revealed that one of the reasons why women persisted in fields as challenging as STEM was because they had a “personal vision”. A strong Career Vision Statement will keep you inspired, motivated and engaged.
As a working woman, having a Career Vision Statement has helped me face and overcome discrimination, bias and barriers in the workplace. I believe it can also help you achieve bigger and better things in your work.
Here are three simple steps to create your Career Vision Statement:
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Define who you want to be and what you want to do
It’s important to be as honest with yourself as possible about who you really are and what you really want to do when it comes to your career. Many of us have a flawed vision of who we should be, based on feedback from friends and families, or expectations that are not in aligned with who we are.
Instead, ask yourself: “Who do I want to be?” “What do I want to do?” Through this process, do not settle for second best. Let go of logical thinking and pragmatism. Turn off those negative voices and dare to think “big”. Anything is possible!
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself:
- How do you define career success?
- What type of job or career do you envision yourself doing?
- What would you do if money weren’t a concern?
- If no obstacles stood in your way, what would you like to achieve your career?
- Who are the people you most admire?
- What does your life look like once you achieve success?
- Do you have a gift or calling?
- What do you love to do?
- Where would you like to be in 1 year? 5 years?
- What makes you special?
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Recognize what you need to do to get there
Reality check: There’s a gap between the “who” you want to be, and the real you at the moment. This is not to beat yourself up for not having reached the levels of success you’re aspiring to.
Your Career Vision Statement is a great place to devise HOW you intend to make your professional vision come true. Think about a few steps you can put into action to illustrate ways you can get to achieve your career goals.
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Review periodically!
Review your Career Vision Statement periodically, preferably as often as possible! I keep mine in my wallet and try and read it at least once a week, if not multiple times a week. I find that every time I read it, I get a boost of self-confidence and motivation.
Make it a habit to review your Career Vision Statement and update it regularly.
Have you written your Career Vision Statement?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis
by Solange Lopes | Dec 20, 2017 | Career
At the end of each year, I inevitably ask myself: “Self, where do you stand?” While this question pops up as related to all areas of my life, it also inevitably gets asked of my work. Like most of us, the majority of my time is spent working. Reaching December 31st also means that twelve full months have elapsed during which most of my waking days have been spent pursuing some professional or business goal or another. What it also means is that it’s time to review your career at year-end.
While we’re all about looking forward, especially as we start a new year, it’s important to look back at what our experiences have taught us. This is all the more prevalent in our careers as these are not built in a year or so. It’s the sum of countless lessons learnt from the cubicle to the office that create real success. Not the success borrowed from your frenemies’ timelines on social media, but lasting success on your own terms.
7 Steps to Review Your Career at Year-End-2
Take a pause as the year ends to quickly review where you stand in your career. If you’re unsure where to start, consider these 7 steps:
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Start Within!
How do you feel about your career? Are you as excited as you were when you started out at the beginning of the year? Or are you dragging yourself out of bed every morning? Are you justifying the way you feel by the fact that you need to pay bills and do what you’ve got to do?
Checking in with yourself is the first step to re-evaluate your career at the end of each year. This is not to say that you should beat yourself up for feeling the way you do. However, we should all make an honest assessment of where you stand emotionally as related to your career. It’s normal to evolve and change. It’s also normal that your desires and tastes evolve with time. What’s not normal is to deny the emotional impact your work has on you and your life if you want to create success on your own terms.
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Goal Check Time!
As the end of the year approaches, where do you stand as related to the career goals you set at the beginning of the year? Did you get that promotion you had planned for? Have you made that lateral move? Are you closer to finding a new job, or leaving your 9-to-5 to work on your business?
Many of us avoid reviewing the goals we set at the beginning of the year because it can be a painful exercise if we did indeed fail. However, we must understand that failure is not only normal, but also necessary. Failing means you’ve tried, and that you may need to re-evaluate those goals. Yet, you need to assess these goals first in order to move forward.
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Do An Opportunity Check!
Now let’s talk opportunities. What have you learnt this year? Every year should bring about new opportunities to progress, learn and advance. This is not just about scoring a promotion, raise or the book deal of the year. It’s about being better and further than where you started.
Look past the usual symbols of success such as money and status, and look for ways, even the smallest of ways, in which you have progressed in your career. It may be a new training you took, a good performance review, or some praise from your managers. Recognize the good.
Also, recognize those areas where you missed opportunities, and ask yourself why. The most important part of this process is to understand what worked well and what didn’t, so you can re-adjust your approach in the new year.
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Assess where you stand!
This can be a tricky part of your review process. When asking yourself if you are where you should be in your career, it should not be to reflect what others are telling you about yourself. Neither is it to beat yourself up because you are not where society thinks you should be at.
Rather, this is where you should use your own barometer of success. Are you where you think you should be according to what is important to you? If you feel like you haven’t progressed enough, then it may be time to devise a plan to go further in the new year. If you do, don’t rest on your laurels, but continue to learn and better yourself.
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Create Your Career Vision!
Now project yourself onto the future, and ask yourself what your career looks like in the next year, or in the next five years? This part of your review process is crucial, as it will determine how you re-orient and re-engineer your goals as you step into the new year.
What is it that you want more of? Less of? What is the next step for you? What is your next milestone?
Write down your Career Vision statement for the next year, and read it aloud to yourself as often as possible. It should represent where you see yourself in your career in as much detail as possible.
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Take Action!
Now it’s time to draw a Career Action Plan for yourself. This is where you actually devise specific steps you need to accomplish what you desire in your career. It may mean taking on more complex assignments, going back to school, being more assertive, etc.
Whatever it is, make sure to list in your Career Action Plan for the next year. Keep this action plan handy as you start the new year.
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Use your village!
It takes a village to build a successful career, according to what your view of success is and to what is important to you. Review your goals at the end of the year is an even more powerful process if you can share it with people who can help you. Whether it’s a mentor, a trusted manager or colleague, or even a dear friend, consider discussing the results of your year-end review with someone you trust.
This will help you bounce some ideas off of someone else’s, and come up with even more insight.
How do you review your career at the end of the year?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Dec 19, 2017 | Working Mom & Woman Tips
Last-Minute Gift Guide for the Fierce Working Women In Your Life
Please note I may receive a commission if you purchase the items below.
‘Tis the season for gifting! When it comes to the fierce, kickass, unstoppable working women around you, finding gifts that truly represent who they are (and that they can actually use) can be tricky. After all, keeping up with an ambitious woman’s excellent taste, as well as her busy career, is not for the faint of hearts.
If you’re wondering what to run out and get that relentless, hard-working woman in your life, you can get inspired by some of our ideas. Something tells me she’ll adore these practical yet stylish office tools, these brilliant office supplies, and one-of-a-kind signature accessories.
Rifle Paper Floral Weekly Planner Desk
Rifle Paper Weekly Desk Planner – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
This weekly planner desk featuring 52 tear-off sheets is the perfect desk accessory and reminder in one! The honeydew floral style is elegant and chic, and you can even use it as a mouse pad! Click HERE to check it out!
Clear Office Desk Drawer Organizer – Photo credit: amazon.com
Clear Office Desk Organizer
This clear drawer desk organizer is perfect to store all your office supplies in one place. From the two file organizers on the left, to the iPad holder and charger in the back, you can get everything you need in the office in one place. Click HERE.
Goal Digger Planner 2018 Ivory Agenda – Photo credit: amazon.com
Goal Digger Planner 2018 Ivory Agenda
This stylish gold polka dot organizer includes enough space for your budget, your yearly and weekly goals, as well as monthly and weekly calendars, among other practical things. The details, from the gold elastic bands to the gold corners, are just perfect. Click HERE.
Kate Spade Cameron Street Agenda – Photo credit: amazon.com
Kate Spade Cameron Street Agenda
Get clarity and intention with this stylish and practical Kate Spade agenda. Featuring 17 month fillers, laminated dividers and 14k gold plated hardware, this agenda means business! Click HERE.
Like A Boss Mouse Pad – Photo credit: amazon.com
Like A Boss Mouse Pad
Stay inspired and productive with this colorful, optimized for comfort Like a Boss mouse pad. Not only is it a conversation starter, but it’s also designed for extreme comfort with a soft rubber base. It also allows for precision tracking. Click HERE.
kate spade new york Acrylic Stapler – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
Kate Spade New York Acrylic Stapler
Thou shalt staple in style! This acrylic stapler is a great addition to your office supplies. And the inscription reading “Keep It Together” is all you need to keep you motivated. Click HERE.
Sloane Stationery “Geek Chic” Notebook – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
Sloane Stationery “Geek Chic” Notebook
The “nerd” woman in your life will love this Sloane stationary “geek chic” notebook. This embossed, soft-cover notebook will keep you on track and in productivity. Click HERE.
kate spade new york Journal – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
Kate Spade New York Journal
This cloth-covered, hard cover journal with gold foil accents is the chic companion to any kickass working woman in your life. Click HERE.
Rebecca Minkoff Regan Sleeve – photo credit: www.amazon.com
Rebecca Minkoff Regan Laptop Sleeve
This genuine leather laptop sleeve features an exclusive padded lining and front zip pocket for extra storage. The Rebecca Minkoff signature details are as stylish as they are elegant. Click HERE.
Glitter iPhone Case – Photo credit: amazon.com
Glitter iPhone Case
This is the perfect phone companion for any fabulous working woman who wants some bling in her life. Click HERE.
Frends Layla Headphones – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
Frends Layla Headphones
These headphones are as stylish as they’re comfortable and efficient. The memory foam cushions are molded to fit your ears, while the stain-resistant leather is both practical and a magnet for compliments. Click HERE.
Wireless Bluetooth Headphones – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
Wireless Bluetooth Headphones
These wireless bluetooth headphones are as simple as they are efficient. Whether you use them alone or share them with a friend, the built-in sensitive microphones will ensure perfect sound. Click HERE.
Michael Kors Rose Gold Watch – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
Michael Kors Rose Gold Watch
This rose gold watch will keep her on time and fabulous! Click HERE.
Mint Boss Lady Mug – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
Mint Boss Lady Mug
For any Boss Lady in your life! This mug will remind her to keep thriving in all areas of her life! Click HERE.
Pink Eyelashes Gold Coffee Mug – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
Pink Eyelashes Gold Coffee Mug
Chic and stylish are two words to define this adorable mug! The working woman in your life will get a kick out of it (as well as out of the coffee she’ll be sipping out of it)! Click HERE.
Real Lightweight Leather and Ponte Jacket – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
Real Lightweight Leather and Ponte Jacket
Nothing like a statement leather jacket to give the working woman in your life a pep in your step! This moto-inspired jacket is perfect with any workwear or weekend wear. Click HERE.
Tweed Jacket With Trim – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
Tweed Jacket With Trim
A classic tweed jacket like this one will be a perfect addition to any professional woman’s workwear. Click HERE.
Successful Women Speak Differently: 9 Habits That Build Confidence, Courage, and Influence – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
Successful Women Speak Differently: 9 Habits That Build Confidence, Courage, and Influence
Give her the gift of confidence, courage and influence with this amazing book by best-selling author and life strategist Valorie Burton. Click HERE.
In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs
Offer her the gift of inspiration with this chef-d’oeuvre featuring over 100 exceptional women sharing business advice about following your passion. Click HERE.
The Motivation Manifesto – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
The Motivation Manifesto
Give her the gift of motivation with this best-selling exceptional book by renowned high-performance coach Brendon Burchard. It will be a great way to inspire her to own her personal freedom. Click HERE.
Brasilla Small Duffel Bag – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
Brasilla Small Duffel Bag
Inspire her to keep in shape with this Nike Brasilla small duffel bag. This water-resistant and stylish bag will be her favorite go-to as she rushes out to the gym. Click HERE.
Diablo Small Duffel Limited Edition – Photo credit: www.amazon.com
Diablo Small Duffel Limited Edition
Perfect for the busy working woman on the go, this small duffel bag is great for any gym run. Click HERE.
Disclaimer: “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”
What else would you add to this list?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
