Our Wear to Work feature showcases workwear pieces in various styles and price ranges.
Spring is the perfect time to get your basics out! Like this crisp, chic linen tee from LOFT that you can pair with pretty much any bottom, or blazer/cardigan. Loving the texture and drape of this simple but luxurious tee. It’s $34.95 at Loft!
In similar styles, I also like this Bobeau poplin ruffle tee from Nordstrom, and this easy classic crew tee from Target, very much on trend for the Spring…
Our Ask A CPA feature answers to questions frequently asked to CPAs. As a CPA, I love to answer these for our readers. Got a question? Email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
Q: I’m self-employed, and am not sure which deductions I can take on my tax return. Can you help?
A: If you’re self-employed these days, you’re in excellent company. Roughly 55 million Americans are as well… And when it comes to tax season and making the most out of your business expenses, there are many deductions you can take advantage of:
Your Home Office: All those equipment expenses you incur, not to mention the very space you use in your home to conduct your business operations, are all deductible. The IRS allows you to deduct part of your rent or mortgage associated with the space you use as your home office. Additionally, you’re also allowed to write off a portion of your home utilities and insurance related to your home office.
Work Expenses: Various costs directly related to your business can also be deducted, including office equipment such as computers and printers, printing paper, business cards, and even ink and toner… Even expenses such as website hosting and domain name, or online payroll software costs, can be written off of your taxable income.
Software and Hardware: If you bought a desktop computer, tablet, or laptop for business use, it may very well be deductible. The same goes for software purchases or updates.
Education and Business Travel: Did you attend a conference or class during the year? Did you have to travel for it, and/or stay at a hotel or arrange an alternative accommodation? Keep in mind that business travel, as well as training and educational expenses, may be deductible. Don’t forget to include car rentals, parking costs, shuttles, and taxis to your list of deductible expenses as well…
As a self-employed individual, you should take every opportunity to leverage your expenses and revenues to grow your business. Keep abreast of updates and changes in tax rules that can benefit your business in the long run.
Got other questions? Add them to the comments, or email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
I get so excited about Spring! Nothing like the weather getting warmer, flowers blooming, and colorful fashion coming out, to put a pep in your step and a smile on your face! Plus some fun fashion in your closet, that you can rock from desk to dinner in a cinch!
While I’m not always into trends, I have to admit that Spring fashion trends are usually some of my favorites to wear to work. Here’s the not-so-low lowdown on these and how you can style them for major workwear impact:
Call me a flower child but florals (mot your grandma’s kind though) make me all fashion-happy…For spring at work, I prefer fresh floral dresses in classic cuts like this Donna Morgan flutter sleeve dress from Nordstrom. I also love this Lauren Ralph Lauren floral-print trapeze dress from Macy’s.
Stripes are back in, and I couldn’t be happier! Love the Frenchy chic appeal of this classic trend that never really goes away, and can be declined in so many different styles…Like this Halogen stripe pencil skirt from Nordstrom, perfect to pair with pretty much everything! This stripe seersucker top is also great to pair with any bottom from the office to the week-end.
But my absolute favorite is nautical stripes! I love this Umgee nautical tee from Shoptiques, which is a great basic to have on hand! If you’re in the mood for splurging, this Carolina Herrera sleeveless dress in navy and white from Neiman Marcus is a lifetime investment.
Petal Frame Pendant – Photo credit: shopstyle.com
Neons
Ok, you may be reading this and thinking: “Who in their right mind would sport neons at work?” Ok, I hear you, walking into work dressed in neon from head-to-toe can be a bit much! But I’m a big fan of breaking up a monochromatic or dark outfit with a bright pop of neon. Like with this adorable and spring-perfect luxurious cashmere travel wrap from White+Warren, or with this subtle but not so subtle Alexis Bittar petal frame pendant.
Akris suit – Photo credit: shopstyle.com
Not so-neutral Neutrals
One of my fave Spring trends is actually quite the classic! It’s the not-so-neutral neutral, kinda like the not-so-quiet quiet type. Yeah, that kind… These are statement pieces like your khaki trench that never ever goes out of style, for example this classic Burberry shell trench coat from Net-a-porter!
In other not-so-neutral neutrals, I also love this statement Akris suit from Bergdorf Goodman!
If you haven’t been motivated so far to dig into some of your old career profiles, Spring may just be the time to do it! If you’ve already tackled your resume, then your good ol’ Linked In profile may be next.
This is especially relevant as Linked In has just re-designed its platform, and the old way of doing things on the website could use some serious dusting off…So pull up a chair, crack open your laptop (or smartphone), and get ready for some career profile cleanup in under 30 minutes:
Old Professional Experiences Begone! (10 to 15 minutes)
If you’re still bragging about that awesome first internship you got at that awesome company you dreamt of joining 10 years ago, consider making your bragging rights more private! Although your old professional experiences may stile relevant (and flattering), the reality is they may also her well take away from your current ones. Instead of confusing readers/prospective employers with a lengthy work history, cut it down to your two or three most recent roles over the past 7 to 10 years.
Dust Off Your Skills Section! (10 to 15 minutes)
We can all brag about things we’re good at. However, if you happen to be listing 50 of these skills and only two of them are getting endorsed by other people who are directly confirming that you’re actually good at the things you say you’re good at, you may be dealing with an overload problem!
Those are really “dead skills” that end up cluttering your profile. So instead of piling up on the keywords in your “Skills” section, consider focusing on the ones that are actually attracting endorsements.
Focus on your best accomplishments! (10 to 15 minutes)
It’s one thing to list all your accomplishments, including awards, honors, and other projects! It’s another to distinguish yourself by listing those accomplishments that you really want others to see and trust! Which means that expired diving certificate from high school, or that article published on that website that returns an invalid URL, must go!
Even awards from the beginning of your career which are no longer relevant to what you’re trying o accomplish professionally must be given the boot! Only focus on your best, and most relevant, accomplishments. Oh, and if your Portuguese fluency stops at high-school level, please erase…
Ditch the outdated recommendations! (10 to 15 minutes)
So yes, it was so sweet from your Creative Writing professor to write you a (lengthy) recommendation 15 years ago…But really, if you’re now an accountant and can’t even remember said professor’s last name, it may be time to lovingly do away with the kind words…
The only exception would be if the recommendations are particularly flattering, and are so relevant to your current brand that you must keep them on, even if they’re outdated. However, you may want to either replace or do away with recommendations that are too old and don’t have the relevance they once did.
The point here is: you want to draw as precise and on-point a professional profile as you possibly can. On one hand, it’s easier to “sell” yourself when the reader can actually scan your profile and get a clear idea of who you are, minus the distractions. On the other, it’s a great exercise in “career clarity” to refine and display your real brand to the world. And yes, it shouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes…
Want more tips on how to spring clean your Linked In profile? Click below for my 12 tips on cleaning up your Linked In profile:
Welcome to our weekend chat feature! Got something you want to chat about? Post it in the comments below…
Let me ask you this: are you into wearing athleisure on the week-ends? I know I am (even though I need to use it more to actually hit the gym, you know)…Speaking of cool athleisure to sport on the week-ends (or you know, to the actual gym), the hugely popular Ivy Park line had me doing double takes for a while now. I love this logo ankle pair of leggings, with contouring seams that flatter the rear and elongate the leg…They’re $40 at Nordstrom.
I also like the coordinated hoodie, also from Nordstrom.
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I get so excited about Spring! Nothing like the weather getting warmer, flowers blooming, and colorful fashion coming out, to put a pep in your step and a smile on your face! Plus some fun fashion in your closet, that you can rock from desk to dinner in a cinch!
If you haven’t been motivated so far to dig into some of your old career profiles, Spring may just be the time to do it! If you’ve already tackled your resume, then your good ol’ Linked In profile may be next.
