Debt Free Life Hacks: Managing Money Like a Boss

Time flies, doesn't it? We've reached the end of 2022. Where did the time go? It's been a year, and I know you've been busy, but you'll want to make time for this. Unused Dental, Medical, and Vision Benefits  Hopefully, you've been using your employee benefits throughout the year, but if you still need to, it's time to get on the phone and try to make some appointments. If you're lucky, you'll find an opening, or you'll be able to squeeze in on someone's canceled slot. It never hurts to try.  Here are some benefits that you may have forgotten about: Dental 🦷 - Most plans allow two cleanings every six months or twice a year. Have you been to the dentist this year? When was your last appointment? Are you due for a cleaning? Ask these questions of yourself and everyone on your plan.  Medical  🏥- We should be getting an annual wellness check or physical. Most plans will cover your annual exam in full. Getting an appointment this late in the yea...

Try not to get too excited, but this week we're talking about taxes! 😆What do you know about FICA? Have you ever noticed the deduction on your pay stubs and wonder what it was all about? FICA stands for Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA); put simply, FICA is a federal payroll tax. FICA is the money that comes out of your gross wages to pay social security taxes  ( old-age, survivors, and disability insurance ) and Medicare taxes ( hospital insurance tax ).  How much comes out of your check? The total amount that you pay is 7.65% of your gross wages. 6.2 percent goes to social security tax , and the remaining 1.45 goes to Medicare tax . Unless you're self-employed, your employer helps out by matching your contributions bringing the total to 15.3%. Self-employed individuals are responsible for the total amounts. Keep in mind that everyone's situation is different, these amounts apply to many, but there are exceptions. Individuals over a certain income threshold may ...

You ever heard someone proclaim, "the more you make, the more they take"? Most likely they were talking about a paycheck and the amount of taxes taken out of it. Perhaps you worked overtime or received a bonus and was expecting a pretty nice check only to have your bubble popped when you realized that taxes have too taken its piece of your pie. What can you do? Gross Pay vs Net Pay Gross pay is what you earn before anything is taken out (deductions, taxes, etc.).  Net pay is the amount you're paid after taxes and deductions.  Gross Income could be $4000 while the net or take-home pay is $2800. There are a number of factors that contribute to the amount taken out of a check. In this post, we're looking at how to fully take advantage of pretax deductions to hopefully lose less to taxes. Why taking more out before taxes is a good thing... We're all responsible for paying our share of taxes, but there are ways to lower your overall tax burden. ...

Are you missing out? This week I talk about Employee Benefits. Check out the short video below!