#tax advisor cost

[aat23]

tax advisor cost

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[unisonglobususa]

Revealing How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Professional CPA

Generally, a CPA’s hourly rate or cost to hire a CPA range from $150 to $450, depending on experience and location. Here, we have a detailed guide for the same.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a CPA?

Few individuals enjoy doing math and figuring out their taxes. You probably prefer to do almost anything other than pore over your accounts and tax documents. Thankfully, skilled professionals are familiar with the complexities of taxes and can handle them for you.

At Unison Globus, we’ve noticed a heightened interest in CPA costs and the average hourly rate of hiring a CPA. To help our readers better understand the cost of hiring a CPA, we have put together this review to address key questions consumers are asking:

How much does a CPA cost?

What is the cost of hiring a CPA?

How much does a CPA cost per hour?

How much does a CPA charge to do your taxes?

CPAs (Certified Public Accountants) are the professionals to contact if the notion of figuring out your taxes makes you sick to your stomach. But how much does one have to spare to employ a CPA to help you with your taxes?

What Does a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Mean, and What Does a CPA Do?

Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) are tax specialists who can prepare your company’s tax returns, answer crucial financial questions, and even save you money. CPAs earn their qualification after passing the rigorous Uniform CPA Exam, which tests their knowledge of tax law and standard accounting procedures. Additionally, obtaining a CPA license involves meeting state-specific ethical standards and requirements.

To maintain their license, CPAs must complete continuing professional education courses. They risk losing their license if convicted of fraud, negligence, or ethical violations.

For small businesses, CPAs offer a wide range of services, including:

Bookkeeping: Managing daily financial records to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Financial Planning: Helping businesses plan for future financial stability and growth.

Tax Filing: Preparing and submitting tax returns accurately and on time.

Generating Financial Paperwork: Creating crucial documents like financial statements and audit reports.

CPAs are equipped to handle all your business’s tax obligations, including year-round recordkeeping and submitting tax extensions with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Here’s how CPAs can benefit your business:

Audit Fee Reduction: By negotiating with the IRS on your behalf regarding tax and financial compliance, CPAs can help you save money on audit fees.

Issue Identification: Their broad expertise allows CPAs to identify financial and tax issues before they become problematic, potentially avoiding audits.

Record Keeping and Fraud Prevention: CPAs can help you keep track of your records meticulously, thus preventing fraud.

Payroll Systems: They can set up effective payroll systems if your organization is not using top payroll software.

Financial Audits: CPAs are qualified to assist with both bookkeeping and financial audits of your business.

By leveraging a CPA’s expertise, you can ensure your business is financially sound and compliant with all relevant regulations, helping you avoid costly mistakes and optimize your financial operations.

Is a CPA Required for Your Company?

To profit from a CPA’s understanding of corporate finance, you don’t have to hire one as a full-time or even part-time employee; many offer their services as consultants. Consider hiring a CPA in the following circumstances:

Starting a Business: A CPA can help you set it up properly to avoid costly mistakes like unfair taxation.

Tax Season: CPAs can help prepare tax papers, submit tax forms, and develop strategies to alleviate your tax burden for the coming year.

Special Situations: Unexpected IRS auditing notices can develop as you manage your firm. CPAs have dealt with the IRS before and can assist you in responding effectively.

Institutional or Functional Changes: Acquiring, merging, or selling off the company, or forming or terminating an alliance, requires a CPA’s advice on the tax consequences for your company and yourself.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a CPA?

An accountant’s hourly rate is usually between $160 to $450. Several factors might influence the overall cost of hiring a CPA to do your taxes:

Form 1040 and State Tax Returns: Average preparation and filing cost of $220 without itemized deductions.

Itemized Form 1040 and State Tax Return: Average preparation and filing cost of $323.

Schedule C for Sole Proprietors: Additional $457 for preparing an itemized Form 1040 with a Schedule C.

Before meeting with a potential CPA, you should have a good notion of the services you require. Itemizing charges can give you a realistic understanding of how the CPA might assist your company in succeeding.

While it’s difficult to calculate how much you should pay a CPA precisely, knowing the typical charges is crucial.

Factors That Influence the Cost of Hiring a CPA

Qualification and Experience

While the thought of spending so much money to have your taxes handled by an expert may be painful, choosing an untrained tax counselor might backfire. Hiring an experienced CPA who isn’t likely to overlook anything and will do all possible to get you the most money back might be beneficial.

Like any other professional, CPAs use their experience and skill level to set prices. CPAs get paid at the top of the pay scale, most earning $150 to $250 per hour. On the other hand, top talent in a tax accounting company in a large city may fetch up to $500 per hour.

According to an Intuit survey, 57% of accountants and tax professionals charge by the hour, but only 44% charge a flat fee for corporate tax preparation services. The National Society of Accountants reports that a Form 1040 with a state return, Schedule A, and Schedule C costs an average of $481 to have a CPA prepare your taxes.

Remember, this is the simplest business return you can get. Tax returns for some C corporations and multi-member LLCs can cost tens of thousands of dollars. If you need year-round CPA guidance, expect to pay between $5,000 and $6,000.

Average Fees for Various Tax Filing Situations

Tax Form

Average Fee

Form 1040 (not itemized)

$220

Form 1040 (itemized)

$323

Form 940 – Federal unemployment

$78

Schedule B – Interest and Ordinary Dividends

$42

Schedule C – Business

$192

Schedule E – Earned Income Credit

$65

Schedule SE – Self-employment tax

$41

Location

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPAs earn a median hourly pay of $40. People who reside in the southern and central areas of the country should expect to pay less to have their taxes correctly done. In contrast, those near the west coast can expect to pay significantly more.

CPA prices in the West North Central States: roughly $214.

South Atlantic States: $268.

Mountain States: $263.

New England States: $333.

East North Central States: $249.

West South Central States: $271.

East South Central States: $210.

Middle Atlantic States: $290.

Pacific States: $329.

Region

Cost

West North Central States (IA, KS, MN, MO, ND, NE, SD)

$214

South Atlantic States (DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)

$268

Mountain States (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY)

$263

New England States (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)

$333

East North Central States (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)

$249

West South Central States (AR, LA, OK, TX)

$271

East South Central States (AL, KY, MS, TN)

$210

Middle Atlantic States (NJ, NY, PA)

$290

Pacific States (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)

$329

You may anticipate spending more for your CPA’s services the longer it takes them to finish your taxes. When you include itemized deductions, you should expect to pay much more to get your taxes done correctly.

Fees for Administration, Paperwork, and a Flat Price Per Tax Form

A flat fee, perhaps the simplest of all, lets you know precisely how much you’ll be paying before your taxes are filed. Thus, depending on how many total tax forms you have, you may have to spend a significant amount to get your taxes done by a CPA.

Fees from the Previous Year’s Taxes

One of the benefits of having the same CPA every year is paying the same price each time they handle your taxes. If your taxes take longer than usual, it’s conceivable that your CPA will believe you should be paid extra for their services.

CPAs Who Charge What They Think Their Job Is Worth

Owners of accounting businesses charge between $200 and $250 per hour. The supervisory and senior staff gets frequently paid at a rate of $100 to $200 per hour. Additionally, junior employees get paid between $60 and $120 per hour. There are many CPAs’ costs based on what they presume one’s job is worth when it comes to filing your taxes.

While their fee may surprise you, keep in mind that any CPA good at their job understands the importance of his work and get accustomed to billing for it accordingly.

Hourly Rate of CPA

If you engage a CPA that charges by the hour, be sure you know exactly how much their hourly fee is before you hire them. CPAs frequently charge between $100 and $400 per hour for accounting needs and preparing customer tax returns.

Value

Tax preparation is a service many CPAs charge based on how much time and effort it takes them to complete your taxes. As a result, you may be in a situation where you and your CPA can’t agree on the final fee.

It’s crucial to note that even if their rate surprises you, any CPA worth their salt knows the value of their job and is used to charging the prices they quote. This is a good time to ask your CPA how you can make the process easier for them (and thus save money) for next year if the price seems out of line.

Hiring a CPA: Is It Worth It?

Investing in a qualified CPA may be more expensive upfront, but it can save you money in the long term. CPAs help you identify tax-saving opportunities, prepare the financial statements needed to attract investors or secure loans, and offer guidance on expanding your small business.

For some small businesses, basic accounting software or bookkeeping assistance may suffice. Sole proprietorships with few transactions and simple tax returns might benefit from DIY tax software, provided the business owner has a basic understanding of tax legislation.

However, certain situations necessitate the expertise of a professional accountant:

Audit Requirements: A CPA must audit all financial accounts to ensure compliance and accuracy.

Going Public: If you plan to go public with your company, GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) compliance is essential. GAAP provides standardized rules for measuring and reporting financial performance, helping investors compare financial statements across companies. Public corporations must maintain detailed records of their internal controls and comply with all applicable laws. Working with a CPA ensures you're prepared for an IPO (Initial Public Offering).

Complex Tax Situations: If your business has a highly complex tax situation, a CPA can help you file a consolidated tax return, take advantage of the Research and Development Tax Credit, or address other tax-related issues.

IRS Issues: In the event of an IRS audit or tax dispute, only CPAs, EAs (Enrolled Agents), and tax attorneys are permitted to represent taxpayers.

In-Depth Advisory Services: CPAs provide advisory and consulting services that go beyond simple financial concerns, offering strategic insights to improve your business’s financial health.

By leveraging a CPA’s expertise, you can navigate complex financial landscapes, ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, and make informed decisions that drive business growth. This makes hiring a CPA a valuable investment for many businesses.

Reduce the Cost to Hire a CPA

Every small business owner faces the challenge of managing costs, and working with a certified public accountant (CPA) is no exception. Here are some strategies to help reduce the cost of hiring a CPA:

Stay Organized

Bringing a box full of receipts to your CPA's office can lead to higher charges, as your accountant will bill you for the additional time spent organizing your receipts and financial documents. This could take several hours, adding unnecessary expenses.

On the other hand, if your bookkeeping is accurate and well-organized, it will make creating your tax return or delivering gathered, reviewed, or audited financial statements much more efficient for your CPA. This can significantly reduce your bill.

Establish a Long-Term Collaboration

Work with a CPA you trust and like. When you partner with the same CPA year after year, they become familiar with your business. This familiarity allows them to provide specialized counsel and notice concerns, such as fast-growing costs, dropping revenues, and potential indicators of employee fraud.

First-time CPA audit fees are comparatively higher because the auditors need to spend more time learning about your company, the industry in which it operates, and testing internal controls. Maintaining a relationship with the same accounting firm annually saves time for your auditor, which in turn helps keep costs low.

Look Out for a Proactive Approach

Before making any major business decisions, such as buying or selling a business, investing in fixed assets, hiring an employee, or any other significant changes, contact your CPA for assistance. They can ensure that transactions are structured most advantageously, potentially saving you money and avoiding costly mistakes.

By implementing these strategies, you can reduce the cost of working with a CPA while still benefiting from their expertise and services.

What Are the Alternatives to Hiring an Individual CPA?

For individuals and small businesses seeking alternatives to hiring an individual CPA, there are several options available that can provide effective financial management and tax preparation services.

Accounting and Tax Software

Popular accounting and tax software solutions include QuickBooks, TurboTax, Xero, and H&R Block. These software products offer various features to manage your finances and file taxes efficiently. Additionally, many of these platforms provide online interaction with tax professionals for an additional fee. However, for larger enterprises such as mega-corporations or multi-member limited liability companies, these software options might not be entirely suitable due to the complexity and scale of their financial needs.

Read More: Accounting Outsourcing 101: The Ultimate Guide for CPA and Accounting Firms

CPA Firms

CPA firms offer a comprehensive range of services, including accounting, auditing, financial consulting, and tax preparation for non-profit organizations, private businesses, public companies, and government agencies. By employing a team of professionals, CPA firms can handle complex financial tasks and provide strategic advice tailored to the specific needs of various business types.

Virtual CPA Platforms

Virtual CPA platforms like Taxhub, Taxfyle, and Visor are designed to serve freelancers and small business owners. These services offer virtual assistance for tax preparation, payroll management, accounting, and auditing needs. By leveraging technology, virtual CPA platforms provide convenient and often cost-effective solutions for managing financial tasks without the need for in-person consultations.

While estimating CPA costs for each case isn't a precise science, we can make some educated guesses based on industry studies about average CPA rates per hour. Each alternative has its advantages and limitations, and the best choice depends on the specific needs and complexity of your financial situation.

Advantages of Hiring a Professional CPA

When you hire a professional CPA to handle your taxes, you gain access to a range of services, including accounting, record-keeping, tax consulting, and auditing. This comprehensive support can be invaluable for managing your business's financial health and ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations.

Specialized Expertise

If you run a small business or live abroad, working with a CPA who specializes in these areas can be particularly beneficial. When selecting a professional CPA, prioritize those with specific competencies relevant to your needs.

Efficient Accounting Systems

CPAs assist in developing efficient accounting systems that can reliably and conveniently analyze profitability, manage pricing and spending, control budgets, and estimate future financial trends. Their expertise ensures that your financial operations run smoothly and are well-organized.

Tax Compliance and Reduction

CPAs can help clients navigate complex tax-related issues, including tax compliance, laws, and tax-reduction measures. Their in-depth knowledge of the tax code allows them to identify opportunities for savings and ensure that you comply with all legal requirements.

Accurate Financial Reporting

Certified Public Accountants are equipped to prepare audit reports, financial statements, and other accounting records that meet government regulations and the requirements of lending institutions. Accurate financial reporting is essential for maintaining the trust of investors, creditors, and regulatory bodies.

Strategic Financial Advice

Hiring a professional CPA is an excellent starting point for working with a financial advisor. CPAs can assess your family's or company's financial standing and aspirations, offering essential guidance, personal tax reduction advice, and solutions to pressing financial concerns throughout the year.

Additional Advantages

Working with a CPA provides numerous additional benefits, including:

Error-Free Tax Filing: With your permission, CPAs can use professional software to prepare and file your tax returns accurately, maintaining your information on file for future use.

Tax Savings: CPAs often help clients save money on taxes due to their extensive experience and knowledge of the tax code.

Financial Reporting Coverage: CPAs typically ensure that errors in financial reporting are minimized, providing peace of mind and accurate financial records.

Read also: Multistate Tax Filing: What Does One Need to Know?

FAQs   

Is it beneficial to work with a CPA?

If your taxes are complicated, you don’t have the patience or talent to do it yourself, or you’re unsure about how specific tax rules or changes related to your circumstances, hiring a skilled CPA is worthwhile. To assist you in saving money on your taxes, a professional CPA will examine your specific tax position.

A CPA’s monthly fee for a small business?

The annual cost of an accountant for a small firm range from $1,000 to $5,000, including all fees and expenditures. A CPA can help your business with various tasks. Ex. Budgeting and fundraising, debt reduction, tax planning, business acquisitions, sales, and more.

CPA fees for a small business tax return: What should you expect to shell out?

The typical Schedule C small business tax return is $187, according to the National Society of Accountants. Filing a personal income tax return costs an additional $294 (or $188 if you take the standard deduction instead of itemizing).

What’s the best way to find a great CPA?

If you want to find a qualified CPA, you should start by asking for referrals from members of your family, friends, and coworkers. A list of tax preparers is available from the Internal Revenue Service, and most states have CPA societies.

Should small businesses hire a tax preparation service?

Hiring a tax preparer who specializes in this area is frequently advantageous for small businesses. Tax professionals can assist you in saving money and time. They also ensure that you adhere to applicable tax rules for business owners.

Do tax preparers and accountants charge different fees?

According to the individual, the cost difference between a tax preparer and an accountant can vary. CPA may be more expensive than a tax preparer to file basic taxes because they usually offer financial services as well.

Do CPAs charge by the hour?

Costs for accountants can range anywhere from $50 to $3,000, depending on the services provided. Also, it depends on whether the accountant is employed for personal or company use.

From $130 to $700, you can expect to pay for a tax accountant’s services.

How much does a small business CPA typically cost?

A bookkeeper’s rates range from $30 to $90 per hour. A CPA’s hourly rate ranges from $150 to $450, depending on experience and location.

Conclusion: Cost to Hire a CPA

CPA costs vary based on your region, the company you choose, and the purpose. Thus, this is a challenging scenario to navigate.

Because of the complexity of each circumstance and filing requirements, CPA tax preparation prices are even more difficult to research.

Remember that our typical CPA hourly rate review might give you a good idea of how much a CPA costs. However, you should call a local CPA for a more accurate evaluation of your financial position.

Are you looking to optimize your financial operations and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements?

At Unison Globus, our team of seasoned CPAs offers comprehensive outsourcing solutions designed to meet the unique needs of your business. From bookkeeping and tax preparation to financial planning and audit services, we provide the expertise and support you need to achieve financial success.

By partnering with Unison Globus, you gain access to a dedicated team of professionals committed to delivering high-quality services that save you time and money. Our client-centric approach ensures that we understand your specific requirements and provide personalized solutions that drive your business forward.

Don't let financial complexities hold you back.

Contact Unison Globus today to discover how our expert CPA outsourcing services can help your business thrive.

This Blog is originally post here: https://unisonglobus.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-hire-a-cpa/

[artisticdivasworld]

Financial planning for truckers 

Financial planning is something a lot of folks in the industry overlook, but it’s super important if you want to stay afloat and keep your wheels rolling. First, let’s talk about budgeting. It might sound like a boring topic, but think of it as your roadmap. Without a clear budget, it’s like driving without a GPS. You know your income can be pretty unpredictable, especially with fluctuating fuel…

[wonnieaura]

financial knowledge for the girlies 🤍🍓💸

Develop a budget: Creating and sticking to a budget can help you better understand your income and expenses, and learn how to prioritize your spending.

Save regularly: Saving money is crucial for achieving financial stability. You can set up automatic transfers to a savings account so you won't be tempted to spend the money.

Pay off debt: High-interest debt can hinder your financial progress. Make a plan to pay off your debts and focus on high-interest debts first.

Invest wisely: Investing can help your money grow over time. Look for low-cost index funds, which can give you broad exposure to the market at a low cost.

Understand compound interest: Compound interest is the interest you earn on interest. By investing consistently, the power of compound interest can help you build wealth over time.

Research before making big financial decisions: Before making a major decision, such as buying a house or car, research different options and weigh the costs and benefits.

Learn from your mistakes: Every failure or setback can teach you something valuable. Use these experiences to inform your future financial decisions.

Get professional advice: Seek advice from a financial advisor if you're unsure about your financial decisions. They can provide guidance on investments, retirement planning, and tax strategies.

Be aware of scams: Scammers can take advantage of financial illiteracy. Be cautious when someone offers an investment that's too good to be true.

Continuous learning: Financial knowledge is constantly changing, so stay informed by regularly reading financial news, books, and attending classes or webinars.

[lilacargent]

Soooo first post ever and it is because i have gone down the #humansarespaceorcs rabbit hole, and my train of thought was:

Yes humans are weird and do strange things to survive. But more specifically we do weird things to our surroundings to survive, many different things.

What if, it has been a decade or two since the humans joined what ever coalition or council of aliens that work together and as a species they are mostly well known for their ability to grow crops under the worst circumstances (soil, climate anything) ofcourse the other deathworld apex predator human traits make the rounds but over time they seem to assume we cannot surprise them anymore.

Everyone knows that if a planet is ‘owned’ by a certain species they have to pay tax to the coalition, so planets that aren’t particularly useful are undesirable.

This particular planet p-jx-5£2 has been moved around endlessly, given with trade deals to get rid of it. P-jx-5£2 is 97% water, with a very high salt level so inhabitable for all developed aliens. Even though the atmosphere is a nice oxygen base and the gravitational pull allright most for the coalition members the fast spinning moon and the planets quick pace around its sun make the water move and tides switch every 2.5 hours keeping no land dry outside of low tide.

~~~~~~~~

The tall Avian alian il’trexz was elated this day was going to be great, a trade deal with the hardy humans and getting rid of a useless money drain, they didn’t have a clue what they were signing up for!

Turning towards the much smaller bipedal species standing in front of the window looking down on the blue planet that just came into their possession the strange creature mumbled something to them selves, frowning Il’trezx asks ‘im sorry what did you say, you spoke but the translator didn’t pick it up?’ The human (Steve) turned to him away from the window ‘my apologies, i was talking to myself, i said that we had to send the dutch.’ Il’trezx looked befuddled ‘the dutch? Is that some kind of animal?’

Steve threw his head back and made a series of sounds that ruffled the Avians feathers and had he not known it was a laugh it would have made him run for the hills ‘HA I’m going to tell Andreas you said that, no the Dutch is what call people from a country on earth that specialise in these kinds of climates, they’ve been begging for a challenge since they stopped the flooding on the umavi home world.’ With feathers puffed up Il’trezx wonders ‘and they are going to do what? This is an impossible planet’ immediately clasping his beak he looks a the human to see if he seemed angry at being swindled, but to his surprise Steve just looks at him ‘hm so you believe we can’t use this planet. Allright let’s make a bet.’ Interested Il’trezx leans in closer ‘what kind of bet?’ A predatory grin spreads on the bipedal aliens face ‘if we make less of this planet than the amount of tax we have to pay over it we will cover all trade costs for this quarter, insurance, travel all of it.’ Eagerly Il’trezx starts nodding ‘but’ Steve keeps going ‘if we do make more of this planet you will do the same.’

The bet is put onto paper and the higher ups of both parties also agree. In 5 years the Avians would be back and they would balance the costs to the benefits. When they departed Il’trezx says too Steve ‘you must have a lot of faith in these “dutch” ‘ the man grins teeth bared ‘ofcourse, after all they conquered water before’

The five years pass and stories have been going around of a new energy supplier from the humans, producing enough energy to run 78% of their ships and several facilities. Nobody seems to know where it is coming from but no new pollution is measured in any of these facilities. None of this bothers the Avians, after all humans come up with new things all the time.

The five years are up and Il’trezx is invited to the planet with a group of advisors and other officials, the planet which apparently they have renamed to ‘posy’ which is supposed to be short for some kind of sea god from their olden days.

On arrival the amount of coming and going baffles them massive groups of ships docking or docked and all somehow attached to wires that run into machines.

The planets change alone was awe inspiring, two cities on opposite sides of the planet and what seems like millions of weird blades attached to high poles every where. Strange wheels and long walls between towers rising from the rapidly moving waters.

This… this was their new energy source. They somehow made a battery of this uninhabitable planet and then built a home.

On the meeting place Steve is waiting with a man slightly taller than him. Spreading his arms the smaller human says ‘welcome to Poseidon, this is Andreas our main mechanic here. He has been here with planning since orbit 1.’

After the introductions were done Andreas led the group through what they called the Northern city and showed on his device the steps it took to get a foothold and how they proceeded from there, mentioning that many of these steps his home country had used thousands of year ago to gain land from sea, and energy from the movement of water and air. They specialised in this form of terra forming and it showed.

The Avians were astounded, not having realised that there was more than one kind of way the Humans had battled their environment even beating back the waters of their world.

Without a doubt the humans had won the bet and had another legend added to their name. More and more humans showed that with the right motivation they could settle right about anywhere.

********

So yea… my stupid little idea. Hopefully someone will enjoy it. I just liked the idea of specific cultures and stuff. specialising in certain things.

Edit: im amazed people seem to like it! If people have ideas or other cultures they think would baffle aliens, im certainly willing to try and write something

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Biden wants to ban ripoff “financial advisors”

I'll be at the Studio City branch of the LA Public Library on Monday, November 13 at 1830hPT to launch my new novel, The Lost Cause. There'll be a reading, a talk, a surprise guest (!!) and a signing, with books on sale. Tell your friends! Come on down!

Once, American workers had "defined benefits pensions," where their employers promised to pay them a certain amount every year from their retirement to their death. Jimmy Carter swapped that out for 401(k)s, "market" pensions where you have to guess which stocks will be valuable or starve in your old age:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/25/derechos-humanos/#are-there-no-poorhouses

The initial 401(k) rollout had all kinds of pot-sweeteners that made them seem like a good deal, like heavy employer matching that doubled or even tripled the value of every dollar you put into the market for your retirement. But over the years, as Reaganomics took hold and workers' power ebbed away, all these goodies were clawed back. In the end, the market-based pension makes you the sucker at the poker table, flushing your savings into a rigged casino that is firmly tilted in favor of finance barons and other eminently guillotineable plutocrats.

Neoliberalism is many things, but most of all it is a cult of individualism. The fact that three generations of workers are nows facing down retirement without pensions that will provide them with secure housing and food – let alone money to see the odd movie, buy birthday gifts for their grandkids, or enjoy a meal out now and then – is framed as millions of individual failures, not a systemic one.

In other words, if you are facing food insecurity and homelessness after a lifetime of hard work, it's because you saved wrong. Perhaps you didn't save enough (through a 40-year run of wage stagnation and skyrocketing housing, health and education costs). Or perhaps you saved wrong, making the wrong bets on the stock market. If you can't afford to run your air conditioner during a heat dome, that's on you: you should have been better at stocks.

Apologists for this system will say that you don't have to be good at stocks – you just have to pay an Independent Financial Advisor to pick the stocks for you and you'll be fine. But IFAs don't work for free! What if you can't afford one?

Enter "predatory inclusion" – the practice of offering scammy, overpriced and substandard products to poor people and declaring it to be a good deed, because otherwise, those poor people would have to do without. The crypto bubble relied heavily on this: think of Spike Lee and others shilling for pump-and-dump scams as a way of "building Black wealth":

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/07/business/media/cryptocurrency-seeks-the-spotlight-with-spike-lees-help.html

More recently, Intuit and other scammy tax-prep services have argued against the IRS's plan to offer free tax preparation as bad for Black and brown people, because it will deny them the chance to be deceived and ripped off with TurboTax:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/27/predatory-inclusion/#equal-opportunity-scammers

Back in 2018, Trump won the predatory inclusion Olympics, when his Department of Labor let the Fifth Circuit abolish the "Fiduciary Rule" for Independent Financial Advisors:

https://www.investopedia.com/updates/dol-fiduciary-rule/

What was the Fiduciary Rule? It said that your IFN had to put your interests ahead of their own. Like, if there were two different funds you could bet on, and one would pay your IFN a big commission, while the other would be a better bet for you, the IFN couldn't put your retirement savings into the fund that offered them a bribe.

When Trump killed the Fiduciary Rule, he proclaimed it a victory for poor people, especially Black and brown people. After all, if IFNs weren't allowed to accept bribes for giving you bad financial advice, then they would have to make up the difference by charging you for good advice. If you couldn't afford that advice, well, you'd have to make bad retirement investments on your own, without the benefit of their sleazy self-dealing.

The Biden Administration wants to change that. Biden's Acting Labor Secretary is Julie Su, and she's very good at her job. Last spring, she forced west coast dockworkers' bosses to cough up the contract they'd stalled on for a year, with 8-10% raises for every worker, owed retroactively:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/06/16/that-boy-aint-right/#dinos-rinos-and-dunnos

Su has proposed a way to reinstate the Fiduciary Rule, as part of the Biden Administration's war on junk fees, estimating that this will increase retirees' net savings by 20%:

https://prospect.org/labor/2023-11-07-julie-su-labor-retirement-savers/

The new rule will force advisors who cheat their clients to pay restitution, and will require them to deliver all their advice in writing so that this cheating can be detected and punished.

The industry is furious, of course. They claim that "The Market (TM)" will solve this: if you get bad retirement savings advice and end up homeless and starving, then you will choose a different advisor in your next life, after you are reincarnated (I guess?).

And of course, they're also claiming that forcing IFNs to stop cheating their clients will deny poor people access to expert (bad) advice. As the Financial Services Institute's Dale Brown says, this will have a "negative impact on Main Street Americans’ access to financial advice":

https://www.fa-mag.com/news/legal-challenge-predicted-for-new-dol-fiduciary-proposal-75257.html

Here's that rule – read it for yourself, then submit a comment expressing your views on it. The government wants to hear from you, and administrative law requires them to act on the comments they receive:

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/11/03/2023-23782/proposed-amendment-to-prohibited-transaction-exemptions-75-1-77-4-80-83-83-1-and-86-128

Su is part of a wave of progressive, technically skilled regulators in the Biden administration that resulted from a horse-trading exercise called the Unity Task Force, which divvied up access to top appointments among the progressive wing and the finance wing of the Democratic Party. The progressive appointments are nothing short of incredible – the most competent and principled agency leaders America has seen in half a century:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/23/getting-stuff-done/#praxis

But then there's the finance wing's appointments, like Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley, who ruled against Lina Khan's attempt to block the rotten Microsoft/Activision merger (don't worry, Khan's appealing):

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/14/making-good-trouble/#the-peoples-champion

Perhaps the worst, though, is Biden's Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, a private equity ghoul who did a stint for the notorious wreckers Bain Capital before founding her own firm. Raimondo has stuffed her department full of Goldman Sachs alums, and has sidelined labor and civil society groups as she sets out to administer everything from the CHIPS Act to regulating ChatGPT.

As Henry Burke writes for the Revolving Door Project and The American Prospect, Raimondo's history as a corporate raider, her deference to the finance sector, and she and her husband's conflicts of interest from their massive stakes in companies she's regulating all serve to undermine Biden's agenda:

https://prospect.org/economy/2023-11-08-commerce-secretary-gina-raimondo-undercutting-bidenomics/

When the administration inevitably complains that its popular economic programs aren’t breaking through the media coverage, they’ll have no one to blame but themselves.

The Unity Task Force gave us generationally important policymakers, but ultimately, it's a classic "pizzaburger." If half your family wants pizza, and the other half wants burgers, and you serve them something halfway in between that makes none of them happy, you haven't made a wise compromise – you've just made an inedible mess:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/06/17/pizzaburgers/

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/08/fiduciaries/#but-muh-freedumbs

[witchblood-if]

“A Macigian never reveals their secrets. A Witch even less so.”

Well, you had a good run. For the last 70 or so years that you've had your little shop in Esmar's capital, nothing overly exciting happened. Apart from the occasional political changes and economical shifts, you could mostly carry on business as usual. But when the Fae calling herself your "best and only friend" invites you to pull a heist on your rival's home you didn't realize what effect that stunt would have on your immortal life. But damn, you really wanted that statue back.

Play Demo

Witch Blood is an upcoming urban fantasy interactive fiction story where you take on the role of one of the last proper witches of Esmar, hoping to resolve a very time-sensitive mystery that might cost you your own life if you don’t get on with the investigation soon.

Does it have to do with random people’s head exploding?

Is this the reason you seem to have more prophetic dreams than usual?

Why are there so many strangers storming into your shop demanding answers you couldn’t possibly know?

And why does your familiar keep eating your receipts? You need those for your taxes!

Create your very own witch. Appearance, personality, gender and sexuality...  All that Jazz

Choose a furry (or non-furry) companion for your immortal life

Become a master of 5 witchy skills that may or may not help you along the road

Keep your business afloat (you got bills to pay, after all)

Solve a mystery, save a bunch of people, and meet the Gods (???)

Find love, friendship, or rivalry (or maybe all three of them at the same time) with 5 different people who will. Not. Leave. You. Alone.

And for the love of the Gods: please stop spitting coins

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

So far it will probably be a 16+ kind of rating for:

Mentions of violence, blood and gore

Strong language, cursing

Suggestive language

but things might change. I’ll keep you updated in any case.

The Best Friend: Faith (f)

Flirty and flighty, Faith is certainly living her best life. And while she’s not always the most reliable of friends, she always shows up for your weekly tea and gossip session (and more often than not with baked goods as well). If you’re looking for a fun night out: Faith is your gal. Don’t ask how she pays for all of it without having a job though.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Knight in Shining Armor: Isaac (m)

A stranger visiting your shop and ... flirting with you? Thankfully you’ve lived long enough to see through his ploy and stay unaffacted to his charms. Mostly. With a quick smile, a stance almost too relaxed and some really suspicious questions you can’t quite get a read on him. And you have the feeling he is also not really a tourist interested in your special sale items.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Loyal Advisor: Eli (f/m/nb)

Another stranger. This one seems much more honest than the last one but somehow you haven’t decided yet if you appreciate that or not. They say there is a problem their employer has sent them to hopefully solve and after some extensive research you seemed to be the least untrustworthy person of your craft to potentially help. You can’t quite tell from their stoic face if that sentence was supposed to be a compliment, a joke or very subtle sarcasm. But the pay they offer is nothing to turn your nose up at and you’ve worked for way shadier people.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Crazy Mushroom: Mezilkree (f/m/nb)

Mezilkree has been a frequent visitor of yours for quite some years. Mostly they just hang out at your shop and try to scare potential customers. When you try to make them leave they declare they are a customer, throw a bottle cap on your counter and shove a handful of candy from the jar you keep for kids in their mouth. Sometimes they even do buy something if they’re on an errand for their family, but as their community grows more and more resentful of non-mushrooms this occasion becomes rarer and rarer. In the many years of botherment, you have found Mezilkree to be a mischievous but sweet troublemaker. Some of the time, at least.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Other Witch: Levan (nb)

An Enemy. A Fiend. Your Immortal Rival. Most of the time you and Levan stay clear of each other, as is agreed upon in your Contract of Geniality. But now they have decided to steal a very valuable artifact you have spent months on locating. At least you’re pretty sure it was them, who else would be skilled enough to enter your home. Even though you don’t particularly get along, Levan is a witch you have known for the longest of time. But because of their spiteful nature and (admittedly somewhat deserved) arrogance you have long decided to avoid them, lest you burn down the whole town in a fit of anger. They really know how to push your buttons.

ROs Physical Appearance 

Witch Types

Demo

#ro ask ----> Scenarios and asks including all ROs

#ros ----> unspecific general info about ROs

#ch: [name] ----> info about that RO, often paired with #ros

#ch: carter ----> facts and info and rambling about the author

#mc ----> anything to do with your character, customization and so on

#lore and #lore ask ----> anything that’s about worldbuilding

#story and story ask ----> anything to do with plot

#lovely ocs ----> readers showing off their ocs

#lovely readers ----> lovely words from lovely people

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello my lovelies! This is a first attempt at Interactive Fiction, and on an even more important to note: a first real attempt at writing. I hope it doesn’t suck too much! Also please forgive orthographic and grammatical errors, English isn’t my first language :) (if you see something, say something tho)

Currently the prologue is in the works and will face some editing and expanding.

Until then,

Love, Carter

[daintydoilypon]

So, I talked to my financial advisor, which I only have bc of my Inherited IRA. Even though I inherited various assets, I have a 2% CHANCE OF RETIRING at 67 if I have a job that pays less than 35k/year and only put $100/month into my new Roth IRA.

Even though I got a big leg up from those in my age bracket and below me, I'm STILL in red, to put that in perspective.

Now, the stocks and things I invest into can accrue and that percentage will fluctuate, but, if they were to stay the same, it's a 2% chance. It went up to 3% this week, yeehaw, but until it hits like 75%, it's like a drop in the bucket. It can also change drastically if I were to get married because your retirement is also based on your spouse's assets. Like, my mom gets $800/month, but when my dad retires, it will go up to 1.2k. But I don't want to assume I'm gonna get married, I want to do things based on the worst case financial scenario.

I wanted to bring this up because a lot of my generation and younger aren't even being offered 401ks or pensions anymore, but you can start one yourself and put what you can in it. I do not pay my guy, he takes 1% of the gains from the IRA itself. It's actually less than that because my whole family is with him. I'm getting Silo in on it, so my whole family and him will get that deal. I can recommend my guy if you want in on the family/friends deal. It does NOT cost anything to start with him other than the initial amount you want to invest. I cannot say for other businesses, unfortunately.

But I really want to make sure y'all get a start on it because I'm considered late. They really recommend starting in your 20s since, if you start by your mid-30s, it gets significantly harder each year because you have to invest a higher percentage of your income into it. Thus why he recommended investing $500 / month for me because he projects the monthly costs for when I retire to be 4.5-6.5k/month. If you start earlier, you have a longer period of time for your investments to accrue, and you only have to put $100 or whatever you can. So, please, get at least a Roth IRA going. SPECIFICALLY A ROTH. It gets taxed going in, but when you take it out later in life when it's worth more, it won't be.

I cannot say for a brokerage, as I have not started that yet, but he does recommend one of those as well. Make sure to do your own research on that one.

I know some don't have the opportunity to talk to a Financial Advisor, because it may/may not cost money depending on who you go to, so I wanted to share what I was told. So, that's the general idea or scope of things, at least here in the States, so I hope this helps!

[theambitiouswoman]

Hi!

Thanking for answering my ask,

If you don’t mind I would love it if you could get into the tax part, I just want to know as much as I can. 😆

Ok this is fun, prepare to have your mind blown.

I have to disclose that I am not a financial advisor or an accountant <3

Trusts: You want to consider purchasing the properties under a trust. Tax implications can vary under trusts. Revocable living trust will allow you to be treated as the owner, but in an irrevocable trust, it is a separate entity. In some structures, you would only pain capital gains, which can also be transferred to a separate trust, and you do not end up paying capital gains on the property. You do this with a charitable remainder trust. Generally, if a property is held in a trust, rental income generated from that property is typically subject to income tax. The trust itself may be responsible for paying those taxes, or the tax liability might pass through to the beneficiaries, depending on the type of trust and its specific provisions. This will change the amount you would pay in taxes. If the property was purchased as a primary home, there could also be capital gain exceptions depending on the trust. Your income affects the rates you pay on specific trusts. Before I continue, I want to suggest speaking to an actual attorney, not an accountant. Most are not knowledgable or equipped to properly guide you here. Same as with traditional, in a trust you can deduct property related expenses like mortgage interest, property taxes, maintenance costs, and depreciation, from the rental income. This can help reduce the taxable income generated by the property.

IRA's: You can use a self directed IRA or other retirement accounts to invest in real estate. The gain from these investments grow tax deferred within your account. This is something you should also consider doing.

Depreciating assets: Real estate can depreciate overtime. This doesn't include land. But when it depreciates, you can deduct the properties cost. This would offset the income you would pat taxes on.

1031 Exchange: Filing a 1031 will allow you to defer paying capital gains on an investment property when it's sold, as long as another "like kind" property is purchased with the profit gained from the sale.

Mortgage Interest Deduction: Interest paid on mortgages for investment properties can be deducted.

Carry Forward: If your expenses exceed your rental income, you could have a net loss. Some of these losses can be used to offset other taxable income, while others might be carried forward to future years.

Living in the property: If you live in the property for 2 years. you can exclude a portion of the capital gains from your taxable income when you sell.

Opportunity Zones: Opportunity zones offer tax incentives, including deferring and potentially reducing capital gains taxes.

Expenses: All repair expenses can be deducted.

Installments: You can structure your sale to receive payments over time. This spreads out the capital gains and reduces tax impact.

Tax Credits: There are a ton of tax credits for investors. Would research in your state.

More deductions: Interest on a mortgage for an investment property is typically tax deductible, as are property taxes and many other expenses related to the property like Insurance premiums.

Cost segregations: You can hire someone to reclassify certain areas of your property to accelerate depreciation. This will give you a significant upfront tax deduction.

Pass throughs: Certain pass through entities (like LLCs, S Corporations, and partnerships) may be eligible for a deduction of up to 20% of their business income from rental properties.

I can keep going on this, but strongly recommend you read these books:

Loopholes of the Rich: How the Rich Legally Make More Money and Pay Less Tax 

Tax-Free Wealth: How to Build Massive Wealth by Permanently Lowering Your Taxes 

[libraryposting]

Nuanceddddd news gamers

WIN Attended cost accounting for the first time in weeks and it is MANAGEABLE !!!!!

LOSS Attended excel class for the first time in weeks and i am FUCKED !!!!! Visiting my advisor this afternoon to see if i can drop it and take it in the summer!!! This means i will be working nonstop for the next two years but we will ball!! Minimester in december then internship jan-mar 2025 then class mar thru may then study abroad may 2025 then summer school then fall then spring semester then GRADUATION!!!!!!

WIN Saw beautiful amy my tax professor from last semester in the halls on my way to excel class and she is still so beautiful and warm!!!!!

LOSS The line for lunchie is longggg and im scared about what my mommy will think about me dropping a class but ??? I should be okay GYAAAAHHH ?????

Maybe i will spin this as “taking this semester to take care of myself and develop healthy habits”

[dabiralovesfun]

In My Shadows. 2

Ateez Fanfiction

To understand the enigma that is Aurora, one must first understand the history behind it.

The beginning of the 1800s was a tumultuous and violent time for the country. The people had no other hobby than killing their leaders and destroying public property. Violence was the order of the day and it seemed nothing could stop it. Anarchy was creeping near. sniffing around.

Enter Kim Haejoong. A man with a solution.

The people had simple demands; Down with the government and class system, equal distribution of wealth and taxes.

Kim Haejoong had a simple solution; Kill them all.

Very simple.

Haejoong was the Supreme leader, and he had no intention of ever letting go. Equal distribution? Bullshit, down with the government? He WAS THE GOVERNMENT, and he sure as hell wasn't ready to die. Down with the class system? How about down with you! But he needed help. The upper-class supported him, of course. He was saving their gold plated asses. But it wasn't enough, the people still outnumbered them. He needed help. And fast.

Enter Selyse Nightengale.

A slim woman with a beauty that made her look deadly. Like a lion, ready to pounce and devour. Her black hair, pale skin, and blood red lips unnerved everyone she came across.

Selyse had a plan. The shadow Cult. She claimed she had spiritual ways to solve the countries issues.

Haejoong called bullshit. He had never believed in spirituality. It was war and victory that got him here, not God or angels.

But Selyse pressed, she wasn't asking him to become a priest or fast. "Conquer.blood with blood" she said.

Haejoong thought she had gone mad, but he was running desperate. The army was loosing to the people, and the violence was getting close to the capital.

Haejoong decided to give the mad woman a chance. It wouldn't cost him anything. If he failed, she died. No biggie.

June 5th, 1870

All the upper-class families gathered in the dead of night, Selyse stood in front of them in a dark red dress holding a bowl.

"We begin"

They all stepped forward to pierce their fingers on a blade and let the blood drip into the bowl.

When the last man was done, selyse began to sing in a shrill voice. The night seemed to get sing in response.

After a while, she covered the bowl.

"It is done."

In a month, all the revolutionary leaders had died strange, violent deaths. Just like that. The people grew scared and Haejoong grew happier. He found it easier to do what he did best.

Surpress and opress.

Selyse was granted riches, and she became a main advisor to Haejoong... Some upperclassmen even whispered lover.

Finally, the country was stabilised, and all thought it was over.

The Shadows had not gotten the memo, though, the murders continued. Violent, evil, and sadistic.

Haejoong couldn't care less, all the deaths were common people.

The families that shed blood that night would never be affected.

Aurora Academy was set up in 1876 to cater to the elites of the capital and as a show of wealth and power.

But there was more to it.

Aurora was created for protection. Why? The families that pleged to the Shadows didn't even know. All they knew is their descendants must attend Aurora or die.

And so it was. Generation after generation. Until it became tradition.

Haejoong was content. He had secured his dynasty. Now his descendants will rule just as he had. Strong and unbreakable.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hongjoong felt like puking. The bodies were so mutilated you almost couldn't see their faces. But he couldn't break in public, he was a future leader. He had to be strong. Unbreakable. A warrior. A Victor. Just like- Just like Kim Haejoong.

His brain started to fail him. His vision becoming blurry. Be strong. Strong. Unbreakable. Victorious.

"Hongjoong-a."

A hand gently held him. He looked up, Seonghwa.

"I'm fine." He couldn't afford to say anything else.

"Stop lying."

Thanks for reading this also. I promise it will come together. Trust the process😉. Luv youuu❤️

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

Hi

Not OFMD specific but might be of interest

(copied without permission given to reproduce)

Found in Private Eye 16-29th Feb

Warner Gloss:

Labour's business charm offensive continued last week, as Keir Starmer proudly posted that he had met with David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros Discovery, aiming to "work in partnership with the creative industries to drive growth".

Named by the New York Times as the man who "blew up Hollywood", Zaslav in fact seems to be doing everything he can to prevent growth in the industry. Having merged hi cable TV company, Discovery with entertainment conglomerate Warner Bros in 2022, Zaslav took on $56bn in debt and enacted cost cuts of £3bn.

To achieve this he set about binning TV shows and films that had already been completed in order to claim large tax write-offs - most notoriously superhero caper Batgirl - and removing shows from streaming services to avoid paying residuals fees.

In a move that might have had more appeal for St

armer, Zaslov also hired Chris Licht as CEO of CNN in 2022 to make the news service more appealing to conservative viewers - but then fired him within a year after ratings hit rock bottom. Under Zaslav's watch, the stock price of Warner Bros Discovery Inc has fallen by nearly 60% - probably not quite the growth Starmer would hope to discover!

END

Firstly thank you for your round-ups, much appreciated!

"make the new service more appealing to conservative viewers" Why am I not surprised.....

Secondly I am disturbed that the possible future leader of the UK or his advisors didn't do more investigating before agreeing to or asking for this meeting, very disappointing.

Thirdly "removing shows from streaming services to avoid paying residuals fees" Should we be concerned by this for series 1 and 2?

best wishes

Susannah

Hey omg I'm like 3 days behind on messages/replies/asks I'm sorry! This weekend was crazy! Hi Susannah!

Oh interesting! I've never read Private Eye, I'll go check them out now! Oh darn- looks like a paywall, thank you for pasting the text! (And no problem about the recaps! Thanks so much for reading them!)

To address your second point: I wish I knew more about Keir Starmer! I'm in the US so I only know tangentially about him. You would think someone would have vetted the situation a bit more though (although you know Zaslav has been a bit of a sneaky little fucker about everything until he was outed more recently). Sorry I don't have much to say on that point!

To address your third point:

Yeahhhhhh, my hope is that it won't affect OFMD too much because it's a bit more of it's own thing (and not a WB proprety like the Coyote movie). I think they could actually make money selling S1 and S2 as opposed to loss since there's such a demand for it, so personally I don't think it's going to be much of an issue, but I have no real authority or reason to believe that except common sense (which we all know hollywood doesn't always have).

@fuckyeahisawthat had a good take though, it's kind of anything goes unfortunately.

I have faith though... because like a lot of my tumblr colleagues have said, David Jenkins would have probably told us by now if in fact, there was literally no hope. He's been pretty good about putting out hints and letting us know where to focus our efforts, and as of yet he hasn't flat out said "Thanks anyway guys, but its not going to happen.

That in itself gives me hope for s1, s2 and s3.

Anyway, thanks for the write in Susannah! I'm really sorry again it took me so long to answer, and then I doubt I gave you anything of real substance @_@. I hope you're having a lovely day, and would love to chat more!

Take care, sending love!

Abby

[hermajestyimher]

Do you have any advice or tips for saving and budgeting?

Live below your means. Basically don't try to spend more than what you should in things that are pointless and vain, especially not if it's with the intent of impressing others on social media and the likes.

I live in Canada, the cost of living in this country is through the roof, and I oftentimes can't help but feel flabbergasted that many people my age don't have any investments (or at least plans to), or a savings account, mostly due to imbalanced priorities. Many people choose to rent places that take up over half of their monthly income and go every weekend to party and spend money on alcohol and Ubers. They pay $80 bucks each month on a phone plan and $40 on their iPhone bill, when they could get a cheaper plan and refurbished phone and save much more money.

There should be no reason why any grown adult should prioritize leisure over basic necessities, especially when their finances are strained. Investments and/or savings are a necessity. You will not be able to leave the money rat race unless you cement the foundations for your life in the future, and financial literacy is key to this. Sure, you only live once and our 20s shouldn't be used solely to work without taking times to relax and enjoy life, but one has to be mindful that every action has a consequence and nobody will come to rescue us from our bad habits and choices.

Some practical tips on budgeting and savings:

* Don't spend more than 40% of you post-taxed income on rent. Get roommates or stay with relatives if you must. Save as much as you can on rent.

* Some people may be triggered by this but I honestly don't care. Don't waste your money on alcohol or drugs.

* Look into opening a tax free savings accounts in your country of residency and put at least 10-20% of your monthly income there if you can. If you can't, any small percentage can help.

* Place your tax free savings on long-term, low-risk investments that can compound in the future. The S&P500 is a famous and safe bet, but I would consult and partner with a financial advisor for this as each person's particular financial situation will vary. As an adult independent woman, having a financial advisor should be a priority.

* Download a good Excel spread sheet with charts and fields to populate and track your monthly spending. These are easily found in many places online and are not hard to use. Give yourself a baseline of how much you wish to spend on a particular item monthly and try to stick to it as much as you can. This will also give you a rough idea of how much money you will have left to save and invest into your portfolio.

* Stop trying to compete with people's highlight reals and quit the superficial rate race of social media. The dumbest way to go broke is to do it trying to impress people who don't like you and who are not worth it.

* Finally, consume as much content as you can on financial literacy. There are tons of books and podcasts out there to help you with this. Having the right mindset when it comes to managing your money will be one of the best things you can do for yourself and your future self with thank you in the future.

[ghostzzy]

ok ok ok. the living situation can be figured out later. the more immediately pertinent details are:

1. how long would i actually have to be in school to get an associates in paralegal studies if i already have a bachelor’s in sociology with a minor in criminal justice which presumably would cover at least some prerequisites

2. how much would that cost with financial aid considering my current wages which are about $20,000 yearly before tax

and in order to figure this out i need to… contact the school? set up an appointment with an advisor?

[its-suanneschafer-author]

Continuing my review and summarizing of Project 2025, the GOP 2024 platform, and Trump’s Agenda 47.

1) Trump denies knowledge of Project 2025, a radical conservative Christian manifesto, yet many of his present and former advisors wrote the 900 page document which is a blueprint for the new GOP president starting from day one with massive, sweeping actions that will not only paralyze the government but will ensure chaos for years to come. It is the most detailed look at a future Trump presidency. Trump’s name is mentioned 268 times in the document, so it was certainly written with him in mind. Trump instituted 64% of the policy recommendations that were put out in the 2016 conservative mandate, a blueprint for the Trump administration and which was as right-wing and conservative as the current Project 2025.

2) Agenda 47 collects formal policies Trump plans to put into effect, many of which rely on executive orders and significant expansion of his executive powers. In 2023, Trump campaign officials stated that Project 2025 aligns well with Agenda 47.

These policies include:

A) restriction of Chinese ownership of US infrastructure

B) End the “Biden war” on US energy by eliminating every regulation that hampers domestic production, getting out of the Paris Agreement, and giving fast approval to every oil infrastructure project that comes before his administration 

C) Baseline tariffs on most foreign goods, revoking Chinese Most Favored Nation trade status

D) Decrease trade deficits

E) Not bailing out failing banks, slashing regulations, and repealing Biden’s tax hikes to reduce inflation

F) The Trump Reciprocal Trade Act will tariff other countries’ imports at the same rate they tariff our exports. NB: The costs of these tariffs will be passed on to consumers and will cause more harm than good

G) Gut Biden’s Green New Deal policies and electric cars initiative, and terminate all emission regulations on cars, fossil fuels, etc

H) Dept of Education

1—Cut federal funding for any school or program teaching critical race theory or gender ideology by removing the radicals who have infiltrated the Dept of Education. 

2—Keep men out of women’s sports. 

3—Create a new way to certify teachers based on their patriotism and give preferential treatment to schools that abolish teacher tenure, abolish DEI, and adopt direct election of school principals by parents. 

4—Pursue federal civil rights cases against schools that engage in “equity” by taxing up to the entire amount of their endowment

5—Restore parental rights to control their child’s education; allow parents to hire and fire principals and teachers.

6—Bring back school prayer NB: This includes reading the Bible but doesn’t include any teachings of other religions

7—Allow teachers to carry concealed weapons at school 

8—Immediate expulsion and sentencing to reform school of any student who harms another student or a teacher or use or possession of drugs at school

9—The US government will issue bachelor’s degrees to those who did not finish their degrees by creating a new educational institution aimed at competing with schools already in existence. NB: This is from the man who owes fines from the failure of his own for-profit college.

I) Reinterpret presidential powers so that he has greater control of the government in the White House

(the unitary executive theory).

1—Dismantle the “deep state” and revamp every aspect of the US government. NB: These policies could upset the balance of power between the three branches of the federal government and provoke a constitutional showdown by usurping congressional authority and cutting out any program he doesn’t like or whose proponents have angered him. This is a fascist plan

2—Prevent World War III and end the Russian invasion of Ukraine. NB: The fact that he has buddied up to Putin makes this highly unlikely.

3—Overhaul the entire US defense and intelligence bureaucracies

4—Ask Europe to refund the money we spend to rebuild the stockpiles we sent to Ukraine. NB: Good luck with that

J) Keep Medicare and Social Security intact. NB: Every single congressional Republican—and 43 Senate Republicans—sided with Big Pharma over the American people and blocked an amendment that would cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 for millions of Americans on private insurance. Thus, Big Pharma and the rich get richer at the cost of the health and lives of the poor. In March 2024, the Republican Study committee which represents 100% of House Republican leadership and 80% of their members proposed yet another budget that would cut the following by $4.5 trillion over 1-0 years: Medicare (transition Medicare to a premium support system that would raise premiums for many seniors), Social Security ($1.5 trillion in cuts) , the Affordable Care Act, the Children’s Health Insurance Initiative and increase prescription drugs (removing $35 insulin), energy and housing costs while raising the retirements age plus forcing $5.5. trillion in tax cuts for the very rich.

K) Immigration policy

1—Ban birthright citizenship 

2—End welfare for illegal immigants

3—Massive deportation of immigrants

L) Inflation

1—Build “Freedom Cities” on undeveloped federal land to lower cost of buying a home

2—Build vertical takeoff and landing vehicles

M) Shatter the left-wing censorship regime

L) Law enforcement

1—Increase investment in police personnel, stop illegal drugs

2—Death penalty for drug dealers and human traffickers

3—Overhaul federal standards on disciplining minors

4—Concealed carry reciprocity

M) DEI

1—Abandon DEI, terminate any offices, staff, and initiatives connected to DEI

2—Focus on anti-white racism rather than discrimination against people of color

N) Transgender and LBGQI+ rights: Terminate all gender affirming care at any age and terminating federal funding for any hospital or healthcare provider that participates in it

[fluoritegalaxy]

Everything wrong with America today is Ronald Reagan's fault, and here's why. (Yes, this video has a couple cringey moments when they try to crack a joke, but the rest is highly informative.)

Trickledown economics was his idea. He applied the same thought process was applied to healthcare-- "competition will breed efficiency!" Not realizing that corners will be cut to keep costs down.

Cutting funding to social welfare programs and funding the police instead? His idea. He's also the creator of the horribly racist, "Welfare Queen," and the mentality that social welfare programs, like food stamps, would only encourage people to feed off of the system.

The AIDS epidemic was his fault-- he failed to adequately handle it, and didn't speak about it for four years. Imagine if Covid or even H1N1 had gone on that long before anyone did anything about it! He ignored it because he genuinely believed it was an act of God to wipe out gay people.

The student loan crisis? Reagan believed that higher education should be a luxury for the rich. He believed colleges shouldn't offer free education, saying they should instead offer student loans, and passed state tax cuts designed to subsidize higher education.

He tried to get rid of the Pell Grant-- designed to help students based on their financial standing.

Academic advisor to Reagan, Roger Freeman, is quoted as saying, "we are in danger of producing an educated proletariat... We have to be selective on who we allow to go through higher education."

We have Reagan to thank for the return of union busting after he fired over 11,000 air traffic control workers while on strike.

We need to start acknowledging all of the mistakes Reagan made if we *ever* want this country to change properly.