Tag:

finances

How to get Your Taxes Done Easily and Accurately with TurboTax Live

by Deborah Cruz 2018/04/03

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of TurboTax Live Intuit the opinions of how to get your taxes done easily and accurately and text are all mine

Tax Day is right around the corner and that means for many of us, it is crunch time but what if there was a way to get your taxes done easily and accurately with TurboTax Live? What if you could get professional tax preparation help from a bilingual credentialed expert from the comfort of your own home? Well, hold on to your hats because now you can.

TurboTax is transforming assisted tax preparation this Year with the NEW offering TurboTax Live, a new way to file taxes. Customers can take advantage of a nationwide virtual network of credentialed tax experts to help with your tax needs every step of the way.

Now, talking with a bilingual credentialed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Enrolled Agent (EA) to help file your taxes is easier than ever! APM accountants dublin can assist you in the preparation of the annual financial statements of your company and to assist you in the filing of the Annual Return.

Expert Review

With TurboTax Live, a tax expert will review your tax return and give you the approval to file, ensuring that you’re getting the most money possible and your taxes are done right.

Whether it’s personal or business-related taxes, including more complex situations, TurboTax Live has you covered. Screen sharing capability allows our credentialed tax experts to show you relevant information and answers right on the screen so you can be confident you’re getting your maximum tax refund.

Which is awesome because how many times have we done our own taxes, crossed our fingers and hoped we did everything correctly? Having an expert review our work would give us the confidence to file knowing that everything was done correctly and we had maximized our return.

By Your Side

With TurboTax Live, you’re not alone. With the simple click of the “Expert Help” button, you can connect to a live human being via one-way video technology, including access to Spanish speaking tax experts.

The tax experts are available, on-demand or by appointment, to give you personalized tax advice and answers to your specific tax questions, as often as you need.

I remember when I was a kid, my parents taking their taxes to be done by an accountant. The problem was they needed to find a good accountant who was bilingual because my dad’s first language is Spanish. My mom spoke English but not Spanish so while my parents could communicate through hand gestures and looks when they were falling in love, that method doesn’t work so well when you’re trying to do your taxes. Having TurboTax Live back then, for them would have made life so much easier at tax time, which also happens to be their wedding anniversary; 46 years this Tax Day!

File with Confidence

Like all TurboTax products, TurboTax Live comes with a Maximum Refund Guarantee –the experts help find deductions so that you can get the biggest refund you deserve. Sounds good to me.

Additionally, you can get the best outcome possible and feel confident with their *100% Accurate, Expert Approved Guarantee for any tax return that is reviewed and signed by a credentialed expert.

TurboTax Live also has a 100% Accurate Calculations Guarantee: If you pay an IRS or state penalty or interest because of a TurboTax calculation error, TurboTax will pay you the penalty and interest.

Amazing, right? Your taxes done right, from the comfort of your home, by a certified bilingual expert and it’s all guaranteed! What more could you possibly want?

Thanks to the generosity of TurboTax, I will randomly select 3 winners who will be provided with a TurboTax card valued at $179.99, in which they’d have access to a TurboTax Live CPA or Enrolled Agent in case they have any questions in regards to their taxes.

Here’s how it works: You enter below via rafflecopter. 3 winners will be selected at random on Thursday 3/5/18 at 11:59 p.m. If you are one of the winners, you will be able to scratch a unique code that’s located on the back of the TurboTax card. After doing this, simply type in the code right before submitting your taxes to Uncle Sam.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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2018/04/03 4 comments

finances, tips for conquering your credit, financial stability

Personal

Everything You Want is On the Other Side of Fear

by Deborah Cruz 2017/04/18

written by Deborah Cruz

Disclosure: This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Chase and #WeAllGrow Latina Network but all opinions about conquering your credit are my own.

I suffer from a raging case of imposter syndrome. I think most people do. I used to be constantly terrified of failure but then I embraced the failure is not an option mantra. Rather, I realized that failure is always a possibility but letting it get the best of you is not. Life knocks you down, you get right back up again. You might not succeed the very first time you try something but you keep trying that’s what makes you a true success.

My dad raised us to never let fear keep me from trying because everything you ever want is on the other side of fear. Think about it, everything you ever wanted was right there, right past the fear. You just have to make the choice to push through. If you don’t try, you will never succeed. That’s a fact. Not trying equals, a 100% failure ratio. Sometimes trying is painful but it’s almost always worth it.

I never imagined that one day one of my biggest fears would be facing my own financial reality and conquering my credit.

It’s scary. Believe me, I know. I’ve taken some chances in my life. Done things that made no sense and risked it all but in the end, they were what was right for me and really, that’s the best you can hope for, a life well-lived.

I’m the girl who said yes to a marriage proposal after only 4-months of dating. If that’s not crazy, I don’t know what is. Was I scared? Yes, I was absolutely terrified. Marrying someone is one of the biggest decisions of your life. It took me a few days to answer because I was so afraid of making the wrong decision because getting engaged after 4 months defies logic.

It came down to one simple question, “Do you want to live your life without this man in it?” All the confusion fell away and I said yes because for me it was scarier to think of my life without him than making the decision to marry someone after only knowing them for 4 months. In my heart, I knew that he was my person. Since then, we’ve grown up together. There were mistakes and missteps along the way but together we figure it out.

I spent my childhood poor so taking financial risks has never been my jam. I’m a saver, sometimes I’m even a little stingy now. But when I met my husband, he wanted me to have everything I wanted. He encouraged me to treat myself and I was pretty easily convinced.

At about the same time we started planning our wedding, every credit card company on earth was in our quad at the university handing out “preapproved” credit cards to anyone who wanted one. I took them because I had a wedding to plan and my parents couldn’t afford to pay for it. That was my first of many financial mistakes that have led me to this road of conquering my credit.

I spent on the credit cards like it was Monopoly money. It didn’t feel real because it wasn’t immediately coming out of my bank account. But the bills, the interest and the late payments, they were all very real and still are. I am still paying for my wedding. Did I mention that we’ve been married forever? Interest rates are serious business and paying minimums are for suckers. Consider that some free advice from me to you.

I’ve grown up a lot since I was that girl who got engaged in college after 4 months of dating and taking all the “preapproved” credit cards in the quad. Once I had children, I really began to see the error of my ways but it felt like I was in a credit hole that I’d never be able to crawl out of. I knew I had to for my children. Kids cost money and it was time to get control of our finances. But how do you take control of a runaway train?

Here are a few tips for conquering your credit and regaining your financial stability:

Tackling your credit score can be intimidating, especially if you don’t know exactly where you stand so the first step to optimal financial health is being brave and finding out what your credit score is and what your credit report looks like. It’s not something you can look at once and forget about it. Just like your body’s health, you need to do the right things to maintain a healthy financial health and believe it or not, stressing over finances can have a negative effect on your actual health.

With the help of a business consultant, like the ones in Wimgo, you can quickly learn the various methods to manage your credit and then utilize those that work best for you. For instance, I learned that some cards have no interest rate at all. Also, some cards offer great points programs or discounts on merchandise if you use their card. Consider all of that when you make your purchases.

I also learned that it is bad to close cards when you still have a balance on them. It’s better to keep them open and not spend on them. Also, transferring high balance cards to 0% interest or lower interest rate cards can definitely help you get a better bang for your buck.

Inform yourself and gather all of the financial knowledge you can. It’s not just about credit. You need to be aware of spending habits, saving opportunities and how these choices will affect you and your family not only today but in the long run. I know it feels like we were all just in the quad, wearing flip flops and taking credit cards but before you know it kids are off to college and retirement is right around the corner. By the way, talk to your kids about financial responsibility now not after they’ve gotten all the preapproved credit cards at university.

I started tracking everything we spend and where it goes. I found out really quickly that we were wasting money on conveniences like eating out often (bad for both your actual health and your financial health), coffee and only paying the minimums on credit cards. If you look at your credit card statements, below where it shows your interest rate it shows how long it will take paying only the minimum and it’s usually something like 12 years. Then it shows you that if you pay a slightly higher amount (seriously it’s like $15-25) per month you can pay off the balance in 3 years and save yourself, in some cases, thousands of dollars. Do that. And always pay on time!

Use tools that empower you to make savvy financial decisions and manage your credit with confidence. Tackling your finances can be terrifying because you are afraid of what you might find, but this is the time to face your fears and conquer your credit and give yourself the freedom to feel confident in your finances. One of the lesser-known secrets to achieve financial stability is through investing in the stock market.

Also, one last thing I learned, the lower your balance and the better your credit, the easier it is to negotiate lower interest rates. Something to consider.

If you’d like to learn how to #ConquerYourCredit visit the Chase Slate Credit Card webpage for additional information and stop letting fear hold you back from living the big, beautiful life that you are meant to live.

How are you conquering your credit?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Chase and #WeAllGrow Latina Network. The opinions and text are all mine.

2017/04/18 1 comment

brightpeak financial, finances, money, financial planning

Latina

Financial Planning Made Easy

by Deborah Cruz 2016/08/24

written by Deborah Cruz

Disclosure: This is a compensated campaign about financial planning in collaboration with brightpeak financial® and Latina Bloggers Connect.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve worried about my finances. I grew up poor. A child of a good Catholic immigrant and a southern housewife. There were six children and only my father worked outside of the home because it was important to my parents that my mom be home with us to guide us. I’m thankful that my mom was able to be home with us and grateful that I am able to do the same for my girls. I feel like childhood is fleeting so every moment and memory that I can attend to soak in with my children is precious to me.

The only downside of having only one parent who worked was that we never had a lot of money. So, I grew up anxious about finances. I’m still anxious about money. It’s just one of those things that I’ve learned to deal with by being financially responsible and prioritizing what is worth the cost. I always prefer to keep a cushion in my savings account and when it gets below a certain level, I have a bit of a freak out but that’s the extent of it. I have no real plan in place.

I need to have a financial plan rather than just trying to save a little bit in my savings account. I may as well be stuffing money under my mattress. Unfortunately, I wasn’t taught how to do this by my parents. They didn’t have money to save. There were no college tuitions saved for us. There was no retirement fund. There was a pay-the-bills, live paycheck-to-paycheck mentality and it is not for me. Yet, here I am repeating history.

I’m interested in finding tips, information and guidance to avoid the same financial fate as my parents, but I’ve never felt confident enough to make an appointment with a financial planner. I feel like either they’d laugh at me or simply just shake their head in disbelief at my naiveté. Part of me is afraid to face just how behind we are in saving for our retirement and the girls’ college tuitions. A a parent, you must also consider opening a savings account on The Children’s ISA to ensure your child’s future but if you move abroad after already opening an account then you are not allowed to make payments into the account.

Because to be really honest, besides the fact that we make a lot more money than my parents did and we both work and we only have two kids, our debt is much higher. More money, more problems and all of that good stuff. I blame the fact that when we were in college they were handing out credit cards in the quad like candy to babies. We all took it and now, we are paying for it, literally. That, and the fact that we had no prior knowledge as to how finances and the real world work.

I needed guidance, and when I was presented with the opportunity to partner with brightpeak financial, a new company for a new way of doing things that’s actually built for people, not for profit, I was thrilled. They help people like me who want to put the real stuff in our lives like faith, family, fulfillment and quality of life first while being smart with our money, see the post about wealth management plans from Hawley Advisors.

With their new program MoneyMyth.org, brightpeak is using the concept of mythical creatures to bring attention to a common myth in personal finance: the misconception that only wealthy people need a financial plan. The truth is if you have an income and expenses (and who doesn’t?) you need a financial plan.

They believe that life is more than money and families shouldn’t have to compromise their values to be financially successful. They know that stronger families create a better world and stronger communities. Through the MYTHS program they are allowing individuals and families to create a financial profile by answering only three multiple-choice questions. This just so happens to be a great way to start a financial plan. I answered the questions, which were basically prioritizing my financial goals, and it presented me with helpful tips and articles on how to get started towards those goals. It was that easy.

The Money Myth program is about more than just saving money, it’s about the spirit of community and helping one another succeed. It’s about turning risks into security by planning ahead and knowing what your goals are in life. Prioritizing and turning wishes into reality.

How are you financial planning for your family’s future?

This is a sponsored campaign written by me on behalf of Brightpeak Financial and WeAllGrow Latina. The opinions and text are all mine.

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2016/08/24 0 comments

saving money, Sprint, ballerina, #cutyourbillsweeps

Personal

How to Save Money For the Things that Matter Most in Your Life

by Deborah Cruz 2015/04/29

written by Deborah Cruz

I was compensated with a payment by JG Media and Sprint to write this blog post. However, the views expressed in this post are my own.

Have you ever wished that your cellphone bill were cheaper? Daily, right? I know that I do. It’s not as bad as the cable bill but it’s pretty bad. I have loads of other things that I could be doing with that money, like paying off those grad school loans that I’ll probably being paying until I die. If you could cut your rate plan in half wouldn’t you?

I have kids so that means tuitions, ballet, cheer, soccer, violin, a mortgage and more organic, grass-fed groceries than I ever anticipated. It’s expensive being a parent. I’ve learned to live on a budget. When I think of what I pay for my cellphone, it feels indulgent and I feel guilty. It’s like I’m being hijacked and my connection to civilization is being held hostage by my cellphone provider. Don’t they know that my iPhone is my connection to the outside world?

If you handle a lot of money and need to count large amounts of money, the best option is to use a money counting machine to ensure that the amount is correct.

I love my service at my current provider but the bill is getting out of hand, like I could sponsor 6 or 7 kids a month through Save the Children outrageous. I’d love to find a way to still get great service without the hefty price tag. I won’t lie, I’ve considered switching providers several times. I’m just too busy to spend the hour on the phone or the face time checking out providers. I guess I’ve unwillingly conceded to pay.

Sprint is currently running a promotion that allows customers to easily and conveniently figure out financially if it’s worth the switch before you take the leap. There are three easy ways to find out how much you can save by switching to Sprint:

#1-If you are a Verizon or AT&T customer; there is a special promotion to cut your monthly wireless bill by switching to Sprint. Current AT&T and Verizon customers can upload their wireless bill online.

#2 Visit any Sprint store to find out how to cut your monthly wireless bill—and it’s easy to make an appointment on the website

#3 Call 866-866-7509!

It was so easy to find out how much I could save on my rate plan. I chose option #1, simply answered a couple questions, uploaded a pdf of my current bill and bada bing, bada bang they told me almost instantly that I can save $876 a year! That’s having my cake and eating it too. Plus, Sprint will pay all of the switching fees. I can still have the service I’ve become accustomed to but have that extra cash to put towards something fun for the family or maybe a spa weekend for myself.

Speaking of doing something nice for yourself, Mother’s Day is right around the corner and Sprint and JG Media are hosting a #CutYourBillSweeps Mother’s Day Sweepstakes. The grand prize is a $500 Amazon gift card. What would you do nice for yourself if you had an extra $500 to spend?

To enter the Mother’s Day sweepstakes simply post a picture or video on Twitter of what you would do with the money you would save by cutting your monthly rate plan. Use the hashtag #cutyourbillsweeps and include either the @Sprint or @Sprintlatino handles in the tweet.

The winner will be announced during a Twitter party next Wednesday, May 6^th, at 6pm pacific 9pm eastern. You don’t have to be there to win but it sure would be a lot more fun. Plus, 3 more $100 Amazon gift cards will be given away during the party to winning entrants of the #CutYourBillSweeps.

Hope to see you there. What are you waiting for? Go see how much you can save by switching to Sprint today!

Let Sprint show you how to save money for the things that matter most in your life.

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2015/04/29 4 comments

Parenting

Today, there is Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy

by Deborah Cruz 2010/01/14

written by Deborah Cruz

Yesterday, I was shocked by the news of the day. I spent the next 24 hours “feeling” my feelings. I’d be calm, then cry, then sad, then shocked some more, then irate.As I was packing the girls room up, while Bella was at preschool (so she wouldn’t notice that it was being packed up), I packed while she was at school so she would have no idea things were going into boxes rather than into drawers and closets. While I was rushing to do this before she got home, I couldn’t place why I kept getting angry and falling to pieces. Surely, cleaning their room wasn’t anything to cry about.I just couldn’t place what was making this time, the third time in 17 months that my husband had gotten the news of a lay off, so much worse.Then ,I figured it out. This time was different because this time one of the people that I love more than anything else in life, my 4 year old, Bella was old enough for this to actually affect her. I have been reassured that children are resilient .In my mind, I know this. I know that when she is a teenager, she will have no recollection of this entire situation. She won’t be scarred for life, need therapy, or even care but that doesn’t help me ..now.See, this has happened before.The first time, she was pretty unaffected. She was 3, she was oblivious. But the second time, I was so distraught myself that I forgot to filter my actions and words and she knew exactly what was going on. Bad, bad Mommy. I felt horrible about the whole thing.No 4 year old should be aware of finances and the family economic situation, let alone be afraid of going without..anything. When we had to relocate, she was sad and full of trepidation at the thought of leaving “her” best friends, “her” ballet class, “her” swing set, “her” bedroom, “her” toys,”her ” house etc. etc. It was all very overwhelming to her and it was all my fault. If I would have kept “MY” mouth shut, she would have been unphased. It’s kinda like when your kid falls, if you don’t gasp and run to their rescue..its as if they never even fell. They usually don’t even cry. They are tough, they are resilient. We, however, are not apparently. So, last time we had to uproot, I kicked and screamed all the way ( metaphorically, of course) and she did it literally. Good example Mommy. Worse, above all else, was the fact that she was so afraid of the whole experience. I did that. This time, I promised myself that I would hold my tongue and she would not see me cry. She would be blissfully unaware. Her and her sister will not know that Daddy got laid off and we are scared to death in this economy. No, this time I will smile and just tell her that we are going home to be closer to our old friends and family. This time, I will be an adult and spare my child the fear and uncertainty that she does not need to experience at the ripe old age of 4. This time I will be the adult and protect her from this awful thing called life. She has the rest of her life to find out that life is not perfect and we don’t always get what we want and sometimes we have to struggle. But today, she is four and today, there is Santa, the Tooth fairy, and the Easter Bunny. Daddy is the strongest man in the world and Mommy is the most beautiful woman and we both are perfect..in her eyes.Life is perfect.Today, I will guard her innocence with my life. She is my baby and she has the rest of her life to be disappointed, but for today I refuse to let her be anything but happy. Today, I will be your Mommy and your umbrella from all of life’s rain. I love you Bella and Gabs! You are my sunshine!!

2010/01/14 5 comments