As we discussed in this post, a budget is a spending plan which can help you become more organized. The purpose of this is meeting your expenses, your personal goals and tracking your income. Starting and maintaining a budgeting plan takes a lot of self-control and discipline which can be managed through organizing your money and being consistent.  But is there such a thing as an “ideal” budget?  Well, we think there is! Creating your ideal budget An ideal budget tries to align your spending to what is normal or considered typical for an American household.  For example, does it seem “normal” to spend 75% of your monthly income on housing?  We don’t think so either!  So an ideal budget will try and align the spending of your income along the following categories: Now after knowing what an ideal budgeting plan looks like, go out and find all your sources of income. This can include your salary, investments (such as savings account, money market account, or mutual fund), passive income (such as rent income), and retirement income. After determining your total income divide it into the previous categories and start looking to see if the numbers seem reasonable and achievable.

If you’re thinking about or just started your business, we want to tell you about a valuable resource.  This resource is dedicated to small businesses and provides counseling, capital, and contracting expertise and is the the nation’s ONLY Federal go-to resource and voice for small businesses. What is the SBA and what does it stand for? The Small Business Administration, or SBA, is an independent government agency which intends to provide support towards small businesses and entrepreneurs. They do this to promote growth, recovery, and confidence within small businesses. SBA was created in 1953 becoming the only federal agency fully dedicated to help small businesses. How is the SBA organized? Headquarters Offices These offices are a little of everything. Therefore, they are broken down intro offices of advocacy, contracting, counseling, disaster assistance, financial assistance, international trade, and management. To add onto this, they also share small business audiences to make people feel included and supported. In this section they have Women’s Business Ownership, Office of Native American Affairs, and Office of Veterans Business Development. Regional Offices This page provides additional support to find an exact location. This provides you the ability to find what you are looking for in an

Saving money on a tight budget or low income can seem impossible.  Especially when you do not necessarily make tons of money; but it all comes down to priorities. It can be hard to set yourself up for success when it feels like you are living check by check but organizing yourself and being consistent can improve a lot. Considering the holidays when there are decorations, gift buying, dinner parties, and many more activities which require spending. In this post we’ll discuss a few tips to help put some money on the side even when it seems like there isn’t any. Sacrifice or Investment? Putting money on the side can seem like it is causing you to deprive yourself from your wants. If you are anything like most people, we often catch ourselves thinking “Well I do put in the work. I deserve it.” The question becomes, is it worth it to go to a fast-food place and then catch yourself stressing over living check by check? Start looking at the money you put away as an investment for you in the future.  Your savings is exactly that, an investment. You are putting money on the side in case of

Did you ever wonder why some people never seem to be able to keep money around?  They get paid on Friday and all the money is gone before Monday?  Well, in this post we’re going to talk about 5 habits that might be keeping a person broke. Habit #1- Not knowing your subscriptions Subscriptions can add up quickly. You can have $5 here, $10 dollars there.  You should take a moment and review your bank statement or credit card statement to see what monthly subscriptions you have. You also need to determine what you use and do not use.  Cancel the ones that are not being used. Keep an eye out for what you are being charged for in your subscriptions. Sometimes subscriptions plans can increase in price without you being aware so if something you were paying 10 bucks a month for now turned into 20 bucks. Habit #2 – Spontaneous Shopping Who does not like shopping for new things; rather it be clothes, electronics, or even shoes? There has to be a limit to what people can buy based on their budget. One way people dig themselves into a deeper hole is by not realizing how much they

What is a C-Corp? So you might be asking, what is a C-Corp and how is it taxed? A C-Corporation is a legal structure of business in which the owners and shareholders are separate from the corporation. This means that the income made by the owner is taxed separately than the corporation. This type of corporation offers unlimited growth potential through the sale of stock; which can attract investors. There is no limit to the number of shareholders a C-Corp can have. Also, C-Corporations limit the liability of investment holders and firm owners.  This is because the most they can lose is the amount of investment they put into the company if the business were to fail. How is a C-Corp taxed? C-Corps pay corporate income tax on earnings before they distribute their profits to the shareholders. Distributing their profits to shareholders is most commonly known as a dividend. As mentioned before, the taxation of the corporation is separate from the owners and shareholders. It is important to note though that the dividends handed out to the shareholders have to be claimed on their personal taxes. This is what is commonly known as double taxation. How does a C-Corp operate?