Light breaking through a cloudy sky

New Blooms: New Beginnings

The best part of rainy weather is the rainbow that follows. Second best is knowing that the rain has left a fresh path for you to navigate. This leaves space for all the new, fresh things that are to come. Honestly, there are so many reasons to let the gloominess surround you. You have to actively put forth the effort to find the rainbows and the glimmers of sunshine that break through on a cloudy day.

I cannot count how many times I’ve woken up in a mood and was met with a rainbow or sunshine rays. It’s always a nice reminder that there is beauty all around us. We just have to be open to receiving it.

Life in general is ever evolving. Throw being a military spouse in the mix and, man, don’t even get me started on life. Between the MilSpouse blues and deployment depression, y’all know as well as I do that life is just “life-ing.”

Dark days can seem to outnumber the good. It’s the little reminders that bring a smile to our faces, the days that remind us that this is truly possible. And by this, I mean the life that we manifest for ourselves and our families. The end of the year can signify a new beginning.

A new year brings new hopes and dreams. We made it through the storms, even if the outcome is not what we thought it would be or necessarily what we hoped for. I’m a big believer in the idea that things will work themselves out the way they are supposed to — especially if you put in the work during the storm.

I recently went through my own storm in life. Between figuring out what I’m going to do with my career, and trying to find myself and figure out who I am outside of being a military spouse, a mother, a nurse, etc. Those things are amazing and play a huge part in who I am, but they are not all that I am. I’m still figuring it out.

Rainbow in the sky

I’m excited to see what this year brings for me. That’s the best part about rainbows and rays of sunshine: They signify room for new things to bloom. The rain washed away the self-doubt and hydrated the ground, leaving room for new blooms to be fed by the rays of sunshine. It feels good to see myself in a new light.

I hope that rainbows and sunshine rays find their way into your everyday lives. Make way for new things to bloom that are waiting just below the surface. In case no one has told you today, you are worth all the good things and then some. Here is to the future rainbows, sunshine rays and new blooms!

Calculator and tax folder

Tax Prep: The Documents You Need to File

Gather, Organize and Prepare Your Tax Documents

Whether your hobby is crunching numbers or you avoid calculating as much as possible (like me), everyone can count on filing taxes each year. I handle most of the tax prep at our house because my spouse’s schedule is unpredictable, so I created a system that works for me. Read on, grab a tip or two, and design your tax prep system.

Schedule a Tax Document Gathering Session

Depending on your schedule, plan an hour or afternoon to start the organization process. You may need to add more time later, especially if you track documents from employers or clients.

Two Quick Tips

  1. Kick off the tax document gathering process with momentum and collect the simple items first, like birth dates and social security numbers.
  2. Review the previous year’s tax return. It’ll jog your memory so you’re less likely to forget items.

Documents You May Need

This list isn’t exhaustive, and you probably won’t need everything listed to file.

  • Social Security numbers and birth dates for all eligible family members
  • Social Security benefits information
  • All W-2 forms, from all employers, for you and your spouse
  • Leave and Earnings Statement to ensure special pay, tax exclusion and TSP information are accurate
  • 1099 forms for independent contractors
  • 1098-E for student loan interest
  • 1098 for home mortgage interest
  • 1099-INT, 1099-OID, 1099-DIV, investment income forms
  • Child care, education and adoption receipts and documents
  • Alimony information
  • Charitable donation receipts
  • Medical and dental bills
  • Moving (PCS) expense receipts
  • Real estate tax documents
  • Education expenses
  • Power of attorney

Organize Your Tax Documents

Hopefully, you at least used a rudimentary filing system to stay organized in anticipation of the new tax year, but if you didn’t, it’s time to take charge of your documents.

Filing and tax document management systems vary as much as the people creating them, so there are plenty of options. Find one that works for you — from the trusty old shoebox to scanned documents stored safely in the cloud.

You can also use:

  • An envelope system, separating personal and business documents
  • File folders
  • Spreadsheets
  • Software accounting programs
  • Digital storage solutions

Unique Tax Situations for Military Spouses

If you are a spouse who owns a freelance business, has recently moved or has a deployed spouse, don’t forget there are a few things you’ll need to accurately file your taxes:

  1. 1099s. Your clients probably release them electronically, but some may send them in the mail, so don’t forget to update your address with your clients and the post office. Also, list everyone you worked with over the year to ensure you have a corresponding 1099. You might have to track them down through your clients’ payment systems or your contact at the company.
  2. The Military Spouses Residency Relief Act: When planning your tax return, it’s important to review the MSRRA if you’ve changed your state residency. The MSRRA lets military spouses keep the same state of legal residency as their spouses if they meet these criteria:
  • “The service member is living on military orders in a state that is not his/her resident state.
  • The spouse is in that state solely to live with the service member.
  • Both the service member and spouse have the same resident state.
  • The spouse only pays taxes on income in their state of legal residency when they meet the above conditions.”
  1. Power of attorney. If your spouse is deployed, you may need a power of attorney (IRS form 2848) and his or her MyPay information to download the W2 form.

MilTax Filing: Free Software and Support

Military members’ taxes can be time-consuming, complex or, if you’re lucky, easy to file. One way to simplify tax season, regardless of status, is to take advantage of MilTax through Military OneSource. It’s a tax filing program designed for military members and their families.

You can talk with a tax professional when you need help through a live chat, scheduled consultation or in-person visit near you. Best of all, the service is free.

Filing taxes, especially with military life considerations, may seem overwhelming. Preparation, organization and MilTax can make the process less frustrating and much more affordable.

Lizann

Celebrating Your Birthday Solo

When I became a military spouse, I knew there would be days and nights spent alone, especially when my service member was deployed. We had already spent many major holidays apart, so I was prepared to attend family activities without my husband. No one warned me about the little celebrations military spouses must navigate on their own, things like birthdays and anniversaries.

After 22 years with my service member, I have spent a lot of birthdays alone. The first few times, I was sad and upset we couldn’t be together to share my day. Eventually, I developed special ways to celebrate without him.

If you are a military spouse who will soon be celebrating your birthday solo, I know how frustrating it can feel to be apart from your service member on your special day. Instead of focusing on the negative challenge of being apart, try to see it as a unique opportunity to make your own plans, treat yourself and do exactly what you want.

In my book, Open When: Letters of Encouragement for Military Spouses, I have a letter called “Open When You Celebrate Your Birthday Alone.” It discusses the frustrating feelings of celebrating your birthday as a party of one, but it also provides support for military spouses in this situation:

“You won’t gain anything from crying about spending your day alone. Face it the best you can and prepare for it with intention. Sometimes you can’t count on other people to make your birthday special — not even your loved one. You just have to do it yourself. … If you are celebrating a birthday apart, the best thing to do is skip the pity party and throw a real party instead.”

You can still have fun on your birthday, even if your service member is away. This is your chance to do exactly what you want! Grab some friends (or curl up at home) and try these ideas.

Lizann and Kids

6 Ideas for Celebrating a Military Spouse Birthday:

  1. Treat yourself: You know exactly what you want for your birthday. This is your excuse to go ahead and get it — as long as it’s in line with your general household budget. Haha! Whether you’ve been wanting a new gadget or outfit, to spend the day at a spa or travel somewhere memorable with friends, your service member wants you to be happy. So go ahead and get your favorite gifts!
  2. Eat what you want: Maybe you and your service member like different things and it’s hard to agree on places to go out. No worries — today you control the menu! If you want cake for breakfast, you can do that. Want to order a bunch of appetizers to be delivered from your favorite restaurant? That’s okay too. If there’s a new restaurant you’ve been wanting to try, grab a friend and make a reservation.
  3. Gather with friends: Speaking of friends, you might need to plan so you aren’t alone on your special day. You’ll probably find that people are willing to go out of their way to make your birthday special while your service member is away. If you have a local friend group, plan a dinner or event, and make sure they know it’s for your birthday. If you have special long-distance friends, invite them to visit for the weekend. Or maybe you can meet somewhere halfway. Be proactive about surrounding yourself with supportive people when you need them.
  4. Fulfill a bucket list wish: A birthday is a great time to try something new and wild that you’ve always wanted to do. If it’s something your service member wouldn’t be interested in, this is the perfect opportunity to cross it off your bucket list. Travel somewhere new, try a new hobby, get tickets for something memorable and invite a friend to share in the fun.
  5. Relax at home: Maybe new, wild and crazy is not your speed right now. That’s completely okay. On your birthday, you have permission to take the day off from work, sleep in and do something that refreshes you. Whether you binge watch your favorite show, take a long bath or schedule a local massage, plan a day that fulfills your needs right now.
  6. Express your expectations: Most importantly, discuss your birthday expectations so your service member knows how to support you from a distance. Do you want flowers or a thoughtful gift? Do you expect a long video call? Can you wait and celebrate together when you are reunited? Be honest about what you want so you won’t be disappointed.

However you celebrate this year, I wish you a very happy birthday, and I hope your service member can celebrate the next one with you!

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