3 Ways to be Financially Responsible with Your Tax Return

Posted on January 26, 2018 by Chief Marketing Officer Jessica

Here are some smart ways to spend your tax refund this year:

Pay down your debt. This may be the smartest choice when deciding what to do with your refund. Decreasing your debt helps alleviate the interest you’re paying, which will be a huge weight off your wallet and credit score. Debt can feel like a mountain, so use this opportunity to start digging yourself out from under it.

Put it into retirement. If you’re not steadily adding funds to your retirement account (401k, Roth IRA), you’re doing yourself a disservice. Even if you’re young and it doesn’t seem that important right now, you’ll be 65 before you know it.

Need help with retirement planning? To set up a complimentary consultation with the Investment & Retirement Center located at First Financial Federal Credit Union to discuss your savings goals, contact us at 732.312.1500, or stop in to see us!*

Build up an emergency fund. If you’re doing a good job of saving for retirement, congratulations. But you may get yourself into trouble if that’s all you’re saving. Take this opportunity to use your tax return to create an emergency fund in case things go south (you lose your job, car dies, etc).

*Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker/dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. First Financial Federal Credit Union (FFFCU) and First Financial Investment & Retirement Center are not registered as a broker/dealer or investment advisor. Registered representatives of LPL offer products and services using First Financial Investment & Retirement Center, and may also be employees of FFFCU. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from and not affiliates of FFFCU or First Financial Investment & Retirement Center.

Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are:

Article Source: John Pettit for CUInsight.com

4 Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Return

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Chief Marketing Officer Jessica

Here are some smart ways to spend your money once you get that tax return this year.

Pay down credit card debt. This may be the smartest choice when deciding what to do with your refund. Decreasing your debt helps alleviate the interest you’re paying, which will be a huge weight off your wallet and credit score. Debt can feel like a mountain, so take the opportunity to dig yourself out from under it.

Put it into retirement. Your retirement account (401k, Roth IRA) can sometimes be neglected if you’re not steadily adding funds, so use your refund as a chance to jump start your contributions for 2017. It may not seem super important now, but you’ll be retirement age before you know it.

Questions about retirement savings or investments? To set up a complimentary consultation with the Investment & Retirement Center located at First Financial Federal Credit Union to discuss your savings goals, contact us at 732.312.1500, or stop in to see us!*

Build that emergency fund. Even if you’re doing a good job of saving for retirement, that may be all you’re saving. If this is you, use your tax return to create an emergency fund in case things go south. It’s never a bad idea to be prepared!

Invest in yourself. This could have a lot of different meanings. Exercise is good for your body and taking a trip can be a good way to unwind and refresh your mind. If these sound like good ideas, join a gym or book a flight. Have a favorite charity? Give some of that money away. Helping others can be good for the soul too.

Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are:

Article Source: John Pettit for CUInsight.com

5 Reasons You Should File Your Taxes Early

Posted on January 31, 2017 by Chief Marketing Officer Jessica

You’ll get your money as soon as possible.

This one may seem obvious. The sooner your file for a refund, the sooner you’ll get it back. The closer you wait until Tax Day, the busier the IRS is, and the longer it’s going to take to get your money back.

You can prevent your return from being stolen.

Criminals would love to have your tax return, so filing quickly will give them less opportunity to commit fraud and steal your money.

You’ll be less stressed.

If you find out your taxes are going to be more difficult than past years, you may find yourself scrounging around for paperwork and the process may take a lot longer than you planned. By filing early, this date shouldn’t be a source of stress for you.

You’ll have more time if you have to pay.

Hopefully you’re looking at a refund this year, but if not, you’ll have to be paid in full by tax due date. If this is the case, you’ll give yourself more time to pay by filing early. Think about that if you know you owe money this year.

Tax pros are less busy.

Not only is the IRS less busy at the beginning of the year, but tax professionals are as well. Keep this in mind if you’re not filing on your own. For those of you who file online, this won’t be a big deal, but if you need a pro to help sort you out, you’ll be glad you made an early appointment.

First Financial members get discounts on TurboTax products – get started today!

Article Source: John Pettit for CUInsight.com

How to Get Ready for Tax Season

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Chief Marketing Officer Jessica

Make a list of major life changes.

Getting married, having a baby, buying a house, or a death in the family this year means that your tax situation is probably going to change. Make sure you fully understand how these events are going to affect you now to offset any tax increases that you may experience.

Make a tax folder.

Shortly after the first of year all of your tax documents are going to start rolling in. When they do, put them all into one place. Even before those W-2s or 1099s show up, gather all of the receipts from your tax-deductible expenses and donations.

Decide if you are going to go it alone.

If you are going to file yourself, the best time to get a deal on the updated tax software is right after the first of the year. The longer you wait, they more expensive it could be, so make sure you aren’t missing out. If you are going to use an accountant, you should be scheduling an appointment now.

First Financial members get discounts on tax software from TurboTax. Get started today!

Know how to file for an extension.

Sometimes it can be difficult to find all the right documents before the deadline. All you need to do to receive an extension is fill out and submit Form 4868, though the IRS will not be ready to process these forms until March at the earliest.

Educate yourself.

Last year a NerdWallet survey found that the average American scores a 51% on personal finance questions related to US federal income tax returns. Most of the questions missed had to do with how retirement accounts, college savings and healthcare can affect your tax return. Take some time to fully understand all these factors so you can be sure to get your largest return.

Article Source: Tyler Atwell for CUInsight.com

7 Smart Ways to Take Advantage of Your Tax Refund

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Chief Marketing Officer Jessica

Tax season is often a time of stress for many, but it can be a joyful time for the roughly 75 percent of Americans who do receive income tax refunds.

While the refund really means you’re getting back money you loaned to the government at no interest, in practical terms it often means an unexpected infusion of cash into your wallet or bank account. It’s a great problem to have, but what should you do with your windfall?

The best choice for one person may not be the best choice for another. But experts agree on one thing – if you have debt, apply your refund to paying it off, whether it’s credit card debt, student loan debt, or other consumer debt.

If you’re getting a big refund – a check in the ballpark of $1,000 or more for taxpayers who don’t have a side business – consider adjusting your withholding so that you’ll have that money available to you during the year.

Here are the seven smartest things you can do with your refund:

Pay down debt. If you have any consumer debt – student loans, credit card balances or installment loans – pay those off before using your refund for any other purpose. Car payments and mortgages aren’t in this category, but you can also consider paying extra on your principal.

Add to your savings. Can you really ever save enough? You can use the money to build up your emergency savings, your kids’ college fund, or put it toward a specific goal, such as buying a house or a car, or financing a big vacation you’ve been dreaming about taking.

Add to your retirement accounts. If you put $2,500 from this year’s tax refund into an IRA, it would grow to $8,500 in 25 years, even at a modest 5 percent rate of return, TurboTax calculates. If you saved $2,500 every year for 25 years, you’d end up with more than $130,000 at that same 5 percent rate of return!

Invest in yourself. This could mean taking a class in investing, studying something that interests you, or even taking a big trip. Think about doing something that might add value to your life, such as taking a photography class or purchasing a special camera that could become a new hobby and potentially a side business in the future.

Improve your home. Consider putting your refund to good use by adding insulation, replacing old windows and doors, or other improvements that are more energy efficient. Or perhaps it’s time to remodel your bathroom or kitchen. You’re adding value to your home, and at the same time you’re improving your living experience too.

Apply your refund toward next year’s taxes. This is common among self-employed taxpayers, who are required to pay quarterly taxes since they don’t have taxes withheld. By applying any overpayment toward upcoming tax payments, you can free up other cash.

Splurge on something you’ve always wanted to do. If you’re out of debt and have substantial savings, this may be the time to take the cruise to Europe or trip to Thailand that you’ve always dreamed of taking. Such an experience can be life-changing, and you never know what impact it will have on your future until you actually do it.

Article Source: Teresa Mears for US News, http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2014/03/28/7-smart-ways-to-take-advantage-of-your-tax-refund