A "To Do" List for End-Of-Year 2013: 10 Important Things to Consider

1. Max out any retirement contributions that apply to you: http://www.irs.gov/Retirement-Plans/Plan-Participant,-Employee/Retirement-Topics-IRA-Contribution-Limits
2. Spend those last FSA dollars. If yours don’t roll over or have any grace period (as some accounts now do for a certain portion), "use it or lose it" on vitamins, contact lens/eye care, first aid supplies (update that kit!) and more.
3. Prepay any tax-deductible bills that are due in January. Your mortgage, student loan payments, etc. Paying by credit card is a great way to document it in 2013 (but the IRS also says as long as you mail the payment in 2013 you can claim it).
4. Review your employee filing status/payroll deductions and related contributions. Notify your HR team of any requested changes for 2014 immediately.
5. Review and update your will. Everyone needs to have a will. Don’t have one or want to start fresh? Here are some online will creation resources to consider:
1. http://www.nolo.com/products/online-will-nnwill.html
2. http://www.legalzoom.com/legal-wills/wills-overview.html
6. Review your insurance policies. Look at coverage limits and deductibles for auto, homeowners, life, and umbrella policies.  
7. Clear out the clutter and leave 2013 behind. Use the classic triple-threat auditing system of "keep," "donate," and "trash," and apply this logic to everything from clothing and toy bins to junk drawers and old “keep” storage boxes.
8. Make your final donations (clothing/household items or cash) to the non-profit of your choice. Be sure to document your haul and get that receipt: http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Offers-Tips-for-Year-End-Giving-2013
9. Organize: Decide on a filing system (for this tax year, be it a spreadsheet or a shoebox) and create/share your household calendar for 2014. Consider smartphone sharable formats like Outlook or Google, or stick with a good old fashioned bound day planner that is kept in a central location in your home.
10. Decide on that resolution for 2014. Is it a new mantra? Or is it something more specific or goal-oriented? Write it down and keep it in a place where it won’t get lost in the shuffle and forgotten sooner than later.

 

 

13 Years of Real Estate = Non-Profit Money to be Had

I am so excited to share with you that this is officially my 13th year of Real Estate licensure. I can't believe how quickly the years have flown by, and how much has changed in my life since I first took the plunge and enrolled in the initial licensing course after graduating from St. Mary's College of Maryland in 1997. Thirteen has always been my lucky number, so I wanted to celebrate this special year of achievement in a meaningful way - something that was bigger than myself.

If you know me, you know that I have always been into volunteering. This need to give my time means that I tend to be intensely scheduled across all of my worlds...I enjoy that fulfilled feeling, and don't know how else to live. But, that means my better half (gotta love him!) becomes Mr. Mom, holding down the homefront more often than not. So during this special year, I have decided to try something new, and give of my piggybank (I would like to say that this will be "instead" of giving my time, but something tells me that I probably wont be able to resist the next opportunity to volunteer...!).

That said, here is how the promotion will work:

• If you have a house to sell or are thinking of buying, allow me to represent you and I will make a donation to the non-profit of your choice after settlement.
• The donation amount will be based on the final sales price: I will earmark $100.00 for every $100,000 of value. Example: A $420,000 property will equate to a $400 donation.
• If you directly refer someone to me as a new client (buyer or seller), I will kick in an additional $50 per $100K on your behalf. For example, if the closed sale price is $300,000, an additional donation amount of $150 will be generated, for you as the referring individual to determine the recipient.

The fine print on this is pretty simple and straightforward:

1. It has to be a recognized non-profit organization in the United States. I will not discriminate along the lines of what charity or organization it is - this is truly your choice to make. Some examples might include community organizations, animal shelters, youth sports leagues, etc.
2. I will get to keep the tax deduction - a necessary evil of being self-employed!
3. The donation will be made in your name (or, if you prefer, in the name of someone else).
4. The donation will be made within 30 days of the closing of escrow, and you will be notified via email when the donation takes place.

That's it! I ask that you take the time to pass this along to folks you know who are considering buying or selling. The more clients I get under this promotion, the more money I can spread around. There is NO LIMIT to the dollars to charity that this will generate, nor is there any limit to the number of times you can refer a client to me. Though it obviously benefits me as a professional Realtor, it also legitimately works as a great way to get some extra money for your chosen organizations, especially when people are seeking an experienced, quality agent to work with in the first place. I am good at what I do, and have no doubt s to the service level I can provide. :D  I intend to run this promotion throughout the duration of my 13th year, so it will go through at least April 2012 - And I may continue it on into the foreseeable future if things go well!