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YOUR MIND CRAVES THE QUICK RECHARGE Unleash Your Creativity —
“WHETHER IT’S PAINTING, GARDENING, WOODWORKING, OR POETRY, IF YOU ENJOY IT AND IT FREES
This one will surely get your wheels turning: Albert Einstein once said, “Creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought.” My entire life, I’ve been a workaholic. I love to stay busy, foster success, and prove to myself just how far I can go — it enthralls me. However, as a result, I’ve never really taken a step back to work on the things in my personal life that excite me, like being creative with my mind or hands. Sure, I spend most of my day piecing together the facts of a situation with my clients for a plausible outcome, but that’s not what I’m talking about.
that creativity is — a satisfying outlet. Your personal creativity is not to simply please or benefit others, but instead, it’s a fulfilling form of expression. The medium doesn’t matter, either. Whether it’s painting, gardening, woodworking, or poetry, if you enjoy it and it frees your mind, go for it! Creativity can mean a variety of things, too. In the garden, some people may be creative with the plants they work with or the designs and presentations they create, while others may focus on helping honey bees pollinate. But, just like our freedom, we are safe within our own creative expressions because nobody can infringe on them — they are ours. In today’s world, we are all so busy rushing from one place to the next, making time for a workout while trying our best not to be late for our meetings at work. We can easily become overwhelmed — it’s a hustle culture out there. Life is hard. It will throw you curveballs, and you can easily get stuck or buried. However, if you take the time to allow yourself creative expression now and then, I promise it will give you some relief from life’s troubles and hurdles. If we can lean on our creative sides to achieve the reset we all desperately need from time to time, we’ll enjoy a better frame of mind and more control of our lives in a healthier way. On May 30, we celebrate National Creativity Day. How will you express yourself and let your creativity fly? -Ben Golden
YOUR MIND, GO FOR IT!”
I’m talking about embracing my unique creative side. We all have
one, but if you’re anything like me, it’s tough to unleash if your mind is always focused on work. However, I’ll be the first to tell you how important it is to allow your creativity to shine — it’s how your mind gets a genuine reset. As for me, I have many activities and hobbies I enjoy even though I’m not the best at them. They just bring me joy, and that’s all
MAY 2023
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S CORP, C CO ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOU
If you’re tired of playing Catan every family board game night, we have good news: There are brand-new games in town! Consider adding these three options to your family’s stash. Wavelength Not only is this game perfect for playing with your whole family (ages 5 and up), but it also actively encourages conversation! Up to 12 players can split into teams and use hints from their peers to guess their teammates’ opinions on various topics. The issues can range from the merit of hit movies to “Where, on the scale of wet to dry, is spaghetti?” The New York Times’ Wirecutter ranked Wavelength among the best board games of 2022 and recommended it to fans of other interactive, team-based guessing games like Codenames. Steam Up: A Feast of Dim Sum Who doesn’t love a food-themed board game? This fun, fast-paced game for 2–5 players, ages 14 and up, comes with a Lazy Susan filled with dim sum ingredients. You play as a Zodiac animal and aim to collect more dim sum than any other players. Instead of fortune cookies, fortune cards help determine your luck! “If you’re looking for a fresh new party game in 2023, Steam Up looks like a real tabletop joy,” GamesHub reports. Steam Up was launched on Kickstarter and, as we write this, is available for preorder and expected to ship soon. Small World Kids ages 8 and up will love this board game, especially if they’re “Lord of the Rings” fans. As Wirecutter explains, “Imagine a game of Risk set in Middle-earth that didn’t take as long to play as rewatching all of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films would. That’s pretty much the experience of Small World, an area-control game filled with elves, dwarves, and halflings, among others.” When you sit down to play, you choose a band of magical creatures and a power, then set up your “empire” and battle the other players for land and gold. At the end of 60–80 minutes of strategizing, the richest player wins the game. LEVEL UP YOUR NEXT FAMILY GAME NIGHT Impress Your Kids With These Fresh Choices
How They Work and When to Pay
Now that tax season is over, estimated tax payments are a hot topic! This time last year, we shared this information with you, but we find it so valuable that we’d like to remind you again! Typically, your taxes are taken out automatically, usually on a “pay-as- you-go” schedule. Your tax withholding is indicated on your federal taxes W-4 form, which you fill out upon hire with your employer, and every two weeks or month, before you even get your hands on your paycheck, the taxes are taken out. If things are done correctly, you should wind up not owing anything or, even better, receiving a refund when tax season rolls around. This practice ensures you have the cash to pay the necessary tax right away. If the government waited until Tax Day in April to collect the necessary tax, many taxpayers would not be able to pay the correct amount because they probably would have spent it already. It’s an easier system for everyone. If you are
a W-2 employee, your taxes are taken out for you, but if you are paid differently, the responsibility may be on you to pay quarterly.
But what happens if you aren’t able to pay your estimated tax payments?
If you aren’t able to make your estimated tax payments or you underpay
Salmon Croquettes With Dill Sauce Inspired by Epicurious.com
If any of these games catch your eye, head to your local game store and ask if they’re available, or jump online to snag them yourself!
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ORP, OR LLC UT ESTIMATED TAX PAYMENTS
WIN OF THE MONTH DJ Drops the Beat AND His IRS Debt
on them, you may face underpayment penalties from the IRS. Not only will you be responsible for the total amount of payments you did not make, but you will also be charged a penalty if you do not pay by the due date provided by the IRS. This penalty is not a specific amount or percentage but rather is based on the amount owed, the amount of time that has passed since the due date, and the period in which the correct amount of taxes was underpaid.
In order to avoid an underpayment penalty, you must pay 100% of last year’s tax or 90% of the current
year’s tax upfront. Always keep in mind that if you have any questions regarding your estimated payments, taxes withheld, or underpayment penalties, we’re the experts and ready to help! Give us a call today!
INGREDIENTS
CASE SNAPSHOT Client: Professional Nationwide DJ Type of IRS Issue: Owes the IRS Tax Year in Question: 2012–2019 IRS Claimed Liability: $36,000.00 Savings: $8,000-plus
• • • • • • • • • •
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt or fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
6 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
2 14.75-oz cans salmon packed in water 4 celery stalks, finely chopped 1 large white onion, finely chopped
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tbsp salt 1 tbsp pepper 2 tbsp olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Our client, a professional DJ based out of Chicago and servicing multiple states, received some bad advice from his previous accountants. He ended up owing the IRS $36,000. Right after discovering this, COVID-19 struck, and there were no longer any DJ gigs available for him to work. This lasted through 2021 and partly into 2022. He left Chicago to help take care of his elderly mother and has been caring for her as he tries to revive his former career as a DJ. Our team was able to get him into a currently non-collectible status, and while it awaits review again, at least $8,000 of the liability will drop off due to CSEDs expiring. And that, my friends, is music to his ears!
1. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, Dijon mustard, and dill to make the dill sauce. Set aside. 2. Drain the salmon, then remove and discard the bones and skin. In a large bowl, mix the salmon, celery, onion, eggs, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into 8 patties. Coat a medium skillet with olive oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Cook the patties until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. 3. Put a dollop of the dill sauce on top of each patty and serve.
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IRS Trouble Solvers ™ ®
100 S. York Road, Suite 214 Elmhurst, IL 60126 www.IRSTroubleSolvers.com 630-832-6500 | 877-4-IRSLAW
1 Creativity — The More You Use, the More You Have 2 New Family Board Games Are Here Estimated Tax Payments 101 Salmon Croquettes With Dill Sauce 3 Win of the Month 4 Host an Unforgettable Murder Mystery Dinner INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Did you know May is Mystery Month? There are dozens of ways to celebrate this enigmatic occasion, from playing Clue to rewatching “Glass Onion” — but why not bring those experiences to life and host your own HOST A MURDER MYSTERY DINNER! THE BEST WAY TO CELEBRATE MYSTERY MONTH (UnsolvedCaseFiles. com) or Hunt A Killer (Shop.HuntAKiller.com), which involve collaborative mystery-solving without the character work. Step 2: Curate your guest list.
murder mystery dinner at home? Thanks to a plethora of kits on the market, doing so is easier than ever! What is a murder mystery dinner? A murder mystery dinner is essentially a real-life game of Clue. You invite friends over for dinner and turn your home into the set of “Knives Out” — without the blood, of course. Each of your friends takes on the persona of a character in the story, and when one of them is “murdered,” you compete to uncover who dunnit. Step 1: Pick your kit. Planning a murder mystery dinner from scratch would take the ingenuity of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Luckily, you have several ready-made mysteries to choose from! You can find boxes from Masters of Mystery and My Mystery Party
Most murder mystery dinners require at least four people, while some include characters for six, eight, or more! Check the number of
players on your kit and invite your most creative, analytical, theatrical, and mystery-loving friends.
at your local board game store, but you can find many options available online, too. Night of Mystery (NightOfMystery.com), for example, sells both in-person and virtual kits with themes ranging from ‘80s prom to Christmas homicide. If your friends and family don’t like the idea of acting and dressing up, that’s okay — you can still solve a mystery over dinner! Look into kits available through Unsolved Case Files
Step 3: Decorate and plan the menu. If you choose a themed murder mystery, level up your event with a matching menu and decor! For games taking place in England, whip up a shepherd’s pie and make a cardboard cutout of Big Ben. For Havana Nights, plan a build-your- own Cubano bar and throw on an Afro-Cuban playlist. You can be as over-the-top as you like. Remember, it’s Mystery Month!
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