Check out our January newsletter!
NORTON NEWSLETTER
THE REAL ESTATE TAX PRO ™
NortonAccountingServices.com 985-690-4498 Info@NortonAccountingServices.com JANUARY 2025
EASE OF MIND • AVAILABILITY • FLEXIBILITY • INDIVIDUAL APPROACH • EXPERIENCE • TAX SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES
Use Our Tax Organizer to Save Time and Money MAXIMIZE YOUR TAX SAVINGS
The new year is a great time to assess your financial wellness and make sure you’re taking advantage of every opportunity to prosper. To help our clients save time and money on their taxes, we send out our annual Checklist and Tax Organizer to streamline the filing process. Some clients send us a mountain of data every year, and while we appreciate that, our Tax Organizer is set up to manage all that information as efficiently as possible. To avoid common and costly missteps, here is a guide to ensuring you benefit from all the tax-saving opportunities available. Check the Organizer. Completing your Tax Organizer is a great way to make sure we don’t miss any of your data. Always provide your current address and a complete list of your dependents. Many clients forget to let us know when they have a new child in the family — an important event not only for the family’s life but for benefiting from the child tax credit. We need your new arrival’s full name, date of birth, and Social Security number to ensure you receive all the tax benefits you deserve. Round up your tax documents. The organizer has a questionnaire to identify any missing information about taxable events and remind you to send it. This is especially important now that most tax data is delivered digitally. Brokers, banks, and employers might email you, “Hey, your tax documents are ready,” but if you’re like me, you get thousands of emails a day. Our questionnaire helps you recall and retrieve all the necessary digital tax documents. Update me! Many clients also neglect to update us on important changes in their lives. You don’t have to write a novel, but we welcome a typewritten summary of your year, including job changes, new addresses, changes in your dependents, new businesses, properties bought and sold, and so on. The best summaries answer the prompt, “Tell me about all the family, financial, and personal changes that took place this year.”
Prepare a property log. For real estate investors, providing an updated property log is essential to maximizing your tax benefits and minimizing liabilities. We need the date purchased, the price, the date sold (if applicable), and any rehab costs. This information helps us avoid missing important tax considerations. We appreciate receiving a current property log each year. If you have rehabbed a property, include a summary of your costs on the project. Renovation costs don’t appear anywhere else on the Tax Organizer. This is important for calculating depreciation for tax purposes and also for ensuring that you don’t get taxed on gains you didn’t actually realize if you sell the property. List your LLCs. Also, if you have multiple LLCs or partnerships, send us a description of each, especially if you are setting up new LLCs or partnering with another person or entity to own property. One client set up a bunch of LLCs one year and didn’t tell us. We must know this information before the tax filing deadline.
Completing all these steps is the best route to gaining ease of mind about your taxes as the new year begins. Once you have finished, you can relax
and know that we are working to help you benefit from all the tax-saving advantages you deserve. If you would like to be added to our email list to receive our helpful tax advice year-round, just call our office. We would be glad to assist you!
If you would like to benefit from my tax advice, please call our office and ask to be added to our email list.
–Bob Norton
985-690-4498 • 1
The Silent Healer
At first glance, Sullivan is already a special dog. An adorable white boxer with a dark patch of fur around his right eye, he’s the kind of canine humans of all ages instantly fall in love with. If his cuteness wasn’t enough, he’s best known in his community for bringing people together in extraordinary ways. Originally found in a shelter in Coachella, California, Sullivan — who is deaf — lives in Oregon with his guardian, Allyson Ridling. A social worker and family therapist, Ridling has made Sullivan’s sweet temperament and calming presence a significant part of her practice. After bringing Sullivan to reading sessions with children (much to the delight of the little ones in attendance), she began including him in walking sessions with her clients. Fluent in sign language, Ridling has also introduced Sullivan to hard-of-hearing people worldwide via online video chats. Early last year, Sullivan and Ridling received a 2024 Oregon Humane Society (OHS) Diamond Collar Award for their compassionate work. Thrilled by the honor, Ridling credits her animal companion with helping her clients find greater joy and comfort. “Some of these people just needed to reconnect with love and feeling this undoubtable connection between the human and animal bond,” she says in a special OHS-produced YouTube video on the award. “That’s what they needed to help open up and take their next step moving forward in their life.” Meet the Boxer Who Changes Lives
Embrace the French Art of Living
Enrich Your Golden Years With L’art de Vivre
Living like a French person isn't just about enjoying cheese and wine; it's about embracing l'art de vivre, or the art of living. This philosophy emphasizes finding joy in simple pleasures, prioritizing quality over quantity, and cultivating beauty in everyday life. For those of us reaching our golden years, adopting this way of life can enhance our quality of life and make every moment more fulfilling. Let's explore how you can infuse your daily routine with French elegance and leisure. Slow down and savor. The essence of the French lifestyle is taking the time to savor life’s joys. In France, this might mean lingering over a meal rather than rushing through it. Apply this principle by taking time to appreciate the small details of your day, whether enjoying the quiet morning hours with a cup of coffee or watching the sunset. This deliberate slowdown helps to reduce stress and increase mindfulness. Prioritize self-care. Self-care is paramount in French culture. It goes beyond vanity to encompass a comprehensive lifestyle that maintains mind and body health. This can involve a balanced diet rich in natural foods, regular physical activity, and routines nourishing the body and soul. As you age, these practices are vital for maintaining your health, energy, and vitality, allowing you to enjoy your years to their fullest potential. Choose quality over quantity. The French are known for their classic style, which favors quality over quantity. This principle applies to various aspects of life, from clothing to kitchenware. Investing in fewer but better-quality items ensures longevity and guarantees your purchases are meaningful and genuinely improve your life. Inspire your inner artist. The French celebrate creativity as a significant aspect of their daily life. Emulate this by setting aside time for cultural activities that spark your creativity and passion. Whether attending a concert, visiting an art gallery, or simply engaging in a creative hobby at home, these activities enrich your life, stimulate your mind, and provide tremendous joy.
The OHS was proud to honor Sullivan for his fantastic work with humans.
“As a therapy dog, Sullivan is a friendly presence for kids to practice their reading,” the organization says on its website. “His comfort helps those who are struggling to open up. [He] may not be able to hear, but his impact on the mental health of those around him speaks volumes.”
Proud of her furry friend’s loving nature and many achievements, Ridling believes that animals like Sullivan can work wonders for people’s therapeutic treatment.
“I think the human/animal bond works really well because animals don’t judge. They have unconditional love to give people. As [a] society, we could all work better to strive to be as loving and caring [and] as open-minded as a dog can be.”
Adopting these elements of the French art of living can bring richness and joy to your everyday life, proving that the golden years can be your most vibrant.
2 • NortonAccountingServices.com
Walt Disney World Without the Wallet Woes
YOUR GUIDE TO AFFORDABLE FAMILY FUN
For years, a visit to Walt Disney World felt like an essential part of the American upbringing. There’s nothing quite like taking a picture with Mickey Mouse, the unique water smell in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, or the night-time fireworks spectacle over Cinderella Castle.
park, so consider taking advantage of that. Make a budget, research the restaurants beforehand, and have everyone pick out what they want to eat so you know exactly how much food will cost.
Avoid Disney hotels. Disney’s hotels have different price tiers. Deluxe resorts
However, the cost of a Disney vacation has increased significantly in recent years, and features that helped make the trip more magical, like free transportation to and from the airport, are a thing of the past.
like Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge usually cost around $500 a night. Moderate-tier resorts like
Disney’s Coronado Springs can run anywhere from $250–$500, depending on the season. And the value resorts usually stay under $250 a night. However, if you were to stay at a non-Disney hotel, you’d pay a fraction of the price while still being close to the parks.
Many families struggle to save enough money to travel to Orlando to visit Disney World. Thankfully, cost-saving strategies can help get you and your loved ones in front of the castle. Have a plan for snacks and meals before arriving at the park. Disney parks are well-known for their
Consider hiring a travel agent. This might sound counterproductive if you’re trying to save money, but Disney works closely with various travel agencies to help park-goers cut costs and reduce stress. They will help plan every aspect of your trip and ensure you get all meal reservations and Lightning Lanes your family wants. They’re also the first to know when discounts go live, so they can ensure you get resort and ticket prices at the best value.
world-class restaurants and food options, but with good quality comes a higher cost. A soft pretzel shaped like Mickey Mouse with cheese sauce costs more than $8; buying more than one adds up quickly. Disney allows you to bring your own snacks and nonalcoholic beverages into the
Citrus-Herb Pork Roast
TAKE A BREAK
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
Ingredients
• 1 boneless pork sirloin roast (3–4 pounds) • 2 tsp dried oregano • 1/2 tsp ground ginger • 1 tsp pepper • 2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges • 1 cup plus 3 tbsp orange juice, divided
• 1 tbsp sugar • 1 tbsp grapefruit juice • 1 tbsp steak sauce • 1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce • 1 tsp grated orange zest • 1 tsp salt • 3 tbsp cornstarch • Egg noodles, cooked
Directions
1. Cut roast in half. In a small bowl, combine oregano, ginger, and pepper; rub over pork. In a large skillet coated with oil, brown roast on all sides. Transfer to a slow cooker; add onions. 2. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup orange juice, sugar, grapefruit juice, steak sauce, and soy sauce; pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 4–5 hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat and onions to a platter. 3. Transfer cooking juices to a small saucepan. Add orange zest and salt. Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and remaining orange juice. Gradually stir into the pan for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with pork and noodles.
Beginnings Blankets Carnation Capricorn
Garnet Healthy Icicle Penguin
Planning Resolution Snowboard Soupy
985-690-4498 • 3
Norton Accounting Services, LLC
THE REAL ESTATE TAX PRO ™
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
NortonAccountingServices.com 985-690-4498 Info@NortonAccountingServices.com
1527 Gause Blvd. Ste. 132 Slidell, LA 70458
INSIDE 1
Use Our Tax Organizer to Save Time and Money
2
A Deaf Dog’s Remarkable Journey Live a More Joyful, French- Inspired Life
3
Plan Your Perfect Disney Escape Without Breaking the Bank
Citrus-Herb Pork Roast
4
Tips for a Tidier Life
How to Become a Tidier Person DECLUTTER YOUR LIFE
Clean Slate Keeping a clean home can help you be more physically fit. According to a study by Indiana University, a tidier living space contributes to higher levels of physical activity. Keeping things clean means keeping active, and even if you don’t exercise for 30 minutes daily, 30 minutes of vacuuming or any kind of scrubbing is still a great way to keep yourself moving. Daily Declutter While tidying up the home may seem daunting at first, it can be much easier if you break it down into smaller tasks. Doing a bit of laundry every other day helps prevent you from having to do a massive load later. Picking up around the kitchen when you get a snack or cook a meal can prevent that space from looking like a scene out of “Kitchen Nightmares.” Wherever you go in your home, if you pick up a thing or two cluttering the area and put it away, you are well on your way to becoming a neater person.
If the top of your desk looks like a photo op for an “I Spy” book, chances are you could benefit from tidying up. It isn’t easy saying goodbye to your familiar clutter, but it’s for the better. A messy environment can be stressful and frustrating, as it makes finding anything more difficult and worsens the overall attractiveness of your home. While change can be challenging, it is worth the effort for your home and health. First Thing’s First Growing up, your mom probably reminded you to make your bed. There is a good reason to prioritize that first thing in the morning, as it helps set an intention to accomplish the little things and get your day off to a more productive start. It also contributes to better sleep hygiene; a cluttered bedroom and undone bed could be hindering your sleep. So, eliminating potential distractions, including an unmade bed, could enhance your sleep.
4 • NortonAccountingServices.com
Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4www.nortonaccountingservices.com
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator