Take a look at the latest edition of Beyond the Numbers!
JUNE 2021
(517) 437-4646 GOLDSTARDIRECT.COM BEYOND THE NUMBERS
TAX SEASON IS OVER, BUT MORE MONEY MIGHT BE COMING YOUR WAY!
Referral TVWinners This Past Tax Season
Your Rundown on the 2021 Child Tax Credit
Congratulations — you made it through tax season! Between all of the COVID-19-related tax changes and the deadline extension, this was a very busy year for me and my team. I also noticed more and more people waited until after April 15 to come to us for help with filing. This was no problem at all because the tax deadline was extended, so for the most part, those folks didn’t even need to file extensions. But it made for a long and busy season! Next year, you may want to plan to drop off your tax documents a bit earlier and encourage your friends and family to do the same. The tax deadline is behind us, but you should be aware of a few other tax-related things happening soon. The biggest one coming down the pipeline is 2021 Advance Child Tax Credit Payments. You might remember that President Biden’s COVID-19 relief package (the American Rescue Plan Act or ARPA) included some changes to the Child Tax Credit system. To help out families during the pandemic, the government is planning to mail advance payments to families who claim the child tax credit (CTC) starting this summer . The IRS is still ironing out the details of the automatic payments, which will add up to, at most, 50% of a family’s total CTC and run from July through December, but here’s what we know so far: • Lower-income families claiming the CTC for 2021 will receive up to $3,000 for each qualifying child between the ages of 6–17 at the end of the year, and $3,600 for each qualifying child under 6. Before, the CTC only went up to $2,000. • The increase won’t apply to families with incomes over $150,000 (married filing jointly or qualified widows or widowers), $112,500 (heads of household), or $75,000 (all other taxpayers). • The credit for qualifying children is fully refundable, which means you can still claim it even if you don’t have earned income or owe any income taxes. • Your family’s eligibility for the program will depend on your 2020 tax return, so if you haven’t filed it yet, now’s the time!
• If you want, you CAN opt out of the advance payments and choose to get your full CTC return after you file. If you don’t opt out, you’ll have to reconcile the payments you already received for the tax credit when you file. Either way, though, you’ll receive the same amount of money in the end. These details are accurate as of this writing, but they’re subject to change. Knowing the IRS, they may update things tomorrow! Keep an eye on IRS.gov to learn more and find out how to opt out of the advanced payments. You might even want to add it to your favorites bar. Feel free to call me if the IRS lingo confuses you. While you’re on IRS.gov, you may want to check whether the Biden administration has successfully raised the capital gains tax rate for people who make more than $1 million per year. Back in April, the White House announced it would like to raise the top rate from 20% to 39.6%. That’s still pending, but again, it could change any day, and it might impact you and your family. Now that tax season is over, Robbie and I are going to head out on a much-needed trip to see our daughter in Alaska this summer. But between visiting with her and checking out Mount Denali, I’ll be watching for the latest tax developments. The season may be over, but I’m still your tax guy year-round.
Kody Rubin Shane and Stephanie Lockwood Vonda Cekander Tyler Gonshorowski Richard and Patricia Hawkins Richard Lambright Randy and Lisa Lane Paul and Carie Shepherd Thomas and Sabine Young David Beck Jr. Kevin Betzer Tracey Carothers
Johnni Collard Chris Friedrich Ray Pankhurst Ken Williams
–Saul Giminez
P.S. I want to give a big shoutout to all of the people who have earned big-screen TVs with us so far in 2021. David Beck Jr., Kevin Betzer, Tracey Carothers, Johnni Collard, Chris Friedrich, Ray Pankhurst, and Ken Williams, thank you for your referrals! If you’re reading this and haven’t earned a 70-inch TV yet, visit GoldStarDirect.com to learn how.
GOLDSTARDIRECT.COM
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MASTER EVERY COURSE OF A GRILLED MEAL With These Tips Is there anything that feels more like summer than grilling in the backyard while drinking your favorite cold beverage? Barbecuing and summertime go hand in hand, but all too often, so does grilling dried out meat or over- charred vegetables. Mastering the grill is just like mastering any other cooking technique. It takes an understanding of the food you’re cooking as well as the equipment you’re using — for example, charcoal grills operate much differently than gas grills. Regardless of which kind of grill you prefer, you can make the perfect meal by following these tips. Quick brine thin cuts of meat. Whether you’re grilling steak, chicken, or pork chops, there’s a tried-and- true formula to ensure maximum flavor with minimum effort: the quick brine. Quick brining — aka soaking in salty water — thin cuts of meat is a great way to lock in moisture and pack in a lot of flavor without waiting 12–24 hours for a marinade to work its magic in the fridge. To quick brine your meat, you just need water, salt, and about an hour of hands-off time. Dissolve 1/4 cup of kosher salt into 4 cups of water, and you will have enough to brine 1 ½ pounds of meat. You can amp up the flavor by adding aromatics like citrus peels, smashed garlic cloves, whole peppercorns, or herbs.
To grill veggies that may fall prey to the flames, instead use a cast-iron skillet on top of your grates to contain the veggies. Plus, cast iron has the added benefit of ensuring uniform heat! To create the perfect kebab, use two skewers instead of one. To ensure your vegetables cook evenly, use your longest-cooking vegetable on the kebab as a guide for how to prepare any others. For example, if you’re using whole white button or cremini mushrooms, cut thicker chunks of bell pepper and summer squash. If you’re using cherry tomatoes, which cook quickly, cut accompanying vegetables thinner to accommodate for the shorter cook time.
Pro tip : Get your meat brining first, then prep any vegetables or sides for your meal in the hour it takes to brine. Pat the meat dry before grilling.
Get veggies right every time. Grilling vegetables comes with its own set of challenges. Some vegetables, like asparagus spears, are thin enough to fall through the grates. And how do you ensure uniform cooking on kebabs that include a mix of vegetables?
Don’t forget dessert. Cooling down with ice cream after a meal on a hot summer day is great, but before you turn off the grill after dinner, remove any savory food debris and use your grill to amp up your dessert offerings. Peaches and pineapples grill particularly well. Halve your peaches and thickly slice pineapple rings, place them on the grill until softened and lightly charred, and serve along with ice cream and your favorite sauce to create a grilled sundae. To add another dimension to a summertime favorite, lightly grill slices of angel food cake before serving with fresh strawberries and whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Pro tip: To bring your fruit to the next level, sprinkle peach halves with cinnamon, sugar, and a pinch of sea salt. You can also soak pineapple rings in rum before grilling.
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DIY OR BUY? Lawn Games for Family Summer Fun
Classic Horseshoes: Intermediate DIY Tossing horseshoes is a great way to pass an afternoon. To play, you’ll just need to set up two sand pits in your yard. Get a handful of horseshoes, and you’re ready to go! Many DIY plans are available online, including one from HousefulOfHandmade. com/ultimate-diy-horseshoe-pit. Buy: Check out the kid-friendly rubber horseshoe set from Wayfair.com, which requires no installation, can be used indoors or alongside your outdoor game, and is safe for younger children. Cornhole: Advanced DIY The humble beanbag may be the most versatile backyard game piece. It’s used in the popular game commonly known as cornhole. To build your own cornhole set, you’ll need a couple of sheets of 1/2-inch-thick plywood along with two-by-fours, some hardware, and a variety of tools including a drill, jigsaw, and sander. Visit DIYPete.com/cornhole-board-plans to get both written and video instructions. Buy: Ready to play ASAP? Cornhole sets are available from many large retailers around summertime, or you can order a customized set featuring your favorite team, family name, or characters from your favorite movies by looking at Etsy.com.
The warm summer sun may be enough to beckon your family outdoors, but lawn games will guarantee hours of fun outside. If you’re handy, there are plenty of great lawn games you can make yourself. If not, buy an off-the-shelf alternative and enjoy the easy setup. Giant Jenga: Easy DIY All you need to build a giant Jenga tower are two-by-fours that are cut to length. If you’re handy with a saw, you can do this at home. If not, ask to have the wood cut at your local lumberyard. Be sure to sand down the edges before stacking the boards to create a classic Jenga tower! For extra fun, pick a few paint colors and paint each board. Visit ABeautifulMess.com/make-this-giant-jenga to see a complete set of instructions.
Buy: Skip the project and buy GoSports Giant Wooden Toppling Tower online, which retails for about $70 and stacks over 5 feet high.
Whether you buy or DIY, remember to have fun and always supervise your children while playing outdoors, especially when it comes to yard games!
GRILLED CHICKEN SHAWARMA
TAKE A BREAK
Ingredients
Directions
• 2 tbsp ground cumin • 2 tbsp ground coriander • 2 tsp kosher salt • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper • 2 tsp turmeric • 1 tsp ground ginger • 1 tsp ground black pepper • 2 tsp allspice • 8 garlic cloves, minced • 6 tbsp olive oil • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1. To create marinade, whisk all spices with the garlic and olive oil in a medium bowl. 2. Add chicken to the bowl, coat well with marinade, cover, and let sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes — or up to 48 hours. Strain off xcess marinade before cooking. 3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill thighs for 10–12 minutes on each side, or until a meat thermometer reads 165 F. 4. Serve with rice, vegetables, or pita bread with tzatziki.
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
12 N. Howell, Hillsdale, MI 49242
INSIDE
1
What You Should Know About the 2021 Child Tax Credit
2
Tips for Grilling Like a Pro
3
DIY or Buy: Summer Lawn Games
Grilled Chicken Shawarma
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Pro Tips for a Motivating Workout Playlist
ORCHESTRATE YOURWORKOUT Pro Tips to Create a Motivating Playlist
Mix It Up Instructor Leanne Hainsby is known for the eclectic, feel-good songs that keep people pedaling hard in her cycling classes. Hainsby credits her vast musical tastes to her time as a dancer, which expanded her playlist for workout music. Which songs make the cut? Ones that inspire. “I think people will be so surprised by how much they will push themselves when they’re moved by the feeling of a song or how the music makes them feel,” she says. It doesn’t matter if it’s ambient electronic music or a lilting Johnny Cash tune, both of which can be found routinely on Hainby’s cycling playlists. Make It Themed Whether you’re obsessed with ‘90s pop, classic rock jams, or David Bowie, you can use a theme to create workout playlists you’ll love. This is a great trick pros like Peloton instructor Christine D’Ercole use. D’Ercole is beloved by many for her themed classes, which range from an indie rock beginners’ ride to a fan-favorite all ‘90s ride. She also has holiday-themed playlists, like the one for her Women’s History Month ride in March that featured only female artists. You can always hop onto Spotify and check out the Peloton page to see all of their instructors’ recent playlists. Use this for inspiration to create your own list or stream whichever compilation catches your attention for your next workout.
Whether summer temperatures drive you to work outside or simply make you want to move indoors where the air conditioner is blasting, having an upbeat playlist can help you quickly pass the time and feel good, too. There’s no better way to learn how to put together a motivational playlist than to ask a pro. Peloton’s bikes and treadmills are wildly popular, but now, users are working out through their app because of the high-energy instructors, many of whom have become known for their amazing playlists. Here are two instructors’ tips to put together a killer playlist.
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