Andrea Dekker

131 Comments

Our Best Tax Refund Tip

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With just over 3 weeks until the official end of tax season, Dave and I figured it was perfect timing to share one of our best tax refund tips — especially since we were pleasantly surprised with the extra-large refund we received for 2016!

Yippee!! 

You see, for so many years, we’ve had to write a big fat check to the government at the end of every tax season (thanks to my business). We knew it was coming so it was never a huge surprise, but let me tell you —  it is ALWAYS more fun to get a big check at the end of the year than write a big check!

The reason we didn’t have to write a check this year is because a couple years ago, I made the switch from an LLC to an S-corporation, and since then, I have enjoyed a few tax breaks along with paying monthly taxes all year long to avoid huge payments at the end of the year.

And now that we can claim 3 children as “deductions”, we’re actually getting money back!  

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As I was talking with our accountant about what (if any) changes we could make for 2017, he jokingly responded that if we had another baby before December 31, we could capitalize on one more deduction and get an even bigger refund check.

I didn’t say anything at the time… but won’t our accountant be surprised when he meets our newest “deduction” next tax season 🙂

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Comments

  1. Deborah Walker says

    Wow, congratulations to you and your hubby! You’re an awesome mom, you got this down pat now! Hope you feel well.

    Deb

    Reply

  2. Emily says

    Congratulations Andrea!! Oh I’m so excited for you! I know we have joked in the past that we’re always pregnant together. I just had our sixth baby five weeks ago (February 20) so did we have some overlap in there?? Thrilled for your family and this newest sweet blessing!! Hope you’re pregnancy is going well so far. Yay babies!!

    Reply

    • Andrea says

      wow — congrats to you too! I actually did think about you and wondered if you’d go for 6. I feel like I haven’t heard from you in a while, and now I know why 🙂

      And yes, I’m almost 15 weeks now, so there was overlap!

      Reply

  8. Gloria Peterson says

    Congrats on the baby news! Blessings on the next few months of growth (for you) and then with the whole family after the arrival. With our tax planning, my husband always said it’s better to need to write a tax check in April because Uncle Sam does not pay you a single penny of interest on the excess taxes you paid them through the past year. However, with interest rates as low as they are currently, he has been less diligent with his philosophy and we’ve gottten some nice checks back from the fed and two states. Happy dance.

    Reply

  11. Jamie says

    Congratulations! I almost didn’t read as our taxes have been done for awhile but glad I did. 🙂

    Reply

  13. Amber Woods says

    So exciting! As I finished reading one of your blog posts earlier this week it crossed my mind if you guys would have another one. I’m so happy for you. You seem like a great mom. The world needs more children with two wonderful parents.

    Reply

  15. Katy says

    Congratulations on your precious little deduction 🙂

    I love your blog and I’ve implemented many of your suggestions in our home. Thanks for sharing your life and expertise with so many!

    Reply

  17. Sharyl says

    AWESOME! So happy for you all. What an exciting time for you all! :-))))) As a mom of 4 teenagers–they are so much fun!

    Reply

  18. Kimi says

    Yay! I’m soooo excited for you! Looking forward to September to see her….my prediction

    Reply

  19. Mary Lynn says

    What wonderful news (and a fun way to share it!!) blessings to you and your family.

    If I may ask a quick question (not sure if the best way is to just ask in the comments or email you directly!?) but you’ve inspired me to organize my photos! I’m to the “upload to Flickr” phase and am wondering when you edit in PicMonkey are you mainly lightening/cropping/adding words etc before adding to Blurb? Do you ever do albums of pics straight from your phone? I haven’t edited a ton but am wondering what you find most beneficial about editing.
    I can see loading to Flickr to help weed through the year/month folders on the computer and pick the best ones for the digital album – just trying to wrap my mind around the editing piece.

    Thank you!!

    Reply

    • Andrea says

      Thanks Mary Lynn,
      I edit many of my photos just for my own satisfaction (and because I need to edit them anyway for the blog). I make them smaller, crop them, lighten them up a bit, etc. I have my system down so it only takes a few seconds per photo and I usually do many photos at a time.

      However, I definitely DO still include unedited photos in my Blurb books — so don’t feel like you must edit all your photos.

      Reply

  21. Pamela says

    Congratulations! Such exciting news! Love reading your blog! It’s the first one I check in the morning! We have 8 kids, 4 boys and 4 girls from 35 down to 11! I always wish I would have known and used some of your great ideas when my kids were younger and all at home. Your kiddos are so cute! ~~Pam

    Reply

  22. Dawn Kaestner says

    I knew it! I have been scrutinizing your recent pictures because it was time for another Dekker baby and I have been seeing less pictures of you:) Congratulations!

    Reply

      • Angela says

        Oh, and I would seriously like to hear more about the benefits of an s-corp vs sole proprietorship or LLC too, if you’d care to elaborate! My husband and I are both self employed and we get absolutely nailed on taxes!

        Reply

        • Andrea says

          I honestly don’t even know all the details (that’s why I pay an accountant!) He suggested making the switch 3 years ago, and I said yes.

          I know it has something to do with income level, and if you make enough money, then there are good tax benefits if you’re an s-corp. It’s definitely more hassle to be an s-corp, but I pay our accountant a very reasonable fee to handle most of it for me. I’d say your best bet is to ask someone MUCH more knowledgeable than me 🙂

          Reply

    • Andrea says

      haha — to be perfectly honest, I was NOT avoiding the camera just because I am pregnant! The truth is, I hardly take any pictures in January and February. It happens EVERY year, I always tell myself I’m going to do better the next year, and then we get to March and I realize there are almost zero pictures from the previous 2 months. I’ve been using older photos in many of my posts because I don’t have many new ones — I’m getting back into my picture-taking groove though 🙂

      Reply

  28. Kim says

    I wondered if there would be more little ones………………..what an outstanding idea the good Lord had!!!! He does outstanding work!!!!!

    Reply

  29. ELIZABETH DILTS says

    That’s an awesome announcement! haha, I was thinking, “the best tip is to have more babies!” when I clicked on the link! Congrats–looking forward to our next “deduction” this year too!

    Reply

  30. janet says

    Oh wow!!! What a fun way to let your readers know.
    We had three kids and always wished we’d kept going for 4 or 5. Congratulations.

    Reply

  33. Candis says

    Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!! Best way to share your new ever!! Congratulations to you guys!! Woot woot!

    Reply

  34. Karen says

    Wahoo!!!! Congrats to all of you!! I vote pink!!! We are holding our breath as I do our taxes next week……we lost another of our deductions in 2016 ~ ha as you are adding to yours But I still have 1 kiddo left at home and we got her for at least another 9 years……lol. We did the same with our business years ago ~ S Corp is definitely the way to go.

    Reply

  35. Jane says

    Congrats!!!!

    We lost a deduction this year with my daughter in med school. Ouch! Painful!

    I will have to look at S Corp. Self-employment taxes are
    painful

    Reply

  38. Karen says

    Okay, that takes tax planning to a whole new level. Awesome organizational skills, Andrea and Dave! Congrats,

    Reply

  39. Kelly says

    Congratulations! we have 3 “deductions” now and our youngest is now 4. I always joke around tax time if we want more money back we need another baby!

    Reply

  40. Kelly says

    How fun! Congratulations!

    I was wondering what kind of a great tax tip got so many comments first thing in the morning!

    We have four also, in pretty close range to you… We have twins so they are a little closer together (4.5, 2, and two 8 month olds). It is busy but so fulfilling!

    Reply

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