Money Making Sense

*After this episode was recorded, the Utah Education Association sued the state of Utah over the wording of Amendment A,*
A bill to remove the state sales tax from grocery store food has been approved.  But it won't go into effect unless Amendment A passes in this year's election.

The brief from Gardner Institute states Amendment A would allow legislators to re-allocate where monies collected from your Income Tax would go.  Phil Dean, the Senior Economist at the Kem C. Gardner Institute says lawmakers want to shift some of the income tax away from education to the general state fund.  Susan Speirs, the CEO of Utah Association of CPAs says some educators are worried their peice of the tax pie will get smaller.

Phil Dean says he believes the amount of money spent per pupil will actually increase under the proposed Amendment and Companion Bill.  Also, find out what happens if the initiative doesn't pass.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Too often women are made the caregivers of not only their children, but also their elderly parents.  Lisa Peel, head of financial planning with Edward Jones, says this can greatly affect the amount of time they spend in the workforce, thus limiting their income.

Lisa says it is important to work closely with a financial planner to maximize the amount of income available both currently and for the future. She says it is extremely important to interview 2 or 3 advisors minimum, to find the right fit.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Does the person you voted for have a financial background?  It is critical to understand how  local treasurers and auditors keep tabs on your taxes -- and who wants the job.  Catherine Voutaz is running for Utah State Auditor and Sheila Srivastava for the Salt Lake County Treasurer positions.  Find out why Sheila says every tax dollar is hard earned.

They explain why its important to have people in those offices who have financial backgrounds and what their roles are to assist the more well-known positions of governors, mayors and city councils.  Susan Speirs, the CEO of Utah Association of CPAs, also joins the conversation to help explain why voters need to do their research on ALL the people listed on your ballot. 

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Producer George David discusses how you can make money in the music industry without being a star.  Licensing songs for tv commercials and movie soundtracks, producing others, building music studios and many other way will earn you six figures each year.  Building a music studio is what led George to collaborating with the music group Train.

George says singers must now get a local following first, along with a big social media presence before record labels will sign them.  HACK:  everyone needs to learn computer programing and A.I. systems like Python to earn money.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

HVAC systems must be able to make your home comfortable and be affordable at the same time.  If you want more efficient systems, you need to get a higher number SEER and HSPF rating.  It will cost a little more money up front, but save you in monthly utility bills.  
Dennis Stinson, VP of Sales for Fujitsu General America.

If you can't afford a new A/C or heat system, try putting in more insulation in your attic, getting newer energy efficient windows, and sealing up gaps around windows and doors.  Make sure the airflow to your A/C and furnace are not blocked.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here. 

Food Security expert, Kimberley Gillan, says buy nutrient dense, low cost foods such as parsley, peas, and skim milk powder in order to save money and be healthy.  Gillan details what to buy every week for a 5-week cycle and how much it will cost in her book "How Low Can You Go" to help lower your grocery bills by 60%.   
HACK:  canned fish like sardines and beans & lentils are a start.

She also discusses several causes as to why food prices continue to increase and what we can do as individuals and as a society to get prepared for even higher prices and food shortages in the future.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. To see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

If the experts believe the economy is in great shape, why does the average American feel like we're in a recession?  That is what Nico Pesci, the founder and CEO of Momemtum Wealth, says is a 'vibecession.'  When everyday people have the vibe things are going badly, while Wall Street is living high off the hog -- it's time to make a money plan for the stage of life you are in. 

Nico says recessions are part of economic cycles.  Things will improve.  You just need to wait, if can, to cash out your retirement funds.  Don't panic, learn to take a deep breath and understand what is really happening in the stock market.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Higher education doesn't have to mean ONLY a 4-year expensive college.  Troy Runnels, the CFO of My529, says you can put money into a plan which will pay for a trade school educaton, internet usage, housing, internships school supplies and much more.  

Susan Speirs, the CEO of Utah Association of CPAs, says the funds you put into a MY529 plan qualify for a Credit on your taxes; and you can roll over any unused funds into a Roth IRA.  Also, there are many opportunities available to help pay for your child's education.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Typically, going into business for yourself reduces your tax-burden.  That's from Liz Steblay the author of "Succeeding as a Solopreneur" who says you will probably need to pull in about  $110k as your own boss to break even on taxes from working for someone else.

Liz is also the CEO of PICA (Professional Independent Contractors of America). She says empowerment is a great benefit to going out on your own.  But it will also be the hardest you ever do in your life as Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (the FUD monster) can take you down at any time.  HACK -- be confident and charge what you are worth.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Not having a financial strategy can stress you out even more than without a plan.  James Alexander, CFP with Edge Financial Advisors, says imagine driving somewhere unknown without a GPS or a road map or knowing anything about your car.  When you draw a map for your money, you will feel much safer financially.  What stage of your life should you hire a financial advisor?

James says taking control, even in small ways, of what you do with your money takes weight of your mind and is emotionally uplifting.  You can hear more of his philosophy on Ed's Edge Podcast, where he is a co-host.  

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.