Parent Advice 

It was probably difficult making the decision to either stay home with your children or return to work after they were born. And it can be an equally tough decision about when and if it’s right to return to the workforce. If you’ve decided this is the best path for you and your family, you’ll have to clear some unique hurdles that others vying for a limited number of open jobs aren’t facing.

Here’s how to craft an effective career plan for any parent—mom or dad—returning to work after months or years spent at home, parenting full time.

Tax Impact

It seems like most people have a side hustle these days. If you’re part of the growing population of Americans who freelance, do independent contract work, deliver groceries or food on-demand, participate in ridesharing, or create products to sell, then there are a few things you need to know about how your side gig will affect your taxes.

You may receive 1099s in the mail. Those who offer freelance services and independent contract work should receive Form 1099-MISC or 1099-NEC from clients who paid you more than $600. If you received payments from an app like PayPal, the reporting form may be a 1099-K. You will need these forms to help tally and report your side gig income. Even if a client doesn’t send you a 1099 (regardless of how much they paid you), you still need to report the money you earned.

Review Options

After sorting through an employer’s health insurance, life insurance, retirement, and other offered benefits, many employees only glance over their disability insurance coverage. It’s understandable. Like other insurance plans, there are confusing jargon and unfamiliar terms—not to mention it requires imagining some worst-case scenarios involving illness or freak accidents. However, with a little explanation and some helpful, easy-to-grasp numbers, it should become clear if you need to shop for additional disability coverage.