Your Tax Refund is Here… Now What?

Has an enormous financial burden been lifted from your shoulders lately? The feeling of getting your taxes done is stressful, confusing, and time-consuming. Even with support from a tax professional, the easiest and most efficient way to navigate your taxes, there is still uneasiness. Fortunately, now that you’ve gotten past the tedious bit, it’s time to enjoy your tax refund! 

Don’t you just love the feeling of getting a refund check or deposit when you least expect it? You might even already be planning what you’re going to do with it. For many, a tax refund is an opportunity to treat yourself, but it’s also an opportunity to get ahead in your finances. The best way to figure out how to do both is by creating a spending plan. We’ve created this guide to help you do just that. 

You Got Your Tax Refund; What Should You Do? 

There’s a large pool of things that you can do with your tax refund. The fun part is that appropriately allocating it can help you simultaneously knock down more than one goal! Before you pin-point what you want to spend your money on, make sure you keep the following things in mind: 

• Don’t spend it all, but don’t save it all. You don’t need to do one or the other. You can save a percentage and leave the rest for spending. Just make sure you do both. 
• Treat ‘yo self! Your tax refund money is money you earned. So whether it’s taking a trip, re-decorating, upgrading your technology, or going on a shopping spree, make sure you use some of that money for yourself.  
• Move 50% out of sight out of mind. When the refund hits, many things will cross your mind about what you want to spend it on. The best tip here is to leave half of the money aside. Put it in a savings account for a while; if you don’t see it, you won’t feel the need to spend it instantly. The money will come in handy afterward.
• You might be thinking of many big purchases; focus on ONE! What is the big purchase you’ve been dying to make but requires more money than you’d like to spend? This is your opportunity to use a large flux of cash for a large ticket item.
• If your refund is more significant than usual, adjust it. You must consistently keep up with how much you’re paying in taxes each year. Consider revising your W-4 with your employer if you feel your refund is larger than usual. 

4 Smart Ways To Spend Your Tax Refund

Wealth planners get a lot of questions on intelligent ways to use their tax refund. A tax refund is an opportunity to thoughtfully use a large amount of money (additional to your monthly income). If you use it wisely, your finances will thank you later. 

Everyone wants to grow and protect their wealth, that is the ultimate wealth goal, and this deposit is the perfect opportunity to get ahead. 

Here are a few clever ways to use your tax refund money, along with their benefits: 

1. Pay Off Your Credit Cards

• Reduce High-Interest Payments
• Improve Credit Score
• Reduces Stress

2. Build an Emergency Fund

• Responsible Preparation
• Avoid Increasing Debt
• Low-Risk Savings Option

3. Buy Life Insurance  (Recommended by a Trusted Expert)

• Protect Loved Ones
• Replace Lost Income
• Diversify Investments

4. Get a Will

• Control Over Estate
• Avoid Lengthy Probate Process
• Minimize Estate Taxes

A Tax Refund is Not a Tax Strategy 

Your tax refund is an excellent opportunity to get ahead in your finances and continue your path toward your financial goals. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use any of it on yourself; of course, you can use a portion to indulge. But proper planning and allocation of those funds will help you use your refund wisely. 

Numerous tax strategies can help reduce your tax bracket and make the most of your finances; waiting for a yearly tax refund is not one of them. Instead, the only way to win the tax game is to align your plan with your priorities. Learn more about tax strategies to build a tax strategy that works for you.