Tag Archives: moving tips

6 Tips to Make Moving with Kids Less Stressful

Tips on how to make your moving with kids less stressful.

Moving is stressful enough when it is just you and perhaps the spouse. However, for children who are still in school, moving can be a very stressful experience. There are several reasons for this, but keep in mind that their world is being changed perhaps radically because of the move itself. However, there are some things that you can do to help alleviate at least some of the stress.

Let Everyone Know Early About Your Move

Hold a family meeting and let everyone know about the move that is taking place, the reasons for it, and what to expect. By letting everyone know and keeping them informed, it takes away the stress of the unknown. Kids feel better when they are told what is going to happen, what they should expect, and how they should feel about this change in your lives.

Plan Your Move in the Summer if Possible

The biggest stress that kids will face is moving to a new school system. If you can, try to time your move during the summer so that the stress is greatly reduced. If that is not possible, try for the Winter or Spring break so that they have a little time to adjust. Keep in mind that they may need to catch-up on their new schoolwork, so try to time your move with that in mind.

Assign The Kids Tasks

Considering that many five-year-old kids are better at finding things on the internet that you are, you can assign them specific tasks to help you in the moving process. From finding temporary places to live to getting their room ready for the move, when you assign them a task it will help focus their mind on something to do rather than worry about what will happen.

Include Them in the Process

When you are closing on a new home, bring them along. Include them in the process as much as you can so that it sinks in about the changes that will be made. This will help them make the adjustment better so that they undergo less stress during this time.

Throw a Party

In the days before you move, throw a party and invite all the children that your kids know and play with so they have at least one more visit before they leave. Call it a “See You Soon” party and not a “Goodbye” one because depending on where you move, your children might see them again. By saying “See You Soon”, it takes away the stress that they might never see them again while looking forward to making new friends after you move.

Make it a Fun Road Trip

On the way to your new destination, if you are moving a considerable distance away, find some fun place to go and make it epic. By making your move more of an adventure where you and your family can see new sights, it will help your children better cope with the changes that are happening.

While you may not take away all the stress that they feel, you can reduce it for them along with you and your spouse.

If you are moving to the Miami or South Florida region, we can help! Contact us today for your moving needs. 1-305-888-3963

What You Should Know About Changing Your Address When Moving

Tips for changing your address when moving

What Should You Know About Changing Your Address

When moving to a new location, changing your address may seem like a minor one. The truth is that changing address is rather minor if you do it early and right so that everyone stays informed. Otherwise, you might wind up with some serious issues in terms of receiving bills or important information in the mail.

The good news about changing your address is that you can take care of it quickly if you do a little advance work.

Verify Your New Address

The first step is to verify the new address that you will be living at least a month in advance if possible. The more advance time, the better as the mail will shift over to the new location. Also, remember to add the full zip code which is the five standard numbers plus that additional four which will ensure that your mail arrives faster.

Create a List

Take a few minutes to look over all your incoming mail and create a list of what needs to be forwarded. Your list may include the following;

  • Magazines, Newspapers, Clubs, & Associations
  • Employer, Government Offices, Doctors, & Dentists
  • Family, Friends, & Associates
  • Bills
  • Banks

It’s best to create your list early, then look over the incoming mail for the next couple of weeks to see if you missed anyone.

Understand the Timeframe

In other words, know about how long it will take moving from your old address before settling into the new one. You do not need to know the exact day, but hitting it within a week or two is a good idea if you want all your mail to be properly forwarded.

Change with the Post Office

The first place you should make the change is with the Post Office. They can redirect your mail to the new location so that it can be delivered. You can make the changes with the Post Office over the internet using a valid email address along with the billing address of your credit or debit card which is your old location. You may have to pay a $1 verification fee, but it is the fastest way to change your address.

Keep in mind that your mail will be forwarded by the Post Office for up to 12 months with magazines and newspapers being just 60 days. You can also change your address online.

Two Weeks Notification

With the exception of the Post Office, which should be notified as soon as you can verify your new address and about a month ahead of moving, you should notify everyone else about two weeks ahead of time. That way, you can ensure that your paychecks, W-2 forms, and all other important mail will be heading to your new home.

It’s easier to cover everyone in terms of changing your address by starting as soon as you can. There will always be those who may not get your new address, but the Post Office will catch many of them when you forward your mail. So, start early and take a few minutes to ensure that as many people, businesses, and organizations that send you mail are covered.

 

 

Make Money with Your Move! – Tax Deduction Tips

South Florida Moving Tips- how to claim your moving expenses on your taxes.

Under certain conditions, your move may be covered as a tax-deductible expense by the IRS. While there are certain qualifications, you can make money if your move meets the guidelines as set out by the federal government.

The good news is that the moving deduction does not need to be itemized in terms of the expenses incurred. Plus, there is no limit to the amount you can deduct if it meets the requirements. However, the move does have to meet the standards as set out by the Internal Revenue Service.

Job-Related

The move must be related to your job in some fashion so that it qualifies for a tax-deduction. This means that you will need to start a new job and work a minimum of 39 weeks in the first year to qualify. An exception would be if you started working your new job before the rest of your family moved to the new location. The reasons may include your child finishing up school in the old location or a spouse receiving medical attention. In any event, if you meet these special circumstances, then you can count the time you spent at your new job before the rest of your family moved.

Distance

First and foremost, unless your new place of employment is at least 50 miles away from the old one, then you cannot use your move to qualify as a tax-deduction. Plus, you must keep in mind that it’s the location of your home and not just the job. For example, if you lived 10 miles away from your old job, your new job must be at least 60 miles away from your old home to qualify for the deduction.

This means that you do not necessarily have to move 50 miles to a new home, but that the relationship between your old and new job location must be at least that distance relative to your old home. If you are in the US military, you can claim moving expenses regardless of the distance or employment concerns.

Additional Expenses

Any expense that is a necessary part of your move may be included in your tax-deduction. Such expenses include, but are not limited to the following;

  • Gas
  • Renting Trucks
  • Short Term Storage
  • Purchasing Boxes
  • Lodging or Hotel for Long Moves
  • Parking Fees and Tolls

Any reasonable transportation cost should be included in your deduction and should be added to the total amount.

Form 3903

This is the form you will need to complete if you are deducting moving expenses from your taxes. The form itself is laid out well so you can organize your deductions easily.

  • Line 1: Shipping & Storage
  • Line 2: Travel, Gas, & Lodging
  • Line 4: Reimbursement from Employer

* Keep in mind that if the reimbursement from your employer exceeds the total amount of your expenses, then you cannot deduct it from your taxes. Plus, the amount that the employer overpaid in terms of reimbursement must be considered taxable income.