March Newsletter 2024
Happy Earth Month
You may have heard of Earth Day, which happens annually on April 22nd. However, you may not know that April is Earth Month.
Earth Day was started back in the 1970’s and is widely considered to be the genesis of the environmental movement in the USA.
The benefits of Earth Month are manifold. It serves as a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to foster sustainable practices and protect natural resources. By raising awareness about environmental issues, Earth Month encourages people to adopt eco-friendly habits, such as reducing waste, conserving water, and minimizing carbon footprints.
At Denver Concierge, we do everything we can to minimize our footprint and do our part for the environment. As we have discussed here many times, we were the first Green Clean Institute-certified cleaning company in the entire state!
Every product we use is certified green and earth-friendly.
We also train our people on ways to limit our footprint and to make decisions in the field that are environmentally friendly whenever possible.
So, we are here to remind you that by utilizing our services, you are indeed contributing to the environmental health of our planet, even if it is in a small way.
Finally, we have some cool stuff in this month’s newsletter. We have a rail line update on points north, a guest writer, and tips on how to deal with IRS matters, including extensions and filing tips.
We hope you enjoy it, and we thank you for using our earth-friendly company!
Denver to Boulder Railway Plan
The notion of a rail line from Denver to parts north is not a new one.
In February, the notion took one step closer to becoming reality.
That route was originally part of a commuter rail plan approved by voters in 2004. Due to lack of funding, the project has never moved forward, no pun intended.
Now, all the involved entities are proposing to work together to build the route connecting those cities as an intercity rail route, rather than a commuter line.
From the article on Trains.com:
“The Denver Post reports that defining the route in that matter would unlock access to some $102 billion in federal funding not available for commuter projects.”
“The Front Range project seeks to create a 160-mile route from Fort Collins to Pueblo, and was among the 69 routes included in the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program announced late last year [see “Full list of passenger routes …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 8, 2023]. The basic Front Range plan, with six trains a day, is estimated to cost at least $2 billion, the Post reports, making federal funding an essential element.”
The full white paper on this project can be found here.
While this seems like a cool idea, not everyone is so sure. Transportation guru Randal O’Toole doesn’t believe in this concept and lays out all the reasons why not in this fine article in 5280 Magazine.
We aren’t smart enough to fully understand the pros and cons of this, but we love the idea of easy transportation so we shall see what happens.
Multi-State Living Tips
Multi-State Living for Entrepreneurs: Tips for Staying Organized
by John Dunbar, HousingSecrets.net
Are you thinking about buying another home in a different state? If you own a business that has a location in another state, buying a second home near your business can make it easier to manage. You’ll always have somewhere comfortable to stay when you travel for business! If you intend on living in more than one state, it’s important to plan ahead so you can keep your life organized and uncomplicated. Here’s a quick guide from Denver Concierge to help ensure that your new living arrangement works for you!
Hire a Knowledgeable Real Estate Agent
If the purpose of buying a second home is to make it easier to manage your business, you’ll want to find a place near your business location. Get in touch with a real estate agent who knows the area well. Look for homes that are low-maintenance and easy to leave empty when you need to travel back to your home state. For this purpose, a condo or apartment might be ideal!
You may even decide that renting is a better option since much of the upkeep will be included in your rent. Look into rentals in your desired areas and weigh the pros and cons of renting versus buying before you make a financial commitment.
Choose a Registered Agent for Your Business
Another key strategy is to obtain a registered agent for your business. A registered agent acts as a centralized point of contact for all legal and government correspondence, ensuring that important documents, such as legal summons or regulatory notices, are promptly received and addressed.
This service is especially beneficial for entrepreneurs who frequently travel or live in multiple states, as it eliminates the risk of missing critical communications due to their absence from a primary business location. Furthermore, a registered agent can provide invaluable assistance in maintaining compliance with state regulations, keeping your business in good standing in multiple states.
Protect Your Homes with Safety Products
Since you’ll be splitting your time between homes in different states, it’s important to prepare each of your homes for your absence. Invest in home safety products that will offer peace of mind while you’re away. Here are a few ideas:
● Install motion detector lights to deter intruders.
● Ensure your homes have working smoke alarms.
● Setting up a video doorbell or other smart home device can help you monitor visitors from afar.
● Pay for a monthly security system monitoring service.
Get Cleaning Help
Hiring professional cleaners is an efficient and effective strategy to maintain your homes, especially if you own properties in different states. These services ensure that your homes are not only clean and welcoming but also well-maintained, preserving their value and comfort.
For your home in Denver, consider the exemplary maid services provided by Denver Concierge. Known for their reliability, attention to detail, and eco-friendly cleaning practices, Denver Concierge stands out as a premier choice for homeowners seeking top-notch cleaning services.
Their professional team is trained to meet high standards of cleanliness and customer satisfaction, making them an ideal partner in keeping your Denver home in pristine condition.
Research the Cost of Living in Different Cities
When you live in more than one state, costs can add up quickly. Make sure you know what to expect in terms of cost before buying a second home somewhere else. You can find plenty of accurate cost of living information with a simple online search. Check out these examples to get started:
● Car insurance in Greenwood, IN, averages $261 a month.
● The average hourly rate for handyman services in Tulsa, OK, is around $60.
● In Chicago, IL, house cleaners charge an average of $70 per hour.
Take Education with You
Online learning offers a flexible and efficient way to continue your education. The value of a degree, such as psychology from an accredited online university, cannot be overstated. Earning a psychology degree online, you gain a deeper understanding of human behavior, which can be incredibly beneficial in various aspects of business and personal interactions. Online classes are particularly advantageous as they can be tailored to fit any schedule, allowing you to study at your own pace and convenience, regardless of your location.
This flexibility is essential for entrepreneurs who often have irregular hours and travel frequently. By choosing an online learning platform, you ensure that your education journey moves with you, adapting seamlessly to your dynamic lifestyle while you work towards valuable academic and professional goals.
Some other popular fields to consider are nursing, IT, and business. Choose something that both interests you and fits well with your aspirations for the best chance of success.
Do Your Research and Plan Well
If you’re thinking about buying a second home in another state, think carefully about how this move will affect your life.
Planning ahead will go a long way toward ensuring that you enjoy multi-state living! Prepare your business for your absence by hiring a registered agent, get cleaning help from your kids, and take your education with you.
Being prepared will help you manage a multi-state living arrangement with greater ease and significantly less stress.
Pandemic Drinking Effects
We have written here before about Colorado’s prodigious drinking habit.
In 2023, we came in 9th in the U.S., according to vinepair.com.
That seems to be the good news.
As we pick up all the pieces from our COVID experience, some things are coming into view.
We drank a lot during the pandemic folks, maybe too much.
From the article:
“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of Coloradans who died from alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) increased by more than 32 percent from 2019 to 2021. That’s reflective of the trend across the United States, where such deaths rose by more than 17 percent a year between 2019 and 2021, dwarfing the 3.5 percent annual increase over the previous decade.”
“Still, Colorado stands out: Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles ranked Colorado among the top six states for the number of ALD-related deaths during the pandemic.”
We vividly recall all the jokes about being cooped up and people “day drinking” but it seems like we may have overdone it.
If you are curious about the symptoms and treatments of liver disease, the folks at Johns Hopkins did a nice writeup here.
We hope none of this applies to you or those you love. Take care of your liver folks, you only have one.
Tax Time Tips & Tricks
We have been known to procrastinate.
Taxes are due in April, and we are just getting organized.
We also like to stay on the good side of the IRS, so we found some great tips and tricks to make this time of year easier for all of us.
For us procrastinators, we will be filing for an extension. That can be done here.
Also, be aware that standard deductions and tax brackets have both been increased due to inflation. Earned Income Tax Credits are also increased.
If you happened to purchase energy-efficient items such as electric vehicles or solar for your home, there are still some great tax credits available.
For example, there are credits for 30% of qualifying home improvements, including up to $600 for energy-efficient windows and $2,000 for a qualified heat pump installed after January 1, 2023.
Experian produced a nice list of tips and tricks and it can be found here.
Lastly, we wanted to understand what the audit flags are in 2024 for the IRS.
What are the biggest flags for an audit? Missing income is the biggest one. Be aware of all the documents that are filed on your behalf by other parties. Discrepancies there are the most common flag.
Any questionable or large deductions, business losses, or undervalued assets on estate taxes will also grab the attention of the IRS.
Financial Advisors did a quick article on audit flags and it can be found here.
Remember Tax Day is Monday, April 15!
Monthly Award Winners
Our monthly award winners for February were Haydee Espinoza, Aurora Dominguez, Nimia Espinoza, Patricia Rodriguez, and Maria Zapata.
In the Team Leader ranks, it was Brenda Garcia and Laura Varela.
We are so proud of our winners, and of all the folks that are in and out of your homes each week.
We are also very appreciative to be a part of your lives and your homes. You provide the platform for our teams to perform, and for that we are grateful.
Please join me in congratulating our best performers for February.
Queen Bee Corner
by Angela
Now that we are getting into planting season and warmer weather, more time spent outdoors may require the occasional or regular upkeep of decks and patios or pool houses. Denver Concierge can help.
Cleaning these outside areas is optional, so you may add as needed each time or tack on to your existing cleaning instructions during the fair-weather months.
As a reminder, we can also clean inside refrigerators, freezers, cabinets, or pantries; areas that are not included regularly but we are happy to add.
Please also feel free to request other occasional cleaning tasks outside the team’s regular scope.
We will try our best to comply but as our ladies’ safety is the top priority there may be a few we will not be able to undertake.
That said, it’s always free to ask! Thank you for understanding.
Bee