Passport Processing Time Trimmed By Over 50%

TRAVEL DEVELOPMENTS

Passport Processing Time Trimmed By Over 50%

The State Department is now processing passports with pre-pandemic efficiency.

• Back in 2021, processing times for passports reached a whopping four months. The good news is now it takes just six to eight weeks to get a passport (or only two to three weeks if you pay an additional $60 for expedited).

• FYI, in 1990, only 5% of Americans held a passport. As of 2023? Nearly half carry one and the number is growing quickly. All aboard!

Why it matters:

• With travel getting back to normal, more and more people are benefitting from the freedom of their Anytime Mailboxes. Thanks for being part of the family and we hope you’re enjoying the privacy, safety, and convenience while you continue to roam untethered.

For additional stats on improved U.S. passport processing, here's a link (1-min. skim).

TAX REMINDERS

Who Should Pay 2024 Quarterly Taxes (and How Much and When)?

Making money is great, but it’s helpful to stay on top of potential tax liabilities as you go.

Here’s a couple of tips to keep in mind when deciding if, when, and how much you should pay the IRS on a quarterly basis:

• Who? Typically freelancers, 1099’ers, the self-employed, side-hustlers, and business owners who’ll likely owe more than $1,000 in annual federal income taxes should consider quarterly payments.

• When? The IRS deadlines for quarterly estimated tax payments for 2024 are Jan. 16, Apr. 15, Jun. 17, and Sept. 16.

• How Much? A simple rule of thumb is to project what your tax liability might be at the end of the year, and then divide by four. It can often get more complicated though depending on your situation, so be sure to seek advice from a qualified tax pro.

For IRS details on quarterlies, along with links to forms and additional info, here’s a link.

For a bit more nuanced advice on quarterlies, Nerdwallet sums it up here (2-min read).

VIRTUAL BUSINESS TOOLS

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Fortunately, platforms like Envato make it inexpensive and easy to launch projects that look and sound better than you can imagine:

• Choose from a massive selection of high-quality images, video clips, sounds, and fonts to use in your ads, social media posts, and more.

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Here's a link so you can take a couple of minutes to explore how Envato can turbo-charge your business and creative projects.