Personal Finance

خلاصہ: Two Fabulous Fall Updates for Quicken Business & PersonalRunning a business means juggling countless moving parts, from landing new clients to tracking every deductible mile. Quicken Business & Personal will soon release two major updates that can give you more time back to focus on what you do best. Whether you’re sending estimates to potential clients or tracking business miles for tax deductions, these features deliver the professional tools you need. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s new. Estimates: Set clear expectations from the start For many businesses, work can’t start until the client has approved an estimate. Estimates set clear expectations, define the project scope, and lay out the costs, so you can avoid misunderstandings while protecting your margins and building strong customer relationships. Now, Quicken Business & Personal makes creating and managing estimates effortless. Send polished, branded estimates in minutes, track their status, and negotiate changes, all while keeping a full history for future reference. How it works The new Estimates feature offers multiple starting points for maximum flexibility. Create an estimate within a specific project, from a client profile, or from the invoice dashboard, making it easy to start your estimate wherever you’re already working. Estimates let you draft longer, more descriptive line items. This means you can fully explain the work or products being quoted, reducing questions and building client confidence. Need to create a similar estimate? Simply copy an existing one, whether for the same client or a new one, and adjust only what you need to. Every estimate can include your business name, logo, and contact details, reinforcing your brand and professionalism. You can even specify payment terms and add notes about retainers or deposits directly on the estimate, ensuring that expectations are clear before work begins. Professional delivery and tracking Estimates can be emailed or printed as non-editable PDFs, giving clients a clear, professional document they can review, sign, or save for their records. The system tracks clear statuses — such as draft, sent, accepted, or declined — so you always know where each estimate stands. Clients can easily approve or decline estimates, helping you move quickly to the next step. Even outdated or declined estimates remain accessible for future reference, making it easy to revisit past proposals for pricing or scope ideas. Mileage tracking: Turn every mile into tax savings Mileage deductions can mean significant tax savings for business owners, but only if the records are accurate and IRS-compliant. If tracking mileage is messy or inconsistent, trips can be forgotten, receipts can go missing, and rates can change from one type of trip to another, making it nearly impossible to get the deduction right. Quicken Business & Personal puts mileage tracking in the same place as the rest of your financial data, making it easy to log, calculate, and report deductible miles. Flexible entry options Need an easy way to start? Simply enter your total annual mileage. This ensures the deduction appears on your Taxes report without the need for complicated trip-by-trip entry. It’s perfect if you’re tracking your mileage some other way but want everything consolidated for tax time. Detailed tracking when you need it For more precision, log individual trips with key details like date, mileage, business or personal purpose, specific business (if you have more than one), trip reason, and your start/end locations. The system automatically applies the correct IRS standard mileage rate based on the date the miles were driven, even if that rate changed mid-year, so your deduction is always accurate. The round-trip toggle is a thoughtful time-saver. Simply mark a trip as round-trip, and Quicken Business & Personal automatically creates the return trip with matching mileage. Complete tax integration View your total miles driven and the calculated dollar value of your deduction for the current year as well as past years, making it easy to track changes over time. The system integrates seamlessly with tax reporting, so mileage totals and deductions appear automatically in the Taxes report. This gives you a complete, accurate view of all tax-related data in a single place. Why these updates matter These two new features address the daily realities of running a business. They’re about taking the essential tasks you already do — estimating work, tracking mileage — and making them faster, more accurate, and easier than ever. Together, they represent a significant step forward in how Quicken Business & Personal helps you manage the business side of your finances. Each feature integrates seamlessly with your existing workflow, maintaining the clean separation you need between business and personal finances while organizing everything in one convenient place. Getting started These features will soon be available to all Quicken Business & Personal users. Each one includes helpful guidance to get you started quickly. And remember, Quicken offers free phone and chat support if you’d ever like a hand. Your business deserves tools that work as hard as you do. These updates to Quicken Business & Personal deliver on that promise, providing sophisticated capabilities that are genuinely easy to use. Give them a try and see how they can streamline your business finance management.Source InformationPublisher: QuickenOriginal Source: Read more

خلاصہ: Quicken Classic Business & Personal Upgrades PayPal ConnectionsQuicken Classic Business & Personal has migrated its PayPal integration to a new system, bringing increased speed, flexibility, and reliability to your payment processing. If you’re already connected to PayPal in Quicken Classic Business & Personal, great! All you need to do is sign in again with your PayPal credentials. If you tried to add your PayPal in Quicken Classic Business & Personal recently and weren’t able to connect, try again. You should be good to go. Let’s look at what you can do with PayPal in Quicken Classic Business & Personal. What is PayPal integration and how can it help my business? The integration between Quicken Classic Business & Personal and PayPal eliminates a lot of the hassle that can come with trying to get paid. Instead of clients needing to write checks or navigate unfamiliar payment systems, they can simply click a link and pay using their existing PayPal account or credit card. How the updated PayPal integration works Setting up PayPal payment links has never been more straightforward. You can connect your PayPal account directly to Quicken Classic Business & Personal, generate secure payment links, and add them to your invoices, all within your familiar Quicken workflow. When you email invoices from Quicken, those PayPal links are automatically included, so your clients receive a professional invoice with a convenient, immediate way to pay. All they have to do to access the payment portal is click that link; everything flows seamlessly from invoice creation to payment receipt. Where that PayPal connection shines Haven’t connected your PayPal account to Quicken Business & Personal? Here are just a few reasons why you might want to. PayPal is a trusted payment platform Trust matters when it comes to online payments. PayPal has built its reputation over two decades as a secure payment processor that protects both buyers and sellers. When clients see PayPal as a payment option on your invoices, this trust translates directly into faster payment decisions. Clients are much less likely to feel hesitant when they recognize and trust the payment method. Give your customers payment flexibility Not everyone wants to pay the same way. Some clients prefer using credit cards for the rewards or cash flow benefits. Others like the simplicity of paying directly from their bank account. Some maintain PayPal balances from their own business transactions. By including PayPal on your invoices, you’re offering multiple payment paths through a single link. Streamline payment tracking and reconciliation When payments come through PayPal directly into your Quicken Classic Business & Personal workflow, reconciliation is remarkably straightforward. Each payment automatically links to its corresponding invoice, eliminating the work of entering checks and matching them to outstanding invoices. Getting started or reconnecting If you’re new to PayPal integration in Quicken Classic Business & Personal, setup takes just a few minutes. Navigate to Web Links on your invoice, connect your PayPal account, and you’ll be ready to include payment links. For existing PayPal users, migrating is easy, even if you haven’t used the integration in a while. Just sign into your PayPal account through Quicken when prompted, and your integration will seamlessly transition to the new platform. All your existing settings and preferences carry over — you just gain the benefits of the modernized connection. Moving forward with confidence Payment processing continues to evolve, and staying current with these changes ensures your business operates efficiently. The updated PayPal integration in Quicken Classic Business & Personal for Windows represents more than a technical update. It’s a key pillar in our dedication to our customers, giving you the tools you need for smoother cash flow, happier clients, and less time spent chasing payments. Whether you’re sending your first invoice with PayPal or you’ve been using it for years, this enhanced integration keeps your payment workflow professional, reliable, and efficient. Your clients get the payment flexibility they expect, and you get paid faster. Ready to streamline your payment collection? The updated PayPal integration is available now in Quicken Classic Business & Personal for Windows.Source InformationPublisher: QuickenOriginal Source: Read more

خلاصہ: 4 Sanity Savers for Your Holiday SeasonThe holidays are stressful enough — from decorations and shopping to travel logistics. Let LifeHub take a few things off your plate so you can focus on the fun.  Here are four quick wins you can set up in minutes, plus one bonus idea if you want to go further. Keep your family’s important info organized and shareable. Get LifeHub now → Sanity saver 1: No more midnight WiFi texts We’ve all been there. Your sister arrives late, you’re already in bed, and the text comes: “What’s the WiFi password?” Then the follow-up: “Is it all caps?” Here’s the simple fix: In Quicken LifeHub, create a Holiday Guests folder in LifeHub and add your WiFi network name and password. While you’re at it, throw in any gate codes, security codes, or parking restrictions they should know about. Share the folder once with your visitors when they confirm their plans. They’ll have everything on their phones, and you’ll have uninterrupted sleep. When the holidays are over, you can remove their access or keep it shared for next time. ​​Sanity saver 2: Travel plans in one place If you’re traveling with family this holiday, you know questions are coming. What time is the flight? What’s the hotel confirmation number? Did we remember to reserve boarding for the dog? Save yourself the group text chaos. Add your flight confirmations, hotel reservations, and rental car info to a Holiday Travel folder in LifeHub, and share the folder with everyone who’s traveling with you. They get instant access to the details, and you get to skip the endless forwarding of confirmation emails.  You may also want to set up a private Travel folder for yourself. Include your driver’s license and passport photos, your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry cards, and anything else you want to keep track of. If something goes missing, you’ll have the numbers and information you need. Sanity saver 3: Pet & home care made easy Finding a pet sitter is hard enough without having to compile a tome of instructions. Instead, make things easier for both of you. Create a Pet Care folder in LifeHub with your pet’s feeding schedule, vet contact info, vaccination records, and any quirky behavior notes. Add your local emergency vet too, just in case. If someone’s watching your house, create a House Care folder with basics like where to find the circuit breaker, how to work the thermostat, and what day the trash goes out. Share the folders with your sitter, and you’re done. No forgotten details, no unexpected calls while you’re away on vacation. When you return, you can remove their access with a click. Store and share your family’s essential info securely. Get LifeHub now → Sanity saver 4: Be ready for the unexpected Nobody wants to think about holiday emergencies, but having basic info ready means one less thing to stress about if something happens. Set up a simple Guest Care folder with the basics: any family allergies (especially for kids), the nearest urgent care address, and your pediatrician’s after-hours number if little ones are visiting. If elderly parents are coming, add their medications list. Keep it simple — this isn’t about planning for disaster, it’s about having answers ready if someone asks “Does anyone have allergies?” while cooking, or needs the urgent care address because someone touched a hot cookie sheet. Share it with your spouse or anyone else who might need to handle things while you’re out. Peace of mind, minimal effort. Bonus inspiration: Pass down the recipes If you’ve got a few extra minutes and you’re feeling inspired, the holidays are perfect for preserving family recipes. Snap a photo of Mom’s handwritten cookie recipe card. Type up that stuffing recipe you’ve been making from memory for years. Ask your aunt for her famous pie recipe while she’s actually there to give you all the details. Upload them to a Family Recipes folder in LifeHub and share it with the family. Once they have those recipes, maybe someone else will volunteer to make the cookies this year. Or maybe you’re just preserving something special for the future. Either way, it’s a gift that keeps on giving. Your stress-free holiday starts here You don’t need to do all of these. Even setting up just one folder — maybe that WiFi password — means one less thing to worry about when the holidays get hectic. LifeHub keeps everything organized, shareable, and secure. No more emailing confirmation numbers, no more repeated questions, no more scrambling for information. Pick the one that would help you most and set it up now, while you’re thinking about it. Your future holiday self will thank you. Ready to simplify your holiday planning? Get LifeHub now → Source InformationPublisher: QuickenOriginal Source: Read more