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As April 15 inches closer for U.S. tax filers, it’s time to get serious about looking for income tax breaks. This includes tax credits and tax deductions related to your children. Indeed, the fact that you have a family plays heavily in your favor at tax time, with existence of a number of tax breaks. Look through your expenses for last year (2009), and consider what is coming up for 2010. Get together your documentation, and find out if you are eligible for some of the tax breaks that come with children. If you don’t think you’ll have time to do a thorough job, you can consider a tax return filing extension so that you have the time you need to make sure you turn in an accurate tax return that includes all of the breaks you are entitled to, including these 7  tax breaks that you can enjoy, thanks to your children:

1. $1,000 Child Tax Credit: It you have a child under the age of 17 for the full year, you can get a $1,000 tax credit. A tax credit acts sort of like a gift card. You apply it after you have figured how much tax you owe, reducing the amount you have to pay. There is a phase out, though. For single parents, that phase out starts when adjusted gross income reaches $75,000 and for couples it starts at $110,000. You lose $50 of credit for every $1,000 you are over the cut off.
2. $3,650 Dependent Exemption: If your child is 18 and under, or a full-time student 23 and under (and not claimed as a dependent elsewhere) for part of the tax year, you can claim a dependent exemption. There is no age limit for disabled children. Phase out begins at $250,200 for married filing jointly in 2009. But watch out! That pesky AMT can phase you out at lower incomes.
3. Adoption Credit: You are eligible for a credit of up to $12,150 (dollar for dollar) in the year that you adopt a child. If you paid the expenses in the prior year, those are still eligible. You can actually carry forward some of your expenses as well. For special needs adoptions, you are eligible for the entire credit, even if your expenses did not reach $12,150. Phase out begins for couples who make $222,180.
4. Dependent Care Credit: If you pay for child care, you can get a credit to offset some of the costs — 20% of what you pay, up to $3,000 for one child and up to $6,000 for more than one. Except in the case of disability, the child must be 13 and under when you pay the expenses. Eligible expenses include daycare, paid preschool, nanny services and after-school care. Private, paid day school isn’t eligible.
5. Dependent Care Account: This works if you’ve got an awesome employer that offers the option of diverting some of your money to pay for eligible child care costs. You can put up to $5,000 per couple into the account pre-tax, lowering your taxable income. However, it is important to note that you have to coordinate this effort with dependent care credit. Using this option means that you won’t get the dependent care credit in full.
6. Kids’ Accounts: You can use investment accounts in your children’s names for sheltering purposes. You open custodial accounts in your kids’ names, and the first $950 of income isn’t taxed. The next $950 is taxed at 10% — which is the child tax rate. Everything after is taxed at whatever rate you pay. Good uses for money in these kinds of accounts are for non-essential expenses, like summer camp, music lessons and other costs.
7. 529 Contributions (State): No, you can’t get a federal tax deduction from 529 contributions. But in 34 states and the District of Columbia, you can get get a deduction for contributing to the plans offered by those states. In some states, you can even get a tax break for contributing to a plan out of state. Double check the state income tax break possibilities for 529s in your location.

Before you take any of these tax breaks, double check your eligibility. You want to be sure that you really are allowed to enjoy these breaks. You can consult with a tax professional to get a better idea of what you are eligible for.

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7 Income Tax Breaks – Thanks to Your Children

This year’s program goes beyond building traditional awareness of the signs and symptoms of DVT and emphasizes the importance of preventative care in everyday settings such as:

• Office setting
• In a bed, whether hospital or at home
• Assisted-Living or Rehabilitation facilities
• During travel

You may already know that DVT occurs when muscles of the legs are inactive, allowing blood to collect in the lower extremities? Working with Mary Ann Wilson, RN, founder and host of PBS program “Sit and Be Fit,” the Coalition has developed an educational video that features simple, low impact movements to increase blood circulation. Visit www.preventdvt.org to take a look.

The video also features stories from those touched personally by DVT. One of the stories comes from Coalition to Prevent DVT National Spokesperson, Melanie Bloom. Bloom shares her story about learning the news of the loss of her husband, NBC News correspondent David Bloom from complications of DVT while covering the war in Iraq. To watch a special iPSA from Melanie Bloom, speaking of the importance of DVT Awareness, please visit: www.westglen.com/online/dvt_awareness_motion.htm

So in honor of DVT Awareness Month, get out there during March to encourage those you love to put DVT Awareness In Motion!

About the Coalition to Prevent DVT:

In February 2003, more than 60 organizations assembled at the Public Health Leadership Conference on Deep-Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in Washington, D.C. to discuss the urgent need to make DVT a major U.S. public health priority. As a result of this meeting, which was co-hosted by the American Public Health Association (APHA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and funded by sanofi-aventis, participants agreed to establish a Coalition of organizations committed to educating the public and healthcare community about DVT.

In August 2003, national thought leaders and representatives from key organizations, including the American College of Chest Physicians, the APHA and the Society of Hospital Medicine met to set and guide the direction of the Coalition to Prevent DVT. A key outcome of this meeting was the decision to sponsor DVT Awareness Month, a campaign to bring DVT into the public eye on a national and local level.

To date, more than 60 organizations have joined the Coalition to Prevent DVT in a united effort to raise awareness and educate others about the importance of the medical condition.

This feature is a Public Service Announcement for raising awareness about an important health issue. This is not an advertisement and no compensation was requested or received to get the word out.

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March is the Deep-Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Awareness Month

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At the end of last month, most of the new rules from the Credit CARD Act went into effect. While there are some restrictions on some credit card issuer practices, the bottom line is that these are creative business people determined to make a profit. Many credit card issuers have been sending out amendments to agreements and other notices. I hope you have been reading the fine print in communications from your credit card issuers, because here 5 ways that they can still nail you:

1. Variable rate floor

Credit card issuers are starting to institute what are called “rate floors.” This is a part of the agreement that says that your interest rate can’t go below a certain point. This protects credit card issuers from having to drop variable rates to something lower as market-based rates fall. Institute a floor, and no matter how low the market rate fall, your credit card interest rate will not follow once it hits the floor. Paying attention to this fine print is especially important if you are applying for a new card.

2. New rate setting process

In the past, credit card issues have set variable rates periodically, usually on the last day of each billing cycle, or on a certain day each quarter. Now, though, card issuers are looking into the idea of picking their own rate. Some agreements disclose that issuers can choose the highest rate offered anytime in the last 90 days. This means that your variable rate will always be as high as it can be, based on market rates.

3. Inactivity fees

Since the financial crisis and tightening in the credit markets, we’ve seen cardholders’ accounts closed due to inactivity. Now, though, some credit card issuers are realizing that they have a great opportunity here. The CARD Act does not tell issuers what fees they can and cannot charge, so some issuers are instituting inactivity fees, to be charged when you aren’t buying things with your credit card. The annual fee is making a comeback as well, and some card issuers are toying with the idea of adding statement fees.

4. Higher existing fees

To boost revenue, many credit card issuers are raising their fees for services we’re already used to. Check for notices (with your statement or separate) for higher fees on cash advances and balance transfers. There are no ceilings on these fees, and issuers can charge what they want. The same is true of over the limit fees. You have to agree to allow over the limit charges on your card, so watch the fine print for the wording of how that works. And realize that even if you don’t opt in for those charges, if you are close to your limit, a late payment fee or cash advance fee could put you over the top, triggering the higher over the limit fee.

5. International transaction fees on your credit card purchases

These are getting a boost as well. Additionally, credit card issuers are expanding the definition of “international”. It used to be that many card issuers would not charge international transaction fees if everything was done in U.S. dollars — even if the company was in another country. That practice is disappearing in some cases, though. Some issuers are now charging for any transaction that takes place across borders, even if the same currency is used by both parties. Of course, if a different currency is used, that is the cue for an addition exchange fee.

As usual, your best protection against many of the fees is to pay off your balance each month, making sure to make small purchases on each card to keep them active. That way, you will be less susceptible to fees. For other changes, make sure you read the fine print, so you know exactly which cards are going to cost you more for simple transactions that you normally make.

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5 Ways Card Issuers Can Still Nail You Despite the Credit CARD Act of 2009

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You know that health care costs are going to keep going up. As nice as it would be if health insurance companies, hospitals and doctors could all get on the same page and figure out some incentives for healthy living, and as nice as it would be to end up with health care reform that is effective, we’re probably just going to see increased costs. This means that it’s up to you to reduce your health insurance costs and other health care costs. One of the best ways to do this is to live a healthier lifestyle. While you can never fully protect against accidents and some diseases (like cancer and genetic diseases), you can improve your overall health and reduce your chances of heart disease, obesity and diabetes — all of which can get quite costly.

If you are looking to improve your health, you can take a few small steps to change your lifestyle so that you are developing habits that can keep you on the right track. Here are 10 simple ways you can work toward improving your health:

1. Get an hour more of sleep per day: Good sleep helps your body function better. If you aren’t getting 7-9 hours of sleep, try to add an hour of sleep to your routine. Depending on your age, you will need to decide on quantity versus quality when it comes to sleep.
2. Set out some easy-to-eat fruit: I struggle because I have a sweet tooth. One thing that has helped me cut back on candy is to have grapes, dried mangoes, prunes, clementines (fast and easy to peel) and other sweet fruits readily available. That way, when I wonder into the kitchen looking for an easy snack, the fruit is right there. And it’s sweet enough to satisfy my craving — most of the time.
3. Replace one drink per day with water: Instead of that sweetened “sports” drink, or that soda, drink water. Replace one can/Big Gulp/20 oz. bottle each day with water. If you must have flavor in your water, there are low calorie options that lightly flavor your water for you. Even drinking a glass of lowfat milk is better for you than a 20 oz. soda. At the very least, downgrade the size of the sweetened drinks you are guzzling.
4. Daily relaxation: If you take 15-20 minutes each day to relax, via yoga, meditation, some sort of journal writing, or non-demanding reading, you can improve your health by reducing stress. It can even help you lose weight more efficiently when combined with other healthy behaviors!
5. Slow down at mealtime: Give your body time to register that it is consuming food and getting full. This way, you will consume fewer calories, and possibly enjoy your food more. Not to mention you can enjoy extra time with your family.
6. Replace one meat entree a week with a vegetarian alternative: You can boost your health by eating less red meat. Pick one entree a week, and replace it with a tasty vegetarian entree. Not only will you boost your health, but you will be living greener. At the very least, replace one beef, chicken or pork entree with a fish entree.
7. Walk a little more: You’ve heard the advice about parking your care further from the store. This is actually good advice! You can walk a little more throughout the day. Take five minute mini-walks two or three times a day when you go on break. Adding more vigorous exercise to your schedule is even better.
8. Replace white bread with brown: White bread, rice and pasta is less healthy than brown varieties. You’ll be surprised at how flavorful whole grain bread can be, and amazed at the different varieties (and colors) of rice available. You can ease into whole grain pasta by getting the mixed pastas that combine white and wheat.
9. Add variety to your salad: Replace boring iceberg lettuce with flavorful spinach (which is much better raw than cooked, IMO), red lettuce and other leafy vegetables found in “spring mix” bags. These colored leaves are higher in nutrients, and they can add a little more variety to your meals. Bonus points if you grow your own!
10. Pay attention to portions: Try reducing your portion sizes of meats and breads, and increasing your portions of fruits and vegetables. Watch portion size: a six ounce sirloin is actually two serving sizes of beef. Add an extra vegetable side to your meal to make up for the smaller entree portion.

Of course, if you have habits like smoking or excessive alcohol consumption, you will want to go for moderation or even completely kick the smoking habit. That will have the largest positive impact of anything that you try on your health.

You tell us if there are some other ideas that you have tried and how it worked out. We would love to know about them.

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10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Health

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It’s a good idea to invest in some sort of retirement plan at work. There are tax advantages, and your company might offer a matching contribution. Unfortunately, though, there are a number of bad 401k plans that include a variety of fund choices that are costly — with high fees that eat into returns. Others offer little in the way of diversity away from company stock. (You can get help evaluating employer 401k plans at www.brightscope.com.)

If you are dissatisfied with your company’s 401k, there is no reason to put too much of your money into it. Put in enough to earn your company’s highest match — you don’t want to leave free money on the table — and then consider these other retirement options as supplements:

Individual Retirement Account (IRA)

Anyone who has worked and has a tax return can open an IRA. Even spouses that don’t work can open a spousal IRA. Using Roth and traditional IRAs can be very helpful in terms of providing you a way to investing in a retirement plan without relying on what is available through your employer.

• Traditional IRA: You get to contribute to this account before taxes, lowering your taxable income. The deduction is completely phased out by the time you earn $66,000 in adjusted gross income. You can contribute up to $5,000 in 2010 (or $6,000 if you are at least 50).
• Roth IRA: If you are more concerned about tax-free withdrawals later in life, you can contribute to a Roth IRA as long as you earn less than $176,000 married filing jointly (phase out begins at $166,000). You contribute with after-tax dollars, so it doesn’t change your current tax efficiency, but you don’t pay income taxes on your withdrawals, like you would with a traditional IRA. Yearly contribution limits are the same as with a traditional IRA.

You can set up different IRAs for you and your spouse in order to contribute more.

Consider your spouse’s retirement plan

If you have a spouse that works for a different company with a better plan, you can coordinate your retirement plan investments accordingly. Run the numbers, and consider your asset allocation. If it works out, you can incorporate a good plan from your spouse into your overall retirement portfolio. Do what you can to make sure that your spouse’s plan offsets the weaknesses in your own company 401k plan.

Self-employed retirement plans

Some folks don’t have a company to work for, because they are self-employed. The good news is that you don’t have to work for “the man” in order to get the benefits of a retirement plan. You don’t even have to give up the 401k. If you are self-employed, you can create your own solo 401k. This is a way for you to direct your own retirement plan investments, while still getting a tax advantage, even if you don’t have a traditional job that provides traditional benefits.

It is also worth noting that if you have a side business, you can open your own self-employed retirement plan. Keogh plans, SIMPLE IRAs and other options exist, and you can use your side business as a way to boost your retirement plan contributions outside what is offered from your more traditional day job.

Bottom line: You have to watch out for your own retirement, since no one else is going to do it for you. Do your due diligence on your company’s 401k, and decide whether or not it is something that works for you. Contribute only what you must to get the match, and then put your head earned cash into retirement plans that align more closely with your retirement goals.

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Bad Company 401k? There May be Other Options

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With April 15th approaching, you may find you owe tax but can’t pay in full. Just because you cannot pay your tax liability does not mean that you should not file on time. In fact, failing to file on time can be the worst thing to do as the “Failure to File Penalty” is excessive at 5% per month on the unpaid balance (up to 5 months). If filing by April 15th is problematic, you can request an extension by using form 4868  which will give you until October 15th to file (not pay).

When selecting the most appropriate IRS payment plan, it is important to understand where you stand. Do you think you will have with the money in a few months (<120 days), or do you think you will need more time? Another important factor is estimating or finding out your total tax liability.

If You Can Make a Payment in 120 Days or Less

If you can make a payment in less than 120 days or less,  you can request a short-term payment extension with the IRS using the Online Payment Agreement Application (OPA).  Requesting a longer term than what is needed will cost you more as a short-term extension carries no application/user fee unlike an Installment Agreement (explained below). If the IRS gives you an online approval for this payment extension, you typically will get a hard-copy confirmation in the mail within 10 days.  Realize that the IRS will usually add on a “Failure to Pay Penalty” so, therefore, if you can pay the IRS in full on April 15th, you can avoid this penalty.

If You Cannot Make A Payment in 120 Days or Less

If you cannot make a payment in 120 days or less, you may want to consider an IRS Installment Agreement which will allow you to pay your taxes over a series of monthly payments. It does carry interest (currently 4% compounded daily), and, unfortunately you will incur the Failure to Pay Penalty. However, the latter penalty will be reduced by 50% with an IRS acceptance.  Now there are a few different types of IRS Installment Agreements (IAs), each dependent upon your total tax liability, but these have a user fee ($105 or $52 if directly debited from your bank account).

• Guaranteed Installment Agreement – If you owe the Internal Revenue Service over $10,000 this IA will be the most appropriate for you. To request this agreement, either use the IRS Online Payment Agreement Application or file form 9465. Remember, with all types of payment plans you need to make sure you filed all tax returns due. This payment plan is unique because under the tax code you are “guaranteed” an acceptance by the IRS.  When requesting this IA you will need to state a monthly payment amount that is equal to or greater than the minimum monthly payment. To calculate this, take the total amount you owe (including penalties and interest) and divide that number by 30. Your minimum payment should pay off your total debt amount in 36 months taking into account penalties and interest.
• Streamlined Installment Agreement – If you owe the IRS more than $10,000 but less than $25,000 (taking into account penalties and interest) you can apply for a “Streamlined” Installment Agreement by utilizing the Online Payment Agreement Application or by completing form 9465. The reason this is typically coined “Streamlined,” is due to the fact that the IRS will not require financial disclosure or verification of your income, expenses, and assets. To figure out your monthly minimum payment take the total amount you owe (again plus interest and penalties) and divide this number by 50.
• Financially Verified Installment Agreement – If you owe tax for over $25,000 or more, or you cannot make the minimum monthly payment on a Streamlined Installment Agreement, it is suggested that you request this type of payment plan. This type of Installment Agreement is more complicated because you need to provide a financial statement to the IRS (Form 433-A) which is called a Collection Information Statement. You need to disclose again your assets, income, and liabilities; your monthly payment will determined by what you have the ability to pay each month determined by Form 433-A. With this IA it is best to work with a tax professional simply because Form 433-A can be complex.
• Partial Payment Installment Agreement – This Installment Agreement is best if you cannot qualify for any of the other IAs, and you owe more than $10,000 (including penalties and interest) in tax. It allows you to pay a monthly payment amount up until the Statute of Collection (SOC) expires on each period of your debt; this time frame is generally 10 years minus the period from the assessment date.  As the SOC expires on each period, that debt will fall off, and you will continue to make monthly payments on the remaining balance. This is a great alternative to an Offer In Compromise (OIC), especially if you had an OIC rejected or you are on the cusp of qualifying.  It will also allow you to pay what you can afford or what you have the ability to pay, which is determined by Form 433. Ultimately, you will end up paying less than the total amount you owed but expect to pay what equity is left in your assets and your disposable income (over the remaining statutory collection period).  Sometimes, though, the IRS will require you to sell or liquidate assets before you can qualify for this payment plan. It is highly recommended that you work with a tax professional as negotiations will occur and you need to understand complex terminology and calculations.

Overall, these are a few different payment options that lead to compliance if you owe the IRS money and you cannot pay in full. Realize, that there is always a cost to paying the IRS over time rather than when your taxes are due.  Therefore, in deciding whether to even agree to a payment plan with the IRS, you must consider other alternatives and their respective interest rates (e.g. credit card, bank loan, personal loan, etc). From a nominal perspective, the IRS charges 4% (compounded daily) and (.25% compounded monthly) on the unpaid balance.

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Selecting an IRS Payment Plan If You Owe Tax And Cannot Pay in Full

Giveaway

The winner will be picked randomly from all the entries received between Feb 18, 2010 and Mar 20, 2010. The winner will be contacted my Mar 21, 2010 via email for details on where to send the prize. You will be able to improve your chances of winning by earning multiple entries in the giveaway.

How to enter

There are several ways to enter:

1. Subscribe to the email newsletter: If you subscribe to the email newsletter between now and Mar 20th, you will gain 3 entries to the giveaway drawing. Please note that only active subscribers as of Mar 20th will be counted. Subscription is free.
2. Retweet this post on Twitter: Retweeting this post on twitter will give you one additional entry to the giveaway. When you do it, make sure that your retweet contains the phrase RT @arohan. This way, I will be able to track the tweets. Only 2 retweets from a single twitter account will be counted.
3. Become a contributor: You will get 5 additional entries if you register at Personal Dividends as a contributor before Mar 20th. You can do so at Write for Us page. Be sure to read the guidelines. There are not many
4. Write an article: If you write an article at Personal Dividends and it is published before Mar 20, you will get additional 5 entries.
5. Make a comment: Each comment made to this post will earn an additional 2 entries. Your comment should address one or more of the following: a. What you like about Personal Dividends, b. What you dislike about Personal Dividends, and, c. What would you like to see more of on Personal Dividends.

Finally, if there is a large participation, I will add additional prizes to the giveaway, so stay tuned.

Disclaimer: The H&R Block tax software has been furnished by H&R Block, I am sure, as a promotional item. I have not been compensated by H&R Block in any way or form.

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Win a Free Tax Software – Giveaway

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Keeping your finances properly organized requires a lot of paperwork. At tax time, you probably pay even more attention to what you should keep, and what you can toss. You can significantly reduce your paper clutter — and save your sanity — when you understand which papers to preserve, and which you can toss. Use this handy guide to determine how long to keep certain documents.

Papers to toss after a year or less

Some documents can be discarded rather quickly. Surprisingly quickly in some cases.

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• Credit card bills: After you have checked your credit card statements, and paid what you owe, you can shred your credit card bills. One exception is if you need the statement showing a charge that is under warranty (staple the bill to the warranty and keep in a separate warranty file). The second exception is if you are taking a deduction related to something you charged. Consult your tax checklist, and keep the bill as a way to prove that you can use the deduction. Keep the bill with your copy of your current year tax return.
• Bank account statements: Once you reconcile your statements, they can be shredded. However, as with the credit card bills, you need to keep them with tax documents if you are taking a deduction.
• Investment statements: Monthly and quarterly statements can be shredded when you get new statements in. Annual investment statements, though, should be kept until you sell the investments. You should also keep annual statements for tax purposes (such as retirement accounts) on hand, and in folders separated by deductible and non-deductible accounts.
• Pay stubs: Keep your pay stubs for each year. Once you have reconciled them with your W-2, then you can shred them.
• Receipts: Unless you’re using them for back-up information for taxes and warranties, most receipts can be instantly shredded. Enter them into a personal finance program to help you track your spending, and then get rid of the paper.
• Insurance policies: As soon as you get your insurance policy renewal, you can shred your old insurance policy documents.

Documents to get rid of after a limited time

Some documents are only needed until they have served their purposes.

• Loan documents: Keep these documents someplace secure (fire safe, safe-deposit box) until the loan is paid off. When the loan is paid off, and you have the title or the deed, you can shred the loan documents.
• Vehicle records: Store maintenance and repair records for as long as you have the vehicle. They may be needed for warranty information, or the next owner may want them. You should keep titles, purchase receipts and registration information in a secure place for as long as you own the boat, car, motorcycle, truck in question. After ownership is transferred, you can get rid of these documents.
• Investment purchases: When you purchase an investment, you are sent a confirmation. This can help you establish a cost basis. If you get this information in an annual statement, discard the confirmation after you get the statement. Otherwise, keep the document until you sell the investment. But, then, you will need to move the document into your current year tax file as part of your records.
• Savings bonds: Keep these secure until you cash them in. Treasury Direct has a handy program that will let you exchange paper bonds for electronic bonds.

Keep for seven years

For the most part, only tax records need to be kept for seven years. You should keep copies of your tax returns with their supporting documents (statements, receipts, etc.). I like to put all of my tax documents and supporting papers in a manila envelope labeled with the tax year, and then safely stored. If you are suspected of fraud, you can be audited any time, and the government has six years to collect taxes or start legal proceedings if you do not report more than 25% of your gross income. And, of course, any of your tax returns in the last three years are subject to random audit.

Never get rid of these papers

There are a few papers that you should never get rid of. Obviously, you need to keep birth, marriage, divorce, military discharge, Social Security and death documents in a safe place, and keep them forever. But there are other items that you should hold on to.

• Life insurance policies: Life insurance policy documents related to permanent coverage should be kept until the covered person dies and you get your payout, or until you cash in the policy. Term life policies, of course, need only be kept until the term expires, or the covered person dies.
• Defined benefit plan papers: If you have a defined benefit retirement plan, keep this information safe, and keep it forever. This goes for documents from current and past employers.
• Estate planning: Documents related to estate planning — wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care proxy, etc. — for as long as they are in effect. Not only should these be kept someplace secure, but you should also have copies for your attorney and for your executor. Physicians should have copies of health care proxy documents.

If you are conscientious about organizing your papers, and if you know when you can get rid of certain documents, you will find your entire financial life much better organized.

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How Long Should You Keep Your Financial Documents – A Quick Guide

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More Personal Dividends on Blog Carnivals

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There are a number of things you can do to improve your sleep, and to make sure that you are getting enough of it. Adequate sleep is important for your health, happiness and for your sanity. However, some of the tricks you can use to improve your sleep don’t hold up as well if you are a new parent, trying to get the rest you need while caring for a newborn. Sometimes you just can’t do all of the things you should when it comes to ensuring a whole night of uninterrupted sleep. In situations that involve newborns, you actually need to come up with different strategies for getting better sleep. You want to get good rest as a new parent, and here are 5 tips for getting the sleep you need:

1. Nap when your baby does: You might have heard this before, but when you are faced with dirty dishes and a number of other chores, it suddenly becomes more tempting to skip the sleep and get something else done. Don’t. When your newborn sleeps, you should, too. You can clean or return phone calls at some other point, such as right after the baby has been fed and is content to sit in the bouncer chair for half an hour.
2. Get help: Enlist the help of the rest of your family to help with keeping the house clean so that you don’t have to resort to chores when you could be napping while the baby sleeps. You can also check into the costs of hiring a mother’s helper or a babysitter to help with household chores, or to watch the baby once or twice a week. You can also get a little help from older children or a partner by having someone else take care of one or two feedings. If you breastfeed, you can pump ahead of time. It doesn’t hurt for baby to learn to take feedings from others via bottle.
3. Don’t immediately jump up when you hear the baby: It’s okay for the baby to cry for a few minutes before you pick him or her up. Sometimes, after your baby starts sleeping most of the night, he or she will cry a little before re-settling and going back to sleep. You don’t need to hurry into the room at every noise. Usually, it can wait a little bit.
4. Be up front about your sleep needs: Talk to your partner about your sleep needs, and your health. Be up front with how lack of sleep is affecting you, and see if you can work out some way to help you get the rest that you need. This may include help from your partner on the weekends so that you can sleep a little to recharge, or help with a feeding so that you can nap.
5. Don’t take on too much: When you are caring for a newborn is not the time to add new responsibilities to your plate. Instead, cut back. Taking care of yourself and your new baby should be your main concerns. Additionally, you want to have time with other children that you may have, so taking on new responsibilities could be a real problem. Instead, learn to say “no” so that you can take care of the more pressing necessities in your life.

Having children is both challenging and rewarding. Adequate sleep and some time for relaxation are necessary if you want to be able to better deal with the challenges so that you can, in the end, take good care of yourself and the rest of your family.

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New Parent? 5 Tips for Getting the Sleep You Need