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A Toronto-based CPA, Jennifer Kapedani had spent 10 years in the Corporate world of Public Accounting. Working as a Business Advisor to both global, public corporations and small to mid-sized, owner-managed businesses, she had seen it all – the successes and perhaps more importantly, the struggles. It was during that time that she developed her passion for working with those owner-managed businesses and so, in 2020 launched her own practice – a full-service accounting & advisory practice, acting as a financial “one-stop-shop” for owner-managed businesses. Through her Virtual CFO, Business Coaching & Tax services, she provides a holistic approach to financial services for businesses and their owners. She is committed to changing the landscape for small business accounting – making the expertise of experienced CPAs more accessible to all, not just the big players! Jennifer, a proud “Mompreneur”, lives in North Toronto with her husband (another CPA!) and two toddlers. She is an active supporter of women-owned businesses, a fierce advocate for women’s equality in the workforce, and an avid home chef!
In this episode:
- Accounting best practices for both personal and business finances. Review your finances regularly and stay up to date on your taxes.
- Saving money at tax time. Track your expenditures because even for personal taxes you can deduct medical expenses, tution, daycare, and even interest on some loans. And – pay your taxes on time!
- There are different types of accountants. Depending on your financial needs you may need to seek the help of a bookkeeper, tax accountant, or CPA.
- Important money lessons for kids. Credit cards, debt, interest, budgeting, and taxes!
- Allowances. Do you give an allowance? Do you connect allowances to household chores and responsibilities?
- Your dreams matter. Do what you need to do to be happy and fulfilled and it will flow through to everywhere else in your life.
Connect with Jennifer:
- Instagram: @jkapedanicpa https://www.instagram.com/jkapedanicpa/
- Facebook: @jkapedanicpa https://www.facebook.com/JKapedaniCPA
- Website: https://www.jkcpa.ca
Connect with Tiana and The Part-Time Jungle:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parttimejungle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parttimejungle/
- Website: https://theparttimejungle.com
YOUR DREAMS MATTER
For a long time, Jennifer wasn’t happy in the career that she had. So, she made a jump and a change. She is grateful to her husband for supporting her in making this leap. When you are happy, it flows through to everywhere else in your life. Your kids want to see you happy. You can’t be the best mom you can be if you aren’t happy.
It can be really hard to change careers, write a book, or create a product that you want to. Jennifer feels that it is really important “for your kids to see you doing something that you love and that is fulfilling because you would obviously want the same for them.” She doesn’t ever want her kids to put their dreams second. “Just effing do it.” If you need to tell your husband to start pulling more weight or hire a babysitter or work a night, then just do what you need to do to make you feel happy and fulfilled. Everything else will fall into place afterwards.
KNOW YOUR NUMBERS
Jennifer stresses the importance of regularly looking at both your personal and business finances. This is something that we can avoid. It can be a scary thing to look at our numbers. Especially if you already have an idea that maybe they aren’t showing you what you would like to see. Jennifer always feels better knowing even if she doesn’t like what she is seeing. It allows her to feel in control. This allows us to be better positioned to pay off debt, save for a house, or look at the sales targets for our business.
MONEY-SMART LESSONS FOR KIDS
Both Jennifer and her husband are CPAs (Chartered Professional Accountants) and so I was curious about what she wants to make sure her kids learn about when it comes to money!
Her kids are currently quite young. Her son is 3 ½ and her daughter is 2. She jokes with them about “mommy tax” which means that when she gives them a treat, they share some of it with her! Her kids love playing with calculators and when her calculator has gone missing, she has found it in her son’s bed because he has decided to go to sleep with it!
Here are Jennifer’s top 3 money-smart lessons for kids:
- Credit cards are not free money. Kids should understand the concepts of debt and interest.
- Budgeting. “Budgets are a way of making things that excite you seem possible.”
- How taxes work. How do you file a tax return? What happens when you make money? Where does it go?