Hope for your future
Hope for your future
At Crystal Financial Solutions we believe there's a way for everyone to achieve financial freedom
At Crystal Financial Solutions we believe there's a way for everyone to achieve financial freedom
Financial Coaching
Tax Planning & Prep
Our professional tax preparers can help you plan ahead and know what actions to take to get the most benefit out of the tax code
About
About Crystal Financial Solutions
At Crystal Financial Solutions, we provide hope to everyone, including businesses, through common sense financial education and empowerment. We provide financial planning and tax services to individuals and small businesses.
About Judith Ackland, Owner
After working in the industry for 18 years as a controller and chief financial officer for a multi-million dollar business group in the Midwest, Judith Ackland started Crystal Financial Solutions LLC to provide accounting and financial planning services to individuals, small businesses and not-for-profit organizations.
Accreditations & Memberships
- CFP Board
- Member, Nebraska Society of Certified Public Accountants
- Member, American Institute of CPAs
- Served as a board member and audit committee member of community bank for three years
- Member, Financial Planning Association
- Member, Western Douglas County Rotary Club
- Member, Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce
- Member, Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce
- Member, National Association of Tax Professionals
- Member, Center Sphere
Services
Income Tax Planning & Return Preparation
Tax preparation for individuals and families
Even if your income tax return seems simple, it can be confusing for someone who is not familiar with the process. Here is how we can help:
- We meet with individuals and families to pre-plan for their taxes if necessary as well as prepare their actual return when tax time arrives.
- No matter what your filing status is, we can help you.
- We can help you avoid these common tax preparation mistakes:
- Not taking advantage of traditional IRA deductions You can lower your taxes and boost your retirement savings by properly taking IRA deductions. Many people miss this step or don’t use it to its full advantage.
- Not taking life changes into account Something as seemingly minor as changing daycare providers or having an in-law come live with you for a period of time could have a major impact on your tax return. A good tax preparer will ask plenty of questions to get you the most deductions possible.
- Focusing on the biggest possible refund Many people have one goal in mind when they do their taxes: get the biggest refund possible. However, if this means taking improper deductions, not reporting income, or otherwise trying to ‘work the system’, it could have negative consequences. A professional tax preparer will help you strive for the best overall benefit you are entitled to.
- Not taking advantage of unreimbursed employee expenses If you are not reimbursed for expenses such as mileage on your vehicle, you can claim these as deductions. If missed, this could make hundreds of dollars worth of difference on your refund.
Tax preparation for small businesses
If you own a small business, your taxes can become incredibly complicated. That’s why it’s important to work with a professional tax preparer at the beginning of the year so you can keep tabs on your finances and be ready for tax time when it arrives. The experts at Crystal Financial have helped numerous small to medium sized businesses simplify their taxes and ensure they file everything properly.
We find that business owners who try to do their taxes themselves or use a tax preparer who is not knowledgeable in business taxes often make the following mistakes:
- Failing to report information at the proper time The IRS matches the information you report to the information they receive from 1099 forms. If the two don’t match or if you don’t report the information at the proper time, you could get fined.
- Not filing the proper forms and reports Depending on the type of business you have, there are numerous forms and reports that may be due to the IRS. Working with a professional tax preparer is the best way to ensure you file all appropriate documents.
- Not claiming all your deductions There are numerous types of deductions you can take as a small business owner to help with your tax bill. When you work with a good tax preparer, you may be surprised at all the deductions you would have otherwise missed.
- Not keeping good records Keeping good records is essential for small business owners. Not only does it help your tax preparer when it comes to deductions, but it will also be vital in the event of an audit. If you work with a knowledgeable tax preparer, he or she can tell you what types of records you need to keep.
Are you an individual or small to medium business owner? Do you want to work with a professional who has years of experience in preparing personal and business taxes? Reach out today to find out how we can help.
Financial Coaching
Young People
Those who are going to college or entering the workforce for the first time have unique needs. They need to effectively develop and manage a budget, maximize any retirement plans their employer makes available, and plan for their future families. We work with young people from childhood to become a compassionate financial teacher and advisor for them. We want to see young people succeed and go on to build successful careers and families and set themselves up early for fruitful retirements. We can educate young people on:
- Learning about savings and the value of money.
- Budgeting for college expenses to lessen student loans and credit card debt.
- Insurance issues including health, vehicle, renters, homeowners, and life insurance.
Families
Growing families often struggle with maintaining a budget while still trying to pay for their children’s various needs and also save for retirement. Many married couples don’t understand how to properly take advantage of retirement programs at work or how to best claim tax incentives. We enjoy working with families of all sizes and ages to ensure they have the resources to enjoy their current lives while still planning for the future.
Parents of College Kids
Parents who are preparing to or have already sent their kids to college have their own set of needs. They need to decide how much to help their children financially, how to best restructure their budgets in a new empty-nest household, and now must start looking at their own nearing retirement. We can help these parents with budgets, tax questions, investment opportunities, and the multitude of questions that come with this challenging life change.
Those Preparing for Retirement
As individuals get closer to retirement age, their needs rapidly change. Many worry that they have not saved enough to have a safe and comfortable retirement and wonder if they will have to work long past the age of 65 to catch up. We often counsel those nearing retirement age to see how we can maximize savings while not reducing quality of life.
Business Owners
Small business owners are a dynamic and inspiring group of individuals and we enjoy working with them to ensure their companies are a success. We can help with budgeting, tax questions, retirement planning for them and their employees, and a number of other areas. Working with business owners as their companies grow, develop, and succeed is a true specialty of Crystal Financial and we welcome the opportunity to assist any local small to medium business owner.
We also enjoy working with those who plan to start their own business. We can help educate future entrepreneurs on what type of corporation they should set up, tax issues, record-keeping, accounting systems, and more.
Corporate Workshops & Employee Financial Wellness Programs
Workshops
Workshops provided at your place of business provide an extra benefit for your employees. We can schedule workshops over the lunch hour, before or after work shifts, or any time that works best for your team.
We currently offer workshops in the following areas:
- Developing a spending plan
- Debt buster
- Retirement planning
- Basics of insurance
- Navigating your tax return
- Employee stock options
If you would like to schedule a workshop on a different financial topic, please reach out as we can customize workshops to your unique needs.
Financial Coaching
Would your employees benefit from on-site financial coaching? Crystal Financial is available to come to your office and meet individually with your employees. Depending on your team’s needs, we can provide coaching in the following areas:
- Tax preparation
- Budgeting
- Retirement options
- Eliminating debt
- How to increase savings
- Paying off student debt
The cost of financial coaching can be paid by the employee or by the employer. Please reach out for costs depending on your unique situation.
Workshop/Employee Coaching Packages
Interested in both workshops and employee coaching? Crystal Financial offers two packages:
Package One
- Financial coach on-site two days per month
- Minimum of two workshops per month
- Individual financial coaching for employees included in cost
Package Two
- Financial coach on-site two days per month
- Minimum of two workshops per month
- Individual financial coaching for employees at discounted price payable by employee or employer
If you’re interested in providing the benefit of financial wellness to your employees, please reach out to Crystal Financial today! We’d love to customize the perfect plan for your team.
Income Tax Planning & Return Preparation
Tax preparation for individuals and families
Even if your income tax return seems simple, it can be confusing for someone who is not familiar with the process. Here is how we can help:
- We meet with individuals and families to pre-plan for their taxes if necessary as well as prepare their actual return when tax time arrives.
- No matter what your filing status is, we can help you.
- We can help you avoid these common tax preparation mistakes:
- Not taking advantage of traditional IRA deductions You can lower your taxes and boost your retirement savings by properly taking IRA deductions. Many people miss this step or don’t use it to its full advantage.
- Not taking life changes into account Something as seemingly minor as changing daycare providers or having an in-law come live with you for a period of time could have a major impact on your tax return. A good tax preparer will ask plenty of questions to get you the most deductions possible.
- Focusing on the biggest possible refund Many people have one goal in mind when they do their taxes: get the biggest refund possible. However, if this means taking improper deductions, not reporting income, or otherwise trying to ‘work the system’, it could have negative consequences. A professional tax preparer will help you strive for the best overall benefit you are entitled to.
- Not taking advantage of unreimbursed employee expenses If you are not reimbursed for expenses such as mileage on your vehicle, you can claim these as deductions. If missed, this could make hundreds of dollars worth of difference on your refund.
Tax preparation for small businesses
If you own a small business, your taxes can become incredibly complicated. That’s why it’s important to work with a professional tax preparer at the beginning of the year so you can keep tabs on your finances and be ready for tax time when it arrives. The experts at Crystal Financial have helped numerous small to medium sized businesses simplify their taxes and ensure they file everything properly.
We find that business owners who try to do their taxes themselves or use a tax preparer who is not knowledgeable in business taxes often make the following mistakes:
- Failing to report information at the proper time The IRS matches the information you report to the information they receive from 1099 forms. If the two don’t match or if you don’t report the information at the proper time, you could get fined.
- Not filing the proper forms and reports Depending on the type of business you have, there are numerous forms and reports that may be due to the IRS. Working with a professional tax preparer is the best way to ensure you file all appropriate documents.
- Not claiming all your deductions There are numerous types of deductions you can take as a small business owner to help with your tax bill. When you work with a good tax preparer, you may be surprised at all the deductions you would have otherwise missed.
- Not keeping good records Keeping good records is essential for small business owners. Not only does it help your tax preparer when it comes to deductions, but it will also be vital in the event of an audit. If you work with a knowledgeable tax preparer, he or she can tell you what types of records you need to keep.
Are you an individual or small to medium business owner? Do you want to work with a professional who has years of experience in preparing personal and business taxes? Reach out today to find out how we can help.
Financial Coaching
Young People
Those who are going to college or entering the workforce for the first time have unique needs. They need to effectively develop and manage a budget, maximize any retirement plans their employer makes available, and plan for their future families. We work with young people from childhood to become a compassionate financial teacher and advisor for them. We want to see young people succeed and go on to build successful careers and families and set themselves up early for fruitful retirements. We can educate young people on:
- Learning about savings and the value of money.
- Budgeting for college expenses to lessen student loans and credit card debt.
- Insurance issues including health, vehicle, renters, homeowners, and life insurance.
Families
Growing families often struggle with maintaining a budget while still trying to pay for their children’s various needs and also save for retirement. Many married couples don’t understand how to properly take advantage of retirement programs at work or how to best claim tax incentives. We enjoy working with families of all sizes and ages to ensure they have the resources to enjoy their current lives while still planning for the future.
Parents of College Kids
Parents who are preparing to or have already sent their kids to college have their own set of needs. They need to decide how much to help their children financially, how to best restructure their budgets in a new empty-nest household, and now must start looking at their own nearing retirement. We can help these parents with budgets, tax questions, investment opportunities, and the multitude of questions that come with this challenging life change.
Those Preparing for Retirement
As individuals get closer to retirement age, their needs rapidly change. Many worry that they have not saved enough to have a safe and comfortable retirement and wonder if they will have to work long past the age of 65 to catch up. We often counsel those nearing retirement age to see how we can maximize savings while not reducing quality of life.
Business Owners
Small business owners are a dynamic and inspiring group of individuals and we enjoy working with them to ensure their companies are a success. We can help with budgeting, tax questions, retirement planning for them and their employees, and a number of other areas. Working with business owners as their companies grow, develop, and succeed is a true specialty of Crystal Financial and we welcome the opportunity to assist any local small to medium business owner.
We also enjoy working with those who plan to start their own business. We can help educate future entrepreneurs on what type of corporation they should set up, tax issues, record-keeping, accounting systems, and more.
Corporate Workshops & Employee Financial Wellness Programs
Workshops
Workshops provided at your place of business provide an extra benefit for your employees. We can schedule workshops over the lunch hour, before or after work shifts, or any time that works best for your team.
We currently offer workshops in the following areas:
- Developing a spending plan
- Debt buster
- Retirement planning
- Basics of insurance
- Navigating your tax return
- Employee stock options
If you would like to schedule a workshop on a different financial topic, please reach out as we can customize workshops to your unique needs.
Financial Coaching
Would your employees benefit from on-site financial coaching? Crystal Financial is available to come to your office and meet individually with your employees. Depending on your team’s needs, we can provide coaching in the following areas:
- Tax preparation
- Budgeting
- Retirement options
- Eliminating debt
- How to increase savings
- Paying off student debt
The cost of financial coaching can be paid by the employee or by the employer. Please reach out for costs depending on your unique situation.
Workshop/Employee Coaching Packages
Interested in both workshops and employee coaching? Crystal Financial offers two packages:
Package One
- Financial coach on-site two days per month
- Minimum of two workshops per month
- Individual financial coaching for employees included in cost
Package Two
- Financial coach on-site two days per month
- Minimum of two workshops per month
- Individual financial coaching for employees at discounted price payable by employee or employer
If you’re interested in providing the benefit of financial wellness to your employees, please reach out to Crystal Financial today! We’d love to customize the perfect plan for your team.
Resources
Interested in learning more about budgeting, planning for your children’s college education, or retirement? Take a look at our blog to learn more about the financial issues that are important to you.
Videos
Sessions are available on YouTube. They include:
- Banking and Credit.
- Your Spending Plan.
- Getting Out of Debt.
- Saving for Purchases/Living Without Credit.
- Paying for College.
- Income Taxes.
Publications
A recognized local leader in the field of financial planning, Judith Ackland enjoys lending her expertise to Omaha-based publications. Judith Ackland has been featured in the following publications where she shares valuable information on financial topics. If you’re interested in interviewing Ms. Ackland for a local or national publication, please get in touch.
- Featured in Momaha Magazine
Contact
p: 402.504.3497
f: 402.502.3796
© 2022 Crystal Financial Solutions
