LeMay Photography is busy with family, senior, business headshots, and real estate photography for all our clients getting ready for the coming year. Everyone in business has to be very careful during the existing financial climate and make the best decisions that will positively affect their enterprise. One decision I made last year was to install thirty-seven solar panels on the roof of my home. That decision has now had a very positive effect on the amount of tax that I owe. The government made a generous tax credit available on solar panels, which I took advantage of. It was not entirely a business strategy; my son, who lives in Texas, had solar panels installed, so my wife wanted them too. At first, we wanted our home to be protected from power outages and to have a very small or no electric bill. As we progressed, I determined that my panels would be of no help during an outage as they needed the power to generate electricity. This arrangement seems like a scheme to keep me on the grid; being entirely off the grid is unrealistic. A standby battery that sunlight can charge during bright sunny days can power a home overnight or for short periods; however, when the battery is fully discharged, you have a cold or hot, dark house. The tax credit has decreased the income tax I owe, my wife is happy with the panels, and we have a credit on the power company bill.
