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| December 2005 |
Taxes offer a win-win situation! You don't
believe me!Well, perhaps the more chilling reality is that the tax year will be coming to a screeching halt in a few days, and many of the general populace might have to PAY taxes. The only question is, how much? The following is a list of additional (last minute), deduction options. Even a simple contribution of $1000 (or less) could offer relief to an otherwise dismal tax situation. In a few of these examples the government appears willing to reward us - if we take advantage. Which LAST MINUTE Tax Deductions are still available?How about contributing to an IRA (Roth or Conventional)? The deduction amount varies from year to year, so check the IRS website for current guidelines. This financial instrument is considered a retirement savings plan, but like any investment, one that requires monitoring.Medical Health Account (HSA): Relatively new in concept, but another favorable deduction option, particularly for those who have their own business and pay out of pocket expenses for health insurance. Charitable Deductions (church, or other non- profit donation). For anyone this is a great way to get rid of accumulated stuff that someone else might use. Always make sure you keep a record of all items and their donated values. Business Mileage (Make your list and check it twice!) Last minute large business purchase (computer, fax, printer) CHECKLIST GOALS FOR 2006 – MORE OPTIONS FOR A LIFETIME OF SAVINGSDo you own a home? If not, do you need to start saving for a down payment? Should you set aside a fixed amount to do this? What percentage should this be? Do you have access to an automatic deduction plan? January is a great time to start NO FEE automatic deductions! Call you financial institution to find out more.The stock market: What do you know about stocks? What do you need to know about stocks? See article included in this section. What is your savings goal for next year [2006]? What did you save in 2005? Will you be able to add 3-5% to this? Do you have children? Is it time to start a college fund? Ask at your bank or credit union about college savings programs. Health Benefits. Will there be additional dental or prescription costs for you or your family in 2006? Do you need to buy Life Insurance? Who would benefit the most (which spouse or beneficiary)? How about Mortgage Insurance? Could this potentially pay out more then life insurance? This option works best if you never plan on moving. Mortgage Insurance payouts often apply to only the existing mortgage and don't carry over to new loans. Your salary: Is it on par with inflation? Will a a 3% annual salary increase be enough to maintain your savings goals? Self-improvement: What "money performance" classes do you need to take? Do you need to find other investment options like Real Estate, Tax Saving Programs or Certificates of Deposit? Home Improvements – Do you need to save for major repairs (a new roof, copper plumbing, etc)? Car Expenses: What sort of maintenance expenses do you foresee? Do you need to consider buying a new car? When? Should you start a separate savings account for this? If you own your own business, should you consider leasing a new car? What amount of future taxes could you potentially save? Should you take a tax information class? A very ambitious rule here is to save as much as possible, or preferably pay less!
WEIGHT PERFORMANCE
Picture this, a tall, dark, handsome man, selling
vitamins on the local TV shopping channel.
Drooling at him might be diagnosed as a deficiency (vitamin). This same deficiency could also explain that weak at the knees feeling one experiences when gazing into his clear blue eyes, simpering at the sight of his rugged physique, or ahing when he pronounces words with lawyer-like ease and above average IQ. Well, he is a lawyer by profession – could we expect anything less? The most significant observation about Vita Guy is that he has been selling vitamins for more than ten years and he looks no different then he did ten years ago, (truly)! Keeping this in mind, could vitamins be the new poster child for longevity, wellness and better health? When our modern diets are so wanting in nutritional value, might supplements offer us an extended lease on life? The question begs, if we must have supplements as part of our diet, how do we choose the right ones? Is there some secret combination that is more effective then another? A miracle blend perhaps - which may explain why our primetime Vita Guy looks so ah...yummy? If this is so, then why are all supplements not created equal. Why do manufacturers keep churning out different brands, dosages and compositions? And, if every brand is different, with different amounts of this and that (even our Vita Guy’s brand), how does one choose exactly what our body needs? For aging women, health organizations recommend adding calcium to the diet. Indeed calcium has been presented as the cur all for skeletal destruction, and without a doubt, takes up a large corner of the mineral market, even finding it’s way into milk “fortified” products, bars and “other” foods. Calcium is followed by anything anti-oxidant (from Vitamin C, berry this and that, to green tea). Other 21st century supplement stars include, Glucosamine and Chondroitin, garlic and red wine. Let's not forget dark chocolate, which for the most part could be ingested less painfully by consuming several candy bars! That was an attempt at humor. No, chocolate alone will not meet the FDA daily requirements for vitamin intake. Check the link below. Still confused as to what to pick? Where to pick-it? Whom to believe? What dosage to take? Is all of this information too mesmerizing and complicated? Does conventional wisdom suggest that we simply march down to our nearest grocery store and purchase a one-a-day brand and have done with it? One of the links provided in this article is from the Harvard School of Public Health, and offers some concise, easy to read information about supplements. If you can wade through those 18 pages and gain some clarity as to what vitamins and minerals do (FOR YOU), then you might become a little less confused. Regardless, piles of research later, there is still no precise information about what vitamins Mr. Jones should take versus Mrs. Jones; apparently we are all too anatomically unique. Some doctors (a specialist in nutrition perhaps) might run a few blood tests and with time and age we would no doubt have to retake these tests and then adjust, adjust, adjust! Based on the fact that we are all different in age and health requirements, a customized approach might be more beneficial then a random selection process. It might also be important to seek the advice of a physician, registered dietitian, pharmacist, or other qualified health professional regarding taking dietary supplements and their potential interactions with other medications. Whatever decision we make, perhaps the only inescapable truth remains, we are all aging, all of us that is except our Mr. Vita Guy! SPIRIT PERFORMANCE
When I was a little girl, I loved small boxes. I
guess I
was ahead of my time as a recycler. Any tiny box
could become doll furniture or part of a basement
store. Special containers such as a snap-shut watch
box or a ring box with a velvet interior could become
anything from a swivel chair to a
wedding cake, depending on the size of the customer!
Now that I am packing up our house, my
admiration
for boxes has grown exponentially. The local store
gave
us a stack of floral boxes that are ingeniously
engineered: they are strong as box oxen and require
no tape! If that doesn’t restore your faith in the
inspired human mind, what does?
As I pack boxes, issues of want versus need and
appreciation versus greed run through me. Why did I
bring so much into this tiny house? Did the collection
of pitchers I decoratively placed throughout our
spacious Taos kitchen comfort me, as I shifted them
from box to shelf to box again, upstairs downstairs,
and finally the garage? Hardly - they like so many
other “things” have become symbols of loss and,
worse
yet, my failure to let go and leap into a new world
created with each new breath.
Did I think this tiny house, like my tiny childhood
boxes, would shift and change to fit our needs? Well,
maybe. My heart is pounding today as I contemplate the
impossible idea of living in a new house in less than a
week. Only a few days remain, but there are still
years of house and life to pack. As a mere human, it
seems beyond me. But I won’t stop trying too soon. I
might just be one step away from a miracle.
PERFORMANCE HOLIDAY PRAYER By An Anonymous Author
In just a few weeks people all around the world will celebrate, in one fashion or another, light coming into the world. That light is called by many names, but I believe that the light comes from the same source. Therefore, in the name of God, whom some call Yahweh, some call Jesus, some call Allah. In the name of God whom many know as a breath and others refuse to name at all. In the name of God, who is force and origin, destiny and center. In the name of God beyond all names, let us pray. We pray for the gift of life, whose origin is unknown, whose breath is beyond understanding. We pray for the gift of hope, that those who may find this season to be difficult will not lose. We pray for the gift of courage, to make it through the hard times. And we pray for the gift of time – that we may more completely understand what it is to have joy during a moment of peace. We pray this in the Spirit of the one Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. SPONSOR PERFORMANCE
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