Children and Nutrition
Teaching children to eat right and be active every day is not always easy. If parents start at an early age, children will learn the basics of good nutrition and the importance of regular physical activity. Here are some ways to do this. Read More ...
Facts about the American Opportunity Tax Credit
Many parents and college students will be able to offset the cost of college over the next two years under the new American Opportunity Tax Credit. This tax is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Here are six important facts about this tax credit. Read More...
Benefits of Family Dinner
Family mealtime has been shown to have numerous benefits. According to the National Center on Addiction & Substance Abuse at Columbia University, compared to kids who have fewer than three family dinners per week, children and teens who have frequent family dinners are: Read More...
FLORIDA ENERGY STAR APPLIANCE REBATE PROGRAM
On May 19, 2009 Governor Crist signed House Bill 167. This bill marks a continuation of his commitment to increasing energy efficiency and stimulating the economy. House Bill 167 enables the Florida Energy and Climate Commission (FECC) to develop and manage guidelines, consistent with federal regulations, designating ligible appliances, rebate amounts and the process for issuing rebates. The rebate program will help Floridians buy appliances at discount rates, lower utility costs, and benefit Florida businesses by stimulating sales of energy-efficient appliances. Pending final approval from the United States Department of Energy, there will be six residential appliances that qualify for Florida’s 20% ENERGY STAR Appliance Rebate Program:
Read more...
FDA Improves Egg Safety
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a regulation to help make eggs safer to eat. The regulation will reduce the number of illnesses caused by eggs contaminated with Salmonella enteritidis (SE). Read More ...
®—a time to shine a spotlight on a serious disease that leads to potentially life-threatening complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and amputation. According to American Diabetes Association statistics:
- 24 million children and adults in the United States live with diabetes
- 57 million Americans are at risk for type 2 diabetes
- 1 out of every 3 children born today will face a future with diabetes if current trends continue
Read More...
I Have Diabetes: What Can I Eat?
A person who has recently been diagnosed with diabetes usually does not know where to start changes in dietary habits. Meal planning for diabetics is more than just cutting back on starch or sugar. Neither is it eating the same foods everyday. The key factor is to understand the effect of carbohydrates on blood glucose level. Some foods that contain carbohydrates raise blood glucose levels. The right amount of carbohydrates depends on many things, including how active you are and what medicines you take. Examples of foods that contain carbohydrate are:
Read more...
Should insulin be refrigerated?
If you are using insulin to help control your diabetes, a question you might ask is, “Should I refrigerate my insulin?” The answer is:
The vials of insulin that you are using right now should be left at room temperature and away from heat sources and light. Don’t leave insulin in your car where it can become not or cold very quickly. If you take insulin with food, you need to keep that insulin with you. You probably don’t need to carry an insulin cooler. Your pocket or purse will work fine (just don’t leave it in a place that is very warm or cold), since modern insulin is stable for at least one month at room temperature. Unopened vials of insulin should be kept in the refrigerator but never in the freezer. Don’t put the vials in the refrigerator door, because the jarring movements of the door may lower the activity of the insulin. Try to keep insulin in a part of the refrigerator where it doesn’t run the risk of freezing. Always inspect your insulin before injecting it. Do not use insulin that is past the expiration date on the label and do not use insulin that is discolored or has clumps in it.
Source: American Diabetes Association Tip of the Day
Five Facts about the Home Office Deduction
Are you operating a business out of your home? If you are, you may be able to take a home office deduction when filing your 2009 federal tax return next year. Here are five things the IRS wants individuals to know about claiming the home office deduction.
1.
Generally, in order to claim a business deduction for your home, you must use part of your home exclusively and regularly: Read more...
FDA warns fraudulent H1N1 products read more...
Ten Facts about the First-Time Homebuyer Credit
Many taxpayers who purchase a home this year will qualify for an $8,000 federal tax credit. The refundable first-time homebuyer credit is a major tax provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Time is running out to qualify for this credit.
Here are ten things the IRS wants individuals to know about the first-time homebuyer credit.
- To be considered a first-time homebuyer, you – and your spouse if you are married – must not have jointly or separately owned another principal residence during the three years prior to the date of purchase.
- You cannot claim the credit before there is a completed sale and purchase of the residence. The sale and purchase are generally completed at the time of closing on the purchase.
- To qualify for the credit, the completed credit must occur before December 1, 2009.
- The home must be located in the United States.
- The credit is either 10 percent of the purchase price of the home or $8,000, whichever is less.
- The amount of the credit begins to phase out for taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income is more than $75,000 or $150,000 for joint filers.
- The credit is fully refundable. A homebuyer with no taxable income, who qualifies for the credit, may file for the sole purpose of claiming the credit and receive a refund. The credit will be paid out to eligible taxpayers, even if they owe no tax or the credit is more than the tax owed.
- The credit is claimed on IRS Form 5405, First-Time Home Buyers Credit.
- Taxpayers can claim the credit for a qualified 2009 purchase on either their 2008 or 2009 tax return. For those who have filed a 2008 return, a Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return can be filed in order to get a refund in 2009.
- The credit for qualified 2009 purchases does not have to be repaid, as long as the home remains your main home for 36 months after the purchase date.
For more information on this and other key provisions for the Recovery Act visit the official IRS Website at www.irs.gov/Recovery.
New Renters’ Rights in Foreclosure
According to Consumer Action, renters must now be allowed to remain in their homes for the duration of their lease – even if the home is being foreclosed on. President Obama signed the Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act 2009 (S.896) into law on May 20.
The new law provides renters with a minimum of 90 days notice before a tenant must vacate a property. If a buyer plans to use the property as his primary home, or the tenant’s lease is month to month, or there is no lease at all, the tenant is entitled to at least 90 days notice.
If there is a lease, tenants will be allowed to stay for the duration of the lease before evictions can proceed. If a state offers greater protections to renters, the law allows the stronger protections to apply. These new renters’ rights also apply to Section 8 tenants.
The new tenant protections are effective immediately and expire December 31, 2012.
For more information please visit the Low Income Housing Coalition at www.nlihc.org
How to Keep Those Hands Hygienic?
Preventing foodborne illnesses is important for the health of the entire family. During this busy holiday season, symptoms can often be mistaken for the flu. A major factor in preventing foodborne illnesses is keeping hands clean. Hands should be washed before beginning any food preparation, as well as after handling raw meats, fish and poultry. Here’s how to clean hands properly.
- Wet hands with warm, running water and apply soap.
- Rub hands together well to make a lather, and scrub all surfaces. Pay special attention to between those fingers and under jewelry. Continue for 20 seconds, or while you sing “Happy Birthday” twice.
- Rinse well under warm running water.
- Dry hands thoroughly using paper towels. Use the paper towel to turn off the faucet and to turn the door knob, if necessary.
Planning on getting married?
Current research has shown that there is a 33% lower divorce rate among couples who attend a premarital preparation class.
The Palm Beach County Extension Service has been approved by the 15 th Judicial Circuit to teach the Premarital Preparation class, Before You Tie the Knot. Couples who take this 6-hour class receive a discount on their marriage license and a waiver of the 3-day waiting period to get married.
The cost is $20.00 per couple. The next class will take place on November 23 & 24, 2009 from 6:00pm - 9:00pm. For more information and to register call the Extension Service at (561)233-1742. Couples must attend both sessions in order to receive credit. |
