By JC Leahy
Three cheers for Dwayne's Photo!!!! Faced with an avalanche of Kodachrome film mailed from all over the world at the last minute for developing, Dwayne's had the good sense and customer consideration to extend their in-the-shop receipt deadline from December 31 to January 18, 2011. My last 2 rolls of Kodachrome 64 arrived there on January 17. I received them back, developed, on February 11. That makes those two rolls among the VERY last Kodachrome that will ever be developed!!! And I have my Christmas photos! :) Thanks, Dwayne's Photo !!!!!!!!!
SEE EARLIER ARTICLE ON THE END OF KODACHROME
Monday, February 14, 2011
VALENTINE'S DAY: WHO WAS THAT GUY, VALENTINE, ANYWAY ???
By JC Leahy
According to Cathlic Online, St. Valentine was a Catholic priest in Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius II. Valentine, together with another guy named Marius, assisted Christians during the time when they were being used for lion food and entertainment. Roman authorities arrested him and threw him in jail. Because Claudius took a liking to him, Valentine proprbably would have remained alive in jail if he hadn't made the mistake of trying to convert the Emperor to Christianity. At that point, Clauidius had him taken out to the gate which today is called Porta del Popolo, beaten with clubs and then beheaded -- on February 14, around the year 270. That's where we get February 14.
Pope Julius I declared Valentine a Saint and built a church near Ponte Mole in his memory. Part of St. Valentine's mission was to assist Christian couples to marry, and so he was cannonized as the patron saint of Love, Young People, and Marriages.
Now you know.
According to Cathlic Online, St. Valentine was a Catholic priest in Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius II. Valentine, together with another guy named Marius, assisted Christians during the time when they were being used for lion food and entertainment. Roman authorities arrested him and threw him in jail. Because Claudius took a liking to him, Valentine proprbably would have remained alive in jail if he hadn't made the mistake of trying to convert the Emperor to Christianity. At that point, Clauidius had him taken out to the gate which today is called Porta del Popolo, beaten with clubs and then beheaded -- on February 14, around the year 270. That's where we get February 14.
Pope Julius I declared Valentine a Saint and built a church near Ponte Mole in his memory. Part of St. Valentine's mission was to assist Christian couples to marry, and so he was cannonized as the patron saint of Love, Young People, and Marriages.
Now you know.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
VISIT TO JAIMIE
By JC Leahy, RN, BSN, MA
To my nurse co-workers who know him:
I went to visit Jaimie in the hospital today. Intubated, on a vent. Cranial epidural sensor for measurement, not drainage, with ICP 7 and ABP 148/65, which makes his MAP around 93 and his CPP 86, doesn't it? It makes one wonder why they're still running Levophed, since the goal is not NUMBERS but tissue perfusion, particularly the brain parenchyma -- and his baseline systolic is around 100. I mentioned it at the bedside, but I don't think it clicked. Levphed is such a double-edged sword. You know what they say about levophed: "Levophed leaves them dead." You gotta be careful of that stuff. Vent rate at 28, obviously blowing off CO2 to help reduce ICP, which was previously at 30 just after the Feb. 1 accident. On a pentobarb drip, which replaced the original propofol. Good move there. (With propofol, one must at least wonder whether the propofol made necessary the Levophed in the first place.) Between the pentobarb and the hyperventillation, ICP appears to be well controlled. He had a DVT and IVC filter, but contrary to rumor there was no PE, which is a mercy. He does, however have pneumonia. There is some pre-pentobarb reason to believe that his brain may be intact.
I had a close encounter with my own mortality in a hospital bed 4 years ago and came back. I hope Jaimie does too. It's a slow process. In the meantime the entire universe has collapsed to the size of his hospital bed. You must have "been there" to appreciate what I mean by that. I left him a card, talked to him, held his hand, and told him to telephone me when he is able. Who knows? Maybe he heard me.
I pray for him. Please do, also. What else can we do?
To my nurse co-workers who know him:
I went to visit Jaimie in the hospital today. Intubated, on a vent. Cranial epidural sensor for measurement, not drainage, with ICP 7 and ABP 148/65, which makes his MAP around 93 and his CPP 86, doesn't it? It makes one wonder why they're still running Levophed, since the goal is not NUMBERS but tissue perfusion, particularly the brain parenchyma -- and his baseline systolic is around 100. I mentioned it at the bedside, but I don't think it clicked. Levphed is such a double-edged sword. You know what they say about levophed: "Levophed leaves them dead." You gotta be careful of that stuff. Vent rate at 28, obviously blowing off CO2 to help reduce ICP, which was previously at 30 just after the Feb. 1 accident. On a pentobarb drip, which replaced the original propofol. Good move there. (With propofol, one must at least wonder whether the propofol made necessary the Levophed in the first place.) Between the pentobarb and the hyperventillation, ICP appears to be well controlled. He had a DVT and IVC filter, but contrary to rumor there was no PE, which is a mercy. He does, however have pneumonia. There is some pre-pentobarb reason to believe that his brain may be intact.
I had a close encounter with my own mortality in a hospital bed 4 years ago and came back. I hope Jaimie does too. It's a slow process. In the meantime the entire universe has collapsed to the size of his hospital bed. You must have "been there" to appreciate what I mean by that. I left him a card, talked to him, held his hand, and told him to telephone me when he is able. Who knows? Maybe he heard me.
I pray for him. Please do, also. What else can we do?
FREE INCOME TAX PREPARATION?? WHO QUALIFIES??
By JC Leahy, MA Accounting
When H and R Block and Maximum Legal Refund advertise FREE income tax preparation, they are talking about only the very simplest income tax filings: the Form 1040-EZ. Not many people qualify. The big question is: If you CAN qualify, SHOULD you file a 1040-EZ?
You could save tax preparation fees but lose bigger money if you file a Form 1040-EZ. Obviously, that would be false economy. Many tax benefits are simply not present on the 1040-EZ. A good example is student loan interest. A student just out of college probably qualifies for a free 1040-EZ filing, but he'll miss out on his deduction for student loan interest. That's not really saving money. An IRA contribution is another example: You can't deduct an IRA contribution on a 1040-EZ. Most tax credits are not available on the 1040-EZ. You can't take a child credit, additional child credit, education credits, dependent care credits, or retirement savings credits on a Form 1040-EZ either.
Who qualifies to file Form 1040-EZ? You must meet all of these requirements:
Questions? Feel free to contact:
JC Leahy, MA Accounting
Maximum Legal Refund TM
TAXES MINIMIZED TO YOUR BEST ADVANTAGE TM
JC Leahy and Company, LLC
LONG-DISTANCE FILING AND Silver Spring, MD
Tel 301-537-5365
E-mail: jcleahy@jaitoday.com
When H and R Block and Maximum Legal Refund advertise FREE income tax preparation, they are talking about only the very simplest income tax filings: the Form 1040-EZ. Not many people qualify. The big question is: If you CAN qualify, SHOULD you file a 1040-EZ?
You could save tax preparation fees but lose bigger money if you file a Form 1040-EZ. Obviously, that would be false economy. Many tax benefits are simply not present on the 1040-EZ. A good example is student loan interest. A student just out of college probably qualifies for a free 1040-EZ filing, but he'll miss out on his deduction for student loan interest. That's not really saving money. An IRA contribution is another example: You can't deduct an IRA contribution on a 1040-EZ. Most tax credits are not available on the 1040-EZ. You can't take a child credit, additional child credit, education credits, dependent care credits, or retirement savings credits on a Form 1040-EZ either.
Who qualifies to file Form 1040-EZ? You must meet all of these requirements:
- Your filing status is single or married filing jointly
- You and your spouse are younger than 65
- Neither you nor your spouse is legally blind
- You have no dependents
- Your interest income is less than $1,500
- Your total income is less than $100,000
Questions? Feel free to contact:
JC Leahy, MA Accounting
Maximum Legal Refund TM
TAXES MINIMIZED TO YOUR BEST ADVANTAGE TM
JC Leahy and Company, LLC
LONG-DISTANCE FILING AND Silver Spring, MD
Tel 301-537-5365
E-mail: jcleahy@jaitoday.com
Saturday, February 12, 2011
INCOME TAX CHANGES: PAYING FOR WINDMILLS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE ELDERLY
By JC Leahy, MA Accounting
Most tax authorities will tell you that the Federal income tax standard deduction amounts remained stable from 2009 to 2010. This is not really true. Two important enhancements of the standard deduction have been quietly eliminated for 2010 and beyond. These eliminations target some of American society's most vulnerable members. The first is the extra standard deduction for non-itemizers who pay property taxes on their homes. The second is the extra standard deduction for those who suffer disaster losses.
Many elderly taxpayers who are living on fixed incomes have paid their home mortgages down far enough so that they no longer itemize deductions on their tax returns. (No having a mortgage payment is the only way some seniors can financially survive.) Of course, they still have to pay the property taxes on their homes. Prior to 2010, non-itemizers who paid property taxes on their homes could increase their standard deduction by $1,000. However, the tax bill passed by the lame-duck Democratic Congress at Christmas, 2010, while providing special tax breaks for putting up windmills, yanked this property tax deduction, effective hiking millions of taxpayers taxable income by $1,000 per couple.
Similarly, folks who suffered disaster losses prior to 2010 were able to increase their standard deduction by the amount of qualified Federal disaster losses. That relief also evaporated as of 1/1/2010.
These are two examples of tax increases targeted at some of the most vulnerable members of society at a time when billions were handed out to banks, insurance, and automobile companies, and at at time when Democrats controlled both Congress and the White House.
For further reading, CLICK HERE to check out how Congress rips off taxpayers facing foreclosure.
JC Leahy, MA Accounting
Maximum Legal Refund (TM)
"Taxes Minimized to Your Best Advantage" (TM)
Silver Spring, Maryland
Most tax authorities will tell you that the Federal income tax standard deduction amounts remained stable from 2009 to 2010. This is not really true. Two important enhancements of the standard deduction have been quietly eliminated for 2010 and beyond. These eliminations target some of American society's most vulnerable members. The first is the extra standard deduction for non-itemizers who pay property taxes on their homes. The second is the extra standard deduction for those who suffer disaster losses.
Many elderly taxpayers who are living on fixed incomes have paid their home mortgages down far enough so that they no longer itemize deductions on their tax returns. (No having a mortgage payment is the only way some seniors can financially survive.) Of course, they still have to pay the property taxes on their homes. Prior to 2010, non-itemizers who paid property taxes on their homes could increase their standard deduction by $1,000. However, the tax bill passed by the lame-duck Democratic Congress at Christmas, 2010, while providing special tax breaks for putting up windmills, yanked this property tax deduction, effective hiking millions of taxpayers taxable income by $1,000 per couple.
Similarly, folks who suffered disaster losses prior to 2010 were able to increase their standard deduction by the amount of qualified Federal disaster losses. That relief also evaporated as of 1/1/2010.
These are two examples of tax increases targeted at some of the most vulnerable members of society at a time when billions were handed out to banks, insurance, and automobile companies, and at at time when Democrats controlled both Congress and the White House.
For further reading, CLICK HERE to check out how Congress rips off taxpayers facing foreclosure.
JC Leahy, MA Accounting
Maximum Legal Refund (TM)
"Taxes Minimized to Your Best Advantage" (TM)
Silver Spring, Maryland
TAX PREP FEES STARTING AT $ 0.00
Tel.: (301)537-5365
MYRTLE BEACH TRAVEL: DAY 3
By JC Leahy
Day 3, Sunday
I was up at 7:00 and spent quiet time with my photographic light box, viewing loupe and slides. I was organizing photo the slides. By organizing, I mean that I was discarding the ones I didn't want to keep, applying a system of numeric identification and labels to the rest, and arranging them into clear plastic storage sleeves in a 3 ring binder. While I was thus occupied, still in pajamas and sipping coffee, the repairman showed up to examine my complaint of nonfunctional locks on the 2 sets of rear sliding doors. I offered him coffee, but he politely declined. He advised me that the locks needed parts. He would have to go to the store and buy them. He would come back afterwards to make the repair. He asked if he could come in and make the repair if we were out. I said sure, no problem. He left.
At 9:30, the wife arose, just as the repairman returned. He repaired the locks while we ate breakfast. Dali cooked eggs. I already had a pot of coffee. There were also apple turnovers we had brought from home. By the time we finished eating, the locks were repaired and the repairman had left.
Dali's passion for the day was to shop at estate sales. Her imagination had been tweaked by my purchase the day before of an antique Japanese woodblock print for $25. The print had come indirectly from an estate sale. Dali imagined that estate sales far from the big city would be ripe with valuable bargains. Customarily I am less enthusiastic about shopping for things I do not need. We discussed this and agreed to set a limit: We would attend only two estate sales and then spend a quiet afternoon hanging around the townhouse and resort.
Task number one was to find estate sales. We got into our Chrysler minivan, drove to the nearest supermarket, and purchased the principle local newspaper. What was our surprise that there were absolutely NO estate sales, garage sales, or moving sales advertised in the Sunday classifieds!! Dali was crestfallen. I suggested that we check Craigslist for estate sales. I started to access craigslist on my Palm 755p smartphone, but I craved a bigger screen and keyboard so we drove back to the townhouse to use a laptop computer and the Links' wireless Internet. Searching craigslist, I found only a couple of "moving sales." One was in Conway, about 30 miles away, and the other was closer to us in North Myrtle Beach. Of the two, Conway's Craigslist post looked most interesting so we set out for Conway first, following the GPS.
We followed Route 17 to the Robert Edge Parkway and then took Route 31 to Conway. There was a woman sitting in a beach chair in front of her garage. She had a pitiful collection of junk arrayed. Politely we masked our disappointment and struck up a conversation. It turned out that although she advertised a moving sale, she had no intention of actually moving. She collected junk and sold it at her "moving sale" every couple of weeks. What a deception!!
Before we could get out of Conway, Dali spied the local Wal Mart. We had to stop, naturally, but not before visiting Burke's Outlet, next door. After Wal Mart, it was back again into Burke's Outlet for another look. Only then did we set out for the second "moving sale."
Thirty-five miles later, we arrived at the site of the second moving sale. Ture, they had advertised a moving sale, and, yes, they were really moving; however, they had sold everything at their "garage sale" the day before. There was nothing left to sell. We were a day late. Thus ended the estate sale shopping. Dali was crestfallen.
It was 4:00 p.m. before we arrived back to the townhouse at the Links resort. She made us delicious roast beef sandwiches and we had more of those yummy apple turnovers.
After dinner, we watched a Netflix movie I had brought from home, SALT. We went and tried out the exercise room from 7 to 9:00. After exercise, I checked e-mail online. We went to bed at 10.
Day 3, Sunday
I was up at 7:00 and spent quiet time with my photographic light box, viewing loupe and slides. I was organizing photo the slides. By organizing, I mean that I was discarding the ones I didn't want to keep, applying a system of numeric identification and labels to the rest, and arranging them into clear plastic storage sleeves in a 3 ring binder. While I was thus occupied, still in pajamas and sipping coffee, the repairman showed up to examine my complaint of nonfunctional locks on the 2 sets of rear sliding doors. I offered him coffee, but he politely declined. He advised me that the locks needed parts. He would have to go to the store and buy them. He would come back afterwards to make the repair. He asked if he could come in and make the repair if we were out. I said sure, no problem. He left.
At 9:30, the wife arose, just as the repairman returned. He repaired the locks while we ate breakfast. Dali cooked eggs. I already had a pot of coffee. There were also apple turnovers we had brought from home. By the time we finished eating, the locks were repaired and the repairman had left.
Dali's passion for the day was to shop at estate sales. Her imagination had been tweaked by my purchase the day before of an antique Japanese woodblock print for $25. The print had come indirectly from an estate sale. Dali imagined that estate sales far from the big city would be ripe with valuable bargains. Customarily I am less enthusiastic about shopping for things I do not need. We discussed this and agreed to set a limit: We would attend only two estate sales and then spend a quiet afternoon hanging around the townhouse and resort.
Task number one was to find estate sales. We got into our Chrysler minivan, drove to the nearest supermarket, and purchased the principle local newspaper. What was our surprise that there were absolutely NO estate sales, garage sales, or moving sales advertised in the Sunday classifieds!! Dali was crestfallen. I suggested that we check Craigslist for estate sales. I started to access craigslist on my Palm 755p smartphone, but I craved a bigger screen and keyboard so we drove back to the townhouse to use a laptop computer and the Links' wireless Internet. Searching craigslist, I found only a couple of "moving sales." One was in Conway, about 30 miles away, and the other was closer to us in North Myrtle Beach. Of the two, Conway's Craigslist post looked most interesting so we set out for Conway first, following the GPS.
We followed Route 17 to the Robert Edge Parkway and then took Route 31 to Conway. There was a woman sitting in a beach chair in front of her garage. She had a pitiful collection of junk arrayed. Politely we masked our disappointment and struck up a conversation. It turned out that although she advertised a moving sale, she had no intention of actually moving. She collected junk and sold it at her "moving sale" every couple of weeks. What a deception!!
Before we could get out of Conway, Dali spied the local Wal Mart. We had to stop, naturally, but not before visiting Burke's Outlet, next door. After Wal Mart, it was back again into Burke's Outlet for another look. Only then did we set out for the second "moving sale."
Thirty-five miles later, we arrived at the site of the second moving sale. Ture, they had advertised a moving sale, and, yes, they were really moving; however, they had sold everything at their "garage sale" the day before. There was nothing left to sell. We were a day late. Thus ended the estate sale shopping. Dali was crestfallen.
It was 4:00 p.m. before we arrived back to the townhouse at the Links resort. She made us delicious roast beef sandwiches and we had more of those yummy apple turnovers.
After dinner, we watched a Netflix movie I had brought from home, SALT. We went and tried out the exercise room from 7 to 9:00. After exercise, I checked e-mail online. We went to bed at 10.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
NIGHTMARE ON SIGMA STREET -- WARRANTY? WHAT WARRANTY?
By JC Leahy
"Sleazy" is the best way to describe Sigma's warranty service. I recently purchased a 28-105 Sigma zoom lens, factory sealed, new in the box from Norman Camera, a Sigma authorized dealer that has been in business for 52 years. I registered the warranty with Sigma. I received acknowledgement of warranty registration from Sigma. Nevertheless, when I tried to avail myself of the warranty, Sigma's performance was sleazy to the extreme.
The lens was defective right out of the box because it wouldn't auto-focus. At first I thought it was a problem with the camera, not lens. When I
isolated the problem to the lens, I shipped it to Sigma for warranty repair, with a copy of the sales receipt. It had been much less than a year since I purchased it. The warranty said "one year from date of purchase." I anticipated no problem.
Then I got a call from Debbie at Sigma. She said that she had my lens in front of her but that it was a discontinued model. She said that Sigma would not honor a warranty on a discontinued lens. I protested that the lens was new in the box and had been defective right out of the box and purchased from an authorized Sigma dealer. It had a focusing problem that is common with Sigma lenses, and the fact that Sigma had discontinued that particular lens had no bearing on the warranty. Debbie was firm: Sigma would not honor the warranty on a discontinued lens. When I continued to argue, Debbie changed her argument. She said that, besides, I bought my lens online. She said that Sigma would not honor the warranty on such a lens. I protested that I purchased from an authorized Sigma dealer that also does some of its marketing online at sites such as Amazon and Ebay. Why, in this day an age, should an online purchase have any bearing on my warranty?? Debbie was firm. The warranty on my lens would not be honored. However, she said, they could offer me a trade in. She explained that Sigma does not even have a 28-105 lens anymore, so she could not offer me that range of focal lengths. She could, however, offer an 18-125mm lens for a trade-in price of $271. I knew that I could get that lens cheaper on Amazon with no "trade in"!!!!!!!!! I was disgusted and incredulous. I told Debbie to return my lens to me unrepaired. That's my Sigma warranty sleazy story. Sigma may not honor their warranty AT ALL if they decide to discontinue your particular item or if you bought it online!!!!!!!!!!! Caveat emptor!!!!
Sigma Camera Corporation, Warranty Repair
15 Fleetwood Court
Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
Tel. 631-227-2028
(Ask for Debbie --- LOL!!!! :) )
Norman Camera issued the following statement:
"[W]e are a Sigma Authorized Dealer. We only sell USA versions of all products we sell, including lenses. We have been here for over 52 years, much longer than Amazon has existed, and we are shown on all manufacturer’s whose products we sell websites as an authorized dealer."
.
"Sleazy" is the best way to describe Sigma's warranty service. I recently purchased a 28-105 Sigma zoom lens, factory sealed, new in the box from Norman Camera, a Sigma authorized dealer that has been in business for 52 years. I registered the warranty with Sigma. I received acknowledgement of warranty registration from Sigma. Nevertheless, when I tried to avail myself of the warranty, Sigma's performance was sleazy to the extreme.
The lens was defective right out of the box because it wouldn't auto-focus. At first I thought it was a problem with the camera, not lens. When I
isolated the problem to the lens, I shipped it to Sigma for warranty repair, with a copy of the sales receipt. It had been much less than a year since I purchased it. The warranty said "one year from date of purchase." I anticipated no problem.
Then I got a call from Debbie at Sigma. She said that she had my lens in front of her but that it was a discontinued model. She said that Sigma would not honor a warranty on a discontinued lens. I protested that the lens was new in the box and had been defective right out of the box and purchased from an authorized Sigma dealer. It had a focusing problem that is common with Sigma lenses, and the fact that Sigma had discontinued that particular lens had no bearing on the warranty. Debbie was firm: Sigma would not honor the warranty on a discontinued lens. When I continued to argue, Debbie changed her argument. She said that, besides, I bought my lens online. She said that Sigma would not honor the warranty on such a lens. I protested that I purchased from an authorized Sigma dealer that also does some of its marketing online at sites such as Amazon and Ebay. Why, in this day an age, should an online purchase have any bearing on my warranty?? Debbie was firm. The warranty on my lens would not be honored. However, she said, they could offer me a trade in. She explained that Sigma does not even have a 28-105 lens anymore, so she could not offer me that range of focal lengths. She could, however, offer an 18-125mm lens for a trade-in price of $271. I knew that I could get that lens cheaper on Amazon with no "trade in"!!!!!!!!! I was disgusted and incredulous. I told Debbie to return my lens to me unrepaired. That's my Sigma warranty sleazy story. Sigma may not honor their warranty AT ALL if they decide to discontinue your particular item or if you bought it online!!!!!!!!!!! Caveat emptor!!!!
Sigma Camera Corporation, Warranty Repair
15 Fleetwood Court
Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
Tel. 631-227-2028
(Ask for Debbie --- LOL!!!! :) )
Norman Camera issued the following statement:
"[W]e are a Sigma Authorized Dealer. We only sell USA versions of all products we sell, including lenses. We have been here for over 52 years, much longer than Amazon has existed, and we are shown on all manufacturer’s whose products we sell websites as an authorized dealer."
.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
A YEAR AGO: REMEMBER THE 2010 FEBRUARY SNOWSTORMS?!!
By JC Leahy
How time flies!! It was only last year that we were buried in the great snowstorm of 2010!! Remember!? Check the link here.
How time flies!! It was only last year that we were buried in the great snowstorm of 2010!! Remember!? Check the link here.
MORTGAGE INSURANCE: DON'T FORGET THE TAX DEDUCTION!!!
By JC Leahy, MA Accounting
The itemized tax deduction for mortgage insurance premiums is easy to forget.. Within certain limits, you may count their cost as mortgage interest. Mortgage insurance is special insurance that you might have to buy to get a mortgage.. You pay the insurance premium but the insurance's beneficiary is your mortgage lender. If you default, the mortgage insurance company will make sure that the mortgage lender doesn't lose. Generally, mortgage lenders require mortgage insurance if you can't make a 20% down payment or if there are other circumstances that make the mortgage lender cautious.
The cost of mortgage insurance premiums will probably be reported to you by your mortgage lender in your annual Form 1098 Mortgage Interest Statement, in Box 4. Mortgage interest provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the Rural Housing Service (Rural Housing), and private mortgage insurers is deductible.
The limitation is that if your adjusted gross income exceeds certain levels, your mortgage insurance deduction phases out to zero. For married couples, the AGI phase out range is $100,000 to $109,000. For all others, the range is $50,000 to $54,000.
For help with your taxes, contact:
JC Leahy, MA Accounting
Maximum Legal Refund (TM)
"Taxes Minimized to Your Best Advantage" (TM)
JC Leahy and Company, LLC
Silver Spring, Maryland
Tel.: (301)537-5365
The itemized tax deduction for mortgage insurance premiums is easy to forget.. Within certain limits, you may count their cost as mortgage interest. Mortgage insurance is special insurance that you might have to buy to get a mortgage.. You pay the insurance premium but the insurance's beneficiary is your mortgage lender. If you default, the mortgage insurance company will make sure that the mortgage lender doesn't lose. Generally, mortgage lenders require mortgage insurance if you can't make a 20% down payment or if there are other circumstances that make the mortgage lender cautious.
The cost of mortgage insurance premiums will probably be reported to you by your mortgage lender in your annual Form 1098 Mortgage Interest Statement, in Box 4. Mortgage interest provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the Rural Housing Service (Rural Housing), and private mortgage insurers is deductible.
The limitation is that if your adjusted gross income exceeds certain levels, your mortgage insurance deduction phases out to zero. For married couples, the AGI phase out range is $100,000 to $109,000. For all others, the range is $50,000 to $54,000.
For help with your taxes, contact:
JC Leahy, MA Accounting
Maximum Legal Refund (TM)
"Taxes Minimized to Your Best Advantage" (TM)
JC Leahy and Company, LLC
Silver Spring, Maryland
Tel.: (301)537-5365
Sunday, February 6, 2011
MYRTLE BEACH TRAVEL: DAY 2
by JC Leahy
Having slept the night at the Wilson Quality Inn, we awoke Saturday morning in time to make it to breakfast near the main lobby. We had a very substantial "serve yourself" breakfast, including waffles, boiled eggs, juice, coffee, grits, and other goodies. Our breakfast table was in a little glass sun room protruding from the main building. It was a pleasant breakfast.
After breakfast, we reloaded the Chrysler minivan and hit the road. We couldn't check in to our resort in Myrtle Beach until after 4:00 PM, so we had time for a leisurely drive. The wife wanted to see Saturday shopping scene near the hotel, so our first destination was the Wilson Shopping Mall. We GPSed it. Hardly had we left the hotel parking lot when she spotted Hope's Furniture Gallery and directed me into the parking lot. .
Men and women, on the average, shop differently. Men hunt, get what they think they want, and leave. Women browse -- slowly. I made a clockwise circuit. In 15 minutes I had seen the whole store. I had stopped to admire a few pieces, such as the Stein World 1-drawer chair accent/hall table #80865. For each piece that stopped to admire, I spent a moment privately lusting for it, and then deciding I didn't have a place for it or couldn't afford it. Then I was finished and moved on, and in less than 15 minutes I believed that I had seen and enjoyed the entire Hope's Furniture Gallery without spending a dime. I lounged in a chair next to the front door, waiting for the wife. She was still on the first half of her clockwise circuit.
Hope's Furniture Gallery had a light but steady stream of shoppers. One customer carried furniture out to his SUV and loaded it while I was waiting. Dali walked over to me.
"You're ready to go?"
"Yeah...I've seen the whole store. But you take your time."
"Did you see that table in the back?"
"What table?"
"I think it would be perfect for your office, and it's on sale."
"Really?"
"Yes, it's a floor sample. Why don't you come look at it?"
It was a black Home Elegance 3205 4-piece dining table set, including ottoman-style chairs. It had an online price of $524 plus shipping, and here it was in nearly mint condition for $175.
"What do you think?"
"Hmmm...it's an interesting triangular shape. Good color for the office decor. It's the right size for the available space. Yeah...this would be a great table for conferences with my tax clients."
"You saw the whole store, but you didn't see this?"
"No, I missed this. You're the ultimate shopper, Dear!"
"Do you want to buy it?"
"We'd have to ship it."
"I already asked. They said they could break it down and it would fit in our van."
"Really? It has a little scratch here. And the glass top has some scratches. Let's see if they'll take less."
We summoned a sales person.
"This table has a scratch here, and there are some scratches on the glass top. Would you take $150?"
"No, ma'am. That's the least we can sell that for. It was a demo item at a trade show and we bought it as such. We need $175 to break even."
"Oh....and you think it would fit in our mini van?"
"We could pack it up for you and put in your van."
"That's an interesting print there against the wall," I remarked, motioning towards a framed antique Japanese woodblock print lying on the floor, propped up against the rear wall of the store. "Those colors would go well in my office."
"That's $30," said the sales clerk.
The wife walked over to examine it. "It's old, she sniffed. The paper on the back it ripped."
"Well, the back doesn't show when you hang it on the wall. Let's see that rip. Hmmm....would you take $25 for this?"
"Oh! I'll have to check with the owner."
She summoned a late-middle-age man, apparently the store owner. I wondered if his name was Hope, but I didn't ask.
"They want to know if we would take $25 for that print."
"Oh, yeah. I got that at an estate sale. Okay, $25."
That is how I got my antique Japanese wood block print for $25. We also bought the table and chairs, which we carted off in our van.
Wilson Mall was a typical, modern indoor mall. It was apparently the main shopping mall in Wilson, NC. We were surprised to find that half of the stores were out of business and vacant. The place was nearly deserted. It was a scene of economic devastation. The two anchor stores are JC Penny and Rose's Department Store. Rose's is a discount department store. We shopped a bit there, bought a few odds and ends and then set our GPS for Myrtle Beach.
We took Route 95 South, and by now I was hungry for lunch. A sign indicated that there was a Shoney's at Exit 47, so we pulled off and went to Shoney's. We like Shoney's. They don't have them in the Washington, DC area where we live, so when we travel south, we like to stop at least once at a Shoney's. This particular Shoney's had an empty parking lot at lunchtime on a Saturday. Two waitresses and the kitchen staff were on duty. We had the entire restaurant to ourselves. I had liver and onions without the onions. We split an apple crisp with ice cream for desert. We gave the waitress a good tip, because that was her only tip for the time we were there. Then, off to the highway again.
We took Route 95 south to Route 701 south; then left on Route 130, right on Seven Creeks Road (16 miles), left on Seven Creeks Highway (9 miles), left on SC Rout 9 (7 miles), and right on 9h Avenue. Along the way, we stopped at another furniture store. It was a large, warehouse style store crammed with fairly nice furniture. There were 5 or 6 guys hanging around the entrance and two young, neatly dressed salesmen. I gathered that the 5 or 6 guys were store delivery employees. There were no customers. We told the salesmen that we just wanted to browse. We had the entire place to ourselves. Again, I stopped at a piece or two and lusted to have it; then decided that I didn't have a place for it or couldn't afford it -- and then moved on. We discussed one or two pieces and decided that the prices at Hope's Furniture Gallery had been better. We didn't buy anything and left.
We had reservations at the Links Golf and Racquet Club Resort, in North Myrtle Beach. We could check in any time after 4:00 PM. We arrived at around 5:00. At the resort office, the woman on duty was very pleasant and assigned us to Unit 42. Unit 42, like all the units there, was essentially a two-level, two-bedroom townhouse with a fireplace and two full bathrooms. Unit 42 was neat and well furnished, but when Dali entered the master bedroom, she declared that it smelled bad and she couldn't possibly spend a week with this bedroom. It didn't bother me, but it did smell like some sort of cleaning agent. We picked up the phone, called the office and stated the problem. They moved us to Unit 8 -- which was a better location because it was right next to the pool, gym, and clubhouse.
Unit 8 looked nearly identical to Unit 42 and didn't smell. That was good. However, the two sets of sliding doors on the back of the ground level did not lock. Obviously, this was a security problem, so I phoned the front desk and said that we couldn't stay in this unit unless the door locks could be repaired immediately. I agreed to wait until first thing the next morning, and a repairman did appear and fix the locks early the next morning.
We unpacked the van -- everything except the table and the wood block print -- and then went over to the club house to check out the facilities there. The first thing I did was ask the desk person if there was a heated swimming pool. She said there was and pointed at a doorway. Dali and I went through the doorway to an outdoor swimming pool, filled with water, night lights on, and looking ready to swim in. I have been swimming more than a couple of times outdoors in freezing January weather in a heated outdoor pool, but still, I stood looking at the outdoor pool with disappointment. I went back in to the desk clerk.
"What's the water temperature in that outdoor pool?"
She laughed. "Pretty cold, I imagine."
"It's not heated?"
"No."
"I thought you said you had a heated pool."
"Oh, yeah! You have to go beyond the outdoor pool and there's another pool enclosed and heated."
"Oh! Great! I'll go have a look. What time does it close?"
"It's open till midnight."
With that, we went back outside, passed the outdoor pool, and came to a greenhouse like structure rimmed by glass panels. Evidently one or more of the panels must slide to provide an entrance, but it wasn't self evident what which panel would slide. When we found the sliding door entrance, we went inside to a sauna-like environment. Steam was condensing on the roof panels and dripping. The water in the pool felt like a warm bath. I actually like warm water for swimming, so that was fine, but the steam and dripping condensation seemed extreme.
I walked back to the office. "I found the indoor pool. Looks good, but where do you change?"
"There are men's and women's changing rooms on the back side of the clubhouse."
"Oh....that would be a chilly walk, wet, back to the clubhouse."
"I think you're right." She smiled.
"Okay thanks. Good night."
We surveyed the rest of the clubhouse. There was an exercise room, billiards table, pingpong table, a snack room sans soda machine, and well appointed areas for sitting and reading or playing cards. When we had seen it all, we went back to our townhouse and prepared for bed.
Having slept the night at the Wilson Quality Inn, we awoke Saturday morning in time to make it to breakfast near the main lobby. We had a very substantial "serve yourself" breakfast, including waffles, boiled eggs, juice, coffee, grits, and other goodies. Our breakfast table was in a little glass sun room protruding from the main building. It was a pleasant breakfast.
After breakfast, we reloaded the Chrysler minivan and hit the road. We couldn't check in to our resort in Myrtle Beach until after 4:00 PM, so we had time for a leisurely drive. The wife wanted to see Saturday shopping scene near the hotel, so our first destination was the Wilson Shopping Mall. We GPSed it. Hardly had we left the hotel parking lot when she spotted Hope's Furniture Gallery and directed me into the parking lot. .
Men and women, on the average, shop differently. Men hunt, get what they think they want, and leave. Women browse -- slowly. I made a clockwise circuit. In 15 minutes I had seen the whole store. I had stopped to admire a few pieces, such as the Stein World 1-drawer chair accent/hall table #80865. For each piece that stopped to admire, I spent a moment privately lusting for it, and then deciding I didn't have a place for it or couldn't afford it. Then I was finished and moved on, and in less than 15 minutes I believed that I had seen and enjoyed the entire Hope's Furniture Gallery without spending a dime. I lounged in a chair next to the front door, waiting for the wife. She was still on the first half of her clockwise circuit.
Hope's Furniture Gallery had a light but steady stream of shoppers. One customer carried furniture out to his SUV and loaded it while I was waiting. Dali walked over to me.
"You're ready to go?"
"Yeah...I've seen the whole store. But you take your time."
"Did you see that table in the back?"
"What table?"
"I think it would be perfect for your office, and it's on sale."
"Really?"
"Yes, it's a floor sample. Why don't you come look at it?"
It was a black Home Elegance 3205 4-piece dining table set, including ottoman-style chairs. It had an online price of $524 plus shipping, and here it was in nearly mint condition for $175.
"What do you think?"
"Hmmm...it's an interesting triangular shape. Good color for the office decor. It's the right size for the available space. Yeah...this would be a great table for conferences with my tax clients."
"You saw the whole store, but you didn't see this?"
"No, I missed this. You're the ultimate shopper, Dear!"
"Do you want to buy it?"
"We'd have to ship it."
"I already asked. They said they could break it down and it would fit in our van."
"Really? It has a little scratch here. And the glass top has some scratches. Let's see if they'll take less."
We summoned a sales person.
"This table has a scratch here, and there are some scratches on the glass top. Would you take $150?"
"No, ma'am. That's the least we can sell that for. It was a demo item at a trade show and we bought it as such. We need $175 to break even."
"Oh....and you think it would fit in our mini van?"
"We could pack it up for you and put in your van."
"That's an interesting print there against the wall," I remarked, motioning towards a framed antique Japanese woodblock print lying on the floor, propped up against the rear wall of the store. "Those colors would go well in my office."
"That's $30," said the sales clerk.
The wife walked over to examine it. "It's old, she sniffed. The paper on the back it ripped."
"Well, the back doesn't show when you hang it on the wall. Let's see that rip. Hmmm....would you take $25 for this?"
"Oh! I'll have to check with the owner."
She summoned a late-middle-age man, apparently the store owner. I wondered if his name was Hope, but I didn't ask.
"They want to know if we would take $25 for that print."
"Oh, yeah. I got that at an estate sale. Okay, $25."
That is how I got my antique Japanese wood block print for $25. We also bought the table and chairs, which we carted off in our van.
Wilson Mall was a typical, modern indoor mall. It was apparently the main shopping mall in Wilson, NC. We were surprised to find that half of the stores were out of business and vacant. The place was nearly deserted. It was a scene of economic devastation. The two anchor stores are JC Penny and Rose's Department Store. Rose's is a discount department store. We shopped a bit there, bought a few odds and ends and then set our GPS for Myrtle Beach.
We took Route 95 South, and by now I was hungry for lunch. A sign indicated that there was a Shoney's at Exit 47, so we pulled off and went to Shoney's. We like Shoney's. They don't have them in the Washington, DC area where we live, so when we travel south, we like to stop at least once at a Shoney's. This particular Shoney's had an empty parking lot at lunchtime on a Saturday. Two waitresses and the kitchen staff were on duty. We had the entire restaurant to ourselves. I had liver and onions without the onions. We split an apple crisp with ice cream for desert. We gave the waitress a good tip, because that was her only tip for the time we were there. Then, off to the highway again.
We took Route 95 south to Route 701 south; then left on Route 130, right on Seven Creeks Road (16 miles), left on Seven Creeks Highway (9 miles), left on SC Rout 9 (7 miles), and right on 9h Avenue. Along the way, we stopped at another furniture store. It was a large, warehouse style store crammed with fairly nice furniture. There were 5 or 6 guys hanging around the entrance and two young, neatly dressed salesmen. I gathered that the 5 or 6 guys were store delivery employees. There were no customers. We told the salesmen that we just wanted to browse. We had the entire place to ourselves. Again, I stopped at a piece or two and lusted to have it; then decided that I didn't have a place for it or couldn't afford it -- and then moved on. We discussed one or two pieces and decided that the prices at Hope's Furniture Gallery had been better. We didn't buy anything and left.
We had reservations at the Links Golf and Racquet Club Resort, in North Myrtle Beach. We could check in any time after 4:00 PM. We arrived at around 5:00. At the resort office, the woman on duty was very pleasant and assigned us to Unit 42. Unit 42, like all the units there, was essentially a two-level, two-bedroom townhouse with a fireplace and two full bathrooms. Unit 42 was neat and well furnished, but when Dali entered the master bedroom, she declared that it smelled bad and she couldn't possibly spend a week with this bedroom. It didn't bother me, but it did smell like some sort of cleaning agent. We picked up the phone, called the office and stated the problem. They moved us to Unit 8 -- which was a better location because it was right next to the pool, gym, and clubhouse.
Unit 8 looked nearly identical to Unit 42 and didn't smell. That was good. However, the two sets of sliding doors on the back of the ground level did not lock. Obviously, this was a security problem, so I phoned the front desk and said that we couldn't stay in this unit unless the door locks could be repaired immediately. I agreed to wait until first thing the next morning, and a repairman did appear and fix the locks early the next morning.
We unpacked the van -- everything except the table and the wood block print -- and then went over to the club house to check out the facilities there. The first thing I did was ask the desk person if there was a heated swimming pool. She said there was and pointed at a doorway. Dali and I went through the doorway to an outdoor swimming pool, filled with water, night lights on, and looking ready to swim in. I have been swimming more than a couple of times outdoors in freezing January weather in a heated outdoor pool, but still, I stood looking at the outdoor pool with disappointment. I went back in to the desk clerk.
"What's the water temperature in that outdoor pool?"
She laughed. "Pretty cold, I imagine."
"It's not heated?"
"No."
"I thought you said you had a heated pool."
"Oh, yeah! You have to go beyond the outdoor pool and there's another pool enclosed and heated."
"Oh! Great! I'll go have a look. What time does it close?"
"It's open till midnight."
With that, we went back outside, passed the outdoor pool, and came to a greenhouse like structure rimmed by glass panels. Evidently one or more of the panels must slide to provide an entrance, but it wasn't self evident what which panel would slide. When we found the sliding door entrance, we went inside to a sauna-like environment. Steam was condensing on the roof panels and dripping. The water in the pool felt like a warm bath. I actually like warm water for swimming, so that was fine, but the steam and dripping condensation seemed extreme.
I walked back to the office. "I found the indoor pool. Looks good, but where do you change?"
"There are men's and women's changing rooms on the back side of the clubhouse."
"Oh....that would be a chilly walk, wet, back to the clubhouse."
"I think you're right." She smiled.
"Okay thanks. Good night."
We surveyed the rest of the clubhouse. There was an exercise room, billiards table, pingpong table, a snack room sans soda machine, and well appointed areas for sitting and reading or playing cards. When we had seen it all, we went back to our townhouse and prepared for bed.
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