Calling the Public's Attention to Hearing Loss

From Jamie Berke, former About.com Guide

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Every May, the nation's attention is focused on hearing loss during Better Hearing and Speech Month. This is the month that there is a major push to get more people screened for hearing loss. Newspapers, magazines, and health publications online and offline carry notices about this annual event. Organizations team up to get the word out to the public about hearing loss and to offer free or reduced price hearing tests and assistance in obtaining hearing aids.

Better Hearing and Speech Month has been around since 1927, and continues to expand as more speech and hearing loss organizations join the Council for Better Hearing and Speech Month. For example, in 1982 the Hearing Loss Association of America  (HLA) joined the council.

With hearing loss becoming more common in the United States as younger people lose hearing due to noise exposure and the baby boomers age, Better Hearing and Speech Month has become even more important as a means of reaching those reluctant to have their hearing tested. In 2000, HLA launched the first National Day of Hearing Screening (NDHS) in May.

Why did HLA initiate a national day of hearing testing? HLA publicly stated: HLA " is determined to eradicate the stigma of admitting a hearing problem." Among other issues, too many people wait too long before seeking help for a hearing loss.

In addition, the web site of the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) has all the materials, including press releases, fact sheets, and public service announcements that health professionals and educators need to promote Better Hearing and Speech Month, and inform people about hearing loss. Many organizations reproduce and distribute these materials in both print and online formats. ASHA has a page devoted to BHSM (www.asha.org/bhsm), and a separate sales site for BHSM products (http://www.bhsmproducts.com/).

Radon: The Little Known Health Hazard

Radon is a radioactive gas that you can't see, smell or taste. It occurs naturally from the breakdown of uranium inside the earth, and outdoors it's dispersed in the air without any harmful effects. However, when it's trapped inside a building, it can lead to health problems. If high levels of radon are trapped in your home, your entire family could become sick.

Managing Your Tax Records After You Have Filed

Guest blogger, Michael A Visco, EA, ATA - Accounting professional for over 30 years located in Phoenix, Arizona specializing in Personal and Corporation Accounting, Taxes, Estate Planning, Setting up of new Business, Bookkeeping, Finance, Management Advisory Services, and IRS Representation. Currently servicing clients in the following states, NY,NJ,CT,FL,CA,CO,FL and AZ

Here is some good information with regard to keeping your records after you file your taxes is a good idea, as they will help you with documentation and substantiation if the IRS selects your return for an audit. Here are five tips about keeping good records.

Anti Friday the 13th Video

Are you superstitious?

How to Get Tax Help from the IRS

Guest blogger, Michael A Visco, EA, ATA - Accounting professional for over 30 years located in Phoenix, Arizona specializing in Personal and Corporation Accounting, Taxes, Estate Planning, Setting up of new Business, Bookkeeping, Finance, Management Advisory Services, and IRS Representation. Currently servicing clients in the following states, NY,NJ,CT,FL,CA,CO,FL and AZ

When tax season is in full swing, the Internal Revenue Service receives millions of calls and thousands of taxpayer visits daily. For faster service, avoid peak times like Monday and Friday mornings when wait times are usually longest. Better yet, get the help you need online 24/7 without delay at IRS.gov.

Easter and Passover Pet Safety Tips

From Easter lilies, to candy, to kosher pet food, the Pasadena Humane Society tells you how to keep your pets safe during Easter and Passover. They also don't recommend giving a baby chick or bunny as a gift.

As the Easter Bunny makes its way from home to home leaving festooned eggs throughout the garden and decadent sweets for children to eat, it’s important for pet owners to exercise caution to avoid any "eggscitement" during this celebratory time of year.

AUTISM AWARENESS

As many of you know, April is Autism Awareness month. On Monday, April 2, 2012, Autism Speaks, along with people across our great country and around the world, will come together for the 3rd year, in a global initiative to “shine a light on Autism awareness” called “Light It Up Blue”. Prominent buildings, such as the Empire State Building, will turn their lights blue in support of all families affected by Autism. I hope that we can join them…

We are asking that you send your child to school on Monday, April 2nd, wearing the color blue. When you go to work in the morning, or run errands around town…please wear the color blue. We have many children in our very own community that have been diagnosed with Autism. Let’s show them that we support them and that we are ONE…

On behalf of our own families, as well as every other family out there that has a child, family member or friend with Autism…Thank You

With So Much Gratitude,

Alonna Rubin                                   

Co-President, SWR SEPTA

Mike Sanchez
Vice President, SWR SEPTA

Steven Visco, Ph.D, AAI, President
Denise A. Visco, Vice President
of C.H. Edwards, Inc.
and parents of a child with Autism


Health Insurance Tax Breaks for the Self-Employed

Guest blogger, Michael A Visco, EA, ATA - Accounting professional for over 30 years located in Phoenix, Arizona specializing in Personal and Corporation Accounting, Taxes, Estate Planning, Setting up of new Business, Bookkeeping, Finance, Management Advisory Services, and IRS Representation. Currently servicing clients in the following states, NY,NJ,CT,FL,CA,CO,FL and AZ

If you're self-employed and paying for medical, dental or long-term care insurance, the IRS wants to remind you about a special tax deduction for some insurance premiums paid for you, your spouse, and your dependents.

Starting in tax year 2011, this deduction is no longer allowed on Schedule SE (Form 1040), but you can still take it on Form 1040, line 29.

Think Twice Before Co-Signing A Friend's Loan

You should be willing to do most anything  to help a friend, except co-sign a loan. Here’s why co-signing is a financial land  mine:

You may be on the hook. Someone needs a co-signer because a lender isn’t completely comfortable with that person’s  finances. If your friend gets sick, dies, loses  a job or is otherwise unable to pay back  the loan, the lender may look to you to pay up. That can get nasty, and it can include filing a collection suit against you.

It may hurt your credit. Late payments, repossessions or collections can show up on your credit report in addition to your friend’s. Those black marks can stay on your report for as long as seven years.

It can hurt down the line. “Even if the debt is being paid on time, it would be included in the co-signer’s debt-to-income numbers if he or she is applying for a loan or refinance,” says attorney Clarke Balcom of Portland, Ore.

4 Ways to Help Kids Make Cents of Finances

Contributed by our guest blogger, Joanne Soyack -  Director of First Impressions at C.H. Edwards, Inc.

Financial literacy is as important as learning the ABC's. By teaching financial and entrepreneurial practices at a young age, children will be better prepared for their financial futures.

The first step is to get started, so start with these educational activities:

Tax Credits Available for Certain Energy-Efficient Home Improvements

Guest blogger, Michael A Visco, EA, ATA - Accounting professional for over 30 years located in Phoenix, Arizona specializing in Personal and Corporation Accounting, Taxes, Estate Planning, Setting up of new Business, Bookkeeping, Finance, Management Advisory Services, and IRS Representation. Currently servicing clients in the following states, NY,NJ,CT,FL,CA,CO,FL and AZ

Here is some information that you could use to get some credit for qualified home energy improvements this year. Perhaps you installed solar equipment or recently insulated your home? Here are two tax credits that may be available to you:

Verify That Your Dwelling Limits Are Adequate

One of the painful aftermaths of fires and tornadoes that decimate homes may be the crushing realization that the home is dramatically underinsured. According to one of the largest residential building cost data companies, Marshall & Swift/Boeckh, 64 percent of U.S. homes are undervalued by an average of 19 percent. If this figure is applied to a home with a replacement cost of $400,000, it might be insured for only $324,000, a shortfall of $76,000.

International Women’s Day: A Look Back

Contributed by our guest blogger, Andrea Pacheco - Personal Lines CSR at C.H. Edwards, Inc.

Introduction

International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women.

10 Tax Tips for Individual Who Are Moving This Summer

Guest blogger, Michael A Visco, EA, ATA - Accounting professional for over 30 years located in Phoenix, Arizona specializing in Personal and Corporation Accounting, Taxes, Estate Planning, Setting up of new Business, Bookkeeping, Finance, Management Advisory Services, and IRS Representation. Currently servicing clients in the following states, NY,NJ,CT,FL,CA,CO,FL and AZ

Summertime is a popular time for people with children to move since school is out. Moving can be expensive, but the IRS offers 10 tax tips on deducting some of those expenses if your move is related to starting a new job or a new job location.

Is Insurance Cheaper On Brick Home Versus Frame Home?

It depends on your location.

Yes, Home insurance New York is cheaper if you have a brick home as compared to if you had a wood frame home if you are living in an area prone to high winds. This is because a home that is made of strong materials such as brick or cement. Of course, this kind of house will be more able to withstand catastrophic events such as a windstorm or a fire. On the other hand, a wood frame home located in the same area is more expensive to insure since it is more prone to fire and is easily destroyed by high winds.

I.R.S SPAM E-Mail Warning!

Guest blogger, Michael A Visco, EA, ATA - Accounting professional for over 30 years located in Phoenix, Arizona specializing in Personal and Corporation Accounting, Taxes, Estate Planning, Setting up of new Business, Bookkeeping, Finance, Management Advisory Services, and IRS Representation. Currently servicing clients in the following states, NY,NJ,CT,FL,CA,CO,FL and AZ

There is a Spam e-mail that is being sent out indicating that it is from the IRS regarding “Your Federal Tax Payment” DO NOT OPEN OR REPLY just delete it from your e-mail and computer.

Remember the IRS does not use e-mail to correspond to any tax payer.

2012 84th Annual Academy Awards

My name is Sandra Costanzo and I will be a guest blogger for C.H Edwards. I am eighteen years old and a college student. I attend both Nassau Community College and Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. I was an intern for C.H Edwards during my senior year of High School and I look forward to be able to start blogging again.

The 84th annual Academy Awards are now a wrap. Many prestigious awards including Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Picture were given out. The winner for Best Director went to Michel Hazanavicis for The Artist. The winner for Best Actor went to Jean Durjadin also for The Artist. The winner for Best Actress went to Meryl Strep for The Iron Lady. And the Best Picture went to The Artist. Other big winners included Hugo, The Descendants and also The Help. Some other big Academy Awards moments included Sandra Bullock`s bilingual speech for presenting the award for Best Foreign Film and also Angelina Jolie`s leg pose while presenting. This year was an amazing year in film and there are some incredible films to show for it. 

Play It Safe And Get Auto Insurance

Don’t share cars among family members, as this will increase your premiums. If there is a 1:1 correspondence between people and cars, your auto insurance will cost less.

What kind of car you have greatly influences what NY Car insurance you should buy. If your car is an older model with a low resale value, your coverage needs will differ than if your car was a brand new model. Also look into the theft rate in your area for your vehicle. Even some older cars get stolen often, you should think about getting some comprehensive coverage.

IRS Increases Standard Mileage Rate

Welcome our guest blogger, Michael A Visco, EA, ATA - I am an accounting professional for over 30 years located in Phoenix, Arizona specializing in Personal and Corporation Accounting, Taxes, Estate Planning, Setting up of new Business, Bookkeeping, Finance, Management Advisory Services, and IRS Representation. I am currently servicing clients in the following states, NY,NJ,CT,FL,CA,CO,FL and AZ

The IRS is revising the optional standard mileage rates for computing the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, medical, or moving expense purposes and for determining the reimbursed amount of these expenses that is deemed substantiated. This modification results from recent increases in the price of fuel. The revised standard mileage rates are 55.5 cents per mile for business use of an automobile and 23.5 cents for use of an automobile as a medical or moving expense. The new rates were effective on July 1,2011

9 Reasons to Contact Your Independent Insurance Agent On Your Automobile

Your independent insurance agent provides a service to their clients by being available. Clients need help with all sorts of things when it comes to New York Auto insurance. Take a look at the top 9 reasons to contact your independent insurance agent.

Properly Cover Your HO/Condo Association Loss Exposures

Many people are active in their condominium or homeowners association, serving as directors, officers, and editors of association newsletters. If you are an active member of your association, consider the following risk management tips and recommendations.

MORTGAGE INSURANCE VS. HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE?

These are actually two different types of coverages so there's really no area where they should be compared.

Coverage
For one, mortgage insurance will protect the interests of the mortgage company. This is one way that the mortgage company can protect their "investment", that is, the money they lent to you.

Don't Let A Sinking Ship Ruin Your Vacation

The scenes of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia running aground and capsizing off the Tuscan coast were hard to believe. Thankfully there were not more fatalities and with a passenger load of 4,600 that is a no small miracle. Many of the survivors were left without personal belongings, identification, money, etc. Getting back home much less recouping the cost of their vacation and travel will be difficult for most unless they have a good travel insurance policy.

Here are some frequently asked questions about Travel Insurance:

Protect Your Identity

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personally identifying information, like your name, Social Security number, or credit card number, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes.

The FTC estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. In fact, you or someone you know may have experienced some form of identity theft.  The crime takes many forms. Identity thieves may rent an apartment, obtain a credit card, or establish a telephone account in your name. You may not find out about the theft until you review your credit report or a credit card statement and notice charges you didn’t make—or until you’re contacted by a debt collector.

Identity theft is serious. While some identity theft victims can resolve their problems quickly, others spend hundreds of dollars and many days repairing damage to their good name and credit record.  Some consumers victimized by identity theft may lose out on job opportunities, or be denied loans for education, housing or cars because of negative information on their credit reports. In rare cases, they may even be arrested for crimes they did not commit.

Contact a representative at C.H. Edwards to help you understand why Identity Theft Insurance is an important addition to your current insurance.  Please click on our video below.

Identity Theft Video