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: