7 Tax Deductions You Don’t Want to Miss

Planning to take standard deductions rather than itemizing? You may be one of the millions of Americans missing out on credits and deductions you’re entitled to every year. Be sure these easy-to-miss deductions are included on your return before you file:

1. Expenses accrued during a job search.

If you were unemployed in 2010 you’re eligible to deduct much of the cost of your job hunt. The deductions fall under the category of miscellaneous expenses, and can add up to no more than two percent of your adjusted gross income. Legitimate expenses in this category include food, transportation, accommodations, headhunter fees, and printing costs, among others.

2. Up to $6,000 in childcare credit.

Many employers will reimburse up to $5,000 for employee childcare expenses. But if you have two or more kids, you’re eligible for a $6,000 credit, which means that even if you receive the full $5,000 from your employer, you can still claim an additional $1,000 credit when you file.

3. Up to $2,500 for college tuition.

If you earn less than $80,000 (or $160,000 as a married couple filing jointly), you’re eligible for up to $2,500 towards college tuition courtesy of the American Opportunity Credit. The credit can be used for four years of college and is partially refundable if it’s greater than the amount you owe.

4. Everyday charitable contributions.

Those cookies you made for the community center bake sale and reams of paper you donated to your local public school may seem like small expenses, but $10 here and $20 there adds up over the course of a year. As long as the recipient is a not-for-profit organization, such donations are legitimate charitable contributions and are tax deductible. Remember to get a receipt from the organization for anything over $250.

5. Relocation costs for a starter job.

Depending on your age, this one may apply more to your grown children than yourself. Anyone who was hired for his or her first job in 2010 and relocated more than 50 miles away for purposes of employment qualifies to deduct the cost of relocation. Eligible expenses include moving companies, personal transportation, parking, tolls, and 16.5 cents per gallon of gas if you used your own car.

6. Up to $2,500 for student loan payments made by parents.

Here’s another one to forward to your post-college kids. Children whose parents paid back interest on their student loan debt are eligible to receive up to $2,500 in tax deductions (even if repayment isn’t yet legally required). Why? Because any repayment a parent makes on a child’s debt is considered a gift, and is viewed as having been paid by the child rather than the parents.

7. Last year’s state tax.

This one’s almost too easy to overlook. If you owed state tax last year (2009) don’t forget to deduct the amount you paid on your 2010 return.

Don’t forget to check out our website for help filing your taxes with Turbo Tax.

Source: Reader’s Digest Editors

The Eleventh Annual Moms On The Run in Reno

May 8th, 2011 is the Eleventh Moms On The Run event in Reno. This organization was formed in 2000 to raise money to assist local women with breast cancer. Funds raised are donated to specific needs of women's cancers in Northern Nevada. This event has a 10K race, a 5K race, a Bon Bon stroll and a Kidlets Race. Teams are also welcome. Teams can win *Most Money Raised, *Largest Team, and * Best Team Theme. Get together family, friends, and businesses for this year's run! Team plaques will also be awarded. Don't miss participating.

The event will be held at Reno High School's Foster Field Parking Lot. Registration can be done online at http://www.momsontherun.info/ Entry forms can be picked up at Nevada Federal Credit Union 1296 A Plumb Lane in Reno. Come join us for this meaningful event.

Healthy alternative to an old favorite

The creamy topping on this red and green vegetable-studded macaroni and cheese is broiled, instead of baked, allowing the pasta mixture to stay moist and velvety with low-fat ricotta cheese. The low-fat version of ricotta tastes great, has a pleasant texture, and is an excellent source of protein.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 cup sweet 100s or other bite-size cherry tomatoes

1 clove garlic, minced10 ounces curly macaroni, fusilli, or elbow noodles

1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Pinch of crushed red pepper

1/2 cup coarsely shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces/60 g)

How to make it

1

Heat the oil in a 10-inch (25-cm) skillet or sauté pan over medium-low heat until the garlic begins to sizzle. Add the broccoli and onions and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat and let stand.

2

Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente or firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the cooking water. Leave the pasta in the colander.

3

Whisk the ricotta and 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the reserved cooking water in the pasta pot over medium heat until smooth. Add the vegetables, Parmesan, and crushed red pepper. Stir to blend. Toss in the pasta and combine to evenly distribute the sauce and vegetables. Add the remaining 1/4 cup (50 mL) of cooking water, if the pasta seems too dry. Heat through, stirring, for 3 minutes.

4

Coat a 9 × 13-inch (22 × 330-cm) oval gratin pan that can safely go under the broiler with nonstick cooking spray. Adjust the oven rack so that the top of the dish will be 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) from the broiler. Preheat the broiler.

5

Spread the pasta mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese. Broil until the top is golden and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Per serving: 317 calories, 10 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 41 g carbohydrate, 15 g protein, 2 g fiber, 25 mg cholesterol, 161 mg sodium, 232 mg calcium

Source: Healthy Heart Miracle Diet

Happy St. Patrick's Day

On St. Patrick’s Day—Thursday, March 17—millions of people will don green and celebrate the Irish with parades, good cheer, and perhaps a pint of beer. But few St. Patrick’s Day revelers have a clue about St. Patrick, the historical figure, according to the author of St. Patrick of Ireland: A Biography. “The modern celebration of St. Patrick’s Day really has almost nothing to do with the real man,” said classics professor Philip Freeman of Luther College in Iowa.

Who Was the Man Behind St. Patrick’s Day?

For starters, the real St. Patrick wasn’t even Irish. He was born in Britain around A.D. 390 to an aristocratic Christian family with a townhouse, a country villa, and plenty of slaves. What’s more, Patrick professed no interest in Christianity as a young boy, Freeman noted. At 16, Patrick’s world turned: He was kidnapped and sent overseas to tend sheep as a slave in the chilly, mountainous countryside of Ireland for seven years. “It was just horrible for him,” Freeman said. “But he got a religious conversion while he was there and became a very deeply believing Christian.”

According to folklore, a voice came to Patrick in his dreams, telling him to escape. He found passage on a pirate ship back to Britain, where he was reunited with his family. The voice then told him to go back to Ireland. “He gets ordained as a priest from a bishop, and goes back and spends the rest of his life trying to convert the Irish to Christianity,” Freeman said.

Patrick’s work in Ireland was tough—he was constantly beaten by thugs, harassed by the Irish royalty, and admonished by his British superiors. After he died on March 17, 461, Patrick was largely forgotten. But slowly, mythology grew around Patrick, and centuries later he was honored as the patron saint of Ireland, Freeman noted.

According to St. Patrick’s Day lore, Patrick used the three leaves of a shamrock to explain the Christian holy trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Today, St. Patrick’s Day revelers wear a shamrock out of tradition.

Source: NationalGeographic.com

Gas Mileage Myths

Do Americans care about fuel economy as the average price for a gallon of gasoline hovers at $3.50 and tops $4 in some parts of the country? You bet they do, though they also have a fair number of misconceptions about how to squeeze a few more miles out of every drop.

It takes more fuel to start a vehicle than it does to let it idle.
People are really confused about this one, and will leave a car idling for half an hour rather than turn it off and restart. Some kids I know started an anti-idling campaign in the suburbs and are shaming parents into shutting down their cars. Idling uses a quarter to a half gallon of fuel in an hour (costing you one to two cents a minute). Unless you're stalled in traffic, turn off the car when stopped for more a few minutes.

Vehicles need to be warmed up before they're driven.
Pshaw. That is a long-outdated notion. Today's cars are fine being driven off seconds after they're started.

As a vehicle ages, its fuel economy decreases significantly.
Not true. As long as it's maintained, a 10- or 15-year-old car should have like-new mileage. The key thing is maintenance: An out-of-tune car will definitely start to decline mileage-wise.

Replacing your air filter helps your car run efficiently.
Another outdated claim, dating back to the pre-1976 carburetor days. Fuel-injection engines don't get economy benefits from a clean air filter.

Aftermarket additives and devices can dramatically improve your fuel economy.
As readers of my story on The Blade recall, there's not much evidence that these "miracle products" do much more than drain your wallet. Both the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Reports have weighed in on this. There are no top-secret 100-mpg bolt-ons out there.

Using premium fuel improves fuel economy.
You might as well write a check to BP if you believe this. Only use premium if your car specifies it.

Read the full article.

Bananas: The ultimate hunger buster

Ever grab a snack but then feel hungry again 20 minutes later? Next time, reach for a banana. It’s loaded with Resistant Starch (RS), a healthy carb that fills you up and helps to boost your metabolism. Slightly underripe medium-sized bananas have 12.5 grams of RS—more than most other foods. Ripe bananas give you 4.7 grams of RS, still enough to keep hunger pangs away. Check out these tasty ways to work in this wonder food.

Banana “Ice Cream”

Peel, slice, and freeze 1 small banana. Place frozen banana pieces in a blender with 3 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk; blend until thick. Top with 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts.

Banana Salsa

Make a quick salsa with 2 diced peeled bananas, 2 tablespoons minced red onion, 1 tablespoon minced cilantro, 1 teaspoon minced serrano or jalepeno pepper, juice of 1 lime, and brown sugar and salt to taste. Use it to top fish or pork tacos, jerk chicken, or jerk pork.

Broiled Bananas

Slice 1 peeled banana in half lengthwise. Put banana pieces, cut sides up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the banana pieces with 1 teaspoon brown sugar, and broil on high until the sugar bubbles and the bananas brown (about 2–3 minutes). After broiling, sprinkle with cinnamon—or drizzle with 1 teaspoon rum for an extra-special treat.

Coffee and Banana Smoothie

Place 1 sliced peeled banana, 1 cup 1% low-fat milk, 1/2 cup cold black coffee, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1/2 cup ice in a blender. Blend until smooth—and enjoy.

Tropical Fruit Salad

Make a fruit salad with 1 sliced peeled banana, 1 sliced peeled kiwi, and 1/2 diced peeled ripe mango. Squirt juice of 1/4 lime over the salad, and serve.

Source: Health.com