by Heidi Copeland | Jan 22, 2021
Taxes, without a
doubt, conjure up emotions from elation to dread! Do you owe? Are you getting a refund? Are you uncertain?
This is a significant statement because income tax returns cannot be filed electronically or by mail until the IRS has opened the season.
Please, do not be influenced to apply for a tax refund loan, typically known as a RAL (refund anticipation loan), if you are not in a crisis for the money. An RAL is a loan based on the anticipated amount of your federal income tax refund. Many tax filing services will offer you a RAL if… you file with their service. Your loan amount will be the value of your anticipated refund minus fees and/or interest charges.
Know, too, that your loan will go directly to the lender once the IRS processes your income tax return.
Be VERY careful with refund anticipation loans. An obvious positive attribute of the loan is you get money quickly – before the season even opens. Another, once the lender receives your refund, the loan is paid. But, what happens if your tax refund is smaller than the anticipated income tax return? You now will have an outstanding loan that will need to be paid back.
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC or EITC) is a refundable tax credit for low- and moderate-income workers. For 2020, the earned income tax credit ranges from $538 to $6,660. The amount depends on income and number of children; people without kids can qualify, too.
If you qualify for the EITC, you need to know, by law, the IRS cannot issue refunds for people claiming the EITC or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) before mid-February. The IRS cannot release these refunds before February 15, but the IRS is saying to expect your refund by the first week of March. Note, too, the law requires the IRS to hold the entire refund − even the portion not associated with the EITC or ACTC. This law change, which took effect in 2017, helps ensure that taxpayers receive the refund they are due by giving the IRS more time to detect and prevent fraud.
Now, while waiting for the tax filing season to open, is a great time to get income tax documents together. Once the filing season opens, being organized and prepared will help facilitate a seamless transition to filing your income tax return. The IRS recommends that taxpayers file their returns electronically to reduce errors and receive refunds more quickly.
Filing an average income tax form is also easy. There are many FREE income tax filing sites.
Income $72,000 and below: Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension office and they can help you by:
- Finding FREE federal tax filing on an IRS partner site
- Finding guided preparation – simply answer questions
- Providing a link to a FREE Facilitated Self-Assisted (FSA) service with electronic forms you fill out and file yourself
Income above $72,000: Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension office and they can help you by:
- Providing a link to a FREE Facilitated Self-Assisted (FSA) service with electronic forms you fill out and file yourself
- Helping you learn how to prepare papers for meeting with a tax professional
- Providing you with basic tax preparation information
Be careful in your decision making when it comes to filing income taxes. Choosing e-file and direct deposit for refunds remains the fastest and safest way to file an accurate income tax return and receive a timely refund. It is amazing to know the IRS issues more than 9 out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days.
Source: https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free#what
by Marie Arick | Jan 21, 2021
Marie Arick, UF/IFAS Extension Liberty County
Marie Arick is in her second year as the UF/IFAS Liberty County Extension Director and 4-Agent. She also is the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent for both Liberty and Calhoun Counties. Marie has been with University of Florida IFAS since 2015, originally serving as the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent in Jackson County. She received her B.S. in Exercise Science and M.S. in Health Promotion from Mississippi State University. Her Extension specialty areas are health, wellness, food and nutrition, and 4-H youth development.
Marie Arick, Liberty County 4-H
Marie has provided many nutrition, food safety, and health and wellness educational programs/events including A Healthy Table Cooking School, Artisanal Cheese Making, Prevent T2: The National Diabetes Prevention Program, First-time Homebuyer, and the Annual Heart and Sole 5K. Her programming efforts in 4-H have included Food Challenge, Culinary Arts, Leadership, Community Service, and a variety of day camps and residential camps. Before joining UF/IFAS, Marie was employed with Texas A & M AgriLife Extension Service, where she was the Eastland County Extension Director and Family and Consumer Sciences Agent while also supporting 4-H programming.
Marie Arick, UF/IFAS Extension Liberty County
Marie shares what she enjoys most about her career: “Being an Extension Agent is such a rewarding career, not only do I provide research-based education in my community, but I also reap the reward of watching participants gain knowledge, learn new skills, and apply those skills. I love having people share how they have improved their lives or used what they have learned. Some examples are a positive health outcome, achieving home ownership, successfully competing in a judging competition, or learning to prepare a new recipe.”
Contact Marie at 850-643-2229, jmarick@ufl.edu, or at her office located in the Liberty County Civic Center at 10405 NW Theo Jacobs Way, Bristol.
by Terri Keith | Jan 14, 2021
Setting a New Year’s resolution is a tradition for many people. Unfortunately, breaking those resolutions also seems to be a tradition. If your New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier, here are some tips to help you to be successful.
Photo Credit: Terri Keith, UF/IFAS Extension
First, you will be more likely to follow through on your resolution by setting a SMART goal. A SMART goal is one that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timed. You can find more information on setting a SMART goal here.
Second, know that eating healthier doesn’t necessarily mean going on a diet or avoiding all the foods you enjoy. Eating healthier can start with making simple substitutions to your favorite recipes, like using whole wheat pasta instead of refined grain pasta, or swapping out sodas and energy drinks for water or other unsweetened beverages. It could mean that you make a conscious effort to enjoy the foods that aren’t as healthy for you in moderation or work on lowering the amount of sodium/salt that you eat. There are many ways to eat healthier and if you need more suggestions, you can check out this article on 5 things to avoid eating.
Whether you are starting with simple steps or looking for more in-depth information, ChooseMyPlate from the USDA can be a useful resource. There, you can find information on daily recommended values for the different food groups, what counts as a serving, along with other resources, like recipes or healthy eating on a budget. You might be surprised to find out what counts as a serving!
Third, try involving your kids or other members of your household in working together to eat healthier. There’s even a section at ChooseMyPlate that focuses on healthier eating for families. It can be harder to stick with your resolution if you are the only one working on it because your shopping list can end up including more sweetened snacks than fruits and vegetables. If you need some inspiration to get started, you can find a few videos of recipes that were adapted from ChooseMyPlate here.
Eating healthier is a terrific goal any time of the year. If this is your New Year’s resolution, follow these tips and stick with it!
by Samantha Kennedy | Jan 14, 2021
Guess what, guys? We made it! We have finally put 2020 behind us and are now looking forward to 2021. I, for one, am hopeful. I am expecting great things from this year.
Admittedly, I have not always had an optimistic outlook. I used to like to say that I was a natural-born cynic. And while I still have cynical tendencies, I have learned strategies over this last challenging year that have really helped me look at things more positively and helped me deal with stress.
It all starts with mindfulness. While this has really become a bit of a buzzword in recent times, the foundations of mindfulness are solid and based on research. At its most basic, mindfulness refers to the practice of being in the moment. Sounds simple, right? Well, if your mental habits are as ingrained as mine were, it takes a lot of practice to be in the moment.
I am an overthinker. A brooder. A ruminator. As far back as I can remember, I have thought about things before I did them, then thought about them again for a long time afterwards. Especially if it was something I felt I had not done right or that did not go well. I would be driving or trying to sleep and thoughts, regrets, and recriminations would just be spinning, spinning, spinning endlessly in my head.
Spending time in a peaceful place without outside distractions is a great way to refresh and recharge. (Photo source: Marisol Amador, UF/IFAS)
This was just who I was. I had learned to live with it. I always knew that if something important was coming up, like an exam or a presentation, I would obsess about it beforehand to the point where I would lose sleep. If something happened that did not go well, I would fixate on it for days afterward.
It was stressful, but I dealt with it. And then 2020 happened.
Suddenly, I could not deal with it anymore. My obsessive ruminations and self-recriminations were suddenly unmanageable in the midst of the social isolation and worries brought on by the strains of a global pandemic.
I needed to find a way to change my outlook. A way to deal effectively with the overwhelming feelings I was experiencing. I wanted to be more positive. I wanted to stop seeing doom over every horizon. Most of all, I wanted to stop obsessing about everything all the time.
So I started reading about mindfulness. Then I started trying to practice it. I say “trying” because there are still days where I am just not feeling it, where I am just not able to find that quiet space inside myself that I need to tap into to be in the moment. However, I have gotten better at it with practice.
The key is breathing. Focusing on my breath – each inhale and each exhale, one after the other – allows me to feel centered, to relegate my other thoughts to the background. When outside thoughts arise, I have learned how to push them away and concentrate on the moment. And the next one. And so on.
The best part about this practice is how portable it is. No matter where I am, I always have my breath. If I am feeling overwhelmed or angry or sad or frustrated, I can simply take a few moments to concentrate on my breathing, allowing those feelings to just be, and, eventually, they pass, leaving me feeling refreshed.
I encourage all of you to take on 2021 with a mind towards mindfulness. You may be surprised at just how much a few minutes of purposeful breathing each day can improve your overall outlook. It has really changed my life.
For more information about mindfulness, check out the UF/IFAS Extension fact sheet Mindfulness: An Introduction.
UF/IFAS is an Equal Opportunity Institution.
by Judy Corbus | Nov 30, 2020
As the holiday season gets underway, shopping for gifts may be on the top of your To Do list. While there is usually no shortage of suggestions for the kids on your list, you may be stumped about what to give to your neighbor, co-worker, best friend, or favorite aunt.
Fresh fruit makes a healthy, colorful gift.
UF/IFAS Photo: Thomas Wright.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Fruit basket: Give the gift of health with a basket of fresh fruit – apples, oranges, and grapefruit are seasonal favorites loaded with vitamin C and make convenient snacks or a tasty, colorful complement to any meal. If the recipient has experienced some financial challenges this year, consider tucking in a grocery store gift card to help stretch their food budget.
Gifts of Service: If your gift-giving budget is smaller this year, give of yourself! Give gift certificates for a free housecleaning to an elderly neighbor or relative, a free car wash, pet sitting for a weekend, mowing the lawn, walking the dog, a plate of your famous brownies, or an evening of child care, to name a few. These also make great gifts for children and teens to give. Download gift certificate templates online or design and decorate your own.
Magazines: A magazine subscription is a gift the recipient can enjoy throughout the year. Check renewal offers that come with your favorites – many publishers offer free or greatly reduced gift subscriptions when you renew your own.
Donations: We all have that one hard-to-shop-for person on our list – they have everything or aren’t involved in any hobbies. Or perhaps they have downsized to a smaller home and have limited space for “things.” Consider donating in their honor to one of their favorite charities or causes. There are several humanitarian organizations that provide needed supplies to persons in Third-World countries and even here in the U.S. Your donation can purchase a “share” of a farm animal that can provide income for a family, or you can select school supplies, clothing, sports equipment, or other items to benefit persons in need. Gifts of this kind always fit, take up no space in the recipient’s home, and help others in the spirit of the season. To check how well a charity uses donations for their intended purpose, visit the IRS Searchable Database of Charities, Charity Navigator, or Guidestar.org.
Gift giving doesn’t have to be expensive. With a little creativity, you can celebrate the season with fun, meaningful, budget-friendly gifts! Happy Holidays!
by Melanie Taylor | Nov 24, 2020
2020 has been a year of many changes and challenges due to the Coronavirus pandemic, which unfortunately will continue into our holiday season. To protect our friends, family and community members we must continue following the science-based guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and your state and local guidelines to prevent exposure and the spread of the virus.
Unfortunately, the Covid-19 epidemic numbers are rising again. Gatherings of any kind, both small and large, are contributing to the rise in positive cases. We can all make choices based on the scientific research that can protect us and others by making small changes in our 2020 holiday celebrations. Limiting the risk and being diligent in our actions should be our main goal until a vaccine is approved and dispersed throughout the country.
Holiday Dinner
Photo Source: UF/IFAS
Some unique and easy ways to celebrate the holidays this year are to “gather virtually” with those not in your immediate household or to gather in-person only with members of your own household. These two types of gatherings offer the lowest risk for spreading the virus. Your household is anyone who currently lives and shares common spaces in your home. People who do not currently live in your home, such as college students who are returning home from school for the holidays, should be considered part of different households. In-person gatherings that bring together family members or friends from different households, including those college students returning home, offer varying levels of risk. The level of risk is difficult to determine because people may have been exposed and/or are a carrier and may not be aware of it.
Here are some specific things to consider when deciding how to celebrate your holidays.
- Number of cases in your community – Be sure to know the number of positive Covid cases in your community. If the numbers are rising or are already high you should take precautions based on the data. You can check your specific county or city Covid rates at your local health departments website.
- Exposure during travel – Airports, bus stations, train stations, public transport, gas stations, rest stops and hotels are all places travelers can be exposed to the virus in the air and on surfaces. Be aware if you will be traveling or if you have guests traveling to your home.
- Location of your gathering – Indoor gatherings, especially those with poor ventilation, expose your family to more risk than outdoor gatherings.
- How long will your gathering last? – Time is an important factor to consider. The longer the gathering lasts the more risk those attendees will have of being exposed. Being within 6 feet of someone who has Covid for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more greatly increases the risk of becoming sick and requires a 14-day quarantine.
- Number and crowding of people at the gathering – Gatherings with more people bring more risk than gatherings with fewer people. The size of a holiday gathering should be determined based on the ability of attendees from different households to stay 6 feet (2 arm lengths) apart, wear masks, wash hands and follow state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules and regulations.
- Behaviors of attendees before the gathering – People who do not consistently follow social distancing, wearing masks, regular handwashing and other prevention behaviors cause more risk than those who consistently practice the recommended safety measures.
- Behaviors of attendees during the gathering – Gatherings with more safety measures in place, such as mask wearing, social distancing and handwashing, offer less risk than gatherings where fewer or no preventive measures are being implemented. Use of alcohol or drugs may alter judgment and may make it more difficult to practice Covid safety measures.
Be sure your technology is charged and ready for your virtual holiday visit. Photo Source: Kendra Zamojski
Other high-risk holiday related activities to avoid to help prevent the spread of the virus:
- Going shopping in crowded stores.
- Participating or being a spectator at a crowded parade, race or other holiday celebration.
- Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household.
- Using alcohol or drugs that may alter judgment and make it more difficult to practice Covid safety measures.
Things to consider before your gatherings:
To make the holiday less stressful be sure to practice a virtual session before the virtual holiday gathering. Make sure everyone involved knows how to connect to the virtual holiday celebration so the gathering will go more smoothly and hopefully experience less technical problems on that day.
We all had to adapt to many unexpected changes this year and the holidays will be no different. Just remember being diligent now will protect family and friends and help control the spread of the virus in our communities. Be sure to enjoy your unique holiday season this year, but here’s hoping for a less challenging 2021.
Stay safe! Enjoy your family and friends from a safe distance! Happy Holidays!
Source:
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html
doubt, conjure up emotions from elation to dread! Do you owe? Are you getting a refund? Are you uncertain?
