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Ive been neglecting The Female Problem page of late. Its been politics, politics around here for some time. Im going to try to update it here very soon. Women who are currently having children have a love/hate relationship with this topic, and cannot get enough of it. I am in that group as well. Having a baby (actually having it) is a transformational, startling, awesome thing. Pregnancy is a strange, weird, wonderful, miraculous pain in the ass, too. I think many women would like to talk about it more, but upon caring for a newborn baby and possibly other children, find that theres no time to do so, and the women who are interested, being young moms themselves, havent the time to brush their teeth in the morning, either.
One area of this vast subject that interest, confounds, and infuriates me is the push for better birthing experiences largely by the very same people who push for abortion. These women talk about the importance of a baby being born gently and lovingly (I agree), but go on in the same sentence to champion abortion rights, and equate options in childbirth with reproductive rights. Hey, ladies, abortion is not Ive tried to point out the little dilemma this presents for the birth movement, or whatever you want to call it. (I hate I dont want to be equated with any But alas.)
Ive stated frequently that, should it come down to my support for increased midwifery legislation in the name of broader abortion rights, or the State of Obstetrics as They Stand Today (which isnt great, let me tell you), I would be for the latter, since I believe that babies have a right to be treated gently throughout pregnancy, too, and should have the right to live long enough be caught by a midwife in the first place.
Just as many women who choose to have their babies with a midwife in attendance are not granola-munching, tie-dyed wearing, abortion-rights activist, Birckenstock-bedecked lesbians. But somehow many of these types are the ones who are the most vocal when it comes to the sad state of affairs in obstetrics. Just as many women feel the same way, but they dont happen to use the same language as abortion rights when advocating for better birth experiences in this country. Theyre not two sides of the same coin. And I just think its sadly hilarious, the apparent disconnect that goes on in the minds of these women who want gentle births for babies while simultaneously lobbying for increased access to pre-born baby dismemberment.
However, increased midwifery legislation is making great strides in various states, and interestingly enough, its often pro-life Republicans who are advocating for it (see, Missouri, and a homeschoolers role in helping get the legislation passed by discovering the meaning of ) Hopefully enough people advocating for better midwifery legislation are aware of the grave mistake they would be making to use pro-abortion language synonymously with pro-midwifery legislation. It would be shooting themselves in the foot, because many lawmakers would not support something that sounds similar. (Not to mention losing the support of many would-be midwifery backers.)
So, once again, Ive succeeded in squeezing myself into quite an incongruous confluence of ideas. Ive often thought that I ust be somewhat of a bafflement to anyone who might be trying to figure me out. Im a Catholic, pro-life, stay-at-home, conservative mom who supports midwives. I receive Mothering magazine (which leans strongly left), National Geographic (which has gone off the Enviro-Left deep end), NRA magazine, and of course, BrainChild. (Remember Elana Sigall?) Theres quite a mixture of ideas there. Reading around here is never boring.
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One area of this vast subject that interest, confounds, and infuriates me is the push for better birthing experiences largely by the very same people who push for abortion. These women talk about the importance of a baby being born gently and lovingly (I agree), but go on in the same sentence to champion abortion rights, and equate options in childbirth with reproductive rights. Hey, ladies, abortion is not Ive tried to point out the little dilemma this presents for the birth movement, or whatever you want to call it. (I hate I dont want to be equated with any But alas.)
Ive stated frequently that, should it come down to my support for increased midwifery legislation in the name of broader abortion rights, or the State of Obstetrics as They Stand Today (which isnt great, let me tell you), I would be for the latter, since I believe that babies have a right to be treated gently throughout pregnancy, too, and should have the right to live long enough be caught by a midwife in the first place.
Just as many women who choose to have their babies with a midwife in attendance are not granola-munching, tie-dyed wearing, abortion-rights activist, Birckenstock-bedecked lesbians. But somehow many of these types are the ones who are the most vocal when it comes to the sad state of affairs in obstetrics. Just as many women feel the same way, but they dont happen to use the same language as abortion rights when advocating for better birth experiences in this country. Theyre not two sides of the same coin. And I just think its sadly hilarious, the apparent disconnect that goes on in the minds of these women who want gentle births for babies while simultaneously lobbying for increased access to pre-born baby dismemberment.
However, increased midwifery legislation is making great strides in various states, and interestingly enough, its often pro-life Republicans who are advocating for it (see, Missouri, and a homeschoolers role in helping get the legislation passed by discovering the meaning of ) Hopefully enough people advocating for better midwifery legislation are aware of the grave mistake they would be making to use pro-abortion language synonymously with pro-midwifery legislation. It would be shooting themselves in the foot, because many lawmakers would not support something that sounds similar. (Not to mention losing the support of many would-be midwifery backers.)
So, once again, Ive succeeded in squeezing myself into quite an incongruous confluence of ideas. Ive often thought that I ust be somewhat of a bafflement to anyone who might be trying to figure me out. Im a Catholic, pro-life, stay-at-home, conservative mom who supports midwives. I receive Mothering magazine (which leans strongly left), National Geographic (which has gone off the Enviro-Left deep end), NRA magazine, and of course, BrainChild. (Remember Elana Sigall?) Theres quite a mixture of ideas there. Reading around here is never boring.
News the best top 10 >>> Read more...
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Congratulations, you've made it. You have survived a stormy stock market. You were able to make a little profit on some stocks and get rid of some downers just in time. Here comes another shower. You have to report your transactions to the Internal Revenue Service.
If you sold a stock or other investment property, regardless of a profit or loss, you are required to file a Schedule D. This is a two page form that can be rather daunting.
There are only 22 lines, but it takes a lot of time to collect the data and fill it out. But you will be rewarded for your work in tax savings. If you have lost money, you can use your losses to offset any gains or a portion of your ordinary income. If you have profited, the form will help ensure that you don't overpay your taxes on the gains.
When you make money on a sale you have to report on the Schedule D some basic information. This information includes when you bought the asset and when you sold it. How long you hold the property will determine its tax rate.
If you only owned the security for a year or less, you will pay a higher tax rate. Short term assets are taxed at the same rate as ordinary income, which is often as high as 35% for some individuals.
If you've held the property for over a year it will be considered a long term asset. Long term assets are eligible for a lower capital gains tax rate that ranges from 5% to 15%, depending on your income level.
Specifically the information that you will need for each transaction is as follows:
(a) Name and Description of the asset sold
(b) When it was obtained
(c) When it was sold
(d) For what price it was sold
(e) The asset's cost or basis
(f) Your gain or loss.
You figure your gain or loss by subtracting your basis from the sales price. In addition to asking for your total gain and loss, you will also be asked for your total sales amounts. This allows an easy comparison of the sales amounts you enter with the figures that your broker or manger reports to the IRS.
There are lines on the Schedule D that probably won't apply to most taxpayers. If you find that you need to report installment sales, like-kind exchanges, or commodity straddles, then you should contact a professional tax advisor.
Any capital loss carryover you have from earlier years, plus any capital gains distributions earned, is required to be reported. If you only have distributions to report, you will not need to fill out a Schedule D, you can report these directly on a 1040 or 1040A return.
If your only capital gain is from the sale of your resident, you may not have to file a Schedule D. You must meet some basic residency requirements and your profit must not exceed $250,000. If you meet the qualifications, you don't even have to report it on any form.
Once you have given all of the short and long term transaction information, you will need to combine your asset sale details. If the total of all of your capital activities is negative, it may seem like poor investing, but it's good news for your taxes. Up to a certain limit, your loss can help to offset your regular income. This means that you are paying taxes on less income.
You are allowed to use your Schedule D to eliminate any capital gains. If you lost more than you gained, you will only be able to claim up to $3,000 of your losses in one year against your regular income. You can carry forward any larger losses to use against gains in future tax years and to write off any ordinary income. You can do so until you use up all of your loss. Your loss means that you can transfer the loss amount to a 1040 and continue your filing work there.
If you have a gain, you still have some paperwork to complete. You will have to fill out a separate Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain Tax Worksheet found in your 1040 instruction book. The worksheet will take you through 19 lines to break out each of your various types of gain income and figure the correct taxation for each. Make sure that you have figured your 1040 taxable income amount before you begin this worksheet, because you have to have that figure to start with.
Now add, subtract, multiply and have fun.
Don't ignore the need to file a Schedule D. If you sold stock or other property, the IRS will receive a copy of any tax statement that your broker sent to you. They are looking to make sure that you file your gain or loss.
Usually, your work will benefit you in tax advantages. Regular income tax rates are often twice that levied on long term capital gains. By filing a Schedule D, you may find that your tax bill is less than if you would have used the gains as ordinary income.
Martin Lukac (http://www.MartinLukac.com), represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate/mortgage market. We specialize in daily updates, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies.
News >>> Read more...
If you sold a stock or other investment property, regardless of a profit or loss, you are required to file a Schedule D. This is a two page form that can be rather daunting.
There are only 22 lines, but it takes a lot of time to collect the data and fill it out. But you will be rewarded for your work in tax savings. If you have lost money, you can use your losses to offset any gains or a portion of your ordinary income. If you have profited, the form will help ensure that you don't overpay your taxes on the gains.
When you make money on a sale you have to report on the Schedule D some basic information. This information includes when you bought the asset and when you sold it. How long you hold the property will determine its tax rate.
If you only owned the security for a year or less, you will pay a higher tax rate. Short term assets are taxed at the same rate as ordinary income, which is often as high as 35% for some individuals.
If you've held the property for over a year it will be considered a long term asset. Long term assets are eligible for a lower capital gains tax rate that ranges from 5% to 15%, depending on your income level.
Specifically the information that you will need for each transaction is as follows:
(a) Name and Description of the asset sold
(b) When it was obtained
(c) When it was sold
(d) For what price it was sold
(e) The asset's cost or basis
(f) Your gain or loss.
You figure your gain or loss by subtracting your basis from the sales price. In addition to asking for your total gain and loss, you will also be asked for your total sales amounts. This allows an easy comparison of the sales amounts you enter with the figures that your broker or manger reports to the IRS.
There are lines on the Schedule D that probably won't apply to most taxpayers. If you find that you need to report installment sales, like-kind exchanges, or commodity straddles, then you should contact a professional tax advisor.
Any capital loss carryover you have from earlier years, plus any capital gains distributions earned, is required to be reported. If you only have distributions to report, you will not need to fill out a Schedule D, you can report these directly on a 1040 or 1040A return.
If your only capital gain is from the sale of your resident, you may not have to file a Schedule D. You must meet some basic residency requirements and your profit must not exceed $250,000. If you meet the qualifications, you don't even have to report it on any form.
Once you have given all of the short and long term transaction information, you will need to combine your asset sale details. If the total of all of your capital activities is negative, it may seem like poor investing, but it's good news for your taxes. Up to a certain limit, your loss can help to offset your regular income. This means that you are paying taxes on less income.
You are allowed to use your Schedule D to eliminate any capital gains. If you lost more than you gained, you will only be able to claim up to $3,000 of your losses in one year against your regular income. You can carry forward any larger losses to use against gains in future tax years and to write off any ordinary income. You can do so until you use up all of your loss. Your loss means that you can transfer the loss amount to a 1040 and continue your filing work there.
If you have a gain, you still have some paperwork to complete. You will have to fill out a separate Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain Tax Worksheet found in your 1040 instruction book. The worksheet will take you through 19 lines to break out each of your various types of gain income and figure the correct taxation for each. Make sure that you have figured your 1040 taxable income amount before you begin this worksheet, because you have to have that figure to start with.
Now add, subtract, multiply and have fun.
Don't ignore the need to file a Schedule D. If you sold stock or other property, the IRS will receive a copy of any tax statement that your broker sent to you. They are looking to make sure that you file your gain or loss.
Usually, your work will benefit you in tax advantages. Regular income tax rates are often twice that levied on long term capital gains. By filing a Schedule D, you may find that your tax bill is less than if you would have used the gains as ordinary income.
Martin Lukac (http://www.MartinLukac.com), represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate/mortgage market. We specialize in daily updates, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies.
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Question: Hi, Chris. Perhaps you can help solve a debate between me and my husband. Here's the background: In 2000, we bought a vacation home in the Catskills, 3 hours outside of New York City (where we live). We refinanced in 2004 and got a 4.75% 15 year mortgage and our payments are affordable for us. The home is now valued at 2-3 times what we paid for it, but I'm worried that the real estate market in second home areas won't hold up under prolonged high gas prices and I'm thinking about selling (we could use the money for other things, such as buying a primary residence). My husband wants to hold on to the place indefinitely, thinking that our mortgage rate is very low and high gas prices might actually help vacation spots that are close to big metro areas, since people will still want to vacation but might want to stay closer to home. There does still seem to be plenty of wealth in New York City and prices in its ring of vacation-home areas seem fairly stable so far. Is there any historical precedent you're re aware of or advice you could give that could help us think through what might happen to the second home market over the next few years? Thanks, Erin. Brooklyn, NY
Answer: This is a truly intriguing question for the new world of high-priced energy. I hope Getting Personal readers weigh in with their thoughts.
I do think that high energy prices will impact real estate values over time. For instance, although it's commonplace for financial advisors to recommend that retirees downsize, few do. One reason may be that families often pay almost as much for a smaller home. A two bedroom condominium in an attractive part of a city with all the amenities typically sells for nearly the price tag of a comfortable four-bedroom home in a tony suburb. The same economics hold for moving from a McMansion to a villa.
That may be true, but I think the calculation will change. Large homes cost significantly more to maintain, and are subject to higher property taxes. The savings from running a smaller home compound over time. The combination of high energy costs and an aging population could signal a fundamental shift in the retirement home market toward small is beautiful. Bud Hebeler, who runs the website www.analyzenow.com, believes that over the next decade small homes are going to be relatively pricier than large ones, at least on a dollars-per-square-foot basis."
With that type of thinking in mind, I do think that vacation spots nearer a major metropolitan area like New York will do well, especially as fuel efficient cars become more commonplace. Demographic trends, such as the aging of the population, suggest that vacation homes will continue to attract buyers (once the current downturn reaches the history books). The problems with housing and energy will lie more with exurb developments and larger homes.
So, on this side of the investment ledger I am with your husband.
However, let's say you really want to own your own place. If you can find a good value in today's market (it's better to be a buyer than a seller these days) and you can end up with a conservative financing by selling your vacation home, then I'd sell. It's partly a question of how much you actually use your vacation home, and how much you want to own your own place near to where you work. If the answer is yes--we want to own a home--I'm with you. Sell.
In other words, you're both right. The answer then depends on what is a greater priority for you--a vacation home as an investment or owning a primary residence?
By the way, the vacation market isn't doing well after several years of hype and speculation. Last year, according to the National Association of Realtors, vacation home sales fell by more than 30% in 2007. Weakness in the market was also reflected in a 2.5 percent decline in the median price to $195,000. It's a pretty safe bet that the market is doing worse in 2008. Nevertheless, surveys consistently show that vacation homes are alluring to an aging population.
Anyone else have thoughts on thinking through this question.
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Answer: This is a truly intriguing question for the new world of high-priced energy. I hope Getting Personal readers weigh in with their thoughts.
I do think that high energy prices will impact real estate values over time. For instance, although it's commonplace for financial advisors to recommend that retirees downsize, few do. One reason may be that families often pay almost as much for a smaller home. A two bedroom condominium in an attractive part of a city with all the amenities typically sells for nearly the price tag of a comfortable four-bedroom home in a tony suburb. The same economics hold for moving from a McMansion to a villa.
That may be true, but I think the calculation will change. Large homes cost significantly more to maintain, and are subject to higher property taxes. The savings from running a smaller home compound over time. The combination of high energy costs and an aging population could signal a fundamental shift in the retirement home market toward small is beautiful. Bud Hebeler, who runs the website www.analyzenow.com, believes that over the next decade small homes are going to be relatively pricier than large ones, at least on a dollars-per-square-foot basis."
With that type of thinking in mind, I do think that vacation spots nearer a major metropolitan area like New York will do well, especially as fuel efficient cars become more commonplace. Demographic trends, such as the aging of the population, suggest that vacation homes will continue to attract buyers (once the current downturn reaches the history books). The problems with housing and energy will lie more with exurb developments and larger homes.
So, on this side of the investment ledger I am with your husband.
However, let's say you really want to own your own place. If you can find a good value in today's market (it's better to be a buyer than a seller these days) and you can end up with a conservative financing by selling your vacation home, then I'd sell. It's partly a question of how much you actually use your vacation home, and how much you want to own your own place near to where you work. If the answer is yes--we want to own a home--I'm with you. Sell.
In other words, you're both right. The answer then depends on what is a greater priority for you--a vacation home as an investment or owning a primary residence?
By the way, the vacation market isn't doing well after several years of hype and speculation. Last year, according to the National Association of Realtors, vacation home sales fell by more than 30% in 2007. Weakness in the market was also reflected in a 2.5 percent decline in the median price to $195,000. It's a pretty safe bet that the market is doing worse in 2008. Nevertheless, surveys consistently show that vacation homes are alluring to an aging population.
Anyone else have thoughts on thinking through this question.
The best top 10 >>> Read more...
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california capital gains tax rate
Understanding Capital Gains Tax
To understand the capital gains tax, we must begin by understanding exactly what is meant by capital gains. Capital gains is the income that a person gets from the sale of an investment. These investments may take the form of a piece of real estate property like a house or a farm. It can also be a family business or even a work of art. The capital gain is basically defined as the difference between the money that is realized from the sale of an asset and the price that was paid for it.
The amount of the tax that is imposed varies and actually depends on a variety of factors, which even include how long the seller has owned the investment/property as well as what type it is. The capital gains tax will not be asked for until the investment/property is actually sold. For instance, if the stocks in your portfolio have been appreciating in value, you can rest assured that you won’t have to pay any type of taxes on them unless you have actually sold the stocks.
Investors should also remember that unlike other taxes, the rate imposed on the capital gains tax is not fixed. The rate imposed will depend on how long the asset has been owned. A good example would be an asset that has been owned for less than year. The capital gains tax that will be imposed on the sale of this property will be at the same rate as an ordinary income. On the other hand, the tax rates that will be given on the sale of a property that has been in the possession of the owner for more than a year can end up being lower.
As with all other tax impositions, there are a few rules that you need to be aware of in order to prevent any kind of major tax liabilities.
One rule that you should remember is that in most cases you can completely avoid capital gains tax if the house that you are planning to sell is considered as your principal residence. In order for a house to be considered as the principal residence you must have taken residence there for two of the last five years. The two years imposed dont necessarily have to be sequential years or even the most recent two years. Just as long as you fulfill the two-year rule the government will consider the house your principal residence. In fact, you don’t even need to be living at the house at the time that you sell your property.
Americano top 10 >>> capital gain tax
Understanding Capital Gains Tax
To understand the capital gains tax, we must begin by understanding exactly what is meant by capital gains. Capital gains is the income that a person gets from the sale of an investment. These investments may take the form of a piece of real estate property like a house or a farm. It can also be a family business or even a work of art. The capital gain is basically defined as the difference between the money that is realized from the sale of an asset and the price that was paid for it.
The amount of the tax that is imposed varies and actually depends on a variety of factors, which even include how long the seller has owned the investment/property as well as what type it is. The capital gains tax will not be asked for until the investment/property is actually sold. For instance, if the stocks in your portfolio have been appreciating in value, you can rest assured that you won’t have to pay any type of taxes on them unless you have actually sold the stocks.
Investors should also remember that unlike other taxes, the rate imposed on the capital gains tax is not fixed. The rate imposed will depend on how long the asset has been owned. A good example would be an asset that has been owned for less than year. The capital gains tax that will be imposed on the sale of this property will be at the same rate as an ordinary income. On the other hand, the tax rates that will be given on the sale of a property that has been in the possession of the owner for more than a year can end up being lower.
As with all other tax impositions, there are a few rules that you need to be aware of in order to prevent any kind of major tax liabilities.
One rule that you should remember is that in most cases you can completely avoid capital gains tax if the house that you are planning to sell is considered as your principal residence. In order for a house to be considered as the principal residence you must have taken residence there for two of the last five years. The two years imposed dont necessarily have to be sequential years or even the most recent two years. Just as long as you fulfill the two-year rule the government will consider the house your principal residence. In fact, you don’t even need to be living at the house at the time that you sell your property.
Americano top 10 >>> capital gain tax
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Let us take the simple (and common) example of the Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb (CFL) vs the incandescent. People often mistakenly say that the CFL costs more when, in fact, it costs more to buy but is far less costly to own. But, upfront, that CFL might require 5-10 times as much to purchase the more efficient option. If an individual is worried about paying for the food at the grocery store, what is the likelihood that they will shell out $10 for two bulbs rather than $1.97 for four especially since those longer term savings seem so remote. (Remote despite the advertising claims on the CFL packages who truly believes claims on packaging even though, in this case, they are basically true (and potentially even understated).) Put this out in terms of larger individual investments ($200 more for a more efficient refrigerator, $2000 more for a more efficient heating system, $20k more for a more efficient house purchase). And, think of it in societal terms. If a school system is struggling to pay for salaries and cutting staff, will they find the resources for backfitting energy efficiency in the schools even though it would pay for itself over a five-year period?
The rigor mortis in the credit markets are a quite serious problem. There are local governments who cant float bonds. How will they implement a major energy efficiency (and some renewable energy) program in their infrastructure in the face of non-existent credit? Oh, yeah, at the same time tax revenues are falling due to the real estate crash? Only way to do it, politically, for most of the nation/globe: loan for investment in a more efficient/less costly infrastructure that will then pay for itself. Oh, right, credit isnt there.
And, this crunch quite clearly goes from the individual to the business to local governments to the national (and international) level.
And, that is where the ease of capital availability (at affordable rates) becomes critical. The individual, the local government, the business in a tight economic environment is far less likely to be able to carve out resources from current income for investing for future value. Thus, the need for a robust capital market. A capital market that is near frozen
And, it is not just capital
To undertake a sensible path forward requires capital investment and, almost certainly, putting higher prices on polluting energy sources while seeking to foster renewables and drive energy efficiency. This was politically untenable when energy was (of course, not counting , which understates by far the real cost of extractive energy systems.) No BtU tax in the 1990s in the United States for example.
Now, rising costs do make things like energy efficiency more attractive, but that cost factor is not enough to do what is necessary to truly change paths. We need smart regulations for energy efficiency. We need to reduce barriers to sensible decision making, to make the Energy Smart not just the easy option, but the preferred option.
In the face of a collapsing economic system in the face of escalating energy prices in the face of rising food prices, the of making the necessary capital investment to change the tide(s) is skyrocketing. And, we can measure that cost in terms of actual cost of capital and political capital required to make the effort. That cost was politically untenable in the best of times. What will be the case in the worst of times?
This, of course, becomes a driving reason for the We campaign. To make the necessary (what might seem politically untenable) not just tenable, but desirable.
A final thought
We call the fossil fuel industry an extractive industy. Sadly, that is what Wall Street and Corporate boardroom have become to too large an extent. Extractive industry for immediate benefit rather than long-term sustainability of their business, the , society, and the habitability of the plant for humanity.
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