TOP DRAWER INK NEWSLETTER

 

Here's the latest issue of Top Drawer Ink, the newsletter written by author HL Carpenter that's chock full of humor and common sense information.

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April 21, 2007
Volume 5, Number 8
ISSN 1554-6330

In this issue:

1. Carpenter Country
2. Top Drawer Article
3. Top Drawer Tips
4. Top Drawer Satire

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CARPENTER COUNTRY
What's Happening in Our Neck of the Human Experience

 

Noise! Noise! Noise!

At the office computers beep, phones ring, faxes clack. On the highway cars rumble by. Rescue vehicles, sirens screaming, add to the clamor - a welcome clamor if you need help - but noise nonetheless.

Here in Carpenter Country the din seems to be getting louder each day. So loud in fact, it often makes concentrating difficult.

And going out for lunch offers little relief. Blaring music, shouted conversations and the clatter of dishes can blank out all thoughts.

Sometimes silence can be found at home - usually during the middle of the night when the rattle of the dishwasher, the drone of the refrigerator, the whoosh of the washer and bang-slap of the dryer have finished their work. In the early morning hours a beach, a park or a quiet backyard can help ease the transition into the boom and bellow of every day life.

Most doctors and researchers agree that noise hurts and everyone needs an oasis to regroup. In Carpenter Country there are still a few secluded spots where we can watch the silent passage of fleecy clouds, birds winging across the sky or shadows scooting soundlessly over grass.

If you have such a peaceful place - relax and enjoy. And break the stillness with only a murmured sigh of relief.

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TOP DRAWER ARTICLE

Taxes: What's New for 2007
by
HL Carpenter

 

Your current year taxes are filed, and you’re breathing a sigh of relief. But before you relax, take a minute to check out changes that might save you money on next year’s return.

Read the entire article here

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TOP DRAWER TIPS
Topics and Tidbits

 

Tip: Many tax items are indexed to inflation and change every year. For instance, if you’re single, the standard deduction for your 2007 return will increase to $5,350, up from $5,150 in 2006. Because inflation adjustments also affect the income level that reduces or eliminates certain deductions, knowing the increased amounts can help you plan effectively for tax-saving moves you can make throughout the year.

Investment Glossary Term: Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). A tax term used to describe the income shown on an individual income tax return after certain deductions. Located on the tax form between gross income and taxable income, AGI is the starting point for calculating credits, deductions and other items.

Financial Horoscope: You may find it odd that Tax Day lands square in the middle of National Humor Month. But you’ll be the one laughing all the way to the bank if you begin your tax planning now instead of waiting until the end of the year. April is also Math Awareness month, the perfect time for celebrating your understanding that saving money is no fool’s joke.

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TOP DRAWER SATIRE

Don't Look Back
by
HL Carpenter

 

If you spend a lot of time reflecting on the past, contemplate this: Despite the much-touted benefits of hindsight, recent studies indicate the side effects can be more severe than previously thought.

Read the rest here