Head to the new O'More Sensory Garden Sunday afternoon for an O'More Publishing Book Signing Event with
refreshments and entertainment. Featuring author Charles Robinson
dancing in full regalia and reading from his book, Silent Voice of Creation. Come out and enjoy the sunshine from 2:00 -4:00, Sunday, May 4.
See you there!
Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz is not a deep theologically or philosophically life changing book. (wow, did you like all those adjectives???) However, it is full of creative writing that is so true of the author's style and wit. He has the ability to send so many truthful and meaningful messages to the reader almost in a subliminal format. You catch yourself spellbound in this dark comedy full of anxiety one moment and laughing your head off the next and then kaboom....there is a profound thought or idea or view that speaks so much into your life. This is a great book to just have fun with. Enjoy!Great book ideas around the watercooler today at Ethos.
A recent national ranking of Metropolitan Statistical Areas across the country ranked each city/area-all 369 of them-by its economic strength. The highest-ranked areas have had rapid, consistent growth in both size and quality for an extended period of time, while the lowest-ranked areas have been volatile decline for an extended period of time. The study was done by POLICOM Corporation, an independent economic research firm headquartered in Florida.
Tennessee did VERY well!
The Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro MSA ranked number 2 in the U.S., and the Memphis TN-MS-AR MSA ranked number 12 in the country! Other Tennessee cities also did well: the Knoxville MSA (58th), and the Chattanooga TN-GA MSA (71st).
To see complete rankings, go to: www.policom.com/metrorank.htm
Sandy Botkin's new book "Real Estate Tax Secrets of the Rich" explains tax benefits for homeowners and investors in an easy-to-read, authoritative format.
The blessedly short chapters include simple explanations of sometimes-complicated tax rules with lots of examples and "Sand's elaborations," which provided practical implementation advice.
Just in time for the 2007 income tax filing season, Borkin's new book provides strategies to resolve key tax issues so property owners can legally minimize their tax bills.
What is especially valuable about this new book is that the author doesn't just explain real estate taxation, but at the end of each chapter there are citations to the Internal Revenue Code, tax court decisions, Revenue Rulings and other authoritative sources.
The book includes basic tax explanations on virtually every topic homeowners and investors need to understand.
In addition, the author provides advanced tax strategies, such as how to avoid tax if your principal-residence sales results in capital gains exceeding the $250,000 or $500,000 tax exemptions of famous Internal Revenue Code 121. But this is more than a simple real estate tax book.
It provides coverage of important tax topics most people don't think about but should know about. For example, Botkin explains how to deduct costs of looking for investment property to purchase, including travel expenses.
Of course, there are a lot of examples showing how the tax law applies differently depending on whether the investor is just starting out or already owns realty investments. Advanced-level real estate owners will especially profit from tax techniques that are a bit "over the top" but are perfectly legal.
To illustrate, for home sellers who rented their homes more than three years during the last five years and lost their $250,000 or $500,000 principal-residence exemptions, the author explains how selling to your "S corporation" can be beneficial taxwise.
The superb graphics, even with cartoons, make the potentially dull topic of taxes especially interesting and easy to comprehend.
Occasionally, Botkin even adds a bit of humor, such as his explanation of how increasing your withholding allowance for $33,000 of additional homeowner deductions is "Like giving birth to 10 children (a $3,300 exemption each)...but a lot less painful"
I didn't know CPAs were allowed to have a sense of humor. Borkin's explanation of how divorce and death affect home owner tax benefits are the best and easiest to understand.
He even reveals a little known tax loophole for a surviving-spouse head of household who can file a joint tax return for up to two years after a spouse's death.
The author also simplifies the market value stepped up basis rule when inheriting property from a deceased co-owner.
if you thought it was important to understand the tax benefits of owning your home and/or investment property, think again after ready this excellent new book.
Botkin explains the Internal Revenue Code to make it as understanding as possible.
Not only is this an ultra-complete tax book explaining virtually every topic applicable to homeowners and investors, but it is an easy, enjoyable read.
Too bad Botkin didn't write the tax code because then ordinary people could understand it.
On my scale of one to 10, this outstanding new book rates and off-the-chart 12.
Robert Bruss
Real Estate Book Review
Florida Today
