HOW THE 2008 ELECTION COULD HIT YOUR WALLET

The April 2007 Focus on the Family Action newsletter presents information that should disturb every American taxpayer. Let me quote a few points from this newsletter, but I encourage you to contact this organization if you want the entire newsletter for your reading. “The Web site parenthood.com recently estimated that the average parent will spend around $170,000 to raise one child over a lifetime. A Department of Agriculture study…estimating…’it will cost $237,000 for a family with an average annual income of $57,400’” to raise a child, and that doesn’t include college expenses.

With this in mind, the Democratic Congress is considering numerous tax increases that call for the elimination of every tax cut in the last seven years. The Democrats plan to re-impose the “Marriage Penalty Tax,” cut the child tax credit and return the death tax (estate taxes). “According to Americans for Tax Relief, the average taxpayer faces an increase of $3,035 under the Democrats’ tax plan. And if you have a family of four with an income of $60,000 per year, your taxes will rise from $3,030 to $4,893. That’s an increase of 61 percent!”

What can you do? First, I encourage you to start praying now about the 2008 elections. Ask God to intervene and protect the family and to bring forth candidates who stand for Biblical values. Second, contact your local Congressman or Senator and express your concern over the probable return of taxes, which will take your family’s money out of your wallet. Third, call (or write) Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader (202-224-3542) and Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House (202-225-4965).

Last, but never least, ensure you are registered to vote and VOTE! Never miss an opportunity to vote and let your voice be heard! Voting is a blessing, and as a good steward, you must vote!

TIPS

1-Open mail near your shredder and a trash can. Shred those addresses and toss away unwanted items. Touch your mail only once when you bring it into your home! Dispose of junk mail in seconds and have a keen sense of accomplishment!

2-According to Everyday Cheapskate email by Mary Hunt (great website at www.cheapskatemonthly.com) , you can use Dawn liquid dish detergent to repel ants. Spray countertops, cupboards and any other area where you see ants with a solution of Dawn and water. Wipe dry. The slight residue of Dawn that remains will not be a problem at all for kids or pets, but ants hate it. Should you see a trail of ants, spray them with the Dawn spray to kill them.

3 *Expanding Frosting: When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size, get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount, and eat fewer sugar/calories per serving.

4-Reheating Refrigerated Bread: To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

5-Newspaper Weeds-Away: (I actually used this method in both GA & FL - even kills off grass!) Start by putting in your plants. Work your normal nutrients into your soil. Wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go, cover with mulch anpd forget about weeds. Weeds WILL get through some gardening plastics. They will NOT get through wet newspapers.

6-No More Mosquitoes: Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

7-Foggy Windshield: Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog up, rub with the eraser! It works better than a cloth.

8-Good-bye Fruit Flies: To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass and fill it with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid – mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

9-Sand Gone: Take baby powder to the beach. Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When you’re ready to leave the beach sprinkle yourself and kids with the powder. The sand will slide right off your skin.

WEBSITES

www.thegivingbead.com – This site is a jewelry site where the profits are donated to benefit Sea of Faces, an organization helping families to adopt. I recommend this site as one to consider when you’re looking for a special gift that benefits a very wonderful cause.

www.dc-baby.com - Thank you to Shanon-Rose for this site. Keep updated on local baby-related events.

IDEAS FOR TEACHING STEWARDSHIP TO CHILDREN

Teaching children about financial stewardship is a lifetime process. Look at how long it’s taken you to learn about finances! Below are a few ideas you can consider. This is by no means a comprehensive list. Instead use these ideas to see if they spark an opportunity of instruction in your family.

1-Talk openly with your children about financial matters. Let them learn from your mistakes. Don’t overwhelm children with the burden you bear with debt, but let them see how debt affects your lifestyle choices, mood, and future spending decisions. Talking openly helps your children learn and understand (from your heart) what they are observing in your life.

2-When your children are given financial gifts, like at birthdays, allow them to have a percentage to manage. However, with the majority of the gift, put it in a savings vehicle (ex: 529 plan, savings account, etc.). Make sure that at least 10% of the gift is given to the child to tithe. Let him place the money in the church offering plate to experience the joy of giving!

3-If your children want a toy, let them “earn it.” Offer them small jobs around the house where they have to “toil” in order to earn money. This way, children can relate your working and receiving pay to their situation. Also, by earning money instead of having toys/money given to them, children see that “nothing in life is free.”

4-For young children, I encourage you to regularly give your youngster money for the purpose of giving to the church. This way, giving becomes a part of the child’s lifestyle/routine. My kids love putting money in the offering plate!

5-Read books about finances to your children when they become old enough to understand. Christian writers like Ron Blue and Mary Hunt have excellent books applicable to teaching children financial principles. Crown Ministries also offers resources. I would recommend making April (tax month) your family’s “financial focus” month. Every April read a financial book together and talk about what you’ve learned. If you do this several times in life, your children will be very blessed by your faithfulness.

6-At least annually, have your children participate in a philanthropic endeavor. This allows your children to give above and beyond, plus it exposes them to the fact that most people in the world are poorer than the average American. Every December, we participate in Operation Christmas Child. We also send care packages to children we support through World Vision. As my children mature, I hope to allow them to serve in a local soup kitchen and to volunteer with local ministries where they can learn to give of their finances, talents and prayers.

7-Last but not least, we try to donate every 1-2 months to our church’s “community closet” ministry. My children help me bag the clothing and toys they’ve outgrown. We take them together to the drop-off point. The point is to make giving and helping others part of your family’s regular routine. Whatever you do to give to others, involve your children! They’ll love it!

ADOPTION TAX CREDITMany of you know my family is in the process of adopting a little boy from overseas. We are excited and would greatly appreciate your prayers. It is a financial challenge to face the expenses of adopting; however, there are many organizations offering financial assistance. Below is information about the adoption tax credit (taken from the Children’s Hope Int’l website).

There are over 140 million orphans in the world according to several Christian family websites. Please pray that God would raise up loving families for these precious children.

Current tax filing for the 2005 tax season provides for $10,960 adoption tax credit. We strongly recommend adoptive families consult a legal or tax professional for more details. The Federal Adoption Tax Credit for 2007 will be $11,390. Pray the Lord does not allow Congress to take this blessing away from adopting families.

What is the Hope For Children Act?

The Hope for Children Act (Public Law 107-16) provides tax credit for “qualifying adoption expenses” to $10,960. It also increases the employer adoption assistance exclusion to $10,000.

When did the Federal adoption tax credit go into effect?

The Hope for Children Act is effective January 1, 2002.

What are ‘qualified adoption expenses?

According to the IRS: “Reasonable and necessary adoption fees, court costs, attorney fees, traveling expenses (including meals & lodging) and other expenses related to, and whose principal purpose is for, the legal adoption of an eligible child.”

Who qualifies for the tax credit?

Persons with modified adjusted gross incomes of $150,000 or less, phasing out for modified adjusted gross incomes up to $190,000.

Do all adoptions qualify for the $10,960 tax credit?

Non-special needs domestic adoptions and FINALIZED international adoptions qualify. Overseas adoptions must be finalized in order to be legal and deemed a U.S. citizen. Domestic special needs adoptions are defined as children who are U.S. citizens and determined by the state of residence to qualify for financial subsidy for adoption.

How does the $10,000 tax credit work for international adoptions?

International adoptions must be finalized. While some adoptions are finalized in the child’s country of birth, state law in the United States governing finalization varies. All states do not recognize “adoption finalization” overseas, requiring families in those states to re-finalize the adoption to qualify for the tax credit.

Can families claim the full credit over multiple years? Yes, the credit can be applied against tax liability over six years or whenever expenses reach the $10,960 cap, whichever comes first. PLEASE NOTE:The IRS states that the 968 Publication will be similar with changes in language to reflect the $10,960 tax credit.

EXCURSIONS—

(1) Those local to Washington, DC., don’t forget the Smithsonian’s Folk Life Festival. It’s a free day of educational experiences for your entire family. The only cost to you is transportation to D.C. and any food or beverage you purchase. Take a picnic with you and enjoy!

(2) For my “crafty” friends, check out the Occoquan Spring Craft show on June 2-3. Info at

www.occoquancraftshow.com - Children under 12 are free. This is a fun family outing and a great time to gather ideas for family crafts!

TIME SAVING TIPS

In April, I had the pleasure of hearing Sue Marie Bowling, a home organizer, speak at a church women’s event. Here are a couple of tips that might save you a minute or two of time.

1-Eliminate clutter and organize: Invest in time to organize, then you will spend less time searching for lost items. Organized living also results in less stress and requires less energy than disorganized living. According to Sue Marie, we do not need approximately 40% of our “stuff.” Donate, eliminate (trash) or archive to reduce the energy-depleting environment around you!

2-Find an easy place for items to land, then you won’t misplace them or have to move them from pile to pile. I’ve implemented her idea of a multi-tier desk/letter organizer in my kitchen. This helps me locate bills, important papers, etc. more quickly. I’m still trashing my junk mail when it arrives!

GIFTS

I have shared in the past that I give a scrapbook annually to my mom and my mother-in-law. The photos highlight our family’s year. It’s a fun gift that allows grandparents to share their grandkids with friends, co-workers, and neighbors. If you are going to give this gift this Christmas, make sure you allow time throughout the year to scrapbook. You can also make color copies of scrapbook pages at some of the scrapbooking stores (as well as Kinko’s). This might be a way to share pictures with aunts and uncles. Color copying is not necessarily inexpensive; however, it is one way to share crafts and photos with lower time commitment.

NEWSLETTER CHANGE:

Don’t forget this newsletter is changing in 2007 to be published during the odd numbered months. Next SONshine Savings will be July!

Thank you to Kimble for her encouragement to have me share my book, Face of Courage, with families at Virginia Tech. Also, thank you to Tim & Melanie for their kind assistance! Please keep the families of the victims and the students in your prayers. No day will ever be the same after this tragedy.

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If you have a church or civic organization, and you’re looking for a speaker, please keep me in mind. I would love to talk with you about the opportunity. Not only do I speak about financial matters, but I enjoy sharing my faith and speaking about spiritual topics!

Joy! Michele Buschman

“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength” Philippians 4:12-13.