Year-End Expert Tax Tips
December 30, 2013
There are a couple of days left in 2013, but according to tax expert Marshall Mennenga, there are some steps people can take before 2014 arrives to not only lower their tax bills, but to help others at the same time. He suggested contributions to charitable organizations.
“Maybe you need to clean out some closets and give some clothes to Goodwill…or many of the other organizations out there that are nonprofit organizations, that will accept your goods, your household furniture, clothes, and things like that,” he advised. “Of course, the fair market value of those items is deductible.”
Another suggestion is cash contributions, but Mennenga said to make sure to get receipts documenting the amounts. He noted there are very few tax-law changes from last year to be aware of. Every year, the Internal Revenue Service puts out a guide for tax preparation called Publication 17.
“Last year, it was like February 10th before it was available for distribution,” he recalled. “For right now, here in late December, it’s already available, so there’s no major changes coming.”
Another tip is not to jump the gun and try to fill in your tax return before you have everything you need, such as your 1099 forms for interest and dividends.
“Wait before your do your tax return to make sure you have everything. Use your previous year’s tax return as a guideline,” he said. “Check off each one of the places you received interest from or you received dividends from. Or, if you’re a small business, make sure you have good, accurate record-keeping; make sure you deduct everything that you’re entitled to.”
Mennenga said keeping good records of deductible expenses all year long is the best way to prepare for filling out the annual tax return. Many people just throw all their receipts in a shoebox or file drawer, and then have to spend hours sorting it all out at tax time.
by the Public News Service – FL
Louise Mason Jones
December 30, 2013
Mrs. Louise Mason Jones, 68, passed away on Friday, December 27, 2013, in Atmore. Mrs. Jones was a native of Bratt and had lived in Atmore most of her life. She was a wonderful mother and she attended the Church of the Living God.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Clifford Harold Jones; parents, Marvin and Alda Mae Mason; five brothers, Robert Qualls, Lonnie Qualls, Bill Qualls, Harold Qualls and Buddy Mason; and two sisters, Clara Bell Payne and Ethel Davidson.
She is survived by her two sons, Tony Jones (Levonda) of Bay Minette and Tabo Jones (Teresa) of Montgomery; two daughters, Patty Wiggins (Henry) and Wanda Marshall all of Atmore; two sisters, Frances Cain and Dorothy Rhoades, both of Atmore; 13 grandchildren, Brittany Jones Revel, MaKayla Smith Corey, Dakota Smith, Dillon Marshall, Hunter Marshall Revel, Jessica Jones, Mason Jones, Dawson Jones, Lauren Wiggins, Lindsey Wiggins, Luke Wiggins, Megan Jones and Hannah Jones; five great-grandchildren, Trasen White, Kylin Jones, Jazlin White, MaKenzie Corey and Ayden Corey; and a special family friend and cook, Rotasha Dailey of Atmore.
Funeral services will be held at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home on Tuesday, December 31, 2013, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Earl Harrison officiating.
Burial will follow at the Serenity Garden Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Mason Jones, George Johnson, Brian McGhee, Thomas Harris, Bryan Mason, Cody Payne, Glen Flowers and Carlos Stewart.
Petty- Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC is in charge of all arrangements.
Fredrick Tawain Lee
December 30, 2013
Fredrick Tawain Lee, 33, passed away December 28, 2013, at his home in Cantonment.
Fredrick, affectionately known as “Freddy” or “Boobie”, was born July 15, 1980, in Pensacola, to the late Rosie Chever and Fred Lee. Fredrick was christened as an infant by Mr. & Mrs. Roland Brown.
He graduated from J.M. Tate High School in 1998 and attended Pensacola Junior College. Freddy had a great sense of humor and humble spirit. He was full of information, enjoyed working on computers and electronics and was always interested in the latest technology.
Fredrick was preceded in death by his mother, Rosie Chever; and his grandparents, Floyd and Mary Cooks.
He is survived by his father, Fred (Latonya) Lee; brothers, Danny (Vicki) Cooks, Hamp (Joyce) Chever, Leroy (Tiffany) Chever, Floyd Galloway, Aric (Stephanie) Lee, David Lee, Fred Lee, Jr, Marcellus Smith, and Mareese Smith; sisters, Tracie Brantley and Jackie Stephenson, all of Cantonment; godparents, Roland and Lucile Brown of Laplace, Louisiana and Billy and Henreitta Broughton of Cantonment; one godchild, Tadarius Tucker; eleven god-sisters and god-brothers; two devoted Bridgette Simpkins and Terrel Cooks; several nieces and nephews and a host of aunts, uncles and cousins.
Visitation will be held Saturday, January, 4, 2014, from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. at St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church.
Services will be held on Saturday, January 4, 2014 at 11 a.m. at St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church in Cantonment.
Burial will take place at Pensacola Memorial Gardens.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Eva Nell Burkett
December 30, 2013
Eva Nell Burkett, 61 of Atmore, passed away Friday, December 27, 2013, in Mobile. She born in Atmore on March 13, 1952, to the late Levi and Treacy Walker McGhee. She attended Atmore Apostolic Church, was a member and employed by Poarch Creek Indians.
She is preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Leo McGhee and Chairmen Fred Lee McGhee, four sisters, Carlie Dalrymple, Martha Wilson, Imogene Sheets and Donna White; one great-grandchild, Brayden Jackson.
Survivors include two sons, Scott (Tammy) Jackson of Wetumpka, Ala., and Joshua (Vicky) Burkett of Atmore; two daughters, Tina Call and Teresa McLaughlin both of Jay; six sisters, Helen Hallman, Deloris Kelley, Velma Crocker, Eldnar (Shirley) McGhee, Myrtis (David) Kinman and Judy McGhee, all of Atmore; four grandchildren, Dalton Jackson, Douglas Bennamon, Joshua Kahne Burkett and Haylee Jackson; two great-grandchildren, Brody Durham and Rylan Jackson.
Services were held Monday, December 30, 2013, from the Atmore Apostolic Church with Rev. Steve Ward officiating.
Interment was in New Home Cemetery in Poarch.
Active pallbearers were Stevie McGhee, Trent Jackson, Ryan Exum, Rodney Exum, David Allen Kinman and Arthur Mothershed.
Honorary pallbearers were Kevin McGhee, Dernick McGhee, James Roberson, Dusty Martin, Greg McGhee and Logan Boatwright.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home, Inc is entrusted with all arrangements.
Helen Louise Emmons Wall
December 30, 2013
Helen Louise Emmons Wall, 67 of Atmore, passed away Sunday, December 29, 2013, at her residence. She was retired from Masland Carpets as quality control, now presently working at Poarch Travel Plaza and doing tax work. She was born in Homestead, Fla., on January 5, 1946, to the late Clifton Eugene and Evelyn Schefield Emmons.
She is preceded in death by two brothers, Edward Emmons and Marvin Emmons; and one sister, Evelyn Herr.
Survivors include her two sons, Chris (Donna) Emmons and Allen (Stacey) Wall, all of McCullough; one daughter, Donna (David) Byrd of Monroeville; one sister, Mary Lou (Jackie) Watson of Jay; six grandchildren, Robbie, Lacey, Noelle, Brianna, Joshua, and Ayden; and two great-grandchildren, Micah and Maddox.
Services will be Thursday, January 2, 2014, at noon from Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Jesse Wood officiating.
Interment will follow in McCullough Cemetery.
Family will receive friends, Thursday, January 2, 2014, at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home from 10 a.m. until service time.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home, Inc is in charge of all arrangements.
Man Guilty Of Robbing Four Hwy 29 Businesses To Pay Girlfriend’s Court Costs
December 29, 2013
An Escambia County man that committed a string of robberies along Highway 29 to pay his girlfriend’s court costs won’t be seeing her anytime soon.
Marquis Charles Baldwin, 23, was convicted on multiple counts of armed robbery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was sentenced by Judge Scott Duncan to 10 years in state prison for the holdups.
Baldwin used a pump-action BB gun during the robbery of four businesses on Highway 29 — November 30, 2012, at the the Kangaroo gas station at 7950 Pensacola Boulevard, December 6, 2012, at the Waffle House at 7999 Pensacola Boulevard, January 3 and January 9, 2013, at the Waffle House at 6913 Pensacola Boulevard.
Baldwin told investigators that he committed the robberies in order to pay off his girlfriend’s probation costs, which deputies said were paid in full after the January robbery.
A Little Afternoon Sunshine
December 29, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Sunday: Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 60. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph after midnight.
- Monday: A 30 percent chance of rain after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. North wind around 5 mph.
- Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. Calm wind.
- New Year’s Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
- Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly clear, with a low around 33. Calm wind.
- Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.
- Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 60.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.
FWC Continues To Study New Deer Hunting Regulations For Northwest Florida
December 29, 2013
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is continuing to study a proposal that would divide the state’s Hunting Zone D (from Pensacola to Tallahassee) into two deer management units (DMUs), each with its own unique set of deer antler-point regulations and antlerless deer harvest days.
These proposals for Zone D, which if passed at the April 2014 Commission meeting, would take effect during the 2014-15 hunting season and are part of a larger, statewide project aimed at managing deer on a more local level and providing stakeholders with a greater say in deer management. The Commission also directed staff to provide an update on this issue at the February Commission meeting.
The FWC conducted a public outreach and input process in northwest Florida during the first three months of 2013. During that period, the Commission received input and comments from hunters, farmers and the general public regarding how they would like to see deer managed in the newly proposed DMUs.
As a result of this outreach process, the FWC is considering rule proposals for both public and private lands in both of the DMUs in Zone D, specifically north and south of Interstate 10. Currently statewide on private lands and most wildlife management areas, bucks that are legal to take must have at least one antler that is at least 5 inches long.
The proposals would require that bucks harvested north of I-10 in Hunting Zone D have antlers with at least three points (each point having to be at least 1 inch long) on one side. South of I-10 in Zone D, the minimum antler requirement would be two points on one side.
The proposal includes an exception to the antler requirements in both DMUs whereby youth 15 years old and younger may continue to harvest bucks with at least one antler that is 5 inches or more in length.
Also, the FWC is proposing a change to the antlerless deer season (“doe days”) on private lands within Zone D. Currently in that zone, the season to take deer of either sex (except spotted fawns) runs for seven consecutive days: Dec. 26 – Jan. 1. In the proposed rules, those dates north of I-10 would change to eight days distributed across four weekends (Saturday-Sunday after Thanksgiving, first weekend of muzzleloading gun season, third weekend of general gun season and the weekend after Christmas).
South of I-10, in Zone D, the proposal would change the antlerless season to four days consisting of two popular holiday weekends (the weekends after Thanksgiving and Christmas).
The purpose of modifying the antlerless deer season, the FWC said, is to spread out the hunting opportunity, so that more hunters may be able to participate without substantially reducing deer populations. These changes would be monitored to measure the impact on the deer harvest and hunter satisfaction within each DMU.
United Way Seeks Income Tax Prep Volunteers
December 29, 2013
United Way of Escambia County is seeking volunteers for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA).
VITA volunteers provide free tax preparation help for those with low-to-moderate income. In 2013, 52 volunteers helped return over $900,000 in earned income tax credit and a total of over $2.8 million in refunds to 2,055 families in our community. The overall financial impact of this initiative was $3.3 million
VITA volunteers will:
- Volunteer in the role of either as a Tax Preparer or Greeter.
- Be able to commit to one to four hours per week from January 14th
- Receive IRS training and certification.
- Expand your knowledge of federal tax return procedures.
- Add a new skill to your resume.
- Receive CRA credit (for depository institutions only).
- Serve local citizens and help stimulate the local economy.
VITA site locations will include Pensacola State College (multiple campuses), Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Central Credit Union (Spring Street branch) and St. Sylvester Catholic Church in Navarre. Sites will open January 14, 2014.
Training starts for volunteers in December for sites in Pensacola, Milton and Navarre. United Way will train tax preparers and greeters. The online portion of the training can be completed at the volunteer’s pace.
To become a VITA volunteer, call (850) 444-7128 or email name and contact information to lyndi@unitedwayescambia.org.
Half Cent Sales Tax Watchdog Group Elects New Chair
December 29, 2013
Alvin Wingate has been elected as chairperson of the Escambia County School District’s One-Half Cent Sales Tax Watchdog Committee for the current school fiscal year, and Ashley Bodmer has been elected vice chair.
The One-Half Cent Sales Tax Watchdog Committee is tasked with ensuring that all referendum funds are used for school capital projects such as the construction and support of Escambia County schools. The first five-year program was voter approved in 1997 followed by a second in 2002. In 2007, voters overwhelmingly voted for a 10-year extension of the tax. The One-Half Cent Sales Tax Watchdog Committee is charged with ensuring that only those projects voted for in the referendums are undertaken.
Funds provided by this sales tax referendum built Blue Angels Elementary School and Global Learning Academy; provided many security enhancements; the modernization of several schools; continued HVAC and roofing updates as well as media centers and athletic facilities. Current sales tax funded projects include the reconstruction of Ernest Ward Middle School and A. K. Suter Elementary School.
Wingate has been a member of the committee since its inception in 1997.
The committee meets bi-monthly. The next meeting of the One-Half Cent Sales Tax Watchdog Committee is scheduled for January 16, 2014, 8:00 a.m., in the Superintendent’s Conference Room located in the McDaniel Building, 75 North Pace Blvd.
Pictured: The August groundbreaking for the reconstruction of Ernest Ward Middle School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
