October 15 tax deadline nears; Last chance for stimulus payments

WASHINGTON, DC — The Oct. 15 deadline to file a 2007 income tax return and to receive an economic stimulus payment this year is fast approaching.

This is the deadline for the estimated 4.3 million retirees and disabled veterans who may be eligible to receive a stimulus payment but who normally don’t file a tax return.

It’s also the deadline for the approximately 10 million people who earlier this year received extensions to file their 2007 income tax return.

“Don’t let the economic stimulus payment pass you by,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “If you want the payment this year, you should file by Oct. 15. We recognize that there may be older Americans and disabled veterans who still have not filed for their stimulus payment. If you know of a friend, neighbor or family members who may be in that situation, please give them a hand if they need it.”

The IRS has accounted for nearly 80 percent of the Social Security and Veterans Affairs beneficiaries initially identified as potentially eligible.

The IRS has yet to hear from an estimated 4.2 million people who receive certain Social Security benefits and 178,000 who receive certain Veterans Affairs benefits. The agency twice has sent to this group letters that enclosed a Form 1040A, a sample tax form and instructions for sending the tax return to the IRS. If these instructions have been misplaced, the fastest way to obtain a Package 1040A-3 is to go to IRS.gov or to local IRS offices. There are more than 400 local offices nationwide where people can get assistance in preparing the return as well. A return also can be prepared and submitted for free through Free File which is available at IRS.gov.

People must file a tax return in order to receive an economic stimulus payment even if they normally are not required to file a return.

For eligible individuals, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 provided for stimulus payments of up to $600 ($1,200 for married couples) or the amount of the taxpayer’s 2007 net income tax liability, whichever is less. There also is a $300 payment for each qualifying child.

There is an income phase-out, starting at adjusted gross income amounts of $75,000 for single taxpayers and $150,000 for married taxpayers.

For people who have no tax liability and who have no requirement to file a tax return because their income is too low or nontaxable there is a stimulus payment of up to $300 ($600 for married couples) plus the $300 payment for each qualifying child. However, people in this situation must have at least $3,000 in qualifying income from earned income, nontaxable combat pay as well as certain benefits from Social Security, Veterans Affairs and Railroad Retirement.

Qualifying income from Social Security includes retirement, disability and survivor benefits. Supplemental Security Income is not a qualifying income. Qualifying income from Veterans Affairs includes disability compensation, disability pension and survivor benefits. Qualifying Railroad Retirement Board benefits include the social security equivalent portion of Tier I benefits. Also, those who are dependents or eligible to be dependents on another’s tax return are not eligible. People must have a valid Social Security Number unless their spouse is a member of the military.

The IRS has partnered with numerous organizations, including AARP, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, National Council on Aging, Community Action Partnership, United Way, National League of Cities, National Disability Institute and National Community Tax Coalition. These organizations also are conducting outreach efforts to older Americans and veterans.

Also, each year, there are approximately 10 million taxpayers who request an extension from the April 15 deadline to file their tax return. The extension applies only to filing a return, not to paying any taxes owed. Oct. 15 is a final deadline for these extension taxpayers to avoid any penalties. They, too, may be eligible for the economic stimulus payment but must file a 2007 return by Oct. 15 to receive the payment this year.

By law, the IRS cannot disperse any economic stimulus payments after Dec. 31. However, people who may be eligible for an economic stimulus payment can claim a credit in 2009 by filing a 2008 income tax return.

As of Aug. 29, the IRS has issued $93 billion in economic stimulus payments to 114.8 million individuals and families.

Those who already have filed a 2007 tax return but who have not yet received an economic stimulus payment, can check on the status of your payment by going to “Where’s My Economic Stimulus Payment?” on the IRS.gov Web site.

People also can call 1-866-234-2942 and, after selecting English or Spanish language, should press 2 to check on the status of the stimulus payment. People will need their Social Security Number (the one listed first on the 2007 return), filing status (single, married, etc) and the number of exemptions claimed on the return.

Keeping car in top shape save at the pump, improves fuel efficiency

PHILADELPHIA, Penn. — After several weeks of gas prices slowly coming down from record highs, consumers are seeing the trend reverse as pump prices begin inching back over the $4.00 per gallon mark. Because high fuel costs are likely here to stay, Pep Boys is offering “Fuel Efficiency 101” tips to help motorists conserve energy and save money. Efficient engines burn less fuel compared to engines running in less than optimal conditions.

Following these quick and easy steps will help keep vehicles in top shape and performing at peak efficiency.

1. Check tire pressure regularly. Under inflation or over inflation of tires can lead to decreased fuel mileage. Correct air pressure is also required to assure dependable handling, consistent traction and tire life.

Remember that seasonal temperatures change the air pressure in tires. Cold winter weather will cause the air pressure to drop. Warm summer temperatures will cause the air pressure to increase. Rule of thumb is a swing in temperature by 10 degrees will cause a 1 lb. change in a tires air pressure.

Keep a tire gauge in the glove compartment of the vehicle and check the tire pressure regularly. Consult the owner’s manual to determine the correct tire pressure for your vehicle.

2. Check air filters and replace when dirty. Internal combustion engines need air to run - the better the air flow, the more efficient the engine. Dirty air filters cause engines to run at less than peak efficiency which increases fuel consumption.

3. Be sure to use the correct type of motor oil: Using the correct oil weight is important. Higher viscosity oils have greater resistance to the moving parts of the engine and therefore use more gas.

Check the vehicle owner’s manual for the correct oil weight. The oil weight is the first number (with the W next to it) on the bottle of motor oil (e.g. 5W-30). The higher the number, the more viscous the oil, so 5W-30 is less thick and has less resistance to the moving parts of the engine than 10W-30.

Engines operating at peak performance have more power, burn less fuel and leave a smaller carbon footprint than improperly or poorly performing engines. For more tips to keep cars running in top shape, visit Pep Boys Car Care Corner online at http://www.pepboys.com/car_care_corner/

Sleeping computers and peripherals waste energy, Purdue CIO says

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Even when your computer appears to be off, it may still be wasting energy.
If a computer really is turned off, and other devices - such as printers or disk drives - are left on in standby mode, the system is still eating electricity.

Users can save energy, and money, by simply using an electrical power strip, says Gerry McCartney, vice president for information technology and chief information officer at Purdue University.

“When a computer is at rest, or asleep, it actually draws as much energy as a 60-watt light bulb,” McCartney says. “Even if it is turned off, other devices connected to it, such as printers, monitors, hubs and other devices, draw four to five watts per hour as they stand by.”

An easy solution, says McCartney, is to purchase a power strip that can be switched off when the computer won’t be used for awhile, such as at night.

According to the Climate Savers Computing Web site, managing the power used by computers and connected devices can save $60 per year and prevent a ton of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere.

“This may not seem like a big thing, but if you are a business with 1,000 computers, the cost savings can be noticeable,” McCartney says. “And although the green effects aren’t seen as easily, you can feel good knowing that you have done something tangible to help the environment.”

McCartney suggests these computing power management steps:

• Use power strips that can be switched off at the end of the day. (If you work in an office that sends overnight updates or has a distributed computing system, use a separate power strip for the CPU so it can be left on.)
• Set the monitor or display and disk drives to sleep after 15 minutes.
• Set the system to hibernate after 30 minutes.
• Turn your computer off before you leave for weekends, holidays or vacations.

Purdue is doing more than just turning computers off to save energy, however. When computers are on, even if the owner isn’t using them for just a few minutes, other work is sent to them. This makes more efficient use of the university’s existing computer resources and reduces the total number of computers connected to the electrical grid.

Purdue does this by using Condor, which is open-source software available from the University of Wisconsin. Purdue has 20,000 computers connected to Condor - more than any other institution in the world, McCartney says.

In the coming weeks Purdue will make software available to all of its employees using Windows PCs that will allow them to connect their computer to the Condor system.

“At Purdue, if you aren’t using your computer, it should either be running research jobs or be turned off,” McCartney says. “We have an estimated 35,000 computers on campus, and we can have a real effect on both costs and our environmental impact if users would spend a few moments thinking about how they use those machines.”

Purdue students create Web site to encourage kids to stay in school

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A group of Purdue University students has created an interactive Web site they hope will help students see the benefits of continuing their education.

Ronald Glotzbach, an assistant professor of computer graphics technology, and several of his students have developed a Web site available at http://www.sticktoschool.com . The site is geared toward high school students who may be debating whether or not to earn their diplomas or pursue a college degree.

“Not having a high school diploma can put you at a severe disadvantage in terms of finding a good job or finding a career,” he said. “Our goal with this Web site is to create something that students will enjoy using and, at the same time, will give them good, valuable information that will inspire them.”

Glotzbach and his students, led by Laura Kellogg, a graduate student in computer graphics technology, designed and developed the content and graphics for the site and performed research on the featured careers.

They also developed two interactive games for the site: “Welcome to Opus City” and “Stick to School: The Game.”

“Opus City” allows the player to travel around a fictional city full of challenges and job choices. The goal is to keep a character called “the Benefactor” happy by making wise decisions. “Stick to School” is designed like a board game, where players first decide whether to stay in school or drop out, then take turns moving their car around the board, encountering various real-life scenarios based on their choice. The player with the most money at the end wins.

The Web site focuses on the six basic types of jobs most people choose based on their personality type: realistic (working with animals, tools or machines); investigative (scientific or math-based jobs); artistic (dancer, actor, musician); social (jobs helping people, such as teachers or counselors); enterprising (sales, real estate agent, lawyer); or conventional (mail carrier, bookkeeper, secretary, bank teller).

Web site users can click on each job type and find out what kind of jobs someone with those interests might be able to pursue in addition to what kind of education each job within that category requires and a typical salary. For instance, by clicking on the “investigative” job heading, a user could choose the “hospital” category, then get information on jobs that require a high school education and jobs that require a four-year degree or more.

“The design is meant to inspire students and to let them know that no matter what their interests or talents, there is a career that is right for them, and the more education you have, the more options there are available to you,” Glotzbach said.

Other features of the Web site include an e-mentor section, in which students can ask questions about education or careers that will be answered by professionals at 20/20 Inner Vision Inc., the nonprofit organization that spearheaded the Web site’s creation; inspirational stories from those whose lives have been changed by pursuing educational goals; dropout statistics; and a lessons section where teachers and counselors can download educational videos to show students.

Future plans for the site include videos of workers in a variety of trades who will talk about the benefits of their career and what kind of education it takes to pursue the path they chose.

Glotzbach said the idea for the Web site came from Craig MacFarlane, an inspirational speaker and the president of 20/20 InnerVision Inc., a Zionsville, Ind., nonprofit foundation dedicated to improving the U.S. high school graduation rate.

MacFarlane was blinded after an accident when he was 2 years old and went on to compete in a variety of sports, including wrestling, skiing, waterskiing, golf and track, winning more than 100 gold medals. He says his success comes from a technique called muscle memory, in which he uses his “inner vision” to train his other senses to compensate for his lack of sight. MacFarlane studied law at Carlton University and earned a stockbroker’s license.

He said he has been concerned about the high dropout rate in many communities and created 20/20 Inner Vision to help improve students’ self-esteem, study and life skills, and remove barriers that prevent them from getting an education.

“I’ve talked to more than 2,500 schools over the past 20 years about the importance of education and not giving up on your dreams,” MacFarlane said. “This is something I am passionate about, and I want to use my story to help inspire others. There have been so many unsung heroes in my life that helped me, and I want to do the same thing for others.”

He said he chose Purdue because he had heard about the work of the College of Technology’s computer graphics technology department.

“Creating this Web site is a great way to inspire young people that may ordinarily slip through the cracks and give them hope that anything is possible,” MacFarlane said.

St. Elizabeth Regional Health, Humana reach contract for in-network health benefits

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Humana and St. Elizabeth Regional Health have reached a new contract that will provide in-network health care benefits for 164,000 Humana of Indiana members at Sisters of St. Francis Health Services facilities beginning October 2008.

St. Elizabeth Regional Health had been out of Humana’s network since June 2007. The new contract affects all Humana groups; individual and Medicare plan members.

“This agreement enables us to provide the same top-quality care to Humana members that we do to all those we currently serve at our hospitals and practice groups,” said Kevin Leahy, SSFHS president and chief executive officer.

“The addition of St. Elizabeth Regional Health to our hospital network brings to our members one of the country’s premier health systems,” said Humana of Indiana President Veronica Martin. “This agreement reinforces Humana’s commitment to health care provider choice for our members and the collaborative approach both organizations embraced as we worked toward an agreement should be a model for provider/payer relationships.”

The following facilities will join the Humana network:

• St. Elizabeth Medical Center (Lafayette)
• Home Hospital (Lafayette)
• St. Clare Medical Center (Crawfordsville)
• St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Indianapolis)
• St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Beech Grove)
• St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (Mooresville)

Humana members with questions should contact Humana’s Customer Service Center at the toll free number on their member ID cards. A full listing of Humana network participating hospitals is also available at www.humana.com.

About St. Elizabeth Regional Health

St. Elizabeth Regional Health includes St. Elizabeth Medical Center and Home Hospital in Lafayette, Sigma Medical Group, Woman’s Clinic and Lafayette OB/GYN. St. Elizabeth Regional Health and is part of a network of 13 hospital campuses in Indiana and Illinois owned and operated by the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc., one of the largest health care systems in Indiana. St. Elizabeth Regional Health, combined with St. Clare Medical Center in Crawfordsville, form the Western Indiana Region of the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services. For more information, go to www.ste.org.

« Previous Page — Next Page »