Are You Ready for Some Football?!

We’ll hear this phrase just one last time as we wrap up the National Football League season with Super Bowl XLVII. The Seattle Seahawks, led by quarterback Russell Wilson and running back Marshawn Lynch, will take on Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos, who odds makers currently have favored in the polls, this Sunday, February 2. Regardless of whether you’re a football lover or simply a fan of the commercials, food and festivities that often accompany Super Bowl parties, this year’s event is guaranteed to be a spectacular spectacle.

According to a new survey by the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association, more than […] Read more

Chinese New Year!!

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year. This year – 2014 or the Chinese year of 4712 – is the year of the Horse.  The Chinese years are based on the lunar cycle calendar with each month beginning on the darkest day.  The horse is one of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs and is part of the 12-year cycle of animal signs.

Look for a year of good health and prosperity and feel free to indulge in some appropriate merry-making this weekend.  Don’t be concerned if you hear fireworks going off in your neighborhood or an impromptu parade breaks […] Read more

Tax Refunds Delayed Again!!

We’ve turned the calendar to 2014, and with that comes time to file your annual tax returns. Remember last fall when Congress couldn’t figure out how to get along and they shut everything down for a couple of weeks? Well that debacle is now affecting your taxes, meaning federal returns can’t be filed until the end of January and refunds are definitely going to be delayed.

Generally, there are two schools of thought about tax time. One, you may dread the time-consuming filing process — and the writing of check(s) to the federal or state government for money you owe. On […] Read more