The Obama Tax Bill Perks: Interest-Free Roth IRA Transfers

Those who have money in a traditional Individual Retirement Account (IRA) will pay taxes on the money when they take it out decades from now. Those with Roth IRAs pay taxes now, and get the money tax-free when they retire and tap into those accounts. But what if you could have all that money and never pay a cent of taxes on it?

That's one of the benefits of the Obama tax reform bill. But you have to act fast: the opportunity to convert your regular IRA to a Roth ends December 31. Basically, the conversion equals an interest-free loan.

The deal sounds too good to be true - the government, handing you an untaxed savings account. Why? Income-tax rates were set to rise when the Bush-era tax cuts expired, but Obama made concessions with the wealthy to keep taxes down for the lower and middle classes after the financial crisis.

If you have money in an IRA, speak with a financial planner about whether this option is right for you. The deal is best for those in the highest tax brackets, who could have to pay as much as 39% to access that IRA money in a few years. If they do it now, it would be about 35%, a savings of thousands when you're talking about your entire retirement savings.

Transferring the money now is particularly beneficial for those who know they will be in higher tax brackets when they reach retirement, as they'll pay according to what they make now.

As with so many things having to do with financial planning, the details can be mind-boggling. Speaking with a wealth adviser can help you to decide what works, and many give free consultations.

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How to Add Colors to Your Retired Life?

Add colors to retired life? It is something not palatable to mind? Or is it a topic far away from your thinking process? When on the verge of retirement, as it is scary for many, how is it possible to think of adding colors to it? The possibility of the self-satisfaction and self respect that one carried in his mind through out the span of youth, could be washed or eroding away and the fear of emptiness and uncertainty, waiting to engulf his days of retirement is terrifying. Then, how can one think of bringing joy, happiness or colorful days during retirement?

There are many ways to lead a happy and contented retired life. Most important thing is naturally proper planning of finance when one is young and earning enough to build a concrete wall of protection for the future. This can be in the form of immovable properties like housing or land properties. This can be cash investments with financial institutions for a fixed or varying rate of interest depending upon the prevailing economics. This can be in the ever booming share markets or annuities.

Naturally, once sufficient investment is made for the future during the early days, calculating his future requirements and life style, one is going to enjoy his retirement. An important consideration one has to add to his calculations for his future, in the present world, is the inflation pattern. Once that unpredictable area also is taken care of, he can be assured of financial security in his retired life.

On reaching a retirement age of 65 or above, one finds that his/her children have completed their education and must be in service else where. A sense of loneliness and emptiness enters in to the life after retirement. Here let us see how one can bring that lost happiness back in to deserted retired life.

Travel

For those interested in traveling, that is the best way to keep away boredom from life. Unseen places and its unrevealed beauties will fill his days with happiness and contentment.

Gardening

Is there any body who cannot admire the greenery around? Is there any body who cannot forget themselves in the beauty of fresh flowers? Is there anybody who will turn away from the fragrance of a beautiful flower in the morning? Gardening in one's own court yard can bring all the happiness in to your retired life and fill the vacuum in the day.

Mending your grand children

If your children are in service and finding it difficult to take care of the tiny ones at home, it is the most pleasant thing to be with the grand children sharing all love and care they need. You will find total happiness and satisfaction when you are in the company of your grand children. Besides, you can also give them the right values and learning's in their primitive age.

Helping the needy

There are hundreds and thousands who are in need of help. They may be sick. They may be hungry. They may too old to move around. If you can extend a helping hand to the really needy, it has the power to bring in happiness and purpose in your life.

If you can be help full to the society and man kind, it is the best color you can add-on to our life!

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Ukrainian Adoptions: When Adopted Children Are 18: Facts On Citizenship, Passports, Military Service

This past weekend I met Olga Ivanchenko, the new Vice-Consul in charge of adoption and citizenship matters at the Consulate General of Ukraine in New York. It was a great opportunity to get the facts on what to do when your adopted child turns 18 years old.

Ukrainian Citizenship: The government of Ukraine considers every child adopted from Ukraine to be a citizen of Ukraine for life unless the child specifically denounces his or her Ukrainian citizenship in writing through a formal procedure at the Ukrainian Embassy or Consulates. Many parents were told that when your child turns 18, he or she must choose between U.S. or Ukrainian citizenship. This is NOT the case. Ukraine recognizes dual citizenship - Ukrainian and U.S. for all children adopted from Ukraine. (This is the only case where they do recognize dual citizenship.)

When your child turns 18 he or she is considered an adult by the Ukrainian government (and the U.S.). If they wish to keep their Ukrainian citizenship, all they need to do is register as an adult Ukrainian citizen with the Ukrainian Embassy or Consulate that covers the area where he or she lives. There is no rush to do this. (Remember, your child is considered a Ukrainian citizen for life.) If your child comes in at any age - 22, 35, 50 and registers as an adult that is fine. They will never lose their citizenship. Obviously, Ukraine would like your children to register more promptly so they know where their citizens are. The U.S. does the same and asks its citizens living outside the country to register at the Embassy or Consulate. It is not mandatory and your child will not lose their citizenship by not registering.

U.S. Government perspective: The U.S. is not keen on dual citizenship and recognizes only a few. It does not recognize dual citizenship with Ukraine, but it does NOT forbid U.S. citizens from being citizens of another country, nor from carrying multiple passports. If you start asking around, you will find many more U.S. citizens with dual citizenship than you might think and that is just fine, so long as you are a law abiding U.S. citizen and pay your U.S. taxes.

U.S. citizens are asked to denounce their Ukrainian citizenship and that is if they wish to serve in the U.S. military.

Military Conscription: All Ukrainian adopted children, who left Ukraine for permanent residency in another country before the age of 18 are waived from the obligation to serve in the Ukrainian military. This means any child adopted from the Ukraine will NOT be called up to military service at any time or age.

Passports: Many adopted children have expired Ukrainian passports. These may be renewed at any time, even if they are expired for quite some time. Since, often your child's first passport is a valuable keepsake, if you ask the consulate in writing, they will return it to you with a punched hole indicating that the passport is no longer valid. Some US States do this with expired drivers' licenses.

Your child's passport will differ from those issued in Ukraine only in that it will be indicated in the passport that they are permanent residents of the U.S. Ukraine does not require that its citizens enter the country on a Ukrainian Passport, so your children can travel to Ukraine on their U.S. passports. No visa is needed for a U.S. citizen to travel to Ukraine.

Those are the facts. The following is my option and thoughts on keeping your child's Ukrainian citizenship.

Why should I care? What are the benefits for my child of having a passport and Ukrainian citizenship? There are a number of reasons I would argue that it would be a good idea for your son or daughter to consider keeping their Ukrainian citizenship and valid passport.

Travel: There are countries that citizens of Ukraine can travel to without a visa, but U.S. citizens need a visa. Russia is an example. Also, if your child would like to stay for more than 90 days in the Ukraine, on a year abroad, or a mission trip, they can do so only on their Ukrainian passport. U.S. citizens no longer need a visa to Ukraine, but their stay is limited to 90 days. Your children could get around this quite easily though if they just go for a trip abroad every 90 days, but their Ukrainian passport gives them this option to stay indefinitely.

Future job and study opportunities: Right now, the European Union looks like a disaster, but who knows how Europe will develop in the next 20 years. If Ukraine becomes a member of the EU, your child's passport would be a ticket to visa and work permit free travel and study. Our children would be considered EU citizens. Since 9/11 the U.S. has been offering fewer and fewer visas and other countries have responded by granting fewer and fewer visas to U.S. citizens. A European passport gives your child potential opportunities without the government boundaries or visa requirements. As the world becomes smaller and smaller, this can be a real advantage.

Security: Your child has an option. When it might be preferable to travel as a U.S. citizen he or she can use her U.S. passport. There might also be scenarios when it would be favorable to have a non-U.S. passport. Unfortunately, in this post 9/11 world, Americans have the potential to be targets of violence internationally. Yet, I can't think of a single instance when the world has risen up and wanted to strike at Ukrainian citizens.

Heritage: Many adoptive parents encourage a pride in their adopted children for their Ukrainian cultural heritage. What better way than to have a physical reminder of this connection in the form of a Ukrainian passport.

I believe this option of dual citizenship is yet another benefit of adopting from Ukraine.

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Approaching Winter

Approaching winter always brings with it the common cold that everyone dreads. You cannot escape being attacked with a cold, but can follow some common home remedies to try and get away from catching the cold.

Read these guidelines and follow them carefully. If you have a cold, at least save others from getting it. Avoid parties and getting close to people and gifting them the virus and spreading cold around.

Never blow your nose. When you blow your nose, your nasal cavity might clear up the mucus available there but again gives impetus for fresh mucus formation, which can breed more bacteria and virus in the nasal cavity. If you are wondering why your cold is not going away even after a few days, this could be the reason.

Drink plenty of liquids and keep your body from getting dehydrated. Drink plenty of water along with hot tea or other liquids as you like. The more fluid intake, it helps your body flush out the toxins and improve your immunity to help the body fight the cold.

Though you do not feel like it, you must have a healthy breakfast when you are suffering from cold. This increases the interferon gamma levels substantially in the body by up to 4 times the normal levels. This happens to be one of the most important compounds that fight the virus in the body.

Listen to your m other and grand mother, drink lots of home made chicken soup and broth. This is the best-proven traditional remedy for your cold.

The soup aroma and the heat clears up your nasal blockage and makes it easier to breath and the chicken nourishes body with protein and boosts your immunity to fight the virus attaching you.

When you have a cold, not matter how severe, make sure you get plenty of sunlight and fresh air. Stale air is bad and contains the virus everywhere. Open out the windows of your room to let the fresh and clean air in. Make sure you go out and get sufficient sunlight so that you get adequate vitamin d into your body that can help fight the virus.

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10 Steps to Owning Your Log Home

Step 1: Research, Research, Research Congratulations! If you're reading this, you've already started the process of building the log or timber home you've always wanted. Researching log homes can be a fun process, and there are plenty of educational outlets available. Websites, magazines, home shows and local events are all available and dedicated to log, timber frame and rustic homes.

Be sure to take notes! There's more than one way to build a log home, so you'll be exposed to a variety of information. Keep a binder where you can store magazine clippings of articles and pictures, or gather information directly from the Internet. Once you've identified a few companies to focus on, start digging into the details. Talk with their staff, visit their manufacturing headquarters (so you can see the product first-hand), and attend their seminars. This is a great way to identify which company will best suit your plans and vision for your new home.

Step 2: Purchase Land Early Purchasing your land and building equity into it is more important than ever because of lending practices. However, don't rush into the choice. It may seem like the perfect property for you, but is it suitable for building the home you want? Zoning and environmental restrictions are not always obvious, so make sure there are no underlying issues.

Other issues that may not be immediately obvious could be access to utilities and water, restrictive community covenants, and land percolation suitable for a septic system.

Finding that perfect piece of land is exciting and will motivate you to continue the process, and having as much of it paid for before applying for a new home loan will certainly be beneficial.

Step 3: Set Goals & Establish a Time Line It's important to have a plan, especially when building a new home. Some build within a year of starting the process, while others may take several years. In either case, setting goals and establishing a time line to build will help you reach important milestones for paying off the land you've purchased in time to build, or saving for a down-payment on the project.

Step 4: Create a Budget & Pre-qualify With a time line in place, it's time to set an overall budget. What can you afford? Take the first step with a lender and pre-qualify for the loan. It can be very educational and allow you to plan realistically and responsibly. A variety of lenders are available and will lend to qualified people building log and timber homes. If you need help finding a good fit, talk to one of the manufacturers on the short list from your research.

Step 5: Start Preliminary Design & Wish List Now it's time for the real fun to begin! For many, this journey of building a log or timber home started years ago. During that time, a whole slew of ideas and expectations have floated across your mind. Now is the time to get those on paper. Separate the "must-haves" from the amenities you would include if the budget allows. Start playing with design ideas, and remember that most major manufacturers, will design a custom home for you with no added expense over one of their standard plans. It's also a great time to head to the local hardware store to look at fixtures, or start searching online for rustic design elements.

Step 6: Order Blueprints, Apply for Loan It's now time to decide on a floor plan and manufacturer for your home. The design process will begin, and you'll be able to start the loan process too. Working with the manufacturer to get your plans just the way you want them will be an exciting process!

Step 7: Get Construction Estimates & Interview Builders With your new home plans in hand, it's time to start getting estimates. This will help confirm that your plans meet your proposed budget, and also help determine your total loan amount. This is the perfect opportunity to interview sub-contractors and general contractors alike. Ask for references on their work, and follow up before making a choice. If your manufacturer offers building services, make sure the contract you sign is with the manufacturer and not the builder. Some companies will have a program to put you in touch with sub-contractors they have experience with.

Step 8: Pick a General Contractor Based on your experiences through gathering the estimates and talking with contractors, choose a General Contractor to direct the project. Many banks now require a licensed G.C. to manage the construction, but in some cases you may be able to serve in that capacity. Either way, there are various benefits and responsibilities.

Step 9: Finalize Loan You have the hard numbers, the G.C. is ready and the manufacturer you have picked is awaiting the deposit to create your new custom log home. Since applying for the loan in Step 6, you have been in frequent contact with your lender, which is key, because the time this process can take varies. It's time to sign on the dotted line!

Step 10: Order Package & Place Deposit A deposit is required to manufacture your custom home, with the balance due when delivered. It's an exciting time! It's been a long road, but one with great rewards at the end, and you are finally nearing it. In a matter of weeks, construction will likely begin. Another "Congratulations" is in order.

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Investor Relations 101

Investor relations involves the publication of information about a public company to increase its stock price and trading volume. The person who publishes this information is sometimes referred to as a "Stock Promoter". Stock Promoters use a variety of media to publish information including spam email, internet and direct mail newsletters, stock websites and press releases. Promoters communicate with broker-dealers, issuers, shareholders, potential investors and other market participants to increase awareness of and interest in an Issuer and its securities.

Investor Relations activities are not illegal or problematic when performed in compliance with federal and state securities laws. Because issuers and Promoters ignore or are not aware of the laws applicable to investor relations activities, they often find themselves the subject of criminal actions by the Justice Department and civil actions by the SEC.

Some investor relations activities are intended to provide disclosures about an issuer to its Shareholders. A Promoter can provide investors with previous disclosures of factual information concerning the issuer, and copies of disclosures that have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), FINRA or prepared by registered brokers or investment dealers, or published in journals, newspapers or journals.

SEC Disclosure Requirements.

Generally, Investor Relations Activities by their very nature are expected to significantly impact the trading price and volume of an issuer's securities, and therefore are deemed material. As such, both SEC reporting and non- reporting issuers as well as Stock Promoters have an obligation to provide disclosure of the terms of any agreement or arrangement, oral or written, for investor relations services. Additionally, disclosures of the background, ownership, business and place of business of the Promoter providing investor relations services, the relationship between the Issuer and the Promoter providing the services, and whether the Promoter owns, directly or indirectly, any of the Issuers securities, or any right or intent to acquire them are required.

Disclosure of the Promoter's services should also be made by the Issuer including:

(i) the period during which the investor relations services will be provided,

(ii) a general description of the investor relations activities to be carried out,

(iii) the cost of the services to the Issuer, and

(iv) all direct and indirect consideration, including the timing of payments and source of funds provided to the Promoter.

Disclosure Requirements of the Promoter

Section 17(b) ("17(b)") of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") provides the disclosure requirements relevant to compensation paid to investor relations providers. 17(b) requires full disclosure of the Stock Promoter's compensation and services. Stock Promoters often serve a dual role acting as both a Stock Promoter and a Finder. The use of unregistered Finders also creates liability for both reporting and non-reporting issuers who engaged a Finder. Section 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") generally requires any person who effects securities transactions to register with the SEC as a broker-dealer. Finders, like Stock Promoters may become involved in various securities transactions including matters other than raising capital, which includes reverse mergers, direct public offerings, go public direct transactions and funding of public shells.

17 (b) requires disclosure of:

i. the type of consideration (securities or cash) and if compensation is in securities, the promoter must disclose whether the securities are restricted or unrestricted;

ii. the amount of securities or cash paid;

iii. the sources of the compensation (directly and indirectly) and if compensated by a third party shareholder or corporate entity, the shareholder or control persons of the entity must be identified by their individual names; and

iv. if a corporate entity is the publisher of the information, the control persons of the corporate entity must be disclosed.

17(b) also requires that the compensation be disclosed in every press release, as well as other published documents, including emails or faxes. The disclosure must state the relationship of the payer to the company being promoted. In the case of the SEC reporting company that engages a Stock Promoter, the issuer should disclose the transaction and compensation in its periodic filings.

Application of Section 5

Stock Promoters are often paid for their services with shares of the companies they promote. Stock Promoters receive free trading shares through a variety of methods; however, the shares are rarely registered and issued in compliance with the securities laws. These bogus methods include the issuance of free trading shares in reliance upon Rule 504 of the Securities Act, third party shareholder transfers, and debt conversion and other convertible securities such as promissory notes. If an issuer participates in investor relations activity or arranges for a third party shareholder to pay for investor relations services with its shares, the shares are restricted securities. The issuance of shares to the Stock Promoter under these circumstances becomes an offering made on behalf of the issuer, and unless the shares are registered they are restricted securities.

Section 5 of the Securities Act makes it unlawful for any person, directly or indirectly, to make use of any means or instruments of transportation or communication in interstate commerce or of the mails to offer to sell or offer to buy any security, unless a registration statement has been filed as to such security. In the case of Stock Promoters paid in securities, they must either obtain registered stock or sell their shares in compliance with Rule 144. Section 5 imposes strict liability for sellers of unregistered securities even where they have obtained a legal opinion from a securities attorney to opine their securities as "free trading".

Application of Section 15

Section 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") requires a person acting as a "broker" or a "dealer" in securities transactions to register with the SEC. Both brokers and dealers are persons who are "engaged in the business" of buying and selling securities. Brokers arrange securities transactions for others, whereas dealers purchase and sell securities for their own accounts. For purposes of the Exchange Act, persons are "engaged in the business" of buying and selling securities if they demonstrate a "regularity of participation" in securities transactions. Participation in a single, isolated transaction is insufficient to require registration. Nevertheless, the SEC and the courts interpret the phrase "engaged in the business" broadly.

In determining whether a person has acted as an unregistered dealer, the primary question is whether they receive securities as compensation as a regular part of their business. If a Stock Promoter receives stock compensation from their clients routinely in exchange for services, they are a dealer and subject to the broker-dealer registration provisions.

In determining whether a person has acted as an unregistered broker, other factors are considered, including whether the person i) solicited investors; ii) advised investors as to the merits of an investment; iii) received commissions or transaction-based remuneration; (iv) is selling, or previously sold, the securities of the same or other issuers; and (v) made investment recommendations. If the Stock Promoter has any contact other than making an introduction to investors or broker-dealers he risks being deemed an unregistered broker.

The failure to be properly registered as a broker-dealer may subject that person to potential liability, including criminal penalties, fines, suspension, and disbarment. The potential harm to the company includes investor rescission rights. Investors have a rescission right, meaning that they could demand repayment of their entire investment without setoff or deduction. The company could also be subject to sanctions and penalties from federal securities regulators as an aider and abettor of the activities of the unregistered broker-dealer including fines, prohibition on future securities offerings, and criminal actions.

Actions of the Stock Promoter including improper touting of an issuer's securities can impact an issuer's eligibility for electronic trading from Depository Trust Company ("DTC"). Often improper investor relations activity results in DTC placing a "Chill" or "Global Lock" on the issuer's securities making it impossible for the affected issuer to establish an active market in its securities.

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