Many people talk to their accountant just once a year - right about now, says financial consultant Larry D. Roby.

"This is a good time to ask a few questions that may not have occurred to either you or your accountant simply because at tax time, you're both focused on the task at hand and not the bigger picture, " says Roby, founder and president of Senior Financial Advisors, Inc., www.sfabridge.com.

"But, if you don't have a financial advisor, asking your accountant a few questions may help you spot places where you're unnecessarily leaking retirement funds. Many of those leaks can be plugged with some simple changes."

Roby tells the story of a woman he worked with at the financial counseling ministry where he volunteers. She was a widow on Social Security who also received an annual disbursement of $35,000 from her retirement plan. She didn't need the whole $35,000, so she put a large chunk of it in CDs each year.

"She was getting hit with what I call 'the tax torpedo,' " Roby says. "That $35,000 from her fund caused the portion of her Social Security income being taxed to jump from zero to 85 percent. And she's also getting taxed on the whole $35,000! Putting the extra money into CDs earning only about 1 percent interest, meant she was actually losing money."

The fix, he says, was easy.

The woman could pay no taxes on her Social Security benefits if  the combined total of 1 - her adjusted gross income, 2 - nontaxable interest income and 3 - half the benefits, was less than $25,000. If the amount was $25,000 to $34,000, she would likely be taxed on 50 percent of her benefits.

"By lowering her retirement fund disbursement to the amount she actually needs, she saw a substantial tax savings," Roby says.

Such oversights are surprisingly common and can be corrected when you have the right information.  If you're planning for retirement or already retired, here are the questions Roby suggests you ask your accountant:

1.  Do I have to pay taxes on my Social Security benefits?

2.  Is there a way to reduce or eliminate those taxes?

3.  Why am I paying taxes on money I'm not spending?

4.  How long will my retirement funds last based on my current withdrawals?

5.  Based on my tax records, will my spouse have sufficient income after my death?

If your retirement picture is far more complicated, with a variety of taxable and non-taxable income streams, Roby says seeking the services of a financial advisor with a diversified perspective may be a worthwhile investment.

"I always recommend people to talk to an advisor who doesn't specialize in just one area, like annuities," Roby says. "If you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Someone equipped with lots of tools can put help you put together the best strategies for you."

About Larry D. Roby

Larry D. Roby is the founder and president of Senior Financial Advisors, Inc. (www.sfabridge.com). He's a Registered Financial Consultant, a professional designation awarded by the International Association of Registered Financial Consultants; a licensed insurance agent; a Master Certified Estate Planner; and licensed to serve as an investment advisor representative. He's currently finishing a two-year Certified Advisor for Senior Living course. Roby is a firm believe in educating clients and the public alike so that they can make the most of the money they've earned, saved and invested. He and his firm volunteer time and resources to the Branches Recovery Center, a counseling ministry.

ST. LOUIS (March 18, 2014) - March 25 is National Agriculture Day, a day to celebrate American farmers for their commitment to the land they farm and the people who use the food, feed, fuel and fiber they produce. In recent years, U.S. soybean farmers have grown more efficient in growing their crops, increasing yields while decreasing the size of their environmental footprint.

"U.S. soybean farmers aren't just raising a crop for economic gain," says Nancy Kavazanjian, a checkoff farmer-leader from Beaver Dam, Wis. "Like all American farmers, we care so much for our land and we're in it for the long term. So many of us have inherited our land and want to pass it down to our children. Everything we do is centered on making the land better."

More than 95 percent of U.S. soybean farmers participate in farm programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And through the use of sustainable-farming practices, U.S. soybean farmers have decreased energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions by more than 45 percent since 1980, and increased irrigation efficiency by more than 40 percent since 1980.

Thanks in part to American farmers, the United States enjoys the most abundant, affordable and safe food supply in the world. And many countries beyond U.S. borders enjoy the bounty of U.S. soybean farmers' annual crop, as well. Both domestically and internationally, the food industry uses the majority of U.S. soybean oil to bake and fry food. And animal agriculture accounts for 97 percent of U.S. soybean meal consumption, using it in feed for the chickens, swine, fish and other animals that contribute to our food supply.

The 70 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy's customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.

For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit www.unitedsoybean.org
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The Central Performing Arts Center (CPAC) in DeWitt, in cooperation with the Missoula Children's Theater (MCT), is sponsoring a children's theater workshop July 7-11 as well as two performances of "Treasure Island" at the CPAC Saturday, July 12.

Area youngsters in grades 1-12 are invited to sign up for the workshop Tuesday, April 1, through Thursday, May 1. Registration forms and permission slips are available at www.centralperformingartscenter.org. Completed registration forms, permission slips and payment may be mailed to or dropped off at the DeWitt Fitness Center, 900 14th St.

Organizers are looking for a maximum of 60 cast members plus four assistant directors. Any additional children will be placed on a waiting list. Participants will be placed in their appropriate age groups ? those entering first grade through age 7, ages 8-12 and 13-18.

Auditions will be held Monday, July 7, 10 a.m.-noon. Rehearsals tentatively are scheduled 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily throughout the week.  Performances are Saturday, July 12, at 3:00 and 5:30 p.m. at the CPAC.

Optional workshops will be available after the rehearsals, with time and topics yet to be determined.

Missoula Children's Theatre is the nation's largest touring children's theatre. For the past 40 years, teams of tour actors/directors have visited up to 1,200 communities each year to produce adaptations of familiar children's classics and fairytales performed by local children. Creativity, social and communications skills, goal achievement and self esteem all are potential results of participation in the cultural/educational experience for youngsters.  In MCT's inaugural visit to CPAC last summer, more than 50 area children participated in the production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Anyone who has questions may contact Vanessa McNeely, CPAC event coordinator, by calling 563-249-8541 or via e-mail at vanessa.mcneely@centralperformingartscenter.org.