DES MOINES, IA (11/14/2013)(readMedia)-- During the annual Thanksgiving Day festivities, State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald knows his office has a bounty of its own and the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt could provide one more reason to give thanks. "I encourage all past and present Iowans to check for their names in the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt," said Fitzgerald, "A quick search on our website can reunite people with their unclaimed property."

The Great Iowa Treasure Hunt program has returned over $170 million in unclaimed property to more than 414,000 people since Fitzgerald created it in 1983. Unclaimed property refers to money and other assets held by financial institutions or companies that have lost contact with the property's owner for a specific period of time. State law requires these institutions and companies to annually report unclaimed property to the state treasurer's office. The assets are then held until the owner or heir of the property is found. Common forms of unclaimed property include savings or checking accounts, stocks, uncashed checks, life insurance policies, utility security deposits, and safe deposit box contents.

to begin your search. Be sure to like the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @GreatIATreasure.

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Party With a Purpose Provides Holiday Food Baskets & Gifts for Quad Cities Seniors

The 5th Annual Holiday Hat Bash presented by Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors will be held on:

Thursday, November 21, 2013

5:30-9 p.m.

CASI  1035 W. Kimberly Road, Davenport, IA

 

The 5th Annual Holiday Hat Bash presented by Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors will once again make holidays special for Quad Cities Seniors, by providing food baskets and gifts. The Holiday Hat Bash event is an evening of fun, music, delicious food, a hat contest, raffles, silent auction, Necker's Jewelry Give Away and much more.  There will be 25 spectacular raffle & silent auction baskets.  Decadent gourmet hors d'orvres and desserts will be featured by chefs from local senior living centers.  Hats are always fun, but are optional. Pre-registration of $25 can be made at HatBash.com until Sunday, November 17 11:59 p.m.

Walk-in's are encouraged and welcome after online registration closes! A suggested $35 donation includes food and 3 drink tickets & a night of fun! All proceeds will provide holiday gifts and food baskets for Quad Cities Seniors. Can't attend? Donations are gratefully accepted and may be sent to:

CASI  1035 W. Kimberly Road, Davenport, IA 52806 or at www.hatbash.com.  For information call: (563) 563-386-7477 or visit: www.hatbash.com.

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By: Rick Rodgers, CFP


Unlike last year, tax planning for 2013 is not hampered by uncertainties over alooming fiscal cliff. Unfortunately, there is always some uncertainty and a few expiring provisions to warrant special attention by taxpayers.

Managing income taxes at year end involves techniques designed to address three issues:

· Accelerating or deferring income: If a taxpayer expects to be in the same or a lower tax bracket next year, it's best to defer as much income as possible until after the yearend.
· Accelerating or deferring deductions: If a taxpayer's overall tax rate is the same in both years, accelerating deductions achieves tax savings this year rather than waiting for those tax savings to materialize next year.
· Take advantage of tax provisions scheduled to expire at the end of 2013. There are several temporary tax provisions which can only be used this year.

Tax planning begins by projecting income and deductions for the year to determine your tax bracket and income thresholds that trigger higher and/or additional taxes, or limits the effectiveness of deductions.  One of the impacts of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA12)is the reintroduction of the Pease limitation, which can greatly limit itemized deductions.  Once a taxpayer knows what his or her income taxes will look like, it's time to evaluate which techniques will help the most.

Strategies to accelerate or defer income:

· Adjust your elective deferral plans at work: Taxpayers who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, or in the Thrift Savings Plan can defer up to $17,500 this year.  Taxpayers age 50 and older can defer up to $23,000.
· Harvest capital gains or losses: Long-term capital gains are taxed at 0 percent for taxpayers in the 15 percent bracket.  Capital losses can be used to offset capital gains and reduce other income up to $3,000.
· Use the IRA. Taxpayers age 59 ½ and older can accelerate IRA distributions in 2013.  Contributions may be deductible depending on your income level and whether you're covered by a retirement plan through work. Taxpayers under age 59½ can convert traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs to accelerate income.
· Health-care assistance: People with health savings accounts - available with some high-deductible health insurance policies -- can save up to $3,250 tax-deferred for an individual and $6,450 for a family.Those who are55 and older can save an additional $1,000.  Flex spending contribution limits are capped at $2,500 this year.

Strategies to accelerate or defer deductions:

· Medical expenses: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) raises the income threshold this year to 10 percent of adjusted gross income for taxpayers under age 65.  The threshold remains at 7.5 percent for those 65 and older.  Taxpayers may need to prepare or defer medical bills to lump expenses in a single year to get the deduction.
· Gifts to charities: Use a donor advised fund (DAF) to maximize the tax savings from charitable giving.   A DAF makes gifting appreciated securities easier.  The DAF can be funded in tax years when the deduction will have the most impact.  Distribution to charities can be made at any time without tax consideration. 
· Qualified Charitable Distribution: This year only, taxpayers age 70½ or older can choose to direct up to $100,000 of their IRA-required minimum distribution to charity.  By doing so, the distribution does not show up as taxable income, which can lower taxation of Social Security benefits and help reduce other threshold levels to further minimize taxes.

ATRA12 extended?but did not make permanent?several tax incentives for individuals.Taxpayers should consider whether they can benefit from these incentives this year and plan accordingly.  The following provisions are set to expire on Dec. 31 unless extended again:

· State and local sales taxes deduction.  Taxpayer can choose between deducting state and local income taxes or the sales taxes they've paid through the year.
· Deduction for teacher expenses. Eligible educators can deduct up to $250 of any unreimbursed expenses.
· Deduction of mortgage insurance premiums. Payments of Private Mortgage Insurance premiums can be treated as deductible home mortgage interest in 2013.
· Discharge of principal residence indebtedness. This can be excluded from gross income this year.
· Qualified Charitable Distribution. Taxpayers can make tax-free charitable donations from their required IRA distributions.

2013 is certainly an exciting year for tax planning. Start now in order to minimize your tax bill in April. 

About Rick Rodgers: Certified Financial Planner® Rick Rodgers is president of Rodgers & Associates, "The Retirement Specialists," in Lancaster, Pa., and author of "The New Three-Legged Stool: A Tax Efficient Approach to Retirement Planning." He's a Certified Retirement Counselor and member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisers. Rodgers has been featured on national radio and TV shows, including "FOX Business News" and "The 700 Club," and is available to speak at conferences and corporate events (www.RodgersSpeaks.com).

November 26, 2013 ISU Scott County Extension Council Meeting, Scott County Extension Office, 7:00 pm

November 28, 2013 Office Closed for Holiday

November 29, 2013 Office Closed for Holiday

December 4, 2013 Pest Control Operators, Scott County Extension Office, 9 am-11:30 am

December 6, 2013 Pesticide Applicator Testing, Scott County Extension Office, 10:00 am-2:00 pm

December 23, 2013 Office Closed for Holiday

December 24, 2013 Office Closed for Holiday

December 25, 2013 Office Closed for Holiday

Visit our events calendar at our web site: http://dbs.extension.iastate.edu/calendar/

Midwestern farmers are continually challenged by the need to feed a growing world while protecting and conserving our natural resources. However, the Midwest has an advantage compared to other regions of the United States due to our good soils, adequate rainfall, and intensive animal production systems. Livestock manure not only provides nutrients for crop production, but also helps to improve soil quality.

The most overlooked value of manure is its ability to improve soil bulk density, aggregation, organic matter, and biological activity. "The increase in soil microbial activity provides the foundation for the increase in organic matter in the soil," says Dr. Jerry Hatfield, Director of the Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment at ISU. "Organic matter increases are necessary for any improvement in soil quality and continual soil biological activity is needed as the sustaining factor in providing the mechanism for incorporating manure into a valuable soil resource."

Hatfield's team used on-farm evaluations of manure management to demonstrate that the combination of reducing tillage by utilizing strip tillage systems as a method of incorporating liquid manure greatly improved soil quality. The increased aggregate stability increases the infiltration rate of rainfall into the soil and also decreases the potential for soil erosion.

The value of manure cannot be overlooked and Midwestern agricultural systems have the potential to become more efficient in the utilization of the natural resources, e.g., water, nutrients, and light, with the incorporation of manure as part of the management system. Improvement of soil quality provides the foundation for enhanced crop production and resilience to climate variability.

Hatfield's project will be featured at the upcoming Driftless Region Beef conference Jan. 30 and 31, 2014, in Dubuque, Iowa. Several of the speakers will focus on the competitive advantage of integrating beef production and cropping systems in the upper Midwest.

The conference will begin at 1 p.m. on Jan. 30 and continue through 11:45 a.m. on Jan.31. Thursday's afternoon program will focus on the competitive advantage of grain and beef production systems, with an evening discussion focused on extending the grazing season with cover crops and annuals. Friday morning's program includes three breakout sessions for feedlot operations and three for cow-calf producers.

Registration for the conference is $80 before Jan. 15 or $100 after Jan. 15. Additional information about the conference is available at www.aep.iastate.edu/beef . Registration will open for the conference on Dec. 1.

The Driftless Region Beef Conference is sponsored by the University of Illinois Extension, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, the University of Minnesota Extension, and University of Wisconsin Extension. The planning team strives to deliver the latest in research-based information regarding the beef cattle industry. For more information or to receive a brochure, contact Denise Schwab at 319-721-9624.

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Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa made the following comment on the Obamacare enrollment numbers released by the Administration today.

"Since Oct. 1, my office has received 4,358 emails from Iowans in opposition to Obamacare and 669 emails supporting Obamacare.   Many of the emails in opposition are from people who have received cancellation notices for their current insurance and are shocked at the increased prices they'll have to pay under new insurance.   The healthcare.gov website is in such chaos that individuals worry they won't be able to enroll in a plan as required, through no fault of their own.  Obamacare is a mess.  For every person who has gained coverage through Obamacare, ten people have lost their current coverage because of Obamacare.  It should be delayed if not outright repealed for the good of the country.   The President should admit what a disaster it is.  He should work with Congress on something bipartisan that would address health insurance problems without disrupting what does work in our health care system.  Also, on the enrollment numbers, I wouldn't be surprised if they're even lower than what the Administration is putting out.  'Enrollment' means different things to different people.  The four insurance companies in the D.C. exchange told me they had five people enrolled as of a few days ago.  The Administration might be putting a rosier spin on the numbers than the reality."
IA/IL QUAD-CITIES - We've heard it for years: "Service with a smile!" It is a positive-attitude statement to which many members of the business community aspire without question.
However, that smile can quickly fade when one is faced with uncertainty in today's business climate. It's hard to smile and offer great customer service when you're overwhelmed. Attitude alone will not get the job done.

Shawn Langan and Jeno Berta, two highly successful Quad-City businessmen, understand that success in business takes more than just a smile. For lasting success, business owners and managers need systems to help their companies to run and grow. Together, Langan and Berta have developed a program entitled Systems, Not Just Smiles, which offers key insights on business systems they have developed throughout their careers.
The Idea Lab, a division of Results Marketing, will host a Lunch & Learn presentation of Systems, Not Just Smiles from 12 to 1 p.m., Nov. 22, at the New Ventures Center, 331 W. Third St., Davenport, IA. Admission is $15 and the event will include a catered Chick-fil-A meal. Pre-registration is required.
"The Idea Lab is dedicated to providing the Quad-Cities area with cutting-edge learning experiences," said Todd Ashby, Managing Partner of Results Marketing. "We've asked past event participants what kind of programs they wanted to see from us. Many expressed an interest in live events, so Systems, Not Just Smiles will be our first, with more to come."
About the Presenters
According to Langan and Berta, systems are simply a tool, not a cure-all. But when they are used effectively, stress is reduced, productivity increases, and skills are sharpened. Systems create a win-win situation for everyone involved. Business owners do not have to rush from crisis to crisis and can spend more time being leaders.
Shawn Langan has been in the retail flooring business for 30 years, starting as a teenager working for his father. He has been a store owner with the Carpetland brand and along with his wife, Janelle, owned GCO Flooring. He recently formed a strategic alliance with Floor Trader. Shawn is passionate about customer service, and believes every customer deserves it and any motivated salesperson can give it.
Jeno Berta is an attorney and a member of the U.S. Army Reserve. He is a former prosecutor and has practiced law in the private sector. His military service includes active-duty time, both overseas and at stateside bases. Jeno believes everyone is a leader at some point in life. Leaders are not born, nor are they made: they are simply people who accept the responsibility of showing others how to achieve a goal.
For more information or to register for Systems, Not Just Smiles, contact Marcia Brandt of Results Marketing at 563-322-2065 or  Marcia@resultsimc.com. Attendees can select from a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich meal or a veggie-wrap meal. Feel free to befriend The Idea Lab on Facebook at www.facebook.com/idealabqc.
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PELLA, (11/13/2013)(readMedia)-- Freshmen Emma Simmons, a native of Davenport, and Dionne Riley, a native of Bettendorf, will participate in Central College's theatre production of "Legacy of Light".

"Legacy of Light" is a time-traveling comedy, which intertwines the stories of two female physicists from different eras. The legacies of Emilie du Chatelet, an 18th-century French scientist, and Olivia Hasting Brown, an astronomer in Princeton, N.J., collide in this play about the search for self-discovery, love, motherhood and scientific immortality.

The production, directed by Ann Wilkinson, instructor of theatre, will run Nov. 20-23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kruidenier Theatre at Central College. Cost for general admission is $6. Student and senior citizen tickets are $3, and admission is free with a Central ID. Tickets are available at the Maytag Information Booth, by calling 641-628-9000.

Central College is a residential liberal arts college dedicated to the education of 1,500 undergraduate students. Guided by its ecumenical Christian tradition, the college community engages in vigorous, free, open inquiry in pursuit of academic excellence. Founded in 1853, the college is affiliated with the Reformed Church in America and NCAA Division III athletics.

Central is a recognized leader in study abroad as a result of its international, residential programs. Central College is located in Pella, Iowa, a thriving community of 10,000 two minutes from the state's largest lake and 40 minutes southwest of Des Moines. Please visit the college website at www.central.edu.

German American Heritage Center ONE DAY Member's Only Sale & Gift Shop Preview!

COME ON IN. CHECK OUT OUR NEW GIFT SHOP ITEMS- SAVE 15% ON PURCHASES UP TO $75 OR 20% ON PURCHASES OVER $75!

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 14th
4:00-7:30!

Enjoy special treats as you shop!

Not a member? Join Now!

712 West Second Street Davenport, Iowa
563-322-8844
The Friends of the LeClaire Community Library is an hosting ENDOWMENT RECEPTION for the Green Tree Library Fund,
A special endowment planted for the long-term benefit of the library and our community
Thursday, November 21st
6:00-8:00 P.M.
The Black Watch Room at Pebble Creek
3851 Forest Grove Drive
LeClaire, Iowa
Enjoy live music, hors d'oeuvres and tastings from Wide River Winery and Mississippi River Distilling Company
RSVP Encouraged by November 18th
Walk-Ins Welcome
Hosted by the Friends of the LeClaire Community Library

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