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NortonAccountingServices.com 985-640-6072 Info@NortonAccountingServices.com APRIL 2021 NORTON NEWSLETTER EASE OF MIND • AVAILABILITY • FLEXIBILITY • INDIVIDUAL APPROACH • EXPERIENCE • TAX SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES THE REAL ESTATE TAX PRO ™
I thought last tax season was crazy! With COVID and the delayed filing due date last year, most of our clients had other things on their mind and waited until the last minute to file. It felt like tax season never ended! This year seems to be the opposite! I’m not complaining, mind you, it’s just that I’ve not seen business owners scramble to pay ANY taxes, much less file on time. I think there are two reasons for this early activity this year. The first is that many business owners didn’t get their full stimulus checks, or they had a new addition to the family, and they get a credit on their tax return for any missed stimulus payments, which is like letting the IRS cover some of their taxes. The second reason is more common. A lot of business owners have been refinancing their homes and setting up lines of credit while property values are up. And, 2020 ended as a good year for many of my clients. So, business owners want to show these results to the bank. It’s amazing how quick and easy it is to get our questions answered when our clients are motivated! FROM THE DESK OF Bob Norton
Don’t Let Them Go to Waste! Making the Most of April Showers
“April showers bring May flowers.” I’ve heard this phrase hundreds of times throughout my life, and now that April has arrived, so have those rainy days. When I wake up in the morning to find that it’s cold and rainy outside, instead of beautiful and sunny like I wanted it to be, the weather could dampen my spirits. It’s easy to just shrug my shoulders and say, “Well, April showers bring May flowers, I guess.” While it’s true that the rain will make for some beautiful green days down the road, I always try to remember that the rainy days aren’t a waste — they’re an opportunity. Let me explain what I mean. Sure, after a long, cold winter, we’d all prefer for every day of spring and summer to be sunny and cloudless, but those rainy days are good for more than just dreaming about the warm summer weather. Rainy days cause you to think more creatively about how to use your time; they might even force you to do some chores that you’ve put off! This April, if you’re looking to do more on your rainy days than just sit around waiting for the sun to come out, here are a few ideas. Make rainy days finance days (or other not-so-fun chore days). Handling your finances and tweaking your budget can be stressful. It can also seem impossible to work on when the warm spring weather is beckoning you outside — at least that’s the case for me! That’s why I’ve often found that rainy days make the best
–Bob Norton
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... continued from Cover days for sorting through any lingering finance tasks that I need to get done. I can’t go outside, so why not tackle some not-so-fun chores while the nice weather can’t distract me? Make a cozy nook for reading books. Rainy days can make you want to disappear into another world where things are a little less dreary. So, why not create the ultimate reading experience for yourself with a nook specially designed to immerse you in another world? I always try to find the coziest corner of the house, whether that’s on the couch in the living room or sitting on a bench with some pillows and blankets in front of a wide window. Hot beverages and snacks are always allowed to join me, of course! Learn something new. Rain is often synonymous with boredom, but it doesn’t have to be. The internet has opened up many new avenues for us to learn almost instantaneously. Why not find your next favorite hobby or learn some new, random facts to impress your friends? Here’s a fun idea: Pick a country in the world at random and learn everything you can about it. You could even plan an imaginary vacation to that place if it seems like there’s a lot of fun to be had there. All in all, there are plenty of ways to make the most of April’s rainy days and escape their dreariness at the same time. I hope that some of these ideas inspire you to maximize every day you’re given — even the ones that bring you showers instead of sunshine.
4 CELEBRITIES WHOWERE STUDENT-ATHLETES From College Sports to Superstardom
to motivate her. She occasionally travels to elementary schools for a few friendly games in hopes of encouraging young players. Watson has also worked with Hockey Futures, an organization that promotes the sport to British youth. Actor Steve Carell Much like his character Michael Scott in “The Office” once said, Carell too has “been pretty much skating my whole life.” Carell is a fantastic ice skater and has played hockey since he was a child. He was a goalie for Denison University, a Division III school in Granville, Ohio. Today, Carell still plays in a Los Angeles recreational league whenever he has the opportunity. TV Broadcaster Robin Roberts Roberts began her career in broadcasting as a sports director at Southeastern Louisiana University’s radio station. She also played on the school’s basketball team, the Lady Lions, between 1979 and 1983. During her career on the court, Roberts scored 1,446 points and had 1,034 rebounds, which earned her a place in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and on the NCAA’s list of most influential student-athletes.
April 6 is National Student-Athlete Day! Many students play sports in addition to their studies in high school and college, and many famous people also spent much of their youth playing sports while going to school. Here are four stars who were also college athletes. Singer Garth Brooks From a young age, Brooks loved sports and hoped that his athletic abilities would make him famous. He earned a track scholarship to Oklahoma State University as a javelin thrower and spent most of the 1980s perfecting his technique. In 1999, he played left field for the San Diego Padres, and he continued to play baseball in the early 2000’s, signing with the New York Mets and Kansas Royals. Today, the famous country singer provides children with health and education assistance as well as recreational and sporting opportunities through his foundation, Teammates for Kids. Actress Emma Watson When Watson enrolled at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, she joined the field hockey team. She loved the sport as a child, and as an adult, her passion for field hockey continues
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Vacation Destinations That Will Pay You to Visit
In the wake of COVID-19, tourist destinations worldwide have been hit hard. To lure travelers back, some places are offering steep discounts and other incentives throughout all of 2021. With cheap airfare and great deals on accommodations, tours, food, and more, you can take a luxury vacation on a dime this year.
Mexican Caribbean Few words evoke the image of beaches, sun, and saltwater like “Cancun” does. This Mexican locale has become synonymous with leisure, as have other destinations in the Caribbean — beautiful places like Isla Mujeres or the Riviera Maya. Tourists can visit all of them at a steep discounted rate until the end of 2021 thanks to promotions from the Hotel Association of Cancun and the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion’s council. Head to En.Come2MexicanCaribbean.com to find vouchers for two free nights in a hotel for every two you pay for, steeply discounted airfare, and even options for free food and drinks.
Thai Paradise Although it’s no longer the hidden
Whistler, British Columbia Although this destination in British Columbia might be known for its winter activities, there’s a lot to love about Whistler in late spring and early summer! One great thing? The amazing array of money-saving options you can find here. The Riverside Resort, for example, is offering mountain-view cabins at a 3-for-2 discount — pay for two nights and get a third for free! Traveling to Canada can be tricky at the moment, but if you use a good travel agent, you can take advantage of some great deals. Other incentives in the region include free meals (or a per diem meal rebate) as well as discounts on guided tours.
destination it once was, there are still a lot of good reasons to visit Thailand. In addition to being an affordable place to travel, Thailand also has great food and an amazing climate. To make up for the financial hit due to suspended travel because of the virus, the Cape Fahn Hotel is offering incentives into 2021 including a complimentary upgrade to the next class of care, which gives economy spenders access to executive accommodations. Other incentives include free meals, round-trip airport service, and discounted beach picnics and boat tours. Check out CapeFahnHotel.com/offers for more information.
Homemade Dog Food You’ll Want to Try
Take a Break!
Inspired by AllRecipes.com
Ingredients
• 6 cups water • 1 lb ground turkey • 2 cups brown rice • 8 oz frozen broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower mix
Directions
1. In a large Dutch oven, add water, turkey, and rice. Stir until everything is evenly mixed. 2. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. 3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. 4. Stir in the frozen vegetables and cook for an additional 5 minutes. 5. Allow the food to cool before serving and refrigerate between feedings
GARDEN KITE RAINBOW SHOWERS
CHOCOLATE DAISY DIAMOND ENVIRONMENT
ARBOR ARIES
BASEBALL CHERRIES
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Bob PAGE 1 Making the Most of April Showers PAGE 1 4 Celebrities Who Were Student-Athletes PAGE 2 Vacations That Pay PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Homemade Dog Food You’ll Want to Try PAGE 3 How Lulu the Pig Saved Her Owner From a Heart Attack PAGE 4
Man’s Smartest Friend Lulu the Pot-Bellied Pig’s Cunning Plan to Save Her Owner
On Aug. 4, Jo Ann suffered from a heart attack. Jack was out of town on a fishing trip, and even though Jo Ann cried for help and even threw an alarm clock out the window, no one heard her cries from their somewhat secluded home. The family’s dog, Bear, barked and barked to no avail. Lulu, however, knew Jo Ann needed help quickly and waddled into action. Lulu made her way to the nearest road, scraping her skin in the process and leaving it torn and bleeding. Once she reached the road, she laid down as if to play dead. Not long after that, a passing driver saw Lulu and stopped to check on her. Once Lulu was sure she had the driver’s attention, she got up and waddled back toward her home, leading the driver to where Jo Ann lay on the floor.
According to animal experts, pigs are smarter than any other domestic animal, including cats and dogs. That may seem hard to believe, as you probably associate pigs with a pink, smelly animal that oinks and rolls around in the muck. However, the story of how Lulu the pot-bellied pig saved her owner’s life might persuade you to reconsider. Back in 1998 (otherwise this story would have certainly gone viral), Lulu the pig was a permanent fixture at Jo Ann and Jack Altsman’s property in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. They had initially only taken Lulu from her original owner, the Altsmans’ daughter, for a temporary stay, but they ended up bonding with Lulu, and she was with them for much longer than expected.
When the driver found Jo Ann, he immediately called 911, and emergency services took her to a medical center for open-heart surgery. Had just 15 more minutes passed without help, Jo Ann would have died. For her heroism, Lulu received the Tiffany gold hero’s medal from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and made multiple television appearances as her fame spread. Hopefully, she was smart enough to know just how much she was appreciated.
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