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Boys

DISD COCA-COLA TOURNAMENT

When: Thursday-Saturday

Where: Sprague Field House, 3606 S. Westmoreland; Loos Field House, 3815 Spring Valley Road; Ellis Davis Field House, 9191 S. Polk St.; Forester Field House, 8233 Military Parkway

Tickets: adults, students, tournament pass

Best first-round game: Lincoln vs. West Mesquite. The guard matchup between Lincoln twins Erick and … [visit site to read more]

High School Sports Blog

After St. Thomas Aquinas notched a 30-7 win over Dillard in a preseason game Thursday night, some might say the Raiders looked pretty good.

The numbers seem to support that. Quarterback John O’Korn, who will take over as the starter after the graduation of Max Lescano, was 8 of 12 for 91 yards. Running back Fred Coppet had 4 carries for 40 yards with a pair of touchdown runs, fellow back Madre London also had 4 carries for 40 yards and Deltron Sands added 10 carries for 54 yards.

Defensively, St. Thomas held Dillard to just 170 yards of total offense despite the fact several starters were out battling a stomach bug.

Sounds good, right? Coppet would say that’s not enough. Before St. Thomas takes the field for its opener against Miami Columbus next week, he thinks the Raiders need to find a way to make more big plays. They can probably work on a couple of the penalties too. That was one negative for St. Thomas on Thursday. They were flagged 13 times for 121 yards. Ouch.

Broward HS Sports

High School Sports Blog | Sports News | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News

Stuck on what to pack for college? Well, here are some things to cross OFF your list:

1. Your Entire Wardrobe
Obviously, you’re going to need clothes; what you don’t need, though, is every item of clothing you own. Just pack the clothes you’ll need for fall. When you go home for Thanksgiving, you can bring your fall clothes and exchange them for winter wear.

2. Kitchen Appliances
Most dormitories forbid the use of small kitchen appliances like toasters, hot plates, and coffeemakers. Leave those at home to avoid being written up.

3. Personal Mementos
A few favorite photos, books, and DVDs are great for personalizing your space. Your entire collection of high school yearbooks? Probably not. Dorm space is tight, so leave behind anything that you won’t use often.

4. Cleaning Supplies
Most likely there is a store located somewhere near your university. If you pack laundry detergent, toilet cleaner, or dish soap, you only run the risk of springing a leak during the trip and dealing with a nasty mess. Instead, add those items to the shopping list to get once you reach your destination.

5. Iron and Ironing Board
Unless you’re simultaneously attending college and moonlighting as an investment banker, you probably won’t be ironing your clothes. This is college; embrace those last few years before you can’t avoid owning an iron. If you don’t think you can live without the iron, consider skipping the ironing board; a towel spread on the floor or your desk will work just fine.

6. Furniture
Most colleges provide the basic furniture you will need in your dorm room: a bed, a desk with a chair, and a dresser. In addition, many schools also supply a full-length mirror, window blinds, and a shower curtain. It never hurts to double check the school’s website, though, just in case.

7. Valuables
Think about it: you’re going to be living in a building surrounded by people you don’t know. Bringing lots of valuables with you to campus is just foolish. A few pieces of jewelry might be okay, especially if you rarely take them off, but leave Great-Aunt Edna’s expensive ring at home.

8. Contraband
Leave the alcohol at home. It might seem like a fun way to bond with your new roommates, but it isn’t worth getting caught. And you will get caught. Also leave candles and anything else that is forbidden. If you want to bring a pet, check out whether your school is a pet-friendly college.

9. Cash
A small stash of emergency cash is a good idea, but other than that, consider using only a debit card. Keeping a large sum of cash in your dorm room is just asking for trouble. If you find yourself needing cash often, you can use an ATM, or get cash back when making a purchase to avoid potential ATM fees.

10. Everything the College Recommends
Your university probably has a page online with a recommended packing list. It probably includes things like: TV, mini-fridge, futon. Coordinate with your roommate so that you don’t both show up on move-in day with everything that was suggested. Splitting the list will help save money and space in your car.

Author Bio:

Becky Harris is the head copywriter at U-Pack, one of the nation’s leading moving companies and a provider of top quality moving services at affordable prices.

Related posts:

1. What to Take to College or How to Make Your Dorm Room Feel Like Home
2. The College Packing List: 10 Essential Items for Dorm Living
3. At Home in the Halls at Barnard College or An Inside Look at Dorm Life

My College Guide

If you’ve ever dreamed about going into medicine, you’ll be glad to know that you can get a medical degree online! You can even get started down the road to private practice! A variety of schools now offer biology degree programs online—an undergraduate path that traditionally leads to medical school.

Get your medical degree online

To actually get the letters M.D. after your name, you’ll still have to attend a traditional, campus-based medical school—but many other healthcare careers can begin with a medical degree online!

Nursing—A Great Choice for a Medical Degree Online

Whether you’re looking to take the first steps into nursing with an associate’s degree, or you want to advance your career by getting your bachelor’s of science in nursing, there are plenty of online nursing programs to choose from.

After graduation, you’ll have to take the licensing exam, but after you pass, a whole new world of job opportunities awaits!

Medical Coding—An In-Demand Specialty

Medical coders are the people who translate medical visits and procedures into the codes needed to bill insurances companies and keep the payment cycle moving. That makes them very important people! Best of all, you don’t need a lot of schooling to become a medical coder. Instead, you’ll attend a vocational program that prepares you for the certification exam. It generally takes less than a year!

Work in Healthcare Administration With A Medical Degree Online

Doctors and nurses are the public face of hospitals and other medical facilities. But working behind the scenes are dozens of healthcare administrators. These professionals make sure the medical staff has everything they need to care for their patients—and work to keep the hospital running! Their responsibilities range from human resources to long term service line planning—and everything in between.

To become a healthcare administrator, you’ll need to get at least a bachelor’s degree. But if your goal is to move into upper management, you should consider getting a master’s degree. The good news? You can complete all your schooling online!

So Many Online Medical Degree Options, So Little Time

Whatever your interest, there’s sure to be a medical degree online for you. Become a massage therapist! Explore the world of acupuncture! Get certified as a surgical technologist! It’s all there waiting for you. No matter which avenue you decide to pursue, a medical degree online can be a great way to start a new, rewarding career!

Image Courtesy of Flickr, RambergMediaImages.

Who We Are: Information you can trust. For more than 20 years, My College Guide has provided information to help students find the best college degree and career for them. Get information on the best medical degree online programs to get you on the road to the right career for you!

Subscribe to our blog via RSS or email and stay on top of everything college!

Related posts:

1. Medical Billing and Coding: Code Your Way to a Bright New Future
2. 5 Online Degree Programs That Will Really Pay Off
3. The Best Online Degree Programs for a Telecommuting Lifestyle

My College Guide

Many adults returning back to school (and even students fresh out of college) are turning to an associate of arts degree. Online or on-campus, this degree can help get you working towards a bachelor degree in less time and with less money!

Thinking of obtaining an associate of arts degree? There's no better time than now!

An associate’s degree is an undergraduate degree like any other except—this one only takes two years to complete! Best of all, earning this degree cuts two years from earning a bachelor’s degree!

You can find an associate of arts degree from the usual higher education institutions, like community colleges, junior colleges, technical and vocational schools, and colleges with bachelor’s degree programs.

The Purpose of an Associate of Arts Degree

An associate of arts degree (AA) helps you complete your general requirements before continuing on and snagging a bachelor’s degree. Of course, your credits may transfer differently, but as  general rule, an associate degree will reduce your time spent studying for a bachelor’s degree by two years and help you prepare for the workload involved in earning a four year degree.

You’ll need to compare programs and check out the sister college for the four year university you plan on transferring to. Some four year colleges offer an associate of arts degree so you won’t need to transfer colleges and will know that your credits will qualify toward completion of your bachelor’s degree.

What To Expect

An associate of art degree can help bulk up your resume!

As with any degree, associates, bachelor, or beyond, you will have specific courses that you will need to complete in order to graduate college. You won’t just get to “do art” all day.

You may be required to complete courses in math, English (like English Composition or Literature), and the humanities (like sociology or psychology) as well as other subjects. Whether you complete these courses on-campus or online, you will have certain art-related courses to complete in order to graduate. Your art classes can also vary depending on the school you are attending and what they have to offer!

What’s Next?

Your associate of arts degree can help you work toward a bachelor’s degree in quite the range of subjects! These majors include business administration, languages, social sciences, law, accounting, and the arts, of course. Your academic background will then form the basis for jobs in the same fields—and beyond!

Image #1 Courtesy of Flickr, geishaboy500 / THOR.
Image #2 Courtesy of Flickr, DailyPic / Joan M. Mas.

Who We Are: Information you can trust. For more than 20 years, My College Guide has provided information to help students discover the best college degree and career for them. Get information for associate of arts degree programs and find the right career for you!

Subscribe to our blog via RSS or email and stay on top of everything college!

Related posts:

1. Forget Freud. What Psychology Degree Programs Are Really About
2. Get Your Associate Degree Nursing Online and Advance Your Career
3. Cut Your Class Time in Half With An Associate’s Degree

My College Guide

Year-End Tax Tips for Independent Contractors and Self-Employed Individuals Who Need Income Tax Relief

With the recession and surging unemployment swelling the ranks of people reinventing themselves, millions of taxpayers are setting up home-based businesses and providing their services as self-employed independent contractors. Whether your new self-employed independent contractor status is a temporary measure or part of your long-planned road map to fortune and glory, there are tax dangers (plus surprisingly lucrative income tax relief) that should grab the attention of every self-employed independent contractor.

We know the IRS is targeting self-employed independent contractors. The government estimates that 85% of the 5 billion tax gap is due to self-employed individuals – freelance professionals and independent contractors who don’t get a 1099 the way large business employees do. Being a self-employed independent contractor means you’re the boss, unfortunately it also means you’re the one on the hook for any problems with back taxes. How you handle your back tax problems will not only determine whether your business will succeed, but it also carries the real threat of jail time if you get it wrong.

To learn more ways to legitimately maximize deductions while avoiding IRS problems, check out Part 2 of this series on Tax Help Tips for Saving Money on Taxes for Freelance Professionals and Self-Employed Individuals.

Read on for my best year-end tax help tips to show self-employed independent contractors how to get the biggest income tax relief possible.

Self-Employed Independent Contractor Year-End Income Tax Relief Tip #1: Did you owe back taxes because you made a mistake in your quarterly estimated taxes? If you’ve spent your life working as an employee, you may be delighted that the first money you receive as a self-employed independent contractor is a flat fee without any taxes taken out. But your joy should be short-lived, this is a case of the taxman being delayed but not denied. To get a preliminary idea about self-employment taxes check out http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98846,00.html. Before you start, you should contact a tax attorney to make sure you have structured your business correctly. If you haven’t gotten tax help from a tax attorney yet, there is still time to structure your business to get the maximum income tax relief before the year end. (After that you’re stuck with your mistakes. Well, mostly. A good tax attorney or tax resolution specialist can still get you out of back tax trouble, but the best approach is to avoid owing back taxes in the first place.)

Self-Employed Independent Contractor Year-End Income Tax Relief Tip #2:  Are YOU really a self-employed independent contractor? Many businesses (large and small) mislabel their employees as “self-employed independent contractors” to get income tax relief and sidestep a host of state and federal laws. The IRS has a comprehensive page to help determine whether you’re an employee or a true self-employed independent contractor: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/. If your boss has you misclassified as a self-employed independent contractor and you file as one, you could be in a heap of trouble when the IRS comes knocking on either your door or your boss’s door to collect back taxes. Suddenly, all those lovely deductions go out the window and your tax bill explodes. If you feel your boss has misclassified you as a self-employed independent contractor, contact a tax attorney or tax resolution specialist immediately for some self-employed independent contractor back tax help before the year ends.

Self-Employed Independent Contractor Year-End Income Tax Relief Tip #3: Are your subcontractors really self-employed independent contractors or are THEY employees? While you may be a true self-employed independent contractor, you need to establish whether your subcontractors are self-employed independent contractors or employees. According to IRS Summertime Tax Tip 2009-20, “the cost of misclassification to employers in additional taxes, as well as administrative time, or the loss of tax-favored status for employee benefit plans, can be steep.” If you’re not sure, contact a tax attorney or tax resolution specialist to get tax help immediately.

Self-Employed Independent Contractor Year-End Income Tax Relief Tip #4: Want to get income tax relief on your 2009 self-employed independent contractor work by delaying paying taxes until 2011? For a host of income tax relief reasons, a self-employed independent contractor might want to defer getting paid until next year. If you did work in 2009 but don’t want to pay 2009 taxes on it, simply wait to invoice your clients until January 1, 2010. This 2009 income tax relief technique is perfectly legal for self-employed independent contractors as long as you pay taxes on that income in your 2010 tax return.

Self-Employed Independent Contractor Year-End Income Tax Relief Tip #5: Get that root canal before New Year’s. The secret to income tax relief is just like the secret to great comedy…timing. A self-employed independent contractor’s medical expense deduction is limited to 7.5% of the self-employed independent contractor’s adjusted gross income. If you haven’t reached that cap yet, go have those dental procedures or that bit of elective surgery (we’re not just talking about that nose, the swimsuit season will be here again before you know it). As long as you’re under that 7.5% limit, you can get income tax relief from your standard variety medical expense deductions. A little known year-end income tax relief tip – you don’t even have to pay for the medical procedures before January 1, 2010. Just put the medical charges on plastic and pay the minimum balance. As long as you had the procedures in 2009, the deduction is good. If your medical expenses are already over the 7.5% level of your self-employed independent contractor’s adjusted gross income, you should delay breaking your leg until January 1st, 2010.

Self-Employed Independent Contractor Year-End Income Tax Relief Tip #6: Pay your state taxes before the ball drops. As a self-employed independent contractor, one of the best income tax relief strategies is to pay your state estimated tax before December 31st. If you pay by December 31, 2009 you get the deduction (on your federal return) in 2009. You can also charge these expenses on your credit card(s) in 2009 and receive the deduction in 2009, even though you won’t be paying for them until 2010. If you are having issues paying your estimated state taxes, a tax attorney can give you tax help to get the maximum income tax relief possible.

Self-Employed Independent Contractor Year-End Income Tax Relief Tip #7: Make your stock market losses work to your advantage. If your personal portfolio has taken a nose dive, realize your tax losses before New Year’s Eve. Long term capital losses can be used to offset long term capital gains, and up to ,000 of ordinary income, with any remainder carried forward for use in future years. This is about getting income tax relief not whether you made the right investment choices. If you still believe those stocks will go up again, buy them back on January 1st. Keep in mind that some mutual funds can have high capital gains distributions even as they lose money. The best income tax relief advice is to ditch these first because they are hitting you with a double whammy. As a self-employed independent contractor you have access to some of the best retirement accounts out there like a SEP-IRA. To understand which investing should be done as part of a retirement account, and which should be in your personal portfolio and when to take losses for maximum income tax relief, get tax help from an experience CPA or tax attorney.

Self-Employed Independent Contractor Year-End Income Tax Relief Tip #8: Give your personal gifts before Rudolph goes flying. As a self-employed independent contractor, you can give a friend or family member up to K annually before the year end without having to pay gift taxes. (Your spouse can give that same amount to the same individual.) You can also give that same amount to your child’s or grandchild’s tax-free 529 education plan. If you haven’t funded such a plan yet, you can make a single contribution covering five years of gifting. That’s ,000 you can give per donor per recipient tax-free. (Your spouse can match that contribution as well.)

Self-Employed Independent Contractor Year-End Income Tax Relief Tip #9: Give gifts to clients: Gifts to clients are limited to per recipient per year, BUT if the gift has your embossed logo on it and tells about your services, it isn’t a gift, it is an advertising or promotional expense. There is a fine line here, a quick call to a CPA or tax attorney for year-end tax help will help you stay on the right side of the law.

Self-Employed Independent Contractor Year-End Income Tax Relief Tip #10: Take your retirement contribution to the max. Self-employed independent contractors have the best income tax relief vehicle the federal government has ever offered. While individual worker contributions to a simple IRA max out at ,500, if you’re under 50 in 2010 (,000 if you’re over 50), how is this for serious income tax relief, as a self-employed independent contractor you can use SEP-IRAs to contribute 25% of your wages (or up to 20% of your Schedule C income) up to a maximum of ,000. The income tax relief to a self-employed independent contractor are massive. A tax lawyer or CPA an give you the tax help to set up the right retirement vehicle for you.

I know that this is a long list but the income tax relief you can get from just paying attention to the calendar is huge. These 20 self-employed independent contractor tax help tips can make the difference between being a Grinch and having a Happy New Year. Your call.

For more information on achieving a tax resolution for your back taxes or IRS debt, visit www.taxresolution.com for a free tax relief consultation or call 866-IRS-PROBLEMS.

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