Life Happens 365 - Are You Managing the Risk?

By Diane Tait Image courtesy flickr Now that winter has made an appearance in north Florida, the HVAC technicians are starting off the year with a bang. That’s because most people don’t realize they have a problem with their home’s heating system until the first cold snap of the year occurs.   To make matters worse, some of the service calls that homeowners make are not only costly, many are unnecessary.   To help you keep from making a repairman’s day, I thought I’d take the time to give you a few tips that will help you keep warm and comfy instead of becoming hot under the collar when it comes to the care and feeding of your HVAC system.

By Diane Tait Image courtesy flickr Living in Florida means never having to winterize my motorcycle.   While the weather outside my office today is bitterly cold, I know in a few days the temperature will bounce back to the sixties or seventies.   Of course, the extreme fluctuations of temperature make it difficult to decide what to wear when I ride, as do the potential for pop up rain showers and other hazards found on the road in January and February.   With that in mind, I thought I’d take the time to acquaint all you snowbirds who brought their bikes along with them to the Sunshine State with ins and outs of winter cycling rules, Florida style.

By Diane Tait Image courtesy Pixabay I owe, I owe, it’s off to work I go is the lament of many a taxpayer at this time of year.  That’s because no sooner does the new year arrive when so do W-2 Forms for all employees and 1099’s for independent contractors.  Whether you work for a business or own a business, the next few months are certain to add to your workload, not to mention your blood pressure, as you prepare your tax forms to send to the IRS.  The secret to paying the least in taxes, interest and penalties is to have a familiarity with the tax laws.  That isn’t so easy when the laws change from year to year.  To help you get a handle on what is and isn’t allowable, I thought I’d take the time to give you a few time-tested tips.

By Diane Tait Image courtesy flickr If you’re like most Americans, after the holiday season your credit cards are practically hot to the touch.   That’s because they get a real workout in November and December.   Having access to credit cards is a real convenience and a real danger.   That’s because they allow you to buy things with money you have yet to earn.   Like any lender, credit card companies make their money by charging interest on outstanding debt.   Unless you can afford to pay your cards off completely every month, you can quickly get in over your head in debt using credit cards.   To help you avoid a debt bomb that can quickly spiral out of control, I thought I’d give you a few tips on how to avoid the credit card crunch.