The IRS Free File Alliance has existed for the last 16 years. This is a program to allow taxpayers who qualify to be able to do their tax returns themselves, and file it for free, using the portal at irs.gov/free file. There are about 12 free file alliance software vendor partners that work with the IRS to provide their software for use through the IRS web portal, for free. There are some restrictions as to who can use free file. A taxpayer who earns less than $66,000 per year can access … [Read more...] about Understanding the IRS Free File Alliance
Columnists
Running on Success
In 2016, when the Northern Arizona University men’s cross-country team won its first national title, it might have been hard for running enthusiasts outside of Flagstaff to find us on a map. But last month, after three years of dominating cross-country performances, opponents, media and fans know exactly where NAU and Flagstaff are. I had the good fortune to be at the NCAA National Championships in Madison, Wisconsin, for NAU’s first and third championships. Let me tell you, watching the … [Read more...] about Running on Success
Holiday Evergreens are Ready for Planting
During the coldest months of the year, evergreens are the anchors that hold together our landscapes. Up to 25 percent of any mountain landscape should be allotted to evergreens. Get this ratio wrong and that winter landscape will appear bare, especially if neighboring yards have evergreens galore. This is a good time to assess the balance of your yard and, if it’s found lacking, plant new evergreens. They are at their best now through March, as the chilly months are when they show off their … [Read more...] about Holiday Evergreens are Ready for Planting
Understanding the Connection Between High Blood Pressure and Hearing Loss
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a major risk factor for stroke and heart disease, which affects nearly 70 million adults in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This adds up to one in three adults! In addition to people with hypertension, the CDC states that one in three adults is living with elevated blood pressure or prehypertension. Prehypertension is not hypertension, but the blood pressure levels are above what is considered normal. What … [Read more...] about Understanding the Connection Between High Blood Pressure and Hearing Loss
Top Ten Reasons Massage is the Perfect Gift
Thanksgiving is past and the season of gift giving is here. The days are sure to be full of joy, events, giving, food, laughter, friends, family and, for most of us, a dose of stress. One way to ease holiday stress? Purchase gift cards that promote health and ease stress; give the gift of a massage. Here are the Top 10 reasons massage is the perfect gift: 1. Massage is the gift of health, relaxation and time. 2. Massage saves time, energy and money – no need to spend countless … [Read more...] about Top Ten Reasons Massage is the Perfect Gift
Offering Simple Remedies for Muscle Spasms
It's quite common that during any given week, many people will come to see us at Partners In Health Care, Naturally with the same odd symptom, and I'm always amazed by the coincidence. I remember that a few years ago, six patients came in with a muscle sprain/strain of the same very unusual muscle of the back. Odd! Why do these things happen? Recently, we've had several people present with muscle spasms throughout their body. These can be debilitating, and many patients go through copious … [Read more...] about Offering Simple Remedies for Muscle Spasms
Preparing Your Home for Winter
With the nip in the air, you can feel the change from summer to fall and then ultimately into winter. The summer months brought in all the dust from open windows and the windows are pretty much a mess from the monsoons. This is generally the time that you start thinking about cleaning up from the earlier months and getting homes ready for holidays. It’s time to prepare for colder weather, closed windows, heaters on and the snows and rains. Inside the house, the dust may have settled on places … [Read more...] about Preparing Your Home for Winter
Boys and Girls Clubs Recognized for Board Leadership
Boys & Girls Clubs of America awarded the local board of directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Arizona (BGCCAZ) the 2018 League of EAGLES Silver Award. This award is a key element of the national organization’s Great Futures 2025 Strategic Plan to build strong organizations. The award recognizes local organizations for achieving 90 percent or more of the Board Governance Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which define the strength of the organization’s board of directors. … [Read more...] about Boys and Girls Clubs Recognized for Board Leadership
Rechargeable CROS Aids Improving Quality of Life
People with single-sided deafness or one ear that is not able to understand speech clearly are at a significant disadvantage when attempting to understand speech and other sounds. This type of hearing loss is called a unilateral hearing loss. This problem is increased when there is noise in the room while the desired sound is occurring. They have difficulty judging the distance a sound is from them and the location of the sound. This discrepancy in how the two ears hear sound interferes with how … [Read more...] about Rechargeable CROS Aids Improving Quality of Life
Focusing on Pace Instead of Race
Once again, the holidays are upon us. The weather is crisp, the days have shortened, and the pace sometimes quickens as the holiday calendar fills with activities and time set aside for those we love. As rich as this season can be, the sometimes-overlooked reality is the heightened sense of awareness, or stress, which can cast a cloud over the joy this season was intended to inspire. Below are some tips to help you navigate the journey, hopefully creating some calm within, allowing us to keep … [Read more...] about Focusing on Pace Instead of Race