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Entry bubble Choosing Child Care

By: Sommer | March 07, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

Now that I’m about 5 weeks from my son being born my husband and I are talking more and more about the type of child care we’ll use when I return to work later this summer. We know we have a few options including using the child care center that’s in the GSA buildingbabysitter holding one baby and entertaining two others where I work (I’m on the waiting list so we’ll see if I get in!). Other options include finding a home day care, a child care center closer to home or to my husband’s job, or hiring a nanny.

I’ve been searching for resources to help us make a choice and there’s quite a bit out there. Here are some of the helpers I’ve found most useful:

I’d love your advice on smoothing the transition between staying home with my baby and returning to work. I know many of you out there must have a lot of experience since most mothers these days return to work after having children.

| View Comments [0] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: baby   babysitter   child   childcare   daycare   family   mother   nanny   sommer   work  

 

Entry bubble America Saves Week

By: Sommer | February 22, 2008 | Category: Money

Washington's head on the quarterHow many of us can say we save enough money for our families to be secure? Whether we’re saving for retirement, to buy a home, an emergency fund, that fun tropical vacation or an incredible pair of shoes, it’s a practice that will serve us all well in the long run. Reducing our levels of personal debt is also a form of saving money, so pay off those credit cards, folks!

You’ve probably heard in the news that in the U.S. the personal saving rate is at an all time low. Despite increasing levels of wealth, Americans still save less than 1% of disposable income. That can all change during America Saves Week, February 24-March 2, if we each commit to set a goal to save or reduce personal debt levels.

America Saves encourages individuals to set a goal to save money or reduce debt and then make a plan to reach it. If you have a local group in your area you can join with other savers to start a savings club or take money management classes. During America Saves Week, you can order a free package of publications about saving and investing from USA.gov’s Money and Taxes page so be sure to check it out.

Good luck saving (or paying off your credit cards)!

| View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: america   credit   debt   money   saves   saving   sommer  

 

Entry bubble Tax Rebates for Americans

By: Sommer | February 15, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

Tax Refund Check Envelope


Tax season this year is the most exciting one for me and my husband yet since we’ll itemize so we can take our first ever mortgage interest deduction. And, in May we’ll be among the millions of Americans who will also receive the famed tax rebate checks the government has talked about for the last month.

In order to qualify, Americans will have had to file their 2007 tax returns. The IRS will then use your return to determine your eligibility for the rebate. They anticipate that singles with incomes under $75,000 will receive a maximum of $600 and for married people with incomes under $150,000 the checks will max out at $1,200. Households will also receive $300 additional for each dependent child under 17. Low-income Americans and beneficiaries of certain government programs have special eligibility.

Keep your eyes open for fraud since this new rebate provides the perfect opportunity for scamsters to take advantage of the unsuspecting public. The IRS will not call or email taxpayers about these payments! If you receive a scam email forward it to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov. Remember that the IRS will only contact you by mail about these payments.

Now that we’ve got business taken care of, I want to know what you’re planning to do with your check. Will you go on a vacation, invest it, use it to pay off debt or something else? We’re planning to use ours to start a college savings plan for our new son.

| View Comments [23] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: family   irs   money   rebate   refund   sommer   taxes  

 

Entry bubble Free Publications from Pueblo, CO

By: Sommer | February 08, 2008 | Category: General

Do you remember the old public service announcements telling you to send away to Pueblo for free government publications? When I askWoman and man holding a Consumer Information Catalog with a train in the background people that they always say they remember them from Saturday morning cartoons and watching Schoolhouse Rock!

Well, “Pueblo” is still around - in fact it’s run out of our office here in Washington, DC – the Federal Citizen Information Center. Not many people know that it’s just our distribution center that’s in Pueblo, CO 81009.

You can still order free and low-cost government publications from us by calling toll-free 1(888) 8 PUEBLO (878-3256), logging on to the web, or by mail (yes we still take old fashioned mail orders). Now, we’ve even expanded to Spanish publications! We get new publications each season so make sure you sign up for a subscription to receive your copy of the quarterly Consumer Information Catalog. You can also sign up for free email updates to get an email whenever there’s new consumer information available on our website.

We have information on topics ranging from “Cooling Your Home Naturally” and “Revealing Trans Fats” to “66 Ways to Save Money” and “Being an Entrepreneur.” Take a look at our publications; you never know what you might find!

| View Comments [9] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: free   psa   publications   pueblo   sommer  

 

Entry bubble Political Activity for Federal Employees (The Hatch Act)

By: Sommer | February 01, 2008 | Category: General

The 2008 presidential election is a really big deal for our country. It’s nice to see so many people turning out for the primaries.

Under the Hatch Act, though, federal, state, and local employees need to use some caution during the campaigning and election process, since they are only allowed to participate in limited activities. Under new laws, most federal employees can volunteer and contribute to the election process, but some restrictions still remain.

Remember that employees of certain federal agencies may not participate in any partisan political activities.

All federal employees may:

  • Register and vote as they choose
  • Assist in voter registration drives
  • Express opinions about candidates and issues
  • Contribute money to political organizations
  • Attend political rallies and meetings
  • Sign nominating petitions
  • Campaign for or against referendum questions, constitutional amendments, municipal ordinances
  • Join political clubs or parties

Federal employees may never:

  • Use official authority or influence to interfere with an election
  • Solicit or discourage political activity of anyone with business before the agency
  • Solicit, accept, or receive political contributions
  • Engage in political activity while on duty, in a government office, while wearing an official uniform, or while using a government vehicle (This includes sending political emails from your government computer and email account.)
  • Become a candidate in a partisan election

If you violate the Hatch Act you could lose your job.  Make sure you fully understand your rights under this legislation before taking up a political cause. 

Happy Groundhog Day tomorrow! Pray that Punxsutawney Phil doesn’t see his shadow – I’m ready for spring!!

| View Comments [2] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: election   employee   federal   government   hatchact   sommer   vote  

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