By Kevin Theissen You should pay all taxes due – but not a penny more! You can then help others with the excess – how you decide. Many taxpayers regularly overpay because they fail to take tax deductions for which they are eligible. Here are some overlooked opportunities to mitigate your tax bill. Reinvested dividends: When…

By Declan McCabe When my sisters visit from Ireland, I try to play tour guide, but I’m occasionally at a loss for what to do next. During a visit in the late 1990s, my sister Grace said she would love to see a beaver. At that time, I lived close to a beaver pond and…

By Cassandra Tyndall Spring has now sprung and along with it, the impetus for action, energy and momentum. As the snow begins to melt and the agitation within nature returns, you too might feel the itch to get moving with life. What will you do? Where will you go? What will you achieve? With so…

By Merisa Sherman As I write this article I am trying to fathom the past year. In some ways, the memories are so amazingly precise and in others, it feels like we have all been living in a dream. I cannot decide which is more the dream — the boisterous life that we had before…

I woke up this past Sunday morning at my usual time, took note of the lack of light streaming into my bedroom, glanced at the clock on my cellphone, and then lay back down to contemplate the obvious change at hand. Daylight Savings Time (DST) has officially begun with the clocks moving ahead one hour…

By Elicia Pinsonault Rutland Young Professionals is an all-volunteer, all-inclusive organization that engages with our community, creating social and professional networking opportunities while building a Rutland region that attracts and retains young professionals. Despite our name, we welcome individuals of all ages and backgrounds to our events, both in-person and virtually. We strive to be…

By DJ Dave Hoffenberg With millions of people being forced to stay home to help stop the spread of Covid-19, Zoom became the go-to video conferencing app for surviving the pandemic. Schools, churches, office meetings, etc. You may dread having to “Zoom” again, but this time it’s worth it. Comedians Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood…

By Lee Emmons On Valentine’s Day, as I sat down to write, I noticed a burst of blue outside my upstairs window. Looking out with my binoculars, I counted six eastern bluebirds. Clustered on and below my suet feeders, they were a wonderfully pleasant surprise on a chilly February morning. As I watched, the bluebirds…

By Cassandra Tyndall It’s rarely an easy feeling when everything inside your soul tells you to pause, rest and reflect. That’s because way of the world these days wants you to push, achieve and attain. To go for anything less than that leads to feelings of guilt, failure or shame. To take a step back…

By DJ Dave Hoffenberg In this pandemic world, you don’t get to see new music that often so I highly suggest going to see Sami Eldebs this weekend. You have four opportunities starting Thursday 6-10 p.m. at Jax, Friday and Saturday 6-10 p.m. at the Pickle Barrel and Sunday 5-9 p.m. at The Foundry. I…

By Merisa Sherman I’m not sure if I recognize the voices, but the words wash over me like an old, worn blanket. The patterns of phrasing, the flow of emotions, combined with just the right amount of grit, make the memories come floating back and I am transported. The imaginary smells of popcorn, hot dogs…

My 16-year-old son has announced that his life is officially too complicated and, as such, things need to change. I chuckled when he brought this to my attention. My first instinct was to laugh hysterically, but I held back, knowing that would only alienate him and his feelings. Admittedly, we keep our son busy. This…

By Gary Salmon I have the luxury of having a window just above the sight line of my computer. It is my icicle monitor and I have been waiting for it to change structure now for about a month or more. I like icicles. They look nice in the cold reminding me when to turn…

By Mary Ellen Shaw Well, it will soon be spring… at least that is what the calendar says! For me March is the month to change over the pine garlands on our cedar fence to something with a touch of spring. The weather tends to tease us at this time of year with an occasional…

By Kevin Theissen Many parents encourage their children to work so they can learn the values about work and managing money. But do they need to file a tax return for the money they earn? The IRS does not exempt anyone from the requirement to file a tax return based on age, even if your…