Steve Jobs will be missed.  He was a truly great innovator and a visionary.  Even though I have never been a MAC person, he still affected our lives and our technology.  He and Apple have continued to set the bar.

Now a plug for my iPad.  I love my iPad, it is a wonderful computer; I can do so many things on it.  It hasn’t replaced my laptop yet, but maybe in a few years.  It is like a device from the future, like from a science fiction book.  I can take it anywhere, connect anywhere, and communicate anywhere.  Now it has become an important tool for my business.  How did I ever do business without my iPad and iPhone?

What is even better though, is the Apple Store experience.  Unbelievable.  Another innovation.  The Apple store offers unparalleled customer service.  As soon as you walk in, they make you feel welcome.  You can go as many times as you want while you make up your mind about one of their products, and they don’t tire of your questions.  What is even more impressive is their response to you when you aren’t quite 100% happy.

Let’s all hope that Apple continues to carry on the vision of Steve Jobs

Festival stages reverberate with the sounds of traditional music more often heard in homes, social clubs, dance halls, and annual celebrations.

All of Downtown Lowell will be closed off and there will be 6 different stages with different musicians and groups.
This is always a lot of fun for the whole family.
There will also be food vendors through out the area.
AND its free! July 29th thru July 31st.

As predicted, the second half of 2010 did not fare as well despite mortgage interest rates hitting historic lows – at times dipping into the 3% range. "The stalled third and fourth quarters have everything to do with lower consumer confidence due to our struggling job market,” said Jay Hummer, Executive Vice President and Regional Director of RE/MAX of New England. "We’ve seen a nationwide trend of companies accumulating cash and reducing debt by not hiring additional personnel.” According to a report from Moody’s Investors Service, an estimated $943 billion has been accumulated as cash reserves by U.S. non-financial corporations, primarily in the technology sector.

In an effort to stimulate the economy, the Federal Reserve recently announced a second purchase of $600 billion in long-term Treasury bonds; an attempt to speed up economic growth by further lowering long-term interest rates. "With rates continuing on a steady trajectory, it’s really an investor’s market,” said Hummer. "There is no other industry right now in which you can expect 80% return on your investment. Consumers who are able to put 20% down, rent a property and in 20-30 years time own it, will realize that return.” Read the report »

By: Mike DeSenne

Published: February 22, 2010

From energy tax credits to vacation home deductions, check out these tax tips for homeowners looking ahead to 2010 returns.

Claim remaining energy tax credits

It's time to get cracking if you didn't exhaust your full allotment of residential energy tax credits during 2009. Although tax credits for big projects like residential wind turbines and solar energy systems have no upper limit and are good through 2016, energy tax credits capped at $1,500 expire at the end of 2010. Eligible capped projects include new windows and doors, insulation, roofing, water heaters, HVAC, and biomass stoves.

Here's how it works with capped federal credits: You can earn energy tax credits worth 30% of the cost of qualifying improvements, but the total tax credits can't exceed $1,500 combined for 2009 and 2010. So if you only took, say, $700 worth of capped energy credits on your 2009 tax return, you're still due for another $800 in credits in 2010. Some projects include the cost of installation--a furnace, for example--while others, such as insulation, are limited to the cost of materials.

Max out tax benefits of a vacation home

Use a vacation home wisely, and it'll provide a break from taxes as well as the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The rules on tax deductions for vacation homes can get a bit tricky, but understanding and adhering to them can yield many happy tax returns.

If your vacation home is truly a vacation home meant for your personal enjoyment, as opposed to a rental-only income property, you can usually deduct mortgage interest and real estate taxes, just as you would on your main home. You can even rent out the home for up to 14 days during the year without getting taxed on the rental income. Not bad.

Now, let's say you want to rent out your vacation home for more than 14 days in 2010, but also use it yourself from time to time. To maximize the tax benefits, you need to keep tabs on how many days you use your vacation home. By restricting your annual personal use to fewer than 15 days (or 10% of total rental days, whichever is greater), you can treat your vacation home as a rental-only income property for tax purposes.

Why is that a big deal? In addition to mortgage interest and real estate taxes, rental-only income properties are eligible for a slew of other tax deductions for everything from utilities and condo fees to housecleaning and repairs. Deductions are limited once personal use exceeds 14 days (or 10% of total rental days), so get out your calendar now to strategically plot your vacations.

Take advantage of tax breaks for the military

In salute to members of the armed forces serving overseas who want to purchase a home, the IRS is extending a lucrative tax perk for military personnel. If you spent at least 90 days abroad performing qualified duty between Jan. 1, 2009, and April 30, 2010, you have an extra year to earn a homebuyer tax credit. In addition to uniformed service members, workers in the Foreign Service and in the intelligence community are eligible.

Thanks to this extension of the homebuyer tax credit, qualifying military personnel have until April 30, 2011, to sign a contract on a new home. The deal must close before July 1, 2011. Just like non-military buyers, first-time homebuyers can earn a tax credit worth up to $8,000, and longtime homeowners can earn a credit of up to $6,500. The same income restrictions and $800,000 cap on home prices apply.

Military personnel can also get a break if official duty calls and they're forced to move for an extended period. Normally, the homebuyer tax credit needs to be repaid if you sell your home within three years, but this requirement is waived for uniformed service members, Foreign Service workers, and intelligence community personnel. The new extended duty posting doesn't need to be overseas, but it must be at least 50 miles from your principal residence.

Challenge your real estate assessment

You can't do much about the rate at which your home is taxed, but you can try to do something about how your home is valued for taxation purposes in 2010. The process varies depending where you live, but in general local governments conduct a periodic real estate assessment to determine how much your home is worth. That real estate assessment figure is used to calculate your property tax bill.

You can usually appeal your real estate assessment if you think it's too high. Contact your local assessor's office to find out the procedure, and be prepared to do some research. There's often no charge to request a review of your assessment.

Look for errors. You probably received an assessment letter in the mail, and many local governments provide the information online as well. Make sure the number of bedrooms and bathrooms is accurate, and the lot size is correct. Also check the assessed value of comparable homes in your area. If they're being assessed for less than your home, you might have a case for relief.

Even if your assessment is accurate and comparable homes are being taxed at the same rate, there might be another route to tax savings. Ask your assessor's office about available property tax exemptions. Local governments often give breaks to seniors, veterans, and the disabled, among others.

This article provides general information about tax laws and consequences, but is not intended to be relied upon by readers as tax or legal advice applicable to particular transactions or circumstances. Consult a tax professional for such advice; tax laws may vary by jurisdiction.

Mike DeSenne is Online Managing Editor for taxes, finances, and insurance at HouseLogic.com, and the former Executive Editor of SmartMoney.com. He likes to do his taxes by hand, much to the dismay of his accountant.