(386) Area Community Blog

Welcome To The (386) Area Blog!

Welcome to the (386) Area Blog! This Community Blog was created in order to give the people in the greater Daytona Beach area within the (386) area a free, interactive and comprehensive communication site that serves as a one-stop source for community news and information. This community blog offers constantly updated, pertinent news provided by Community bloggers represented by local organizations active in our community including civic organizations, schools, charities, general business, and many more. Best of all, anyone can join in on the conversation! Our Community Calendar provides information on upcoming events and activities important to our community. Comments are welcome, so let us know what you think!

Shut Out of Roth IRAs No Longer, courtesy of Donna C. Zill, Financial Advisor

Here is one of my favorite articles detailing the new tax law change for IRA owners in 2010 and ways to can take advantage of it...

Shut Out of Roth IRAs No Longer

Thanks to some recent tax law changes, high-net-worth individuals who are exploring additional ways to build retirement savings may want to take a closer look at traditional IRAs. In May 2006, the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act (TIPRA) revised some of the guidelines covering IRAs. As a result, high-income investors whose earnings level would previously have restricted them to a traditional IRA can now convert those to Roth IRAs starting in 2010 and reap the long-term tax advantages if they will be in the same or a higher tax bracket in retirement.

 

Because they allow qualified investors to withdraw all contributions and those earnings that meet certain requirements without federal income tax, Roth savings vehicles now appeal to a growing list of investors. Previously, Congress limited Roth conversions to those whose modified adjusted gross income was under $100,000. Under the new rules, however, the conversions will be available to investors at any income level, starting in 2010.

 

So if you’ve maxed out your 401(k) or 403(b) contributions and don’t qualify to make Roth IRA contributions because of your income level, you still can make nondeductible contributions to a traditional IRA in 2009 and 2010 and then convert it to a Roth IRA in 2010.

 

Then, when needed during retirement, investors can make withdrawals from the Roth IRA tax-free. Taxes will not be owed on the original nondeductible contributions because they’ve already been paid, although the previous earnings on those contributions will be taxable.  Those who convert in 2010 only have the extra incentive of being able to spread the tax liability over the following two years.  Thereafter, all future earnings in the Roth IRA will be available for tax-free distributions if certain requirements discussed below are met.

 

With a traditional IRA, account holders are taxed on both their original contributions and their investment earnings when they start withdrawing money. Essentially, the tax responsibility has been deferred, not eliminated. The tax responsibility for a Roth IRA comes at the front end with nondeductible contributions. One of the advantages to account holders, however, is that they do not have to pay any taxes — even on investment earnings — at the time of withdrawal. And that means that Roth IRAs essentially can make investment income tax-free income.

 

The opportunity to translate nondeductible contributions into additional savings that could result in a tax-free income stream for retirement is especially attractive for high-net-worth individuals who can afford to pay the conversion taxes without using funds from the account itself. By doing so, an investor can avoid paying taxes on the distribution as well as an early distribution penalty of 10 percent. This assumes that a Roth IRA has been open for at least five years and the investor is at least age 59½. Moreover, because high-net-worth families often have retirement income from other sources, they may not need to tap into their converted Roth IRA for many years, if at all. (Unlike traditional IRAs, there are no mandatory withdrawal rules for Roth IRAs if individuals are 59½ and the Roths have been established for five or more years.) So investors who choose the conversion option can theoretically shelter their earnings for years — an attractive advantage in estate planning.

 

Here is a simple example of the potential advantage of doing a Roth conversion: A married couple where both spouses are under age 50 can make nondeductible contributions of up to $10,000 ($5,000 per spouse) to traditional IRAs in 2009 and later. That amounts to $20,000 in additional savings, excluding earnings, in 2009 and 2010. When the couple converts their traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs in 2010, the taxes due will, unless elected otherwise by the client, be paid for in equal installments in 2011 and 2012. All future earnings, however, will accumulate tax-free and all withdrawals from the Roth IRA will be tax-free as well, if the distribution requirements are met (i.e., later than age 59½ or five years after Roth IRA is established). And that’s something all investors can appreciate.

If you'd like a personal calculation to determine if converting to a Roth IRA next year would be beneficial or if you have questions, give me a call, Donna C. Zill, Financial Advisor, The Shotz-Liguori-Zill Group at 386-615-3403 and I will make sense out of all of this.

 

  Note: If you already have a traditional IRA with pre-tax dollars (i.e., deductible contributions, rollovers from qualified plans), you should consult your tax advisor about the aggregation rules that will apply if you convert any traditional IRA assets to a Roth IRA.

Tax laws are complex and subject to change. This information is based on current federal tax laws in effect at the time this was written. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and its Financial Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice.  This material was not intended nor written to be used for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed on the taxpayer.  Individuals are urged to consult their personal tax or legal advisors to understand the tax and related consequences of any actions or investments described herein.
Articles are published for general information purposes and are not an offer or solicitation to sell or buy any securities or commodities. Any particular investment should be analyzed based on its terms and risks as they relate to your specific circumstances and objectives.
Investments and services offered through Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, and accounts carried by Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, members SIPC.
© 2009 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

 

Business to Business Expo in Daytona Beach

Business to Business Expo

 

The Callan Group hosted a booth at the recent Business to Business Expo last week at the Ocean Center. It was a very nice turn out for being a first year event. Our booth was slammed almost the entire time with local business owners inquiring about the best way to send out email newsletters. They had a number of questions that I thought would be good to feature in our blog:

 

1.) Where do you get email addresses?

We only send out e-newsletters to our client’s clients. In other words, if we have Restaurant 123 as a client, they obtain email addresses from all their patrons and then we send out the newsletter to only those individuals. We provide comment cards to our clients to help them capture email addresses. On the comment card it states that their email address will never be sold nor shared to any third parties for any reason. This is very important as many people are sensitive to giving out their email address because they are afraid of spam. Also, we encourage each of our clients to offer a reward/incentive to signing up for their email newsletter. Many of our clients offer $5 off their next visit just for signing up.

 

We do not recommend buying email lists. Unless the individual signed up to receive more information chances are they do not want to hear from you and will just delete the email.

 

2.) How do you prevent the email from going into the junk mailbox?

This depends on each recipient’s security settings but a few things can assist in getting emails to come through in the inbox instead of the junk mailbox. Your server must have an excellent reputation with the big boys (hotmail, gmail, yahoo, aol, etc.) meaning that they have been in business for a long time, do not send spam and have been watched so that the big boys see them as a trusted source. Our server is out of Spring Hill and has an excellent reputation with all major search engines. Also, you want to refrain from putting words in the subject line like SPECIAL, BUY NOW, etc. that many times are triggers for spam settings to throw the email in the junk mailbox. Most importantly we encourage our clients to have other means of communication and to view the e-newsletter as a vehicle for conversation. “Did you receive my e-newsletter?” “Yes, I did. It’s very nice!” Well, great! I’m glad you received it. Did you read about our special this month where we are featuring buy one get one free?” This communication on top of the e-newsletter makes any sales calls much warmer than before.

 

More questions to come in future blogs.

The Callan Group to blog on 386 Community Blog

When Ian Anderson with The Dream Homes Team showed me his community blog I just had to get involved. My name is Diane Michael and I am the Communications Director for The Callan Group – Custom Email Newsletter Campaigns for Your Small Business. I run a local woman/veteran owned business and I am always looking for ways to create synergy between professionals, the community and charitable functions. I am looking forward to being a regular contributor of the 386 Community Blog. My contribution to this site will be in 3 ways. 1.) I am very involved in local charity events so I will regularly write about events happening in town with links to learn more. 2.) Almost all of my clients are local in the 386 area and they regularly offer lots of savings and specials that I will highlight. 3.) I will touch on the power of email newsletters being the new word of mouth and how to use them wisely for marketing purposes.

To learn more about our services I encourage you to visit www.thecallangrp.com.

2009 Greek Festival November 12-15th

Be Greek for a Day. Don't miss the 33rd Annual Greek Festival at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Thursday - Saturday and 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sunday. St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 129 N. Halifax Ave., Daytona Beach (Beachside on the River).

OPA! Bring the whole family for an unparalleled Greek experience. This is a 'must do' event that will make you smile as you learn how to dance to Greek music, enjoy the cultural cuisine and mingle with familiar friends. Not only will you savor the food of Greece but you will be caught up in the traditions, culture, art, and faith of the Greeks. For more information call (386) 252-6012 or click hereto visit their web site. Free Bus Shuttle from the Ocean Center parking Garage! On Friday, Nov 13th and Saturday, Nov. 14th from 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Family Fun at the Volusia County Fair

Don't miss fun for the whole family at the Volusia County Fair November 5 - 15th.  Located at the Volusia County Fairgrounds - 3150 E. New York Ave., DeLand - Exit 118A on I-4 (Rt 44). This family event includes live concerts including Bill Haley's Comets, Lee Greenwood, and The Hoppers.  There will also be plenty of animal displays, barrel racing, model train displays, food vendors and midway rides galore!  For a complete schedule including times and admission costs visit http://www.volusiacountyfair.com/  or call (386) 734-9514.
Insider's Tip:  Advance tickets are available at area Walgreens locations.  You can save up to 25%! 

Recreation and Parks Month - Free Admission to State Parks

This Sunday you can enjoy free admission to Florida State Parks to celebrate Recreation and Parks Month.  Don't miss the opportunity to take advantage of the spectacular parks our great state has to offer.  Volusia and Flagler Counties have several great parks to choose from.  Check out some of these great parks:

Tomoka State Park - located at    2099 North Beach Street off "The Loop" in Ormond Beach

North Peninsula State Park - located on 40 Highbridge Road in Ormond By The Sea

Bulow Creek State Park - located on Old Dixie Highway in Ormond Beach

DeLeon Springs State Park - located at    601 Ponce DeLeon Blvd in DeLeon Springs

Gamble Rogers Memorial Recreation Area - located at    3100 South A1A in Flagler Beach

Washington Oaks Gardens State Park - located north   at 6400 North Oceanshore Blvd in Palm Coast

With so many things to do at our state parks the whole family can find something to do.  Where do I begin....boating, canoing, kayaking, fishing, picnicking, walking and hiking trails, biking trails, beaches.  Maybe you'll get a glimpse of some of the rare birds we have.  I have actually spotted two black panthers once while cycling near the North Penisula State Park.  Absorb what mother nature has given us to enjoy.  Visit one of our wonderful State Parks for free this Sunday.

DAYTONA BEACH TOP FIVE 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS

Still don't know how you will be celebrating the nation's birthday?  Well, dig out that cheesy star-studded, red, white and blue t-shirt from your drawer, because I've put together a list of the top five places to be in Daytona Beach.  You're sure to find something from this list to make your 4th sparkle!

FOUR CORNERS - ORMOND BEACH, FLORIDA
Looking for a great way to celebrate with friends & family this July 4th? Look no further than Ormond's historic "Four Corners". Festivities are planned by both the Ormond Historical Trust (at the Anderson Price Building on Beach Street, 1 ½ blocks north of Granada) and by The City of Ormond Beach on all four corners of the Granada bridge. The Trust's event kicks off at 4 pm with a magician and clown, family activities and a Dixieland band as an "Old Fashioned Lawn Party". The City will continue the celebration beginning at 6 pm, and will feature a "Patriotic Kids Corner" with games and inflatables, as well as live music. The evening will culminate with the City's Fireworks display, scheduled to begin at 9:30 pm. For more information call The Ormond Beach Historical Trust at 386-677-7005 or the City's Leisure Services Department at 386-676-3241.

CINEMATIQUE UNDER THE STARS
Downtown Daytona Beach features The Wizard of Oz in their retro film series.  Bring a picnic and lawn chairs (or get really old-fashioned and bring a blanket), and enjoy this American classic at City Island Park, 115 E. Orange Ave., Daytona Beach.  No charge!  For more information, call 386-871-7873.  Movie starts at dusk.

MAIN STREET JULY 4TH BLOCK PARTY & BARBEQUE
To compliment the Boardwalk fireworks, Main Street  is hosting an 8-block July 4th block party with a summer barbeque theme. In addition to traditional BBQ food vendors, an amateur BBQ competition will take place with prizes and trophies.  The event begins at 6pm and ends at midnight.   For more information, call 386-255-9300 or visit www.whog.fm.

RED, WHITE & BOOM at the FAMOUS DAYTONA BEACH BANDSHELL
This event has it all...live music, children's games, simulator rides, and show car all in Oceanfront Park, beginning at 5pm.    The evening's live entertainment  will begin at 7:30pm and include opening act Last Call, a sponsor recognition and prize giveaways by WHOG's Frank Scott,  a welcoming of the crowds by Mayor Ritchey, an introduction of Jeff Gordon with Q&A session, and a performance by POCO. Bring a lawn chair for seating but please leave the coolers at home because they are not allowed in the Bandshell.  This is a FREE event, but donations are accepted.

CELEBRATE WITH FRIENDS
This is actually my favorite thing to do on the 4th.  Find a great friend's party to crash, and don't forget to bring a fabulous side dish to share.  There's nothing like celebrating the great country we live in with the people who make your life happy.

Have a great 4th of July!

JAZZ AND POLITICS IN DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA

Just in case you’re looking for something to do this weekend, a quick reminder from Tom Massfeller noted the Ormond Beach Historical Trust will be hosting the Ormond Jazz Band from 6 to 9 p.m. this Friday night, June 27, and a play about Henry Flagler the evening of Saturday, June 28.

I’ve also attached a flyer for an upcoming Candidates’ Forum hosted by the Halifax Business & Professional Women’s Club at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 8^th, in the auditorium of the UCF Daytona Beach campus (DBCC/UCF parking map also attached). Several of our local and state office candidates already have RSVPed for this event. The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions! A presentation on the Equal Rights Amendment will precede the forum at 5 p.m. 

Download candidates_forum_flyer_v2.ppt

Download DBCC_directional_map.pdf

 

Happy Father's Day!!

I just wanted to wish all the Dads out there a very Happy Father’s Day.  We need to thank all of our fathers (and mothers) for bringing us to where we are today. 

Until I was a father myself, I really didn’t realize how special being a parent was.  People can tell you how it is to be a parent and tell you what you will experience when you become a father.  When my daughter was born, my life was changed forever.  I immediately melted and became a more caring and emotional person.  New life is an incredible experience.  There is a special place in my heart for Daddy’s girl. 

And then my son was born.  Dylan is a mini me.  He was riding a little Yamaha at the age of 3, with some influence of his father of course.  I think he was born with a ball in his hand because he can’t seem to stay away from anything or any sport that has a ball; football, baseball, basketball, soccer.  Playing catch with my son reminds me of when I used to play catch with my father or my grandfather.  This hopefully will continue on for generations to come.

It is up to us as parents to help mold our children to be the next leaders of the world.  It will be up to them as it is up to us now to keep our world going.  I think that people don’t pay enough attention to our children.  They don’t know what is wrong or right, we have to teach them.  They don’t know what is healthy or not, we have to teach them.  I think with technology and the open communication we have, people are more connected and working together to make our world a better place.

I want to thank my father and mother for making me who I am.  I hope that I can take what I have learned from my parents and my experiences in life and teach my children to be better and to do more.  Life is a continuous and evolving growth experience.  You never stop learning and you never (literally) stop growing. 

I am going to take the day off to spend some time with my family.  We are going out on a friend’s boat to Disappearing Island in Ponce Inlet to enjoy some fun in the sun.  Have a great Fathers Day!  

It's a good life!

Ian Anderson - The Dream Homes Team

FATHER'S DAY 2008

With respect to fathers far and wide, it’s time to kick it up a notch this year and add some fun to their Father’s Day gift!  The Daytona Beach Area attractions and entertainment folk offer an eclectic mix of activities and DEALS this Father’s Day weekend.  Ties and cologne are great…but time spent with Dad scores higher with most Papas that I know!

Here is a sampling of some Father’s Day weekend possibilities for your family, and there’s something for EVERY kind of Dad to enjoy!

FOR DADS WHO LIKE IT UPBEAT:
DAYTONA BEACH HAS GOT TALENT
June 13, 2008
7 - 9pm
Bandshell behind the Ocean Walk Shoppes
250 N. Atlantic Ave.
Daytona Beach
It’s never too soon to get the Father’s Day festivities going!  Kick off your Father’s Day weekend with some free entertainment at the Bandshell!  Take advantage of the great restaurants and shops at Ocean Walk while you’re at it!  Hosted by the City of Daytona Beach Cultural Services; featuring Andre Harkness, Dena Simone, Ray Borden, Shari Farmer and the Johnny Bulford Band.
ADMISSION:  FREE!
MORE INFO:  386-671-8250

FOR DADS WHO LIKE IT HOT:
KING OF THE WING 
June 14, 2008
11am - 3pm
Manatee Island, 325 N. Beach St.
Downtown Daytona Beach
Local restaurants and businesses will be entering their BEST chicken wings for you to sample! Come and enjoy the food, fun, family and giveaways. Admission includes one free drink, wing tasting, admission to Kid Zone (face painting, Moonwalk, playground, and more), and a FREE GIFT FOR DADS (while supplies last).
ADMISSION:  $10 per person; children 10 and younger free.
MORE INFO:  386-226-1414
Presented by the Volusia Home Builders Association

FOR DADS WHO LIKE IT FAST:
STAR MAKER – THE STORY OF THE DAYTONA 500
June 14, 2008
11am – 4pm
Halifax Historical Museum
252 South Beach Street
Downtown Daytona Beach
Marvette Panch Bagwell has loaned a portion of her father's immense racing collection to this exhibit, which will run through July 5. The exhibit outlines the evolution of the race beginning with the beach/road course and the construction of Daytona International Speedway.
ADMISSION: $4.00 for adults; children under 12 are free on Saturday (normally $1)

FOR DADS WHO LIKE IT WET:
DAYTONA LAGOON
Father's Day:  Dads Get In Free!
June 15, 2008
10am - 7pm
601 Earl St.
Daytona Beach
Twisty, turvey turns, over 1 million gallons of rushing water, exciting speed slides and attentive guards.  The basic ingredients for a fun and safe day await you at Daytona  Lagoon!
ADMISSION:  Dads are free with paid admission of kids; $19.99 (under 48"); regular $27.99; Florida residents $19.99
MORE INFORMATION:  www.daytonalagoon.com

FOR DADS WHO LIKE IT GREEN:
FATHER’S DAY 2008 at CONGO RIVER GOLF
June 15, 2008
10am – 11pm
Congo River Golf
2100 S. Atlantic Ave. (A1A)
Daytona Beach
On Father's Day, Dads will receive a FREE T-Shirt with a paid admission. Bring Dad out for a fun round of golf (maybe even consider letting him win this time)!
ADMISSION: Adults $10.45 Children under 10 $8.45
One child under 5 free with each paid admission.
MORE INFO: 386-258-6808

FOR DADS WHO LIKE IT WAVY:
"SURF’S UP” EXHIBIT
June 14, 2008
12 – 4pm
Ormond Memorial Art Museum
78 E. Granada Blvd.
Ormond Beach
"Surf's Up" is a wide-ranging display that includes paintings, prints, sculptures and other works by 12 area artists. There will be vintage beach photographs, surfing trophies, old movies of local beaches and, of course, surfboards.
ADMISSION: $2 donation
MORE INFO: 386-676-3347 or visit www.ormondartmuseum.org

These are just a few suggestions from this blogger.  Feel free to add your own ideas and information about anything I missed around town!  And, of course, Happy Father’s Day to every kind of Dad out there!  Have a great weekend!