Read Our Articles

December is full of high spirits and good cheer. If you browse online, you’ll find some surprising holidays amidst more well-known celebrations. Just in case you need more reasons to celebrate the season, here is a list of major holidays with a few lesser-known ones thrown in – just for fun. No matter which holidays you celebrate, we hope they will be joyous and memorable. Happy Holidays! Sources: 1 http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/12/02/breakfast-buffet-national-fritters-day/ 2 http://nationaldaycalendar.com/december/ 3 http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/custom.html?year=2015&country=1&cols=3&hol=127097&df=1 [...]

Thanksgiving traditions aren’t quite as straightforward as the elementary school plays about Pilgrims and Native Americans sharing a feast would have us believe. History.com suggests that’s because Thanksgiving is, “…an invented tradition. It doesn’t originate in any one event. It is based on the New England puritan Thanksgiving, which is a religious Thanksgiving, and the traditional harvest celebrations of England and New England and maybe other ideas…”1 See what you know about Thanksgiving by [...]

Veterans are skilled leaders and problem solvers who have a lot to offer in and out of the service. Got Your 6, a campaign to empower veterans in America, offered some interesting insights about the men and women who have chosen to serve in our country’s military.[1] When veterans return to civilian life:[2] • 60 percent give to charity each year (as compared to 50 percent of civilians) • 79 percent register to vote (as compared to [...]

You may have heard of tax loss harvesting. Some people harvest losses every year, while others do so only when they have taken significant capital gains or have received more income than expected during a given year (perhaps they sold a business, received an inheritance, or collected a sizeable bonus). Tax loss harvesting occurs when an investor sells an investment at a loss, meaning the investor’s cost basis – the original purchase price adjusted [...]

A number you’re probably not looking for is 1.5 billion. That’s the number of pounds of pumpkins grown every year. History.com said that’s more than twice the weight of the Empire State Building. Here are a few other interesting statistics related to Halloween:1 • 9 billion pieces of candy corn are sold each year (about 36 million pounds). • 72 percent of Americans give candy to trick-or-treaters. • 30 percent of children sort their candy after trick-or-treat time. • 24 pounds of [...]

If you’re 57 or older, it’s a pretty good bet you take at least one prescription medication. If you take more than one, it’s really important to understand how the drugs may interact with one another in your system – particularly, if different doctors have prescribed them. Knowing how drugs may interact with each other isn’t enough, though. Medications may affect existing health conditions, such as high blood pressure, or interact with foods you [...]

Twenty-five years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, guaranteeing disabled Americans – people with mental, physical, or emotional disabilities – equal opportunity in employment, transportation, government service, and public accommodations. The most recent statistics show about one-in-four Americans has a disability. Many are children with special needs.1 So, it seems an appropriate time to celebrate the advent of 529 Able accounts. They’re not available yet, but the federal government authorized states [...]

Workers are essential to innovation and success. According to the London School of Economics (LSE), they’re a source of ideas for new products, new services, new approaches to work, and new business models.1 Worker-led innovation must be nurtured by organizations. It requires a workplace environment that frees people to do more than they’re being paid to do. The LSE report suggested workers need: •Innovation time: Give time for creative thought  •Broad roles: Help employees see the bigger [...]

Healthcare. Retirement. Those may be two of the most stressful words in the English language today. Especially when you include them both in the same sentence. For instance, a married couple that saves $326,000 has a 90 percent chance of having enough money to pay healthcare expenses in retirement. A single man would need to save $116,000 for retirement healthcare expenses, and a single woman about $131,000 to have the same odds, according to [...]

How Do You Make Money in Stocks? Have you ever watched Family Feud? Perhaps you were a child when Richard Dawson hosted the game show or maybe you enjoy the current version. No matter, take a moment and: • Name a three-letter word that ends in –ow • Name a chess piece • Name a one-word color for a pair of socks • Name how many batteries are used in a flashlight • Name one way people may make [...]

People think about character in many different ways. You have probably heard or may have commented on someone else’s character by saying: • She is a woman of good character. • What a character! • That was really out of character. • He has character as well as looks. • It was an attack on his character. Character isn’t really one thing or another. It’s the many distinct qualities and traits that make us who we are: unique and [...]

Achieving U.S. citizenship can be life changing, but it is not easy. Those who aspire to become American citizens must pass a 100-question naturalization test and answer six of 10 questions correctly during their naturalization interviews. Test your knowledge on these four sample questions: 1. Who is in charge of the executive branch? a. President b. Speaker of the House c. Chief Justice d. Majority Whip 2. How many U.S. senators are there? a. 50 b. 100 c. 200 d. 435 3. How many amendments [...]