Vol. 10, Issue 02, February 2019
®
Your community. Your magazine. ™
The Premier “Shop Local” Community Magazine Directly Mailed To 20,000 Homes In Odessa, Lutz & Land O’ Lakes Areas
This Independent Community News, Business & Dining Guide Is Directly Mailed Once Each Month To: Ashley Lakes, Ballantrae, Belle Meade, Calusa Trace, Canterbury, Cheval, Citrus Greens, Concord Station, Devonwood, Dolce Vita on Lake Keystone, Echo Lake, Farmington Village, Fern Glenn, Grey Hawk at Lake Polo, Heritage Harbor, Ivy Lake Estates, Keystone Groves, Keystone Manors, Keystone Reserve, Keystone Shores, Lake Charles, Lake Church, Lake Parker Estates, Lakeside Grove Estates, Northlake Village, Northbridge at Lake Pretty, Northton Groves, Oakstead, Orange Blossom Creek, Reflections, Steeple Chase, Starkey Ranch, Stillwater, Stonegate, Suncoast Crossings, Suncoast Meadows, Swan Cove, Van Dyke Estates, Van Dyke Farms, Villa Rosa, Wyndham Lakes
The Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group “Your Partners in Tax & Retirement Planning” With the 2018 tax return deadline looming, it is a perfect time for those age 60 or older to take advantage of a flat-rate $69 fee to have their income taxes prepared and filed with a company that is trusted for going the extra mile for its clients(i). Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group extends their $69 flat-rate fee for federal returns (state returns are included if applicable) to Active & Retired Military, First Responders, Government Employees, & Educators of ANY age. If you don’t fit into anyone
of those categories, no worries they have special pricing for you. All tax returns are prepared by one of the firm’s experienced Tax Preparers or IRS Enrolled Agents. The Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group is up to date on the changing tax environment and want to help you navigate through this tax season. Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group has an experienced team of financial, tax, insurance, and legal professionals who help to educate their clients on important subjects including:
managing asset risk, unnecessary taxes, diversifying(ii) portfolios, the importance of wills/trusts and planning for income during retirement. The firm is committed to providing exemplary service while displaying the highest standards of ethics and professional knowledge. They are approved members of the National Ethics Association and the National Association of Tax Professionals. Edward G. Rizzotto, Owner and President, is an
See “Rizzotto” on page 24
Yeager & Company Offers Customers Full Remodels of Kitchen and Bath By Deborah Bostock-Kelley
The Yeager & Company’s signature red, white, and blue trucks are regularly seen throughout Tampa Bay. Experienced sales associates and contractors are driving to customers in need of the highest quality and largest selection of flooring; yet, Yeager & Company offer so much more than flooring expertise. Though the family-owned business is well known for their fivestar reviews for flooring installation, See “Yeager” on page 18
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
From the Editor........................5 SAT/ACT Testing...................6-7 Tech Talk............................10-11 1-800 Got Junk...............14-15 Wait’ Till Next Year...........28-29
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February is National Heart Month The month of February has long been synonymous with tender heart shapes and the sensual color of red— thanks to the annual celebration of Valentine’s Day. But February isn’t just for lovers. It also reminds us to take care of our heart and consider our risk factors, because February is Heart Disease Awareness Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease. My father was one of its victims, he was only 62 years old. Your risk of heart disease increases as you get older but believe it or not, heart disease can happen at any age. The good news? Some risk factors for heart disease and stroke are preventable when people make healthy lifestyle choices. Some risk factors for cardiovascular disease include; obesity, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, high cholesterol or diabetes. So, if you want to stay on top of your health and try to avoid the risk of heart disease, there
are a few things you can do. Starting with not smoking, but if you’re already a smoker try your best to quit. If you are being treated for high blood pressure and cholesterol do your best to take your medications as prescribed by your doctor. Next, make heart-healthy decisions. Eat whole foods that are low in trans-fat, saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar. Limit sugar-sweetened beverages and red meat. Condiment your proteins with spices instead of salt. When you’re preparing a meal, make sure to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables instead of carbohydrates. Finally, get moving! Living a sedentary lifestyle will put you at a much greater risk for heart disease. Try to get in at least 20 minutes of physical activity 4-5 days a week, then build from there. Manage your stress levels. Stress is linked to heart disease in many ways. It can raise your blood pressure. Extreme stress can be a “trigger” for a heart attack. Make sure you get enough sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep, you may raise your risk of high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. Those three things can raise your risks for heart disease. How can you help
spread awareness? Here are just a few ideas: Encourage family members and friends to eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise Motivate teachers and administrators to make physical activity a part of the school day. Encourage your children to play outside more often. This can help students start good habits early. Limit your alcohol consumption Maintain a healthy weight Ask your doctor to provide information about ways to prevent heart disease and share knowledge with your loved ones. If you’re a business owner, send out a newsletter about living a heart-healthy lifestyle. Use social media to spread awareness. Host a community event where families can be active while learning about local health resources. Visit www.heart.org/ en/affiliates/florida/ tampa-bay for more information of how you can join a culture of health in Tampa Bay. They host the Tampa Bay Heart Walk, a Tampa Bay Go Red for Women Luncheon, the Tampa Bay Heart Ball and more amazing events!
Carla Selby
SAT AND ACT IMPROVEMENT: TECHNIQUES AND CURVE BALLS By Dr. Wayne Adams Upcoming Spring Test Dates in 2019: SAT on March 9, May 4, and June 1. ACT on April 13, 2019, and June 8, 2019 Walking around International Mall over Christmas with my wife, I happened to see a news item about a sixteen year old in Kansas who would be graduating from both high school and Harvard University this spring. Harvard now has a full time extension school for both undergraduate and graduate degrees at a fraction of the on-campus cost. Checking further, other top schools like Yale are adding this option. Originally designed for students 21 years old and over who are working, now the admission age is being reduced to 18 years old with some exceptions such as the student in Kansas. Interesting how education continues to change and evolve, don’t you think? The SAT and ACT Exams are still with us, and will be for a long time. You may know that these exams are graded on a curve with the other students taking the same exam at the same time. So I believe higher scores are more likely in the spring when the “well prepared” seniors are no longer part of the “competition”. In Florida, we are very fortunate to have Bright Futures, with the legislature restoring the full scholarship awards last year for both Academic Scholars and Medallion. Academic Scholarships cover full tuition and many other costs (about
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$24,000+ over four years), and Medallion Scholars cover 75% of tuition and some other costs (about $18,000) a year. You can check the specific qualification requirements at their web site. Students also have until the last spring exam for the SAT and ACT to take and submit a score for consideration. The last SAT this year is on Saturday, June 2nd, and the last ACT this year is on Saturday, June 9th. With the new Bill on the way to the House, double check this eligibility time to make sure it does not change. I have noticed an interesting trend among many of my students. Many test relatively higher on the verbal than on the math parts of both exams before we start. Yet when we work together, both areas improve … and often their math scores end up higher than their verbal scores. I think this is because of our adding a prep section with “the hardest SAT or ACT math questions with
answers”. For students already strong in math, the increase in scores is even more noticeable because they have a stronger foundation to build upon. As you may remember from prior articles, there are five key areas for improving SAT and/or ACT scores. (1) Technique, where we learn the strategies and “tricks of test taking” that are foundational. (2) Not making SM’s (Silly Mistakes) which often are misreads or lack of focus. (3) “Curve Balls”, which are those questions seldom
encountered but, when they come, a student must know exactly how to answer them – which usually hinges on knowing one additional step. (4) How well the student is guessing on exam day because getting one more question right often increases a score ten points. (5) Strength of other students taking the same exam because of grading on a curve. Working on the hardest types of math questions that can be on the exam helps my students in several ways. First, they see that these problems
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are really easy if you know how to do them. Second, there is a growing sense of confidence that – no matter what the problem – they can get it right. And third, they realize the truth of one of my favorite tutoring comments: “An easy question is when you know how to do it; a hard question is simply when you don’t.” As students learn more about curve balls, there is one other major benefit. They are not having to guess as often. The net result is that I believe it is easier to score higher on the SAT and/or the ACT Exams in the spring than in the fall (particularly early fall) because the competition is not as strong. And the addition of “hardest math questions” has enabled my students to improve even more than before. If You Would Like To Talk
More About Your Student … Please contact me at 727253-0639 or send me an e mail at wwa0811@mykolab. com. Dr. Wayne Adams is one of the leading SAT and ACT tutors in the country. His students normally improve 200 – 350 points on the Writing, Reading, Writing and Essay, and Math, and 4 – 7 points on the ACT composite. They have been admitted to eight of the top ten universities in the country, seventeen of the top twenty-five, and many schools in Florida. These schools include Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Stanford, U Chicago, Duke, U Penn, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Notre Dame, Emory, UC Berkley, UCLA, USC, UNC (Chapel Hill), NYU, Northeastern (Boston),
Boston College, Georgia Tech, Service Academies: Navy - Air Force - and Merchant Marine - Penn State, LSU, Auburn, UF, U Miami, FSU, USF, UCF, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, FIU, New College of Florida, Stetson, and Julliard – Manhattan - New England - and Berklee Conservatories of Music. Many have received academic, athletic, or music scholarships. This year, he
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also tutored three juniors who scored at the national merit finalist/semi-finalist levels on the most recent PSAT. He is a former Dean of a Graduate School of Business and Full Professor, and began college teaching at the University of Maryland in 1968. He has degrees and advanced studies at Harvard, Yale, Vanderbilt, Columbia International, and Luther Rice.
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Tech Talk with Bob: THE CALL! Did you get “The Call?” By Bob Dalles [Note from Bob: Back by popular demand. Beware that a lot of people fall prey to these calls every day. I wrote this article six months ago. If you’ve already read it, I hope you will share it with someone you care about.] Did you get the call? If so, what did you do? Did your friends get the call? If so, what did they do? Maybe neither one of you got the call… yet. What will you or your friends do when you get the call? Well I am going to help you with this situation. This information can save you
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hundreds of dollars! Many criminals are working their way through the internet looking for people to scam. I personally have received “the call” several times myself. My dad received one last month. These scam artists will call you and identify themselves as representatives of a large company, like Microsoft, Apple, etc. The caller will tell you that a corruption was identified to be on your computer. They will then offer you a free scan of your computer to verify the corruption. Most people will be happy to agree to do this because it is FREE. For these criminals to run this free scan they must be
in control of your computer. They ask you to log onto the internet with your computer, download a file
and run it. The caller starts the scan. Now they have you. Once you download that file, you are in trouble.
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You will be able to observe the scan from your computer screen. The caller will chit chat with you about the scan and then move the conversation to more personal information like your name, address, phone number and email address. When the scan is finished the caller will confirm that you have the corruption and assure you they can fix it right now. Most people get worried when they hear there is a problem with their computer so they tell the caller to fix it. However, now the caller proceeds to ask for credit card information because they were not hired by Microsoft, Apple, etc. They want your money. Many people will pay and think
everything is fine. Other people will say no because they thought that this was a free offer to find and fix the corruption. If you refuse to pay, the caller may make threats like saying your computer is going to crash or you may not be able to connect to the internet. The file they ask you to download and run to scan your system may actually sabotage your computer. So if you refuse to pay, you may have introduced the caller’s corruption into your computer. $299.00 is the typical amount they ask you to pay, however the amount will vary. Here’s the catch: The scan to confirm the existence of the “so called corruption” was FREE, to
fix the corruption will cost you. Here’s the BIGGER catch: you do not have the corruption they are trying to convince you you have. This whole call is a hoax. They want to scare you into thinking you have a corruption and offer you a way to diagnose it for FREE. And then get you to pay for the fix. Many people become victims of this scam. It has been around for a long time because it makes these criminals a lot of money. Now that you are aware of this scam, you will not become one of their victims. So, what do you do when you get this type of call? Hang up. As long as you hang up before downloading and running the scan file the
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caller instructs you to download. If you have already downloaded the scan file then you will want to immediately turn off your computer and contact an IT professional to look over your system to make sure it is safe to use. Have a tech question? Email it to TechTalk-TBNL@ BobTheComputerGuy. NET. Questions will be selected by the popularity of a topic and answered in this column. If you have a more urgent need or have a unique situation you may schedule an appointment with one of my Professionally Certified Technicians by calling 727-534-4000. Until next time, stay safe on the internet!
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If You’ve Got Junk – We’ve Got the Solution:1-800-GOT-JUNK? By Tom Bostock It’s amazing how easy it is to collect unwanted junk without even realizing it. If it’s not the garage sale leftovers that didn’t sell, it’s the clothes that the kids have outgrown that got boxed up and stored in the garage for a later time than never came. Maybe, it’s the newspapers for the drive that were never collected. Here’s a thought: It’s just human nature to collect things, but wouldn’t it be nice if you could use your garage for your car again or the spare bedroom for something besides a storage room? If the thought of having waste your Saturday, taking unwanted stuff to the dumps and then waiting in line for your chance to finally place your junk in the appropriate bin for disposal is not your idea of a fun way to spend your weekend, why not call the friendly folks at 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Owners Troy and Rachelle White enjoy a great reputation and take great pride in the quality of the junk removal services that they provide to both their residential and commercial customers. “We are committed to providing our customers with up-front rates, and ontime, friendly, professional service that exceeds their expectations,” says Troy. “We even provide same day service. All you have to do is point at the pile of junk you want removed and we’ll
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take care of the rest.” If it fits in a truck, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? will remove it, quickly and safely. It doesn’t matter if it is a single item, a backyard or garage full, even an entire building. We will remove just about anything as long as it in nonhazardous. their trained employees will do all the heavy lifting for you. This is not 2 college boys with a pickup on a weekend. It is a fully licensed, insured removal company with the right equipment to do the job right, the first time, and every time! If you are concerned about the environment and indiscriminately adding to landfills with your discards, owner Troy reassuringly noted that “more than 70% of what we haul away is recycled or reused.” His haulers do the sorting for you to determine where your junk should go. Recipients of your welcome, reusable items include: many local charities, a recycling center, a transfer station, to be converted into energy for local consumption, or if there is no value or possible use, finally, to the dumps. Troy proudly notes that “nationwide, 1-800-GOTJUNK? has save more than 2.4 billion pounds of junk from the landfill.” Even their company warehouse was expanded to give them the space to keep even more junk out of landfills. “Our employees will sort through your junk and pull out the
pieces that can be reused, recycled, or re-purposed so that you don’t have to.” Listen to what some of your satisfied friends and neighbors had to say about two of their experiences with 1-800-GOT-JUNK: “ I called and the same day, not even 3 hours later, Michael and Justin arrived. In less than 30 min they removed all the junk I needed hauled. They were absolutely AMAZING ! Pricing is fair for the amount of work that they do. They were understanding and didn’t pressure the sale. It was the best experience!” “I recently learned that they recycle our junk and don’t just dump it all at the landfill! Thanks for doing
our part for us!! Every little bit helps.” :)” In addition to their widely recommended residential junk removal services, represented by the
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consistent 5- star ratings that they receive from homeowners who have used 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, the company works closely with a variety of commercial enterprises. If you are a general contractor,
business owner, property manager, real estate agent or any commercial venture in need of hauling and clean up assistance, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has the experience and expertise to be the solution to your
junk removal problems. Their commitment to excellence will be evident in the renewed condition of your property or facilities. “We remove junk from wherever it’s located, and we wouldn’t leave a dent or a speck of dirt behind.” Troy and Rachelle, owners of 1-800-GOTJUNK? have a strong commitment to the community that they serve. One of the best parts of their business, they say, is the relationships that they have developed and nurtured in the community. They appreciate their ability to help local non-profits like: Hope Children’s Home, Autism Awareness and Lighthouse Ministries, as well as the Pinellas County Youth Ranch. “We’ve
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enjoyed getting to know the customers that we’ve helped. Everyone has a different reason for wanting their junk removed and we help them all.” Don’t guess how much it will cost to clean up your debris, both residential and commercial. Do yourself a favor and call the experts at 1-800-GOTJUNK? for a free, sameday, no hassle estimate with same-day removal services. Serving the tricounty area (Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco), 1-800-GOT-JUNK? is your source for all of your junk and unwanted removal needs. Call 1-800-4685865 or visit their website at www.1800gotjunk. com/tampa for further information.
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“Yeager” continued from page 1 the quality craftmanship doesn’t stop there. Executive Vice-President Melanie Carter said, “We do more than just floors. We do kitchen and bathroom remodels as well.” Opened in 1944, this flourishing business, owned and operated by Jim Yeager and his wife Susan - Yeager & Company takes pride that their name is synonymous with quality craftsmanship, teamwork and designs to fit all size budgets. “We do full remodels and are expanding into being able to do full construction home additions – this year, as well,” said Melanie. Yeager & Company is recognized for their expert, friendly service, their integrity, exceptional craftsmanship, and superior products. As a certified state licensed general contractor, Yeager & Company provides every service you need for your remodeling project: cabinetry, doors, stairs, crown molding, baseboards and paint and they even provide popcorn ceiling removal and knockdown application for drywall finishing. Yeager also can work with insurance claims for water damage repair and assist with mold remediation. “As a general contractor, we can take care of all of the needs of a full-scale remodel,” she said. The company is proud to take the stress of having to deal with many different vendors out of customers’ hands. “We can do everything from getting the plumber in the home to do the cut and cap on the
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first day of demolition, setting up dust control, all of the tile work, cabinetry , all the way to getting final touches scheduled for frameless shower glass,” said Melanie. “All services are scheduled in-house using a combination of both preferred subcontractors as well as employees to complete the job. We can handle the job from start to finish.” Though Yeager & Company may not be the cheapest option in town, the quality of the work and the reputation that they’ve built over 75 years stands for itself. When they work in a customer’s home, they will do the work right. Yeager and Company is a Better Business Bureau accredited business with an A+ rating and recipient of 2007-2018 Angie’s List Super Service Award. “We go above and beyond, in many cases, of what the standard building code would require to be sure things are done as well as they can be considering industry standards,” she said. Customers get the satisfaction of working with a team that oversees the entire project and a company that stands behind the completed work. “You don’t have to be on the phone calling subcontractors. We handle all of that. The reputation that Jim has built over these many, many years is that when we come in and do a job, we do it right and we stand behind it. When it’s done, it’s a project that you are really proud of.” Whether clients have plans and a design in mind or need
BEFORE
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assistance with coming up with the perfect kitchen or bathroom concept, Yeager & Company’s expert team will help you create the remodel of their dreams. Melanie recommends when
choosing a general contractor that you do your research and take time to read reviews. It’s a relationship that is ongoing so be sure it’s the right fit for you. For customer convenience,
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BEFORE
free consultations can be scheduled on their website using an online calendar for Flooring and Remodeling appointments. Another reason Yeager & Company stands out from their competitors is their great number of repeat customers. Yeager & Company often has customers
who have work done on one home and when they move to another. “It makes us feel good that our customers don’t just use us one time, but use us on multiple projects,” she said. “People like that we’re family-run and the history that goes with that. The biggest thing that people take
AFTER
away from that is we’re not a flyby-night company. We’ve lasted through really difficult times in the economy and every year, we’re consistently growing and expanding. Call or book your online appointment with us today.” To arrange a Shop-At-Home appointment, call Yeager and
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Company, Inc. at 813-9182737 or 727-375-7813. Yeager and Company’s showroom is located at 2310 Success Drive in Odessa and is open Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday. Visit www.yeagerflooring.com for additional information.
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“Rizzotto Tax”-
continued from page 1 Insurance Agent and Financial Representative who holds both a state-regulated license to offer insurance products and a securities license to offer specific investment products. Meet the Rizzotto Team Ed Rizzotto, Owner/ President, moved to Florida 47 years ago from New York, grew up in Pinellas County and has been a Trinity resident since 2000. A graduate of Clearwater Central Catholic High School, he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from NationalLouis University in Evanston, IL. Ed also served both active and reserve duty for 13 years in the U.S. Coast Guard. He started his Insurance and Financial career over 20 years ago as an agent for Allstate Insurance. Then promoted to Agency Manager, he was responsible for overseeing 22 agencies in southwest Florida. In 1999, he joined a local retirement planning firm, where he helped hundreds of people with tax and retirement planning for over six years. Ed Rizzotto enjoyed the opportunity to benefit the community, and was determined to create a complete local business where he could help clients (both pre-retirees and current retirees) save money on their
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taxes, better manage their portfolios, plan for the future and focus more on enjoying their retirement years – and The Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group was established in 2006. Lorrie Rizzotto, Vice President of Operations, joined the firm in 2009. Prior to joining Ed in running their family business, Lorrie specialized in corporate incentive and meeting planning, and worked at Allstate’s Regional Florida office for 11 years before becoming an Independent Meeting Planner with HelmsBriscoe, where she achieved “President’s Club” status being Top 50 in the country. Married 30 years this November, Lorrie and Ed have two daughters attending the University of South Florida. Ed and Lorrie have a great team at Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group. Dori Greeson, Administrative Assistant and Office Manager, gives everyone a warm reception, oversees the day to day office operations and the coordination of tax season. Alton Scott, Insurance Consultant, with more than 18 years of experience in the Banking, Insurance and Financial Services industry, has extensive knowledge in the areas of health insurance, Medicare supplements and Medicare. Scott holds a state-regulated Life and Health License and a Securities license to provide certain investment products, Nic Ranocchia, Licensed Life/ Health/Annuity Agent, is a
graduate of the University of South Florida, with a degree in Finance. He has over 5 years of customer service experience, as well as experience in the banking business. Ed and Nic will work as a team to offer insurance products to fit clients’ needs. He came on board two years ago to assist Ed and gain knowledge and experience to begin a career as an Insurance Professional & Financial Planner. Lauren Schafer, Marketing Coordinator, recently joined the team in September and will be overseeing their marketing functions. She is a graduate from the University of Florida with a degree in Marketing and a minor in Entrepreneurship and has over 3 years of experience in customer service. Their team of IRS enrolled agents and qualified tax preparers each have an average of over 20 years of experience in tax preparation and tax law and are ready to assist you with all of your tax preparation needs. Reducing Tax Liability in Retirement The first thing Ed and his team will want to look at is your past tax returns, explaining, “We’ve had people who had other advisors and financial planners who convinced them to make changes, not aware of the tax impacts. To me, the tax return is the most important document the client owns, that’s why it is the first thing we look at when the client meets us for their initial appointment.
If there is an investment or change that could cause a taxable event, we know that up front.” Ed and his team are very tuned in to their clients’ needs and concerns. “Saving on taxes, reducing or eliminating taxation on social security and protecting the financial wellbeing of a spouse after another’s death – those are things that my clients are concerned about,” explains Ed. “Today, people also want alternatives to the low interest rate environment provided by CDs and money market accounts.” He adds, “If clients are already collecting social security when they come to us, they want to know how they can reduce or eliminate taxes(iii) on not only social security income, but their overall taxes as well. A major concern today and what I believe will be a concern for years to come for pre-retirees and current retirees is how to obtain ‘Guaranteed Income for Life’(iv) from your retirement and non-retirement plans. Unfortunately many employer sponsored plans and individual IRAs do not offer this benefit when you retire. We will show you how to put some things in place now that will enable you to set up lifetime income down the road. This is income you will never outlive, similar to a pension. We spend many hours with our clients to put sound plans in place by sharing ‘real time’ tax, income and social security analysis(v)
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Ed Rizzotto (right), owner & president of Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group and Nic Ranocchia (left), his Assistant Advisor. through sophisticated software. We want our clients to leave our office with a better understanding on what their income needs will be in retirement, and how to control, reduce or possibly eliminate taxes(iii).” Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group takes a team-oriented approach to tax, retirement and estate planning and Mr. Rizzotto welcomes discussions from clients’ estate planning attorneys. If you do not already have an attorney, Mr. Rizzotto often refers clients to a trusted elder law attorney, who frequently meets with clients to review Wills and Trusts. “They can help you make sure your plan is up to date and our staff will make sure your accounts and beneficiary designations coordinate with your estate plan.” While taxes are a large part of The Rizzotto Tax Advisory
Group, the majority of their clients also utilize the firm’s other services including investments, retirement planning, long term care, annuities(iv), life insurance, wills and trusts and small business bookkeeping services. Ed says, “Clients like the opportunity we provide to get everything taken care of in one place.” A word of advice, “You’re never too young to start saving for retirement,” says Rizzotto. “We have found that many people we meet who are still working have changed jobs about every five to seven years, and many of those people left their retirement plans at their old employers (i.e. 401k, 403b, 457 and TSP plans, etc). Many of these plans can be rolled over to individual IRAs or Roth IRAs, thus giving the client more control and the ability to have someone to advise them.” The Rizzotto Tax Advisory
Group is located in the community of Long Leaf in the Florida Design Consultants Center at 3030 Starkey Boulevard in Trinity. A second location is in Pinellas County at 1034 Belcher Road South in Largo. Call (727) 683-9119 or visit www.rizzottotax.com for more information or to schedule an appointment. Representative of and securities offered through Brokers International Financial Services, LLC. Member SIPC. Brokers International Financial Services, LLC and Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group are not affiliated companies. (i) Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group provides tax services which are separate from the securities services offered through Brokers International Financial Services, LLC. Rizzotto Tax Advisory Group does not offer legal advice. (ii) Diversification does not guarantee a profit or protect against a loss in a declining market. It is a method used to help manage investment risk. (iii) Pursuant to requirements
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imposed by the Internal Revenue Service, any tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for purposes of avoiding penalties imposed under the United States Internal Revenue Code or promoting, marketing or recommending to another person any tax-related matter. Please contact us if you wish to have formal written advice on this matter. (iv) Fixed Annuities are long term insurance contacts and there is a surrender charge imposed generally during the first 5 to 7 years that you own the annuity contract. Withdrawals prior to age 59-1/2 may result in a 10% IRS tax penalty, in addition to any ordinary income tax. Any guarantees of the annuity are backed by the financial strength of the underlying insurance company. (v) The Retirement Analysis gives estimates based on your actual Social Security earnings record. Please keep in mind that these are just estimates. We can’t provide your actual benefit amount until you apply for benefits, and that amount may differ from the estimates provided.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers: “Wait ‘til Next Year” … again. By Tom Bostock The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have only been a part of the NFL since 1976: American Football Conference (AFC West in 1976), National Football Conference (NFC Central 1977 – 2001) and NFC South 2002 – Present. They’ve bounced around almost as much as their footballs. There have already been ten head coaches. That’s an average of 4.3 seasons per coach. How do you develop consistency when you are always changing coaches and subjecting both offense and defense to constantly changing game plans and schemes? By comparison, the longestablished Pittsburgh Steelers have only had a total of 16 head coaches since 1933. From “worst to first” was accomplished by the talented Bucs with the winning of Super Bowl XXXVII in 2002 by a Jon
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Gruden-coached Buccaneer team that had consistently been in the playoffs for the previous 9 years under experienced coaches like Tony Dungy, who, while coaching the Bucs, was tagged with the reputation of not getting them to the “big one.” It wasn’t the coach since Dungy went on to become the first black head coach to win the Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts in 2008. Since the Super Bowl win, there have been “0,” and I repeat “0” playoff games for the downtrodden Bucs! What’s wrong with that picture? If the New England Patriots can consistently “reload” instead of “rebuild,” why can’t the Bucs? What is it, management, player selection, coaching, offensive, and defensive play calling or just the players themselves? What is keeping the Bucs from developing a winning culture? With another losing
season already guaranteed, the finger pointing will soon begin. Sports pundits are heralding the impending departure of both the coach, general manager and possibly even the starting quarterback. It’s hard to understand how a 9 and 7 record in 2016 deteriorated into 2 consecutive losing seasons, including this year. Some people point the finger at the Bucs 59-year old head coach, Dirk Koetter, whose only head coaching experience was at the college level with both Boise State and Arizona State. It was, however, a winning record and led to several offensive coordinator positions in the NFL, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he was promoted to head coach in 2016. According to Rick Stroud on tbo.com “He’s already gotten more time than Greg Schiano or Lovie Smith.” Is
the handwriting on the wall? Many fans that I talk to think that will be the case. Koeter was handed his walking papers after the Bucs final 32-34 loss, the last game of the season. His replacement, Bruce Arians, a longtime head coach, will have his work cut out for him. Others point to quarterback, Jameis Winston, whose athletic ability seems offset by his unfortunate penchant for inceptions, fumbles and negative publicity in equal measure. Blessed with a strong arm and indomitable faith in his God-given talents, fans seem to have a love/ hate relationship with this iconic leader of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the final year of his rookie contract, the question that fans are asking now is, with this dismal season over, will the team pick up his fifth-year option? According to a Tampa
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Bay Times online article, Jameis’s contract “is worth nearly 21 million dollars and guaranteed only against injury.” Is he worth it? Apparently, he is, since General Manager Licht confirmed this week that Winston would be quarterbacking the Bucs in 2019. It seems incongruous that the Bucs continue to lose with wide receiver Evans having another 1000-yard season (the Pro Bowl snub
not withstanding), and ever reliable slot receiver Humphries continuing to catch everything thrown at him. I’m only an avid, long-suffering Buc’s fan and armchair quarterback, so I’m going to leave the guessing and pontification for the “big boys.” Come this time next year; I hope to be rooting for the Bucs as they go deep into the playoffs and not thinking the same perennial mantra: “Wait til next year!”
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