July 2019 | Baltimore Beacon

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BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2019

SPECIAL PULL-OUT SECTION

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Selling your stuff? Consider tax effects

By Joelle Spear [Editor’s note: In our last Housing & Homecare section, appearing in the April Beacon, we wrote about ways to declutter and downsize. In this issue, we address the tax implications of selling some of the more or less valuable items you choose to let go.]

The anti-clutter mantras of Marie Kondo and others are convincing thousands of people to empty their attics of the stuff they’ve collected over the years and sell the more valuable items on eBay or Facebook Marketplace.

In general, the IRS doesn’t require you to report money you earn from these sales. But in certain situations, you should, such as: — If you’re essentially running an online auction house or garage sale; or — If you’re selling valuables, such as fine art or collectibles.

Let’s look at each situation separately.

Selling miscellany If you occasionally sell something online, there’s little to worry about, especially if you’re selling it for less than you paid for it. Even if you occasionally sell one of your old Beatles albums for a decent sum, it’s not critical for you to report this income to the IRS. But if you decide to go into business bargain-shopping at yard sales and flea markets and flipping what you find for a profit, then you’re technically running a business. You’ll need to report this income on IRS Form 1040 Schedule C. This form is used by sole proprietors to report business-related income.

You’ll want to keep records of what you paid for the items (the cost basis) so you can report the net profits (rather than the full sales price) from these transactions.

You may also be able to offset income by deducting business-related expenses, such as gas and tolls for the vehicle you use to amass your inventory.

If you operate this business out of your home, you may even be able to deduct the costs of computers, smartphones, office supplies and Internet and cellular services, although we recommend you consult with an accountant to make sure you’re reporting these expenses correctly. In any case, make sure you keep detailed records of these costs in case the IRS ever decides to audit your business.

Online sales aren’t reported to the IRS if

the total amount is relatively small. However, if you’re an eBay seller who uses PayPal, keep in mind that PayPal issues 1099K forms (for payment card and third-party network transactions) to sellers who have more than 200 transactions and earn $20,000 or more in a tax year.

PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK

The spontaneity of the evenings is similar to her famous television comedy series, “The Carol Burnett Show,” which aired from 1967 to 1978, netting 25 Emmys.

Each show began with an unscripted Q&A session and ended with Burnett singing her theme song, “I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together,” which was written for her by her second husband, Joe Hamilton.

Countless comic skits from the show have become classics, such as her silent charwoman character and her parody of Scarlett O’Hara, where she’s dressed in brocade curtains (including the curtain

PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK

A blast from the past

JULY 2019

More than 125,000 readers throughout Greater Baltimore

Carol Burnett’s Q&A roadshow

By Margaret Foster Although beloved American comedian Carol Burnett grew up in poverty in the 1940s with two alcoholic parents, she never felt poor or unloved, thanks to her grandmother.

With their scrounged pennies, the two would retreat to the cool darkness of movie theaters in California as often as possible.

The optimism of the films, coupled with her grandmother’s love, left a lasting impression on the future Emmy Award-winning performer.

“She was unfailingly in love with me, which made me feel very secure in spite of the fact that we were poor,” Burnett said of her grandmother in an interview with the Beacon.

“I grew up with the imprint of the movies on me. I thought nothing was impossible, so I was never discouraged,” she said. “I was raised thinking positively.”

Of course, Burnett’s optimism paid off and she ultimately did strike it big. At 86, she continues to entertain audiences around the country with her one-woman show.

On Tuesday, July 23, she will sit down with an audience in Baltimore for An Evening of Laughter and Reflection — a live, 90-minute question and answer session. Burnett has spent the past decade traveling the country doing these shows, which also feature clips from her career in comedy.

“I fly without a net,” she said. “I don’t want any planned or planted questions.

Doing these shows keeps the old gray matter ticking because you can’t think about what you did yesterday or what you’re going to do tomorrow.”

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Selling more valuable items The IRS is not so lenient when it comes to reporting the sale of fine art, collectibles and even precious metals. When you sell any of these valuables at a profit, you’ll generally have to pay capital gains taxes.

What counts as valuables? Just about any item whose market value has significantly risen since it was first purchased.

Obvious items include paintings and sculptures, jewelry and gemstones, antiques and gold.

But, depending on market trends, just about anything could be a collectible, including, but certainly not limited to: coin and stamp collections; vintage comic books; rare books; fine wines; glassware; historical military items like Civil War uniforms and weapons; and political campaign buttons and posters.

Yes, even your rare Beanie Babies could be classified as collectibles if you sell them for many multiples of what you originally paid for them.

Calculating taxes Whether you purchase valuables or inherit them, the IRS treats these items as investments, and their tax treatment depends on how long you’ve kept them.

That’s why it’s important to document the value of the item when it came into your possession, whether it’s the price (cost basis) for an item you purchased, or the fair market value (FMV) of an item you inherited. For particularly valuable items, you should have their FMV estimated by a professional appraiser.

If you don’t know the FMV or the cost basis, you’ll generally have to pay capital gains taxes on the entire amount of the sale, rather than the net profit (i.e., how much you sold it for minus the FMV or cost-basis).

If you sell a valuable item after holding it for less than a year, the profit will be treated as a short-term capital gain, which will be taxed as ordinary income. This could

If you find yourself selling off some valuable items, be aware of the tax implications.

Some items sell tax-free. Others can be subject to a 28% capital gains tax. It’s also important to know what you originally paid for the item, or what it was worth when you inherited it.

become a problem if this added income lifts your total adjusted gross income into a higher tax bracket.

If you hold the item for more than a year, the profit is considered to be a longterm capital gain. Normally the long-term capital gains tax rates on investable assets are either 0%, 15% or 20%, depending on your taxable income and filing status. But not for the profits from the sale of valuables and collectibles! For these items, the capital gains tax rate soars to 28%.

Some examples Your Uncle Jake bequeaths you his 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500 that has been sitting in his barn for 40 years. Because it has 190,000 miles and the body is rusted out, a professional appraiser assigns it a fair market value of “only” $70,000.

You spend two years and $10,000 to restore it and then sell it for $105,000. Your total cost basis would be $80,000, so your net profit is $105,000 - $80,000 = $25,000, and you’d pay $7,000 in capital gains taxes on that ($25,000 x 28%).

When it comes to investing in precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum, what you invest in can make a huge difference in what you’ll pay in long-term capital gains taxes.

Physical metals: Since physical metals are classified as collectibles, if you buy

gold, silver or platinum in the form of bullion, coins, bars or other “hard” assets, you’ll pay the full 28% long-term capital gains tax rate on any profits you make from selling it.

Precious metal ETFs and mutual funds: Surprisingly, when you sell shares of investment funds that directly purchase precious metals, you’ll also be taxed at the 28% long-term capital gains rate if you sell shares at a profit. However, these rules don’t apply if you invest in these funds through a qualified IRA. If you believe that the price of precious metals may rise but don’t want to pay the 28% long-term capital gains tax rate when you sell them, consider investing instead in the stocks of companies that either produce these metals (mining companies) or fashion them into products (jewelers, semi-conductor manufacturers). Any profits you make when you sell these stocks after a year will be taxed no higher than the 20% long-term capital gains tax rate.

Protect your assets Whether you run an online auction house or want to finally cash in on the collection of rare Hummel figurines you inherited from your grandparents, your best protection against an IRS audit is to docuSee SELLING STUFF, page B-3

SEE SPECIAL INSERT Housing & Homecare Options following page 12

ARTS & STYLE

Carol Burnett has a repertoire of funny stories about Hollywood stars, from Jimmy Stewart to Lucille Ball to Jennifer Aniston. In her 90-minute show at The Lyric on July 23, Burnett will answer questions from the audience and reflect on her life in comedy.

rod). Today, that dress is part of the Smithsonian collection.

Burnett continued to act and sing after her eponymous TV show ended. She starred in the 1982 movie Annie as the evil orphanage headmistress, Miss Hannigan (playing her not only as a villain, but as an alcoholic).

She had recurring roles on the television sit-com “Mad About You” and the soap opera “All My Children;” gueststarred on two seasons of “Glee,” the award-winning Fox television series; and most recently, was the voice of a chair named “Chairol Burnett” in Disney’s upcoming Toy Story 4.

As for her accolades, Burnett has amassed every possible award. She won a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2013, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild in 2015 and was the inaugural recipient of a new Golden Globe Award named for her this past January: the Carol Burnett Award for Lifetime Achievement in Television.

From Texas to Hollywood A shy child, Burnett moved with her grandmother from her native San Antonio to Hollywood after her parents were no See BURNETT, page 20

Witchcraft and mean girls in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible; plus, Anna Quindlen’s take on the wild world of grandparenting page 19 FITNESS & HEALTH 4 k Targeting the cells that age us k What’s the beef with fake meat?

LAW & MONEY 13 k Making retirement savings last k Avoid financial abuse and fraud LEISURE & TRAVEL 16 k Art Deco delights in Miami k Don’t ignore this vacation cost ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

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Diverse perspectives People who have a passion for traveling century, our country was considered a abroad often say they relish the opportuni- “melting pot” in which the individual ingrety to learn about different culdients — those already here tures, hear unfamiliar lanplus new immigrants from all guages, meet people from over the world — were meant varied backgrounds — in to blend together to form a short, to have mind-broadenmore homogenous product ing experiences that change known as “Americans.” the way they see the world.

Today, however, I think our While there’s nothing like society would be better charinternational travel to accomacterized as a bouillabaisse — plish those goals, I think a rich soup in which all the most of us could have similar varied ingredients retain eye-opening experiences FROM THE their basic form and taste, but right here, wherever we hap- PUBLISHER altogether create a new and pen to live, if we just visited a By Stuart P. Rosenthal more interesting mix. different part of town.

That mix of races, cultures That’s because America has long been a and more is today called Diversity, and the haven to those throughout the world who term is not only a description of how varwant to live in freedom. As a result, more ied America has become. It’s a battle-cry in than 350 different languages are spoken in many areas, calling for greater acknowlU.S. homes today, and neighborhoods re- edgement and respect for our differences, flecting different nationalities and cultures and urging greater inclusion of those from can be found in every major city. different backgrounds in our schools, But the way we view our pluralistic soci- workforce, marketplace and legislature. ety has changed. In the early to mid-20th In a way, promoting diversity is a way to

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put a positive spin on what we used to call anti-discrimination laws. Rather than trying to eliminate prejudice through legislation, the diversity movement, if I can call it that, promotes the value of having all races, sexes, genders, ethnicities, nationalities and religions represented in the public sphere.

Recently, I attended a day-long workshop at the AARP headquarters in Washington, D.C., where the topic was “The Future of Work for All Generations.” I expected the program to address ageism in employment, as that has long been a key issue for AARP. It did, of course. But it was more than that.

The conference, which attracted representatives from business, the media and government, made the case for the benefits to both employers and fellow workers of treating worker age as an element of diversity.

AARP Executive Vice President Debra Whitman noted that there are as many as five generations of workers in today’s companies, and that studies show a mix of ages and intergenerational mentoring within a workforce “drives engagement and performance, increasing the bottom line” for business.

Age discrimination in hiring (and firing) is still pervasive. Many companies continue to have negative attitudes towards older workers that have proven difficult to root out. And that’s despite many studies that show older workers bring a variety of benefits to employers, including experience, networks, reliability, a strong work ethic, superior customer service and flexibility.

So I think it’s a great idea AARP has to

reframe the discussion so that age becomes part of society’s focus on the value and importance of diversity and inclusion.

Then, making accommodations that help workers of all ages can be seen as a sound business decision, not simply a way to avoid a lawsuit.

For example, BMW made modifications in its plants to meet the needs of workers with various ailments or restrictions. They brought in ergonomic seating, more comfortable flooring and enhanced lighting to help them retain skilled workers. The result was a 7% increase in productivity and below-average absenteeism.

Whitman also pointed out that “a culture of inclusion helps all ages.” For example, she noted that “One in four family caregivers today is a Millennial. So policies that help caregivers help all generations.”

Viewed from the perspective of older workers themselves, this attitude adjustment might make them more willing to learn from bosses who are young enough to be their grandchildren.

Keynote speaker Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State and now a professor of foreign policy at Georgetown University, concluded her remarks by paraphrasing a line from Robert Frost’s poem “What Fifty Said” — “The older I get, the younger are my teachers.”

We’re all in this bouillabaisse of a society together, and our overall success requires as many of us as possible contributing our best.

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Dear Editor: There are many marvelous places to visit in this country, but I object to you touting Alabama [“Alabama’s Gulf coast popular year-round,” June], home to racists, homophobes and sexists. Why would you encourage anyone to spend money there?

The article that should be written is one touting the amazing lynching memorial (the National Memorial for Peace and Justice) in Birmingham and the slew of civil rights sites, including the Rosa Parks museum, the Freedom Riders museum and the numerous churches that were sites of racial violence and murder.

Joyce Siegel Via email Dear Editor: In response to your editorial “Saving

faces” (From the Publisher, June), software that could use technology for facial recognition is not only possible; it is expanding in sophistication and capability.

Technically, there is no way to prevent its growth and possible use in a large variety of circumstances.

The only method that can protect society worldwide from application of photographic methodology is in the legal area.

Laws must be passed with appropriate penalties to control and limit the use of this technology.

You state it very well: we must set legal limits and apply them with vigor to make sure that the technology does not intrude into the public domain beyond what is appropriate.

Louis P. Solomon Via email

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2019

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Health Fitness &

ARTHRITIS RELIEF Skin creams can be as effective as pills for arthritis hand pain FOOD AND SKIN CANCER There’s evidence that tomatoes and caffeine can reduce skin cancer risk COFFEE FIGHTS DEPRESSION Drinking several cups of coffee or tea each day may reduce risk of depression PROTECT THOSE BONES Regular exercise reduces bone fracture risk better than calcium supplements

‘Zombie cells’ may play big role in aging

By Malcolm Ritter Call them zombie cells — refuse to die.

Scientists actually call them senescent cells. They start out normal but then encounter a stress, such as damage to their DNA or a viral infection. At that point, a cell can choose to die or basically enter a state of suspended animation (hence the popular term “zombie cell”).

The problem is that senescent cells, though they no longer replicate, still release chemicals and proteins that can harm nearby normal cells. That’s where

the trouble starts.

As these cells and their proteins build up in your body, studies suggest, they promote aging and the conditions that come with it, such as osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers are studying drugs that can kill these cells and possibly treat the problems they bring.

Basically, the goal is to fight aging itself, which hopefully will delay the appearance of age-related disease and disabilities as a group, according to geriatrics specialist

Dr. James Kirkland of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. That’s in contrast to playing a “whack-a-mole game” of treating one disease only to see another spring up, he said.

Promising studies in mice The research has been done chiefly in mice, where drugs that eliminate senescent cells — known as senolytics — have been shown to improve an impressive list of conditions, such as cataracts, diabetes, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, enlargement of the heart, kidney problems, clogged arteries and age-related loss of muscle.

Mouse studies have also shown a more direct tie between senescent cells and aging.

When drugs targeting those cells were given to aged mice, the animals showed better walking speed, grip strength and endurance on a treadmill.

Even when the treatment was applied to very old mice, the equivalent of people ages 75 to 90, it extended their lifespans by an average of 36%.

Researchers have also shown that transplanting senescent cells into young mice basically made them act older: their maximum walking speed slowed down, and their muscle strength and endurance decreased. Tests showed the implanted cells converted other cells to zombie status.

Will drugs work in people?

Earlier this year, the first test of senolytics in people was published by Kirkland and his colleagues. It provided some tantalizing results.

It involved 14 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a generally fatal disease that scars the lining of the lungs. Risk rises with age, and the lungs of patients

show evidence of senescent cells.

In the preliminary experiment, after three weeks of treatment, patients improved on some measures of physical fitness, like walking speed. Other measures, however, did not show improvement.

Still, the results were encouraging and “it really raises enthusiasm to proceed with the more rigorous studies,” said Dr. Gregory Cosgrove, chief medical officer of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, who played no role in the study.

The field of zombie cells is still young.

But Kirkland estimates at least a dozen companies have formed or have launched efforts to pursue treatments. He holds shares in one.

Apart from age-related diseases, senolytic drugs might be useful for treating premature aging among cancer survivors that brings on the early appearance of some diseases, said Laura Niedernhofer of the University of Minnesota.

Don’t try this at home Some of these drugs have been approved for other uses or are even sold as supplements. But Niedernhofer and Kirkland stress that people should not try them on their own, nor should doctors prescribe them for the uses now under study, because more research has to be done first.

Niedernhofer said the best drugs may be yet to come. The goal is not to prevent stressed cells from turning into zombies, she said, because they may become cancerous instead. The aim is to trigger death of cells that have already transformed, or to limit the harm they do.

And what about giving senolytic drugs See ZOMBIE CELLS, page 5

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2019

Topical pain relievers can replace pills

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to healthy people who want to ward off aging? That’s possible but a long way off, after studies have established that the drugs are safe enough, she said. On the other hand, “we may not get there,” Kirkland said.

In any case, experts are impressed by the research so far. “I think this is very exciting,” said Dr. George Kuchel of the University of

See PAIN RELIEF, page 7

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From page 4

There are many other types of topical pain relief products available over-the-counter.

Typical ingredients include menthol, camphor, methyl salicylate and capsaicin. Some combine a couple of these chemicals.

F R E E

Connecticut Center on Aging in Farmington. The results from animal studies are “very spectacular. It’s very compelling data.”

Nir Barzilai, a researcher of aging at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, said he believes targeting senescent cells will play a role in the overall effort to delay, stop and maybe reverse aging.

So much research suggests they promote aging that “we know that it should be true,” he said.

—AP

OTC products less effective

While they are generally safe, many people find minimal if any symptom improvement. Menthol and camphor are harmless substances that create a pleasing sensation that counteracts pain, but they don’t influence the underlying cause or inflammation.

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Zombie cells

and knees as the oral formulation of the drug.

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they result in lower NSAID blood levels.

Applying a topical NSAID concentrates the medicine near the pain site, so they can be very helpful for the more superficial joints like the hands, knees, ankles, feet and elbows.

While only a small amount enters the bloodstream, topical NSAIDs may be offlimits to people at high risk for side effects. This would include people with a history of ulcers, internal bleeding and kidney disease.

Of the different topical NSAIDs, prescription strength ones contain a higher concentration of active ingredients.

Most studies have been done on diclofenac (Voltaren, generic versions) gel; and the research shows the gel can be as effective for arthritis in the hands

F R E E

By Howard LeWine, M.D. Q: My arthritis primarily affects my hands. Aleve helps, but I don’t want to rely on it every day. There are so many pain relieving skin creams. How do you choose?

A: You are wise to consider alternatives to oral naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or other oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Long term use of these can lead to stomach and intestinal ulcers, internal bleeding and kidney damage, and they potentially increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Topical analgesics are pain relievers that are applied to the skin instead of taken as pills. The most effective topical preparations do contain an NSAID. But topical NSAIDs pose less risk than the oral drugs because

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JULY 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

What you eat may affect skin cancer risk

By Christine Yu One in five Americans will get skin cancer in their lifetime. For an extra layer of solar protection — sunscreen is a must! — pair these foods with safe sun practices.

plant from the sun’s harsh rays. Researchers suspect eating them may have a similar effect on our own skin.

Plus, recent research in mice suggests that eating a serving of tomatoes daily slashes nonmelanoma skin cancer rates by half.

Get red tomatoes (not red-faced) Use summer’s abundance of this fruit to your advantage. A British study found that people were less susceptible to sunburn after eating 1/4 cup of tomato sauce daily for 12 weeks. (Even one bad burn raises your risk for skin cancer.) Bonus: The sauce was made with olive oil, which may help your body absorb more of the beneficial carotenoids.

These natural compounds that give tomatoes their red glow also protect the

their skin’s free-radical scavenging activity by 37 percent. And in existing cases of melanoma — the deadliest form of skin cancer — studies have found that vitamin C may slow tumor growth.

Caffeinate Head to the C Vitamin C isn’t just for fending off colds.

UV rays produce free radicals — unstable compounds in your body that can damage the DNA in skin cells, leading to skin cancer. Vitamin C, however, neutralizes those free radicals.

German researchers found that people who got 180 mg. per day of this nutrient (the amount in half a large yellow bell pepper or two cups of strawberries) improved

Kick back in your beach chair with a cold-brew coffee in hand. Drinking four cups of java a day may cut your risk of melanoma by 25 percent compared to forgoing coffee, according to a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. And coffee may help prevent other types of skin cancer, too.

Scientists believe that the main benefit comes from the caffeine, which guards skin cells against sun damage and prevents them from turning cancerous. Animal studies have also shown protective effects from several other components in coffee, including polyphenols.

Be smart about sunscreen Of course, the best skin cancer prevention is to avoid the sun.

If you’ll be outdoors, apply sunscreen right. Most docs recommend lotion over sprays. (It’s harder to get adequate, consistent coverage with a spray, especially outdoors on a windy beach. Still, it’s better than nothing!)

Use about an ounce (almost a golf-ballsize amount) on exposed areas, and reapply after two hours or right after swimming.

Pro tip: Put sunblock on at home before you pull your swimsuit on so you hit everywhere.

Most people under-apply sunscreen, cutting its effectiveness in half, so go with an SPF of at least 30. But know that grabbing the SPF 150 isn’t necessarily better.

SPFs over 50 offer only marginally more sun protection than those in the 30 to 50 range, and experts say a high SPF can lull you into a false sense of security, so you might not use enough.

[Ed. Note: In addition to following these tips, it’s essential to visit your dermatologist once a year for a full body scan. Physicians are able to track any changes in your skin.

They can also check places you can’t, such as your scalp or ears. At home, be sure to pay attention to any new moles or changes in existing moles. If a mole is asymmetrical, has a variety of shades or is larger than a pencil eraser, it’s best to visit a dermatologist as soon as possible.]

EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at eatingwell.com. © 2019 Meredith Corporation. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2019

7

How plant-based burgers compare to beef

By Candice Choi If you want to skip meat, a new era of options is here.

Two companies — Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods — are among several racing to tap into the massive U.S. market of meat eaters by creating plant-based burgers that offer the taste and texture of beef.

But are the plant-based patties better for you — or for the planet? Here’s what you might want to know before taking a bite.

Are they healthier?

As with many questions about diet, it depends. For better or worse, patties from Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods can be nutritionally similar to beef.

Beyond Meat’s 4-ounce patty is listed at 270 calories, while Impossible Foods’ is listed at 240 calories. Ground beef’s nutritional profile can range, but a similarly sized patty with 80% lean meat has around 290 calories.

Protein content is about the same, while other nutrients vary. Some may like that the plant-based patties have fiber, but dislike that they’re higher in sodium.

For overall diet, what matters more might be how the patties are served, whether it’s at Burger King, White Castle or elsewhere.

At Umami Burger in New York, for example, a burger with two Impossible patties, cheese and fixings tops 1,000 calories.

Few would call it healthy, especially if served with fries and a soda.

“People are going to be fooling themselves into thinking these are not just better, but healthy,” said Yoni Freedhoff, an obesity expert at the University of Ottawa.

People also may not realize the saturat-

Pain relief From page 5 There’s little rigorous research into methyl salicylate’s effectiveness as a pain reliever. There definitely is some absorption of methyl salicylate, and it’s metabolized into salicylic acid, similar to aspirin.

This should have some effect on pain and inflammation.

People who have an aspirin allergy or take medications that interfere with blood clotting should check with their doctor before using a product containing a salicylate.

Capsaicin is the stuff that makes hot peppers so fiery. Rubbing it on the skin theoretically overloads the pain sensing circuits. While causing a burning sensation, little actually gets absorbed and the effectiveness of over-the-counter capsaicin is questionable.

Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, please visit health.harvard.edu. © 2019 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

ed fat content of plant-based burgers can be similar to beef ones, he said.

What’s in them?

Beyond Meat’s ingredients include pea protein and canola oil. Impossible Foods’ patties have soy protein and coconut oil.

Impossible says its patties have a flavor and hue similar to beef partly because of soy leghemoglobin, a protein the company makes by genetically modifying yeast.

The meat industry, meanwhile, is appealing to people who prefer simpler ingredient lists. “A beef patty is one natural ingredient: beef,” says the North American Meat Institute, which represents meat makers.

How do they taste?

Taste is subjective, but reviews generally say Beyond Meat and Impossible burgers taste similar to meat.

Christian Acosta, who works in New York, said he’s had the Impossible burger several times and can’t tell the difference.

“It tastes exactly like meat,” he said, while waiting in line to get the burger for lunch.

Unlike with a steak, any discrepancies

in taste between beef and the plant-based burgers may be masked by buns, cheese and toppings.

Both Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods See PLANT BURGERS, page 8

8

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JULY 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

BEACON BITS

Plant burgers

July 20

From page 7

HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR Gain access to resources and support from wellness organiza-

have also updated their recipes, and may keep doing so to get even more like meat.

tions at this free Health & Wellness Fair on Saturday, July 20. Get free dental and health screenings, and the first 300 participants will receive a complimentary

How much do they cost?

box lunch. The fair takes place at the Calvin & Tina Tyler Ballroom on the second

The idea is to eventually make Beyond and Impossible burgers cost the same or less than beef. For now, expect to pay more.

At a Whole Foods in New York, two Beyond Meat patties cost $5.99, roughly double the price of two ground beef patties.

Impossible burgers aren’t yet available in grocery stores. But at a Bareburger restaurant in New York, it’s an extra $3 for either of the plant-based patties.

floor of Morgan State University, 1700 East Cold Spring Ln., Baltimore. For more information, call (410) 396-1337.

June 25

NUTRITION AMBITION Learn about the best ways to take care of your body, including fast and easy meals, fun physical activities and healthy food

choices. This workshop takes place on Tuesday, June 25, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 6310 Reisterstown Rd., Baltimore. To register for the free class, call (410) 396-0948.

Are they better for the planet?

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On the horizon is meat grown in labs by culturing animal cells, but it will be some time before people can get a taste.

Right now, the solutions used to help cells grow are expensive and limited since they’re mainly made for medical therapy purposes, said Bruce Friedrich, executive director of the Good Food Institute, which advocates for meat alternatives.

Still, regulators have taken notice, and the meat industry is watching and mobilizing to “protect beef nomenclature.”

Already, Beyond Meat’s strong debut as a public company may be confirming the meat industry’s concerns.

—AP

learn about hands-on physical therapy and help without medica-

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What’s next?

BEACON BITS

July 9

Reclaim Your Health CALL TODAY FOR AN APPOINTMENT:

Experts say reducing overall red meat consumption would be better for the planet. Beef is considered taxing on the environment because of the resources it takes to grow crops to feed cows. Cows also produce the greenhouse gas methane, mostly

through burps.

Christopher Field, who is at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and who knows the founder of Impossible Foods, noted people don’t have to give up meat entirely to make a difference, and that pork and chicken have much smaller environmental footprints than beef.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2019

Health Studies Page

9

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Study tests new gum to curb gingivitis

By Margaret Foster We’ve all heard the advertisements: Four out of five dentists recommend sugarless gum. What about gum with a natural antimicrobial ingredient?

A company based in Hunt Valley, Maryland, wants to find out if its experimental chewing gum can reduce the symptoms of gingivitis, or inflammation of the gums.

“We are looking for individuals who have a certain degree of inflammation already,” said Dr. Harlan J. Shiau, D.D.S., professor at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. People 18 and over with mild to moderate gingivitis and at least 20 natural teeth may volunteer.

Those chosen to participate will receive a dental exam and baseline gum cleaning.

Half of the participants will then be given gum containing the antimicrobial ingredient, and half will be given a placebo gum (a gum that looks and tastes the same but doesn’t contain the test ingredient).

All participants will be asked to chew their gum for 20 to 30 minutes three times a day for 12 weeks. Participants will visit Shiau’s office periodically, and at the end of the study will be evaluated for gum inflammation. The study office is at the UM School of Dentistry, 650 W. Baltimore St., in downtown Baltimore.

“All ingredients of the test chewing gum, as well as the placebo chewing gum, are generally regarded as safe,” according to the study’s description.

One of the active ingredients in the experimental gum is chitosan, Shiau said.

BEACON BITS

June 27

HISTORY (OR NOT) IN HAMILTON

Join University of Maryland Associate Professor of History Dr. Richard Bell in a lecture on the intersection between history and show business in the Tony Award-winning musical Hamilton. This event takes place on Thursday, June 27, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Maryland Historical Society, 201 West Monument St., Baltimore. The event costs $15 for members of the society and $20 for nonmembers. Light refreshments will be included. To register, visit mdhs.org/events and click on the June 27 Hamilton program.

Chitosan is “a carbohydrate similar to a compound that crustacean shells are made of. It’s a pretty commonly used ingredient in the food industry and is generally considered a food product,” he said.

The randomized, controlled trial is funded by Hunt Valley-based Per Os Biosciences and the Maryland Industrial Partnership, a program that connects small businesses in the state to academics.

Shiau looks forward to seeing results and says that gum could be a good way to manage gingivitis.

“We know the cause of gingivitis is build-up of plaque. If left uncontrolled, people will develop some degree of gingivitis.

Chances are you’ll miss an area [while

brushing or flossing], and deposits will build up,” Shiau said. “I’m curious to see the rate that people will redevelop inflammation.”

The study, which will help Per Os Bio-

sciences gain FDA approval for the gum, is enrolling this summer. Participants will be compensated for their time. To learn more or volunteer, call (410) 941-9427 or email hshiau@umaryland.edu.

BEACON BITS

June 22

FOODIE FEST

Join the first annual Maryland Foodie Fest with cooking competitions, food samples from restaurants in the state, alcohol, vendors and live music. Enjoy the event on Saturday, June 22 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium, 873 Long Dr., Aberdeen. If purchased in advance, tickets for general admission cost $39 for individuals at least 21 years old and $25 for people 12 to 20 years old. Children under 12 are free. For more information, call (410) 290-6800.

10

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JULY 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Fighting depression with caffeine, drugs

By Howard LeWine, M.D. Q: Is there any evidence that drinking coffee or other caffeine beverages helps depression?

A: Yes, there are some studies that demonstrate an association between caffeinated coffee and a lower depression risk.

One example comes from the Nurses’ Health Study that began more than 20 years ago. When the nearly 51,000 women were enrolled, none of them had depression.

As just one small part of the study, researchers determined how many of the women later developed depression, and compared their caffeine intake to determine whether it affected risk.

Within the next 10 years, 2,607 women were diagnosed with depression or had started taking antidepressants. The researchers found an inverse dose-response relationship between caffeine intake and mood: the more caffeine a woman ingested per day, the lower the likelihood that

she developed depression during the study period. The women who were least likely to develop depression were drinking about five cups of coffee per day.

In a more recent study, researchers evaluated coffee consumption and depression risk in over 14,000 young adults. The study participants who consumed at least four cups of coffee per day showed a lower risk of depression than participants who drank less than one cup of coffee per day.

These researchers also assessed the association between regular and decaffeinated coffee consumption and the risk of depression. They did not find a reduced depression risk with any amount of decaffeinated coffee.

While the results of these studies are interesting, they do not prove that regular coffee or other sources of caffeine can prevent or treat depression.

Despite no proof, caffeine has a plausible biological explanation for why it might

benefit people with depression. Caffeine gets absorbed in the stomach and small intestine and is then distributed throughout the body, including the brain. The amount circulating in the blood peaks 30 to 90 minutes after it’s ingested, and just trace amounts are around eight to 10 hours later.

Once it reaches the brain, caffeine probably has multiple targets, but the main one seems to be adenosine receptors. After attaching to these receptors, caffeine sets off a chain of events that affects the activity of dopamine, an important neurotransmitter involved in mood.

Caffeine also indirectly affects two other neurotransmitters, serotonin and acetylcholine, which can play an important role in depression.

The possibility that regular coffee might enhance mood and even be an adjunct to mild depression treatment is intriguing. It adds yet another to the growing list of positive associations of coffee drinking and health.

Q: I take Prozac for depression. It has definitely helped, but it makes me feel flat, less emotionally responsive.

Is this common?

A: Like you, to treat depression the majority of people take one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as fluoxetine (Prozac).

These drugs help lift the sadness and can bring back more enjoyment of life.

But sometimes SSRIs go beyond improving mood and make a person feel too little emotion. Some people feel like they’ve lost the richness of daily life.

Serotonin is one of the brain’s chemical messengers. It works along brain circuits that regulate mood and anxiety. SSRIs — including fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline

(Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil), fluvoxamine (Luvox), citalopram (Celexa) and escitalopram (Lexapro) — help boost the availability of serotonin in the brain. This in turn helps those brain circuits tamp down uncomfortable moods.

Scaling back the intensity of moods is often the goal. It’s a huge relief if you’re very irritable, easily upset, or feeling overly burdened by stress.

But for some people, the reduction in intensity can be experienced as a “blunting” or “dulling” of their emotions. You might not cry at a movie’s happy ending or laugh with the same gusto. Or you might feel apathetic and not get the same kick out of doing things you enjoy, like playing golf or painting.

Sometimes the blunting affects sexual response. Some people will say they’re not having the same sexual pleasure.

It’s important to report to your doctor how you’re feeling, so you can work together to make adjustments along the way.

Eliminating the blunting effect may just take a change in the medication dose. Or your doctor may switch you to another type of medication.

But don’t just stop taking an SSRI without talking with your doctor; you could relapse into depression, or you could experience discontinuation symptoms such as dizziness, loss of coordination, fatigue, tingling, burning, blurred vision, insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, flu-like symptoms, anxiety and crying spells.

If a medication switch or a dose change doesn’t relieve blunted emotions, consider the trade-offs with your doctor’s help. Feeling blunted may be better than being terribly depressed. © 2019 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2019

11

Answers re: headaches, calcium supps Dear Mayo Clinic: I had an extremely painful headache that was diagnosed as a cluster headache in the emergency room. I was treated with oxygen, and the pain disappeared.

Is it common to treat headaches with oxygen, or is this a treatment specific to this type of headache?

A: If you have cluster headaches and begin having a painful attack, a common and established therapy is using 100 percent oxygen delivered through a face mask. This often relieves the pain within about 15 minutes.

Cluster headaches are very severe, debilitating headaches on one side of the head that last from 15 minutes to three hours when untreated.

These headaches are called cluster headaches because they often occur in bouts of frequent attacks (cluster periods) that can last from weeks to months, usually followed by remission periods that can last for months and sometimes years.

The cause of cluster headaches isn’t completely understood. That said, the pattern of these types of headaches suggests that abnormalities in the body’s biological clock could play a role, likely mediated by a part of the brain called the hypothalamus.

When available, oxygen is usually the preferred therapy for a cluster headache attack. Oxygen has no side effects and can work quickly.

It can be administered in an emergency department setting, or at home using an oxygen cylinder and regulator.

When the oxygen cylinder is not readily available, such as when outside the home, medications called triptans can be used.

Since the treatment of a cluster attack must work quickly, use of an intranasal or injectable triptan is typically preferred

over tablets taken by mouth.

— Todd Schwedt, M.D., Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix Dear Mayo Clinic: My doctor says that exercise is even better than calcium supplements for helping maintain bone density and prevent fractures. Can you explain why?

A: Both calcium and physical activity are important for bone health. But when you consider the net benefits of calcium, especially in supplement form, it’s unlikely to serve as a good substitute for regular exercise.

Recent evidence suggests that increasing calcium intake through supplements has a modest and limited effect on bone density.

Calcium supplements also can have certain side effects. They can cause constipation, interfere with other drugs and, at higher doses, may be linked to the development of kidney stones.

Studies even suggest a potential link between excessive amounts of calcium and conditions such as heart disease and prostate cancer.

On the other hand, regular exercise that uses a variety of muscle groups and includes some strength training helps you build a protective framework around your skeleton.

It also helps you move more easily and improves your balance. Exercise helps decrease your risk of falling and breaking a bone, which is the ultimate concern.

Ingesting the recommended daily amounts of calcium primarily through dietary sources and staying physically active appear to be the best approaches to limit your fracture risk.

— Matthew T. Drake, M.D., Ph.D., Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical

care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A @mayo.edu. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org.

© 2018 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Health Shorts Most shouldn’t take low-dose daily aspirin Among otherwise healthy people, a daily dose of aspirin does not save lives and can cause additional bleeding, University of Florida Health researchers have found.

Their meta-analysis of 11 aspirin therapy clinical trials involving more than 157,000 healthy individuals since the 1980s found the drug doesn’t reduce deaths,

heart attacks or strokes.

Worse, low-dose aspirin users were also about 50 percent more likely to have major bleeding compared with those who did not use aspirin, the researchers concluded.

Major bleeding was defined as blood loss that required hospitalization, surgery or transfusion, as well as all brain-related bleeding.

Some 40 percent of U.S. adults over age 50 use aspirin for the primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, according to a 2016 study.

Aspirin prevents blood clots from forming, which can reduce the risk of a stroke or heart attack. But it can also be a hazard: Blood that doesn’t clot easily can raise the

JULY 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

risk of a hemorrhagic stroke or internal bleeding.

The analysis affirms more broadly the findings of three large-scale, randomized clinical trials done elsewhere and published earlier this year. Like the current meta-analysis, those studies concluded that aspirin had no effect on death rates but caused more bleeding among otherwise heart-healthy patients.

Some studies of aspirin’s potential cardiovascular benefits emerged in the 1980s, but subsequent research revealed its limitations and potential hazards.

Patients who are on a daily aspirin regimen or are considering it for cardiovascular issues should talk to their healthcare provider to help them balance potential risks and benefits. © 2019 awellnessupdate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Harvard, MIT to boost research on cannabis Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will share what’s being called the largest private donation supporting research into marijuana and its effects on the human brain.

The $9 million gift from Charles Broderick, an alumnus of both universities, will be split evenly between researchers at Harvard Medical School and the School of Science at MIT. The schools said the donation will fund

research into the biology of cannabinoids, the chemical compounds in marijuana, and their effects on brain development, behavior and overall health.

The schools cited “critical gaps” in knowledge about cannabis even as the legalization movement spreads.

Broderick has invested in several large North American marijuana companies and said he hopes to fill the “research void” in the science of cannabis.

—AP

Less fat, more fruit cuts breast cancer risk A large experiment suggests that trimming dietary fat and eating more fruits and vegetables may lower a woman’s risk of dying of breast cancer.

It involved 49,000 women and spanned two decades, and is more reliable than many other studies that just observe how people eat and draw conclusions.

At the start, women were getting one third of daily calories from fat. One group lowered that to 24% after one year and to about 30% after eight years.

Two decades later, those who trimmed fat intake had a 21% lower risk of dying of breast cancer. The diet change did not affect the risk of developing the disease, though.

Results were reported in May by the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

—AP

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SPECIAL PULL-OUT SECTION

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Selling your stuff? Consider tax effects

Selling miscellany If you occasionally sell something online, there’s little to worry about, especially if you’re selling it for less than you paid for it. Even if you occasionally sell one of your old Beatles albums for a decent sum, it’s not critical for you to report this income to the IRS. But if you decide to go into business bargain-shopping at yard sales and flea markets and flipping what you find for a profit, then you’re technically running a business. You’ll need to report this income on IRS Form 1040 Schedule C. This form is used by sole proprietors to report business-related income.

You’ll want to keep records of what you paid for the items (the cost basis) so you can report the net profits (rather than the full sales price) from these transactions.

You may also be able to offset income by deducting business-related expenses, such as gas and tolls for the vehicle you use to amass your inventory.

If you operate this business out of your home, you may even be able to deduct the costs of computers, smartphones, office supplies and Internet and cellular services, although we recommend you consult with an accountant to make sure you’re reporting these expenses correctly. In any case, make sure you keep detailed records of these costs in case the IRS ever decides to audit your business.

Online sales aren’t reported to the IRS if

the total amount is relatively small. However, if you’re an eBay seller who uses PayPal, keep in mind that PayPal issues 1099K forms (for payment card and third-party network transactions) to sellers who have more than 200 transactions and earn $20,000 or more in a tax year.

PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK

By Joelle Spear [Editor’s note: In our last Housing & Homecare section, appearing in the April Beacon, we wrote about ways to declutter and downsize. In this issue, we address the tax implications of selling some of the more or less valuable items you choose to let go.]

The anti-clutter mantras of Marie Kondo and others are convincing thousands of people to empty their attics of the stuff they’ve collected over the years and sell the more valuable items on eBay or Facebook Marketplace.

In general, the IRS doesn’t require you to report money you earn from these sales. But in certain situations, you should, such as: — If you’re essentially running an online auction house or garage sale; or — If you’re selling valuables, such as fine art or collectibles.

Let’s look at each situation separately.

Selling more valuable items The IRS is not so lenient when it comes to reporting the sale of fine art, collectibles and even precious metals. When you sell any of these valuables at a profit, you’ll generally have to pay capital gains taxes.

What counts as valuables? Just about any item whose market value has significantly risen since it was first purchased.

Obvious items include paintings and sculptures, jewelry and gemstones, antiques and gold.

But, depending on market trends, just about anything could be a collectible, including, but certainly not limited to: coin and stamp collections; vintage comic books; rare books; fine wines; glassware; historical military items like Civil War uniforms and weapons; and political campaign buttons and posters.

Yes, even your rare Beanie Babies could be classified as collectibles if you sell them for many multiples of what you originally paid for them.

Calculating taxes Whether you purchase valuables or inherit them, the IRS treats these items as investments, and their tax treatment depends on how long you’ve kept them.

That’s why it’s important to document the value of the item when it came into your possession, whether it’s the price (cost basis) for an item you purchased, or the fair market value (FMV) of an item you inherited. For particularly valuable items, you should have their FMV estimated by a professional appraiser.

If you don’t know the FMV or the cost basis, you’ll generally have to pay capital gains taxes on the entire amount of the sale, rather than the net profit (i.e., how much you sold it for minus the FMV or cost-basis).

If you sell a valuable item after holding it for less than a year, the profit will be treated as a short-term capital gain, which will be taxed as ordinary income. This could

If you find yourself selling off some valuable items, be aware of the tax implications.

Some items sell tax-free. Others can be subject to a 28% capital gains tax. It’s also important to know what you originally paid for the item, or what it was worth when you inherited it.

become a problem if this added income lifts your total adjusted gross income into a higher tax bracket.

If you hold the item for more than a year, the profit is considered to be a longterm capital gain. Normally the long-term capital gains tax rates on investable assets are either 0%, 15% or 20%, depending on your taxable income and filing status. But not for the profits from the sale of valuables and collectibles! For these items, the capital gains tax rate soars to 28%.

Some examples Your Uncle Jake bequeaths you his 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500 that has been sitting in his barn for 40 years. Because it has 190,000 miles and the body is rusted out, a professional appraiser assigns it a fair market value of “only” $70,000.

You spend two years and $10,000 to restore it and then sell it for $105,000. Your total cost basis would be $80,000, so your net profit is $105,000 - $80,000 = $25,000, and you’d pay $7,000 in capital gains taxes on that ($25,000 x 28%).

When it comes to investing in precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum, what you invest in can make a huge difference in what you’ll pay in long-term capital gains taxes.

Physical metals: Since physical metals are classified as collectibles, if you buy

gold, silver or platinum in the form of bullion, coins, bars or other “hard” assets, you’ll pay the full 28% long-term capital gains tax rate on any profits you make from selling it.

Precious metal ETFs and mutual funds: Surprisingly, when you sell shares of investment funds that directly purchase precious metals, you’ll also be taxed at the 28% long-term capital gains rate if you sell shares at a profit. However, these rules don’t apply if you invest in these funds through a qualified IRA. If you believe that the price of precious metals may rise but don’t want to pay the 28% long-term capital gains tax rate when you sell them, consider investing instead in the stocks of companies that either produce these metals (mining companies) or fashion them into products (jewelers, semi-conductor manufacturers). Any profits you make when you sell these stocks after a year will be taxed no higher than the 20% long-term capital gains tax rate.

Protect your assets Whether you run an online auction house or want to finally cash in on the collection of rare Hummel figurines you inherited from your grandparents, your best protection against an IRS audit is to docuSee SELLING STUFF, page B-3

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JULY 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

What’s your retirement housing strategy?

By Jamie P. Hopkins One of the most important aspects of retirement planning is making housing plans. You will need a place to live in retirement, and there are a lot of different options. Even if you decide to just keep the status quo and “age in place,” there are a lot of factors to consider.

Your home is often your largest asset, with the median wealth in homes for a 65year-old couple at $192,552, according to U.S. Census data. This represents about two-thirds of the median retiree’s assets.

Furthermore, the home is often the largest expense for retirees, at nearly $20,000 a year. So let’s look at 10 different retirement housing options, ranging from aging in place all the way through nursing home care at the end of life.

Aging in place What is it: Roughly 83% of retiree homeowners want to stay in their current home for as long as possible.

Pro: The homeowner gets to keep consistency in their life. They know their house, understand the costs associated with it, have an emotional attachment to it and know the surrounding area. In many cases, this can be the most enjoyable and stress-free way to live in retirement.

Con: Often retirees have outgrown their current homes. Perhaps they raised a

few kids and have a lot of extra maintenance, rooms and costs associated with keeping up the house. While it might work early in retirement, it could become a burden as they age.

The current home also might not be friendly for aging in place. The home could have too many stairs, not a lot of senior amenities, and be far away from important services like healthcare.

Home sharing What is it: For some homeowners, the desire to age in place is there, but the finances just don’t make sense, especially if the person is single. So, one option is to take on a roommate.

Home sharing is mostly engaged in by women in retirement, with more than four million senior women sharing a home with at least two other women (remember “The Golden Girls”?).

There are home-sharing services that help pair up homeowners with potential roommates, both from a financial and compatibility standpoint. [See the January 2019 Beacon Housing & Homecare section for more about home sharing options in the area.]

Pro: Home sharing can be a great way for a homeowner to age in place, add companionship to their life and improve their finances. The homeowner is able to charge

rent and likely split utilities, which can add much-needed cash flow. Additionally, it allows the homeowner to have someone else live with them who may either be in a similar stage of life or be younger and able to help out around the house.

Con: Not everyone wants to share their home with a stranger or another person.

Furthermore, the decision to bring someone into your home carries risks. For one, you might not get along. Additionally, there can be a lot of headaches from renting a room if the renter is unable to meet their payments. It can be hard to evict someone, especially an older adult.

Relocating/downsizing What is it: When you are working, living close to work is important. However, once you retire, that need is gone. Additionally, the house you were living in might no longer fit your needs, so relocating to a better one might make sense.

Pro: Relocating can help free up home equity and reduce expenses if the homeowner downsizes. It is also possible to move to an area with a lower cost of living or to a state that has lower taxes. Additionally, a benefit of relocating in retirement can be to move closer to family, recreational activities or warmer weather.

Con: Relocating means getting used to a new area and home (and new doctors).

Moving always has costs associated with it also, whether it is hiring movers, closing costs or just travel costs. Lastly, if the decision to relocate eventually does not work, it is very hard to undo.

Renting What is it: If you are already renting, this would be the status quo. However, for homeowners, one option is to sell the home and rent. In some cases, you can en-

gage in a sale-leaseback agreement and sell your current home and continue to rent it back. In other cases, you can sell and move to a new rental location.

Pro: By selling and renting, you can free up home equity for other needs and possibly reduce your expenses. Renting also provides more flexibility in that you can move more freely than if you owned.

Additionally, renting can take some of the home upkeep and maintenance off the table. This can be very valuable to people as they age. While it might have been enjoyable to mow the lawn and take care of the property at an earlier age, as one ages it can become difficult and expensive to hire out. Renting can be a way of controlling the costs of living.

Con: One of the biggest downsides of renting is just that most homeowners don’t want to do it. A survey of retirement age homeowners found that only 5% wanted to sell their home and rent. For many Americans, owning their home is part of the American dream, so renting just doesn’t fit their vision of a successful retirement, even if it is the best financial outcome for them.

Join a “village” What is it: The Beacon Hill community in central Boston is often credited as being the first official “village model,” but communities taking care of seniors together have been around forever.

The village model is about allowing seniors to age in place in their homes but with the support they need. In many cases, the village model is set up similar to a homeowners’ association where dues are paid to the “village” or “community,” which in turn provides services like transportation, See RETIREMENT, page B-3

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BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2019

Retirement From page B-2 events and some basic care.

Pro: The village model can help reduce costs as seniors share services and fees with others needing similar assistance. By allowing residents to age in place for longer, they can avoid having to move into more expensive housing like assisted living facilities before they need to.

Con: While there are a few hundred village models in the country, for many seniors there is no village model option in their area. Additionally, services are limited, so the retiree might still need to move as their need for services grows. Furthermore, there is a cost associated with the village model, so that could impact cash flow.

Age-restricted (active adult) communities What is it: Generally, in the United States you cannot discriminate based on age, gender or race when it comes to hous-

Selling stuff From page B-1 ment both the initial value and the selling price of everything you put on the market.

If you have any questions about the tax implications of these transactions, seek advice from a qualified accountant or tax attorney.

Joelle Spear is a CFP® and financial ad-

ing options because of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. However, The Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995 allows for communities to restrict housing options to older individuals as long as certain parameters are followed.

Essentially, there are two forms of agerestricted housing options. The first requires that at least 80% of the occupied units have at least one person who is 55 or older living in the home. The other type is a bit more restrictive, as it requires all residents to be at least age 62, including both spouses.

Pro: One of the biggest benefits is companionship. People decide to live near and around those going through a similar stage of their lives and retirement. The communities often provide a variety of services, clubhouses and recreational activities.

Con: There can be additional costs associated with living in such communities, so it is not always the cheapest housing option. Furthermore, with a 62-and-over

community, adult children cannot move in if they don‘t meet the age requirement. Additionally, for spouses with large age gaps, the requirements can be prohibitive.

Continuing Care Retirement Communities, or Life Plan Communities What is it: Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs), now more often called Life Plan Communities, offer a continuum of care throughout retirement, often starting with independent living.

Most of these communities require residents to move in when they are in good health and can live independently. Over

time, the person can stay in the same community but receive different levels of care and senior housing, ranging from assisted living to long-term care to end-oflife care.

Pro: CCRCs allow a senior to age in place in the same community but receive services and long-term care as their needs change.

This is also a way to control and, in some cases, prepay your long-term care costs.

The communities often provide food, transportation and recreational activities.

Con: The biggest concern with CCRCs is whether the entity will be able to fulfill See RETIREMENT, page B-4

viser at Canby Financial Advisors. This article was written by and presents her views, not those of the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA. © 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Recent renovations include a new all-season pool and fitness center, an exciting new restaurant, and an updated salon and day spa. Residents of this private, 87-acre community enjoy all the luxuries of maintenance-free apartment living, plus the security of stable monthly expenses, a 90% Refundable Entrance Fee*, and quality on-site care for every stage of living. It’s the ideal choice for your vibrant retirement lifestyle. Call 1-800-333-5693 for your free brochure. *Carefully read the Residence and Care Agreement for the conditions that must be satisfied before the Provider is required to pay the entrance fee refund

JULY 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Retirement From page B-3 its promises over time. CCRCs are typically for-profit businesses that can run out of money and go out of business.

Additionally, many require buy-in payments in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, sometimes refundable in whole or in part when one leaves or passes. So, if the entity goes bankrupt, residents could lose those potential refunds.

Assisted living What is it: Assisted living offers a combination of housing and care services.

Typically, when someone moves into an assisted living facility, they need help with some daily activities and are in the early stages of needing long-term care services.

However, the person can still live mostly independently.

Pro: For many, assisted living facilities offer the care required to maintain a standard of living desired by the senior. This may include help with bathing, dressing, mobility, cooking, medications and more.

Con: Cost. According to 2018 numbers in Genworth’s Cost of Care Study, the average assisted living cost is roughly $48,000 a year (and frequently more in the Baltimore/Washington area). Furthermore, Genworth predicts that this cost will balloon to roughly $86,000 a year by 2038.

Additionally, it can be hard to choose the right facility. Plan ahead to determine how you will pay for assisted living and the type of facility and care that you want.

Nursing homes What is it: Nursing homes provide housing and full-time care for individuals needing significant levels of long-term assistance. Nursing home care is less about making a housing decision and more about receiving the level of care you need.

Pro: Care can be significant and help the person live a better lifestyle than they would if they tried to manage alone at

home. Additionally, nursing homes can provide skilled care services that might be difficult for family members to provide or expensive to hire out for at home.

Con: Nursing home quality ranges significantly, and so does cost. Furthermore, most people do not look forward to or choose to move into a nursing home, but instead, it is typically driven out of necessity. According to Genworth, a private room in 2018 cost over $100,000 a year on average (again, more in this area). Plans for how to fund your care should start well before retirement.

Charity housing What is it: Charity housing can mean a few different things. First, there are charities and religious organizations that provide free or reduced-cost housing options for low-income seniors.

Another form of charitable housing can come from family members. Many will take in relatives to help them out.

Pro: Charity is going to be in many cases the cheapest form of retiree housing. For family members taking in a senior, it can also be a great way to spend time with family.

Con: Most people do not want to rely on family members or charities for their housing or other needs. The desire of most people is to live independently.

However, living with family and using charitable housing is a viable option for millions.

Jamie Hopkins, Esq., LLM, MBA, CFP®, RICP®, serves as director of retirement research at Carson Wealth and is a finance professor of practice at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business.

His most recent book, Rewirement: Rewiring the Way You Think About Retirement, details the behavioral finance issues that hold people back from a more financially secure retirement. © The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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We offer private or semi-private suites, certified nursing assistance, medication management, a 24-hour emergency response system, laundry & housekeeping services, delicious & nourishing kosher meals and individualized service plans. Our doors are open to everyone, regardless of income level, and we strive to keep our fees at a competitive market rate. Call today to schedule a tour! We look forward to showing you the comfort and care we offer to all our treasured residents!

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2019

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JULY 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Home prices expected to rise with aging

By Alex Veiga Becoming a homeowner is likely to get more costly and competitive over the next decade as millions more Americans enter the age range where people typically seek to buy their first home.

Nearly 45 million Americans will enter their mid-30s over the next 10 years, or 3.1 million more than in the last decade, according to an analysis by real estate information company Zillow.

That potential surge in would-be buyers could drive up demand, pushing prices higher, particularly in the more affordable end of the market.

Rents also expected to rise The trend could also mean higher costs for renters.

“If this coming wave of buyers have to compete fiercely for homes to purchase, that could drive up rent prices as well as home values,” said Skylar Olsen, Zillow’s director of economic research.

As it is, first-time buyers in many parts of the country have been struggling to find affordable homes amid a stubborn shortage of properties on the market that’s helped push prices higher.

Nationally, homes priced in the bottom third of the market, the tier most likely to be eyed by first-time buyers, have increased 57.3% in value over the past five years, according to Zillow. At the same time, the inventory of homes in this price range has fallen by 23.2%.

“The potential first-time buyer bulge, without inventory to meet it, suggests that

the typical age of first-time buyers will continue to be pushed further and further out,” Olsen said.

The median age of the typical first-time homebuyer is now 34 years old, according to Zillow. There are about 45 million Americans between 24 and 33 who will be turning 34 over the next 10 years. That’s a 7.4% increase from the 41.8 million Americans who turned 34 over the last decade, according to Zillow.

Who are the millennials?

Millennials, which the Pew Research Center defines as people born between 1981 and 1996, are driving this demographic surge. Their generation is bigger than the two generations that preceded it.

Many millennials have had to put off buying a home as they grapple with stu-

dent loans and rising rents, which make it harder to save up for a down payment.

First-time buyers now typically need another 1.5 years to save for a down payment than they did 30 years ago, according to Zillow.

More millennials are expected to vie for homeownership as they age, get married and begin having kids. But they’ll have a tougher time finding homes they can afford unless home construction increases and more baby boomers trade in their homes for smaller dwellings in retirement, Olsen said.

“A large set of them are going to find that almost impossible,” she said. “So they’re going to linger in the rental market for longer. They’re going to continue to put pressure on the rental market, too.”

—AP

BEACON BITS

June 22

DOGS WELCOME

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BEACON BITS

July 14

FEMALE FARMER FESTIVAL Support women in agriculture at this first annual festival on

Sunday, July 14. Maryland Museum of Women’s History will host several exhibitions that include women who own farms, cooking supplies, nonprofit and for-profit organizations that support agriculture, and farm products. The free event will take place at 200 Bloomfield Lane, Route 213, Centreville. To learn more, email mebefoundation@gmail.com.

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How to choose a good home stair lift Dear Savvy Senior, so they are very sturdy and can be inCan you recommend some good stair lift stalled in almost any home. companies? I have a difficult If you are a large person, time getting up and down the you may need to get a heavystairs and am interested in purduty lift with a wider seat and chasing a stair lift for my bigger lifting capacity — all house. I could use some help companies offer them. Or if choosing one. you’re tall, find out about rais— Arthritic Ann ing the seat height during inDear Ann, stallation.

A good home stair lift is an Most stair lifts available excellent solution for those today also have seats, armwith mobility challenges who rests and footplates that fold have trouble with steps. A stair SAVVY SENIOR up out of the way, and swivel lift will carry you up and down By Jim Miller seats that make getting into the stairs in a safe seated posiand out of the chair easier. tion, providing easy access to the second They also come with standard safety feastory or basement level of your home. tures, such as seatbelts, braking systems To help you choose a quality stair lift and footrest sensors, push-button or rockerthat meets your needs and budget, here switch controls located on the armrest for are a few shopping tips, along with some easy operation, and “call send” controls, top-rated companies that make them. which allow you to call or send the unit to the other end of the stairs. Make sure the Types of lifts lift you choose has all these features.

There are two basic types of stair lifts Depending on the company, you may also that are sold today: straight and curved. have the option of choosing between an The type you need will depend upon the electric (AC) or a battery powered (DC) design of your staircase. stair lift. Battery powered units charge at A straight stair lift is one that travels in a the base station (some recharge anywhere straight line up a flight of stairs uninter- on the track), are quieter, smoother and betrupted by landings, bends or curves, and ter than electric lifts, and will work even if costs between $2,500 and $5,000 installed. there’s a power failure in the home.

Curved lifts, however, are much more elaborate and will go around corners, Where to shop While there are many companies that bends and changes in direction. Curved lifts are also much more expensive, typical- make and sell stair lifts, some of the best, ly running between $8,500 and $15,000 or based on reputation and customer satisfacmore depending on the complexity of the tion ratings, are Acorn (acornstairlifts.com, 866-247-7072), Bruno (Bruno.com, 800-454installation.

You also need to know that all stair lifts 4355) and Stannah (Stannah-Stairlifts.com, mount to the stair treads, not to the wall, 888-465-7652). Patriot Mobility has both in-

door and outdoor lifts (PatriotMobillity.com, 443-342-5300).

Unfortunately, original Medicare does not cover stair lifts, nor do Medicare supplemental (Medigap) policies. But some Medicare Advantage plans may help pay.

There are also many states that offer Medicaid waivers that will pay for lifts for those that qualify, and the VA offers cash grants to veterans with disabilities for home safety improvements.

To save money, you may want to consider purchasing a used or refurbished

model. Or, if you need a stair lift for only a short period of time, consider renting one.

Most companies offer these options, and many offer financing programs, too.

To get started, contact some stair lift companies who will put you in touch with a dealer in your area. All dealers provide free in-home assessments and estimates .

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money Law &

13

THIS WILL BE YOURS SOMEDAY Good reasons to talk to your grown children now about their inheritance FIX THE GLITCH Take the time to fix an incorrect address on your credit report IRS FORGIVENESS If you catch an error before they do, correct it and ask for a penalty waiver

Working longer makes a huge difference

By Liz Weston Retirement experts frequently recommend working longer if you haven’t saved enough. But you may not realize just how powerful a little extra work can be.

Researchers who compared the relative returns of working longer versus saving more last year reached some startling findings. Among them: — Working three to six months longer was the equivalent of saving an additional 1% for 30 years.

— Working just one extra month was similar to saving an additional 1% for 10 years before retirement.

— Delaying the start of retirement from age 62 to 66 could raise someone’s annual, sustainable standard of living by 33%.

This is potentially great news for people in their 50s and 60s who are able and willing to stay on the job. But younger people shouldn’t use the findings as an excuse to ignore their 401(k)s, since many people retire earlier than they planned.

“I would see this as a positive message for people who maybe didn’t save as much as they could have and they’re wondering what to do,” said researcher Sita Slavov, a professor of public policy at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia, and a faculty research fellow at the Nation-

al Bureau of Economic Research. “I would not use this to advise younger people not to save.”

Boosts standard of living The study, which Slavov co-authored with her former Stanford University professor John Shoven and two of his other students, Gila Bronshtein and Jason Scott, first compared the effects of saving more, working longer or trimming investment expenses.

They used theoretical households who save 9% of their salary over 30 years starting at age 36. Then they looked at actual households from the University of Michigan’s Health and Retirement Study, which tracks thousands of people 50 and over.

The trends were the same: Working longer had the biggest impact on the household’s standard of living in retirement.

That makes sense. When you’re young, your savings have decades for compounded returns to grow. Likewise, keeping investment fees low means more of your money is available to compound. So, an increase in savings or decrease in expenses can have an outsized impact.

When you’re older, your savings have less time left to grow, as the runway ahead of you is shorter. But again, working

longer starts to have the biggest effect.

Most of the benefit comes from delaying the start of Social Security checks, the researchers found, but continued contribution to retirement accounts and delayed withdrawal from those accounts are also factors.

You’re not required to start Social Security when you retire, or vice versa, but most people do, Slavov said, so the study was structured to reflect that.

Delay Social Security if possible Starting Social Security at 62, the earliest age you can claim retirement benefits, means locking in a permanently smaller check. Your check could be as much as 76% larger if you waited until age 70, when your monthly benefit maxes out.

Delaying increases your checks by about 7% each year between 62 and what’s known as your full retirement age: currently 66, but rising to 67 for people born in 1960 and later.

After full retirement age, your benefit rises by 8% each year you delay.

The advantages of delaying Social Security typically are so great that many financial planners now recommend clients tap other resources, including retirement funds, if that allows them to put off claiming it.

Thanks to current low interest rates,

there’s no other investment that gives such a high, guaranteed return. And while the larger checks are designed to compensate for the fact that people who claim later will receive fewer payments over their lifetimes, longer life expectancies mean that most people will see more money overall by waiting.

Delaying is particularly advantageous for the higher earner in a married couple and for single people, Slavov’s previous research with Shoven found.

Their latest research shows that, overall, lower earners benefit even more from delay than higher earners. Again, that makes sense, because Social Security is progressive. It’s designed to replace a larger proportion of lower income people’s earnings.

The more you rely on Social Security, the more it can pay to wait — if you can.

Slavov acknowledges that job loss, bad health or the need to care for a loved one often can push people into retirement earlier than they planned. (A 2018 TransAmerica study found 56% of the retirees surveyed retired earlier than expected.)

“These results really apply to people who have the option of working longer,” Slavov said. “Obviously, that’s not going to be an option for everyone.”

—NerdWallet/AP

Economic abuse and fraud on the rise Unfortunately, there is a great deal of fi- abuse occurs. Specifically, they are: carenancial abuse and fraud in our country, giver abuse, financial exploitation, misuse and much of it is aimed at inof powers of attorney, isoladividuals 50 and older. tion and freeze-outs, and unAttorney Michael Hackard, warranted transfers. the founder of a California law He has handled many cases firm that focuses on estate and in which predators, posing as trust litigation, has self-publegitimate caregivers, took adlished an informative, comprevantage of older individuals, hensive book, The Wolf at the resulting in physical and medDoor, now in paperback. ical neglect, often coupled This book can be helpful to with embezzlement and theft. people with elderly relatives, Hackard has also seen many THE SAVINGS as well as to financial planners GAME incidents in which a power of advising families. Hackard By Elliot Raphaelson attorney has been misused at tries to recommend when they the end of an adult’s life to benshould be considering the use of attorneys, efit the holder of the power of attorney. and suggests a litigation strategy when How to prevent fraud elder abuse or fraud has been committed.

He suggests some of the ways family In one of the first chapters, Hackard reviews the five most common ways elder members and friends should be vigilant:

• Be very careful and take precaution when hiring caregivers; • watch an elder’s bank accounts; • watch for red flags, such as frequent trips to the bank; • make sure that financial information is not hidden from the elder; • review significant purchases from vendors and servicers, and • be cautious about large withdrawals from a reverse mortgage.

If relatives are being prevented from contacting an elderly family member, he recommends that a lawyer familiar with elder abuse laws be contacted.

The book also recommends steps to take when elder financial abuse or fraud is suspected: • financial oversight from a family member and/or financial professional at the elder’s bank;

• the use of a revocable trust; • ongoing communication using interested parties such as attorneys, investment advisors and medical caregivers, and • the use of “no-contact lists.”

Be aware of dementia One chapter is devoted to specific issues and recommendations associated with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

Almost 55% of Alzheimer’s sufferers and their caregivers are not told of the diagnosis. Accordingly, it is important that relatives maintain communication with medical caregivers to avoid this situation and prevent associated elder financial abuse.

An important chapter addresses when you should be working with an attorney, See ABUSE & FRAUD, page 14

14

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JULY 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Share your financial plan with progeny

By Joe Vietri As my children grow older, I grapple with a mix of emotions — some sadness and nostalgia for when they were small enough to sit on my lap, but above all, excitement for them to learn and experience life on their own.

Both of my sons are in college now, and a large part of the transition they are making to adulthood is related to how they engage with and take responsibility for their finances.

As a second-generation financial professional (like me, my father also worked at Charles Schwab), my wife and I have talked with our sons about saving and investing since they were young — including a lot of discussions about our financial plans for their college educations.

Over time, the conversations have evolved, and a few months ago, my wife and

Abuse & fraud From page 13 and how to find a qualified and experienced attorney with expertise in this field.

Also covered is the difference between working with an attorney on an hourly basis or a contingency basis. Hackard explains the situations in which working on a contingency basis makes sense.

In another chapter devoted to litigation strategy, Hackard emphasizes that, in liti-

I talked with our sons about our long-term financial plan — that Dad wants to retire eventually and that we’re both looking forward to the opportunity to spend more time on other things we are passionate about.

If you’re feeling unsure about how to get started with conversations like this, you’re not alone. In fact, according to Schwab’s 2017 Modern Wealth survey, 58% of Americans would rather talk about politics than finances with their friends and family.

But it’s important to take the opportunity to start a conversation about money with your family. Keeping those closest to us in the dark about financial matters is almost always a mistake, especially as we get older, and estate and retirement planning become

more immediate financial concerns.

If your children are young, Schwab MoneyWise.com has some great ideas and resources for talking with kids about money. If your children are grown, consider starting a conversation about these three critical topics: 1. Retirement goals For most people, retirement is an exciting time but also a time of significant transition, and it’s important to be as transparent as possible about your plans and circumstances with your family.

Do you plan on spending everything in your retirement accounts, or should your children expect a modest inheritance? Conversely, are you worried about being able to retire or needing financial help later in life?

The answers to these questions may impact your children’s lives, and it is important as parents to prepare children to make informed financial decisions.

2. Debt Debt is an uncomfortable topic, but it directly informs the rest of any financial conversation. A study in 2018 found that 68% of American households headed by someone 55 or older currently hold debt. That’s more than two-thirds of Americans nearing retirement age.

It’s important to explain to your children the entirety of your liabilities — and to explain the types of debt you have as well — to give them a full understanding of your financial picture.

gation, “speed is your ally — delay is not your friend.”

He itemizes those reasons: There is a short time for permitting a challenge to a trust; trust assets may be diminished severely or disappear completely if you delay; delay in enforcing rights promptly may destroy an abused beneficiary’s rights; quick action with the appointment of a successor trustee may prevent further wrongdoing and the evaporation of an estate; and quick action allows for formal and informal dis-

covery of known and unknown assets.

Another chapter is devoted to wrongdoing by trustees. Hackard discusses the types of issues he has faced in cases where he participated. It is clear from this chapter that, in this type of litigation, you need an attorney who has considerable experience regarding trust and estate issues.

If, after reading this book, you realize that you need an attorney to represent you in litigation, pick up Hackard’s most recent book, Alzheimer’s, Widowed Stepmothers &

Estate Crimes: Cause, Action, and Response in Cases of Fractured Inheritance, Lost Inheritance and Disinheritance. This book contains many examples of specific litigation cases, and would be of primary interest to individuals who believe it is highly likely they will be hiring an attorney to represent them in litigation.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. © 2019 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

How to get started

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15

Readers’ financial questions answered

By Kimberly Lankford Q: An address listed on my credit report is incorrect. Is there any reason to start a dispute to change it?

— K.K. A: It’s a good idea to fix the error. The incorrect address could be the result of a “mixed file,” when information of two individuals gets combined into one credit report, or “it could be an indication of an attempt at identity theft,” said Paul Stephens of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.

You can file a dispute on the credit bureau’s website (Equifax.com, Experian.com

or TransUnion.com).

Stephens advises examining all of your credit reports for suspicious activity. You can order a free copy of your credit report from each bureau once a year at annualcreditreport.com.

Q: My brokerage firm didn’t include one of my traditional IRAs when calculating my required minimum distributions over the past three years, so I took out less money than I should have. Is there a way to avoid paying the 50% penalty?

— J.D.

Financial plan

such as trusts and asset titling.

And finally, you should let your children know where important paperwork and records are kept.

Open, honest dialogue is crucial. If you need help, consider reaching out to a financial consultant. A candid conversation with a knowledgeable outside party may be just what is needed to help you organize your thoughts for these important conversations with loved ones.

Joe Vietri is a branch network leader at Charles Schwab. This article presents his views, not those of the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA. © 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 14 3. Estate planning The estate planning conversation can be a tough one to begin, but it’s critical that everyone — regardless of assets — draft an estate plan and share it with their children.

Conversations about beneficiaries (i.e., who will inherit what), medical directives (i.e., how you want to be cared for if you can no longer make medical decisions) and powers of attorney (for financial and other decisions) may be daunting, but not having the conversation leaves your children illprepared for these challenging situations.

If you are in a position to leave a legacy for your children, it’s also smart to discuss steps for money preservation and transfer,

BEACON BITS

June 24

WOMEN WHO CODE

Learn computer programming basics with other women on Wednesday, June 24. The free workshop takes place from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Southeast Anchor Library, Pratt Center for Technology, 3601 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. To register, call (443) 984-4944.

A: You can ask the IRS to waive the penalty. First, calculate the amount you should have withdrawn as your RMD for each of those years and withdraw the money right away.

Then file a separate Form 5329 with the IRS immediately for each year’s RMD you missed. Complete lines 52 and 53 with the amount you should have withdrawn, then write RC, which means “reasonable cause,” and the amount of the penalty you want waived in parentheses on the dotted line next to line 54.

Add a brief note saying that the RMD

was omitted by the brokerage and was withdrawn immediately upon discovery, said Ed Slott, publisher of IRAHelp.com. (See instructions for IRS.gov’s Form 5329.)

You don’t need to send any penalty money unless you hear back from the IRS denying your request for a waiver. Slott said he’s never seen a penalty not waived for someone who withdrew the money as soon as he or she realized the mistake and filed Form 5329 with a reasonable excuse. © 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency.

BEACON BITS

July 6

MONEY-SAVVY IN THE MODERN AGE In this workshop, you will better understand how money works in

the 21st century. Learn how to use tools to increase cash flow, manage debt and build a strong financial foundation. This free event will take place on Saturday, July 6, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Baltimore County Public Library, 8604 Liberty Rd., Randallstown. For more information, call (410) 887-0770.

BUDGETING BASICS

July 16

In this seminar, you will learn how to track your spending and save for future life goals. Understand what it means to budget

while living within your financial means. This event will be held on Tuesday, July 16 from 6 to 7 p.m. at InvestEd, 345 North Charles St., Baltimore. To learn more about the free seminar, call (410) 469-9532 or email info@mdinvested.com.

Ongoing

HELP THE SCIENCE CENTER Get involved with science as a volunteer at the Maryland Science Center at 601 Light St. Encourage visitors to dig for fossils at the

Dinosaur Mysteries exhibit, greet tourist buses, or work in the 4,000-square-foot garden on the museum’s “green roof.” To find out about volunteer positions and apply, visit mdsci.org/support/volunteer, email dbellomo@mdsci.org, or call (401) 779-1627.

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& Scherr, LLC

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PHOTO BY PATRICK FARRELL

Travel Leisure &

The historic architecture of Miami’s South Beach can transport travelers back to the 1950s.

Miami’s South Beach is funky, funny and fun

The Art Deco capital Unlike Miami Beach’s skyscraper communities, South Beach has a warm and thriving Art Deco District — the largest

concentration of such architecture in the U.S. — much of which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

The Art Deco Museum and Welcome Center at Ocean Drive and 10th Street offers an informative introduction to SoBe’s three main architectural styles: Art Deco, Mediterranean Revival and Miami Modern (MiMo).

The Art Deco buildings of the 1920s and 1930s have soft lines, hints of the ocean and sky, and bright pastels, like peach, mint, periwinkle, aqua and lavender.

The primary form in SoBe is a vertically-oriented rectangle, divided into three parts, both horizontally and vertically. Facades are often symmetrical.

Some windows have concrete “eyebrows” for shade and painted architectural details. Many are decorated with flora and fauna. Some have porthole windows to suggest ocean-going travel.

During Prohibition, rum runners from the Bahama Islands flourished as people found ways to drink, dance and gamble.

Today some of the tilework around town still includes symbols from Prohibition days: a circle for alcohol, a rectangle for dancing, and a triangle pointing to a gambling site.

In the 1950s, when the skyscrapers went up in Miami Beach, SoBe historic preservation activists launched a campaign to save its colorful buildings from being replaced by modern structures. Thanks to them, today you can take an Art Deco walking tour and

PHOTO BY MIKE MCBEY

By Glenda C. Booth Miami’s South Beach — a 10-mile stretch of fine, white sand and sparkling, turquoise water along Ocean Drive — is the setting of seemingly endless happy hours, a bohemian playground for all ages, nationalities and ethnicities.

SoBe, as locals call it, has attracted celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Marilyn Monroe, Princess Di and Michael Jackson. Desi Arnaz got his musical start here pounding bongo drums. Clark Gable passed through as a World War II captain when troops took over Miami.

Bars open at 10 a.m. and are rockin’ into the wee hours. Sidewalk diners sip pink and aquamarine drinks with names like Kamikaze, Sex on the Beach and SoBe Vice in goblets the size of soup bowls.

An eclectic human parade streams by: seniors, hipsters, millennials, sun worshippers, fit cyclists, bronzed joggers, gender benders, eccentrics and curiosity seekers.

While individuality is celebrated, there’s more to South Beach than kooky characters, revelry and bar hopping. Beyond the bars and beach shops, there’s a rich culture and history, enticing dining choices and cooling ocean breezes.

Miami’s vibrant South Beach, or SoBe, attracts interesting people of all ages to its unique hotels, restaurants and museums. For low crowds and warm waters, visit in September.

PHOTO BY VISIT FLORIDA

see these well-preserved treasures: — The Beach Patrol Headquarters, still in use, looks like a ship with its 1950s nautical décor.

— The Essex House, by Henry Holhauser, the architect who designed 70 SoBe buildings, rises above the street, giving the impression of a ship. Its circles resemble portholes and ocean waves.

— The Tides Hotel, one of Marilyn Monroe’s favorites, has a wave-inspired décor and tortoise shells over the bar.

Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis sang here. During Prohibition, it was probably a clandestine gambling parlor.

Miami Beach’s museum scene

A typical structure in Miami’s Art Deco Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979, displays the style’s geometric symbols with a pastel color scheme. The district includes more than 800 well-preserved structures built between 1923 and 1943.

One eye-catching structure, a 1927 Mediterranean Revival building that was once a storage warehouse for snowbirds’ furniture, is the Wolfsonian Museum. Its collection of more than 180,000 objects includes items of 19th and 20th century design that tell the story of “modernization.”

Scattered among the vintage stoves and Bauhaus furniture are World War II posters, or “propaganda art.” The museum offers a Deco film series, free Friday night tours and sketching instructions.

The Jewish Museum of Florida is situated in two former synagogues, built adjacent to each other in Art Deco style in 1936. It has beautiful chandeliers, 80 stained glass windows, and a permanent exhibit on 250 years of Jewish life in Florida that may have begun with Ponce de León.

The 100,000-item collection includes oral histories gathered over 25 years. Among other things, visitors learn that club and pool ads with warnings like “restricted clientele” meant no Jews or African Americans were admitted, and that in the 1960s, about 12,000 Cuban Jews came to Florida, immigrants some called “Jubans.”

Bess Myerson, the first and only Jewish Miss America, who was crowned in 1945, founded a café, Bessie’s Bistro, that connects the two buildings.

For a glimpse of the city’s funky side, the 20-room World Erotic Art Museum offers a titillating experience in all things sensual.

It all started when Naomi Wilzig’s son wanted a piece of erotic art for his new bachelor pad. So she began collecting risqué pieces, and couldn’t stop. By the time she was 80, she had amassed 4,000 objects from See MIAMI, page 17

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2019

Miami From page 16 all over the world.

The museum’s collection (“From Pompeii to Picasso to Pinups!”) covers 2,000 years of sex in fine art, folk art and pop culture objects, including a frisky Snow White and her playful dwarfs by Frank Follmer, who worked at Disney Studios.

In a video, Wilzig describes her collection, covering topics like wooden and porcelain boxes with erotica hidden inside.

Some visitors may tire of the many exaggerated phalluses on totem poles and figurines, made of soapstone, obsidian, bronze, ceramic and even Swarovski crystals. The oldest object is a Roman phallusshaped amulet from 500 B.C.E.

cado salad to die for, black bean hummus, slow-roasted pork sandwiches, plantain chips, empanadas (pork, beef, chicken) and paella, all enhanced by margaritas.

Fresh seafood is abundant — even crispy alligator pops up on menus.

From cocktail lounges to dance clubs to dive bars, there’s vibrant nightlife galore (pick up the New Times for the latest). The Betsy Hotel’s intimate setting has Latin jazz. Tapas y Tintos has live flamenco.

Mango’s Tropical Café, with reggae music and Latin dance, is a version of the 1920s Tropicana Club in Havana. The Palace offers drag shows.

Tired of the fun and funky? Leisurely beach walks along the twinkling ocean always beckon.

find hotel, restaurant and entertainment discounts at miamiandbeaches.com/offers/temptations.

Take a 90-minute walking tour offered

by Miami Design Preservation League, mdpl.org, which meets at the Art Deco Visitors Center. The league offers a Mediterranean Architecture Tour, a South Beach Scandals Tour, a Jewish Miami Beach Tour and a Gay and Lesbian Walking Tour.

For year-round events, go to visitsouthbeachonline.com/events.htm. Festivities include dance and music concerts, South Beach Seafood Week (October), jazz all year and more.

As for shoppers in South Beach, they will find everything from tacky souvenir shops and bikini bazaars to haute couture fashion and luxury goods. The Official Art Deco Shop, run by the Miami Design Preservation League, sells jewelry, posters and knickknacks — and offers area tours by its historians and architects.

There are many dining options, including Turkish, Italian, Japanese and Cuban, from white-tablecloth eateries to holes-in-the-wall.

Lario’s Cuban Restaurant has a molded avo-

Check visitsouthbeachonline.com and visitflorida.com for info and lodging choices. Tip: To get a good night’s sleep, choose a hotel located away from the central party scene but within walking distance of the beach and major sites.

Daytime temperatures in the summer are in the upper 80s. If you prefer cooler temps, wait until fall, when daytime temperatures are typically in the 70s. South Beach is also less crowded in autumn when young students and college kids are back in school. Whatever time of year you go, you’ll

The Art Deco Weekend — with a vintage swing celebration, classic car shows and a Deco dance-a-thon — is held in January. Festival promoters advise making lodging reservations well in advance.

Getting around: South Beach is walkable and navigable without a car. The South Beach Local Minibus costs 25 cents per trip.

The lowest round-trip flight from BWI Airport to Miami in September costs $168 on American Airlines. Amtrak’s lowest fare from Baltimore to Miami is $122 one way in coach and $341 for a roomette, which you might want for the 24-hour trip to Miami.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

If you go Shopping and dining

FOOD BANK VOLUNTEERS Help prepare meals to be distributed, sort donated foods and

organize special projects for the Maryland Food Bank. To learn more about the group and individual volunteer opportunities, visit www.mdfoodbank.org or call (410) 737-8282.

July 17

FRIDAY NIGHT STAND UP Laugh every Friday night with Baltimore’s funniest people during two comedy shows: one at 7:30 p.m. and the other at 9 p.m.

Both are held at Zissimos Bar, 1023 West 36th St., Second Floor, Baltimore.

Tickets are $5. Guests at the earlier show can stay for the second show free. For more information, call (410) 467-4707.

BEACON BITS

June 20

LEARN TO USE GOOGLE DRIVE Want to learn what Google Drive can do? Sign up for a free class

on Thursday, June 20. Learn how to create basic documents, spreadsheets and presentations. You must have a Google email account before attending the class, which will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the Southeast Anchor Library, Pratt Center for Technology, 3601 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. To register, call (443) 9844944.

June 28+

PAINT OUTDOORS Take a stroll through historic Ellicott City and watch plein air artists capture its beauty on canvas. This weekend event, Paint

It! Ellicott City, takes place from Friday, June 28, to Sunday, June 30, all weekend at 8510 High Ridge Rd., Ellicott City. Free for spectators. To find out more, call (410) 313-2787 or visit hocoarts.org.

17

SIMPLY SELL TO SMYTH. Sell or trade in your old gold, silver and diamonds at Smyth Jewelers and get the highest possible return.

No mystery, no wondering if the price is right— just expertise and cash on the spot. So, when you have jewelry you no longer want, keep things simple.

Bring it to Smyth Jewelers in Annapolis, Ellicott City or Timonium, no appointment necessary.

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JULY 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Travelers: don’t forget ‘overhead’ costs Over the years, you’ve probably seen each, plus $120 for checked baggage; the many “tips” about avoiding high city-cen- hotel rate is $250 a night (including taxes ter hotel prices by staying in and extras), and they spend suburban hotels. But when $100 or more on food per day you factor in the “destination than they would at home. The overhead,” you often contotal cost is $1,870. clude that rather than fight Out of the four-day, threethe hassle and time of comnight period, each of them has muting, you’re better off find42 total useful sightseeing/acing a cheaper hotel in the city. tivity hours. So their destinaBy “destination overhead,” tion overhead — the cost of I mean the daily or hourly outjust being in Chicago — of-pocket cost of just being in amounts to around $22 an TRAVEL TIPS a destination. A lot of travelers hour each, or $44 an hour for

By Ed Perkins don’t seem to realize how the couple. much they pay just to be somewhere other Trip Two: Two people visit Paris from than home.

Los Angeles for a week in June, seven Here are two examples: days, five hotel nights (plus one night on Trip One: Two people visit Chicago the overnight flight to London). Let’s say from Dallas for four days and three nights. the nonstop, round-trip airfare is $1,500 Let’s say the round-trip airfare is $300 each, the hotel rate is $250 a night, and

BEACON BITS

June 23

RESEARCHING GENEALOGY Understand genealogy and research historical documents with

the Baltimore County Genealogical Society on Sunday, June 23, from noon to 4 p.m. at 8601 Harford Rd., Room 308, Baltimore. Bring a USB drive with personal copies of any previous genealogical work. For more information about this free event, call (410) 665-8769.

they spend $200 more on food per day than they’d spend at home. The total cost is $5,650.

On a seven-day stay, they each have 84 useful sightseeing/activity hours, so the overhead cost of just being in Paris is about $33 an hour each or $65 for the couple.

The hourly overhead rate can vary over a wide range, depending on destination costs, airfare deals, traveling lifestyle and such. I’ve calculated figures from $10 to $100. But regardless of how you travel, the concept applies: Just being in a destination has an out-of-pocket hourly cost. And it can (or should) influence your choice of hotel location and local activities.

Time is money The biggest risk is staying in the suburbs to beat high city-center hotel rates.

Take London as an example: Many years ago, my wife and I tested the suburban stay idea in London. We found a nice hotel in Richmond, just outside London, and paid $79 a night for a room that easily would have cost $125 a night in Bloomsbury.

But each trip between Richmond and central London took 45 minutes on the underground, so we probably used up 20 hours of overhead on unproductive underground travel. At a then-likely overhead rate of $20 an hour, those trips cost us $400 in overhead

to “save” $275 in hotel costs.

That wasn’t a good value proposition.

Furthermore, staying in Richmond meant we couldn’t easily return to our hotel to rest or take it easy for an hour or two between activities, such as visiting a museum or going to a restaurant.

Overhead also figures into decisions about how to navigate a destination city.

Taking an hour crossing London to find a 1 percent better exchange rate, as one traveler I knew did, makes no sense.

Often, a $10 cab or Uber trip that cuts a half hour off public transit time is well worth the extra cost. Alternatively, a subway trip that zips past rush hour gridlocked traffic can more than compensate for the hassles of schlepping baggage or purchases.

I always feel smug on my way to and from O’Hare as my Blue line “El” train passes miles of bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Kennedy Expressway.

I’m not suggesting that you subject every little decision to a rigorous cost-benefit analysis. But I do suggest that you include the idea of destination overhead when you decide where to stay or how to navigate in any large city.

Send email to Ed Perkins at eperkins@ mind.net and visit railguru.com. © 2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

BEACON BITS

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Make new friends

July 4

PATRIOTIC PETS Enjoy a quirky parade of dressed-up cats, dogs, turtles and other

pets on Thursday, July 4, at 9 a.m. at the American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Hwy., Baltimore. Registration for the pet talent show and costume competition begin at 8:30 a.m., followed at 9 a.m. by the parade and prizes. This event is free. For more information, call (401) 244-1900.

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2019

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Style

19

Arts &

Pulitzer Prize–winning author Anna Quindlen’s new book on grandparenting is laugh-out-loud funny. See story on p. 21.

Arthur Miller’s Crucible feels quite timely Believe it or not, though, the play has a few moments of levity. In one charming, wordless scene, Elizabeth and John take turns — unbeknownst to the other — adding spice to a pot of stew.

John appears to appreciate more flavor than his wife, and perhaps that’s a metaphor, as it is John’s weakness for certain “tastes” that lands him in trouble: a spice known as Abigail Williams (Emile Zelle Holmstock).

The leader of the Salem “mean girls,” Holmstock plays Abigail as a woman-child possessed, whether by imaginary spirits or by a desire for Proctor that burns as bright as her red hair — a desire that turns to anger once scorned. Hell hath no fury, as the saying goes, and Hell is on the lips of many of the characters, either in its service or in objection to it.

Reverend John Hale (Christian Smith) finds himself in the ironic dual role of both evil-doer and do-gooder. First summoned to town by Reverend Samuel Parris (Stuart Kazanow), who raises simpering handwringing to an art form, Hale is hell-bent on uncovering the demonic forces at work.

He ultimately finds them, along with the error of his first-act ways, in the play’s second half, residing in the ignorance and arrogance of Deputy Governor Danforth (Eric C. Stein) and his minions.

Back ramrod straight, nose in air, and an accusatory tone as soft and subtle as an industrial-strength bullhorn, Stein’s Danforth seems intent on blasting the Devil out into

Cars, boats, furniture, antiques, tools, appliances Everything and anything is sold on

P H OTO B Y B R U C E F. P R E S S P H OTO G R A P H Y

By Dan Collins “Mean girl” cliques. Pompous politicians.

Lawsuits and “blame game” finger-pointing.

Biblical fundamentalists. Hearsay and fake news.

Just another day watching CNN or FOX in America, right?

Not exactly. Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, set in late 17th-century Salem, Massachusetts, knocks the truth on its head in The Vagabond Players production through June 30.

The Crucible, based on the infamous Salem witch trials, debuted on Broadway in 1953, when the nation was embroiled in a witch hunt of another sort as U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy led the House UnAmerican Activities Committee investigation into the “Communist activities” of anyone and everyone.

Miller’s play continues to resonate today in this captivating performance by a talented, 20-member ensemble cast directed by Steven Deininger.

Leading the cast is Baltimore favorite David Shoemaker in the role of John Proctor, a flawed but decent man who finds himself buffeted by forces beyond his control. Proctor is desperate to save himself and his wife Elizabeth (Ryan Gunning) from the hangman’s noose, always visible throughout the play.

Set designer John Seeley sets the stage for the disaster to come with a string of nooses hanging from the ceiling. In case you failed to notice, The Crucible isn’t a comic romp.

Samantha McEwen Deininger as Tituba (left) visits with Salem’s marshal and a beggar woman in The Vagabond Players’ production of The Crucible by Arthur Miller.

the open with the power of his voice alone.

It’s a voice that could drive the courage from a lion, and it works on Sami Patterson’s misguided “poppet”-maker Mary Warren, who ultimately bows to whomever seems most intimidating — Proctor, Abigail Williams, Danforth — when in her presence.

Excellent supporting cast Several actors round out the cast in smaller, but not insignificant, roles. Samantha McEwen Deininger plays the forlorn Barbados refugee Tituba, whose attempt at showSee CRUCIBLE, page 20

T H R O U G H J U LY 2 8

410-730-8311

TobysDinnerTheatre.com m Due to the nature of theatrical bookings, all shows and dates are subject to change.

Radio Flea Market Heard every Sunday, 7-8:00 a.m. on 680 WCBM A UGUS S T 1 - SEPTEMBER BER 8

20

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Burnett From page 1 longer able to care for her.

During her freshman year at UCLA in 1951, she signed up for a theater class.

One evening, she belted out a line in a funny way (“I’m baaack!”), and the audience’s laughter gave her “the sensation of all that warmth wrapping around me,” as she later put it, changing her life.

Burnett also remembers two donations from total strangers that helped alter her future. An anonymous donor gave her about $50 to help pay tuition at UCLA, and others gave her $1,000 so she could move to the Big Apple.

These gifts inspired Burnett’s lifelong commitment to “pay it forward.” She has formed a foundation, established a scholarship at her alma mater and donates to many charities, both national and in her current hometown of Santa Barbara.

Arriving in New York City in 1954, Bur-

JULY 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

nett took a job as a hat check girl and moved into the Rehearsal Club, a boardinghouse for aspiring actresses. She and five roommates each chipped in $5 to buy an orange dress from Bloomingdale’s that they would share for auditions, she remembers.

“It was kind of like a movie, living in the house with all these girls. We really bonded. Everybody got along, and when somebody got a job, we all applauded.”

Burnett’s big break came in 1955 with her television debut on a children’s variety show hosted by ventriloquist Paul Winchell (she played the puppet’s girlfriend).

That’s when she invented her signature gesture: tugging her ear at the end of the show. The now famous motion was a signal to her grandmother; a way to say, “Hi, Nanny. All’s well.”

Slings and arrows Her early childhood and adulthood were marked by struggles — both of her parents died when she was in her 20s — and

Burnett’s adult life also hasn’t been without heartbreak. She lost a daughter to lung cancer in 2002, which she wrote about in her 2013 memoir, Carrie and Me: A Mother-Daughter Love Story.

This spring she lost dear friend and television co-star Tim Conway. His death on May 14 was announced just before Burnett was scheduled to appear on stage in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was a difficult moment for her.

“I told a couple of funny stories about him, and the audience was very gracious. I got through the show,” she said. “He was as nice as he was funny, and that’s something.”

After decades of making people laugh, Burnett has learned how to stay positive and enjoy life.

She credits a writer on “The Carol Burnett Show” with teaching her how to take things one day at a time with a bedtime ritual she remembers to this day. Every night, think of “three ‘gratefuls’ and three ‘did-wells.’

We Turn Addresses

into homes

MOST COMMUNITIE S ARE 62 AND B ET T ER

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

BALTIMORE COUNTY (CONT.)

The Greens at Hammonds Lane: 410-636-1141 Park View at Furnace Branch: 410-761-4150 Park View at Severna Park: 410-544-3411

Park View at Randallstown: 410-655-5673 Park View at Rosedale: 410-866-1886 Park View at Taylor: 410-663-0363 Park View at Towson: 410-828-7185 Park View at Woodlawn: 410-281-1120

BALTIMORE CITY Ednor Apartments I: 410-243-0180 Ednor Apartments II: 410-243-4301 The Greens at Irvington Mews: 410-644-4487 Park Heights Place: 410-578-3445 Park View at Ashland Terrace: 410-276-6440 Park View at Coldspring: 410-542-4400

EASTERN SHORE Park View at Easton: 410-770-3070

HARFORD COUNTY Park View at Bel Air: 410-893-0064 Park View at Box Hill: 410-515-6115

BALTIMORE COUNTY Cove Point Apartments I: 410-288-2344 Cove Point Apartments II: 410-288-1660 Evergreen Senior Apartments: 410-780-4888 The Greens at English Consul: 410-789-3000 The Greens at Liberty Road: 410-655-1100 The Greens at Logan Field: 410-288-2000 The Greens at Rolling Road: 410-744-9988 Park View at Catonsville: 410-719-9464 Park View at Dundalk: 410-288-5483 Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665 Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375

HOWARD COUNTY Park View at Colonial Landing: 410-796-4399 Park View at Columbia: 410-381-1118 Park View at Ellicott City: 410-203-9501 Park View at Ellicott City: II 410-203-2096 Park View at Emerson: 301-483-3322 Park View at Snowden River: 410-290-0384

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY Park View at Bladensburg: 301-699-9785 • 55 & Better Park View at Laurel: 301-490-1526 Park View at Laurel II: 301-490-9730

Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour. www.rhomecommunities.com MOST COMMUNITIES ARE PET-FRIENDLY

“It can be, ‘I did well because I drove to the grocery store and smiled at the other customers.’ That’s a did-well. You can be grateful for good health, grateful for your friends — you just try to pick something out of the special day that you just lived.”

Have a question for her?

In the past decade of live Q&A sessions like the one she’ll host in July, Burnett still thrives on her interactions with the audience. And thanks to her growing popularity with younger fans on the Internet, they’re not all white-haired, she pointed out.

“Because of YouTube and Netflix, I’m getting audiences that range from eight years old to 100 — all ages — and that’s really fun,” she said.

A few years ago, Burnett noticed a 9year-old boy sitting in the second row of one of her audiences. She asked him if he knew who she was. “There was a pause and he said, ‘Surprisingly, yes.’ The audience loved it. That’s just pure gold when you get that. I thought, ‘I’m going to take him on the road.’”

Carol Burnett: An Evening of Laughter and Reflection will be in Baltimore on Tuesday, July 23, at 7:30 p.m. at the Patricia & Arthur Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric, 140 W. Mount Royal Ave. Ticket prices range from $69 to $250. For more information, call (410) 900-1150.

Crucible From page 19 ing the Puritan girls a taste of wild island dance first sets the town on its road to ruin.

Peter Wilkes plays litigation-beset landowner Giles Corey, who, while he is being crushed by the townspeople’s stones, says with his last breath, “More weight.”

Providing a 17th-century spin on white entitlement are Thomas and Ann Putnam (David Hanauer and Lauren Riley Jackson), the latter accusing her former midwife for her stillborns.

In a play fraught with irony, one of the best turns comes in the final moments.

More than 100 of the townspeople are accused of giving themselves over to “Lucifer” by “signing his black book.”

At play’s end, to save himself, John Proctor must sign his own false confession.

Stein’s Danforth takes the role of Satan, as he towers and glowers over Shoemaker’s slumped form, urging him to save his soul by signing the confession, when John knows that to sign it is to lose it.

Performed with one 15-minute intermission, The Crucible moves at a spritely pace, keeping the audience riveted from curtain to curtain.

The Crucible continues its run at the Vagabond Players theater, 806 South Broadway, in Baltimore’s Fells Point neighborhood, through June 30. Regular admission tickets cost $22; $19 tickets are available to patrons 65 or over, members of the military and students with identification.

For showtimes and more information, visit vagabondplayers.org or call (410) 563-9135.

21

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2019

Quindlen’s wild world of grandparenting

By Rob Merrill Nanaville: Adventures in Grandparenting, by Anna Quindlen, 176 pages, Random House “Write what you know.” Few follow that advice better than Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Anna Quindlen, who recently discovered the joys, and challenges, of grandparenthood.

There are two tenets of “Nanaville,” writes Quindlen, which she characterizes as “a state of mind, a place I wound up inPHOTO © MARIA KROVATIN

Anna Quindlen won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1992.

habiting without ever knowing it was what I wanted” — “Love the grandchildren, and hold your tongue.”

The jumping off point is the birth of her first grandchild, Arthur, to her oldest son, Quin, and his wife, Lynn. “A bundle in a blanket with a full head of glossy black hair,” is Quindlen’s first description of him.

She quickly hits on the book’s central theme — grandparenting as an “avocation,” not something to which she is entitled simply as the mother of the new father.

“The thing is, from the moment it begins you want to do something. And sometimes if you’re lucky, the people who really get to make all the decisions will let you do so.

“It’s their call. The torch is passed to a new generation, as well as the bouncy seat, and the breast pump, and the baby wipes.”

In the tradition of her best New York Times and Newsweek columns over the years, Quindlen mixes wit and wisdom as she shares her thoughts on this new stage in life.

“A big part of our grandparent job is expressing ecstatic appreciation for everything from urination to reflexes. We must always silence the irritated voice of adult complacency: OK, I get it, I get it, you drew a 3. But honestly, a 3 isn’t that hard.

A 5, now, there’s a number. No. It is the greatest 3 that anyone has ever drawn.”

In addition to those laugh-out-loud moments, the book contains enough facts and historical insights to ground it as more than just a proud nana sharing family stories.

Did you know grandparents are more likely to see the children of their daughters than their sons? Or that when Arthur was born, one in seven newborns in Amer-

ica were multiracial or multiethnic?

Neither did Quindlen, until she took up residence in Nanaville. Waiting in line at a Baby Gap with Arthur in a sling, she’s asked for a second time where the Chinese-American child on her chest is from.

“Whole Foods,” she tells the stranger.

Nanaville is worth a visit for anyone whose baby either now has a baby or is getting ready to welcome one.

—AP

To subscribe, see page 22.

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

FROM PAGE 22 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

C H E F

A U T O

F L A X

A H O L D

M A N I A

F R E D

R A T U

B U C K T O O T H S

E L L I L I N T S E T A L N T E E E A H N A U T L M H O I O A N K Y

M A S H

O W N E R

O N T H E A R D H O D I P O M E S N E T U S E N A M I R E T S N

A S I N I N E

M A C H O

U N I E O G N U L M R I A M O N F I T R A A T A T O H O E E G A R S D E

S T E M

T O R E

A D O R E

B E S E T

M A I N

E D D Y

Two Exhibits.

One Experience.

On loan from the Jewish Museum of Milwaukee Apr 7 – Aug 4, 2019

An original exhibit from the Jewish Museum of Maryland Apr 7 – Sep 15, 2019

Only at the Jewish Museum of Maryland Media Sponsor

JewishMuseumMd.org /jewishmuseummd @jewishmuseummd @jmm_md

15 Lloyd St Baltimore, MD 21202

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JULY 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Domestication 1

2

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Stephen Sherr

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Scrabble answers on p. 21.

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1. Coffeehouse 5. Cow’s commentary 8. It’s not to be missed 13. A lot of a yacht 14. Open concert seating area 15. ___ Domingo (Caribbean capital) 16. ..., and a bunch of other people (briefly) 17. Is not shortened 18. More treacherous, for drivers 19. Treacherous insider 22. All 660 Topps 1974 baseball cards 23. Great Plains, or Mid-Atlantic 24. Equally qualified with either hand 27. Start of the first two states (alphabetically) 29. Point of baseball 30. Scientific setting in Frankenstein or Breaking Bad 33. Carnival attraction 37. “A long time ago...”

38. Partially submerge a potato chip 39. Famous baker 40. With great urgency 45. Not dis 46. Bert Bobbsey’s twin sister 47. Madrid Mrs. 48. Vietnamese New Year 49. Holes in the wall 52. “Slow down; one ___ time” 54. Path of domestication (and this puzzle’s theme answers) 60. Dollars to doughnuts, for example 61. 39, 46 or 63 Across, for example 62. “Good grief!”

63. One of the Coen brothers 64. Resentments 65. Like Antarctica’s Dry Valleys 66. In shadows 67. The Sports Network, on cable-guides 68. Say it isn’t so

1. Contestant on Hell’s Kitchen 2. Item behind a rope at the Henry Ford Museum 3. Plant used to produce linen 4. Island behind Lady Liberty’s left shoulder 5. Prepare potatoes 6. The holder of the deed 7. Almost defeated 8. Senseless 9. Proudly masculine 10. The edge of a trade guild’s authority 11. Nowadays, it means “Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math” 12. Opened a sealed envelope 14. Like a mermaid, prince, or three pigs 20. Without ice or mixer 21. Digital Juicy Fruit, perhaps 24. “Get ___ of yourself!”

25. Craze 26. Oversized incisors 28. Convert a duplex to a triplex 31. Be gaga about 32. Under siege 34. Family tree word 35. That guy, over there 36. UK-based sky command 41. Father of Cleopatra’s twins 42. Part of the Los Angeles Angel’s logo 43. Talks to a crowd 44. 26 of its 29 countries are in Europe 50. Eskimo boat 51. Rulers of Russia and Bulgaria 53. In the lead 54. Husband in The Flintstones or I Love Lucy 55. Where a rodent might go for a BA degree 56. Jay, kay, el, ___ 57. Man-eating monster 58. Final event, usually 59. Good name for a nautical storm-hunter

Answers on page 21.

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2019

CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on the right.

CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either.

Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment.

EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

Financial GOT AN OLDER CAR, VAN OR SUV? Do the humane thing. Donate it to the Humane Society. Call 1-844-230-2952.

For Sale CEMETERY LOT & VAULT — Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens. Located in Garden of Apostles. Value $4090 MAKE OFFER. Call 410893-0681. Please leave message if no answer.

MACHINIST TOOL CHEST and tools and assorted taps and dies. Call 410-931-1119 and make me an offer.

TWO CEMETERY LOTS, side by side. Gardens of Faith Memorial Gardens, Rosedale. Lots located in Garden of the Resurrection. $2500/offer for both. Call James 410-812-2860.

CEMETERY LOTS & VAULTS. 2 side by side lots in Druid Ridge Cemetery in Baltimore...near the “duck pond”. Forest Lawn ii Section of Lawn crypts. $3200 for both. Call 410-356-9255.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate WE BUY HOUSES!!! CALL 443-415-0790. Are you tired of toilets and tenants, but like the monthly income? Call us for a creative solution to your real estate problems. We buy houses in any condition, any location, any price range. We pay CASH or terms and offer QUICK closings.

Call us today at 443-415-0790 or visit www.ikebuyshouses.com.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate APARTMENT FOR RENT — Attractive, updated 1-bedrm/FB, bsmnt, W/D, LG kitchen, DW, gas range, frig, Lvg Rm w/AC, Hrdwd Fls. Pvt prkg, yd, quiet street, E.Rosemont/Overlea. Ideal for couple, single. $995/mo inclds heat/water. Pvt Owner. C 410370-0575

Health MOBILE FOOT REFLEXOLOGY in the comfort of your home! This alternative therapy may assist with health and relaxation. Certified provider offering convenient weekend availabilities. Contact Shelby at (410) 412-0230 or visit www.solesorcery.com.

BORN AGAIN REFINISHING c/o Vernon E. Madairy Sr. Because your antique and fine furniture is a investment since 1973. Furniture refinishing and repairs. All pieces hand striped.Restorations, Missing pieces hand carved.Veneer repair and replaced. Upholstery.

Hand woven natural cane. Cane webbing, Natural rush , Fiber rush,Wood splint, Residential and Commercial , 410-323-0467 PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR — May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-851-0949.

DENTAL INSURANCE. Call Physicians Mutual Insurance Company for details. Not just a discount plan, real coverage for 350 procedures. 844366-1003 or http://www.dental50plus.com/320 Ad# 6118.

Legal Services SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY? Up to $2,671/mo. (Based on paid-in amount.) Free evaluation! Call Bill Gordon & Associates. 1866-970-0779. Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington, D.C. Office: Broward Co. FL., member TX/NM Bar.

HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD All classified ads must be submitted and paid for online, via our website, www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds Deadlines and Payments: To appear in the next issue, your ad text and payment must be entered by the 5th of the preceding month (for Baltimore and Howard County editions); by the 20th (for Washington and Richmond editions).

Cost will be based on the number of characters and spaces in your ad: • $25 for 1-250 • $35 for 251-500. • $50 for 501-750 (maximum length). The website will calculate this for you.

Note: Maryland contractors must provide a valid MHIC number. • Each real estate listing qualifies as one ad. • All ads are subject to publisher's discretion. Payment will be refunded if unacceptable for any reason.

To place your classified ad, visit www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds Personals

Wanted

CUTE, ATTRACTIVE FEMALE, FIFTIES Fun loving, down to earth woman looking for single white man, fifties/sixties, attractive, robust, non-smoker, large build, reliable, warmhearted, romantic. Have together dates, companionship, devoted relationship. If interested, call 443-466-3717 lve message.

BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

TV/Cable SPECTRUM TRIPLE PLAY! TV, Internet & Voice for $29.99 ea. 60 MB per second speed. No contract or commitment. More Channels. Faster Internet. Unlimited Voice. Call 1-888-366-7573.

DIRECTV. CALL AND SWITCH NOW — Get NFL Sunday Ticket for FREE! Every Game.

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Wanted Miscellaneous ENJOY 100% GUARANTEED, DELIVERED to-the-door Omaha Steaks! Save 75% plus get 4 more Burgers & 4 more Kielbasa FREE! Order The Family Gourmet Buffet — ONLY $49.99. Call 1-844-302-3754, mention code 51689JCT or visit www.omahasteaks.com.

Personal Services GETTING BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE or changing careers? Clean up that resume and highlight your talents! $75 for a resume, $75 for a cover letter, or $125 for both if you mention this ad. Business and Marketing plans available too! Steve 410-585-5700

TOP PRICES PAID for fine antiques, artwork and high quality decorative items including decorated crocks and jugs, rare antique clocks, music boxes,unusual lamps, slot machines and great old toys and dolls to name a few. I am 66 years old with over 40 years in the antique business, well educated and financially capable . Why pay expensive auction house , estate sale, or consignment store commissions when you can get a fair upfront price for your pieces immediately? If you have something unusual and interesting, rare and valuable and are prepared to sell it I would like to speak with you. Please call Jake Lenihan 301 279 8834 . No calls after 7 pm please. Thank you.

CASH FOR ESTATES; moving, etc. I buy a wide range of items. Buy out/clean up. TheAtticLLC.com Gary Roman 301-520-0755.

COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, knives, swords, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars & countries. Also Lionel Trains, & slots/coin operated machines.

Will pay top prices. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783 MONEY, TIME TO SELL! Make the right choice. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. We buy jewelry, coins, silver, antiques, watches, gold, art, paper money, toys, bottles, comic books, records, etc. No middleman, no fees, no overhead means more money for your stuff. Give me a call and lets do business. 717-658-7954.

ESTATE LIQUIDATION/ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES: One call solves it all when you hire us to handle your estate liquidation, down-sizing and/or home cleanout. We sell your treasures, take care of charitable donations and provide junk removal. We also purchase partial estate contents/collections. Always buying antiques, jewelry, fine art, vintage toys, collectibles, advertising, sports memorabilia, military items, rare books, Mid Century Modern furniture, vinyl records collections and more. Based in Silver Spring, we serve Montgomery County, Howard County, Baltimore County, Washington D.C., NOVA and beyond. No home, barn or warehouse is too packed for us! Friendly, conscientious staff. Call Chris on cell (202) 731-9447. www.OrionsAttic.com.

SELL ME YOUR CAR, Truck or SUV for CASH today instead of a maybe tax deduction tomorrow. I come to you. NO FUSS NO MUSS. 410-916-0776 I also buy Motorcycles, Scooters & Bikes. If it’s got wheels, I am a CASH BUYER. Call Today. Let’s Roll

Thank you for reading!

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Research Studies Balance & Falls Study . . . . . . . .11 Former Smoker Study . . . . . . . .10 Gestalt Healthy Volunteer Study .9 Gingivitis Study . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 MARC Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Memory Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Shoulder Study . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

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Patriot Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . .B-7 Regenerative Medicine . . . . . . . .8 Rosenblatt Foot Care . . . . . . . . . .7 Skin Cancer EB . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Snyder Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

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Housing Catholic Charities . . . . . . . . . .B-2 Charlestown/Erickson . .B-4, B-7 Christ Church Harbor Apts. . . .B-3 Glynn Taff Assisted Living . . .B-6 Linden Park Apartments . . . . .B-3 Oak Crest/Erickson . . . . .B-4, B-7 Park View Apartments . . . . . . . .20 Pickersgill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-6 Rhome Communities . . . . . . . . .20 St. Mary’s Roland View Towers . .18

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