Tax-free online shopping may be coming to an end

WASHINGTON (AP) ? States could force Internet retailers to collect sales taxes under a bill that overwhelmingly passed a test vote in the Senate Monday.

Under current law, states can only require stores to collect sales taxes if the store has a physical presence in the state. As a result, many online sales are essentially tax-free, giving Internet retailers a big advantage over brick-and-mortar stores.

The bill would allow states to require online retailers to collect state and local sales taxes for purchases made over the Internet. The sales taxes would be sent to the states where shoppers live.

The Senate voted 74 to 20 to begin debating the bill. If that level of support continues, the Senate could pass the bill as early as this week.

Supporters say the bill is about fairness for businesses and lost revenue for states. Opponents say it would impose complicated regulations on retailers and doesn't have enough protections for small businesses. Businesses with less than $1 million a year in online sales would be exempt.

"I believe it is important to level the playing field for all retailers," said Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., the bill's main sponsor. "We should not be subsidizing some taxpayers at the expense of others."

In many states, shoppers are required to pay unpaid sales tax when they file their state income tax returns. However, states complain that few people comply.

"I do know about three people that comply with that," Enzi said.

President Barack Obama supports the bill, but its fate is uncertain in the House, where some Republicans regard it as a tax increase. Heritage Action for America, the activist arm of the conservative Heritage Foundation, opposes the bill and will count the vote in its legislative scorecard.

Many of the nation's governors ? Republicans and Democrats ? have been lobbying the federal government for years for the authority to collect sales taxes from online sales, said Dan Crippen, executive director of the National Governors Association. Those efforts intensified when state tax revenues took hit from the recession and the slow economic recovery.

"It's a matter of equity for businesses," Crippen said. "It's a matter of revenue for states."

The bill pits brick-and-mortar stores like Wal-Mart against online services such as eBay. The National Retail federation supports it. And Amazon.com, which initially fought efforts in some states to make it collect sales taxes, supports it, too.

"Amazon.com has long supported a simplified nationwide approach that is evenhandedly applied and applicable to all but the smallest volume sellers," Paul Misener, Amazon's vice president of global public policy said in a recent letter to senators.

On the other side, eBay has been rallying customers to oppose the bill.

"I hope you agree that imposing unnecessary tax burdens on small online businesses is a bad idea," eBay president and CEO John Donahoe said in a letter to customers. "Join us in letting your Members of Congress know they should protect small online businesses, not potentially put them out of business."

The bill is also opposed by senators from states that have no sales tax, including Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H.

"Supporters of this online sales tax bill are trying to muscle it through before senators find out how disastrous it would be for businesses in their states," Ayotte said. "I will fight this power grab every step of the way to protect small online businesses in New Hampshire and across the nation."

Baucus said the bill would require relatively small Internet retailers to comply with sales tax laws in thousands of jurisdictions.

"This legislation doesn't help businesses expand and grow and hire more employees," Baucus said. "Instead, it forces small businesses to hire expensive lawyers and accountants to deal with the burdensome paperwork and added complexity of tax rules and filings across multiple states."

But Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the bill requires participating states to make it relatively easy for Internet retailers to comply. States must provide free computer software to help retailers calculate sales taxes, based on where shoppers live. States must also establish a single entity to receive Internet sales tax revenue, so retailers don't have to send them to individual counties or cities.

"We're way beyond the quill pen and leger days," Durbin said. "Thanks to computers and thanks to software it is not that complex."

___

Follow Stephen Ohlemacher on Twitter: http://twitter.com/stephenatap

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senate-bill-jeopardizes-tax-free-online-shopping-190904262--politics.html

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Keeping Your Head Above Water When Bankruptcy Is The Option

Many people these days have fallen deep in to debt. They have lots of collection agencies looking for them and they have trouble paying their bills. If you have been going through this for a while, you might want to consider filing for bankruptcy. The information in this article will help you to decide if this is an option for you.

If you?re concerned about the details of keeping your car, try to ask your attorney about details regarding lowering your monthly payments. A lot of the time you can lower payments by filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. There are qualifications, such as the loan being high interest and a good work record for this option.

Don?t wait till it?s too late to file for bankruptcy. For some people, they tend to ignore their poor financial situation and just wishing it away, but that is only putting you in more danger. It is very common for personal debts to snowball suddenly. When this happens, terrible consequences, such as wage garnishment and foreclosure result. The minute you realize that your debts are too big to take care of, contact a bankruptcy attorney to discuss your options.

TIP! Most people that file for bankruptcy try not to use credit cards again. This isn?t necessarily a good strategy to follow because good credit is established by getting, and handling, credit responsibly.

You can take out a mortgage or car loan while filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy. However, it won?t be as easy as it may have been to get one prior to the bankruptcy. Your trustee must approve any new loans such as this. When you meet with your trustee or financial adviser, make sure that you come up with a sound budget proposal. You will always have to let them know why this item needs to be purchased.

When filing for personal bankruptcy you should always be aware of your rights. Bill collectors can try to scare you into believing that your debt will not be cleared. There are few debts that can?t be discharged. If a bill collector attempts to say their bill cannot be discharged, look it up. If they are wrong, report them.

Banish the word ?shame? from your vocabulary before you file for bankruptcy. Many people feel guilty, embarrassed and unworthy when dealing with bankruptcy. Learn to accept these feeling at face value? you can?t prevent yourself from feeling them, but you can stop them from controlling you. These difficult financial times can easily take their toll on anyone. One of the best ways to cope with the situation is to maintain a positive attitude.

Write down every one of your debts. Your debts in particular will serve as the basis of your claim. Every single debt you have will need to be listed here. Review your records to determine the precise amounts that you owe. Take your time with the process of filing for personal bankruptcy. It is important that all of the numbers and debts included in your case be included accurately.

TIP! Make your decision wisely when you select a bankruptcy attorney. A lot of rookie lawyers get their start in bankruptcy law.

Know the bankruptcy code backwards and forwards before filing. Here is one example, an individual who files for bankruptcy cannot transfer any assets for a year before the filing date. Also, it is illegal to load up your credit cards with debt right before filing occurs.

Make a comprehensive list of all of your financial information before you file for bankruptcy. If you forget any items, your filing could be rejected. No sum is too small to be included; err on the side of caution and include everything. Some things to be included are: current loans, valuable vehicles and side jobs.

Personal Bankruptcy

A few months after bankruptcy is complete, get your credit report copies from the 3 credit reporting agencies. It is important to make sure the report reflects your debts as satisfied and that any accounts you closed are noted. Challenge discrepancies as soon as possible in order to repair your credit.

TIP! Include all of your debts that you wish to be erased on the bankruptcy filing papers. If you posses debts that aren?t listed in the paperwork, they wont be included in your discharge.

Research the rules and regulations of personal bankruptcy before you file. There are many pitfalls when it comes to the code pertaining to personal bankruptcy that can lead to a lot of unwanted issues. If you do not know bankruptcy law, your bankruptcy case could be dismissed. Before you go forward, make sure you thoroughly research personal bankruptcy. Doing so will pave the way to an easier process.

Exhaust all other option prior to filing personal bankruptcy. You should consider credit counseling. You can get assistance from non-profit companies. They will work with your creditors to get your payments lowered and your interest lowered as wll. You make payments to them and they pay your creditors.

Do not take a large cash advance from credit cards prior to filing, knowing that bankruptcy erases all debts. This will be viewed as fraud, and you may be held responsible for the balances despite your bankruptcy filing.

If you pick up a new job shortly before you file for bankruptcy, don?t slow down your filing plans! Filing for bankruptcy might be the smartest thing for you to do. Choosing to file can impact you well. If you file before gaining more income, you have a better chance of having your debt discharged.

TIP! Divorce can unexpectedly leave people in financial ruins. Many people find themselves filing for bankruptcy after a divorce.

Watch how debts are paid off prior to filing. You might be legally unable to file for bankruptcy if you were still paying your creditors ninety days ago, or your family members a year ago. You need to know the law before you decide to file for bankruptcy.

Don?t stress about trying to determine whether bankruptcy is something you must do. While it may be difficult to accept that you are in trouble, waiting only prolongs the agony. Speaking with someone knowledgeable as soon as you can helps get you started on the bankruptcy process before your situation becomes any worse.

It is possible that a bankruptcy might actually be smarter over the long term than struggling month to month with consistently late or missing payments. It is true that a bankruptcy stays on your credit record for ten years, but you are freed to start improving your credit immediately. One of the good things about bankruptcy is that you can start fresh.

Some lawyers offer free phone services that you can refer your creditors to in regard to any delinquent accounts. Give your creditors your lawyer?s number and they will get a confirmation that you do not owe them anything. This will put an end to annoying phone calls from collectors.

Credit History

Make a quick decision to be more responsible fiscally before filing. Don?t boost current debt or get new debt before bankruptcy. Judges may take into account your current credit history, in addition to your past credit history, when considering your bankruptcy case. Show that you are making a positive change to your current financial situation.

Contrary to popular belief, you won?t necessarily lose your assets if you happen to file for bankruptcy. You can keep personal property. This covers items such as clothing, jewelry, electronics and household furnishings. Depending on the state you are from, what kind of bankruptcy you?re filing, and your specific case, you could be allowed to keep bigger items, like your car or house.

Before you commit to a bankruptcy filing, make sure that your most troublesome debts can actually be discharged through bankruptcy. There are some types of debt (e.g., student loans, child support) that are not dischargeable in bankruptcy. For debts of that nature, it may make sense to seek loan consolidation assistance.

TIP! If your bankruptcy case is dismissed because you made a mistake, you can re-file. But, generally speaking, the automatic stay will apply for 30 days only if you have already received a prior dismissal.

As you?ve read here, there are many places to find help if you are thinking about personal bankruptcy. Tackling this in a logical and emotionless manner will relieve you of your debt issues while giving you a fresh start for the future.

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Source: http://hwm.cc/?p=655

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London Marathon Runners in Solidarity With Boston (Voice Of America)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

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World finance leaders issue sober assessment

WASHINGTON (AP) ? World finance leaders issued a somber assessment on Saturday of the global economy, saying the recovery remains uneven with growth and jobs in short supply.

The steering committee for the 188-nation International Monetary Fund issued a final communique that called for decisive action to bolster growth. However, the major economies remained at odds over the best mix of policies to pursue.

"An uneven recovery is emerging but growth and job creation are still too weak. New risks are arising while several old risks remain," the IMF group said.

"The commodity that is in shorter supply now is confidence," Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the chairman of the IMF panel and Singapore's finance minister, told reporters. "We need to regenerate optimism and confidence."

The World Bank announced that its policy committee had approved a proposal to establish a goal of eliminating extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $1.25 per day, by 2030. It is estimated that there are still 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for more than one-third of the world's extreme poor.

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim called this goal "an historic moment" for the world. "We are no longer dreaming of a world without poverty. We have set an expiration date," Kim told reporters at a closing news conference.

Emma Seery, a spokesperson for Oxfam, the anti-poverty group, said while the World Bank's target was welcome "we are concerned that it will duck the tough choices needed to reach it."

The spring meetings of IMF and its sister lending agency, the World Bank, on Saturday followed two days of discussions among finance leaders of the Group of 20 nations, composed of traditional powers such as the United States, Japan and Germany and fast-growing developing nations such as China, Brazil and India.

The finance leaders sought to project an air of cooperation even though they were unable to resolve sharp differences that have risen to the surface following an initially botched bailout of Cyprus in March. The banking troubles in the small Mediterranean island country renewed fears that a prolonged European debt crisis still poses significant risks to the global economy.

The United States was represented at the finance meetings by Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. The administration pushed for European nations to moderate their austerity programs of spending cuts and tax increases in favor of more stimulus to bolster growth and combat painfully high unemployment in countries such as Spain and Greece.

"'Strengthening global demand is imperative and must be at the top of our agenda," Lew said in his remarks to the IMF. "Stronger demand in Europe is critical to growth."

But this push was met with resistance from countries such as Germany and Britain, which believe that heavily indebted European nations must reduce their deficits to give markets confidence and keep government borrowing costs low.

In the end, the finance leaders sought to bridge the differences by issuing economic blueprints that left room for both the growth and austerity camps to claim victory.

Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the head of the Eurogroup, encompassing the 17 finance ministers whose countries use the euro currency, told reporters Saturday said that European nations needed to keep pushing to reduce huge budget deficits but "we can and will adjust" the speed that the deficit cuts are implemented to take into account economic conditions.

The G-20 nations did reject proposals to issue hard targets for reducing budget deficits, a victory for the United States and Japan, who had argued for more flexibility.

The G-20 joint statement singled out the recent aggressive credit-easing moves pushed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, saying they were intended to stop prolonged deflation and support domestic demand.

Those comments were viewed as giving a green light to Japan's program, which has driven the value of the yen down by more than 20 percent against the dollar since October. That sizable decline has raised concerns among U.S. manufacturing companies that Japan's real goal is not to boost growth through increasing domestic demand but to weaken the yen as a way to gain trade advantages.

To address those concerns, the G-20 did repeat language it used in February that all countries should not use their currency as a trade weapon and guard against policies that could trigger currency wars.

Japanese officials said they were pleased with the support they had received at the Washington meetings for their aggressive efforts to lift the world's third largest economy out of a two-decade slump. "There has been international understanding" of our efforts, Huruhiko Kuroda, head of the Bank of Japan, told reporters.

Lew said in his IMF remarks that the Obama administration would keep working to gain approval of budget legislation that has been stalled for nearly three years in Congress. The congressional approval is the last major roadblock to implementing an overhaul of the IMF's governing structure to give more power to developing nations. The change is expected to shift two seats on the IMF's 24-member executive board from Western Europe to developing countries.

Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega blasted both the United States and Europe for the delay.

"America is unable and Europe is unwilling to follow through with agreed reforms," he said Saturday in his remarks to the IMF. "The institution's major shareholders are gambling ... with the IMF's legitimacy and credibility."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/world-finance-leaders-issue-sober-assessment-195111134--finance.html

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Green spaces may boost wellbeing for city dwellers

Public release date: 21-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Alex Smalley
a.j.smalley@exeter.ac.uk
44-018-722-58131
University of Exeter

Researcers surprised by scale of effects of living in greener areas, compared to 'big hitting' life events, such as marriage

New research published in the journal Psychological Science has found that people living in urban areas with more green space tend to report greater wellbeing than city dwellers that don't have parks, gardens, or other green space nearby.

The research has been led by Dr Mathew White from the University of Exeter Medical School's European Centre for Environment & Human Health, in Truro, Cornwall.

By examining data from a national survey that followed UK households over time, Dr White and colleagues at the European Centre have found that individuals reported less mental distress and higher life satisfaction when they were living in greener areas.

Importantly, this association held even after the researchers accounted for changes over time in participants' income, employment, marital status, physical health, and housing type.

Dr White and colleagues were surprised by the scale of the effects of living in a greener area in comparison to 'big hitting' life events, such as marriage:

"We've found that living in an urban area with relatively high levels of green space can have a significantly positive impact on wellbeing, roughly equal to a third of the impact of being married."

This effect is also equivalent to a tenth of the impact of being employed (vs unemployed).

The results show that even when stacked up against other factors that contribute to life satisfaction, living in a greener area has a significant effect.

"These kinds of comparisons are important for policymakers when trying to decide how to invest scarce public resources, such as for park development or upkeep, and figuring out what 'bang' they'll get for their buck" says Dr White.

Findings from previous studies have suggested a correlation between green space and wellbeing, but those studies were not able to rule out the possibility that people with higher levels of wellbeing simply move to greener areas. Dr White and colleagues were able to solve that problem by using longitudinal data (data gathered from the repeated observation of participants over time) from the national survey, with data collected annually from over 10,000 people between 1991 and 2008.

The new research does not prove that moving to a greener area will necessarily cause increased happiness, but it does fit with findings from experimental studies showing that short bouts of time in a green space can improve people's mood and cognitive functioning.

While the effect for any one person might be small, Dr White points out that the potential positive effects of green space for society at large might be substantial.

"This research could be important for psychologists, public health officials and urban planners who are interested in learning about the effects that urbanisation and city planning can have on population health and wellbeing" Dr White concludes.

###

Co-authors on this research include Dr Ian Alcock, Dr Benedict Wheeler, and Professor Michael Depledge of the University of Exeter Medical School.

For more information, visit http://www.ecehh.org/publication/would-you-be-happier-living-greener-urban-area

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 21-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Alex Smalley
a.j.smalley@exeter.ac.uk
44-018-722-58131
University of Exeter

Researcers surprised by scale of effects of living in greener areas, compared to 'big hitting' life events, such as marriage

New research published in the journal Psychological Science has found that people living in urban areas with more green space tend to report greater wellbeing than city dwellers that don't have parks, gardens, or other green space nearby.

The research has been led by Dr Mathew White from the University of Exeter Medical School's European Centre for Environment & Human Health, in Truro, Cornwall.

By examining data from a national survey that followed UK households over time, Dr White and colleagues at the European Centre have found that individuals reported less mental distress and higher life satisfaction when they were living in greener areas.

Importantly, this association held even after the researchers accounted for changes over time in participants' income, employment, marital status, physical health, and housing type.

Dr White and colleagues were surprised by the scale of the effects of living in a greener area in comparison to 'big hitting' life events, such as marriage:

"We've found that living in an urban area with relatively high levels of green space can have a significantly positive impact on wellbeing, roughly equal to a third of the impact of being married."

This effect is also equivalent to a tenth of the impact of being employed (vs unemployed).

The results show that even when stacked up against other factors that contribute to life satisfaction, living in a greener area has a significant effect.

"These kinds of comparisons are important for policymakers when trying to decide how to invest scarce public resources, such as for park development or upkeep, and figuring out what 'bang' they'll get for their buck" says Dr White.

Findings from previous studies have suggested a correlation between green space and wellbeing, but those studies were not able to rule out the possibility that people with higher levels of wellbeing simply move to greener areas. Dr White and colleagues were able to solve that problem by using longitudinal data (data gathered from the repeated observation of participants over time) from the national survey, with data collected annually from over 10,000 people between 1991 and 2008.

The new research does not prove that moving to a greener area will necessarily cause increased happiness, but it does fit with findings from experimental studies showing that short bouts of time in a green space can improve people's mood and cognitive functioning.

While the effect for any one person might be small, Dr White points out that the potential positive effects of green space for society at large might be substantial.

"This research could be important for psychologists, public health officials and urban planners who are interested in learning about the effects that urbanisation and city planning can have on population health and wellbeing" Dr White concludes.

###

Co-authors on this research include Dr Ian Alcock, Dr Benedict Wheeler, and Professor Michael Depledge of the University of Exeter Medical School.

For more information, visit http://www.ecehh.org/publication/would-you-be-happier-living-greener-urban-area

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/uoe-gsm041813.php

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Crests approaching in several towns in Midwest

A restaurant sits surrounded by floodwater Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Louisiana, Mo. Communities along the Mississippi River and other rain-engorged waterways are waging feverish bids to hold back floodwaters that may soon approach record levels. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

A restaurant sits surrounded by floodwater Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Louisiana, Mo. Communities along the Mississippi River and other rain-engorged waterways are waging feverish bids to hold back floodwaters that may soon approach record levels. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, right, walks away from floodwaters after meeting with members of the Missouri National Guard as they make flood preparations Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Clarksville, Mo. Communities along the Mississippi River and other rain-engorged waterways are waging feverish bids to hold back floodwaters that may soon approach record levels. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Brenda Scranton helps move belongings out of her son's rented house as floodwater slowly rises around it Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Louisiana, Mo. Scranton's son, Richard Campbell and his family, plan to leave the house, which flooded in 1993 and 2008, and not return. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Men work along a temporary levee in an effort to hold back the swollen Mississippi River Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Clarksville, Mo. Communities along the Mississippi River and other rain-engorged waterways are waging feverish bids to hold back floodwaters that may soon approach record levels. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Members of the Missouri Nationals Guard and others work to shore up a temporary levee in an effort to hold back the swollen Mississippi River Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Clarksville, Mo. Communities along the Mississippi River and other rain-engorged waterways are waging feverish bids to hold back floodwaters that may soon approach record levels. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

CLARKSVILLE, Mo. (AP) ? An all-too-familiar springtime ritual is playing out around the nation's heartland this weekend as volunteers, National Guardsmen and even prison inmates join together in an effort to ward off fast-rising floodwaters.

Dire flooding situations dotted at least six Midwestern states following torrential rains this past week that dumped up to 7 inches in some locations. Record flooding was possible in some places as dozens of rivers overflowed their banks.

The floods and flash floods have forced hundreds of evacuations, closed countless roads, swamped farmland, shut down barge traffic on much of the upper Mississippi River and closed two Mississippi River bridges.

Several Mississippi River towns north of St. Louis were expected to see crests on Sunday, including hard-hit Clarksville, Mo.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-04-21-Spring%20Flooding/id-d6f3efef034e425dbe5ae5bb9e999f91

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Around the Web?

Happy Friday! The countdown to the weekend begins after these reads: A police officer’s act of kindness brightens a little girl’s day — PEOPLE.com New study claims no tie between light drinking during pregnancy and child development — US News How one dad supported his son and took a stand against bullying — The Stir [...]

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/aY0oN43I7ik/

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