It’s a new year, and with it come new changes to our favorite tax code. So what changes can we expect in 2017? Well, the IRS announced the standard annual inflation adjustments back in October, but there are still a few changes that some people may not be aware of.

Early Filers with EITC and/or Additional Child Tax Credit. Many of the fraudulent tax returns that the IRS receives involve refunds with Earned Income Tax Credit and/or the Additional Child Tax Credit. In an effort to limit the lost revenue from tax identity theft and fraudulent claims, refunds with these credits will not be issued until after February 15th.

Health Insurance. Prior to this year, proof of health insurance coverage forms didn't have any filing deadlines. 2017 will change that. The 1095A from employers should be filed by January 31st, just like the W-2s. Other healthcare forms like the 1095B and C are due by February 28th via mail or electronically by March 31. For those who do not have health insurance, the penalty will be the greater of 2.5% of your total household adjusted gross income, or $695 per adult and $347.50 per child, up to a maximum of $2,085.

Taxes and FAFSA. While not necessarily reflecting any change on your tax return, the 2017-2018 Free Application for Federal Student Aid will be requesting tax return information from the 2015 tax year rather than the most recent year. This should certainly ease the anxiety some students feel when trying to encourage their parents to file by the FAFSA deadline!

If you’re interested in some more detailed information, you can subscribe to the IRS's tax tips emails.

Happy tax-filing!

We know deep down that what children need most is quality time with their parents. Too often though, we find ourselves overwhelmed at the costs and time involved in the extra-curricular activities we feel our kids must do in order to become well-rounded human beings.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a cheap way to take them on an amazing adventure that they'll remember all their lives?

There is. Read them a book.  Here are just a few of the benefits:

Improved Vocabulary.Books expose us to words outside our everyday usage.

Increased Attention Span.While small children find it difficult to sit still for very long, starting out with short stories and picture books can help keep them entertained.

Bonding.Children appreciate the time their parents spend with them, and reading is an opportunity to be close physically too.

Improved Listening Skills and Memory.Often when we read to ourselves, we don't hear the beauty of the language an author might have written, so it's wonderful to hear it actually spoken aloud. Also when reading to kids, pause occasionally and discuss what you're reading. Ask questions, like “what do you think will happen next?” or “what if this happened to you, what would you do?”

Inspire imagination and creativity.Books can take us away to other places, let us meet other people, and show us things we never even dreamed of.

Spend some quality time with your kids tonight with a good book—they'll remember it forever.

Creating a budget and staying with it is hard work, so it’s no surprise that an estimated two-thirds of Americans don’t do it.  But if you'd like to be more in control of your finances, then it's a necessary evil. Fortunately there are ways you can make budgeting more fun!

We live in an era where your first thought involving any subject may be “is there an app for that?”, and as far as budgets are concerned, the answer is “ABSOLUTELY”. You've no doubt heard of Mint, which will help you create a budget, track your spending, and even pay bills for you. This app is highly recommended by experts, so it will probably do a great job... but if you are looking for a little more excitement in your budgeting apps:

• Urge. The best way to save money is not to spend it in the first place, and this app will challenge you to resist the urge to spend money.
• Digit. If you've always wanted someone to watch your spending, then grab your extra change and put it in a savings account for you, this is the app you need.
• Acorn. While not a budgeting app, Acorn will round up your purchases to the nearest dollar and invest the extra change for you.

Creating and using a budget doesn’t have to be some tortuous task only an accountant could love. With these apps in your pocket, the money you save may be your own.

Martin Luther King Day is not only a chance to honor a great American, but to realize his dream of serving others. Did you know that when he was a boy, King wanted to be a fireman? We all have childhood dreams about different occupations which, for one reason or another, fall by the wayside before we become adults. But we have a chance to revisit some of those childhood aspirations by volunteering on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service!

King “had a dream”—many, in fact. One dream was that we could live in a community where hunger, homelessness, and poverty didn't exist, because we all helped each other out. Why not pursue one of your childhood dreams while serving others?

• Did you always want to be a veterinarian? Or maybe a lion tamer? Your love for animals would be greatly appreciated at the local animal shelter.
• Never got around to going to med school? Volunteer at local hospitals, health clinics, or the Red Cross.
• Think you would you have made a great teacher? Find out by helping at your local schools or libraries.
• Is the world suffering because you were never a chef? Offer to work at a local soup kitchen, or teach a class on healthy cooking at a community center.

As you can see, occupations from newscaster to farmer could easily be “tried out” by volunteering. Websites like Volunteer Match can help you narrow down volunteer opportunities by interest as well as location. There are even some activities that can be done virtually, like writing jingles for organizations.

This MLK Day of Service, do what you can to make your old dreams, as well as those of others, come true.

The holidays are over, and you may have over-indulged. May have??!!! Who can resist Grandma's apple pie? And you just had to try your brother's Flamin' Hot Cheetos Marshmallow Treats (yes, these do exist!), so it's no wonder you may notice a little post-holiday bloating and weight gain.

But we've got you covered with these ideas to get your workout back on track!

• Try bouncing your way back into those tight britches with a trampoline workout. Mini tramps are available in most sporting goods departments or online. Whether you watch videos, jog in place or dance to your favorite tunes, this low-impact exercise will put you in the mood to get back in shape.
• Holidays and anxiety just seem to go hand in hand, so something to ease the holiday tension might fit the bill perfectly. Yoga can help you quiet your mind, and classes are available practically everywhere these days. If you want to get started at home though, there are plenty of videos on Youtube, or you can begin with this yoga workout program.
• If you're going to be heading back to the gym after the holidays, be sure to put more emphasis on weights than cardio for a few weeks. Lift heavy weights targeting the legs, back, and chest—the major metabolic muscles—which will get your weight back on track faster.

Be sure to get plenty of sleep while you're recovering from the holidays, too. Sure you’d like to fit back into those skinny jeans as quickly as possible, but your overall health is ultimately more important than quickly losing a few pounds.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Happy New Year!

For as long as any of us can remember, the dropping of the ball in Times Square has been synonymous with ringing in the new year. The celebration is always bright and colorful and everywhere you look, there are tens of thousands of people out, all deliriously happy even though it’s freezing outside.

It’s just how they roll in New York, and they’ve been doing it for a long time. The first Times Square celebration goes all the way back to 1904 when Adolph Ochs, the owner of the New York Times, decided to throw a party to kick off the opening of his new headquarters. Not one to do things small, the celebration featured a fireworks show from the top of the building, and an estimated 200,000 people attended.

The world-famous ball didn’t actually ‘drop’ that night. For the event, Ochs constructed a sphere built from wood and iron and electrically lit with a hundred incandescent bulbs. A team of six men hoisted the 700 pound construction up to the top of the building, where on the stroke of midnight, it lit a giant sign welcoming in 1905.

The ball changed many times over the years until it reached its current incarnation, a 12 foot orb lit by over 32,000 LED lamps and weighing nearly six tons.  Designed to be weatherproof, the ball is permanently displayed at the original building located at One Times Square.

Whether you’re planning a big gala or just want to ring in 2017 with a few friends, have a great and safe New Year.