Reverse Phone Number Lookup Plans Now Discounted at CellPhoneRegistry.com

Reverse phone number lookup plans are now discounted online at the CellPhoneRegistry.com website. The single search and annual plan now provide discounted pricing to help those performing in-depth phone lookups to save money during the research process.

San Francisco, California (PRWEB) January 10, 2013
Reverse phone number lookups are one popular way that phone caller information can be verified or located quickly and easily. The CellPhoneRegistry.com company now holds the largest database online for cell and landline phone numbers and is offering discounted pricing. The pricing for single number and unlimited search records has been reduced to help those searching for U.S. based numbers to save money.
Unlisted phone numbers pose a problem for searchers depending on Caller ID services. The unpublished and unlisted numbers now total into the millions in the United States according to telecom data. The lack of information that is provided for these numbers is one reason that a brand new unlisted search tool is now offered online. Over 218 million unlisted numbers are now searchable to help someone locate more information about a caller.
Prank phone calls can be considered criminal activity in some U.S. states although without verification of a name and identify of a caller it can be difficult to seek prosecution. The process of the reverse phone search tools that are now offered online are helping to provide one extra level of security for users. Nearly any U.S. number can be searched entirely online and records can be pulled from the database.
The new pricing that is applied to the search plans includes the unlimited search plan that was added this year. This new plan provides 365 days of unlimited usage for any adult accessing the search system through the secure online interface. Since multiple databases are used to acquire data, searchers of the system can lookup unlimited numbers to provide the accuracy of information already known or to locate new information.
The CellPhoneRegistry.com company updates its database information on a regular basis. Over a half a billion records now exist and this information is obtained from private and public information sources. The records that can be accessed apply to all states in the U.S. Since the service is guaranteed, a person that does not find a match is eligible for a second search at no charge if he or she uses the single number search plans online.
About Cell Phone Registry
The Cell Phone Registry company is one of the first of its kind operating online that provides immediate access to a half a billion phone records. These records are checked for accuracy and are added or subtracted when necessary to keep all information updated. This company provides dual levels of search plans to make it simple for men and women to find the information that is requested. The Cell Phone Registry company offers guarantees of all of its searched data and provides one of the only unlimited phone number search systems currently found online.

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Mother Publishes Story of Her Daughter’s Battle Against Cancer in New Book

Author Rebecca Rozelle Burt returns with a nonfiction work which traces a journey that transformed her life and may also transform the lives of others.

Anniston, AL (PRWEB) January 10, 2013
From Rebecca Rozelle Burt, author of Facing Bulls—a powerful fiction about death, grief and coping—comes I Had a Daughter, a newly-published, evocative work of non-fiction, that tackles the same life-changing themes as her novel.
Burt recounts in raw detail the story of her 13-month journey with her daughter, Rozelle Burt Lentjes, as she battled a lethal form of cancer. It is a remarkable story that deals with relationships and suffering, courage and perseverance, humility and grace, faith and love.
I Had A Daughter is a memoir as well as a spiritual diary. Written by a mother who becomes a primary caregiver for her beloved 46-year-old daughter, the book is composed of a chronological narrative interspersed with pertinent e-mails, inner monologues, and medical data. No component of the author’s experience is omitted. The author does, however, recognize her limitations. “I tell Rozelle’s story only as I could perceive it within the space allowed to those we love, the borders of our private inner worlds. I admit to the subjectivity of my perceptions and memories,” Burt writes.
The book allows readers to experience from the inside what the author calls “cancer world.” Including details of their medical journey, Burt reveals the complications and frustrations involved in finding the right doctors and the best treatment. She describes how the best doctors relate to the patient and not just the disease. She also emphasizes the necessity of informed patient participation in the process of treatment.
Ultimately the story becomes a spiritual diary. During bad times and good, the author is surprised by changes and discoveries in her understanding of what life brings.
This book will provide insights for any reader who has faced adversity and survived. It will also be of interest to anyone who has wondered about the mysterious ways in which we incorporate suffering and loss into our lives without falling into despair.
For more information on this book, interestesd parties may log on to xxx.Xlibris.coma
About the Author

Rebecca Rozelle Burt was born and grew up in Talladega, Alabama. She attended Auburn University, married, and later graduated from the University of Alabama at Huntsville. When her two children were young, she earned an MA degree from Jacksonville State University. After teaching English in junior high and high schools in various northeastern Alabama locations, she spent the last several years of her career in the English Department of Jacksonville State University. She is the author of a novel, Facing Bulls, published in 2010 and is currently working on another novel, Because I Live Here, and editing Recollections: My Folks and Fields, her late father’s cultural history of life in rural Clay County, Alabama. She lives in Anniston, Alabama, with her husband, Mack. They share their home with Woodrow the Wonder Dog, a border collie mix rescued from a local shelter.uas
I Had A Daughter * by Rebecca Rozelle Burt

Publication Date: 11/27/2012

Trade Paperback; $15.99; 337pages; 978-1-4797-1313-4

Trade Hardback; $22.99; 337pages; 978-1-4797-1314-1

eBook; $1.99; 978-1-4797-1315-8

Members of the media who wish to review this book may request a complimentary paperback copy by contacting the publisher at (888) 795-4274 x. 7879. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (610) 915-0294 or call (888) 795-4274 x. 7879.
For more information on self-publishing or marketing with Xlibris, visit http://www.Xlibris.com. To receive a free publishing guide, please call (888) 795-4274.

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New Book Reveals a Family’s Life Amidst Religious Fundamentalism and Zealotry

Author Duane Keown revisits his past as a non-believer in Mormon-dominated Utah

Wyoming (PRWEB) January 10, 2013
In “Thirteenth Year in Zion,” author Duane Keown gives an exposition of Mormon culture during his time in Utah from the late 1950s to the mid 1970s. He recalls his experiences as an educator in an environment steeped in religious fundamentalism, and the difficulties of raising a family with views different from that of the Mormon majority. He also details the anachronistic beliefs of the Mormon religion, and how they contradict the scientific and cultural developments of the modern world.
Keown points out the absurdity of the controversial Mormon belief that God cursed the Africans and Native Americans with their skin color because of the sins of their ancestors. The prejudicial treatment against Africans and Native Americans included African Americans prohibition from holding leadership positions in the Mormon Church. This discriminatory policy lasted until the late 1970s, when criticism from civil rights movement forced the Church to revise its holy teachings. According to their Holy Book of Mormon, Native Americans descended from a lost tribe of Israelites, when genetic research shows that they are more related to people from northern Asia. Keown also criticizes how the religious fundamentalists force their faith on those with different beliefs, mistakenly thinking that their religion is the only true path and that all other beliefs are wrong.
“Thirteenth Year in Zion” is an earnest warning against the folly of fundamentalism, and how science, modernism and multiculturalism can challenge these intolerant beliefs. Keown’s work is an informative portrayal of the interplay of culture, society and faith in America in these changing times.
For more information on this book, interested parties may log on to http://www.Xlibris.com.
About the Author

Duane Keown began his education career at the Hideout Mine School in the San Juan County of Utah in 1960. Later, he taught biology and other sciences at the Monticello High School in Monticello. For three years, he was the principal of the San Juan Junior High School in Blanding. In 1975, he became a professor of science education at the University of Wyoming. Dr. Keown is best known in Wyoming for his work with teachers in conservation/environmental education workshops. In UW’s Science and Math Teaching Center, he worked with teachers from more than 30 school districts during the summers of 1995–98 to write environmental education activity manuals. The manual, “Wild Wonderful Wyoming: Choices for the Future”, went to one-third of the state’s K-12 teachers. He has authored numerous professional articles in journals on science education, environmental education, and religion. Professor Keown was honored at the Annual Conference of the North American Association for Environmental Education in Portland, Oregon when he received the distinguished Outstanding Service to Environmental Education by an Individual Award for 2009.
Thirteenth Year in Zion * by Duane Keown

Mormons Confront the Twenty-First Century

Publication Date: 10/30/2012

Trade Paperback; $ 19.99; 205pages; 978-1-4797-2106-1

Trade Hardback; $ 29.99; 205pages; 978-1-4797-2107-8

eBook; $ 3.99; 978-1-4797-2108-5
Members of the media who wish to review this book may request a complimentary paperback copy by contacting the publisher at (888) 795-4274 x. 7879. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (610) 915-0294 or call (888) 795-4274 x. 7879.

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Super Bowl Party at Via Brasil Steakhouse this 2013

Via Brasil Steakhouse is the place to be on February 3rd 2013. This Las Vegas Brazilian Steakhouse is showing the game in a main dining room on 150" Screen with their Rodizio dinner and happy hour specials

Las Vegas ,Nevada (PRWEB) January 08, 2013
Super Bowl Package Options
Option 1 $36.99 Rodizio Dinner with 18 Meats,16 Side Dishes and Gourmet Salad Bar with 35 Hot and Cold Dishes AYCE” in a Dining room
Option 2 $18,99 Salad Bar AYCE with 35 Super Bowl style appetizers
Option 3 $3-$8 Happy Hour Cocktail and Appetizers Specials-at the Bar and Dining room
Option 4 $35 Open Bar /person
Children 5 years old and under Rodizio Dinner is Free and Children 6-12 years old Rodizio Dinner is $14,99
About Via Brasil Steakhouse:

Via Brasil Steakhouse is located at 1225 S. Fort Apache Road, on the southwest corner of Charleston Boulevard and Fort Apache Road. Open seven days a week, Via Brasil Steakhouse is open for Dinner service from 5pm Monday through Friday, 3pm Saturday and 4pm Sunday. Brunch is Served Sundays Only from 10:00am - 2pm. Reservations are encouraged. For reservations or more information, please call 702-804-1400 or visit http://www.viabrasilsteakhouse.com. Also follow us on Facebook and Twitter @viabrasilsteakh

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Start Up Company, Kinks the Ad Minx, Compares itself to Santa Clause

New business start up is comparing itself to Santa in a bid to attract trust in its venture.

London, UK (PRWEB UK) 8 January 2013
A new ‘gimmicky’ style start up is comparing itself with Santa Claus in the hope to attract the attention and trust of potential investors. Kinks the Ad Minx is the concept of a 27 year old from the UK who is planning on travelling across the USA for 8 weeks this summer. The idea is that the car, Kinks, will sell small sections of space on the car and place logo’s and adverts across the car in a montage style. This enables the car to display multiple adverts, whilst offering a low cost option to advertisers. The adverts will also be displayed on the website. The owner, Kerry, is currently a field based Sales Consultant and came up with the idea whilst driving up and down the UK constantly for work. ‘I was travelling around extensively in the run up to Christmas’ states Kerry ‘and I couldn’t help but think what a shame it was that my company had never utilized the space on my car for their logo, or an advert, as it had the potential to reach a wide audience. That is where the idea for Kinks came in. If I am driving across the USA anyway, I may as well try to make a little extra cash by using my car as an advertising board’. Although Kinks is intended to be a different concept to the norm in car advertising, Kerry hopes that the low cost outlay will attract marketing executives to try her idea out. ‘I think that the look of the car will be so unique it will attract interest and people will take the time to look at it, and even Google it. Especially when the car is stationary, parked or in traffic, it will be attention catching’ claims Kerry. The website states that ‘it may be the next Santa Claus’ and the question they are asking is ‘Would you invest in Santa Claus?’ Kerry, and Kinks the Ad Minx, are certainly hoping you would.

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JustWalkers.com Releases Tip Sheet on Safely Using Mobility Aids in Winter

With winter in full swing, JustWalkers.com is offering a new tip sheet on Safely Using Your Mobility Aid in the Winter.

Fulton, Md. (PRWEB) January 08, 2013
Though winter can be a fun and joyous time, it brings with it a certain set of dangers—extreme cold, snow, and icy paths. These can be particularly troublesome for the elderly, especially those who rely on a mobility aid such as a cane or rollator to get around. That’s why JustWalkers.com has released a new tip sheet on Safely Using Your Mobility Aid in the Winter.
The guide covers everything from important but well-known tips such as avoiding icy pathways to often forgotten tips such as wearing sunscreen. “People don’t worry about sunburns when it’s cold,” said JustWalkers.com’s Bryan Mercer, a licensed pharmacist for over 30 years. “But snow is great reflector. The white surface will shine sunlight right at you and can cause sunburns.”
The tip sheet also covers products that can help mobility aid users get through the winter season. For example, attaching an ice grip to the bottom of one’s cane can increase traction and lower the risk of falls. Or if one finds their rollator or walker handles are getting cold, they can pull a warm fleece cover over the handles.
Power outages are another major winter concern, often caused by heavy snow storms. Limited light makes getting around even trickier for those with limited mobility. “One of the more unique products we carry is the See 4 Safety Mobility Light,” said Mercer. “It has a motion sensor which lets it know when to switch on or off. That way once it’s installed, you don’t have to mess with any switches or worry about leaving it on and draining the battery.”
About JustWalkers.com

Just Walkers provides premium walking aids throughout the United States for people of all ages looking for the best mobility products at the lowest price. They understand the importance of choosing the perfect mobility device to fit your needs. With this in mind, they offer only the best products, parts, and accessories including detailed information about each product and numerous user reviews to help you with your decision. They are proud to serve those who seek information and assistance in determining which walking aid works best for them. With a wide assortment of walking aids at affordable prices, JustWalkers.com is determined to make your shopping experience worthwhile.

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Tax filing delay looms if no fix for minimum tax: IRS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. tax collector warned on Thursday of a delayed start to 2013's tax season if Congress fails to reset the alternative minimum tax (AMT) on high-income taxpayers so that it does not sweep in millions of middle-income people.
Without another adjustment by lawmakers soon to the AMT, "many of us will see a delayed filing season," said Steven Miller, named just last month as Internal Revenue Service acting commissioner.
Miller did not give an exact date by which Congress must approve an AMT "patch" to prevent a delay to the tax season, which is scheduled to begin on January 22.
"We don't have any drop-dead time in mind," Miller told reporters after a speech at a conference in Washington.
But his remarks came on a day of continued stalemate in Washington between Democrats and Republicans over what to do about the "fiscal cliff" approaching at the end of the year.
The AMT is a crucial part of the assorted tax increases and automatic spending cuts that make up the so-called "cliff," a convergence of events that, absent congressional action, threatens to plunge the U.S. economy back into recession.
"Many people don't realize that they could potentially face a significantly delayed filing season and a much bigger tax bill for 2012," if the AMT is not dealt with, Miller said.
"In programming our systems, the IRS has assumed that Congress will patch the AMT as Congress has for so many years.
"And I remain optimistic that the fiscal cliff debate will be resolved by the end of the year. If that turns out not to be the case, then what is clear is that many of us will see a delayed filing season," Miller said.
The AMT is a tax intended to make sure that at least some tax is paid by high-income people who otherwise could sharply reduce or eliminate their regular income tax bills through using tax loopholes. About 4 million people annually pay the AMT.
Unlike the regular income tax, the AMT is not indexed for inflation. So the thresholds that determine who must pay the tax have to be regularly raised. This prevents the AMT from hitting middle-class people whose incomes may have crept upward on the back of inflation, but who are not wealthy.
Congress last patched the AMT in late 2010. Without another patch, the AMT could hit as many as 33 million people for the 2012 tax year, according to the IRS.
Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York said on Thursday he is "hopeful" that the AMT problem will be fixed with a broader "fiscal cliff" resolution before December 31.
Republicans in Congress may see the AMT as leverage in their "fiscal cliff" negotiations with President Barack Obama and the Democrats.
The IRS might have until mid-January to implement an AMT patch and still start the tax season on time, if Congress approves the fix as expected, said Richard Harvey, a tax professor at Villanova University and a former IRS official.
The AMT "is a ticking time bomb that is going to go off some time in January," Harvey said.

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Oregon governor says Nike plans to hire thousands

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Sporting goods giant Nike plans to expand its operations in Oregon and hire as many as 12,000 new workers by 2020 but wants the government to promise it won't change the state tax code, prompting a special session of the Legislature.
Gov. John Kitzhaber said he'll call lawmakers together Friday in Salem to create a new law authorizing him to grant Nike's wish.
The governor did not release information about the company's expansion plans but the $440 million project would create 2,900 construction jobs with an annual economic impact of $2 billion a year.
Nike Inc. has its headquarters in Beaverton. Company officials could not immediately be reached.
The Legislature is due to meet in its regular annual session beginning Jan. 14, but Kitzhaber said Nike needed certainty sooner. The company was being wooed by other states, he said.
"Getting Oregonians back to work is my top priority," Kitzhaber said in a news conference.
Either the governor or the Legislature itself can call lawmakers into session at times other than the state Constitution specifies.
For much of the state's history, the Legislature's regular sessions have been held every other year, at the beginning of odd-numbered years. That's the kind of session the Legislature is scheduled to begin early next year.
In recent years, the Legislature has moved to meet annually, running test sessions of briefer sessions in even-numbered years. Those led to voter approval of a constitutional amendment in 2010 that called for annual sessions.
Records list 38 special sessions since Oregon's statehood, ranging from one day on eight occasions to 37 days in 1982.

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Oregon governor says Nike plans expansion

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Nike wants to expand its Oregon operations and hire hundreds of workers but is asking the government to promise it won't change the state tax code.
Gov. John Kitzhaber (KIHTS'-hah-bur) says he'll call the Legislature into session Friday to create a law to give Nike its wish.
The company has not specified its expansion plans except to say it would create at least 500 jobs and $150 million in capital investment over five years.
Nike Inc. has its headquarters in Beaverton, outside Portland. Company officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
It employs 44,000 people globally, including 8,000 in Washington County.
Nike has been selling off brands and making other moves to focus on its most profitable businesses, which include its namesake Nike brand, Jordan, Converse and Hurley.

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Report: Most Pakistani lawmakers do not file taxes

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The majority of Pakistani lawmakers do not file tax returns despite a legal requirement to do, a report said Wednesday, reinforcing concerns about the low level of tax revenue in the country.
Pakistan has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP rates in the world because payment is not well enforced, and major areas of the economy, such as the agriculture sector, are either taxed at very low rates or not at all.
Around two-thirds of the country's 446 lawmakers failed to file tax returns in 2011, the latest data available, said the report, co-published by the Center for Investigative Reporting in Pakistan and the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives.
A similar percentage of the government's 55 Cabinet members also failed to file returns, said the report, titled "Representation Without Taxation." Among those politicians who failed to file a return was Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.
Even lawmakers who filed returns often paid very low amounts of tax on outside income. The lowest-paying lawmaker who filed a return, Senator Mushahid Hussain, paid less than $1 in taxes, said the report.
The figures do not take into account the tax paid by lawmakers on their official salaries, which is automatically deducted. It instead focuses on declarations of supplemental income from land, businesses and other sources of revenue.
Analysts have said that the country's effective tax rate is so low because a small elite, comprised of the military, land owners and the rising urban upper and middle classes is reluctant to give up any of its wealth. These groups either put pressure on lawmakers or are the lawmakers themselves.
"End result is the erosion of public trust in the government that is frequently blamed for serving the interests of the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor and low-income groups," the report said.

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Pennies over patriotism: Look at tax-averse stars

 France's Socialist government is introducing a 75-percent income tax on those earning over €1 million ($1.3 million), forcing some of the country's rich and famous to set up residency in less fiscally-demanding countries.
Here's a look at some big stars in France and elsewhere who have, over the years, put their pennies above their patriotism.
DEPARTING DEPARDIEU
The French prime minister has accused actor Gerard Depardieu of being "pathetic" and "unpatriotic" for setting up residence in a small village just across the border in neighboring Belgium to avoid paying taxes in France.
The office of the mayor in Depardieu's new haunts at Nechin, also known as the "millionaire's village" for its appeal to high-earning Frenchmen, said that for people with high income, like Depardieu, the Belgian tax system, capped at 50 percent, is more attractive.
Depardieu, who has played in more than 100 films, including "Green Card" and "Cyrano de Bergerac," has not commented publicly on the matter.
BEATLE TAX
In 2005, the Beatles' Ringo Starr took up residency in Monaco, where he gets to keep a higher percentage of royalties than he would in Britain or Los Angeles. France's tiny neighbor Monaco, with zero percent income tax for most people, has obvious appeal for the 72-year-old drummer and his estimated $240 million fortune.
The Beatles' resentment of high taxes goes back to their 1960s song "Taxman." George Harrison penned it in protest of the British government's 95 percent supertax on the rich, evoked by the lyrics: "There's one for you, nineteen for me."
Harrison reportedly said later, "'Taxman' was when I first realized that even though we had started earning money, we were actually giving most of it away in taxes."
LICENSE TO DODGE
Former "James Bond" star Sean Connery left the U.K. in the 1970s, reportedly for tax exile in Spain, and then the Bahamas — another spot with zero income tax and one of the richest countries per capita in the Americas. His successor to the 007 mantle, Roger Moore, also opted for exile in the 1970s — this time in Monaco — ensuring his millions were neither shaken nor stirred.
EXILE ON MAIN ST.
In 1972, The Rolling Stones controversially moved to the south of France to escape onerous British taxes. Though it caused a stink at the time, it spawned one of the group's most seminal albums, "Exile on Main St." The title is a reference to their tax-dodging. In 2006, British media branded them the "Stingy Stones" with reports that they'd paid just 1.6 percent tax on their earnings of $389 million over the previous two decades.
FISCAL HEALING
In 1980, U.S. singer Marvin Gaye moved to Hawaii from L.A. to avoid problems with the Internal Revenue Service, the American tax agency. Later that year, Gaye relocated to London after a tour in Europe. Gaye, whose hits include "Sexual Healing" and "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" settled in Belgium in 1981. He was shot to death in 1984.

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U.S. Housing Market Still On Life Support; Prices At 2003 Levels

With each passing year, the former Oracle of the Fed, Alan Greenspan, is reminded that there really was a housing bubble and lowering interest rates to record lows just made matters worse.  Nearly four years after the housing market peak in 2007, record low mortgage rates are no match for falling incomes and 9% unemployment.
The Case-Shiller Home Price Index, released on Tuesday, showed that nation wide home prices did not register a significant change in the third quarter of 2011, with the U.S. National Home Price Index up by only 0.1% from its second quarter level. Home prices are down 3.9% across the board and are now back to their first quarter of 2003 levels. The market consensus was for a 3% decline year over year.
From August to September, housing prices have fallen the most in Atlanta, with a 5.9% decline, followed by Tampa Bay and San Francisco, both with a 1.5% drop in housing prices.
Boston, New York, Washington and Los Angeles remain the most expensive cities in the lower 48 states.
"The plunging collapse of prices seen in 2007-2009 seems to be behind us," says David M. Blitzer, Chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Indices. "Any chance for a sustained recovery will probably need a stronger economy.

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Home market being held back by wary first-timers

 This should be a great time to buy a first home. Prices have sunk to 2002 levels. Sellers are waiting anxiously as homes languish on the market. Mortgage rates are their lowest ever.
Yet the most likely first-time homeowners, especially young professionals and couples starting families, won't buy these days. Or they can't. Or they already did, during the housing boom. And their absence helps explain why the housing industry is still depressed.
The obstacles range from higher down payments to heavy debt from credit cards and student loans. But even many of those who could afford to buy no longer see it as a wise investment. Prices have sunk 15 percent in three years.
"I've looked for a home, but the places we can afford with the money we have are not that great," says Seth Herter, 23, a store manager in suburban St. Louis. "It also doesn't seem smart anymore to buy with prices falling. Buying a home just doesn't make sense to us."
The proportion of U.S. households that own homes is at 65.1 percent, its lowest point since 1996, the Census Bureau says. That marks a shift after nearly two decades in which homeownership grew before peaking at 70 percent during the housing boom.
The housing bubble lured so many young buyers that it reduced the pool of potential first-timers to below-normal levels. That's contributed to the decline in new buyers in recent years.
In 2005, at the height of the boom, about 2.8 million first-timers bought homes, according to the National Association of Realtors. By contrast, for each of the four years preceding the boom, the number of first-timers averaged fewer than 2 million.
Still, the bigger factors are the struggling economy, shaky job security, tougher credit rules and lack of cash to put down, said Dan McCue, research manager at Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. The unemployment rate among typical first-timers, those ages 25 to 34, is 9.8 percent, compared with 9 percent for all adults.
"The obstacles facing first-time buyers are big, and it's changing the way they look at home ownership," McCue says. "It's no longer the American Dream for the younger generation."
First-timers usually account for up to half of all sales. Over the past year, they've accounted for only about a third.
A big reason is tougher lending standards.
Lenders are demanding more money up front. In 2002, the median down payment for a single-family home in nine major U.S. cities was 4 percent, according to real estate website Zillow.com. Today, it's 22 percent.
And one-third of households have credit scores too low to qualify for a mortgage. The median required credit score from FICO Inc., the industry leader in credit ratings, has risen from 720 in 2007, when the market went bust, to 760 today.
Homes in many places are the most affordable in a generation. In the past year, the national median sale price has sunk 3.5 percent. Half the homes listed in the Tampa Bay area are priced below $100,000.
The average mortgage rate for a 30-year fixed loan is 4 percent, barely above an all-time low. Five years ago, it was near 6.5 percent. In 2000, it exceeded 8 percent.
When the economy eventually strengthens, the housing market will, too. More people will be hired. Confidence will rise. Down payments won't be so hard to produce.
The question is whether first-time buyers will then start flowing into the housing market. That will depend mainly on whether they think prices will rise, said Mark Vitner, senior U.S. economist at Wells Fargo.
"It's a guessing game as to when things will turn around," Vitner said. "But until they do, you won't see young people buying homes."

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First Person: I Repaid My Student Loans While Still in College

Note: This was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Do you have a personal finance story that you'd like to share? Sign up with the Yahoo! Contributor Network to start publishing your own finance articles.
The first two years of my college experience was spent at a community college. My tuition was covered, but I took out a loan for $20,000 to cover living expenses. Upon transferring to a costly four-year university I received a hefty scholarship, which covered most of my expenses. Still, my loans were at $11,500 per year. The day of my graduation, I received the coveted diploma and a not-so-coveted array of bills for my student loans.
However, the difference between other students and myself was the large sum of money lingering my savings account that I started four years prior. Let me explain how I managed to pay off my bills on the same day that I graduated from college:
Federal Loans Only
The first goal during my college career was to stay away from private student loans because they are nightmares. Trust me, I know. I took out a $5,000 private student loan in my first year of college and watched it as it was passed around from lender to lender and the interest rate jumped around, ranging from 8% to 20%. Not to mention the compounding of interest that increased the loan nearly $1,500 in eight months. Needless to say, I paid that off with every dime that I had to give to it by taking on a job. Please, if you can avoid them, do not take out alternative loans.
The government offers student loans at wonderful interest rates and the government will pay the interest of the loan while you are pursuing your education.
Monthly Payments While in School
Let's evaluate my loans. During years one and two, I took out $7,500 for each year. My plan was to get a job that I could take the money that I would need to pay off the loan in one year and pay it into a high-interest savings account. That meant that for years one and two, I paid $625 into my savings account each month. During years three and four, I took out $11,500 per year, which meant that I had to contribute $960 each month to the savings account. This may seem like a lot of money, but at the time I was single and still didn't have my daughter (until the fourth year), so it was easy to have all of my expenses paid, get a job on the side and contribute all of that money into a savings account.
At the end of the four years, I had contributed $43,000 to my savings account and earned about $1,000 in interest on the money.
On the day of my graduation I was able to pay off my student loans and never had to pay a cent of interest. If you are financially capable to do this, then I suggest that you do it. All it takes is finding extra income through a part time job or funding. You will save thousands of dollars in interest if you can manage this. If you cannot afford to pay the monthly payment, then pay half of it or pay what the interest would be on the loan. That way you can make a lump sum payment at the end of your college education.

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End-of-the-Year Checklist for Divorcing Women

Most women wait until after the holidays to move forward with their divorces --and that’s completely understandable. Many don’t want to disrupt family traditions for their children. Some welcome the distraction offered by the hustle and bustle of the season. And, of course, others want to avoid the discussions that inevitably seem to arise whenever and wherever relatives gather.
Interestingly, though, January is the month when most divorces are filed. Obviously, turning the page towards a New Year inspires a fresh start –and that’s completely understandable, too. If you’re headed in that direction, it makes sense to spend a little time this month planning ahead. You can do so discreetly, and then know that you’ll truly be ready to start the New Year on the right foot.
To help get you begin, here are a few things you can do now to help make the divorce process smoother in 2012:
1. Start collecting financial documents. Watch the mail for year-end statements from banks, credit card companies, etc.  As we outline in our Divorce Financial Checklist, preparing for divorce requires gathering all the relevant documents related to your bank and brokerage accounts, credit cards, mortgages, etc. Once you have collected them, make copies, and take them to a trusted friend/family member, or use a safe deposit box that your husband can’t access.
2. Check your credit report. While you’re gathering your financial records, keep a careful eye on your credit card statements, and if you haven’t already done so, request a copy of your credit report. Once you have the report, monitor your score carefully so you’ll be the first to know if any unusual activity occurs.  (For example, is your husband using your joint credit cards to buy his girlfriend gifts this holiday season?)  See my post, How To Protect Your Credit Score During Your Divorce, for more tips
3. Research divorce professionals in your area. If you want to ensure the best possible outcome for your divorce, take the time to build a qualified divorce team. I recommend you start with these three players: a matrimonial/family law attorney, a divorce financial planner and a therapist/counselor. Spend some time this month researching divorce professionals and create a short list of candidates for each position. Schedule interviews with each top contender in January, and rest easy knowing that by February 2012, you’ll be benefiting from the expert guidance of a top-notch divorce team.
4. Open new accounts in your name. Moving forward as a single woman in 2012 will require that you have a bank account and credit cards in your name. Lay the groundwork now.  Don’t use the bank where you currently have your joint accounts. Go to a different bank and open both a savings and a checking account in your name. You’ll need your own credit card, too, so you should start that process now, as well. New federal regulations are making it harder than ever for women with little or no income to establish credit on their own. You can do it. But, plan accordingly and know that securing credit is going to be more complicated than just filling out an application or making a single phone call.
5. Remain vigilant. Is your husband using the good cheer of the holidays as cover while he dissipates family assets? Be attentive, and if you are concerned at all about financial shenanigans by your husband, you may want to think twice about filing a joint return with him for 2011.
Some women who are considering divorce let the holidays get them down. Don’t be one of them. Use this opportunity to start planning ahead, and you’ll be able to start the New Year confident that you are on the way to a more stable and secure financial future.

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It's Not Too Late: Year-End Tax Moves

Once you’ve reached the last month of the tax year, your options are limited to minimize your income taxes. But there are a few things that could still be done, so don’t give up hope.
For example, you could double up your real estate taxes by prepaying next year’s tax during December. Doing this with, for example, a $3,000 per year real estate tax bill could result in a reduction of tax for the year of $750 if you’re in the 25% bracket. Keep in mind though, that you’ll have forked out this money long before it is actually due in most cases, and for the next year you won’t have this deduction available if you used it in this year.
The same could be done with your charitable contributions - there’s no reason that you can’t make additional contributions to your favorite charities at the end of this year instead of waiting until next year.
You could also send your final estimated state income tax payment due in January of next year during December and claim that payment on this year’s itemized deductions as well.
Prepaying your January mortgage payment will credit that mortgage interest to this year as well, further increasing your itemized deductions.
Other itemized deductions could be “stacked” in one year, such as medical expenses (subject to the 7.5% floor) and miscellaneous deductions (subject to the 2% floor).
It’s important to keep in mind that the moves that you make this year might reduce your tax now - but you might have an adverse impact on next year’s income tax by doing so. It will pay to run the calculations based on what you know about this year’s tax and next year’s tax to make sure that it is in your best interest to do this.
Here’s how it might play out: if you prepaid your next year’s real estate tax during this year, it might reduce your deductions below the Standard Deduction - which could be a good thing. In doing this, you would get to use the Standard Deduction to increase your tax deductions on next year’s return when you specifically reduced your deductions for that year by prepaying the deductible real estate tax in during this year. In this fashion you might be making the most of the standard deduction and your itemized deductions year after year - one year using the “stacked” deductions, the next using the standard deduction.
These prepayment options could have a negative affect if you are subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). Prepaying your state tax, mortgage interest and some medical expenses might trigger or cause an increase in AMT. One tactic that you might consider is selling a taxable investment that has an inherent loss; this is especially useful if you’ve sold another investment at some point in the tax year that has resulted in a taxable gain. Losses can be used to offset those capital gains dollar for dollar, and an additional $3,000 in capital losses can be used to reduce your ordinary income as well.
You can also make up for underpayment of estimated tax by taking a withdrawal from an IRA (especially if you’re over age 59½) and having tax withheld from the withdrawal. This can also be accomplished by having more tax withheld from your paycheck if you’re still working, by filing a new W4. Another significant move you can make includes the Qualified Charitable Distribution from your IRA, 401(k) or 403(b) - allowing you to bypass recognizing that income, including your RMD. This can only be done if you’re at least age 70½ and subject to Required Minimum Distributions. The charity receives a contribution, and you get to lower your year-end balance in your account, therefore reducing your RMD for next year.  For more details on this, you should check out the IRA Owner's Manual.
You can also delay your first RMD (if you reached age 70½ this year) until as late as April 1 of next year, although that will mean you have to take two RMDs next year. But in some circumstances that may be the better option.
You can also make a deductible contribution to your IRA, if you qualify - but you don’t have to do that before the end of the year, you have until April 15 to do that.
This isn’t an exhaustive list of year-end tax moves, just several of the more prominent ones. Hopefully you’ll find what you need here to help with your year-end tax plans.

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HTC upgrades Android devices faster than any of its rivals

The problem with Android has always been the erratic schedules manufacturers and carriers use to update devices. Due to custom user interfaces that are used to differentiate devices from the large pool of Android vendors, manufacturers often require more time to update devices than Google (GOOG) does for its own Nexus line of smartphones and tablets. Smartphone makers must then submit their update to the carriers for further testing, a process that can take months. This process leaves a majority of smartphones and tablets left running an old and outdated version of Android. ArsTechnica took an extensive look at the slow history of Android updates for smartphones from LG (006570), Motorola, Samsung (005930) and HTC (2498), on the networks of the four major U.S. carriers — Verizon (VZ), AT&T (T), Sprint (S) and T-Mobile. The results may surprise you.
[More from BGR: Fan-made tweak gives Apple a blueprint for better multitasking in iOS 7 [video]]
HTC fared the best when it came to updating its devices, with an average time of 4.8 months, although Samsung’s updating schedule dramatically improved with its Galaxy S III smartphone, which was updated in an average of four and a half months. Overall the company updated its devices in an average of 6.9 months, better than Motorola and LG, which averaged 8.6 months and 11.8 months, respectively. Motorola does not plan to update the DROID 3, Atrix 4G and Photon 4G, however, which is a reason for concern.
[More from BGR: Windows already threatening iPhone in Southern Europe]
On the carrier side of things, T-Mobile was found to be the most reliable with an average time of 5.8 months for updating devices. Sprint is the second best with an average of 6.5 months and unsurprisingly AT&T and Verizon are found at the bottom of the pack with average times of 7.8 months and 8 months, respectively.
In the end, if you are looking for a smartphone that will always be up-to-date with the latest version of Android, a Nexus device is your best bet. The unlocked version of the Galaxy Nexus receives its updates directly from Google, while the Sprint and Verizon variants experienced an average update time of only 2.5 months.
If you prefer a different device, an HTC or Samsung smartphone running on T-Mobile or Sprint will be updated in a timely manner, based on ArsTechnica’s findings.

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Kan. agency posting tax guidance ahead of new law

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Department of Revenue is posting guidance regarding two provisions of the state income tax law ahead of changes that take effect in January.
Spokeswoman Jeannine Koranda said Tuesday that the guidance lets accountants, tax attorneys and residents know how the agency will be interpreting inconsistencies within the law. One of the items deals with how the taxpayers will be able to use itemized deductions to reduce their tax liability.
The state also sent out mailers earlier this year to 146,000 businesses to inform them about the new tax law and how it could apply to them.
"The reason for that is that they are the ones who really have to take any action before Jan. 1," Koranda said, such as changing how the business is organized for tax purposes. "Most people won't have to deal with the new law before next year when we send out the tax forms."
Koranda says the revenue department will ask the 2013 Legislature to make changes to the law to codify the guidance.
The state will reduce individual income tax rates, drop the top tax rate to 4.9 percent from 6.45 percent and increase the standard deductions claimed by married couples and heads-of-household. The state also will exempt the owners of 191,000 partnerships, sole proprietorships and other businesses from taxes.
Koranda said the impact will vary depending on each individual taxpayer and how they file their return, including marital status, number of children and how many other deductions or exemptions that are claimed. For example, a married head-of-household tax filer earning $52,000 a year should see about $12 more in a biweekly paycheck.
"One of the other places that people will see is the change in 2014 when they get the higher standard deduction that doubles to $9,000 for married and single head-of-household payers," she said.
Legislative researchers have estimated that the cuts will be worth $4.5 billion over the next six years. But the researchers also project that the cuts will create collective budget shortfalls approaching $2.5 billion during the same period. A group of state officials and economists estimate legislators will have to close a projected shortfall of more than $327 million next spring when they draft the state budget for fiscal year 2014.
Koranda didn't know how many existing businesses might be changing their classification to take advantage of the tax changes.
"Honestly, we won't know if businesses were changing their structures until they file their taxes in 2014 more than a year from now," she said.

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Harbinger Group returns to profit in 4th quarter

NEW YORK (AP) — Harbinger Group it returned to a profit in its fiscal fourth quarter, buoyed by a large income tax benefit and improved revenue for both its consumer products business and its financial services and insurance segment.
For the three months ended Sept. 30, the New York-based holding company earned $159.1 million, or 78 cents per share. That compares with a loss of $107.1 million, or 77 cents per share, a year ago.
The quarter included an income tax benefit of $135.9 million compared with gain of $13.4 million in the prior-year period.
Revenue shot up 35 percent to $1.2 billion from $888.5 million.
Revenue climbed for the consumer products unit, which includes Spectrum Brands, the company behind products ranging from Rayovac Batteries to George Foreman grills, edged up less than 1 percent to $832.6 million. Revenue for its insurance and financial services segment rose nearly sixfold, to $364.3 million.
Harbinger Group Inc., which is run by hedge fund manager Philip Falcone, said Tuesday said its full fiscal year net income climbed 35 percent to $29.9 million, or 15 cents per share, from $22.2 million, or 9 cents per share, in the previous year.
Annual revenue increased 29 percent to $4.48 billion from $3.48 billion, helped by a full-year of results from Fidelity & Guaranty Life Holdings Inc. Fidelity & Guaranty was acquired in April 2011. In addition, revenue for the consumer products unit, climbed 2 percent.
Fiscal 2012 results included an $85 million income tax benefit and a $41 million gain related to the reduced contingent purchase price of Fidelity & Guaranty. This was somewhat offset by a charge tied to its preferred stock.
Harbinger shares closed Monday at $8.70, and has more than doubled since the start of the year.

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NH health agency seeks $321M more in next budget

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire's biggest agency asked Tuesday for $321 million more from state tax sources in the two-year state budget Gov.-elect Maggie Hassan must present to lawmakers in February.
Health and Human Services Commissioner Nicholas Toumpas testified at a hearing on the request that one of the biggest increases is due to a change in how the state pays nursing homes for Medicaid care. He said the state now must pay nursing homes based on rates, not on what lawmakers budget to spend.
Toumpas is requesting a 25 percent increase in the portion of the agency's budget that's supported by state tax sources. It would increase the funding to $1.6 billion from the current two-year appropriation of $1.3 billion.
The agency's current total budget is $3.7 billion, most of which from federal funds.
"The department — like all state agencies — is in the middle of a storm," Toumpas said.
He said people continue to seek help from the state as a result of the recession, but the numbers have leveled off in all but those needing food stamps. About 25 percent of those who apply for the federal food help are rejected, but the state must provide the staff to make the determination regardless whether they are denied, he said.
Overall, the number of caseloads has risen 15 percent since July 2009. At the same time, the number of filled jobs at his agency dropped 15 percent, he said. In addition, key members of the staff will be eligible for retirement soon, he said. That has caused stress on the staff, he said.
Toumpas said he knows the state has limited funds to provide services to everyone who is in need and promised to continue to try to find savings.
He said he included money cut from the current budget to boost payments to hospitals caring for the poorest residents. Ten hospitals sued over the budget cut in a case still pending in federal court.
Toumpas said a managed care program for Medicaid that was supposed to save $15 million in the current budget still is not operating due to slow negotiations between contractors and the health care providers needed to build a network.
On Monday, Hassan opened the budget hearings with a caution that agency requests are unrealistic. Agencies requested $3.3 billion in spending from state tax sources — a 26 percent increase over the current budget — and $11.9 billion from all funding sources or a 19 percent increase.

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