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June 16, 2006     Barnstable Patriot
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June 16, 2006
 
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" g Barnstable 1 TRIAD It's here: Hurricane Season By Klaus Guttmann Klausguttmann@comcast.net Wehave seen,heardandread allaboutHurricaneKatrina.We hopethat anevent,suchasthis, willnever touch our shores. But what if it does? Are we prepared? When the clouds darken, the rain starts to pour and the windhowls,it may be too late. There may not be electricity for lights and cooking. But of greater concernispowerfor life support systems. Phones lines could be down. Wewouldnotbeabletocontact friends and relatives for help. We would not even be able to make a 9-1-1 call. Thethingwecandorightnow istopreparefortheseeventuali- ties.Someofus,unlessdirected otherwise by authorities, will elect to ride out the storm in our home.For others it would be prudent to seek suitable shelter whileit is still safe and possible. A telephone call to the police (508-775-0387) will adviseusofemergency shelters. There aretwo designated shel- ters in Barnstable, one at the high school, the other at the BarnstableHoraceMannChar- ter School in Marstons Mills. They are opened as needed. Persons withhandicaps,un- able to move on their own, can request to be moved by rescue personnel. Before leaving a houseinadvanceofahurricane, there are certain things that should be done. The electrical power of your home should be shut off. The large switchesonthetop ofthe electrical panel can be turned off. If this cannot be done, all lampandappliancecordsmust be disconnected. If there isnatural gas or pro- pane service to your home, it should be turned off. This will havetobedonefromtheoutside of your home. It may require a wrench. This will eliminate ignition sources such as pilot lights and also combustible fuel in case indoor pipes and connections are ruptured. The watermain,whereit entersyour home,shouldbeshuttoprevent possible flooding. Close and lock windows. Lower blinds and shades to keep shatteredglassfromflying in.Ifthesetask aretoo muchto handle, now is the time to ask for the help of neighbors and other acquaintances. If and whenwe have to move to an emergency shelter, there are certain things we have to realize. It is not a home. Pets may not be accommodated. Therewillbebathrooms.There will be cots to sleep on and folding chairs to sit on. There willbelight andventilation and possibly akitchento heat your food. Anything else that you need is your responsibility. Now is the time to prepare. Those who remain in their homes must be ready to cope with the situation. We must find ashelter withinour home. A basement area or an inside room away from blowingglass and debrisshouldbe prepared. Battery-operated lighting and perhaps a propane stove to heat food would help. Open- flame devices, such as candles and charcoal cookers, are ex- tremely dangerous due to high windsand must not be used. A battery-poweredradiowillalso keepyouinformed ofthe situa- tion. Many radio stations now have emergency generators to keep transmitting when the power is down. Telephoneservicemaynotbe available. Your cellular phone may, however, still work. If an emergencyarisesthat you can- not cope with,youmaywant to signalfor help afterthe storm. Youcan make alarge sign,say- ing "HELP" and display it in a window. When it is possible, a pass- ing police cruiser willstop and come to your aid. Remember, now is the time to prepare for this. If you need to go to a shelter, here's a partial list ofitemsto have readyto go withyou: • a three-day supply of food that won't spoil • drinkingwater (one gal- lon per person per day) • a manual can opener, paper plates • eating & food warming utensils • paper cups • paper towels & napkins • one change of clothing and footware • one blanket or sleeping bag per person • your medications, & sanitary supplies • your eyeglasses • towels & wash clothes • itemssuchascanes,walk- ers,breathing,injectionand testing equipment, etc. • a list of telephone num- bers, to call friends and relatives if telephones still operate • a cellular phone, bring it (it may work) • credit or debit cards to make calls from a pay phone • a battery-powered ra- dio with earphones. ^' mf - ^arinS f orY°u> | g ftto Comforting Solutions ^^^^^™For In-Home Care™ • Meal Preparation • Feeding • Errands • Light Housekeeping • Respite Care • IncidentalTransportation • Laundry • Incontinence Care • Companionship • Bathing • 24-Hour Care Available • Screened, Bonded and Insured For a Free In-Home Consultation, Call _^_3_5\ 1-866-888-5800 (gj)00^. WWW.COmfortkeeperS.com U(p huifpmle„!h Owned & Operated Remember? I 3P1 ^ JL r1— - j Call us before you get into trouble!!! OLSEN, an ethical establishment to stand behind the service and products they supply. No product or warranty is any better than the installer, you need the best con- cerned professionals who make their living by providing service and reliable equipment. People who will be there to help, even after the bill is paid. Call Now: 385-5290 VIHMIHZIAI PLUMBING& HEATINGINCORPORATED P.O.BOX 2026, DENNIS, MA 02638 By Michael Lavender columnist@barnstablepatnot.com Computers and the Inter- net are helping to cut down the volume of financial re- cords you have to stuff into your filingcabinets,but even in the electronic age, it'sstill important to understand which financial records to keep and for how long. Online access to recordsal- lowsyou to eliminatesome of the paper accumulation,but it's still your responsibility to make sure that impor- tant records are preserved , whether as electronic files or old-fashioned paper. Pitch Or Preserve? Well-organizedrecords can saveyou big headaches- and significant money -down the road. They can provide proof of bill payment and help you dispute billing errors; give your heirs a clear picture of your finances; and, perhaps most important , provide the documentation you need to avoid tax problems. There are an awful lot of people who don't keep good tax records , and that'samis- take.Ifthe IRSeverquestions adeduction or the valueof an investment and you don't have the documentation , it can get very expensive. On the other hand, keep- ing too many records can also make Life difficult , adds You can't keep everything, because you wouldn't be able to live in your house or find the documentsthat really are important. So where do you draw the line? Here are some sugges- tions: Tax Records: Keep Three To Seven Years: The IRS has three years from a tax return'sdue date to challenge the return. That means you should keep allof the records pertainingtowages, dividend or interest income, business profits , capital gains, deduc- tions, and other tax-related areas for at least three years. These include documents such as cancelled checks for deductible items,W-2 forms, 1099 forms, and mortgage interest documents. The IRS has up to six years, however, to challenge a return if it suspects that youunderreported your gross incomeby25percent ormore in a given year. As a result, many accountants recom- mend keeping records for seven years to be safe. As for copies of your ac- tual tax return, I think you should keep them forever, so you have evidence that you did, in fact, prepare and file a return. Here'san anti-clutteridea: You don't need to keep pay stubs after youhave received your W-2 form and verified that it is accurate. Nor do you need to keep receipts or cancelled check for items or servicesfor whichyou are not claiming a tax deduction. Investment Records: Keep until you sell the security, plus seven years If you purchase mutual fund or stock shares, or some other asset,you need to keep a record of how much you paid originally (your cost basis) to prove the amount of your gain or loss when you sell the asset. Most major investment companies, including Fidel- ity, will keep your records on file and track your cost basis, which can be tricky if you makeperiodic purchases in the same account and reinvest dividends. (Fidelity keepsrecords onlinefor seven years.) But ultimately it is your responsibility to keep you own records, and you should never assume that your investment company will always have the records you need. After an investment is sold andyou include it onyour tax return, you still need to keep the pertinent documents for at least three yearsin case of an IRS audit. Retirement Account Re- cords: Keep indefinitely. You are required by the IRSto keep copies of the tax forms related to your IRAs until all the money is with- drawn from the accounts. If you made nondeductible contributions to an IRA, it's especially important to keep records that prove you already paid taxes on that money. The introduction of the Roth IRA also has increased the importance of keeping IRA contribution and withdrawal records to protect yourself should your tax returns be questioned. Similarly,you should keep year-end 401 (k) account statements and any rollover paperwork untilyou retire or closethe account.Your401(k) administratormayhave your account information on file, but,again,you are ultimately responsible for ensuringthat the documentation is avail- able when it comes time to take withdrawals. Home Improvement Re- cords:Keep untilyou sellyour house, plus seven years. Failure to keep records related to permanent home improvementscanbe acostly mistake if your home appre- ciates significantly in value. That's because you must pay capital gains tax on the amount of the sale price that exceeds the purchase CONTINUED ON PAGE B:5 Which financial records I to keep, for how long BOARD CERTIFIED OPHTHALMOLOGIST • Annual Routine Exams * General Opthalmology * Glaucoma & Cataract Consultation * Prompt &Convenient Early Evening App ointments • Accep tingNew Patients AFFILIATEDWITH.,. Cape Cd Hospital,MassachusettsIf ad EarInf amy, Harvard MdicdSchool ,AmbuktorySurgm) awlUser Centerof Caj ieCd I The Main StreetMedical Building,51Main Street,Hyannis,MA I I WELLESLEY HILLS / HYANNIS / FALMOUTH | WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU LOOKED AT YOUR FAMILY PHOTOS? What about all of those slides you have that never see the light of day. I know setting up the screen and projector just isn't fun anymore. Well, I can save you all of that trouble. 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