Mountain Views News          Saturday, January 3, 2015

THE GOOD LIFE

12

Mountain Views-News Saturday, January 3, 2015

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! … January Birthdays

 Mary Tassop, JudyWebb-Martin, John Johnson, Mary Bickel, Marlene Enmark, Ross 
Kellock, Ruth Wolter, Sue Watanabe, Sandy Thistlewaite,Bobbi Rahmanian, Fran 
Syverson, Shirley Wolff, Judy Zaretzka and Becky Evans. * To add your name to this 
distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. YEAR of birth not required

..................................................................

ACTIVITIES: Unless listed differently, all activities are at the Hart Park 
House (Senior Center) 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre

 

 YMCA San Gabriel Valley Intervale Senior Café: Monday-Friday at 12:00 Noon 

(Participants are urged to arrive no later than 11:45 A.M.) 

All seniors 60 and up can take part in the lunch program. There is a suggested donation of $2.00 
for those 60 and over and $3.75 for non-senior guests. Daily reservations are necessary as space is 
limited. Please call 24 hours in advance...626.355.0256

Free Balance Class: Every 3rd Monday, from 11:00 to 11:45 am with Shannon. All ability levels are 
encouraged and welcomed.

Hawaiian and Polynesian Dance Class: Every Tuesday morning from 10:00am to 11:00am. Join 
instructor Barbara Dempsey as she instructs you in the art of hula.

Bingo: Every Tuesday beginning at 1:00pm. Cards are only $0.25 each! Everyone is welcome to 
join. May be canceled if less than 5 people. Canceled on August 5th and 12th.

Free Blood Pressure Testing: Held 2nd Tuesday of the month from 11:00am to 12:00pm. No 
appointment is necessary.

Free Legal Consultation: Wednesday, August 27th from 10:00am to Noon. Attorney Lem 
Makupson is available for legal consultation. He specializes in Family Law, Wills, Trusts, Estates, 
and Injury. For an appointment call 626-355-7394.

Chair Yoga: Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:00 to 11:45 am, except on the third Monday of the 
month when the balance class is held. A suggested donation of $5 at one of the classes is requested, 
but is not required.

Birthday Celebrations: Every second Thursday of the month the Hart Park House Senior Center 
celebrates birthdays of our patrons. The free birthday cake is provided by the Sierra Madre Civic 
Club.

Game Day: Every Thursday starting at 12:45pm. A regular group of seniors play poker. Other 
games available for use.

Free Strength Training Class: Every Friday from 12:45pm to 1:30pm with Lisa Brandley. The class 
utilizes light weights for low impact resistance training. All materials for the class are provided.

 

UPCOMING EXCURSIONS

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

HOW TO CLAIM THE RETIREMENT SAVER’S TAX CREDIT

Dear Savvy Senior:

A coworker was recently telling me about a tax 
credit she got last year for simply contributing to 
our company’s 401(k) plan. What can you tell me 
about this, and who’s eligible? Over 55

Dear Over:

It’s called the “retirement saver’s tax credit,” and it’s a frequently overlooked credit that’s available to low 
and moderate-income individuals and families who make saving for retirement a priority. Here’s how 
it works.

 If your contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA, or an employer sponsored plan like a 401(k), 457, 403(b), 
SEP plan, SIMPLE IRA or other retirement-savings plan, the retirement saver’s tax credit will allow 
you to claim 10, 20 or 50 percent of your contribution, depending on your income, up to a maximum 
of $1,000 per person or $2,000 per couple.To qualify, you must also be at least 18 years old and not a 
full-time student, and were not claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return. And your adjusted 
gross income in 2015 must be $61,000 or less as a married couple filing jointly, $45,750 or less if filing as 
head of household, or $30,500 or less if you’re a single filer. These income limits are adjusted annually 
to keep pace with inflation.

To get the 50 percent credit, you’ll need to have an income below $18,250 if you’re single, $27,375 if 
you’re filing as head of household, and $36,500 for couples in 2015.

The 20 percent credit rate applies to individuals earning between $18,251 and $19,750; for head of 
household filers it’s $27,376 to $29,625; and for couples it’s $36,501 to $39,500.

And the 10 percent rate is for individuals with an adjusted gross income between $19,751 and $30,500; 
for head of household filers 29,626 to $45,750; and couples it’s between $39,501 and $60,100.

Double Tax Break

You also need to know that the retirement saver’s tax credit can be claimed in addition to the tax 
deduction you get for contributing to your employer’s retirement plan or a traditional IRA. Here’s an 
example of how this works.

Let’s say you’re married and have an income of $37,000, and your spouse is not working. If you contribute 
$1,000 to your company’s 401(k) plan, your adjusted gross income would be reduced to $36,000 on your 
tax return. You would also be able to claim a 50 percent retirement saver’s credit, which is worth $5,000, 
for your $1,000 401(k) contribution.

Keep in mind though that this is a tax credit, not a deduction, so it lowers your income tax dollar for 
dollar. It is, however, a nonrefundable tax credit, which means it cannot reduce the amount of tax owed 
to less than zero.

How to Claim

To claim the credit, you will need to fill out Form 8880 (see irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8880.pdf) and attach it 
to your 1040, 1040A or 1040NR when you file your tax return. Don’t use the 1040EZ Form.

If you think that you would have qualified for the credit in previous years but didn’t claim it, you can 
file an amended return as far back as 2011 and still get the credits. A 2011 amended return is due by 
April 15, 2015. See IRS Form 1040X (irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040x.pdf) for instructions on how to file an 
amended return.

And for more information on the retirement saver’s tax credit, see IRS Publication 590 “Individual 
Retirement Arrangements” (irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p590.pdf).

If you don’t have Internet access to see or download these forms, call the IRS at 800-829-3676 and ask 
them to mail them to you.

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


Los Angeles Central Library (Los Angeles)

Date: Friday, January 23, 2015 Time: 9:30am to 3:30pm

Meeting Location: Hart Park House Senior Center - Cost: $5.00 (does not include lunch)

A visit to the Los Angeles Public Library’s state of the art Central Library located in Downtown. 
A docent led tour will introduce you to the art and architecture of the Goodhue Building with 
its distinctive sphinxes and rooftop pyramid followed by a walk through the high-tech Bradley

Wing, designed by famed architect Norman Pfeiffer, where participants will gaze at the 8-story 
atrium and whimsical chandeliers. Finish the tour learning about the library’s comprehensive 
book, magazine, audio and videotape collections as well as its extensive network of formational 
databases. Lunch will be on your own at Grand Central Market where you can enjoy tasty treats 
or a leisurely meal from a variety of local vendors. Participants should bring money for lunch 
and souvenirs. Last day to register is Monday, January 12th. Level of walking: Medium to High

SIERRA MADRE HART PARK HOUSE SENIOR CENTER

222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Sierra Madre, CA 91024 626-355-7394

www.cityofsierramadre.com

HOURS OF OPERATION

Monday through Thursday

11:00am-2:30pm

(closed on Fridays)

Hart Park House Office closed from

December 24 - January 2 for the holidays

Lunch Program open during regular days

except December 24 & 25 and January 1st


KATIE Tse..........This and That

AWKWARD....


Awkward....

 Awkward moments. We’ve all 
had them, and we can usually 
look back at them and laugh 
at our mishaps. But it’s always 
funnier if it happens to someone 
else. In this case, my mom was 
the embarrassment victim. But 
you have to understand the background story first.

 Some people are dog people, other people are cat 
people. And then there are bird people. Bird people 
can always tell other bird people because they’re 
the crazy-looking ones. Over the years my family 
has had many birds and developed a reputation as 
the go-to people when others find a baby bird that 
needs caretakers until being released back into 
the wild. One of their recent “visitor” birds was a 
mockingbird that my mom’s friend, Florence, found. 
(You may remember Florence from her many stories 
I’ve written when I needed ideas for articles. She’s a 
riot.)

 During the two or three weeks while the 
mockingbird, whom my mom named “Baby,” stayed 
with my parents, my dad often put its cage next to 
their two parakeets’ cage out on the deck. After Baby 
was released, he continued to come back and sit in a 
certain spot at the top of the orange tree and chirp 
to the parakeets. Baby probably figured his caged 
friends were going to be released soon like he had 
been.

 Looking for Baby’s arrival became a daily routine 
for my parents. If they didn’t see him Mom worried 
that something might have happened. It was after a 
couple days of absence that Baby returned and Mom 
happily went outside and said, “Hi Baby!”

 Imagine her surprise and embarrassment when 
their neighbor (we’ll call him Jack) answered, 
“Hi.” Flustered, my mom tried to explain herself, 
“I’m sorry, I meant the mockingbird.” “What 
mockingbird?” From Jack’s angle he couldn’t see 
Baby perched in the orange tree. My mom pointed 
toward him “He’s over there. We raised him for a 
couple weeks and he keeps coming back to that same 
spot.” Jack smiled and nodded good-naturedly. 
He’s used to my parents’ occasional quirkiness. 
“He likes to talk to the parakeets...” Mom trailed off 
her explanation, realizing the more she talked the 
deeper the hole she was digging herself into.

 Needless to say we all had a good laugh over it 
later. Now every time Mom gets up to go outside we 
tell her, “Remember to say hi to Baby!”

MAXIMIZING SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS

The City of Arcadia Recreation & Community 
Services Department is holding a free seminar 
for senior citizens on Monday, January 26, 2015 
from 1pm-2pm at the Arcadia Community 
Center located at 365 Campus Drive. The Social 
Security Workshop is being offered by Scott 
Burch, Registered Investment Advisor. 

This presentation will discuss several key 
components including:

- The four Critical Components of Social Security 
Benefits you have to know

- How you can increase your social Security 
Benefits with “File and Suspend”

- How you can reduce or eliminate taxes on your 
Social Security benefits

- What a “Delayed Actuarial Credit” is and how 
you can receive more that 100% of your benefits 

For more information or to register, call Arcadia 
Senior Services at 626.574.5130. 

About the City of Arcadia

Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel 
Mountains, Arcadia is an 11.38 square mile 
community with a population of just over 56,000. 
Located approximately 20 miles east of downtown 
Los Angeles, Arcadia is known for combining 
small-town charm with the conveniences and 
amenities of a mid-size city. Arcadia is a full-
service charter city governed by a five-member 
City Council, elected at large. Recognized 
for exceptional education and recreation 
opportunities and beautiful neighborhoods, 
Arcadia is also defined as the “Community of 
Homes” and has twice been designated the “Best 
City in California in which to Raise Kids” by 
Business Week Magazine.


626-355-5700245 West Sierra Madre Blvd, Sierra Madre, CA 91024 • www.TheKensingtonSierraMadre.comRCFELicensePendingThe Kensington promises to love and care for yourfamily as we do our own, and we’re opening soon