Mountain Views News          Saturday, January 10, 2015

12

THE GOOD LIFE

Mountain Views-News Saturday, January 10, 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 $500, 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

HOSE DRINKERS

How are your 
New Year’s 
resolutions 
going? I set my 
sights small, 
and resolved 
to drink less 
creamy and 
sugary coffee at work. Instead, I 
mix an aspartame-laden “Crystal 
Light” knock off with water 
in a two-liter bottle and sip it 
throughout the day. Sure, it’s 
artificial and possibly carcinogenic, 
but at least it’s gotta be better than 
sugar with coffee --I mean coffee 
with sugar.

 So, I was filling my water bottle 
from the sink in the break room the other day when 
the boss burst through the door. “What are you 
doing?” she asked. Aghast, I sheepishly looked up 
from the faucet. “Uh, getting water?”

 “No, no, no!” she said, shaking her head. “Come 
on,” she motioned toward her office, “Use the 
‘Arrowhead’ in there.” I could feel water overflowing 
from my bottle into the sink, and nodded, “Okay, 
maybe next time.” I figured, why waste a perfectly 
good batch of flavored water? Luckily, some small 
crisis distracted my boss and I was able to retreat to 
my office with my substandard “faucet water” drink.

 For a while I wondered if I was the only tap water-
drinking employee until last week, when the topic of 
tap vs. bottled water came up during lunch. “I was 
a hose drinker as a kid!” one of the senior workers 
joked with the boss. This prompted a number of us 
closet hose drinkers to “come out” and admit our 
tacky-”tap” habits.

 “Yeah,” one of my coworkers chimed in, “Nothing 
tastes better than cold water from the hose after 
playing outside all day!” A number 
of us reminisced about our own tap 
water childhood memories.

 I don’t know about you, but I 
never understood the purpose 
of bottled water. Talk about the 
antithesis of “green” living! Think 
about all the plastic used to store 
bottled water. Then consider the 
fuel needed to transport it from 
place to place. THEN consider 
the fact the most bottled water is 
drawn from municipal sources, not 
the babbling brooks of the Sierras, 
Andes, or any other pristine locale.

 The waste that goes into 
producing regular bottled water is 
bad enough, but then they’ve got to 
go and make even smaller bottles of water! What? 
You or your kid can’t commit to a 12 oz. bottle, so 
you go for the tiny 6 oz.? Yes, midget water bottles 
are cute, but really, can cute be justified at the cost of 
jeopardizing the environment?

 I understand that there are situations that demand 
bottled water. Anytime you’re traveling in the third 
world or a developing nation, by all means, stock 
up on Dasani or whatever brand you like. During a 
vacation to Michigan, we stayed at a relative’s house 
that was situated in the middle of a corn field. The 
water had an orange tint, and smelled like burning 
sulfur. I don’t recall whether or not I actually 
showered in it, but that was one time I was very 
grateful for a bottle of Arrowhead!

 So, if you’re traveling, take advantage of our 
wonderful advances in bottled water. But if you’re 
torn between filling up at the kitchen sink or paying 
$1 for a bottle of Dasani, I hope you choose the sink. 
It’s a heck of a lot cheaper. And remember --what 
doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!


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