Reasons for Hope: Developments for Certain Advanced Cancers

Two people share their stories about facing an advanced cancer diagnosis—and one oncologist discusses how research has evolved outlooks for certain patients.

https://www.health.com/featured/ReasonsForHope2021?utm_campaign=23162270-432695&utm_source=taboolapaid&utm_medium=paid&utm_content=3629239364&utm_term=msn.com&tblci=GiDC6_og-cf5NVXoo5KAe3lKUd5754lmPTIUCQ1l0QUjniCd8loojuq2wt7H75ndAQ#tblciGiDC6_og-cf5NVXoo5KAe3lKUd5754lmPTIUCQ1l0QUjniCd8loojuq2wt7H75ndAQ

5 Things You Should Know about Capital Gains Tax

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/investments-and-taxes/5-things-you-should-know-about-capital-gains-tax/L0m06D9lI?tblci=GiDC6_og-cf5NVXoo5KAe3lKUd5754lmPTIUCQ1l0QUjniC8ykEo97O__OaW1PDZAQ#tblciGiDC6_og-cf5NVXoo5KAe3lKUd5754lmPTIUCQ1l0QUjniC8ykEo97O__OaW1PDZAQ

Updated for Tax Year 2022 • December 1, 2022 08:27 AM


OVERVIEW

A capital gain occurs when you sell something for more than you spent to acquire it. This happens a lot with investments, but it also applies to personal property, such as a car. Every taxpayer should understand these basic facts about capital gains taxes.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Capital gains aren’t just for rich people

Anyone who sells a capital asset should know that capital gains tax may apply. And as the Internal Revenue Service points out, just about everything you own qualifies as a capital asset. That’s the case whether you bought it as an investment, such as stocks or property, or something for personal use, such as a car or a big-screen TV.

If you sell something for more than your “cost basis” of the item, then the difference is a capital gain, and you’ll need to report that gain on your taxes. Your cost basis is usually what you paid for the item. It includes not only the price of the item, but any other costs you had to pay to acquire it, including:

  • Sales taxes, excise taxes and other taxes and fees
  • Shipping and handling costs
  • Installation and setup charges

In addition, money spent on improvements that increase the value of the asset—such as a new addition to a building—can be added to your cost basis. Depreciation of an asset can reduce your cost basis.

In most cases, your home has an exemption

The single biggest asset many people have is their home, and depending on the real estate market, a homeowner might realize a huge capital gain on a sale. The good news is that the tax code allows you to exclude some or all of such a gain from capital gains tax, as long as you meet all three conditions:

  1. You owned the home for a total of at least two years.
  2. You used the home as your primary residence for a total of at least two years in last five-years before the sale.
  3. You haven’t excluded the gain from another home sale in the two-year period before the sale.

If you meet these conditions, you can exclude up to $250,000 of your gain if you’re filing as single, head of household, or married filing separately and $500,000 if you’re married filing jointly.

Length of ownership matters

If you sell an asset after owning it for more than a year, any gain you have is typically a “long-term” capital gain. If you sell an asset you’ve owned for a year or less, though, it’s typically a “short-term” capital gain. How your gain is taxed depends on how long you owned the asset before selling.

  • The tax bite from short-term gains is significantly larger than that from long-term gains – as much as 10-20% higher.
  • This difference in tax treatment is one of the advantages a “buy-and-hold” investment strategy has over a strategy that involves frequent buying and selling, as in day trading.
  • People in the lowest tax brackets usually don’t have to pay any tax on long-term capital gains. The difference between short and long term, then, can literally be the difference between taxes and no taxes.

Capital losses can offset capital gains

As anyone with much investment experience can tell you, things don’t always go up in value. They go down, too. If you sell an investment asset for less than its cost basis, you have a capital loss. Capital losses from investments—but not from the sale of personal property—can typically be used to offset capital gains. For example:

  • If you have $50,000 in long-term gains from the sale of one stock, but $20,000 in long-term losses from the sale of another, then you may only be taxed on $30,000 worth of long-term capital gains.
    • $50,000 – $20,000 = $30,000 long-term capital gains

If capital losses exceed capital gains, you may be able to use the loss to offset up to $3,000 of other income. If you have more than $3,000 in capital losses, this excess amount can be carried forward to future years to similarly offset capital gains or other income in those years.

Business income isn’t a capital gain

If you operate a business that buys and sells items, your gains from such sales will be considered—and taxed as—business income rather than capital gains.

For example, many people buy items at antique stores and garage sales and then resell them in online auctions. Do this in a businesslike manner and with the intention of making a profit, and the IRS will view it as a business.

  • The money you pay out for items is a business expense.
  • The money you receive is business revenue.
  • The difference between them is business income, subject to self-employment taxes.

Let a tax expert do your investment taxes for you, start to finish. With TurboTax Live Full Service Premier, our specialized tax experts are here to help with anything from stocks to crypto to rental income. Backed by our Full Service Guarantee. You can also file your own taxes with TurboTax Premier. Your investment tax situation, covered. File confidently with America’s #1 tax prep provider.

Here’s How to Magically Clean Stained Plastic Tupperware.

Picture this; you make a big ole batch of your kids favorite food… spaghetti and meatballs! You make tons extra so everyone in the family can bring leftovers for lunch at school and work. After packing up your kids lunch and sending them on their merry way they enjoy their delicious leftovers that day. You pick them up from school and ask for their lunch containers and one of your kids says “oh I forgot it in my cubby, I’ll grab it tomorrow.” No big deal.

Weeks go by and the container is still in the cubby, and all of a sudden it is a big deal because that was packed in your brand new plastic tupperware container that you just bought. The container finally makes it home and to your surprise- not really- it’s stained and no matter how many suds or scrubs the red stain does not go away. Thankfully TikTok has a trick for this stained container cleaning expert @sromacly shows just how easy it is.

Click here to watch the video.

Okay, first off let me just be the one to say ouch, this stings. It really is this simple huh? My poor wrinkled soggy hands would have loved to know this information when I spent about four days straight trying to scrub my new Snapware container of leftover lasagna.

The woman’s trick is so simple, all you do is grab a paper towel, get it wet with warm water, put a few drops of dish soap on it, place it in your container and… SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE. That’s all, that’s it. It’s clean. Sorta frustrated by how easy this is, and sorta mesmerized by how easy this is.

How to Disconnect a Car Battery Safely

Shut Everything Off and Find the Battery

  • Make sure your vehicle is not running and all electrical components are off before starting the battery disconnection process.
  • Open your vehicle’s hood if that’s where the battery is housed, as it is in most vehicles. If your battery is somewhere else, do whatever you need to do to gain access.
  • Remove the red plastic cover from the battery’s positive terminal.

Find the Battery© Robert Maxwell for Family Handyman

Disconnect the Battery Cables

  • Use your socket wrench or adjustable wrench to loosen the nut holding the cable onto the negative battery terminal. The terminals will be marked positive and negative. Make sure you disconnect the negative terminal first.
  • Lay the disconnected negative cable carefully to one side, making sure it’s well away from the battery terminal.
  • Disconnect the cable from the positive battery terminal in the same way, then lay it to one side.
    • While loosening the cables, be sure not to touch your wrench to both terminals at the same time, because this will allow electricity from the battery to flow through your wrench.

Disconnect the Battery Cables© Robert Maxwell for Family Handyman

Loosen the Battery Holding Mechanism and Remove Battery

  • Find the strap or other mechanism holding your battery in place. On my vehicle it is a steel strut that caps the top of the battery. Use the appropriate wrench to loosen and remove this.
  • Carefully lift the battery out of the vehicle, making sure to keep it level the whole time to avoid sloshing the acid inside.
  • Lay the battery on a flat surface away from the vehicle.

Loosen the Battery Holding Mechanism and Remove Battery© Robert Maxwell for Family Handyman

Clean the Battery Terminals and Cable Contacts

  • Use your pipe cleaning-style wire brush to carefully clean the inner surface of the battery cable connectors where they contact the terminals. This surface should be smooth and free of corrosion before installing your new battery.
  • Clean the battery terminals with the cup-style wire brush, making sure the terminals are free of corrosion and debris.
  • To help prevent new rust from forming, apply a little anti-corrosion grease to the battery terminals with your fingers. Wipe off the excess from your fingers with a heavy-duty shop towel.

Clean the Battery Terminals and Cable Contacts© Robert Maxwell for Family Handyman

Reinstall the Battery or Install a Fresh One

  • If you are concerned about rust, spray some anti-rust compound onto the metal platform where the battery sits. This isn’t necessary, but if the platform is exposed steel, it may rust in time if it hasn’t already.
  • Lift your new battery (or the old one, if it’s still good) back into position on its platform.
  • Replace the containment strap or strut over the battery, and tighten the nuts holding it down as required.
  • Reconnect the positive cable to the positive terminal, making sure it’s tight.
  • Reconnect the negative cable to the negative battery terminal in the same way, and you’re done.
  • Reset the digital clock in your vehicle, because it will no longer be showing the correct time.

Three Tips to Safely Remove Scratches from Your Car

We’ve all been there. You’ve washed your car to reveal maximum shine, but instead you find scratches and swirls that weren’t there before. It doesn’t take much to scratch your car’s paint. But removing those scratches can be a pain. Fortunately, with the right tools and products, you can safely remove scratches from your car in an afternoon. Just follow these three tips to get the job done right, and avoid calling a detailer.

Safely remove scratches by first washing your car

You can’t begin to remove scratches from your car if it is still dirty. While automatic car washes can help, there is no replacement for hand washing your car when you want to remove as much dirt as possible. Use a soft, clean, microfiber towel with car wash soap to ensure dirt and grime is completely removed. There are several safe methods for hand washing your car, but the bottom line is simple. Work with clean towels and mitts, and wash from the top down to avoid bringing dirt from one area to another.

Use a clay bar to remove bonded contaminants

There are some contaminants that even hand-washing can’t remove. Before we move on to removing scratches from your car, you’ll want these particles removed first. A clay bar will pick up even bonded contaminants to make sure your paint is as clean as possible. According to Performance Motorcare, there are different options depending on the level of contamination. This can include baked-on sap, iron fallout from trains and factories, and other environmental contaminants. You’ll not only feel the difference, but you can see the particles in the clay bar as you work. When you’re done, your paint should feel as smooth as glass

Use a dual-action polisher, pad, and polish kit to quickly remove scratches from your car

The safest way to remove scratches from your car is with a dual-action polisher. Both easier and more controllable than doing it by hand, a polishing machine makes quick work of light to medium scratches. Work in small sections, no larger than 24 inches by 24 inches. There are several video tutorials to help give you a better visual of how to work the machine across each section. But rest assured, with the right tools and some patience, you can remove scratches from your car and achieve high-quality results.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=X2qjO5xZZ2E%3Fautoplay%3D0%26mute%3D1%26enablejsapi%3D1

Related

10 Easy Car Detailing Hacks to Make Your Car Look Great This Summer© Provided by MotorBiscuit

10 Easy Car Detailing Hacks to Make Your Car Look Great This Summer

Bonus Tip: Use multiple pads when polishing

As you remove scratches from your car, the pad you use will collect some residue from the polishing process. While you can use a compressor to blow your pads clean, keeping several pads handy can speed up your workflow. Drop your dirty pads into a bucket with water. This ensures the polishing residue will stay wet until you’re ready to clean all your pads. Then, swap on a new pad and follow the procedure for applying polishing liquid to continue your work.

Paint polishing is easier than you think

While picking up a new tool and taking it to your car can be daunting, the process is easier than you think. If you’re truly uncomfortable, pick up a junkyard panel to practice polishing before you turn on your own ride. But in the end you’ll find that it is easier than you think to remove scratches from your car.

The post Three Tips to Safely Remove Scratches from Your Car appeared first on MotorBiscuit.Read the original article from MotorBiscuit

Here’s how to fix your zipper with a really simple hack

Zippers on our clothes are somewhat capricious elements that like making trouble. They get jammed, broken, stuck, or simply stubborn for no apparent reason, putting you at risk of losing the entire garment.

https://geo.dailymotion.com/player/x8v0l.html?video=x8hco6d&mute=true&loop=false

But keep in mind that in most cases the problem can be remedied at home. Here is how.

Jammed zipper

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com© Provided by Oh My Mag

If the slider of your zipper is stuck and won’t move, the most common reason is fabric or thread caught up or wedged in the teeth.

Turn the item inside out and follow along the zipper lines to see if there is anything you can remove by tugging it away. A pair of tweezers comes in handy if there’s a piece of fabric you’re not able to get a good hold on in the process.

Colour the zipper teeth with a graphite pencil. Run the lead all over its front and back, a few inches above and below the slider. This lubricates the teeth and should help the unsticking.

Household items that work as lubricants include baby powder, lip balm, vaseline, bar soap, glass cleaner and even wax paper.

Apply the lubricant of your choice all along the zipper teeth in the same fashion you applied the graphite pencil. Give the slider a tug and you should be good to go.

Consider the fabric your item is made from when choosing a lubricant as you don’t want to stain it.

The zipper’s teeth keep popping open

Photo by Daniel Battersby on Pexels.com© Provided by Oh My Mag

A popped zipper doesn’t necessarily mean doomsday for your garment.

Check the teeth. Stretch the zipper out, giving it a gentle tug and pullSmooth everything out so it properly aligns, then try tuning the slider along the teeth.

Run a lubricant such as graphite pencil, zipper glide, bar soap, lip balm, or baby powder along the teeth. If it still won’t stay closed, take a closer look at the teeth, there may be a few that need straightening out individually with needle nose pliers.

Once you’ve got the teeth back in place, lubricate, and try the slider again.

Make a zipper slide easier

If you find yourself at the losing end of a stuck zipper, reach for a bar of soap.

Rub the stuff over the teeth of the zipper, and gently tug to make it give way. If that doesn’t work, move on to other types of lubricant, like pencil lead, glass cleaner, or petroleum jelly.

Here are 7 Windows key shortcuts you’ll use everyday

Keyboard shortcuts make our lives easier, but they’re not always so obvious. Did you know the Shift key does more than just capitalize letters? It actually reverses your other keyboard shortcuts! Tap or click here for five ways to use the Shift key that you may not know about.

Here are 7 Windows key shortcuts you’ll use everyday© Provided by Komando

While the Shift key dates back to the earliest typewriters, the Windows key first appeared just before the launch of Windows 95 and didn’t become standard on PC keyboards until later.

Perhaps this is why the Windows key is often overlooked, but it shouldn’t be! It has many uses that can help you work more efficiently. We’ll help you get started.

1. Cloud Clipboard

We all know the shortcuts to copy and paste – Control + C and Control + V – but have you tried Windows key + V? This opens up the Cloud Clipboard menu, which is a game-changer!

The Cloud Clipboard will show your 25 most recent copied items, including text, images and screenshots. Click any of the items to paste them into the program you’re currently using.

Before using this feature, ensure that your computer’s clipboard history is enabled. Here’s how:

On Windows 10:

  • Go to Settings > System and select Clipboard from the left menu.
  • Toggle on Clipboard history.
  • Enable Sync across devices to share your Clipboard content between your devices.

Windows 11:

  • Go to Settings > System and select the Clipboard panel on the right.
  • Toggle on Clipboard history.
  • Enable Sync across your devices to share your Clipboard content between your devices.

You can even pin things you want to access all the time, such as emojis, GIFs and special characters. This way, those items will remain when you clear your Clipboard history.

2. File Explorer

File Explorer lets you navigate and manage your computer’s drives, folders and files. You can pin, share, copy and move files easily and quickly. Your most recently used files are also listed there.

Hit Windows key + E to open File Explorer from anywhere in Windows.

RELATED: Most useful YouTube keyboard shortcuts

3. Settings

Need to set add a device or remove a program? How about diagnosing a network issue or customizing your background? Most of the changes you’ll make to your computer can be found in Settings. You’ll find yourself coming back here again and again.

You can open the Start menu and search for the gear icon, or just hit Windows key + I to open Settings in a jiffy.

4. Lock screen

Locking your phone when you’re not using it is a no-brainer, but it’s not as common when it comes to computers. But why not? Someone could get into your computer and wreak havoc as quickly as they can with your phone.

Perhaps it’s because locking your phone is as easy as hitting a button. But it’s not so easy on a computer – or is it? Just hit the Windows key + L, and voila! Your computer is locked and safe.

Tap or click here for more ways to secure your computer.

5. Screenshot

Sometimes you want to save only what’s on your screen, such as a website, photo or recipe. It’s easy to make it happen once you know the combination of keys.

To take a screenshot on your computer, press Windows + Shift + S.

6. Magnifier

Magnifier makes a part or all of your screen bigger so you can see words and images better. First, go to Start  > Settings >  Accessibility  > Magnifier to adjust the settings, such as zoom level and zoom increments.

Press the Windows key + plus sign (+) to turn on the magnifier. Once it’s on, you can use the same command to zoom in or the Windows key + minus sign (-) to zoom out.

7. Emoji

Sometimes you want to add a little fun to a conversation, and that’s what emojis are all about.

Hit the Windows key + period (.) to open the emoji menu. You can search through the collection and click on the one you want to paste.

You may also like: Setting up a new PC? 5 must-do steps for seniors

Amazon Drive

Dear Amazon Drive Customer,

Beginning December 31, 2023, files stored on Amazon Drive will no longer be available to customers. As part of retiring Amazon Drive, after January 31, 2023, Amazon will no longer support uploading files on the Amazon Drive website. You will still have the ability to review and download your files until December 31, 2023.

Here are the steps you need to take:

  • Use Amazon Photos to access your photos and videos moving forward. Your Amazon Drive photo and video files are available to you through Amazon Photos. To access your photos and videos, please sign in to the Amazon Photos website or download the Amazon Photos app for iOS or Android.
  • Review and download your non-photo and non-video files from the Amazon Drive website by December 31, 2023. We recommend using the Amazon Drive website to review and download your non-photo and non-video files from Amazon Drive. If you are having trouble downloading your files on the web app due to size limitations, we recommend using the Amazon Photos Desktop app to download and save your files. More instructions for using the Amazon Photos desktop app can be found on our FAQ page.

Step-by-step instructions for using Amazon Photos, deleting and downloading your files, managing your paid subscription, and resources for additional help can be found on our FAQ page.

Thank you for being an Amazon customer.

Removing Keyloggers

However, since some keyloggers are constantly being updated with new ways to outsmart detection, you may want to do some digging. To do this, you’ll need to check your list of installed programs.

So, what are you looking for? Pretty much anything unfamiliar or suspicious. If you don’t recognize the name of a program, do a Google search to find out what it is.

Obviously, anything with the word keylogger in the title is a dead giveaway. Some other known keylogging programs to watch for include DanuSoft, Refog, Spytech, Revealer, Ardamax, WinSpy and Spyrix. These are just some examples, and there are countless others out there.

Here’s how to find and remove installed programs for both Mac and PC:

Checking programs on a PC

  • Go to your Control Panel as if you are going to uninstall a program. A simple way to do this is to type “control panel” in the search box found in the lower-left corner of your PC.
  • Next, select Programs and then Uninstall a Program. You will see a list of all programs that are installed on your computer. Uninstall any programs that raise suspicion.

Related: Online forms are grabbing your data – even if you don’t hit enter

Check your phone

You can detect a keylogger on your phone by examining the performance of your device – is it running slow? Is it running hot? Is your battery draining faster than usual? These are all signs that your phone may be infected by malware.

If your phone’s using excessive data, that’s another sign that something suspicious is going on in the background. Look for surprises such as unexplained charges on your bill, popups and apps you didn’t install.

Remove apps from your Android phone

  • Open the Google Play Store app.
  • At the top right, tap the Profile icon.
  • Tap Manage apps & devices > Manage.
  • Tap the name of the app you want to delete.
  • Tap Uninstall.

Avoid the problem before it begins

There are a few basic steps you can take to keep your devices protected from malware:

  • Keep your devices up to date – Check for Android, iOS, macOS and Windows updates for the latest patches and security fixes.
  • Be very careful when clicking on ads or opening links – If you aren’t expecting it or don’t know the sender of a text or email, stay away. 
  • Only download apps from official app stores – Avoid all others like the plague.
  • Always use 2FA – Use two-factor authentication for better security whenever available. Tap or click here for details on 2FA.
  • Be wary of links and attachments – Don’t click on links or attachments you receive in unsolicited emails or text messages. They could be malicious, infect your device with malware and steal sensitive information.
  • Antivirus is vital – Always have a trusted antivirus program updated and running on all your devices. We recommend our sponsor, TotalAV. Right now, get an annual plan with TotalAV for only $19 at ProtectWithKim.com. That’s over 85% off the regular price!

Keep reading: Your personal info is all over the internet – 3 ways to remove it