Financial Focus: Tax Season; What’s New?

By Professor Anthony Rivieccio MBA PFA

Everything! New forms, worksheets, calculations, formulas, and schedule sheets The Trump tax law, in effect over a year ago, is now coming to visit us for the first time this income tax season. Do you think you’re getting the same refund as in the past? Think it should be bigger? Well, let me start with some temporary bad news first. As per the new law, all taxpayers in 2018 should have received (on average) a two percent decrease in tax rates. So, if you made $50,000 in 2018, and say your federal taxes were at 25 percent versus today’s 23

By DAVID GREENE

This week we asked readers who’s to blame for the partial government shutdown, President Donald Trump or the Democrats? I blame the President because he wants his stupid wall. I feel like it’s wrong and he’s making everything worse. He wants to build a wall that’s unnecessary at the moment. There’s bigger problems right now, like three wars. I think it’s going to end very, very badly and a lot of things are going to happen because of these little mistakes. Sandra Velez Allerton Donald Trump is to blame for everything since he became President. He’s cashing in, doing

Latest Edition of the Norwood News is Out!

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers! The Norwood News is out with its latest edition covering the Bronx. In our second edition of the year, we bring you the latest! The front page story revisits the Bedford Park Manor, where several tenants have ramped up efforts for improved quality of life. Read what the owner of the properties has to say. In Norwood, two separate corners of the neighborhood saw the discovery of two dead bodies in two separate cases. David Greene looks into this for us. Speaking of crime, the NYPD crime stat figures were released for 2018. It looks like the

Editorial: De Blasio Ratchets Up Progressivism to Pad Resume Ahead of 2020

In the days leading up to his annual State of the City address, Mayor Bill de Blasio turned up the volume on Democratic progressivism, announcing NYC Care, an initiative that offers super affordable healthcare to New York City’s low-income earners, roughly 600,000 in all. Half of those New Yorkers are undocumented immigrants. The announcement happened in the Bronx. The plan will kick off in the Bronx. In his State of the City address this year, de Blasio outlined an overdue but vague plan to draw the “best and brightest” teachers to public schools. The schools to receive new teachers will

Bronx Projects Take Center Stage in State of the City

By DAVID CRUZ

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s fifth State of the City address saw the immediate creation of a Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, a plan for increased worker protections, expanded 3K program, while also promoting a plan for guaranteed healthcare and a paid two-week vacation proposal for employees. Surprisingly, there were some specifics for the Bronx, a point that was not lost on Democratic colleagues like Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., who’s expressed interest in running for mayor in 2021. Still, Diaz criticized de Blasio’s proposal to take buildings away from landlords with a history of harassment and poor building management.

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

By PROFESSOR ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA PFA

So, we are in a government shutdown. And in today’s IRS agency world, that means a lot of things, including being currently shut down. With a shutdown, the agency can process some tax returns that include payments and can keep their computer systems running and continue criminal investigations. But the IRS generally doesn’t conduct audits, respond to taxpayer questions outside the filing season or—pay refunds. The tax refund is the single largest financial event of the year for many people, especially who count on large refunds to pay down debt, catch up on bills, or make major purchases. Most early

By DAVID CRUZ

Dear Fellow Readers! The Norwood News is out with its latest edition covering the Bronx. In our last edition of the year, we bring you the latest! The front page story looks at 2018 with our traditional Year in Review, highlighting several major stories that happened throughout the year. We spent several days narrowing down the list. We hope you agree. With the new year here, we give you a briefing of all the new laws you have to comply with now. Meantime, hear what Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. wants from Amtrak when it comes to the stalled

By DAVID GREENE

I will try and be a better person and make better decisions and, I guess, get better at school and make my mom proud. Hopefully, the Bronx can become a cleaner place and we can reduce the pollution. Chicago Smith Morris Park I’m not really giving up anything for the new year, but I guess I’d like people to be better to each other and be more friendly to each other instead of being bad. I hope the Bronx becomes a better place to live in; safer. I know it’s not that bad, but it could be better. Gabriel

By DAVID GREENE

This week we asked readers their thoughts on the city Department of Transportation (DOT) plans for a “road diet” which calls for converting two-way Morris Park Avenue from a double lane to a single lane each way roadway. Somewhere along the line our elected officials at City Hall forgot that they serve the people. They got into office by saying that this was a tale of two cities and now it’s a tale of one city, run by a king: [Bill] de Blasio. Start listening to what the people have to say, they’re the ones that pay your salary. It’s