Page 8 - Copyright 2013 - Pamplin Media Group

Page 8 September 25, 2013 Senior Lifestyles
It’s only natural for man’s best
friend to stay close by his mas-
ter’s side, but for dog owners who
drive frequently, bringing Fido along
for the ride can be risky. The problem
is particularly worrisome for older
drivers: a recent study conducted by
researchers at the University of Al-
abama at Birmingham showed that
for people 70 years and older, crash
rates were higher among those who
frequently drove with pets in the car.
But for many drivers, leaving pre-
cious pets behind isn’t an option. The
best compromise is to find solutions
that will get you from point A to point
B without compromising the safety
of human or animal passengers.
Distracted driving is a growing
concern and a loose pet in the car cer-
tainly numbers among the potential
hazards that can take your eyes —
and mind — off the road and lead to
accidents. While older drivers might
not be as likely to be distracted by
texting or smartphone surfing, even
those who have spent many years
navigating the roads need to honestly
assess how having a pet in the car can
divert their attention away from the
road.
To stay safe on the road when
Fido is with you, remember these
tips:
— Don’t allow pets in the front
seats. Having a pet sit on your lap is
obviously distracting, but if he’s in
the front passenger seat, the problem
can be just as bad. In the front seats,
your pet is more likely to be within
your line of sight and obstruct your
view of the road. An unrestrained dog
in the front seats could also be easily
injured if you have to slam on the
brakes or swerve, or are hit from be-
hind. The force with which airbags
deploy also poses a safety hazard for
dogs in the front seat — if you’re in
an accident and they inflate and hit
your dog, he could easily sustain an
injury.
— Create separation. There are a
variety of pet barriers on the market
that can keep your pet from moving
between the front and back seats of
your car. Installing a barrier will help
keep your pet out of your way and di-
minish concerns about him being
propelled forward in case you have to
make a sudden stop.
— Restrain your pet. There are a
number of options for pet restraints in
your vehicle. Pet seatbelts and car
seats will help keep a dog safely in
place. Keeping a crate in the car is
also a good option. Make sure it’s se-
cured and large enough so that he can
stand up, turn around and comfort-
ably sit or lay down. Add a soft pad
in the bottom of the crate and it might
just become your pet’s favorite new
way to travel.
— Brush up on your driving
skills. Today’s driving environment is
probably very different than it was
when you first got your license. A re-
fresher course, like those offered by
AARP Driver Safety, is an ideal way
to ensure that your skills are up to
date. Brushing up on defensive dri-
ving techniques and the essential
rules of the road will help keep
everyone in your car safe — and you
may even qualify for a multi-year au-
tomobile insurance discount from
your insurance company (check with
your agent for details).
Pets are important members of the
family, so it’s only right that drivers
consider their safety, just as they
would for any other passenger. For
more safe driving tips and informa-
tion about AARP Driver Safety, visit
www.aarp.org/drive.
Brandpoint Media
Driving with dogs: Tips to keep everyone in the car safe
Studies show that,
particularly for older
drivers, bringing Fido
along on a ride can be a
risky proposition
Experts suggest people not allow pets to ride in front seats, especially in the driver’s lap, as it can cause distractions and make for unsafe driving.
W hether you use old-fashioned
manila filing folders, a flash drive
or cloud storage, tax and personal
finance authorities agree on the importance
of saving tax documents and records. In ad-
dition to using the information for preparing
your next income tax return, it may come in
handy years from now.
“Your tax data is helpful and often re-
quired in many non-tax financial situations,”
says TaxACT spokesperson Jessi Dolmage.
“For instance, insurance companies, lenders
and creditors often use tax information to
verify income and asset value. Form W-2s
can provide proof of income if your Social
Security benefits are less than what they
should be.”
Organizing and saving information
throughout the year will cut tax return prepa-
ration time and can even save you money.
Save any information related to:
* Income from wages, dividends, interest
or business: Forms W-2, 1099, and K-1,
bank statements, brokerage statements
* Deductions and credits (child care ex-
penses, medical and dental expenses, busi-
ness use of home, charitable gifts, vehicle
sales tax, alimony): Receipts, invoices,
mileage logs, bank or credit card statements,
canceled checks
* Home and property: Closing statements,
invoices, proof of payment, insurance
records, receipts for improvements
* Investments: Forms 1099 and 2439,
brokerage statements, mutual fund state-
ments
While you don’t need a fancy or high-
tech organizing system, you do need to keep
the information in a secure place. Consider
saving electronic copies to the cloud or on a
backup storage device in addition to, or in
place of, your paper files.
“One of the key advantages of going dig-
ital is that your tax information is better pro-
tected from natural disasters,” Dolmage said.
“Saving electronically also means you can
access the information anywhere from a mo-
bile device.”
What to keep after filing your taxes and how
long to keep it
Knowing what information to save and
for how long can be confusing. As a general
rule of thumb, keep tax returns and related
documents for at least three years from the
April 15 filing deadline.
* Three years: Tax return forms and
schedules plus all information to support
what you claimed on your return, especially
records related to property, investments, or
business assets (for depreciation). While
there are exceptions, the IRS has three years
to assess additional tax and audit returns.
Three years is also the amount of time you
have to amend your return.
* Four years: Many income-taxing states
have an additional year to audit individual
returns.
* Six years: Forms W-2, 1099, etc. be-
cause the IRS has six years to contact you if
you’ve failed to report income.
* Seven years: Any information regarding
loss from worthless securities or bad debts.
Certain documents should be saved
longer. “Information related to your home,
property, investments and retirement plans
should be kept indefinitely,” Dolmage said.
“If you dispose of an asset, be sure to keep
the information for another three years.”
Business owners should keep tax infor-
mation for at least four years. That includes
employment records, gross receipts, invoic-
es, bank statements, proofs of purchase, asset
records, databases, emails and even voice-
mails.
Your tax documents: Knowing what to keep and what to shred