Simple Living Works!

Simpler Living Weekly Nudge

Posted on: January 8, 2019

Jimmy Marcelin, playmaker at Safe Harbors Immigration Center

1/8/19

In This Issue–First-Hand Podcast on Immigration // Jerry’s Top 10 Progressive Podcasts // What to Expect Here in 2019 // Much More!

# # #

Simpler OneEarth Living Episode 01/19–Immigration and Borders: Horrors, Opportunities, and Needs—Talking with Jimmy Marcelin of Safe Harbors

# # #

Jerry’s Top 10 Progressive Podcasts

All available from iTunes, Stitcher or your favorite podcast service. Not in priority order. They’re all great! There are many more but one of my New Years resolutions was to be less extensive/overwhelming!

The Fallon Forum with Ed Fallon // Best of the Left // GrowthBusters // Ralph Nader Radio Hour // RePros Fight Back // The Hartmann Report with Thom Hartmann // The OverPopulation Podcast from Population Balance // Jim Hightower’s Radio Lowdown (3 min.!) // Alternative Radio // and, of course, my own, Simpler OneEarth Living, now a co-production of Simple Living Works! and Jubilee OneEarth Economics

Others that are excellent though not political: Homilies by Fr. Richard Rohr // On Being with Krista Tippet

# # #

What Others Are Doing – So Much Help! – Latest Posts

I gladly pass along links from simple living bloggers, podcasters, coaches and others. Some faith-based, some not. You needn’t read them all. Choose just FIVE links to investigate. COMPLETE LIST (Monthly Digest). For links to earlier entries, check the previous SLW! Weekly Digests or Monthly Digests.

What’s Happened

What to Expect Here in 2019

All services are free of charge

Every Day–Simpler Living Nudge (brief) by email or Twitter. To subscribe send Nudge to SimpleLivingWorks@yahoo.com or follow @GeraldIversen.

‘Most Every Day–FaceBook posts

Each Week (1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd)–Simpler Living Weekly Nudge. Subscribe at Blog (window #2) at SimpleLivingWorks.org; Linked-In post (Gerald Iversen)

1st of Each Month–San Luis Obispo Co., CA, Social Justice eNews. To subscribe send SLO Co. to same address.

8th of Each Month–New episode of monthly Simpler OneEarth Living podcast (co-produced with http://www.Jubilee-Economics.org). Subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher and other podcast services to predecessors Simple Living Works or The Common Good Podcast. (NOTE: Episode numbers have been dropped. We now use the month of release, e.g. Ep.01/19.)

15th of Each Month–Siouxland (Sioux City, IA) Social Justice eNews. To subscribe send Siouxland to same address. Begin emailing monthly Simple Living Works! eNews version of weekly Nudge.

# # #

Will the New Tax Laws Affect Our Charitable Giving?

On the recent annual #GivingTuesday (11/27/18) we were urged to support non-profit organizations. It’s a real relief from the hyper-consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Now some of us are planning our year-end giving. How much can we afford to give away while we look Christmas in the face?

I normally give away as much as possible AND itemize deductions on my Income Tax returns, not only to be helpful but also to get above the standard deduction. This way I can keep my share of taxes from supporting the war machine and force-feeding the military.

The Republican Tax Scam of 2018 has thrown ordinary citizens a bone by doubling the standard deduction (in contrast to the monumental tax deductions for the wealthy and corporations!). This ploy could have a serious negative effect on charitable organizations—now we can get the deduction without giving the money away. (Yes, the deduction also includes property taxes, state income taxes and medical expenses.)

My plan is to double my giving one year and reduce it the next. That way I get the benefit of the higher standard deduction in “lean “ years and go above it in “fat” years. Likewise, we’ll give to progressive political causes  and candidates (which are not tax deductible) in even-numbered/election years (2018, 2020), to help balance the doubling of charitable donations in odd-numbered years (2019). 

This plan is called “bunching.”  It won’t work for everybody. I am not giving tax advice. I urge you to talk to a tax professional. In the meanwhile, here’s an article that may help: “Bunching Charitable Donations Could Help You Save onTaxes This Year—https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/04/bunching-charitable-donations-could-help-you-save-on-taxes-this-year.html

We can live our consciences and still keep the system from negating our generosity.

# # #

Podcast Reminder

You can access all SLW! podcast audio and the show notes at SimpleLivingWorks.org (then click window #3). Complete Episode Index. Listen through your computer, iPod, iPad, iPhone (or equivalent).

SUBSCRIBE through iTunesStitcher.com or your favorite podcast service. To SUBSCRIBE to email notices, click Comments at the bottom of Show Notes, then check ‘Notify me of new posts by email.’ Please rate us in iTunes and leave a review.

Send us your email address to receive the free monthly SLW! eNews. Remember to like us on Facebook. Urge your friends to do the same. Do your friends a favor. Share our blog and podcast.

Like SLW! on Facebook. | Follow us on Twitter. | Follow us on Pinterest. Share your thoughts on our podcast and blogs. Email SimpleLivingWorks@yahoo.com, leave a message on our Facebook page or on the SLW! blog.

Peace, Gerald “Jerry” Iversen, Chief SLW! Activist

Copyright: Creative Commons non-commercial attribution share-alike license.

Through social media, we extend the mission and resources of the non-profit organization Alternatives, 1973-2011.

*We choose to use month numbers rather than the traditional names because the names are inaccurate (September means “7” but it’s the ninth month?! and they honor gods and emperors from warring ancient Roman culture. For more, see Weekly Nudge, 8/8/18.

Leave a comment

Categories

Archives