It's that time of year, folks. Time to get your income tax documents in order. Don't wait until the last minute. Free tax prep is now available in Austin. For the 7th year in a row, Foundation Communities is working with the City of Austin as well as the United Way to set up tax centers around the city. Lower income families (those with a household income below $50,000 per year) can go to any one of nine tax centers that have been set up around Austin to have their tax returns prepared.
Foundation Communities is a local Austin/North Texas nonprofit organization that helps lower income families and individuals in the Austin area with services, education and housing to help enrich their lives. While walk-ins are welcome, appointments are recommended at some locations. Read the Foundation Communities' list of documents you will need to bring with you to ensure that your tax returns can be prepared correctly in a timely manner. The location of free tax preparation sites throughout Austin and the surrounding area are:
You qualify for free tax preparation in Austin if you have a household income of up to $50,000 per year for a family of four, up to $55,000 for a family of five, up to $60,000 for a family of six and up to $65,000 for a family of seven. If your household has more than seven members, increase the annual household income by $5000 per member to determine if you qualify. The Round Rock tax preparation site follows slightly different guidelines. For a family of two, your annual household income must be less than $50,000 to qualify. For a family of three, your annual household income can be up to $53,950, up to $59,900 for a family of four, up to $64,700 for a family of five, up to $69,700 for a family of six, up to $74,300 for a family of seven and up to $79,100 for a family of eight. Single filers with annual incomes of up to $50,000 may also get their taxes prepared for free at any of the locations above.
This year, all of the tax centers listed above will be offering any citizens who have their taxes prepared at the center the opportunity to purchase a savings bond using some of their tax refund. Those citizens who purchase a savings bond will become eligible for a $25 HEB gift card. Just ask your tax preparation specialist for information.
Lower income households in the Austin area can have their taxes prepared for free at any of the nine tax centers set up throughout the city and surrounding areas. IRS-certified staff will be preparing your taxes at each center. You don't want to wait until the last minute, especially if you are expecting a refund. Head to one of the centers above to get your tax return taken care of now.
Hey kids! Grab your crayons and put on your thinking caps. The City of Austin is holding a flood safety poster contest for kids ages 6-13. A gift card for $100 goes to the first place winner in each age group. Subsequent gift cards in varying amounts will be awarded to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place winners as well. Additionally, have the chance to win a ride aboard a swift water rescue boat and will see your winning poster printed in a special Flood Safety insert of the Austin-American Statesman as well as part of safety calendars for next year.
The theme for this year's contest is "Turn Around-Don't Drown". The point of the contest is to involve local Austin kids to help educate other children about the safety issues surrounding flooded areas. I know it may seem weird to consider flood safety when we are currently experiencing one of the worst droughts in our state's history. But floods remain the #1 cause of all weather-related deaths in the state and the top weather-related emergency in the City of Austin itself.
To be considered for a prize in the Austin Flood Safety Poster Contest, kids must be between the ages of 6 and 13. All drawings must be submitted on 8 1/2" x 11" paper but drawn in the landscape format (longest sides of paper are at the top and bottom). Each entry should include the headline "Save Yourself! Turn Around - Don't Drown" or "¡Sálvese! Es Mejor Regresarse - Que Ahogarse". The poster itself should depict the dangers of driving in flooded waters. How that depiction is represented is up to the artist. The back of each entry should include the child's name, age and grade, the name, phone number and email address of their parent/guardian and the school they attend as well as their teacher's name and phone number. If you have their teacher's email address, that would be appreciated as well, but it is not required. For all the details about the contest, please read the City of Austin's Flood Safety Poster guidelines here.
All entries must be received in the City of Austin offices no later than February 24, 2012. Entries postmarked before but not received until after will not be considered for prizes. All poster entries can be mailed to the attention of Joan Esquivel at the City of Austin WPD, PO Box 1088, Austin, TX 78767. The city offices will accept entries dropped off to them on the 12th floor at One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road up until the deadline. Please keep in mind that all entries received by the City of Austin for the flood safety poster contest will be considered city property and will not be returned.
Now that the holidays are over, many people find that the new year is a great time to get organized. This may include getting rid of the clutter by donating old clothing you don't wear anymore or getting rid of items you have no more use for. That may include hazardous materials that you can't just throw away in the regular trash bin. But, where do you dispose of household hazardous waste in Austin?
Austin's Household Hazardous Waste Facility (2514 Business Center Dr) is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10am to 6pm and Saturdays from 7am to 12pm to accept household hazardous waste from Austin citizens. Did you know that even regular household batteries can cause damage to the environment if not disposed of properly? So can fluorescent lights. Any Austin resident can bring up to 30 gallons of household hazardous waste per visit for free. If you bring more than that, there will be a fee. For more info, please call (512) 974-4343.
The City of Austin has also set up a Reuse Store for brand new and slightly used household hazardous waste that is dropped off at the Austin HHW facility. These items, which include auto fluids, cleaning products and pesticides among other products, are then given to Austin residents for free.
Some household hazardous waste includes:
Electronics and computer equipment are not accepted at the Austin HHW Facility. These will need to be brought in to an electronics recycler instead. Any items brought in cannot be in any container larger than 5 gallons.
If you are wondering where to dispose of household hazardous waste in Austin, bring them in to the City of Austin HHW Facility at 2514 Business Center Dr. As long as you have 30 gallons or less to dispose of, you can drop it off for free. Keep hazardous materials out of our landfills to help keep Austin beautiful.
Austin area shelters and rescues are teeming with homeless and abandoned dogs, cats, kittens and puppies. These loving creatures need a good home and the holidays are a perfect time to bring them to your house. In an effort to place these animals with caring families, the Austin Humane Society has teamed up with the Austin Animal Center to create Home for the Holidays. From now until January 8, 2012, all all fees have been reduced when you adopt a pet in Austin.
Usually, the fee to adopt an animal from the Austin Human Society or Austin Animal Center is $75. With this fee, the animal is spayed/neutered, receives all necessary vaccinations (including a 1 year rabies shot), a microchip (to help track them if they wander off) and a new adjustable nylon collar. However, during the Home for the Holidays event, all fees are drastically reduced. Dogs, cats and kittens can be adopted for $20 each (two kittens can be adopted for $20 if you're interested), puppies vary and any cat or dog over five years old is free.
If you're interested in taking a furry friend home and making them a permanent family member, please visit the Austin Humane Society (124 W Anderson Ln) or the Austin Animal Center (7201 Levander Loop) before January 8, 2012 to take advantage of the reduced adoption fees. All potential adoptive families will still need to go through the typical adoption process so that these animals are placed in the right family atmosphere that is advantageous to both the families and the pets they are bringing into their home. Please bring a pet home for the holidays. You'll make a lifelong, loyal friend.
Austin is nothing if not unique. We love music, we love celebrations and we love having a good time. This extends to the way we celebrate the holidays. The annual Zilker Tree Lighting ceremony in Austin is our way of kicking off the holiday season. What's unique about this "tree", however, is that its branches are comprised of streamers and utility poles. We do like 'em big in Texas as well. The Zilker tree stands 155 feet tall, is 380 feet in circumference and 120 feet in diameter.
This year, the tree lighting ceremony will take place at 6pm on December 4, 2011. Guest conductor Micheele Valles will lead the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble this year in their performance of traditional holiday music. Austin winter nights get pretty chilly, so make sure to wear layered clothing and proper footwear to stay warm. Concession stands will be on hand providing food and various novelty items for sale. So, make sure to bring some cash with you as well. If you can't make it to the initial tree lighting, don't worry. The lights will be on full display in all their sparkling glory from 6pm to midnight every evening until December 31st.
Why stop at just one night of celebrating, though? HolidayFest is back (sort of). Last year, HolidayFest (formerly known as the Trail of Lights) was canceled due to budgetary concerns. The tough economy hasn't made it much easier this year. HolidayFest is heavily dependent upon sponsorships from local Austin businesses to help fund the event. Many businesses have found it difficult to donate. Fortunately, H-E-B has been able to help with their sponsorship so a toned down version of HolidayFest will be available to Austin citizens. In addition to the concession stands and twinkling lights of the Zilker tree itself, a Santa House will be on-site during the HolidayFest celebration (6pm to 10pm December 5th through December 11th).
Enjoy one of Austin's holiday traditions (since 1965) by attending the Zilker Tree Lighting ceremony on Sunday, December 4, 2011 at 6pm. It's a great experience for the entire family. And what a fun, unique, totally Austin way to kick off the holiday season! Happy holidays, everybody.
Residential Realtor specializing in the sale of Homes, Condos, and Luxury Homes. Working extensively with with both local buyers, investors and buyers relocating to Austin, Texas and the surrounding a
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