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The Internal Revenue Service on Monday launched its annual outreach campaign aimed at helping the millions of Americans who earned $49,078 or less take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit.

The agency also is spreading the word about free preparation assistance.

Although an estimated four out of five eligible workers and families are eligible for the EITC, one in five still miss out either because they don’t claim it or don’t file a tax return at all, according to the IRS.

Workers who earned $49,078 or less from wages, self-employment or farm income last year could receive larger refunds if they quality for the credit. That could mean up to $464 in ETIC for those without children and a maximum credit of up to $5,751 for those with three or more qualifying children, the IRS said.

Unlike most deductions and credits, the EITC is refundable. In other words, those who are eligible may get a refund from the IRS even if they owe no tax.

People can find out if they qualify by visiting IRS.gov and answering a few questions using the EITC Assistant. In tax year 2010, almost 26.8 million eligible workers and families received more than $59.5 billion in EITC. The average EITC per individual last year was $2,200.

To get the EITC, workers must file a tax return and specifically claim the credit, even if they are not required to file.

On another front, the IRS said that this year more than 12,000 free tax preparation sites will be available nationwide to help low- to moderate-income and elderly taxpayers.

To locate the nearest “IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program” call 1-800-906-9887. Taxpayers also can seek free assistance at 400 IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers nationwide. Locations are listed atIRS.gov.

Source: Sltrib.com

Rahul Gandhi, son of late Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi,  is on the race for the  Prime Minister post along with hundreds others, as per latest development in Indian Politics.

Rahul Gandhi, aged 42,  is the  member of Congress party in India, headed by his mother Sonia Gandhi. He is also a member of  Parliament of India.

Boy, I never cover  Political drama, but this one is worth a laugh.

The general elections is scheduled for 2014 and we can already find temperature brewing up between the Political parties who are vigilant to fight with each other over a small case.

In simple terms, Government Vs Opposition, always the case.

For congress of-course, it is clear that Rahul Gandhi is their candidate for the post.  Speaking out against the opposition, Congress general secretary Rashid Alvi said, “We are glad that realisation has finally dawned on the BJP that the Congress is all set to again return to power in 2014, and Rahul will become prime minister”

Taking a dig at the party, he went on to add, “I would like to assure the BJP that its position will remain secure in the opposition benches of parliament.”

I reckon, its just a start and as we enter the year, the Political drama will take a new course in India.

Cancer cells, which kill nearly 12,000 people in the US alone every year and affect more than half a million worldwide, could be eradicated with grape seed extract, reveals a study.

The extract creates conditions unfavourable for the cancers’ growth by damaging both their cells’ DNA and stops the pathways that allow repair.

“It’s a rather dramatic effect,” said Rajesh Agarwal, study investigator at the University of Colorado Cancer Centre and professor at the Skaggs School of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

“Cancer cells are fast-growing cells. Not only that, but they are necessarily fast growing. When conditions exist in which they can’t grow, they die,” said Agarwal, according to a university statement.

“I think the whole point is that cancer cells have a lot of defective pathways and they are very vulnerable if you target those pathways. The same is not true of healthy cells,” added Agarwal.

For all those who love to work late! To get the exact word, People who love their job so much that they work for 11 to 12 hours a day, you have a very high risk of getting depression, as per recent study.

A study of civil servants in England found that working excessive hours was linked with more cases of major depressive episodes. The 2,123 men and women observed in the study, published this week in the online journal PLoS One, were followed for an average 5.8 years and assessed for depression.

Working 11 or more hours a day was associated with a 2.3- to 2.5-fold increased risk of having a major depressive episode compared with those who worked a standard seven- to eight-hour day.

Often, people stay out late to finish a deadline or to make a name for themselves in front of their boss, but in the end though its their mental pleasure which they sacrificed for gaining some cents.

You can find the detailed report on the research Here

What do you think on the study? Do you think you are affected by working late? Share your views with us.

The symbol of freedom that has been paraded by the Americans for over 200 years is now being burned at their own hands. The protesters in Occupy Oakland lost all respect for their country and burned a American flag that they found inside Oakland City Hall.

Dozens of police maintained a late-night guard around City Hall following daylong protests that resulted in 300 arrests. Occupy Oakland demonstrators broke into the historic building and burned a U.S. flag, as officers earlier fired tear gas to disperse people throwing rocks and tearing down fencing at a convention center.

Saturday’s protests — the most turbulent since Oakland police forcefully dismantled an Occupy encampment in November — came just days after the group said it planned to use a vacant building as a social center and political hub and threatened to try to shut down the port, occupy the airport and take over City Hall.

Protesters clashed with police throughout the day, at times throwing rocks, bottles and other objects at officers. And police responded by deploying smoke, tear gas and bean bag rounds, City Administrator Deanna Santanta said.

Interim Police Chief Howard Jordan said about 300 arrests were made.

“These demonstrators stated their intention was to provoke officers and engage in illegal activity and that’s exactly what has occurred today,” Santana said.

The number of demonstrators swelled as the day wore on, with afternoon estimates ranging from about 1,000 to 2,000 people.

In Oakland, the police department received heavy criticism for using force to break up earlier protests. Quan was among the critics, but on Saturday, she seemed to have changed her tune.

“Our officers have been very measured,” Quan said. “Were there some mistakes made? There may be. I would say the Oakland police and our allies, so far a small percentage of mistakes. “But quite frankly, a majority of protesters who were charging the police were clearly not being peaceful.

Quan added, “If the demonstrators think that because we are working more closely with the monitor now that we won’t do what we have to do to uphold the law and try keep people safe in this city, they’re wrong.”

Victoria Azarenka won her first grand slam title and became the new world number one when she thrashed a disappointing Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open final on Saturday.

The third-seeded Belarusian overpowered the 2008 champion to win 6-3, 6-0 in 82 minutes to lift the trophy and become the fourth women’s first-time grand slam winner in a row.

“I can’t wait to be back next year, I’ve had an amazing month in Australia. It’s a dream true,” said Azarenka.

Azarenka came from 0-2 down in the first set to win 12 of the next 13 games for a comprehensive victory, as Sharapova’s game disintegrated in the face of all-out aggression from the Belarusian.

Sharapova made 30 unforced errors, while Azarenka played almost flawlessly at times with only 12 errors across the two sets.

Azarenka won the toss and chose to serve, but she started nervously and dished up two double-faults on her way to dropping the first game.

Azarenka, who won the girls’ singles crown in 2005, became only the third woman in the open era to win the junior and senior titles at the Australian Open after Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Chris O’Neil.

She is also the first Belarusian to win a grand slam title, going one better than Natasha Zvereva, who finished runner up at the French Open in 1998.

Actor Robert Hegyes, one of the stars of the 70s sitcom “Welcome Back Kotter” died today of an apparent heart attack.

Hegyes was best known for his role as the Puerto Rican-Jew on that show — Juan Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos Epstein. Epstein for short.

Hegyes reunited with John Travolta and the rest of the Sweathogs last year to accept TV Land’s 35th Anniversary Award.

He also co-starred on the hit drama, “Cagney and Lacey.”

Hegyes was in his New Jersey home this morning when he suffered the heart attack. He died at JFK Medical Center in Edison, NJ. He was 60 years old.

Source : TMZ