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Tools For Conscious Awareness
Newsletter For
A Next Step...Light Center for Transformation and
Healing
Vol. 101 - February, 2009
In Truth, Simplicity, Love and Service
…every lifetime sets up conditions that include different features, for very good reasons. Your face and body did not just come into being by shaking the dice; your parentage and the genes and DNA they passed to you were chosen so you might have the face and body that would fit the spiritual purpose of this lifetime. An extremely beautiful countenance can be a severe handicap to many people, as they must overcome the worshipful reactions of others in order to develop their minds and emotions for a higher intention. Going to the other extreme, one who is born with severe handicaps or misshapen body has an even more difficult time relating to other people and finding ways to make the lifetime one with purpose and fulfillment. The challenges you meet every day are put there for you to acknowledge and work with, and your physical being is one of those challenges, no matter what you look like! Have you ever known a teenager to be happy with his/her looks? It is a matter of accepting what you look like and being happy with it that is part of growing up, no matter what your age.
See yourself now as having the appearance of the person you are, a very individual and unique image that belongs to no other unless, of course, you are a twin. The Creator selected this particular image for you to reflect your soul being and the personality you have created for your human lifetime and are still creating. That image does change when the personality undergoes a drastic change for any reason. Accept your face and body as they are, and love them for being you. If you need to lose or gain weight for the health of the body, that will add to your own satisfaction of who you are. Stop frowning at the mirror; look more deeply and love who you see in it!
How can you love this person who gets all upset with negative circumstances, who reacts defensively against those who have put you down, who can't seem to get over or forget the traumatic events in a lifetime, who keeps the guilt and unforgiving attitudes that just seem to hang in there? By accepting the fact that you have taken on a human personality that is not perfect, and also accepting that all of these things can be changed if you really want them to be. It is not a matter of not being able to love yourself until you have perfected all of the attitudes and emotions that are off-kilter; it is a matter of loving yourself as you are – now – regardless of your imperfections.
You know that Love, in all its perfection and glory, is the most powerful force in the universe. If you permit yourself to love yourself, without any hesitation or conditions, that power will fill your being and enable you to start correcting those imperfections. Bingo! When you are filled with Love, and you cannot be filled with Love without loving yourself, there is a very different way of seeing things – a vision of life from a spiritual viewpoint that cannot be reached in any other way. Then you can see the futility of hanging on to guilt, for whatever the situation, it was a learning experience. Resentments fade away as you begin to see and understand the other side of the coin. The spiritual part of you starts to have compassion for those who may have injured you in any way, understanding their deep pain and mistakes. It becomes easier to forgive as the Love within reaches out to touch their soul beings, wherever they are.
As you reconcile all of the old attitudes and sorrows that have kept your heart feeling heavy and cold, a new feeling of lightness and warmth flows through your body and mind. Your reflection in the mirror now takes on a new light in the eyes and the constant frown begins to transpose into a faint smile that is always there. Whatever you look like, you now become most beautiful, for the beauty is developing within as your love for yourself and all of God's creations makes itself obvious to all humanity. It is the Love in the eyes and the Love that pours out through your personal aura that makes all of you beautiful to yourselves and all you meet. (The Masters through Ruth Ryden)
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I gotta take a little time
A little time to think things over
I better read between the lines
In case I need it when I’m older
Now this mountain I must climb
Feels like a world upon my shoulders
I through the clouds I see love shine
It keeps me warm as life grows colder
In my life there’s been heartache and pain
I don’t know if I can face it again
Can’t stop now, I’ve traveled so far
To change this lonely life
I wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
I wanna feel what love is
I know you can show me
I’m gonna take a little time
A little time to look around me
I’ve got nowhere left to hide
It looks like love has finally found me
In my life there’s been heartache and pain
I don’t know if I can face it again
I cant stop now, I’ve traveled so far
To change this lonely life
I wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
I wanna feel what love is
I know you can show me
I wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
And I wanna feel, I want to feel what love is
And I know, I know you can show me
Let’s talk about love
I wanna know what love is, the love that you feel inside
I want you to show me, and I’m feeling so much love
I wanna feel what love is, no, you just cannot hide
I know you can show me, yeah
I wanna know what love is, let’s talk about love
I want you to show me, I wanna feel it too
I wanna feel what love is, I want to feel it too
And I know and I know, I know you can show me
Show me love is real, yeah
I wanna know what love is...
Foreigner
Check these out for a treat:
Wynona Judd at Oprah’s…..I Wanna Know What Love Is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CpWkYc1ZsA&feature=related
And ---- Love Can Build A Bridge……Wynona and Naomi Judd
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KMriSdmr5I&feature=related
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WHAT: World Sound Healing Day- "The Sound Heard Around the World!". Every February 14th, people throughout the planet join together with their intentionalized sound to project a sonic valentine of love & appreciation to Gaia, our Earth Mother. We tone the heart sound "Ah" for a minimum of 5 minutes, and of course longer if your schedule permits. Often people will gather groups together and facilitate this toning experience in their respective communities. If possible, we ask that you take at least 5 minutes to tone at 12 noon Eastern time, and as always, we encourage the sounding of the "Ah" by yourself or with a group at any time during the course of the day.
WHEN: February 14, 2009, join Jonathan Goldman, the Sound Healers Association and thousands of people throughout the planet as they tone an "AH" together for five minutes during that day, projecting the energy of Light & Love throughout the Planet.
Last year, in conjunction with World Sound Healing Day, launched an exciting new interactive website, TempleofSacredSound.org that allowed people to sound together via the Internet and continue sounding throughout the year.
WHY: To project peace throughout the planet. What better way to celebrate this joyous day of Valentine's Day then to project Peace to Mother Earth and generate peaceful energy throughout the planet with sound! Sound coupled with intention has the ability to heal and transform. We will sound an "AH" sending a heart wave of Sound that will resonate throughout the planet. Now is the time for you to be part of the Celestial Choir and resonate together for World Sound Healing Day! We can create major positive shifts on our beloved planet. Through sounding together we will make a difference. Of particular note is the cohesive energetic field created by both individuals and groups as we tone together. Certain prophecies suggest that if 144,000 people tone together for planetary peace and harmony, this number could have a significant effect in restoring balance upon the earth. Let's join together using the Temple of Sacred Sound as a way of resonating together for Global Harmonization.
HOW: Sound the heart sound "AH" for 5 minutes. We will simply sound an "AH" filled with the intention of Peace and Love for 5 minutes at noon Eastern time. If possible, please join us in cyberspace at Temple of Sacred Sound.org as we resonate together for Global Harmonization. The "AH" is a universal, non-denominational heart sound that when projected with focused energy is extremely powerful and effective.
As previously stated, If you do not have access to or are not near a computer at 12 noon Eastern time, simply send forth an intentionalized "Ah" for Global Harmonization regardless of where you may be. And if 12 noon doesn't work for you or your group, sounding with love and appreciation any time of that day will be of great benefit, assisting in the creation of a coherent waveform that will affect the entire Earth. Gathering your group any time during Feb. 14 will be wonderful for the planet.
For more information on World Sound Healing Day which you may find useful, please visit this link: HealingSounds.com. Here you will find a "Planetary Healing Sounds" section with articles on suggested sounds, visualizations and toning techniques as well as as well an "AH" sound you can download and tone along with.
For more information:
email: info@healingsounds.com
phone: 303-443-8181
web: http://www.healingsounds.com
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The Beings of Light are asking us to invoke the Violet Flame during this time, and to continue invoking this Sacred Fire throughout 2009. This will allow the negativity that is surfacing all over the world to be quickly transmuted into Light.
This powerful influx of the Violet Flame will also allow the patterns of perfection for the New Earth that are destined to manifest in 2009, to be experienced by all of us, as soon as possible. There is a reason why the prophecies of old all talk about the transformation taking place “in the twinkling of an eye.” Let’s all join our hearts and minds and cocreate this rapid transformation by doing the following invocation daily throughout this powerful year.
THE VIOLET FLAME OF 1,000 SUNS
I now invoke the Goddess of Liberty, the Goddess of Divine Justice, the Goddess of Freedom, the Goddess of Victory, and the Silent Watchers, Mighty Guardians, Cosmic Beings, and Ascended Masters who are assisting Humanity at this time from Inner levels with the establishment of the New Earth.
Blessed Ones, come now, and blaze forth the most powerful cleansing activity of the Violet Flame that Humanity and the Earth are capable of receiving during this Cosmic Moment.
I open the Stargate of my Heart, and I AM instantly the Open Door for the most powerful 5th-Dimensional frequencies of the Violet Transmuting Flame of Forgiveness and Forgetfulness the Earth has ever experienced.
The Violet Flame pulsates through my Heart Flame and blazes in, through, and around all inharmonious actions, all lower human consciousness and all obstructions of the Light that any person, place, condition, or thing has ever placed in the pathway of Life’s perfection.
Through the Divine Power of Forgiveness and Forgetfulness, the Violet Flame Transmutes this discordant energy cause, core, effect, record, and memory NOW and FOREVER.
The Silent Watchers over every country, state, city, town, village, and hamlet on the planet now reach out their great loving arms and raise up a limitless number of souls in every location who are willing to participate in the faithful use of the Violet Transmuting Flame of Mercy and Compassion.
Each of these Lightworkers understands the full importance of this sacred gift now being offered by our Father-Mother God to help free Humanity from all human distresses.
The conscious use of this mighty power from the Heart of God will cause to be established within every one of these places great foci of the Violet Flame, which will continually bathe every person in each vicinity.
Now, through the Clarion Call of the I AM Presence of ALL Humanity and the Legions of Light throughout infinity, the Violet Flame begins to expand and expand.
It merges with the Immortal Victorious Threefold Flame blazing in every person’s heart and explodes into a tremendous Starburst of Light.
This influx of the Violet Flame increases to the intensity and power of a thousand Suns.
Beloved Legions of Light associated with the Violet Flame of Freedom’s Love and Transmutation...
a) Blaze the Light of a thousand Suns through the thoughts, words, actions, and feelings of every man, woman, and child evolving on Earth until every person individually acknowledges and accepts the Immaculate Concept for ALL Life, and every expression is a healing benediction.
b) Blaze the Light of a thousand Suns through all incoming babies, the children, their parents and guardians until ALL youth are raised up in energy, vibration, and consciousness to carry out the directives of their
I AM Presence.
c) Blaze the Light of a thousand Suns through all youth centers and activities; all schools, colleges, and universities; all leaders, teachers, instructors, and professors in every line of endeavor until the Flame of God Illumination and Enlightenment is manifest and eternally sustained.
d) Blaze the Light of a thousand Suns through all religious and spiritual teachings, so that Divine Love, Truth, Tolerance, and Universal Sisterhood and Brotherhood will quickly manifest.
e) Blaze the Light of a thousand Suns through all doctors, nurses, healers, hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical conglomerates, and every institution associated with healing of any kind until Divine Mercy, Compassion and Healing are tangible realities for every evolving soul.
f) Blaze the Light of a thousand Suns through all banking and financial institutions, all economic systems, all money and the people associated with monetary interactions of any kind until every person on Earth is openly demonstrating true integrity, honesty, generosity, fairness, abundance, and the God supply of all good things.
g) Blaze the Light of a thousand Suns through all places of incarceration and all employed there, through every correctional institution and every judge, jury, and court of law until Divine Justice is manifest and eternally sustained.
h) Blaze the Light of a thousand Suns through all space activities throughout the world until every nation unites in cooperative service, so that God’s Will may be manifest with our sisters and brothers throughout the Universe.
i) Blaze the Light of a thousand Suns through the physical, etheric, mental, and emotional bodies of Humanity until all disease and human miscreation, its cause and core, is dissolved and transmuted into purity, vibrant health, and physical perfection.
j) Blaze the Light of a thousand Suns through the food and water industries and through all of the food and water used for human consumption until every particle of food and every molecule of water is filled with Light. Empower this Elemental substance to raise the vibratory action of Humanity’s physical, etheric, mental, and emotional bodies until physical perfection becomes a sustained manifest reality for every Human Being.
k) Blaze the Light of a thousand Suns through the President of the United States of America, his cabinet, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. Blaze the Light of a thousand Suns through the United Nations and ALL of its members, through ALL world leaders and those associated with the governments of Earth at national, state, and local levels until Divine Government is tangibly manifest and eternally sustained.
l) Blaze the Light of a thousand Suns in, through, and around every remaining electron of precious Life energy until the Immaculate Concept of the New Earth is manifest, and all Life evolving here is wholly Ascended and FREE.
And so it is.
From:
I AM Cocreating the New Earth...A Book of Invocations
by Patricia Diane Cota-Robles
available at www.eraofpeace.org
Patricia Diane Cota-Robles
New Age Study of Humanity's Purpose
a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit educational organization
Website: http://eraofpeace.org
FAX: 520-751-2981
Phone: 520-885-7909
New Age Study of Humanity's Purpose
PO Box 41883
Tucson, Arizona 85717
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www.paragonfoundation.org is located in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Paragon foundation puts out a monthly print newsletter, The Loop, as well as the quarterly journal. Their focus is the Constitution of the united states of America and the rights therein.
“Ignorance is not bliss, it is slavery…Our Constitution is not on a “need to know basis“…it is vitally important that every American know his and her rights and the Law of the Land brought through the Constitution. We are either Free and Sovereign or we are ignorant and slaves. It is a choice. To know the Truth will set one Free… To know the Truth and walk “invisible in plain sight” is my goal through the endeavors of what Toni and I teach. We work daily, so that we can walk our talk.”
Kelley Elkins
Quoted from ‘The Loop‘, volume 2, Issue 8 November 2008. Paragon Foundation’s monthly newsletter.
YOUR RIGHTS
ALLODIAL FREEHOLD LAND PATENT
Is your land really yours? What are your property rights really? The answers may surprise you.
BY DANIEL MARTINEZ
"The moment the idea, is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence."
—John Adams
Rights to property are one of those unalienable rights mentioned in the Declaration of - Independence of July 4, 1776 by the people of the 13 confederate united States of America. Keep in mind the Constitution of the United States was not adopted until September 17, 1787 and not ratified until March 4, 1789. So it took quite a few years before these words were part of the fabric of our country, " We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed".
So what is property? Black's Law Dictionary, 6th Edition, page 1216, defines property as: "That which is peculiar or proper to any person; that which belongs exclusively to one. In the strict legal sense, an aggregate of rights which are guaranteed and protected by the government. The term is said to extend to every species of valuable right and interest. More specifically, ownership; the unrestricted and exclusive right to a thing; the right to dispose of a thing in every legal way, to possess it, to use it, and to exclude every one else from interfering with it" Property, to be owned, need not be physical in nature. It can be goodwill, rights to the proceeds in an insurance policy, it can be personal, real, incorporeal hereditaments -something that is passed on generationally, easements, franchises - the list goes on and on and it includes every species of valuable rights and interests.
For the sake of this article, we are going to focus on the Land Patent that is an exclusive grant from the government and is the highest title to land in the 50 united States of America. Unlike any other country in the world, it is the people that are the sovereigns and not the governments. As it says in the Declaration of Independence, the governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. As Kings without subjects, the Land Patent is our Kingdom, which is the complete and full title to land (Allodial Title) that is defined as:Allodial as defined by Webster's Dictionary 1828 Allodial ALLO'DIAL, adjective - Pertaining to allodium; freehold; free of rent or service; held independent of a lord paramount; opposed to feudal. Blackstone.
A "freehold estate" is a right of title to land for a duration of time, which usually is inheritable and assignable for perpetuity, and a land patent is the highest title to land you can acquire. The Common-Law in England, the King (unlike in America), was the only person (sovereign) to hold complete and full title to a land (Allodial Title). The people of England that held estates of land held title by fee simple absolute and provided the means by which the owner could devise, alienate, (alienation of fee simple estates means conveyance usually by deed) or pass by inheritance the estates of land to family members or whomever the owner determined and specified. As the owner of the fee simple absolute in feudal England, he had to pay homage to the King or a higher baron each year to discharge the obligation of his fief. (A fief is an estate in lands held of a superior on condition of rendering him services.)
The American-based system of land ownership today consists of three key requirements. These are: 1) the warranty deed or some other type of deed purporting to convey ownership of land, 2) title abstracts to chronologically follow the development of these different types of deeds to a piece of property, 3) and title insurance.
To protect the ownership of that land. These three must work together to ensure a systematic or orderly conveyance of property. At least two of the three are usually needed to satisfy the legal requirements of the conveyance to transfer title to the new owner, yet does the absolute title, and therefore the ownership of the land, really pass from the seller to the owner? None of the three by itself
passes absolute or allodial title to the land, the system of land ownership America originally operated under. Even the combination of all three requirements does not convey the absolute title. The abstract only traces the title; the insurance policy only insures the title and the deeds only transfer the fee from the seller to the buyer.
The deeds include the following: warranty deed, quit claim deed, sheriffs deed, trustee's deed, judicial deed, tax deed or any other instrument that purportedly conveys the title. All of these instruments are actually color of title. A color of title is that which in appearance is title, but which in reality is not title.
Wright v. Mattison. 18 How, (U.S.) 50 (1855) also see G. Thomson, Title to Real Property. Preparation and examination of Abstracts. Ch. 3, Section 73, p. 93 (1919). Color of Title is prima facie evidence of ownership of and rights to possession of land until such time as that presumption of ownership is disproved by a better title or the actual title itself. Courts have held that the good faith of the holder to a color of title (color of tide refers to a claim to title which appears valid, but may be legally defective) is presumed in the absence of evidence to the contrary.
Land Patents were created to ensure exclusive and unencumbered ownership and were confined to execution by sovereigns. So, a natural question to be asked would be, "Where did the land within the United States of America come from?" It came from England, France, Spain, Mexico, Russia, Hawaii and from the Native American Indians by purchase, such as the famous purchase of Manhattan Island, the Louisiana Purchase and the purchase of Alaska. Other acquisition came by war power such as Hawaii and much of the Native American Indian lands. Still others by treaty like the Northwest Territories Treaty, the Guadalupe- Hidalgo Treaty and by treaty as the end result of war like the original war for independence from England. Some of the case law regarding these acquisitions includes:
"Issuance of a government patent granting title to land is the most accredited type of conveyance known to our law." United States v. Creek Nation, 295 U.S. 103, 111 (1935): see also United States v. Cherokee Nation. 474 F. 2d 628, 634 (1973).
"The patent is prima facie conclusive evidence of the title." Marsh v. Brooks. 49 U.S. 223, 233 (1850)
"A patent, once issued, is the highest evidence of title, and is a final determination of the existence of all facts." Walton v. United States. 415 F. 2d 121, 123 (10th Cir. 1969); see also United States v. Beaman. 242 F. 876 (1917); File v. Alaska. 593 P. 268, 270 (1979)
In Hooper et al. v. Scheimer, 64 US (23 How.) 235 (1859), the United States Supreme Court stated: "I affirm that a patent is unimpeachable at law, except perhaps, when it appears on its own face to be void; and the authorities on this point are so uniform and unbroken in the courts, Federal and State, that little else will be necessary beyond a reference to them." Id. at 240 (1859) "A patent, being a superior tide, must of courts, prevail over colors of title; nor is it proper for any state legislation to give such titles, which are on equitable in nature with a recognized legal status in equity courts, precedence over the legal title in a court of law"
It is important to remember that a United States patent is protected from third party attacks and are not open to collateral attack. Fee simple estates may be deemed either legal or equitable up to the largest estate in the land that the law will recognize.
As for purchases, a mortgage conveys no actual estate ownership; it merely creates a lien. A mortgage is merely a security in the form of a conditional conveyance - meaning it must be paid for the lien to be removed. Assignments or conveyances of mortgages do not convey the fee simple; rather they hold only security interests. Colors of title are ineffective against mortgages and promote the instability and complexity of the records of land titles by requiring abstracts and title insurance simply to guarantee a marketable title. This practice is against the intent of the constitution and the Acts of Congress. Bagnell v. Broderick. 38 U.S. 438 (1839): "Patents are issued (and theoretically passed) between sovereigns...and deeds are executed by persons and private corporations without these sovereign powers" Leading Fighter v. County of Gregory. 230 N.W. 2d 114, 116 (1975). As was stated earlier, the people, in creating the Constitution and the government formed under it, made such a document and government as sovereigns, retaining that status even after the creation of the government. Chisholm v. Georgia. 2 Dall. (U.S.) 419 (1793). A patent has a double operation. In the first place, it is documentary evidence having the dignity of a record of the evidence of the title. In the second place, it is a deed ot the United States, or a title deed. As a deed, its operation is that of a quitclaim, or rather of a conveyance of such interest, as the United States possesses in the land, such interest in the land passing to the people or sovereign freeholders. 3 Am. Jur. 2d Section 97. p. 566.
As a country, the united states of America is quite young and as we evolve, we, the citizenry, must be ever watchful and push our elected officials to continue the good work of the founders under the Constitution. As Thomas Jefferson stated, "Yes, we did produce a near perfect Republic. But will they keep it, or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance without character is the surest way to destruction"
"Is my property capable of being 'absolute property,' owned by me ?" Contact us at Paragon for a treatise on how to locate your land patent and bring it forward in your name. Government or third parties cannot encumbrance your property unless it says it can on the patent or title deed. And, remember, the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution requires just compensation for eminent domain compelled sale.
ALLODIUM is "LAND WHICH is ABSOLUTE PROPERTY OF THE OWNER, REAL ESTATE HELD IN ABSOLUTE INDEPENDENCE, WITHOUT BEING SUBJECT TO ANY RENT, SERVICE OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO A SUPERIOR. ALLODIAL LANDS ARE THE ABSOLUTE PROPERTY OF THEIR OWNER AND NOT SUBJECT TO ANY SERVICE OR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO A SUPERIOR. AN ALLODIAL TITLE IS THE OPPOSITE OF A FEUDAL TENURE SUCH AS FEE SIMPLE. FEE SIMPLE IS AN ESTATE IN LAND IN COMMON LAW. IT IS THE MOST COMMON WAY REAL ESTATE IS OWNED IN COMMON LAW COUNTRIES, AND IS ORDINARILY THE MOST COMPLETE OWNERSHIP INTEREST THAT CAN BE HAD IN REAL PROPERTY SHORT OF ALLODIAL TITLE, OFTEN RESERVED FOR GOVERNMENTS."
Toni and I suggest at least a $10.00 donation for the receipt of the treatise on how to locate your land patent and bring it forward in your name. You may call them at 1-575-434-8998 or email at info@paragonfoundation.org. Talk to Nichole…
www.paragonfoundation.org
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Full-time work is often taxing. Retirement shouldn't be. Picking a retirement location with low taxes gives you more cash to spend exploring the surrounding scenic beauty, taking in the local nightlife, or hoarding your hard-earned dough for future expenses. Kicking less money up to Uncle Sam also helps retirees on fixed incomes better cope with food, gas, and utility costs.
Americans will spend more on taxes in 2008 than on food, clothing, and housing combined, according to Tax Foundation President Scott Hodge. This year, Americans worked 74 days to pay their federal taxes and 39 days more to cover state and local levies, the Tax Foundation calculated. There's not much you can do about the federal taxes if you want to live in the United States, but the state and local tax burden varies considerably by location. The most expensive state and local taxes are typically sales and excise taxes (14 days' pay), property taxes (12 days' pay), and income tax (10 days' pay).
To find low-tax places to retire, U.S. News cranked up our Best Places to Retire search tool. We sifted through more than 2,000 U.S. places to find locales that have relatively low taxes but also offer amenities important to retirees like a reasonable cost of living and fine recreational and cultural choices. Many of the low-tax retirement havens have no state sales tax, like Billings, Mont., or no state income tax, like Sioux Falls, S.D. There's nothing like zero tax to make your retirement dollar go further.
One low-tax retirement gem, Stafford, Texas, a suburb of Houston, eliminated its property tax in 1995. Texas is also one of seven states with no income tax. (The others are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming.) Stafford also has the lowest sales tax in the Houston area.
Seniors looking to maximize their fixed income may also want to give Manchester, N.H., a look. There is no sales or traditional income tax, but New Hampshire does levy a 5 percent tax on interest and dividend income above $2,400 annually ($4,800 for couples). Residents ages 65 and older pay tax only on amounts above $3,600, and that's outside your retirement accounts. Withdrawals from retirement accounts are not taxed in New Hampshire.
Many retirement locales offer tax perks specifically for seniors. Nashville-Davidson County, Tenn., the home of country-music (and state) capital Nashville, for example, was the first jurisdiction in the state to allow homeowners ages 65 and older earning less than $35,390 in 2007 to freeze the amount of property tax due on their primary residence in the year they qualify, even if tax rates increase later. The frozen dollar amount will rise if the owner sells or makes improvements to the house. If the house drops in value and the current taxes become lower than the frozen amount, homeowners pay the lower amount. And like New Hampshire, Tennessee also doesn't tax earned income, just dividends and interest.
Low-tax towns don't have to be dull. Doral, Fla., is home to the Doral Golf Resort & Spa, which hosts a PGA tournament every year. And Henderson, Nev., Las Vegas's less glittery cousin, is only a short drive from the Strip, Hoover Dam, and Lake Mead. Businesses often flock to tax-friendly cities. And thriving local economies are sure to help retirees find second careers and start small businesses. The business-friendly tax structure of Spokane, Wash., is key to attracting prime technology jobs to the area. After work, retirees can stroll along the Spokane River, which runs through the center of town, or hike in the nearby mountains.
Some cities, like Cheyenne, Wyo., try to slash their budgets rather than increase taxes. In October, Cheyenne Mayor Jack Spiker announced a hiring freeze on nonessential personnel, a reduction of out-of-town travel, and a review of equipment expenditures. "Just like taxpayers, the city needs to tighten its financial belt during these times of economic uncertainty," he says. By leaving vacant positions open until the end of the year, the city estimates it will save $3,160 a month per entry-level employee and $5,050 monthly for each vacant mid-level position.
Perhaps the most tax-friendly state for retirees is Alaska. The geographically largest state in the union is the only one without any kind of income or sales tax. The city of Juneau levies a 5 percent sales tax, but seniors ages 65 and older who have lived in the city for at least 30 days and plan to remain indefinitely in the state can get a Senior Sales Tax Exemption Card for a $20 application fee. Those over age 65 may also be eligible for a senior-citizen property tax exemption on the first $150,000 of assessed value. All Alaska residents with at least one year in the state also receive annual Alaska Permanent Fund dividends. The payout was an unusually high $3,269 in 2008, but even more typical dividends have been nothing to scoff at, ranging from $827 to $1,964 over the past two decades. This dividend may be taxed as income on federal tax returns.
Here are 10 great tax havens for retirees:
Billings, Mont.
Cheyenne, Wyo.
Doral, Fla.
Henderson, Nev.
Juneau, Alaska
Manchester, N.H.
Nashville, Tenn.
Sioux Falls, S.D.
Spokane, Wash.
Stafford, Texas
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**Sunday, FEBRUARY 1ST , 2009 / Our Breath Meditation Intenting World
Peace using Bursting the Body Light-Violet Flame of Forgiveness.
We would like as many of you as live nearby to join us and those
of you afar to join us as well. The time is now to take action
and be taking action continuously for World Peace. It starts with
us.
Join us the first Sunday of each month. We meet at 3pm Rocky Mt.
Standard Time and breathe around 4pm. It is an exquisite way to
stop the chatterbox and have our love intention impact on the
Collective, the Earth's Bodies and our bodies as well.
Connecting to our breathing consciously with focused intent in these breath meditations
called Bursting The Body Light-Violet Flame of Forgiveness can expand your Light-
Consciousness, creativity, connection to Source Energy. Go to www.anextstep.org and
click on Breath Meditations to learn more.
**To learn the first part of Bursting the Body Light-Violet Flame of Forgiveness,
go to the opening page of www.anextstep.org and click on Free Offer, put your
email address, submit and we will send it to you free of charge.
To learn both breath meditations and support this light center, purchase it thru
the website or send a us a money order for $54 and we will email it to you--make
sure to send us your email address.
If you wish to make a donation to this Light Center, go to paypal and send it to
toni@anextstep.org Thank you from the bottom of our heart.
...............
Mother Father God I thank you for the Desire, the Hope , the Faith,
the Willingness and the Experience of Loving You with all my Heart,
all my Mind, all my Soul and all my Strength, creating Perfect
Gratitude, Perfect Praise, Perfect Love, and Perfect Faith - filling
my heart with Songs Of Joy, Waters of Life and Clothing of Light.
I love you, I love you, I love you. Amen.
...............
In Truth, Simplicity, Love and Service, Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti,
Om Peace
Young Toni Delgado and Young Kelley Elkins
A NEXT STEP...Light Center for Transformation and Healing
P.O.Box 429
Dona Ana, New Mexico 88032
toni@anextstep.org
www.anextstep.org
575-382-8771
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Buy Toni's new book: A CALL TO MOTHER’S GRACE AND GIFTS
Go to OUR STORE: bottom of page at www.anextstep.org to order it.
Also available at iuniverse.com, amazon, barnesandnoble, borders.
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