TALLAHASSEE (CBS) Governor DeSantis signs AI and vape bills Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed 28 bills, including a measure requiring disclaimers on certain political ads created using artificial intelligence and a bill about regulation of vape products.
ESTERO Gold Star Golf Tournament honors fallen veteran Behind each putt and swing of a golf club at the Gold Star Golf Tournament is someone who knew John Wirka Junior.
NEW YORK (AP) How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat If it feels like TikTok has been around forever, that’s probably because it has, at least if you’re measuring via internet time. What’s now in question is whether it will be around much longer and, if so, in what form?
FORT MYERS Man wanted for armed robbery at Fort Myers convenience store Crime Stoppers is asking the public for help identifying an armed robber who held up a convenience store Saturday morning.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Rifles, inappropriate texts and Donut shop debacle This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a scary mall trip, an inappropriate coach, and a Dunkin Donuts assault.
The Weather Authority: Sunny Saturday with a nice breeze; fire danger increases Warm temperatures for your Saturday with a nice breeze into the afternoon.
NORTH NAPLES Senior Airman surprises cousin on Aubrey Rogers softball senior night Aubrey Rogers senior pitcher and infielder McKenzie Vargas was surprised by her Air Force cousin for Senior Night.
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
PUNTA GORDA Exclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out Riley’s brother reached out to WINK on Friday, saying people aren’t getting the full story.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society raises concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
TALLAHASSEE (CBS) Governor DeSantis signs AI and vape bills Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed 28 bills, including a measure requiring disclaimers on certain political ads created using artificial intelligence and a bill about regulation of vape products.
ESTERO Gold Star Golf Tournament honors fallen veteran Behind each putt and swing of a golf club at the Gold Star Golf Tournament is someone who knew John Wirka Junior.
NEW YORK (AP) How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat If it feels like TikTok has been around forever, that’s probably because it has, at least if you’re measuring via internet time. What’s now in question is whether it will be around much longer and, if so, in what form?
FORT MYERS Man wanted for armed robbery at Fort Myers convenience store Crime Stoppers is asking the public for help identifying an armed robber who held up a convenience store Saturday morning.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Rifles, inappropriate texts and Donut shop debacle This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a scary mall trip, an inappropriate coach, and a Dunkin Donuts assault.
The Weather Authority: Sunny Saturday with a nice breeze; fire danger increases Warm temperatures for your Saturday with a nice breeze into the afternoon.
NORTH NAPLES Senior Airman surprises cousin on Aubrey Rogers softball senior night Aubrey Rogers senior pitcher and infielder McKenzie Vargas was surprised by her Air Force cousin for Senior Night.
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
PUNTA GORDA Exclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out Riley’s brother reached out to WINK on Friday, saying people aren’t getting the full story.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society raises concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
Photo via MGN Income taxes can be taxing. And that’s especially the case with the tax overhaul signed into law late last year. The law created $1.5 trillion in tax cuts but did nothing to make the filing process simpler. In fact, the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” fell woefully short in that regard, according to Wolters Kluwer, an information services and software company. Given all that, now would be a good time to review ways to cut your tax bill before it gets too late in the year. After all, you likely don’t want to pay any more in income taxes than the new law demands. What do experts recommend? Check your withholding Check your withholding and update your W-4 if needed, says Julie Welch, a partner in the accounting firm Meara Welch Browne in Leawood, Kansas. “If additional withholding is needed before year-end, you can use line 6 of the W-4 to state the amount,” she says. “Remember to submit another updated W-4 if you wish to remove that extra withholding in the future,” she adds. Use it or lose it Robert Westley, a vice president and wealth adviser at Northern Trust Company in New York, says taxpayers should focus on the use-it or-lose-it type planning opportunities. “Taxpayers should strive to maximize contributions to their available retirement plans, keeping in mind the additional contributions that may be made if age 50 or older,” he says. Taxpayers should review their flexible spending accounts or FSAs and plan how to use the funds before year-end. “Any funds not used by the end of the year or account deadline will be lost,” says Westley. Bunch charitable contributions The new tax law doubled the standard deduction to $12,000 for single taxpayers and $24,000 for those married filing jointly. And that, combined with changes that limit or repeal many itemized deductions, means that starting in 2018 more than 90 percent of taxpayers will claim the standard deduction, according to the firm Wolters Kluwer. For those individuals who are considering the standard deduction instead of itemizing, consider bunching your charitable contributions into alternate years if it will enable you to take the standard deduction one year and itemize the next. “If you do not want to give the money to charity at one time, contribute to a donor-advised fund and then make the distributions to charity over time,” says Lisa Featherngill, the head of legacy and wealth planning at Abbot Downing in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Gift your money Year-end is also a great time to make annual exclusion gifts, says Westley. “For those looking to reduce their estate tax exposure, individuals can give up to $15,000 to an unlimited number of beneficiaries per year without decreasing their lifetime estate tax exclusion amount or paying a gift tax,” he says. “These (and other) planning opportunities will be lost once the year ends and should be top of mind to review now.” Got qualified business income? The new 20 percent deduction from qualified business income for pass-through entities is a significant potential tax benefit for business owners, says Mark Luscombe, a principal analyst with Wolters Kluwer. “But it can be complicated to figure out how to maximize the deduction,” he says. Luscombe’s advice: Work with a trusted tax adviser to maximize eligibility for the 20 percent deduction. Tactics based on your bracket Leonard Wright, a wealth management adviser at Northwestern Mutual, says there are specific steps to take based on your tax rate. “If your tax rate is high, consider boosting your and your spouse’s 401(k) contributions and/or your spouse’s IRA contributions,” he says. “but if you are in a loss position, or a very low tax bracket, consider converting IRA or 401(k) assets to a Roth IRA.” Also, consider contributing to a Roth 401(k) or Roth IRA if able. “Especially for anyone who is early on in their career and in a lower tax bracket,” Wright says.