All taxpayers have a fast, safe and free option when it comes to doing their own federal taxes. It’s called Free File, and it’s available only at IRS.gov.
Free File offers brand-name tax software to people who earned $57,000 or less last year, which is 70 percent of all taxpayers. For those who earned more, there are free online fillable forms.
Both options allow people to file returns electronically and use direct deposit, which is the fastest way get to a refund.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/59264-irs-free-file-eng
Consumers perceive annuities more positively than financial professionals give them credit for, according to The Future of Retirement Income, a new study released by Genworth.
The study, a culmination of in-depth interviews, focus groups and quantitative surveys with financial professionals, annuity owners and non annuity owners, revealed that 68 percent of non annuity owners have a neutral to positive impression of annuities. For annuity owners, it’s even higher: 91 percent neutral to positive. In addition, the majority of annuity owners are satisfied with access to their account, fees and asset growth.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/54358-genworth-financial-pros-underestimate-appeal-of-annuities-among-consumers
An analysis of trends by Experian, the leading global information services company, shows that mortgage originations have increased by 10 percent from a year ago. More important, a look at the most recent completed quarter shows a 29 percent increase in home purchases from the prior quarter and a decrease in the number of refinances, suggesting a sustained recovery is beginning to come from purchases. These findings and others were part of the quarterly analysis from Experian that examines real-estate trends.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/55344-experian-analysis-shows-mortgage-originations-increase-by-10-percent
To text or not to text? As, Valentine’s Day approaches, that is the question for the Romeos and Juliets of today’s digital world. Cricket Wireless commissioned a national survey1 to determine how people are beginning and ending relationships via mobile phone and to uncover lethal communication behaviors. According to the survey, 30 percent of Americans would ask someone out via text. Wooers must learn the digital courting code or risk suffering a tragic ending.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/56773-cricket-wireless-relationship-communication-survey-for-valentine-s-day
Providing further evidence of economic recovery throughout the nation, an Experian trends analysis of new mortgages and bankcards from Q1 2013 showed a 16 percent year-over-year increase in mortgage origination volume and a 20 percent increase in bankcard limits. Other insights offered by Experian, the leading global information services company, include evidence of a strong rebound in the Midwest as well as unprecedented lows in bankcard delinquencies.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/55343-experian-bank-card-and-mortgage-originations-credit-trends-analysis
Spring is here. The season of renewal is accompanied by increased hope generated by healthy springtime lawns, according to TruGreen’s Lawn Lifestyles National Survey.* The majority (69 percent) of Americans surveyed report that “seeing a green lawn in springtime makes me feel hopeful.” In fact, the bigger the family, especially with teens in the household, the more hopeful the green lawns of spring make people feel. TruGreen, the Official Sponsor of SpringSM, is helping America say goodbye to winter and enjoy a brand new spring season outdoors with the launch of the TruGreen Backyard Makeover Sweepstakes.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/66125-trugreen-spring-backyard-makeover-sweepstakes
VolAero Drones is working with famed outdoorsman Bill Booth to demonstrate that drones equipped with the latest thermal imaging equipment can effectively spot and track pythons at night – the prime hunting time. Over 100,000 Burmese pythons infesting the Florida Everglades have decimated 90 percent of small wildlife while surviving all attempts at eradication.
“Python hunters finally have a tool to make hunting more efficient, bringing down the python numbers that are devastating Florida’s Everglades,” said Booth. “This drone and thermal technology is light-years ahead of shining a flashlight into the darkness and hoping for the best. The thermal imagery picked up not just the monster pythons, but also native snakes as small as 18 inches. This suggests that we’ll be able to spot and eliminate clusters of python hatchlings, which will help curb their reproductive cycle.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8225051-volaero-drones-thermal-technology-python-invasion-everglades/
Nearly 90 percent of children and adults with a highly aggressive form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) showed no evidence of cancer after receiving a novel, personalized cell therapy that reprograms a patient’s immune system. In pilot studies of bioengineered T cells that attack leukemia, 24 of 27 patients (89%) experienced complete responses within 28 days after treatment. In all, 27 patients received the treatment--22 children treated at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and five adults treated at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/64394-chop-penn-harness-engineered-t-cells-eliminate-tumors-in-blood-leukemia
With 54 percent of our waking hours spent at work, the employee of the future will expect to spend more time enjoying a series of memorable events and interactions that are company-initiated, according to the 2014 Workplace Trends Report, released today by Sodexo. Now in its third year, the report examines key trends and solutions linked to higher employee retention, engagement and increased productivity in more efficient, intelligent buildings. It is critical business intelligence, considering that of the approximately 100 million people in America who are employed full-time, only 30 percent of them are engaged and inspired at work.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/62478-sodexo-workplace-trends-2014
Millions of families will head to the beach this Memorial Day weekend, many without adequate sun protection. As part of a national effort to reduce the incidence of skin cancer, Neutrogena® is kicking off the 2016 Choose Skin Health® Campaign with a video featuring Brand Ambassador Kristen Bell asking moms everywhere to get real with their kids about the importance of sunscreen—and a pledge to donate $1 for every video share to the non-profit Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation.*
Bell’s video acknowledging the challenges moms face tackling serious topics with their children is frank and funny—but skin health is no laughing matter. The fact that only 39% of women and 14% of men use sunscreen regularly is a health issue of national importance when you consider that just one to two severe sunburns can increase lifetime risk of developing melanoma by 40 percent.
The Neutrogena® Choose Skin Health® Campaign was created to change the future of skin health and reduce the risk of skin cancer through education, empowerment, and early detection. This year the brand is developing in-school sun safety programs with the potential to reach 1.6 million students annually with a sun safe behavior curriculum, sponsoring 13,000 free skin cancer screenings annually with charitable partners, and working toward a goal of donating $35 million worth of sunscreen to families in need by the end of 2016.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7847951-neutrogena-choose-skin-health/
Despite signs of economic recovery, a new survey says Americans’ confidence in their ability to afford a comfortable retirement remains at historic lows as workers appear to be grasping the realities of what they need to save.
The 2013 annual Retirement Confidence Survey, released today by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) in Washington, and co-sponsored by the Principal Financial Group®, finds overall confidence levels are essentially unchanged since the record lows set in 2011. Only 13 percent are very confident they will have enough money for a comfortable retirement. A full 28 percent1— the highest number recorded during the 23 years of the survey—are not at all confident.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/60106-principal-financial-group-ebri-retirement-savings-confidence-survey
An Experian analysis of bankcard trends from Q2 2013 showed a 21 percent year-over-year increase in bankcard origination volumes, equating to a $12 billion increase in new bankcard limits issued. Other insights offered by Experian, the leading global information services company, include record lows in early-stage bankcard delinquencies.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/60907-experian-analysis-shows-bankcard-origination-volumes-increasing-21-percent
