Norton Accounting Services - July 2021

Norton Accounting Services - July 2021

NortonAccountingServices.com 985-640-6072 [email protected] JULY 2021 NORTON NEWSLETTER EASE OF MIND • AVAILABILITY • FLEXIBILITY • INDIVIDUAL APPROACH • EXPERIENCE • TAX SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES THE REAL ESTATE TAX PRO ™

FROM THE DESK OF Bob Norton

Should You Be a Snowbird or a Sunbird?

Some of you may remember when I wrote about finding a baby snapping turtle in our pool. After that event, I wondered what else I would find in the coming years. We get frogs each year and we have lizards all over the yard and occasionally one gets in the pool.

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING RETIREMENT

Well, I knew it was just a matter of time before I found a snake in the pool. Yep, it happened. I lifted the lid to the skimmer and a baby snake was sheltering beneath the lid. Luckily, it was a cool morning and he didn’t snap at me. It was about a foot long. I used the lid of the skimmer to move him onto the concrete around the pool. Then, I got one of the poles and nudged it along. Although, it didn’t want to cooperate. So, I left it to slither away on its own. Apparently, it really liked the pool as our lawn keeper took a picture of it swimming

June marks the end of a particularly busy shift in residency for our nation. As the weather warms up, the days get longer, and school lets out for the summer. Also, many residents of the northern, colder states start migrating back to their permanent summer homes in the north after spending November through June in warmer climates like Florida, Arizona, and Texas.

Like feathered birds, these snowbirds head south for the winter.

But they’re not the only ones who move as the weather changes, and if recent indications are to be believed, I predict we will see more sunbirds . Similar to their heat-seeking friends, sunbirds opt to leave their warmer climates in the summer, looking for short-term vacation residencies in northern states to escape the heat of deserts like Arizona and Texas or the storms and humidity of Florida. Regardless of what kind of bird you may be, snowbirding or sunbirding is an exciting opportunity for retirees. It allows you to travel and escape snow shoveling duty, and it may even be good for your health. But how do you know which is right for you? Is there even a difference between the two? Allow me to break it down for you!

in the pool several days later, before he disposed of it. Next time, I’ll take it to the nearby swamp.

–Bob Norton

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What’s the difference — really? On the surface, snowbirds and sunbirds are about the same. They migrate at similar times and are searching for ideal climates. However, there is a marked difference between the two. Sunbirds tend to live in already warmer climates. Their reason for escaping a permanent residence isn’t so they can beat the cold — it’s to beat the heat! Meanwhile, snowbirds just want to avoid snow, slush, and chilly weather. So, which one should you become? The biggest question to ask yourself is what you want out of retirement. If you have strong roots where you currently live, including a large family, grandchildren, volunteer groups, and part- time work, you may want to consider keeping your current home as your permanent residence, regardless of where it is. You may choose a shorter stint in Florida after the holidays to escape the cold or a quick trip north during July and August to beat the heat. Either option you choose, doing so requires you to consider the financial strains of owning or renting two properties, potential missed family time, and complexities of moving to a new region. You will have to make new friends at your part-time home, which can be difficult as we age. You may also have to consider finding seasonal work or learning more about the local culture you move into. It may take time to acclimate, and you have to be willing to put in the effort!

Snowbirding and sunbirding can be enjoyable experiences for retirees looking for the best of both worlds. But coming to this decision may not be easy. Sit down with your partner or a trusted loved one to weigh your options. You may find a hybrid option that works for you or discover you’d rather stay put. Or, you just may become a full-fledged bird of snow or sun.

Safe travels!

including pizza which they top with tomato sauce, smoked cheese, banana slices, and curry powder.

They Eat What on Pizza?! 5 Wacky Pizza Trends From Around the World

2. Ketchup and Corn Pizza (Brazil) — According to several sources, Brazilians swap pizza sauce for ketchup or tomato slices and top their pies with strange combinations of local ingredients like corn, beets, hearts of palm, and potato sticks. 3. Haggis Pizza (Scotland) — Pizza may be the only semi-enjoyable way to eat haggis: a mix of sheep or calf offal, oatmeal, suet, and seasonings that are boiled in an animal’s stomach. Last year, Papa John’s got in on the action when it released a limited-edition haggis pizza in honor of a Scottish poet, Robert Burns. 4. Mockba Pizza (Russia) — This local pie comes topped with four kinds of fish (sardines, tuna, mackerel, and salmon), onions, herbs, and occasionally fish eggs. Most troubling of all, it’s served cold! 5. Chickpea Pancake Pizza (Argentina) — In Buenos Aires, locals top their super-cheesy pizza slices with fainá — chickpea pancakes cooked separately from the pies and balanced on top of each slice. Keep these pizzas in mind when planning your next international vacation! They might be tastier than they sound, and if not, they’ll still make great Instagram fodder. As actor Cole Sprouse once tweeted, “You’re losing followers because you’re not relatable enough. Try mentioning that you eat pizza. If that doesn’t work, play the ukulele.”

Here in the U.S., pineapple is considered a wild and controversial pizza topping. Even celebrities take a stand. Justin Bieber is pro- pineapple, but Jimmy Kimmel is against it. According to a 2019 YouGov Omnibus study, only anchovies and eggplant are more hated. But in other parts of the world, the tangy yellow fruit is far from the strangest topping you’ll see! Here are five wacky pizza trends from around the globe that will either make you hungry or inspire you to sprint the other way. You may want to order a comforting cheese pie from your favorite local pizzeria before reading this, just in case.

1. Banana-Curry Pizza (Sweden) — The Swedes first accessed bananas in 1944, and since then, they’ve put them on everything ,

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YOU CAN SHARE WITH YOUR KIDS Fun Facts About the Fourth of July

Two future presidents signed the Declaration of Independence: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. They both died exactly 50 years later, on July 4, 1826. This fact is an interesting coincidence sure to fascinate both kids and adults. It’s also a great way to introduce kids to some of the Founding Fathers and share how they helped shape the United States today. In 1776, the year the United States was founded, only 2.5 million people lived here. Today, the U.S. population is 331 million. Lots of people have been born in the United States since it was founded, and millions more came here from other places, hoping to find a better life. Many succeeded, too. Many people want to call this country home! On the Fourth of July, around 155 million hot dogs are eaten in the United States. Okay, so this fact might not have anything to do with American history, but it’s still pretty funny! If anything, the fact that we have so many hot dogs to eat on that day is evidence of the prosperity so many people enjoy in the United States of America.

What do your kids know about the Fourth of July? Do they know it’s a day when you have a barbecue, spend time with friends and neighbors, and watch a fireworks show? These hallmarks of the holiday certainly do make it fun and memorable, but they don’t really exemplify why we celebrate the Fourth of July, the anniversary of when the United States declared its independence from Britain. So, along with the sparklers and hot dogs, here are a few fun facts about Independence Day you can share with your kids to help them understand the significance of the holiday. The Fourth of July marks our country’s independence because it’s when the Continental Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence. This fact might seem like a no-brainer, but it contextualizes the holiday for kids. It’s a great jumping-off point to talk about why the United States wanted to be its own country, what the Continental Congress was, what the Declaration of Independence said, and what it means to “ratify” something.

Take a Break!

Plant-Based Blueberry Muffins

Inspired by MyDarlingVegan.com

It’s blueberry season! Whip up this simple muffin recipe to celebrate in style.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp canola oil • 1 tsp vanilla extract • Zest of 1 lemon • 2 cups fresh blueberries

• 1 cup soy milk • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar • 2 cups flour • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder • 1/4 tsp baking soda • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a muffin tin and set aside. 2. In a bowl, combine soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside. 3. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 4. In a third bowl, combine sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Add milk mixture and stir, then add flour mixture. Stir to combine until well-incorporated but not smooth. Fold in the blueberries. 5. Spoon batter into muffin tin, filling each well 3/4 full. Bake 20–25 minutes, cool, and enjoy!

PATRIOTIC SUNDAE

FLAG INDEPENDENCE ORCHID PADDLEBOARD

ALIEN BALLPARK CHERRY FIRECRACKER

SUNSCREEN TRAMPOLINE

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Bob PAGE 1 Bird Brains? Why You May Want to Become a Snowbird or a Sunbird PAGE 1 5 Wacky Pizza Trends From Around the World PAGE 2 Fourth of July Fun Facts to Share With the Kids PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Plant-Based Blueberry Muffins PAGE 3 These New Sports are Coming to the Tokyo Olympics! PAGE 4

Surfing Both men’s and women’s competitions will be held on Tsurigasaki Beach in Chiba Prefecture. Officials say due to the nature of the competition (being in open water), they’ll be generous with the scheduling. Depending on weather and waves, the preliminary round heats and head-to-head competitions may shift around as necessary. Skateboarding There are two categories: park and street. The street competition takes place on a linear course featuring “real world” elements like stairs and handrails, benches, planter boxes, and curbs. The park competition takes place within a more structured environment with a variety of slopes, curves, and other obstacles that will test skaters. Sport Climbing This event combines three different disciplines on an artificial climbing wall: bouldering, lead climbing, and speed climbing. In the bouldering competition, climbers will navigate a fixed route to be completed within a specified time. In lead

climbing, climbers aim to reach the high point within a specified time. Finally, in speed climbing, two climbers race against one another. Men and women, 20 per gender, will compete against each other, with the top eight advancing to the final round. Karate This martial art was developed in Japan in 1868, so it’s only appropriate to make its debut during the Tokyo Olympics. On top of that, the competitions will be held in Nippon Budokan, the site of the very first World Karate Championships in 1970. The Games will test two disciplines: kata (forms) and kumite (sparring). The sport will also be separated into men’s and women’s categories with three weight classes for each. Baseball and Softball These aren’t new sports to the Olympics, but they were removed from the Games after Beijing in 2008. Baseball is hugely popular in Japan. This year, only six countries will take part in the baseball and softball competitions.

5 New Sports Join the Olympic Roster in Tokyo

After a year delay, the Tokyo Olympics are once again gearing up for two weeks of action and excitement. Athletes from around the world are descending on Japan to give it their all and, hopefully, walk away with gold. This year, however, the games will be folding five new sports into the mix. Four of these sports have never been part of the Olympics, while one sport hasn’t been part of the games in over a decade. Here’s what to expect:

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