Local Rock Photographer Has Go Fund Me For Medical Help And We’re Here For It

I forget when I first met Jeff Crespi but I guarantee it was at a local club and I guarantee Jeff had his camera.  Jeff has been a fixture on the local rock scene for as long as I can remember.  He's at every show.  It doesn't matter if the show is a local gig with 12 people or 12, 000... Jeff is there documenting for the local scene with his camera and putting the pictures out for everyrone to see.  Jeff is the most welcoming guy back stage.  He's always there with a smile, a hand shake a hug for everyone.  When I saw that a friend of his put together a Go Fund Me for Jeff, I knew I wanted to share the story.

Jeff is that kind of guy.  There isn't a venue that his camera hasn't visited:  The Pony, Starland, Arts Center, a local bar or V.F.W.  He's been there for the local scene and it looks like it's time for the local scene to be there for him.  So, if you have a moment, please consider helping out.  Click here for the link.

Here's what's up:  Jeff's been dealing with mind-numbing hip pain.  Obviously, being a concert photographer requires Jeff to be nimble and on his feet for hours at a time.  Being in pain just walking is from point A to point B is brutal.  The cure for that kind of thing is hip replacement surgery.  As you may know, hip replacement surgery isn't a new thing.  The process has been around for a long time.  Anyone who has gone through hip replacement will tell ya, it's a journey to get back to normal.  Lots of painful physical therapy is involved in the process.

Our pal Jeff is having a DOUBLE hip replacement, which seems kind of incredible.  Most people who need both hips done space the procedures out by about a year so they can rehab and figure out how to walk again one leg at a time.  Jeff is tackling the thing all at once.  That's gonna be one seriously painful and hard rehab.  But, Jeff has the positivity to get it done.

Because the rehab will take forever, Jeff will be out of his normal everyday job and his friends have put together an opportunity to help him out with this Go Fund Me.  Rock on Jeff!

Tax season is truly in full swing. Tax deductions and credits are there to help people, so why not take the help? It might seem like a headache having to go through a long list of possible deductions, but it's really not so bad. I've gathered some information directly from the IRS to help you save this tax season. So, let's get into the dollars and cents.

Before we get into the savings, let's look at how credits and deductions work. According to the IRS, "You can claim credits and deductions when you file your tax return to lower your tax. Make sure you get all the credits and deductions you qualify for."

The definition of a credit, according to the IRS, is "an amount you subtract from the tax you owe. This can lower your tax payment or increase your refund." They note that some credits are refundable. That means "they can give you money back even if you don't owe any tax." If you want to claim credits, you must answer questions in your tax filing software. Or, if you're doing taxes the old-fashioned way, you'll have to fill out a form and attach it.

The definition of a deduction, according to the IRS, is "an amount you subtract from your income when you file so you don’t pay tax on it. By lowering your income, deductions lower your tax." In order to do this, you have to have documents to show expenses or losses you want to deduct. You can do this via tax software or, if you're filing a paper return, your deductions go on Form 1040 and you may need to attach extra forms.

Now, the fun part. Read on for tax deductions and credits that could save you cash this season. Here's hoping that Uncle Sam treats you well.

The standard deduction for 2023 is $13,850 for single or married filing separately; $27,700 for married couples filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse; and $20,800 for head of household. "If you're married filing separately, you can't take the standard deduction if your spouse itemizes. You must both choose the same method," the IRS says.

To find the standard deduction if you're over 65 or blind, go here. To find the standard deduction if you're a dependent on someone else's tax return, go here.

According to the IRS, you can deduct these expenses whether you take the standard deduction or itemize:

Alimony payments
Business use of your car
Business use of your home
Money you put in an IRA
Money you put in health savings accounts
Penalties on early withdrawals from savings
Student loan interest
Teacher expenses
For some military, government, self-employed and people with disabilities: work-related education expenses
For military servicemembers: moving expenses

According to the IRS, you can deduct these expenses if you itemize:

Bad debts
Canceled debt on home
Capital losses
Donations to charity
Gains from sale of your home
Gambling losses
Home mortgage interest
Income, sales, real estate and personal property taxes
Losses from disasters and theft
Medical and dental expenses over 7.5% of your adjusted gross income
Miscellaneous itemized deductions
Opportunity zone investment

Tax season can be a confusing time. There are lots of bits and piece that you have to put together. That said, the IRS has a very helpful page with frequently asked questions. Find the list of questions and answers here. As always, it's also a good idea to get a professional to help with any questions.