Rao bulletin 15 June 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles

Property taxes are assessed and collected locally.  The taxable value of tangible personal property and real property except residential property is assessed at 100% of its fair market value, less any exemptions that may be permitted.  Residential property owned by persons age 65 and over claiming tax abatement for the poor is assessed at 35% of fair market value.  The assessed valuation of a residential property is 55% of its fair market value.  The median rate is $1.30/$1,000.  Homeowners 66 and older who earn $29,210 or less can get a credit for property taxes paid up to $865, plus a credit equal to the tax on 20 percent of their property’s fair market value.  A circuit breaker tax credit for persons age 65 or over (or surviving spouse) permits an abatement or deferral of property taxes but the amount of the credit varies with household income and can apply to the portion of rent that goes to pay property taxes. There is also a veteran’s exemption.  This exemption is up to $232,312 taxable value of a residence, based on the percentage of disability incurred in the line of duty.  The exemption can also be applied toward tangible personal property, such as motor vehicles.  No exemption is allowed for any disability below 10%. Contact the Tax Commission at 801-297-3600 ext 3600 for details or http://tax.utah.gov/forms/pubs/pub-36.pdf.

There is no inheritance and the estate tax is limited and related to federal estate tax collection.

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  Personal income taxIowa's personal income tax system has nine tax brackets. They range from 0.36 percent to 8.98 percent. The tax is imposed on the Iowa net income of individuals, estates and trusts. Iowa collects income taxes from its residents at the following rates:
  

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  0.36 percent on the first $1,515 of taxable income.
  
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  0.72 percent on taxable income between $1,516 and $3,030.
  
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  2.43 percent on taxable income between $3,031 and $6,060.
  
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  4.50 percent on taxable income between $6,061 and $13,635.
  
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  6.12 percent on taxable income between $13,636 and $22,725.
  
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  6.48 percent on taxable income between $22,726 and $30,300.
  
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  6.80 percent on taxable income between $30,301 and $45,450.
  
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  7.92 percent on taxable income between $45,451 and $68,175.
  
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  8.98 percent on taxable income of $68,176 and above.
  

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  Iowa income tax returns are due April 30. If April 30 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the due date is the following Monday. When paper returns are filed, the postmark determines whether a return is filed on time. When e-filed, the transmittal date is used.
  
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  Downloadable tax forms can be found on the Iowa Department of Revenue website at https://tax.iowa.gov/form-types/individual-income-tax
  

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  The state sales tax rate in Iowa increased to 6 percent (from 5 percent) on July 1, 2008. Iowa also collects a corresponding use tax on out-of-state purchases.
  
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  Local taxing jurisdictions also may impose a local option sales tax if approved by voters. This tax is imposed on the gross receipts from sales of tangible personal property. It usually remains in effect until it is repealed, but the ordinance may include a sunset clause.
  
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  The Department of Revenue at https://www.idr.iowa.gov/salestaxlookup has an online sales tax rates lookup tool.
  

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  Property tax is levied on the taxable value of real property -- that is, mostly land, buildings, structures and other improvements that are constructed on or in the land, attached to the land or placed upon a foundation. Typical improvements include buildings, houses or mobile homes, fences and paving.
  
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  Five classes of real property are evaluated: residential, agricultural, commercial, industrial and utilities/railroad (which is assessed at the state level).
  
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  Residential, commercial and industrial real estate is assessed at 100 percent of market value. Agricultural real estate is assessed at 100 percent of productivity and net earning capacity value.
  
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  Iowa has more than 2,000 taxing authorities. Most property is taxed by more than one taxing authority. The tax rate differs in each locality and is a composite of county, city, school district and special levies.
  
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  State law requires that all real property be assessed every two years in odd-numbered years. Railroads and public utilities, which are assessed by the Iowa Department of Revenue, are assessed every year.
  
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  Iowa offers a variety of full and partial property tax exemptions and credits.
  

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  Iowa collects an inheritance tax that ranges from 5 percent to 15 percent, depending on the amount of the inheritance and the relationship of the recipient to the decedent. Form IA 706 must be filed. Refer to https://tax.iowa.gov/sites/files/idr/forms1/60061_0.pdf & https://tax.iowa.gov/inheritance.
  
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  The surviving spouse's share, regardless of amount, is not subject to tax. State tax also may be limited or even eliminated for bequests left to other family members. See Form IA 706 for details.
  
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  Iowa's estate tax was linked to the federal estate tax. Due to the phaseout of the federal estate tax credit, Iowa no longer imposes an estate tax.
  

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  Iowa and Illinois have a reciprocal tax agreement. Any wages or salary earned by an Iowa resident who works in Illinois is taxable only to Iowa; any wages or salary earned by an Illinois resident working in Iowa is taxable only to Illinois (https://tax.iowa.gov/iowa-illinois-reciprocal-agreement).
  
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  Iowa residents working in Illinois should file Illinois Form IL-W-5-NR with the employer to ensure that Iowa income tax is withheld.
  
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  Iowa taxpayers can check the status of their state tax refunds at a special Department of Revenue Web page https://www.idr.iowa.gov/wheresmyrefund.
  

[Source: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/taxes/state-taxes-iowa.aspx June 2015 ++]

Thrift Savings Plan Returns as of June 02, 2015

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  Homeless Vets. Houston Mayor Annise Parker announced that the city has effectively ended chronic Veteran homelessness housing than 3,650 homeless Veterans in just over three years. Houston is home to the second largest Veteran population (300,000) and every year approximately 3,000 more Veterans move to the area.
  
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  VARO/VA Clinic Manila. VA Director Vicky Randall says no more travel pay from VA Manila as of 01 Oct 15. Veterans will have to use Foreign Medical Program (FMP) to recover travel pay for VA Clinic appointments. All VARO/VA Clinic phones were revamped and now have a 95% answer rate by VA Manila employees. Any rated veteran can now enter VARO/VA Clinic waiting lounge without an appointment. However, no guarantee they’ll be seen prior to 16:00 closure.
  
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  Media. According to a new report from global media agency ZenithOptimedia, people around the spend half of their waking lives (8 hrs per day) staring at screens or consuming media reading online news, checking Facebook, watching television or perusing a book.
  
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  Pet Cost. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the total annual cost of owning a dog is between $1,314 and $1,843 and a cat about $1,035 per year. Those numbers reflect the basics: food, litter, collar, leash, dishes, cage, toys, scratching post, carrier and medical care. But the figures don’t encompass a lot of other potential costs, from pet-sitting to insurance increases.
  
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  Beer. Check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-Rs6YEZAt8&feature=email.
  
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  Vet Jobs. Unemployment for the post-9/11 generation of veterans approached a historic low in May, hitting 5.4 percent, government data show. The U.S., meanwhile, tacked on 280,000 jobs in May, with an unemployment rate of 5.5 percent, changed little from April's 5.4 percent mark, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  
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  Pearl Harbor. After a nine-day suspension, tours resumed 5 JUN at the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
  
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  Colorado Taxes. A new law in Colorado has removed a state income tax requirement for Coloradans in the military. However, there is no change in retiree’s tax liability for their pension/annuity income.
  
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  WWII Deaths. Check out http://www.fallen.io/ww2 for an interesting 18 minute video on how the 70 million deaths associated with WWII occurred and how they compare with other wars throughout history.
  
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  Cuba. The recent thaw in U.S.-Cuba relations could soon open a new choice tropical assignment for Marines. Marine and diplomatic officials are tight-lipped on where negotiations to open embassies in Washington and Havana stand, but one preeminent Cuba expert says he expects an announcement in as little as a month.
  
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  Airman Magazine. Go to http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/599778/june-issue-of-airman-magazine-now-available.aspx?source=GovD for June Issue.
  
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  Shopping. Go to https://www.youtube.com/embed/tn9hoo6cZFc to see China's newest mall: the largest 'single' building in the world.
  
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  ISIS. U.S. made weaponry that fell into enemy hands in Iraq is being used against the U.S. and allied forces on the ground in Iraq and neighboring Syria included:
  

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  2,300 Humvee armored vehicles @ $70,000 per copy. Total: $161 million
  
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  40 M1A1 Abram tanks @ $4.3 million per copy. Total: $172 million
  
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  52 M198 Howitzer mobile gun systems @ $527,337 per copy. Total: $27.4 Million
  
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  74,000 Army machine guns @ $4,000 per copy. Total: $296 million 
  

“These people call my business three times a day. I tell them to stop calling and they keep calling.” The FCC proposal does not address whether or how much phone companies would be allowed to charge their customers for call-blocking services. CBS reports that Democratic Missouri Sen.