Rotating Nature Exhibit at Conejo Creek Park North in Thousand Oaks to Feature Hippos

Conejo Recreation & Park District has outdone itself once again. In an effort to diversify the types of activities available to district residents, CRPD presents a one of a kind experience at Conejo Creek Park North. Starting today, a family of hippopotamuses will be residing in the Conejo Creek pond, cohabitating with the duckies.

John Dewliddle, head of CRPD's new Wildlife Habitat Animals in Training (WHAT) program remarked "We are thrilled to present this unique experience to the Conejo Valley."

I asked, "WHAT?" and he nodded. Hippos are the first set of animals that will be rotated into the park in six month increments. "We're already working on crocodiles in September of 2021, followed by African Bush Elephants next spring."

Is this safe for local residents? Dewliddle indicated, "Absolutely. These are the most docile hippos in Southern California. They love to eat, and we've partnered with Costco to provide an endless supply of fruits and vegetables to keep them munching away." He asks that residents refrain from feeding the hungry hippos.

More info at bit.ly/ConejoValleyHippos.

How Much of the 2021 Recovery Rebates Will You Receive and When Will You Receive Them?

The latest stimulus payment is called the 2021 Recovery Rebates to Individuals, written into Part 1 of H.R. 1319 - American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The American Rescue Plan was signed into law yesterday, March 11, 2021.

Recovery “Rebate” is a bit of a misnomer, as a rebate usually refers to refunding something that was previously paid. That is obviously not the case here. But hey, we can get past that.

How much is it?

The Recovery Rebates are up to $1,400 per person, including the primary taxpayers and their dependents. So a family of four can receive up to $5,600. A single taxpayer can receive up to $1,400. The Brady Bunch could receive as much as $11,200 (or even $12,600 if Alice was claimed as a dependent by Mike and Carol Brady). That’s some serious cash! Or a single parent with one kid could receive as much as $2,800.

This $1,400 per person is for ANY dependent properly claimed by the taxpayer, unlike the previously two credits, which limited the dependents to kids under age 17. That’s a huge change for some taxpayers.

What are the income caps?

• Single and Married Filed Separate: You get the full rebate if your “Adjusted Gross Income” (AGI) was under $75,000 and it phases out at $80,000.

• Head of Household: Full rebate if your AGI was under $112,500, completely phasing out at $120,000.

• Married Filing Joint: Full rebate under $150,000; completely phasing out at $160,000.

Those are some very narrow phaseout ranges!

Based on what?

• If your most recently filed tax return is for 2019, your AGI will be based on that.

• If you have already filed your 2020 return and the IRS has processed it, your AGI will be based on this return.

• What if you’ve filed 2020 already but your 2019 AGI is lower than your 2020 AGI? While I’m not clear on it from my read of the law, I would assume they use the lesser of the two.

What if I haven’t filed 2020 yet?

• If you haven’t filed 2020 yet and did not receive the full payment based on your 2019 return, you have another chance to receive a payment if you get your return filed the earlier of 90 days after the 2020 filing deadline (April 15th plus 90 days = July 15th) or September 1st.

• Huh? That’s strange. Why isn’t it just July 15th? I guess because if the IRS decides to extend the due date of the returns, then September 1st will be the absolute final day to get another payment in 2020. Short of that, plan on July 15th.

• Long story short: GET YOUR 2020 TAX RETURNS FILED ASAP if your 2019 AGI precludes you from getting a 2021 Recovery Rebate.

THE IRS HAS A PAYMENT LOOKUP TOOL TO SEE IF YOU’RE GETTING PAID AND WHEN THEY PLAN TO PAY IT AT sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof-wmsp/login

What if I don’t get the rebate based on my 2019 or 2020 returns?

• You’ve got one more chance! When you file your 2021 tax return in 2022!

• If you fall into this category and are on the cusp of receiving a payment but your income is too high, perhaps some tax planning is in order:

  • Perhaps you are a single mom with one kid and you make $80,000 in 2021.

  • You earned too much in 2019 and 2020 to receive the $2,800 credit.

  • Get that $80,000 down to $75,000 by contributing $5,000 to your work 401(k) or to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and, wallah, you get a $2,800 refundable credit on your 2021 tax return. That’s an immediate 56% tax-free return on your $5,000 investment.

• Another example:

  • You are a family of 5 - Mom, Pop, Little Joey, Big Sis Allie and Granny Mabel, who is claimed as a dependent. That’s, ka-ching, That’s $7,000 in Recovery Cash (hey, I like the sound of that better than Recovery Rebate!).

  • Mom and Pop made had AGI of over $160,000 in 2019 and 2020 and thus did not receive any of this rebate.

  • They know in late summer they will have and AGI of $160,000. So, once again, consider putting $10,000 into a 401(k) or IRA (traditional, not Roth) to get that AGI down to $150,000. Invest $10,000 and receive $7,000 in rebates. Hard to beat that investment!

Other Questions

• Are these payments taxable? No.

• What if I don’t file 2019/2020 tax returns? If you received a previous stimulus payment without filing taxes, you’ll probably receive one again (assuming you are still eligible). Perhaps the IRS may have a 2021 Recovery Rebate tool to input your banking info again at www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here.

• I really don’t need this extra money. What can I do with it? Donate it to Conejo Valley Guide, and we will put it to work in the local economy by purchasing gift cards and giving them away in drawings on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ConejoValleyGuide. Donations via credit card at bit.ly/CVGFund, paypal.me/ConejoValleyGuide or Venmo (@CVGuide).

Pressing tax questions? Call us at 818-876-8380. Goldstein Weiss, CPAs is located in Calabasas.

Counting Crows in the Conejo Valley and Nearby Communities

Counting crows. Maybe not literally, but figuratively, in the skies of the Conejo Valley, Simi Valley and beyond. We see the crows in the hundreds flying west in the morning and east in the evening ever so frequently here. These fellows were seen from the Conejo Valley Plaza, Moorpark and Janss Roads, the night of August 9, 2018.

Speaking of birds, the Conejo Valley Audubon Society hosts birding activities year-round.

Spanish Flu "Do Not Do's" in the 1918 Los Angeles Times

As we know, the COVID-19 pandemic is not the first pandemic we’ve experienced. The 1918 influenza pandemic, called the Spanish flu, was caused by an H1N1 virus that originated in birds. It infected half a billion people, or about a third of the world’s population, between February 1918 to April 1920. It killed between 17 million to as many as 100 million people.

This image from the L.A. Times in December 1928, “Don’t Kiss Her Now!” provided advice to readers. Advice has evolved quite a bit since then during our own pandemic. :)

DON’T DO THESE THINGS

• Don’t kiss your sweetheart while “Spanish flu” or pneumonic plague is on!

• You might kill her - or him, by passing a deadly germ along.

KISSING SPREADS FLU

• Don’t sneeze or cough in anybody’s face. Use your handkerchief to cover nose and mouth.

• Don’t neglect or laugh at a “common cold.” It may be the first symptom of “flu!”

• Don’t worry. Worry is weakening.

• Don’t visit “flu” victims unless you really must do so. Then wear a “flu” mask.

• Don’t use a common drinking cup anywhere.

• Don’t use a common towel anywhere.

• Don’t put pencil or penholder in your mouth. There may be “flu” germs on it!

• Don’t put money in your mouth. Put it in your pocket.

• Last but not least…Don’t pet dogs or cats. They carry germs in their hair.

And there you have it.

Ventura County Coronavirus Case Rates by Zip Code and Death Rates by City as of February 26, 2021

Free Online Tax Filing Options for Federal and State Income Taxes

There are a number of online resources to enable those with relatively simple tax returns to file for free. Generally these options cover those with W-2 income, some interest/dividends, kids and rent. What they don’t cover are itemized deductions, Schedule C (for self-employed individuals claiming business expenses), stock gains/losses, etc. Here are some options:

Free 1040 Tax Return: Free federal/state returns if your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is $69,000 or less and you are 70 or younger. www.fileyourtaxes.com/irs-free-file

H&R Block offers free federal/state returns for AGI $69,000 or less and age 17 to 51. www.hrblock.com/online-tax-filing/free-online-tax-filing

TurboTax offers free federal/state tax prep if your AGI is $36K or less and any age or meet other criteria summed up at freefile.intuit.com.

TaxAct allows for a free federal/state return if your AGI is $59,000 or less and you are age 56 or younger. www.taxact.com

Credit Karma offers free federal/state tax filing. You must sign up for a free Credit Karma account to do so. www.creditkarma.com/tax

In 2019, the IRS reports that a total of 154 million individual income tax forms were filed in the United States, including 137 million filed electronically.

Great Views at the Ventura Botanical Gardens Demonstration Trail in Grant Park

The Ventura Botanical Gardens Demonstration Trail is a 1 mile trail between Ventura City Hall and Grant Park, offering awesome views of downtown Ventura and the coastline. The six foot wide trail with a decomposed granite surface is accessible behind Ventura City Hall at 567 South Poli Street

Access to the trail is on the right (east) side of Ventura City Hall. There's a parking area at the bottom of the trail.

Parking area behind Ventura City Hall

The Demonstration Trail is a first step as the Ventura Botanical Gardens (VBG), a 501(c)3 non-profit, raises funds to expand upon it. VBG began planting its Chilean Gardens in February 2014, featuring hundreds of plants, including giant terrestrial bromeliads called Puyas, Acacia caven trees and an array of succulents and cacti. When complete, the Chilean garden will be the largest garden of Chilean plants outside of Chile.

Learn more about VBG and its efforts and upcoming charity events at www.venturabotanicalgardens.com.

The trail is decorated with pretty wildflowers and other California native plants

There are some neat rock walls on sections of the trail

A short walk will get you some pretty views!