By Jaylon Thompson / The Alliance
ATLANTA – Atlanta Legends head coach Kevin Coyle knows a difficult challenge awaits his team on Saturday afternoon.
The Alliance’s top team, the Orlando Apollos, come into town reeling from their first loss. The Apollos fell to the Arizona Hotshots last week and seek to rebound on the road.
The Atlanta Legends (2-4) conclude a three-game home stand against the Orlando Apollos (5-1) this Saturday, March 23, at 2 p.m. ET at Georgia State Stadium. The game can be seen on TNT. Tickets to all Legends games are available here.
Containing the Apollos won’t be easy. Orlando averages 27.6 points per game and has a ton of playmakers on both sides of the ball. The Apollos feature experienced quarterback Garrett Gilbert and sensational stars Charles Johnson (wide receiver) and Keith Reaser (cornerback).
Gilbert leads the league in passing yards (1,625) and has thrown 10 touchdown passes. He is a special talent that likes to spread the ball around to his playmakers. Johnson, his top target, has 33 catches and 521 yards. Reaser has three interceptions this season.
This week in practice, the Legends have focused on stopping Orlando’s speeding rocket. The team understands that a win requires discipline and detail. The players have worked hard in the film room and on the field.
Collectively, they want to turn around a 2-4 start.
“Every week has been important as we let our share slip through our fingertips,” Coyle said. “Last week, we weren’t in the game and let it get away early.”
A win will keep the Legends playoff hopes alive. It will also showcase their ability to hang with the best in the league.
“We know we can play with anyone in this league,” Coyle said. “I think we have proven that. This is a big opportunity for us to right the ship down the stretch.”
The Legends know what’s at stake. Now it’s time to execute the game plan. Here are three critical areas the team must win to defeat the Apollos at home.
Win third-downs
The Legends are at their best when the chains are moving. In the last three weeks, the Legends have possessed the ball for over 30 minutes. Under offensive coordinator Ken Zampese, the team has emphasized ball control. The ability to hold the ball helps develop a rhythm and assists the defense as well.
The Legends aim to convert third downs against the Apollos. In their two wins, the offense was 17-for-33 (52 percent) on third down. In four losses, the Legends were 17-for-52 (33 percent).
It’s important for the Legends to stay on the field. Prolonged drives can keep the electric Apollos on the sideline.
The Legends must keep the Apollos on the sideline with a balanced run game. A successful rushing attack can set up easier third downs and increase the chances of a home victory.
“The ability to control the clock and time of possession will be big,” Coyle said. “In doing so, we got to come back with points on the board. … The Apollos are athletic on defense and we will have our work cut out for us. Third downs will be a huge factor in the game.”
Limit Turnovers
The Legends look to limit their turnovers. In Week 1, the Legends got behind early with four turnovers against the Apollos. Orlando capitalized with touchdown drives following each mistake.
The turnovers took the Legends out of the game. Coyle said turnovers can’t happen in the return matchup. He hopes to maximize his possessions and play smart on Saturday night.
“This team is explosive, and they are the leading offense in the league,” Coyle said. “The fewer possessions and opportunities they have can certainly play in our favor.”
Win 50-50 margin
The final area the Legends must win is the 50-50 margin. These are the contested jump balls, the fumble recoveries, and the short-yardage situations.
In the previous matchup, the Legends didn’t do a great job maintaining the football. They dropped passes and missed open receivers. It seemed like the Apollos were always one step ahead of the team.
Coyle believes things will be different on Saturday. He wants his team to battle for each opportunity. It starts with making the tough plays on the field.
“We have to catch the ball,” Coyle said. “In the games we caught the ball consistently, we moved the chains.”
The Legends get their opportunity to prove it on Saturday night.
“Winning solves a lot of things,” Coyle said.
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Jaylon Thompson covers the Atlanta Legends for The Alliance of American Football. Follow him on Twitter JaylonThompson.
All of us have experienced that fear of price gouging when we book our flights on line. When you go to a major website such as Expedia, Priceline, or Kayak, you often wonder whether or not you are getting the best possible deal. Then, when you hesitate to book the flight when you go online, you get even more bitter when you come back a day or two later only see the prices go higher. Or, even worse is when you actually book the flight and then you see the price go LOWER! Well, with the power of Artificial Intelligence there may be an answer to help you sleep better at night when you are booking flights or hotel called DoNotPay (www.donotpay.com/travel) that may just solve the problem.
The real beauty about DoNotPay is that it works AFTER you have booked your flight ensuring that you get the best possible deal on your flight. Since flight and hotel prices change every single day, DoNotPay works by finding the travel confirmations from past bookings in the inbox of your e-mail box. When the price drops on the flight, DoNotPay has an artificial intelligence chatbot robot that acts as your lawyer to find a legal loophole to negotiate a cheaper price on your behalf. Then, DoNotPay will automatically rebook you (no rebooking charges because they know the loopholes) right on the spot.
The best case scenarios with booking flights to get a better deal are often within 24 hours of booking a flight. Since you aren’t likely to go back and do all of that work just a few hours after you got through the pain of actually booking the flight, the DoNotPay robot can enable you a full refund within that time frame because of the clauses on how airlines set rebooking fees. It is estimated that there are some 70 to 90 loopholes per airline (you go figure that one out), and the robots are programmed to scan everything from whether warnings to schedule changes, so you can wriggle out of the overpriced ticket or hotel room.
DoNotPay is a free service so there are no fees and that means you’ll keep 100% of whatever you save on your rebooking. Even your data is completely encrypted and DoNotPay will seek your confirmation from you before proceeding with any rebooking. In doing my research, I even found out that they will help with parking tickets as well!
DoNotPay is pretty easy to set up. Once you get to www.DoNotPay.com/travel you’ll be prompted through a few pretty simple screens. First, you’ll connect up your e-mail for the robots to be able to scan. It actually says in the process they only scan your airline booking e-mails and no other e-mails in your inbox. Then, the system will prompt you for your birthday. Last, it will ask you for a credit card where they will deposit the savings. If your flight is delayed, the airline loses your luggage, or you are just plain unhappy (aren’t all travelers unhappy?), DoNotPay will fight for you. It won’t take you more than 60 seconds to get all set up on the system.
In my weekly column, I’m always thinking about different ways to keep you on top of smart money moves that will add to your bottom line. DoNotPay could save you both time and money….and maybe help you get the best price on your next trip.
Ted Jenkin is a frequent guest columnist for the Wall Street Journal and Headline News Weekend Express. He is the co-CEO of oXYGen Financial. You can follow him on LinkedIn @ www.linkedin.com/in/theceoadvisor or on Twitter @tedjenkin.
Ted Jenkin, CFP®, AAMS®, AWMA®, CRPC®, CMFC®, CRPS®
Co-CEO and Founder oXYGen Financial, Inc.
Request a FREE no obligation consultation: www.oxygenfinancial.net
Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. oXYGen Financial is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS. Kestra IS and Kestra AS do not provide tax or legal advice.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regard to your individual situation.
ATLANTA (AP) — Gabe Kapler keeps saying he loves the Phillies’ bullpen.
The first-year manager proved it by again pulling his starter early. This time, the strategy worked.
Carlos Santana drove in J.P. Crawford with a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning, and Kapler went through nine pitchers for his first win as the Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 5-4 on Friday night.
“Pretty exhilarating,” Kapler said. READ MORE>
Just ahead of a torrential downpour, Nick Markakis made it an opening day to remember for the Atlanta Braves.
Gabe Kapler would rather forget his managing debut.
Markakis delivered a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning , capping the Atlanta Braves’ historic comeback from a five-run deficit that rocked the Philadelphia Phillies 8-5 Thursday and immediately turned up the heat on their new manager.
It was the Braves’ biggest rally on opening day since at least 1900, and their first walk-off hit to begin a season since 1998. READ MORE>
NEW YORK (AP) — Rusty Staub, the orange-haired outfielder who became a huge hit with baseball fans in two countries during an All-Star career that spanned 23 major league seasons, died Thursday. He was 73.
He died after an illness in a hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida, hours before the start of the baseball season, the New York Mets said in a statement. The team learned of the death from friends of Staub who were with him at the time, a spokesman added. READ MORE>
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan State University official who oversaw a clinic that employed Larry Nassar was charged Tuesday with sexually propositioning female medical students and compiling nude student “selfies” on his work computer, in the first charges to spring from an investigation into how complaints against the disgraced former sports doctor were handled.
William Strampel, who until December was dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, also was charged with failing to enforce or monitor protocols set for Nassar after a female patient complained of inappropriate sexual contact. READ MORE>
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The national anthem is going to be a hot topic at the NFL owners meetings.
Just don’t expect any far-ranging decisions to be made.
Judging by the comments Sunday from the Texans’ Robert McNair and the Jets’ Christopher Johnson, the debate among the 32 owners could be confrontational.
McNair, who last year made an analogy of inmates running the prison about players’ demonstrations during the anthem, remains adamant that everyone should stand for the “The Star-Spangled Banner.” READ MORE>
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The doors to the Virginia’s locker room opened, the last protection for a group of players sitting in a state of shocked quiet after the most improbable of losses.
Some fought back tears.
Some hung their heads or stared blankly down at their cellphones.
Others could only shake their head. READ MORE>
As the new tax law goes into effect, many people are starting to wonder how this will affect their overall paychecks. You should see some bump in your paychecks when the new tax tables go into effect somewhere in Mid-February or early March, but there are a host of financial decisions that you need to start considering now in order to maximize your own tax situation.
- Adjust your withholdings- It’s ironic that most people give themselves a high five when they get a refund come tax time. Not only do you allow the Government the use of your money for a year, you also get taxed on your own state refund federally the following year. Since we have new tax brackets and tax tables, you should really look at your withholdings here in the spring to maximize your cash flow here in 2018. Remember, if you are getting your taxes done, Turbo Tax and Tax Slayer are two low cost options if your taxes aren’t complicated.
- It might be time to convert-. With the tax brackets changing this year, especially the bottom four tax brackets at 10%, 12%, 22%, and 24%, you might want to consider looking at a partial or full conversion of your Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA depending on your overall tax bracket. It’s possible here in 2018 that you start a business that will show a tax loss or you have an off year in your income which also may allow you a special conversion year of your Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA.
- Should you MOVE? – One of the major tax law changes is that your state income taxes, local income taxes, and your property taxes are going to be capped at $10,000 here in 2018. Is it time to call Two Men And A Truck and think about moving to a state where you have ZERO state income tax. There are major states including Texas, Florida, Washington, Tennessee, Nevada, and a few more that you will pay no state income tax. If you don’t love where you live and your job could give you the mobility to move to another state, this could be perfect opportunity to take advantage of this in 2018.
- Will Smith Turns 50- Yes, I said it, Will Smith turns 50 this year! If you saw the list of celebrities who turn 50, I think you’d gasp at how old all of us are getting. That being said, the IRS changed the contributions for maximum investment this from $18,000 to $18,500 and for those of you who turn 50 in THIS calendar year you should make sure to set up your $6,000 catch up contribution for your 401k. That could sure put some extra tax money in your pocket while also helping you save more for retirement.
- 529 Isn’t Just College Anymore- This may be the year to completely rethink your saving strategy for private elementary and secondary school instead of college with your 529 plan. As the tax law changed this year, you can now use 529 plans for private school up to $10,000 per year. If you have younger children and you feel confident that they are going to attend private school for their K-12 education, then there is a smarter strategy here allowing some of those tuition dollars to grow tax-deferred and ultimately come out tax-free for private school.
- Downsize- If you really believe high dollar residential real estate is going to continue to grow in your area, then you can brush this one aside. However, if you think about the cost of owning a McMansion type home, you might want to consider downsizing with the two new tax rules that went into effect. For one, NEW mortgages will be capped at $750,000 for the mortgage interest deduction, and as mentioned earlier in the article property taxes (combined WITH state and local taxes) will be capped at $10,000.
If you want to get your own individualized 2018 tax guide go to oXYGen Financial to breathe easier about life
Ted Jenkin, CFP®, AAMS®, AWMA®, CRPC®, CMFC®, CRPS®
CEO and Co-Founder oXYGen Financial, Inc.
Ted Jenkin is a frequent guest columnist for the Wall Street Journal and Headline News Weekend Express. He is the co-CEO of oXYGen Financial. You can follow him on LinkedIn @ www.linkedin.com/in/theceoadvisor or on Twitter @tedjenkin.
Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. oXYGen Financial is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS. Kestra IS and Kestra AS do not provide tax or legal advice.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regard to your individual situation.
To itemize or not to itemize, that is the question? With all of the tax law changes recently passed by President Trump in the GOP tax bill, one of the considerations you’ll need to get your arms wrapped around quickly is whether you will want to itemize your deductions when you file your taxes in 2019 or you will simply use the standard deduction.
For 2018, the standard deduction amounts will increase from $6,500 for individuals, $9,550 for heads of households (HOH), and $13,000 for married couples filing jointly, to $12,000 for individuals, $18,000 for HOH, and $24,000 for married couples filing jointly. Since the personal exemption is being completely eliminated, you’ll need to do the math about whether this was a good deal for you or not. For those married couples filing jointly, if you have three or more children, I actually think you went backwards on the new tax plan if you were filing the standard deduction.
For families who own a home and make a considerable amount of income, itemizing your deductions will likely be the way to go, but you’ll need to crank out the math based upon which deductions got capped and which ones were completely eliminated.
Sched A and outline of deductions (source: Forbes)
Here’s how Schedule A will be affected for the 2018 tax year following tax reform (numbers correspond to the numbers in the blue circles on Schedule A):
- Medical and Dental Expenses.Medical and dental expenses remain in place with a lower floor. We call it the “floor” because you can only deduct expenses over that number. The floor – before tax reform – was 10% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). Here’s how it worked. Let’s say your AGI is $40,000 and your medical expenses were $5,000. Assuming you itemized, you could claim $1,000 as a deduction, or $5,000 in expenses less the floor (10% x $40,000 = $4,000).
Under tax reform, the 7.5% floor is back in place for two years beginning January 1, 2017 – that means that it applies to the 2017 tax year. So assuming the same facts above, you can claim $2,000 as a deduction, or $5,000 in expenses less the floor (7.5% x $40,000 = $3,000).
Again, unlike most of the provisions in the bill, the provision is effective retroactively to the beginning of this year – so you’ll see this change on your 2017 and your 2018 tax returns.
- State and Local Taxes.Under tax reform, deductions for state and local sales, income, and property taxes normally deducted on a Schedule A remain in place but are limited (see #3 below). Foreign real property taxes may not be deducted under this exception.
- SALT caps.While SALT deductions remain in place, there is a cap on the aggregate, meaning that the amount that you are claiming for all state and local sales, income, and property taxes together may not exceed $10,000 ($5,000 for married taxpayers filing separately).
State, local, and foreign property taxes, and sales taxes which are deductible on Schedule C, Schedule E, or Schedule F are not capped. This means that, for example, rental property – even if held individually and not in a separate entity – remains deductible and not subject to these limitations.
And yes, Congress already knows what you’re planning, so amounts paid in 2017 for state or local income tax which is imposed for the 2018 tax year will be treated as paid in 2018. In other words, you can’t pre-pay your 2018 state and local income taxes in 2017 to avoid the cap. There is not, to date, a similar restriction for property taxes.
- Home Mortgage Interest.So, first, the home mortgage interest deduction didn’t disappear. But it did get modified. Here’s what you need to know. First, the definition of acquisition indebtedness is important: It’s indebtedness that is incurred in acquiring, constructing, or substantially improving a qualified residence of the taxpayer and which secures the residence. Home equity indebtedness is indebtedness other than acquisition indebtedness that is secured by a qualified residence. Those distinctions are important (more in a moment) no matter what they’re called by you or by the bank.
As of December 15, 2017, there’s a limit on acquisition indebtedness – your mortgage used to buy, build or improve your home – of $750,000 ($375,000 for married taxpayers filing separately). For mortgages taken out before December 15, 2017, the limit is $1,000,000 ($500,000 for married taxpayers filing separately). It’s even more complicated because beginning in 2026, the cap goes back up to $1,000,000, no matter when you took out the mortgage.
And here’s where that definition is super important: For tax years 2018 through 2025, there is no deduction available for interest on home equity indebtedness.
- Charitable donations.Charitable donations remain deductible under tax reform. The rules are largely the same with a few changes. First, the percentage limit for charitable for cash donations by an individual taxpayer to public charities and certain other organizations increases from 50% to 60%. Two, taxpayers are no longer entitled to deduct payments made to a college or college athletic department (or similar) in exchange for college athletic event ticket or seating rights at a stadium. Those provisions are effective beginning in 2018.
Effective beginning in 2017, the provision which allows for an exception to the substantiation rule if the donee organization files a return is repealed. What this means to taxpayers: Always get a receipt.
- Casualty and Theft Losses.The deduction for personal casualty and theft losses is repealed for the tax years 2018 through 2025 except for those losses attributable to a federal disaster as declared by the President (generally, this is meant to allow some relief for victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria).
- Job Expenses and Miscellaneous Deductions subject to 2% floor.Miscellaneous deductions which exceed 2% of your AGI will be eliminated for the tax years 2018 through 2025. This includes deductions for unreimbursed employee expenses and tax preparation expenses. To be clear, it includes expenses that you incur in your job that are not reimbursed, like tools and supplies; required uniforms not suitable for ordinary wear (like those ABBA costumes); dues and subscriptions; and job search expenses. These expenses also include unreimbursed travel and mileage, as well as the home office deduction.
Please note that the elimination of unreimbursed employee expenses only affects taxpayers who claim an employee-related deduction on Schedule A. If, as a business owner, you typically file a Schedule C, your business-related deductions are not affected by the elimination of Schedule A deductions.
- Itemized Deductions.The overall limit on itemized deductions is suspended for the tax years 2018 through 2025.
It’s probably the best time of year to get your plan up and going, so make sure you make an appointment to meet with a Private CFO® at oXYGen Financial!.
Ted Jenkin, CFP®, AAMS®, AWMA®, CRPC®, CMFC®, CRPS®
Co-CEO and Founder oXYGen Financial, Inc.
Request a FREE no obligation consultation: www.oxygenfinancial.net
Ted Jenkin is a frequent guest columnist for the Wall Street Journal and Headline News Weekend Express. He is the co-CEO of oXYGen Financial. You can follow him on LinkedIn @ www.linkedin.com/in/theceoadvisor or on Twitter @tedjenkin.
Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. oXYGen Financial is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS. Kestra IS and Kestra AS do not provide tax or legal advice.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regard to your individual situation.
