INSIDE: SMALL BUSINESS SECTION•RELIGION: LEARNING PATIENCE!

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Attorney Vel Phillips and former Common Council President Willie L.Hines, Jr. were recognized Tuesday during the regular meeting of the fullCouncil at City Hall. Phillips celebrated her 90th birthday on February 18,and Hines vacated his seat on the Council, resigning as 15th District Alder-man and Common Council President, effective February 1 to become assis-tant director of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee. In 1956Philips became the first alderwoman in Milwaukee’s history and the firstAfrican American on the Council. In 1971, she became the first African Amer-ican woman to serve as a judge in Wisconsin and the first woman to serve asa judge in Milwaukee. In 1978 she made history as the first woman andAfrican American elected to a constitutional office as the Secretary of Statefor Wisconsin.

Hines was elected 15th District Alderman in 1996, and in 2004 was electedby his peers as Common Council President, the top Council leadership posi-tion. A former longtime chair of the Housing Authority board, Hines’ leader-ship approach has championed equality, inclusiveness and diversity.

So you finally retired. Now you can have a life ofleisure. You can sleep in. You can do all the things youenjoy—travel, golf, take in an afternoon movie. You canspend more time with the grandkids. You may even de-cide to follow your passion and start that, ‘side’ businessyou’ve been dreaming of for years. And, you don’t haveto file taxes. But, wait, maybe you do need to file taxes.

Some retired older adults think that since they nolonger work or are self-employed, they don’t have to filetaxes.

Unfortunately, this may not always be the case. Evenif you collect Social Security, you may owe taxes. Ac-cording to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), you mustfile a tax return when your gross income exceeds the sumof the standard deduction for your filing status plus oneexemption amount.

While your Social Security income does not count asgross income, there may be some exceptions if you workor are self-employed. If Social Security is your solesource of income, then you don't need to file a tax return.

In general, when you file for Social Security, if youcontinue to earn money—through self-employment orsome other employment—you may need to file taxes, ac-cording to the Internal Revenue Service.

If you are unmarried and at least 65 years of age, thenyou must file an income tax return if your gross incomeis $11,500 or more. However, if you live on Social Secu-rity benefits, you do not include this as gross income. IfSocial Security is the only income you receive, your grossincome equals zero.

However, if you earn other income that is not tax-ex-empt, then each year you must determine whether thetotal exceeds $11,500. If you are married and file a jointreturn with a spouse who is also 65 or older, you mustfile a return if your combined gross income is $22,400 ormore.

If your spouse is under 65 years old, then the thresholdamount decreases to $21,200. Keep in mind that these in-come levels only apply to the 2013 tax year, and generallyincrease slightly each year.

There are some circumstances when individuals mustinclude their Social Security benefits as gross income.For example, if you are married but file a separate tax re-turn and live with your spouse at any time during the year,then all of your Social Security benefits are consideredgross income, which may require you to file a tax return.In addition, a portion of your Social Security benefits areincluded in gross income, regardless of your filing status,

TYRONE P. DUMAS: “To present a posi-tive role model that can compete with thestreets negativity by providing guidance, love,compassion mentoring and character as anexample of success in life.”

ORLANDO C. RICE: “As a 20 year volun-teer, to share our stories of making a mean-ingful contribution to society. Luke 12:48says, ‘To whom much is given, much is re-quired.’”

HARRY ODEN: “It’s important to letyoung men know there is so much positiveand good in the world. (It’s) great to see somany Black men who are successful and theytoo can achieve (if they) keep their eyes onthe prize; believe you can be successful.”

MARK SAIN: “Our community needs lead-ership and what better way to develop it is bysharing ideas with our young males. They arethe future of our community and we have toempower them with tools for their success.”

GOLDEN YEARSTax Tips and Retirement Planning

Twenty-five Black male adult professionals once again descended on Dr.Martin Luther King Elementary School, 3275 N. 3rd St., for the recently held20th annual African American Male Teach-In. The theme of this year’s eventwas: “Twenty Years and Still We Rise.” The professional Black men went toclassrooms and taught a class and shared their life experiences with thestudents, especially the male students. The event included what has be-come a “rite of passage,” “The Gauntlet” where the men praised, patted onthe shoulder, and “High-Five’d” the male students of the school as a way ofencouraging them to do well in school and succeed in life. Two Black menwere honored with African American Male Image Awards: Rahman Malikand Demetrius Brown. Entertainment was provided by the Imani Dancers.

Trayvon Martin'sMother to Speak atMATC Soul Food Celebration March 14

Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin,will be the keynote speaker Friday, March 14, atthe 22nd annual Soul Food Celebration, spon-sored by Milwaukee Area Technical College’sBlack Student Union and Office of Student Life.Part of MATC’s Black History Month celebra-tion, Fulton will present “Empowering OurYouth.” A reception begins at 5:30 p.m. and theprogram/dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts,929 N. Water St. Tickets are $50, and proceeds benefit MATC’s Black StudentUnion.

Advance tickets for the dinner will be available in Room M322 in the Main Build-ing and S303 in the Student Center at MATC’s Downtown Milwaukee Campus, 700W. State St. They are also available at the Cashier Offices at MATC’s DowntownMilwaukee, Mequon, Oak Creek and West Allis campuses. A limited number of tick-ets will be available at the door. For more information, call (414) 297-6306.

Martin died during a violent confrontation in Florida with neighborhood watchcoordinator George Zimmerman in 2012. The publicity surrounding the Zimmermanshooting trial sparked national debate. Since her son’s death, Fulton has dedicatedher life to bringing about social change. She speaks against violence toward children,and advocates for safer communities and educating children about civil rights andacceptance.

PULSE OF THE COMMUNITYPhotos/question by Yvonne Kemp

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: “How important is it to

present a positiveBlack male image to

our Black boys?”

Milwaukee Community Jour-nal Editor Thomas E. Mitchell,Jr. (pictured at right, far rightwith honoree Monte Mabra[center] of Voice of the Father-less Child, and Tracey Dent ofVoices Against Violence Coali-tion and Peace for Change Al-liance [far left]) was one of 34community professionals (pic-tured above) honored at the29th annual Black ExcellenceAwards presented by the Mil-waukee Times. (Photos byYvonne Kemp)

Vel Phillips (seated), the first woman and African American in the history of the Milwaukee CommonCouncil, is surrounded by past and present aldermen of color during a ceremony recognizing her andformer Council President and Alderman Willie Hines, Jr. (third from left) during the regular meeting ofthe council at City Hall Tuesday. With Hines and Phillips are current aldermen (left to right) Jose Perez,Ashanti Hamilton, Willie Wade, Milele Coggs and Joe Davis, Sr. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)

P h o t o s b y Y v o n n e K e m p

CommonCouncilhonors VelPhillips and WillieHines

By Kathy Gaillard

(continued on page 7)

Sybrina Fulton

Rahman Malik (second from left) and Demetrius Brown (second from right) proudly show-off the awards forbeing positive Black male role models to their community. With them are (from left to right): Eighth GradeTeacher Janet Butler, Eighth Grade Teacher Grace Scott, and MLK Elementary Principal Dr. Christlyn Stanley.

MCJ Editor among recipients of Black Excellence Awards

PP OLITICSOLITICS && GG OVERNMENTOVERNMENTC i t y • C o u n t y • S t a t e • N a t i o n a l

The Milwaukee Community Journal March 5, 2014 Page 2CORRECTION:On the front page story above the mast-head of the February 26, 2014 edition of the CommunityJournal on former Milwaukee County Board SupervisorEyon Biddle announcing his candidacy for the 15th alder-manic seat vacated last month by former Common Coun-cil President Willie Hines, we reported that as a memberof the Board Biddle created a $20 million jobs initiative.The actual amount was $2 million.

Alderman Davis to hold threetown hall meetings this week

Alderman Joe Davis, Sr. hasscheduled three 2nd District townhall meetings for this week.

The town hall meetings give resi-dents a chance to talk about impor-tant issues in the neighborhood andin the city of Milwaukee.

The meeting dates, times and loca-tions are:

• Tuesday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m.Madison High School, 8135 W.

Florist Ave. (auditorium)• Wednesday, March 5 at 6:30 p.m.Goodwill Industries – James O.

Wright Center for Work and Training, 6055 N. 91st St.• Thursday, March 6 at 6:30 p.m.Carmen Middle/High School of Science and Technology (Northwest Cam-

pus), 5496 N. 72nd St. (auditorium)“I look forward to hearing from residents and business owners, and I hope

many will be able to make it to at least one or two meetings,” AldermanJoe Davis, Sr. said.

COMMON COUNCIL: Surveillance camera pilot grant program targets businesses, commercial corridors

A city matching grant pilot program that will bring police-monitored sur-veillance cameras to individual businesses and commercial corridors acrossMilwaukee will be unveiled Friday, March 7 on the near south side.

The collaborative public safety initiative sponsored by Common CouncilPresident Michael J. Murphy, Alderman Bob Donovan, Alderman Joe Davis,Sr. and supported by Mayor Tom Barrett, will use a $250,000 matching grantfund provided by the Milwaukee Police Department and the city’s Commu-nity Development Grants Administration (CDGA) that will help provide mon-itored surveillance cameras in commercial corridors in Police Districts 2, 3,5 and 7 where Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and other like groupsexist to support and help fund improvements.

Safe and Sound, Inc. will administer the pilot program, which will expireat the end of 2014.

Details of the program will be unveiled Friday during a news conferenceat 10:00 a.m. at Wild Flour Bakery, 2800 W. Lincoln Ave.

President Murphy, Alderman Donovan, and Police Chief Edward Flynn areexpected to be joined at the news conference by Mayor Tom Barrett and Katie Sanders of Safe & Sound.

President Murphy said individual businesses, BIDs and business associations will be provided an opportunity to match the grant funds for the installationof cameras, which have become standard public safety tools in shopping and commercial areas across the U.S. He noted the location of the news conference– Wild Flour Bakery – was selected because it was the site of a successful MPD investigation brought about by footage from a mounted Operation Impactsurveillance camera in 2007.

“It is now quite commonplace in business and commercial districts across the U.S. and the world to have mounted surveillance cameras monitoring activity,because they have proven very effective in helping to deter crime and also helping to solve crimes,” President Murphy said.

Supervisors say “It’s Time to Move Forward on Transit”They Urge the County Executive toIssue a New Transit RFP

County Board Chairwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, Su-pervisors Michael Mayo, Sr., Anthony Staskunas andTheo Lipscomb said today that it is "time for MilwaukeeCounty to move forward on transit," calling on theCounty Executive to re-open transit bids.

Mayo, Chairman of Administrative Determination Re-view Committee (ADRC), and Staskunas, Vice-Chair-man, said that since the ADRC rejected the process thatawarded a transit contract, it was critical that a new Re-quest for Proposal be issued as soon as possible.

Staskunas said the ADRC, with the assistance andguidance of Milwaukee County Corporation Counsel, de-liberated carefully, and he said that the County Executivecould learn from the findings of the Committee to im-prove the process.

"It is up to the County Executive to issue a new RFPthat is transparent, above-board and reasonable," Stasku-

nas said. "All interested parties should come forward ina new process that is fair and objective.

The Administration can learn from past mistakes andtake steps to make this new process a fair one."

Mayo, who is also Chairman of the County Board'sTransportation, Public Works and Transit Committee,pointed out that neither his committee nor the CountyBoard had ever received a copy of the proposed contract.

Lipscomb said: "The residents and employers of Mil-waukee County expect a dependable transportation sys-tem and we have a duty to ensure a responsible processis used to protect the public and provide the communitywith the best value."

Lipscomb added that the Board has already voted tobegin transitioning transit in-house starting April 1, andpursuing an RFP for management on a parallel track isnot inconsistent with that policy.

"The time is now for the County Executive and theCounty Board to come together and find the best way tomove forward," Dimitrijevic said. "Public transit is vitalto growing our local economy and we are looking for themost efficient, modern, and reliable way for our residentsto get around our county."

Gwen Moore Responds to PaulRyan’s Poverty Report, CommendsPresident Obama’s Budget

WASHINGTON, DC (LINK) – Today Congresswoman GwenMoore (WI-4) released this statement in response to Represen-tative Paul Ryan’s (WI-1) report on poverty and PresidentObama’s fiscal year 2015 budget request:

“I am pleased to see that my Wisconsin colleague, Rep. PaulRyan, has decided to continue the conversation on how to reducepoverty in our nation. However, his poverty report seeks to un-dermine our anti-poverty programs instead of actually reducingpoverty. Our social safety net programs are not perfect, but thepositive effects they have had on millions of struggling Ameri-cans cannot be discounted.

“In contrast to Rep. Ryan’s report, President Obama releasedhis budget request for fiscal year 2015 that works to reducepoverty by closing the opportunity gap and investing in our fu-ture success. His budget expands the Earned Income Tax Creditfor working people and closes tax loopholes for some of thewealthiest Americans. In addition, his budget invests in earlychildhood education and job training programs.

“I join President Obama in his commitment to expanding op-portunity to all Americans. I urge Rep. Ryan to join the president,and my Democratic colleagues, as we work to loosen poverty’sgrasp.”

Joe Davis, Sr.

Eyon Biddle

Stock Photo

The Milwaukee Community Journal March 5, 2014 Page 3

PERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVES QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “The peoplemust know before they can act,and there is no educator to com-pare with the press.”--ida B. Wells

n Sunday night Isat watching theOscars, like manydark-skinned

black girls around the world,eagerly anticipating the bestsupporting actress category.

We sat in anticipation, wanting to be the first toglimpse a moment that was literally going to be out ofthis world.

Unfortunately, for dark skinned black women, our‘she-roes’ have been sparse and too far in between.

I can remember being on a school bus in suburbanNew York headed to elementary school in what Ithought was my most fashionable second-grade outfit—red beret, cape, and patent-leather shoes. I walked ontothe bus feeling every inch the runway model—only tobe greeted by taunts and referred to as “Aunt Jemima.”

In hindsight I realize that Aunt Jemima was probablythe only Black woman my white classmates knew as“famous.”

Jemima, the woman who wore a handkerchief aroundher head, was their Black cultural touchstone. This wasthe 1980s, yet this woman, depicted as just a few stepsremoved from slavery and understood as the “help,”

was the only example of a Black woman my classmatescould compare me to.

I wasn’t embarrassed to be referred to as the Blackwoman on the pancake syrup bottle. But the attitudewith which my classmates spoke about me, my skin and

ensemble made me feel ugly and ashamed of my capeand of my skin. Why couldn’t I be called WonderWoman or Bionic Woman any of the strong, stylish,powerful white women that were household names?

I was one of just a handful of Black kids in a predom-inately white school district, and regardless of how“fancy” I was dressed or how smart and “articulate” Ispoke I couldn’t “dress up” or cover up my differ-ence—my skin.

Aside from my family there were no other Blackwomen to point to and claim as my own—as my reflec-tion, as my role models. It was a syrup bottle or noth-ing. Sure, with each passing decade since that horridday on the bus in second grade we’ve made progress.We did get Clair Huxtable after all, and there have beenBlack models—but usually ones that fit the Anglomold.

Nonetheless the allure of, or better yet obsessionwith, light Black skin has remained, and both the run-ways and Hollywood have demonstrated a preferencefor “exotic skin” of such bronze color that you can’tpinpoint its origin over chocolate bodies like Lupita’sand mine.

Mixed skin is beautiful—it tells a story, but why is itthe only marker of beauty Black people can claim?

From hip-hop videos to commercials, mixed skin hasbecome the new normal while Black skin has been rele-gated to “common or boring.”

Lupita Nyongo by contrast has slayed stereotypes,not only about the beauty of dark African skin, but in-

telligence and femininity as well. Lupita is what I referto as the Polinista, a woman who is unapologetic abouther brilliance and her femininity. She’s chic, smart andstunning—a package that has not been the norm forBlack women in our society. Lupita didn’t run for theclosest wig when it was time for awards season, to liter-ally and figuratively hide her roots—instead she took usto a hair show and dazzled the world with high tops,fades and headbands.

When interviewed on the red carpet she didn’t apolo-gize for her intellect by trying to seem “regular” — herYale training shined for the world to see. She was astar. The world loves Lupita because she, the Yalescholar, actor, and dark-skinned woman is the mostpowerful manifestation of beauty and brains.

Lupita Nyongo’s win took us from Patsey to princesswithout shedding her skin. Her moment was a momentfor all of us—our Black is beautiful, our Black is bril-liant. Period.

Now, when a precocious little Black girl gets on a busdressed to the nines, a syrup bottle will be the lastthoughts in the minds of her classmates; instead ofJemima, they will utter Lupita.

Danielle Moodie-Mills is the co-host of Politini, apolitics and pop culture show bringing audiences thepersonal side of politics. She is also an Advisor at theCenter for American Progress for racial justice andLGBT equality. Her writings have been published inThe Atlantic, Essence, Huffington Post , Ebony andmore.

From Patsey to Princess: Why Lupita Nyong’o makes Black women proud

GUEST EDITORIALBy Danielle Moodie-Mills, TheGrio.com

In her original trial, Alexander wasconvicted on three counts of aggra-vated assault with a deadly weapon,but in the judge decided she should

serve the three counts concurrently,meaning she would be in prison foronly 20 years instead of 60 years.

There are three high-profile cases

in the state of Florida where a legalfirearm was discharged by someonewho later claimed self defense. Twoof those cases, George Zimmerman

and Michael Dunn, who both shotand killed unarmed black teens, re-sulted in acquittals on murdercharges.

The third is the case of MarissaAlexander, who is awaiting a retrialnow with the new threat of 60 yearshanging over her head.

Alexander fired a warning shotduring a dispute with her estrangedhusband, Rico Gray, who she saysthreatened to kill her that day.Alexander was not permitted to usethe Florida’s now infamous “StandYour Ground” defense, and she wasoriginally convicted of three countsof aggravated assault with a deadlyweapon.

She was sentenced to 20 years inprison under a Florida mandatoryminimum sentencing statute. Thejury in her original trial deliberatedfor 12 minutes before coming backwith a conviction, but, after an ap-peal, Alexander was granted a retrialbecause of flawed jury instructions.

On the heels of the Michael Dunnverdict, which in many ways re-opened the fresh wounds people ofcolor felt after the Zimmerman ac-quittal, the reaction has been swiftand passionate. It seems outside ofthe realm of what is fair and just toeven consider charging Alexanderwith a crime that would lead to a life-time behind bars. Even thoughAlexander’s warning shot didn’t hitanyone at all, to Assistant State’s At-torney Richard Mantei, this is simply

Florida following sentencing laws.And the court that will hear Alexan-der’s retrial has ruled that if a defen-dant is convicted on multiple counts,then they must serve their sentencesconsecutively.

But to Alexander’s supporters whohave followed all of the high-profilecases prosecuted by Corey’s officethat have made national news, Coreyappears to have a vendetta againstAlexander. While Corey’s office isarguing that they are following stateprecedent, it’s also true that prosecu-tors have a huge amount of discretionand power.

If Corey wanted to, she could eas-ily conclude that three years behindbars for defending yourself fromyour abuser is enough and sendAlexander home after this ugly or-deal and grave injustice.

Surprisingly the gun rights sup-porters who spoke up in support of“Stand Your Ground” laws during theGeorge Zimmerman trial remainsilent. Second amendment support-ers who have encouraged women toget guns to protect themselves fromdomestic violence and sexual assaultare no where to be found in Alexan-der’s defense.

Many who praised Zimmerman’sactions and those that believed hisself-defense claims should theoreti-cally support Alexander, but hertreatment throughout the legalprocess shows that only certain peo-ple are able to stand their ground.

Corey’s office seems to be spurnedby Alexander’s refusal to accept aplea deal before her first trial.

Alexander refused to plead guilty inthe case and chose to go to trial, as isthe right of every American.

When she was confronted by Con-gresswoman Corrine Brown (D-FL)about the harsh treatment of Alexan-der, Corey said she gave Alexander“mercy” and she referred to the pleadeal.

Alexander’s supporters FreeMarissa put out a statement saying,that Corey’s insistence on movingforward with the trial and now withthe maximum possible penalty is a“stunning abuse of power…[Andthat] [d]espite Corey’s scare andsmear tactics, the national FreeMarissa Now Mobilization Cam-paign is resolved to fight for MarissaAlexander’s freedom, and for thelives and freedom of all victims ofdomestic violence.

The campaign calls on the Floridalegislature to repeal all mandatoryminimum laws, and ensure thatjudges have discretion over whethersentences can be served consecu-tively or concurrently.”

A life sentence for a warning shotthat injured no one is a miscarriageof justice. Twenty years behind barsfor a warning shot that killed no oneis a miscarriage of justice as well.Alexander spent nearly three years inprison before she was finally reunitedwith her family for the holidays latelast year. It’s time for Corey to dropthe charges so that her office can putmore energy and attention into the re-trial of Michael Dunn who theycouldn’t convict and who actuallykilled someone.

THETHEMILWAUKEEMILWAUKEECOMMUNITYCOMMUNITYJOURNALJOURNALPublished twice weekly,Wednesday & Friday3612 North Martin LutherKing Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212Phone: 414-265-5300 (Advertising and Administration) • 414-265-6647 (Editorial) • Website: communityjournal.net • Email: Editorial@communi-tyjournal.net/Advertising@communityjournal.net

Opinion and comments expressed on the Perspectives page do not nec-essarily reflect the views of the publisher or management of the MCJ. Let-ters and “other perspectives” are accepted but may be edited for contentand length.

MCJ STAFF:Patricia O’Flynn -PattilloPublisher, CEORobert J. ThomasAssoc. PublisherTodd Thomas, Vice Pres.Mikel Holt, Assoc. PublisherThomas E. Mitchell, Jr., EditorKia Marie Green, Mang. EditorTeretha Martin, Technical Consultant/WebmasterJosephine Joki, Billing Dept./Publisher’s Admin. Assist.

Colleen Newsom,Classified AdvertisingJimmy V. Johnson, Sales Rep.Joan Hollingsworth, Sales Rep.CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:Taki S. Raton,Rev. Roxanne Cardenas,Troy A. Sparks,Sports EditorPHOTOGRAPHER: Yvonne Kemp

O

Oscar Winner Lupita Nyong’o

MarissaAlexander retrialanother blackmark on therecord of AngelaCoreyby Zerlina Maxwell

Attorney and MotherAwarded for ChallengingUnlawful Child RemovalPractices

MILWAUKEE—Welfare Warriors will pres-ent Attorney Allison Folmar and MaryanneGodboldo a Human Rights Award on Interna-tional Women’s Day, Saturday March 8, 2014 atthe Central United Methodist Church, 625 N. 25Street. These two courageous African Americanwomen are drawing national media recognitionfor defending mothers and children from unlaw-ful state action resulting in family separation.

Child Protective agencies in Milwaukee andacross the country routinely fail to comply withstate laws.

Meet and Greet the heroes at 5 PM. Refresh-ments will be served. Award Ceremony willbegin at 6 PM.

Godboldo, a Detroit mother of a 13-year-olddaughter, held off 100 swat team police and atank for ten hours when Michigan Child Protec-tive Services attempted to illegally detain her

daughter to force her to take Respirdal, a psy-chotropic drug. Godboldo was later cleared ofall criminal charges. Godboldo explained heraction, “I vowed that I would never let anyoneharm my child under any circumstances. Mymother protected me and I wanted to do thesame for my child.”

The Citizens Commission on Human RightsInternational (CCHR), a Mental Health Watch-dog awarded both Godboldo and Folmar aHuman Rights Award in Los Angeles on Febru-ary 1, 2014 at a ceremony attended by 1,500people.

The organization also produced a video de-picting Godboldo’s standoff with unlawful po-lice action. The video will be shown at theMarch 8 event. It can be seen at cchrint.org.

Atty. Folmar represented Godboldo pro-bonothrough ten hearings to win dismissal of allcriminal charges against her.

Michigan Judge Ronald Giles ruled that theforced entry into her home by police violatedGodboldo’s constitutional rights. Judge Gileswrote, “We are talking about a child’s constitu-tional rights, including the right to liberty.

The order does not express any situation or

circumstances saying the child is at risk… Med-icating a child is a parent’s decision and not theState’s.”

Detroit Child Protective Services further vio-lated Godboldo’s parental rights when theymedicated the child with psychotropic drugs andvaccinated her against both parents’ wishes. Themental institution where CPS detained the childalso took away her prosthetic leg to prevent herfrom fleeing to her mom.

After learning of the systemic unlawful ac-tions frequently carried out by Child ProtectiveServices, both Attorney Allison Folmar andMaryanne Godboldo have begun to help otherfamilies facing wrongful child detentions.

Godboldo wants to spread awareness aboutthe illegal child removal practices across thecountry and urges mothers to contest such ac-tions. Attorney Folmar told WXYZ News in De-troit, “We’re calling on Child ProtectiveServices to stop the unconstitutional, illegal,emergency removal of children.

“That is not the way the state statute or lawis…We simply want justice for all of the moth-ers fighting to be the best mothers that they canpossibly be.”

Milwaukee recognizes heroeson International Women’s Day

tate’s Attorney Angela Corey is having avery bad year.Her office has flubbed two high-profile murder trials

and now the state’s attorney announced they aim toincrease Alexander’s sentence to 60 years if they win a convic-tion at her second trial.

SMarissa Alexander

The Milwaukee Community Journal March 5, 2014 Page 4

RELIGIONRELIGION RELIGION PAGE CORRECTION: In the photo lo-cated on the Religion Page in the February 19, 2014 editionof your Community Journal, we mistakenly identified WillieBrisco, president of MICAH (Milwaukee Inner city Congre-gations Allied for Hope), as the pastor of New CovenantBaptist Church. The pastor of New Covenant is Rev. F.L.Crouther. Brisco is an associate minister at New Covenant,which is located at 2315 N. 38th St.

Brentwood Church of Christ, located at 6425 N. 60th St., recently hosted the kick-off event for the “Black Week of Prayer For The Healing of AIDS.” Alsohelping Brentwood with the observance was the Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin, Inc. (BHCW). Celebrated nationally, The Black Church Week of Prayerfor the Healing of AIDS is modeled after the successful, innovative Harlem Week of Prayer of AIDS which was established in 1989 by The Balm of Gilead inNew York City. The Week of Prayer was designed as a bold act of community outreach to Harlem’s religious leaders to address the community’s devastationby HIV/AIDS. At Brentwood last week, Dr. Patricia McManus, president of the BHCW and state Sen. Lena Taylor addressed the gathering. Pictured above arethe participating clergy (left to right): Pastor Steven Thompson, Central Church of Christ; Pastor Lelie E. Odoms of Brentwood, Bro. Delvyn Crawford of Spiritof Life Church, Minister Jim Addison of Greater Philadelphia COGIC (and a member of the BHCW staff), Pastor Barry Gainey of Hampton Avenue Church ofChrist, and Elder Melywn Turner of Midtown Church of Christ in Racine. (Photo by Francesca Johnson)

Have you noticed lately that somepeople you have come in contact withseem to be more irritable; less pleasant,or just angry? Is it this long winter dol-drums that we are going through? Or isit the tough financial times so many ofus are experiencing? Maybe it is all ofthe above, plus something even deeper.Maybe it is just because we are justhuman beings.

Life itself, can be sometimes be astruggle, even for those of us that pro-fess to be true believers. But whenthese struggles come, it affects both ourmental and sometimes even our physi-cal well-being. What can we do to tryand handle these times of instability inour lives when our patience is short andwe feel overcome by circumstancesthat we alone cannot readily control; orsolve to our own satisfaction.

This period of “impatience and insta-bility” in our lives we sometimes translate into, “God is ei-ther is moving too slowly or He has abandoned me; and Ihave to take over this ship I am on and correct its’ course bymyself.

If only, at these times, we would remember, and act on thewords of a Christian from long ago who said, “God’s delaysare not God’s denials.” Romans 8:28 reminds us that “Godis working all things together for the good of those whomlove Him”.

His method of teaching us the fruit of the Spirit is slowbut steady, and our response to Him should be, to remain in

a constant receiving mode of accept-ance from all He has to offer us asChristian disciples. Instability or suf-fering according to 1st Peter, shouldnot catch a Christian off guard. Petersaid, and wrote we are strangers in ahostile world, and where Christiansthrive, storm clouds sometimes maygather around us. Suffering is an ex-pected part of a life of sincere faith.First Peter also emphasizes a furtherpoint, that suffering is temporary, onlyto be endured “for a little while”. Thosewho suffer with Christ will also haveglory with Him in a life forever free ofpain and discomfort.

Romans 5:3 says “..we rejoice in oursufferings because we know that suf-fering produces perseverance (pa-tience); and patience, character; andcharacter, hope. And hope does not dis-appoint us, because God has put the

love of Jesus Christ into our own hearts forever. God re-mains very patient with us.

His own plan for our maturity seems much slower to usthan we may be accustomed to. Just like the little child thatcan’t sit still, we sometimes think that God is not at work ifwe do not see his works immediately. Let us show patience,faith, and hope in our Savior through the times in our lifewhen we feel most alone in our personal struggles.

The book of James Chapter 5: Verses 7-10 N.I.V. tells us“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how

On Wednesday March 5th, thechurch around the world began a pe-riod of intense prayer, fasting andgiving alms to the poor. We call itLent.

At the Eucharistic Services on thatday the faithful received the sign ofthe Cross on their foreheads withashes that come from the palms usedon Palm Sunday of last year.

After the homily, the priest says:"Dear friends in Christ, let us ask our Father to bless theseashes which we will use as the mark of our repentance.Almighty God, bless the sinner who asks for your for-giveness and bless + all those who receive these ashes.May they keep this Lenten season in preparation for thejoy of Easter.

“We ask this through Christ our Lord." The faithfulthen come forward and have ashes placed on their fore-heads. As the ashes are imposed, the minister says: "Turnaway from sin and be faithful to the gospel."

One of assigned antiphons to be sung during the rite ofimposing the ashes comes from Joel 2: 13: "Come backto the Lord with all your heart; leave the past in ashes,and turn to God with tears and fasting, for he is slow toanger and ready to forgive."

The Gospel for the first Sunday of Lent, March 9, isfrom Matthew 4: 1-11. Jesus was about to begin his pub-lic life and went into the desert to pray for forty days andnights and the Evil One tempted him. The tempter was

defeated from tryingto convince Jesusthat it was nonsenseto expect to save theworld by the waysGod proposed. Hewas tempted to turnstones to bread, tothrow himself downfrom the roof of thetemple, and finally,

to worship the Evil One. And these same temptations assail the church today.

We ask Jesus to turn stones to bread without having achange of heart. We ask for signs and wonders and forgetthe signs and wonders that have come through God's loveand the mystery of the cross. We want to be powerfuland go along to get along with the society we are in. Weoften participate in the evil of our society, forgetting thatthe end never justifies the means.

"Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel."Lent gives us another opportunity to "change our heartsby the grace of God" and to change our deeds andlifestyle in fact and not merely with a good intention.

Living the Christian life is not any easier now than itwas for our ancestors in the faith. Greed, hatred, revenge,lust for power, and selfish disregard for others is still thenorm. But the Love of God urges us on and the fact thatwe are saved by the grace of God can empower us to turnaway from sin and right into the arms of God.

In Loving Memory

Quality Service...a tenured tradition

sincere concern at your time of need.

Offering pre-need, at need andafter-care services to families in

Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha andother communities

throughout our state.Services scheduled for March 3 to March 8, 2014

Duke, Orville V.Age 73 yrs. February 27, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Saturday11AM. Visitation Saturday 10AM until time of services at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Harrell, Ella R.Age 93 yrs. February 19, 2014. Beloved mother of Samuel(Elnora)Harrell.Loving Grandmother of Curtis(Vanessa)Williamson, Darwin Williamson, Der-ron(Kim)Harrell and Curtis Buchanan. Great-grandmother of Maya Harrell,Derron Harrell Jr., Victoria Damato, Shakeya Williamson, Nicholas Harrell,Lennie Williamson, Maurice Williamson, Bryanna Buchanan, ArianaBuchanan and Trizzy Buchanan. Also survived by 7 great-great grandchildrenand a host of other loving relatives and friends. Funeral services will be heldon Friday 11AM. Visitation Friday 10AM until time of services at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Triplett, Robert C.Age 57 yrs. February 21, 2014. Funeral services will beheld on Monday 1PM. Visitation Monday 12 Noon untiltime of services at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Harrell, Ella R.Age 93 yrs. February 19, 2014. Beloved mother of Samuel(Elnora)Harrell.Loving Grandmother of Curtis(Vanessa)Williamson, Darwin Williamson, Der-ron(Kim)Harrell and Curtis Buchanan. Great-grandmother of Maya Harrell,Derron Harrell Jr., Victoria Damato, Shakeya Williamson, Nicholas Harrell,Lennie Williamson, Maurice Williamson, Bryanna Buchanan, ArianaBuchanan and Trizzy Buchanan. Also survived by 7 great-great grandchildrenand a host of other loving relatives and friends. Funeral services will be heldon Friday 11AM. Visitation Friday 10AM until time of services at:

Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Woods, Teresa R.Age 98 yrs. March 2, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Friday 11AM atGreater Mount Zion Baptist Church 2479 N. Sherman Blvd.Visitation Friday 10AM at the CHURCH until time of services. The family isserved by:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Williamson, Mary LeeAge 95 yrs. February 25, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Monday11AM. Visitation Monday 10AM until time of services at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Clinton, Jessie Sr.Age 82 yrs. March 1, 2014. Funeral services will be held on Saturday 1PM.Visitation Saturday 12 Noon until time of services at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Kern, GradyAge 73 yrs. February 26, 2014. Funeral services will beheld on Friday 11AM. Visitation Friday 10AM until time ofservices at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Milwaukee6630 W. Hampton Avenue

Milwaukee, WI 53218Telephone: (414) 462-6020

Fax: (414) 462-9937

Racine800 Barker St.

Racine, WI 53402Telephone: (262) 637-6400

Fax: (262) 637-6416

Families served by:Northwest Funeral Chapel O’Bee, Ford & Frazier

Have the Talk of a LifetimeNorthwest Funeral Chapel is Helping

Families and Friends Honor Their Love OnesNorthwest Funeral Chapel invites you to share with us in hav-

ing the “Talk of a Lifetime.” You talk about many things withyour loved ones: From day to day details to big events. Sharingstories with those who matter most isn’t just important today; itwill be especially significant when it’s time to honor and com-memorate your lives. Join us on Saturday, March 15th from 1p.m. to 2:30 p.m. or from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at our Family Activ-ity and Events Center at 4034 W. Good Hope Rd. Please bringwith you a family member or friend with whom you would like toshare your talk of a lifetime.

To reserve seats, please call us today at 462-6020 or 540-9630.

LORD TEACH ME PATIENCE and DO IT NOW!

the farmer waits for the land to yield itsvaluable crop and how patient he is forthe autumn and spring rains.

You too, be patient and stand firm,because the Lord’s coming is near.Don’t grumble against each other,brothers, or you will be judged.

The judge is standing at the door!Brothers, as an example of patience inthe face of suffering, take the prophetswho spoke in the name of the Lord. As

you know, we consider blessed thosewho have persevered. You have heardof Job’s perseverance and have seenwhat the Lord finally brought about.

The Lord is full of compassion andmercy. A diamond is the attractivestone that is the symbol of luxury andlove. What most do not realize is thatwhen a diamond is mined it is not at-tractive.

Rough edges and impurities aroundit hide its beauty. It takes a skilled

craftsman to carefully remove therough edges so the diamond’s bril-liance can be displayed.

We are like the diamond coveredwith layers of sin. The Lord is thecraftsman. If we will be patient He willcarefully chip away those sinful impu-rities and habits so that His Son, Jesus,can be displayed through us.

Lord, Please Teach Me Patience andDo It However You Wish!

BREADIN THE WILDERNESSBy Fr. Carl Diederichs,All Saints Catholic Church

MYBROTHER’SKEEPERBy Rev. Joseph McLin

(continued on page 5)

Living the Christian Life

BRENTWOOD COC HOSTS BLACK CHURCH WEEK OF PRAYER FOR THE HEALING OF AIDS

The Milwaukee Community Journal March 5, 2014 Page 5

The Lincoln University Vocal Ensemble, under the direction of MichelleGamblin-Green, will perform in concert Wednesday, March 12 at Mt. ZionMissionary Baptist Church, 2207 N. 2nd St. Lincoln University is located inJefferson City, Missouri. The Vocal Ensemble is part of the Department ofVisual and Performing Arts at Lincoln. The program will begin at 7:30 p.m.Admission is free.

Black Marriage Day event at Brentwood COCquickly approaching; still time to get tickets!

Brentwood Church of Christ will hold their 4th Annual BlackMarriage Day Event on Saturday March 22, 2014 from 2:00 - 4:00pm at the church, 6425 N. 60th Street, Milwaukee, WI. The themeof the event will be Marriage: Building A Strong Foundation.

The event will include entertainment by Andre' Lee Ellis, Actor& Artistic Director of Andre Lee Ellis & Company. EvangelistDavid Kimmons, Sr., assistant minister at Brentwood Church ofChrist, will provide an inspirational message. A dessert social willbe held following the program. Black Marriage Day is a nationalobservance on the 4th Sunday of March each year that celebratesmarriage in the Black community. This event is open to everyonewho believes in and supports the value of marriage in the Blackcommunity, this includes singles and individuals from all cultures.

Tickets are $15 for individuals and $20 for couples, tickets canbe purchased in advance or at the event. Please contact Thomas &Clarene Mitchell at 414-736-1546 for more information and tick-ets.

Lincoln University Vocal Ensemble toperform at Mt. Zion MBC March 12

the farmer waits for the land to yield itsvaluable crop and how patient he is forthe autumn and spring rains.

You too, be patient and stand firm,because the Lord’s coming is near.Don’t grumble against each other,brothers, or you will be judged.

The judge is standing at the door!Brothers, as an example of patience inthe face of suffering, take the prophetswho spoke in the name of the Lord. As

you know, we consider blessed thosewho have persevered. You have heardof Job’s perseverance and have seenwhat the Lord finally brought about.

The Lord is full of compassion andmercy. A diamond is the attractivestone that is the symbol of luxury andlove. What most do not realize is thatwhen a diamond is mined it is not at-tractive.

Rough edges and impurities aroundit hide its beauty. It takes a skilled

craftsman to carefully remove therough edges so the diamond’s bril-liance can be displayed.

We are like the diamond coveredwith layers of sin. The Lord is thecraftsman. If we will be patient He willcarefully chip away those sinful impu-rities and habits so that His Son, Jesus,can be displayed through us.

Lord, Please Teach Me Patience andDo It However You Wish!

LORD TEACH ME PATIENCE(continued from page 4)

Unity Gospel House of Prayer’sown Pastor Marlon Lock will be de-buting and releasing his first albumentitled: “The Good Seed Project” ata release party Friday, April 4, start-ing at 7 p.m., at Unity Gospel Houseof Prayer, 1747 N. 12th St. This con-cert is set to exemplify the desires ofPastor Lock, which is to save andtouch the lives of all by any meansnecessary, through the word of God.In addition to teaching the principlesof God, the additional means hascome through the ministry of music.His music can be described as “soul-ful” Gospel; it’s uplifting and spiri-tual with a southern twist.

The songs recorded were all writ-ten by Pastor Lock, some dating back15 years ago. For more information,contact Unity Gospel House ofPrayer at 264-4308.

Pastor MarlonLock to debut firstalbum at UnityGospel House ofPrayer

Pastor Marlon Lock

The Milwaukee Community Journal March 5, 2014 Page 6

SMALL BUSINESSSMALL BUSINESS

Do your prospects perceiveyou as a commodity even ifyou don't? Do they see y asthe "yes I'll consider workingwith you if you can give me adiscount?"

Guess what, you're the 20 percentguy...(or girl)

How do you know? They saythings to you like, "things are toughand I'd like to give you a shot but youhave to beat this price" and you fallfor it. So here's the question. If youare not always the cheapest and youhave business, how is that possible?If everyone buys because it's all thesame and they’ll only switch with adiscount, how does anyone have anybusiness?

Today I worked with an insuranceagency that gets it. Their top sales-person was giving examples of howhe works with, or in some cases re-fuses to work with his prospects.

Right from the beginning he isclear that he may not be able to savethem money and may even be higherthen they are paying now but he hasthe ability to bring a true consultativeapproach to the conversation and ifthey respect and are open to that hecan do a true diagnosis of the situa-tion.

Some of the prospects he talks toare quickly brushing him off. Theytell him if he can't save them money,forget it. He is so thankful when thathappens. Why? Because time is theonly true asset we have in sales andto save some by spending more timewith qualified prospects is invalu-able.

What does qualified mean? Itdoesn't mean (for example) you callon organizations with a minimum of200 employees only. Since they fit

that criteria they're qualified...no it'smuch more then that.

1) Do they have needs that aren'tbeing met by there existing represen-tative ?

2) Are they willing to share thesewith you and openly discuss their sit-uation; the good, the bad and theugly?

3) Will they open their " files" toyou so you can do a true analysis andnot hold back?

4) What will they do if you are notgoing to be the least expensive butsolve some of the issues you uncoverand give them a true assessment ?

These are a few of the things thatneed to be dealt with when you pre-qualify a prospect. What are we re-ally talking about here? Plain andsimple we are talking about trust.Yes, trust. This is the deciding factorin this or any other relationship.Without trust you have game playing,bidding wars and all around timewasters.

How is trust gained? Certainly not

by telling them you are trustworthy.Why not? Because people trust youbased on your actions not what yousay. It's the way you work with them,the question you ask them and trulylistening to what they say.

Don't jump to a proposal, don'tpromise them anything especially nottoo early and always pull back withquestions like " can you save usmoney? Can you give us better cov-erage’s or better service?" Yes pullback. The answer to these questionsshould be something like, " I cer-tainly hope so and that's our goal butit's too early in the process to reallytell you any of that with confidence"

Scary? Yep I get it but start tellingthe truth, even if it hurts. Have thetough conversations with the toughquestions. That's where true respectand trust come from. You sure don'twant to be the 20% guy, do you?

For more information or free salestips go to www.schulzbusiness.comfor GretaNomics or email her atgreta@schulzbusiness.com

The Twenty Percent Guy...(or Girl)!“These are a few of the things that need to be dealt with

when you prequalify a prospect. What are we really talkingabout here? Plain and simple we are talking about trust.”

How to Sky RocketYour Credit Scorein 11 Short Months

If you filed bankruptcy or went through foreclosure, younow have the opportunity to transform your credit in amatter of months. This is because of a new “loophole” inthe only true credit score used by over 95% of all banks,credit card companies and mortgage companies.

The only true credit score is called a FICO score. Don’t bother with scores from “Free Credit Score” or “CreditKarma” because they are worthless.

The loophole has to do with “credit score cards” which FICO created that puts you in a group of consumers withsimilar credit history. It’s like taking an English class. You are graded against other students in your class, not againstpeople taking History.

Credit score cards are similar. If you filed bankruptcy, you are scored against only other people who filed bank-ruptcy. If you went through foreclosure, you are scored againstother folks who also went through foreclosure. The score cardswill position you ideally if you take the right steps at the right time,and avoid mistakes most people make.

For example, almost as important as making your payments ontime if you filed bankruptcy or experienced foreclosure is what’scalled your utilization rate. If you understand a few simple rulesregarding utilization, you will increase your credit score in months,not years. This article cannot explain fully how utilization works,yet a simple explanation of utilization is that FICO is measuringwhat balances you keep in relation to credit limits.

Adding positive mainstream credit to your credit profile is alsoa sure-fire way to boost your FICO score. For example, an install-ment loan and 3 major bank cards will increase your credit scoreif you pay them on time.

And this is where it becomes tricky, because certain accountscan actually lower your credit score if you obtain the wrong typeof loan or work with a lender who is flagged “high risk” by FICO.

Another proven strategy to boost your FICO score after bank-ruptcy or foreclosure is to fix high priority negatives on your creditreports.

First, get all 3 credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Never make disputes online or by phone. Dispute accountsone account at a time.

If you filed bankruptcy, make sure all accounts included in bank-ruptcy have a “0” balance and all accounts which survived bank-ruptcy are being reported as “paying as agreed.”

Never hire a “credit repair” company. They can make your creditscore worse and it’s a waste of your hard earned money.

If you wish to attend a free seminar explaining how you can re-cover after bankruptcy or foreclosure, email mgm@TheCredit-Man.com or call 414-771-9200 to reach our office directly.

The Credit Man

Greta Schulz

An Invite to your WebsiteBack in the day it was okay to hand out a business card

and not have a website listed. A business card was yourcontact info on paper. The problem was, after a day or twowent by, the people you met would be limited to lookingat your business card and trying to recall who you were orwhere they met you. People couldn’t gather much more in-formation than that from a business card but it was a start.Your business card was helpful for people who wanted toremember you or at least remember what your business hadto offer.

Today, a business card is still relevant but in a much dif-ferent way. Your business card is more like an invitation toa party. The party is your website. Your website is whereyou invite people to learn more about your product and service so that they can feel com-fortable buying from you. When you hand out your business card you don’t want the inter-action to end there. It’s similar to handing out an invitation to a party. You want the personto visit you later. Unfortunately, without a website listed your business card is like an in-vitation to nowhere. An empty invitation is worthless, especially for a person who likes todo their homework online before diving into a purchase.

More people than ever do their research online before they make a purchase. Accordingto studies by comScore, BIGResearch, Yahoo! and others, 80% to 90% of people buyingin-store have consulted the internet for information prior to making a purchase. A lot ofpeople are taking advantage of their invitations to learn more about products and servicesbefore they buy. If you’re a business owner, this is big news. If your business is not foundonline, you are missing out on up to 90% of the people looking to buy what you’re selling.Even if your business is doing well, with a website, it could be doing 90% better. From abusiness standpoint, you have an obligation to invite customers to your website. Of course,you have to have a website. Remember, people cannot buy from you if they don’t knowyour business exists. Since you do not have time to network with thousands of people everyday, it would make sense that you put your information in front of shoppers. When theseshoppers search for what you sell they can visit your website and easily find your businessonline. Invite these people to your party. Invite them before your competitors do. If you’renot inviting people to buy from you, you are encouraging them to buy from your competi-tors. Shoppers will show up to somebody’s party with an invitation. Be sure the party isyours. Antoine Miller is Founder of 99 SALES iDEAS for Business Development. Milleris excited to help business owners sell more of their products and services. Contact him at414-219-1989 or amiller@99salesideas.com

Antoine Miller

com-muni-tyjournal.net

The Milwaukee Community Journal March 5, 2014 Page 7

KALEIDOSCOPEKALEIDOSCOPEt h e M C J l i f e s t y l e & e n t e r t a i n m e n t s e c t i o n

Editor’s Note: The two poems that accompanied the human trafficking stories in the February 26, 2014 editionof your Community Journal (“I Care” and “Un Used Love”) were written by Jan Boccia.

in any year that the sum of half your Social Security PLUS all other income,including tax-exempt interest, exceeds $25,000, or $32,000 if you are mar-ried.

Even if you determine that you must file a tax return, there are ways youcan reduce the amount of tax you owe on your taxable income. As long asyou are at least 65 years old and your income from sources other than SocialSecurity is not high, then the tax credit for the elderly or disabled can reduceyour tax bill on a dollar-for-dollar basis. However, this tax credit is only usefulwhen you actually owe tax to the IRS.

The good news is there is assistance to help you navigate your tax obliga-tions. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP ) and VITA TaxPreparation Services sites are available to assist you. Milwaukee residentscan sign up for assistance at Milwaukee MATC-Downtown (Student Center),located at 700 W. State Street, from January 28 through April 8. Volunteersare available to assist you on Tuesdays from 6-7:30 p.m. or Saturdays from10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There is a waiting list for tax assistance, so call (414)297-8417 for more information. In general, this service, which is providedby student volunteers, is FREE for low-to-moderate income individuals, eld-erly, individuals with disabilities or individuals who qualify for the homesteadcredit or the earned income credit.

The tax season is also a good time to evaluate savings and investments, andget your retirement goals into focus, if you are still working. What does yourideal retirement look like today?

Have your goals and expectations changed? If you are five to ten yearsfrom retirement, this is a good time to create a plan for how you will generatea reliable retirement income stream from your accumulated savings and othersources.

Before you can make sure you are financially secure enough to retire, youshould get a clear picture of where you are headed. Consider meeting with afinancial advisor to help determine if you are on track to reach your goals.

Just as you see your doctor or dentist for annual checkups, it is also a goodidea to review your retirement savings each year with a financial advisor. Youmay want to fine-tune your investments.

You may have retirement accounts with former employers that you can con-solidate into your current employer’s retirement plan or an IRA. Consolidat-ing your accounts makes it easier to manage your savings and have a clearerpicture of your investments.

At this stage in life, you may have paid off all or most of your mortgage.With your mortgage paid off, this might be a good time to consider increasingthe amount of your savings in tax-advantaged retirement plans, or even in-creasing the amount you save apart from your employer’s retirement plan.Here are a few steps to consider to increase your savings:

Make the most of your retirement accounts• Contribute the maximum to your workplace retirement plan to receive all

possible matching funds offered by your employer. • If you do not have an employer-sponsored plan, start by maximizing your

contributions to an Individual Retire-ment Account (IRA).

• Even if you are contributing toyour employer-sponsored plan, anIRA offers another option to save.Consider a Roth IRA to build poten-tially tax-free savings in addition toyour tax-deferred 401(k) plan.

• If you are age 50 or older, con-tribute an additional “catch-up”amount to your IRA and workplaceretirement plan.

Save beyond your retirement accountsIf you do not have an employer-

sponsored plan such as a 401(k), youmay want to supplement your tax-benefited savings with a regular, tax-able investment account.

Manage your debt with retirement in mindReview your income and expenses

to determine if the amount of debtyou carry provides the financial flex-ibility you want so that you can enjoylife without worrying about bills.

• Consider paying off your mort-gage before you retire. This elimi-nates a major monthly expense.Make sure to weigh the decision topay off your mortgage against anytax benefit you might be giving up.

• Before you borrow, consider theimpact major purchases will have onyour cash flow.

• Look over your outstanding debt and, where you are paying higher interestsuch as on credit card debt, determine if a consolidation loan makes sense foryour situation.

Protect your retirement income — and legacyInsurance can become a valuable income and estate planning tool as you

approach retirement, and it costs much less to purchase in your fifties thanin your sixties.

• Life insurance can help replace pension or Social Security income in theevent you outlive your partner or spouse.

• If you have specific legacy goals or are concerned about estate taxes, lifeinsurance can be used to create an inheritance or help meet estate tax obliga-tions.

• Look into long-term-care insurance, which can help meet expenses thatcould deplete your estate in the case of an extended illness.

• Review and ensure your beneficiary designations are up to date. The 31st President of the United States, Herbert Hoover once said, “About

the time we think we can make ends meet, somebody moves the ends.” Thatquote probably sums up the way many of us feel when it comes to filing taxesor planning for a financially secure retirement future.

It’s been said that the only sure things in life are death and taxes, so as weapproach our golden years, it’s to our advantage to be informed, understandthe tax laws or work with professionals who do so that when the ‘ends’ move,we are

Tax Tips andRetirement Planning(continued from page 1)

Golden Years

Birthday celebration/Job promotion for the beautiful,remarkable, and trailblazing Jasmine Johnson (pic-tured above in the center)! It was truly a pleasure cel-ebrating with you!!! Congrats and Happy Birthdaymonth!

Editor’s Facebook photo pick of the week

The Milwaukee Community Journal March 5, 2014 Page 8

The Milwaukee Community Journal March 5, 2014 Page 9

The Milwaukee Community Journal March 5, 2014 Page 10