​Taxes are due April 18th this year - DON'T FORGET! 

Once your taxes are done, take these final steps for a successful season:

1. Use trusted Hammermill paper to print out a copy to archive for your records.
2. Gather all supporting documents and receipts and store with Smead or Business Source file folders.
3. Secure your files in a dedicated Bankers Storage Box.
4. Use Avery labels on the box to display the tax year for easy reference.

That's not all! Save time and money next year by using smartphone apps to your advantage! Use the Twist Top Picks below to help track mileage, revenues, expenses, and more to keep tabs on your financial pulse

​IRS2GO
Check your refund status, make a payment, find free tax preparation assistance, sign up for helpful tax tips, and follow the IRS on Twitter, Tumblr, and YouTube - all in the latest version of IRS2Go. Available via Google Play and iTunes.

ItsDeductible Charity Donation Tracker
ItsDeductible is an easy way to keep track of your donations and get back the maximum deductions you deserve for your charitable acts. Now owned by Turbo Tax. 
Available via iTunes.
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​MileIQ App
Whether you are traveling for business, medical, or charitable purposes, it can be hard to remember to write down your mileage. MileIQ lets you track your mileage quickly and easily with automatic tracking and provides a record of past trips.Available via Google Play and iTunes.

​GoDaddy Bookkeeping (formerly Outright)
GoDaddy Bookkeeping syncs your bank account, PayPal, Amazon account, etc and the transactions are automatically pulled in to your account. So, you don’t have complex adding or importing transactions. Available via Google Play and iTunes.

​Freshbooks Cloud Accounting App
Simply take a picture of your receipts, create client invoices, and follow up on payments, right from the app. Plus, you can print month-end reports and review financial income, expenses and more. You can even give your accountant a separate login (with restricted access) so they can get all the info they need. Available via Google Play and iTunes.

By Shari King April 19, 2016 Reposted from Exceptional Lives Blog 
​http://exceptionallives.org/true-meaning-autism-awareness-month/

The phrase “Autism Awareness and Acceptance” can elicit many feelings, and today, I would challenge us all to consider what it truly means. What follows is a summary of some of the lessons learned from some of the most capable, loving, devoted and remarkable parents. These lessons apply not only to autistic children, but all children.

AWARENESS AND ACCEPTANCE IS TO BE OPEN, TO BE COMPASSIONATE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO BE KIND.
Give a smile to the mom in the grocery store whose child is tantrumming over the candy bar that she’s so desperately managing to keep him from. Invite the child with autism to your child’s birthday party and make sure that those parents know that their child is genuinely welcome—whether it be for five minutes, for an hour or maybe hopefully, the entire time. If a child falls apart in your presence, ask that parent, “what can I do to make this better for you?”
Ask questions. Reserve judgment. Don’t assume you know more than you do.

Give your friend a hug or the squeeze of your hand when their child has the bravery to make it through a school performance. Be there for her with a shoulder to lean on, in her isolation, when he does not. Teach your children about inclusivity, that it is not merely a concept or an accommodation but a lesson in how we treat others. It is a horrible feeling to be excluded and there are gifts of friendship to be found in all of us. Acceptance is not simply to tolerate one another but to value our differences and to recognize the strengths that lie within all people.

EVERYBODY HAS DIFFERENCES. ALL PEOPLE MATTER.
Work harder to reach out. Be kind. Teach your kids about the act of kindness and that kindness benefits everybody. Know that kindness needs to be taught and continuously reinforced. Be proactive to affect change. Imagine what you would want if the tables were turned.

Stand up for the rights of all people, whether your child is “neurotypical,” “quirky,” “special needs,” “disabled,” “differently abled,” different,” or any label. A label does not even begin to tell the whole story about a child, their family or, their strength in love.