Our new President and Congressional leaders plan to move soon to keep the estate tax, which reiterates the need for proper planning.

Easy flowers for your summer garden

Cape Business Health & Wealth has partnered with the Cape Cod and South Shore chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry to help educate our readers on how to best preserve and grow your home investment.

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry educates and certifies home remodelers on Cape Cod and the South Shore. We interview its former president, Dale Nikula, owner of Encore Construction in Dennis, to learn how this organization works to help consumers.

Despite the recession, we are investing in our homes – enjoying them more in lieu of expensive travel and spending prudently to preserve their future value. Expect more green strategies, electronics and lots of outdoor living

During recessions, people spend more time at home. Here are five ways to enjoy your Cape Cod abode – without spending a lot of money

When remodeling your home, it is important to consider whether your changes will add real investment value. Conventional wisdom holds that work done on kitchens and bathrooms will recoup the greatest percentage of your spending.

In today’s tough economy, it is more essential than ever to effectively market your vacation rental home. You can easily do this on your own – and save thousands of dollars in commissions.

Be confident and prepared: ask the right questions
Courtesy of the Massachusetts Bar Association

Saltwater pools are in the swim

Dressing up your home with new knobs, cabinet pulls and other hardware is an easy way to update your surroundings without a great deal of time or expense. Hardware is like jewelry for your home, and you can change it to suit your décor, from casual and coastal to ornate and luxurious.

Pure heat uses new technology for age-old problem

Coping with double demands of work and caregiving

Boat sales are on the decline, as are boat registrations – no real surprise given the current economy. Yet more people are actually taking the helm, according to a recent report by the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

These are challenging times for local companies of all sizes. Cape Business visited recently with the CEOs of Cape Cod’s two leading community banks, Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank and Cape Cod Cooperative Bank. Here are excerpts from our interviews – aimed at advising local businesses how to weather the storm. You can read the complete stories at capebusiness.net.

Barnstable County Register of Deeds John F. Meade, reports that the volume of real estate sales in February 2009 was down 21.8% from February 2008 volume and the total value of sales was down 28.4% from the previous year. The individual property sale value was down 24.3% from the previous year.

Tamarack markets its new-age house fans as a green, economical alternative to air-conditioning

Health care costs and insurance premiums are likely to continue rising at unsustainable rates unless we focus on prevention and wellness

Fewer homes sales, mortgages and dropping residential equity has taken its toll on bank lending. In recent weeks, however, lower interest rates have created a boom in refinancing current home loans.

Could it cook the golden goose?
An analysis

In a small business or home office, you can save energy, paper, time, money, your health and the environment with a few steps

What kind of question is “Did you remember to breathe today?” Luckily, we don’t need to actually remind ourselves that it’s time to inhale, time to exhale, time to inhale…. We breathe automatically, without having to think about it.

Cape Cod Healthcare Dietician Lisa Casey, M.Ed., RD, LDN, CDE, prepared this as part of a much longer list of tips for the healthy eaters – use this information the next time you maneuver the aisles of your grocery store. It’s all part of Cape Cod Healthcare’s Health Education Program, which also includes 90-minute classes. To learn more, call (877) 729-7200.

Elizabeth Highfield approaches her work as a trust officer working for Cape Cod Five Trust and Asset Management by thinking first and foremost about her two children who are under the age of 5.

1.  We all know that taxes have to go up to pay for the biggest bailout in history, so converting now means the very real probability of paying less in tax.

As the fall leaves change color and the winter weather approaches, the majority of business owners who have a December year-end should be focusing their attention to getting ready to close their books.

In designing and implementing an estate plan, there are many tools that can be used to meet competing wealth preservation goals. The following article is designed to help you identify how a properly designed estate plan can positively impact you and your family.

The ability to change one’s mind is an integral part of human nature. Our opinions vacillate about jobs, relationships, cars and homes. So why should estate planning be any different? Unfortunately, a recent Massachusetts case demonstrates that altering a will later in life can jeopardize whether or not your intentions are carried out efficiently and effectively – if at all.

Is there anything positive about a lagging economy? Quite possibly, especially if you or a friend or relative are considering investing in a Cape Cod vacation rental home. Hundreds of full-time Cape Codders actually own another home here for investment purposes.

Forget the gold watch, the rocking chair, the fading into the sunset.

Buildings large and small save money by using more energy-efficient materials and systems. Can your company improve the bottom line by being green?

From her ninth-floor office in the center of Boston, Vicary Graham is very much at the top of her profession. At 48, she is president of one of BNY Mellon Wealth Management’s biggest regions, a trusted adviser to some of the richest families across New England and leader to 150 professionals who oversee some of the firm’s $158 billion in private client assets.

“Do I have enough money?” That’s the first question I am asked by every widow, recent divorcee and woman on the verge of retirement. In reality, however, it is far better to ask the money questions long before you are widowed, divorced or ready to retire.

It's about choices, values and happiness in life

Four experts forecast the second half of 2008

Women need to take part in financial planning

Estate planning for parents of children with disabilities

Excerpts from “The Cape Playhouse” by Marcia J. Monbleau, which details in words and images the history of the Cape Playhouse.

We all know that taxes have to go up.

Are you in search of a place to dine, shop, be entertained and more? Look no further than Route 6A in the heart of historic Dennis Village. This stretch of the Old King’s Highway is within walking distance of the Cape Playhouse, the Village Green/Bandstand, and the Cape Cod Museum of Art, as well as scenic Chapin, Corporation and Mayflower beaches.

The 2008 season

Cape Cinema offers an alternative to the multiplex

Cape Cod and other resort areas of New England can find opportunities in record high oil prices, along with a weak dollar and slowing economy.

Economist panel sees shallow slowdown followed by gradual recovery

The headlines scream about the credit crunch. So, what if you need a home or business loan?

Health & Wealth editors sat with Michael Cole, owner of Cape Associates in Eastham and Barnstable, to gain his advice to homeowners on protecting your pocketbook and rights when working with contractors.

“Who wouldn’t want to buy a house on Cape Cod today? Most homes are reasonable priced to sell, the inventory is plentiful and mortgage interest rates are favorable.”

There are several considerations you may be faced with when you think about buying a kayak. Most likely the first one you will encounter is that kayaks come in different categories: Recreational, Day Touring and Ocean or Performance Touring.

The home market across Cape Cod and Plymouth County certainly has felt the sting of the nation’s housing downturn. Signs of optimism early in 2007 continually eroded, with forecasts of a recovery first expected last fall now postponed at least until this autumn.

What to expect in the coming year?

We spoke to a number of local real estate brokers about the current market and how to sell or buy your home under today’s conditions. Here are some of their recommendations:

It’s never been a more competitive time for those who want to rent their house. To get the best price and make your tenants happy, consider these tips offered by Joan and Jeff Talmadge of WeNeedaVacation.com, which lists more than 3,000 Cape and Islands vacation rentals.

Cape Business asked Charles Robinson, President and CEO of Rogers & Gray Insurance Agency, Robert W. Miller, principal of Dowling & O’Neil Insurance Agency, Jeff Helm of Atlantic Advisers Insurance Agency Inc. and Geoff Gordon of Andrew G. Gordon Insurance Agency Inc. for their perspective on the residential insurance front for 2008. Their insights offer cautions to homeowners, but a growing sense that there may be some relief in sight. These are excerpts from our interviews:

The outdoor living market is being driven by baby boomers, second-home owners and retirees. They are fueling trends we saw emerge in 2007 that are accelerating into 2008. It’s about convenience, saving time and enhancing the home’s investment value.

There are a variety of ways to add interest to your garden this year – here are some of the top trends:

Energy-saving, environmentally friendly ways to conserve natural resources, save money and contribute to a more sustainable world

Believe it or not, advancements in product and technique have allowed homes today to be built of styrofoam. In fact, Cape Cod builder Todd LaBarge of LaBarge Homes has become a passionate advocate of Insulated Concrete Form home construction, which uses foam forms and poured concrete for stability and energy conservation.

We sought out the experts – Here’s some of what we learned.
Thanks to Margy McEnaney of Cape Cod Fitness Company (capecodfitness.com) for sharing her expertise.

We asked our audiology consultant, Dr. Theresa Cullen of Cape Cod Hearing Center, to help us help our readers address one of the most common realities of the 55-plus crowd: subtle hearing loss. Baby boomers – especially men – are facing this reality in large part because of a lifetime of rock n’ roll, mowing lawns and handling rush-hour traffic. The good news: today’s hearing devices are state-of-the-art, computerized and miniature enough to be virtually invisible.

Capt. “Hurricane” Bob Levangie turned his passion for boating into a second career working at Bass River Marina teaching boat owners the ins and outs of boat handling and navigation. Hurricane also conducts all the ‘on the water’ training for new members of Freedom Boat Club of West Dennis. With spring upon us, his first column naturally focuses on how to get started.

We recently joined Come Wine With Us for a tour of the Federal Hill neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island, and of Sharpe Hill Vineyard in Connecticut. Come Wine With Us (comewinewithus.com) offers wine and food tours throughout New England and beyond, with transportation provided by Cape Destinations.

We all know that fads come and go, but there are a few that are sticking around and are worth giving a try.

Every year about 3 million people take up the game and call themselves golfers – but another 3 million exit the game. The challenge for me as a PGA professional is to improve the quality of play for golfers and make sure they are not unnecessarily frustrated.

Since the beginning of the New Year, a frequent topic of conversation has been the decline in the stock market, and what it means for individual investors. The catch phrase has been, “Everything is so uncertain.” There is certainly some truth in that, but let’s take a closer look and try to figure out if the current situation is all that unusual.

I was asked that question by Karen Hube, who was writing a special report for the Wall Street Journal titled: “Yes, real estate can still help your nest egg.”

Changes in the tax code starting under the Clinton Administration in 1997 and continuing through the Bush presidency have greatly expanded the individual’s ability to save for their retirement. Contribution limits on 401(k)s, SIMPLE Plans and traditional IRAs continue to go up each year, hitting $15,500, $10,500 and $5,000 this year, respectively. But the real benefits have been extended to small business owners and the self-employed.

A primer on how to contribute to a favorite charity as part of your financial and estate planning

For a while we had seen small signs of forgetfulness in my mother-in-law, but we just chalked it up to her getting older. But the statement, “I’ve never made chicken pot pie” was a major turning point.

1. SWITCH TO COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS
Changing five of the most frequently used light bulbs in your home can save you $100 per year on electric bills.

There are many ways to incorporate green plumbing and heating products into kitchen and bath remodels and new construction. Here are some recommendations courtesy of plumbing supplier Snow and Jones Inc.

Take these steps before Dec. 31; it’ll be too late next April

As 2007 steadily winds down, outlined below are six items (pertaining mostly to IRA planning) that you should consider incorporating into your year-end list of projects.

Is it time to buy? Sell? Upgrade?

Have you noticed? Mainstream America is discovering wine’s potential. The availability of better wines at better prices has turned an old-world tradition into new-world big business. A majority of Americans still drink wine as a social gesture alongside spirits and beer. But at bars, parties, receptions and family gatherings wine is becoming a more integral part of the event.

It is vital that you take the time to review your estate plan and make sure it is complete and up to date. Here is a list of 10 steps you can take before year’s end to ensure your revocable trust-based estate plan will work at peak performance:

What’s in a day? Actually, it turns out, quite a bit when it comes to the stock market. With the recent increase in market volatility, we decided to take a look at the impact of short-term market activity versus long-term results. Simply put, the chance of investing in the market on a day that closes higher is as good as the chance of a coin toss landing heads up.

College graduation begins a new era – not just for the student but the parents, too!

Baby boomers are demanding more for their parents.

The Federal Reserve’s recent lowering of the federal funds rate is good news if you are a borrower. If you are a saver, it is a different story.

Look at a gift to the Harvard Endowment and establish a charitable remainder trust to create a retirement income stream.

At Snow’s Home and Garden in Orleans, you’re likely to be served by employees who have backgrounds as engineers, scientists and judges. Now, past age 55, they’re combining work with semi-retirement on Cape Cod.

By now most people know that television is going digital, and many have heard about an analog shut-off date in February 2009. There is a widespread belief that this analog deadline will render traditional TV sets useless. Fortunately, this is not the case.

Summer may be long gone, but that doesn’t mean your garden won’t still benefit from some attention. Gardening is a year-round activity, especially on beautiful Cape Cod.

Health is not the mere absence of disease, anymore than wealth is the absence of poverty. To cultivate abundant health across the span of your life you will want to consider proactive creation of a health portfolio.

Selecting a health club is a no brainer, right? At first thought, it would seem that what you want in a health club is all of the things you don’t have at home: free weights, weight machines, all kinds of cardio equipment, one stop shopping for a complete workout. Simple, right?

The phone keeps ringing, your computer is on the fritz and you’re trying to fit 25 hours of activity into a 24-hour day. So your stress levels go up, along with your blood pressure.

By now many boomers have gotten their first reading glasses and have struggled to adapt to needing more light to read.

No retirement for this corporate executive: At 65, Dave Roberts buys a Truro winery with his wife and his children.

Today, demand – especially for fine wines – often exceeds the supply; thus, the growth in wine futures: investors willing to speculate on the quality and price of wines not yet produced.

While Cape Cod is a destination that many people travel to, its residents also travel from the Cape to a variety of locales, domestically and internationally.

Cape Business recently held a special breakfast seminar featuring three presentations to assist you in marketing your services and products to the ever-growing women’s market on Cape Cod and beyond.

We are pleased to share our Health & Wealth directory – an array of businesses and establishments ready to serve you year-round.

This special edition of Cape Business Personal Finance is dedicated to readers of all ages. That’s because planning for retirement should begin as early as in your 20s and 30s.

Investing for retirement has been the buzz phrase for several years now. In fact, many of the largest investment firms have spent a lot on marketing to attract those retirement assets. There are also many statistics about what it takes to retire, and many calculations you can do that will estimate what you need to retire.

With most tax-favored retirement plans, the contribution to (i.e., investment in) the plan is deductible, the investment compounds tax-free until distributed, and distributions are taxable as received.

The equity in your home can become the biggest solution to escalating health-care costs that threaten your financial well-being later in life.

Love, money and marriage. Talk about a topic that can bring about some heated discussions. Often, a husband and wife bring entirely different risk profiles to their portfolio.

Most small business owners have to wear several hats to successfully run their company – CEO, administrative officer and marketing guru, among others. It’s no wonder that researching and selecting the best retirement plan for your business is so daunting.

If you are between the ages of 46 and 64, 15 percent of you already have hearing problems. Two of three people with hearing loss are below the traditional retirement age. Six out of 10 are men.

Today’s baby boomers are not like retirees of yesteryear. They are more fit, active and youthful. They are more educated on the health benefits of fitness and the importance of feeling – as well as looking – vital through longer life expectancies.

For many, going to the gym to work out is difficult or unappealing – whether because of scheduling issues or discomfort at exercising in public. One solution is a home gym.

You are working six days a week in your business. Your children are in college, or soon will be. You see retirement on the horizon. And now, you find yourself financially and physically preoccupied with your aging parents, who are losing their ability to be independent.

While baby boomers aren’t necessarily retiring and relaxing around the house all day, many still want their homes to be their oasis. That means gourmet kitchens, outdoor living around pools and gardens, and high-tech home entertainment systems that integrate television, movies, music and more at the touch of a button.

Many people move to the Cape so they can fulfill their boating passion. Others move here only to realize for the first time that boating is a very real possibility. The bottom line: You are never too old to become a boat owner.

When several longtime residents of Orleans, including a prominent businessman, sold their homes and moved into Wise Living condominiums downtown, the vision of Chris Wise was realized in its starkest focus.