Do You Know Which Colleges Outside Florida Accept Florida Pre-paid Tuition?

Were you aware that Florida pre-paid college tuition funds could be spent at hundreds of colleges throughout the US, not just in the state of Florida? Who knew? Certainly, not me.

A list of approved colleges and universities is available on the Florida Pre-paid Plans website. As long as a school meets designated parameters, your pre-paid funds can be used to pay for tuition nearly anywhere.

Prepaid college plans are also known as 529 plans. Here's how 529.com describes the plans and their tax benefits:

Two Types of Plans

There are two types of 529 plans: traditional college savings plans and pre-paid tuition plans. College savings plans are the most common. Essentially, you contribute funds to the plan over time and can withdraw them tax free to pay for your college education (or other qualified education expense) wherever you decide to attend. Pre-paid tuition plans allow you to "lock-in" the price of education at today's prices. Many of these plans are flexible and allow you to attend whatever college you want. After all, it's hard to predict which college your child will go to in 18 years.

Tax Advantages

...Earnings from 529 investments aren't subject to federal income tax. If you invest in your state's 529 plan you often don't have to pay state income tax on your 529 earnings too. Some states even offer upfront tax benefits for investing in the plan.

If you live in a state that levies an income tax, it may make sense to invest in your state's plan. However, most 529 plans are open to all United States residents. You should shop around to find the best plan for you.

Unlike many retirement savings plans, there are no "income phase outs" to prevent high net worth families from investing in 529s and reaping the tax benefits.

Having plenty of options is important when it comes to college selection: The more choices you have, the more likely you are to identify an ideal fit. It's good to know that prepaid doesn't mean "Florida only."

R.I.P. Gourmet

A moment of silence please, for the passing of Gourmet, the 70-year-old Conde Nast foodie flagship publication. We'll miss you.

Today's announcement that Gourmet is falling victim to the miserable economy is a stunner. I know a tempest rages in print publishing these days (my husband is a journalist, so I'm very aware of the situation), but imagined that consumers' continued interest in food and cooking would allow Bon Apetit and Gourmet to weather the storm.

I'm astounded at how many magazines have closed shop in the past year - it's akin to a plague on our cultural landscape. And as for newspapers... don't get me started. While I was a "can't start the day without reading my paper" gal for decades, that's not the case today. The quality of our local paper has eroded faster than my memory!

I'm blue about the news. Let's all raise a toast to the demise of the foodie bible, may it rest in peace.

It's Liver Awareness Month!

October is National Liver Awareness Month and I say we should all join in the fun. We're all about liver awareness in our house, given that I have Hepatitis C and had a liver transplant three years ago. But in all honesty, I didn't know much about the liver and it's critical functions until mine broke. These days, I know some liver stuff, even a few doctor-y liver words, so let's mark this occasion with some Interesting Liver Facts:

The liver...
* Is the body's largest vital organ
* Filters toxins from blood - more than a liter every minute
* Performs over 500 different chemical functions
* Regulates glucose
* Is about the size of a football
* Weighs about three pounds in the average adult
* Can regenerate itself, in some cases

Livers do all this and much, much more, yet let's be honest - livers aren't sexy and don't nearly get the attention that other organs receive. But we can't live without a liver and need to take good care of them so they'll last a lifetime (mine didn't and getting a new one was a pain, literally and figuratively!).

Be good to your liver - no drugs, watch alcohol intake, eat a healthy diet and get vaccinated whenever hepatitis vaccines become available (Hep A and Hep B have vaccines now; they're working on one for Hep C and other letters of hepatitis).

Also, please be an organ donor and donate blood. The life you save could have been mine.

Photo by Chance Agrella