What do Alaska and Anna Maria have in common? Alaska has beautiful scenery and wildlife, and so does Anna Maria. Alaska has pretty much two seasons, cold and colder, and so does Anna Maria, only it’s warm and warmer; and just like Alaska, Anna Maria exists in its own little universe. No wonder that aside from needing a new wardrobe, the transition for Sandra Ashbrook from Alaska to Anna Maria was a breeze.

Sandra Ashbrook, Doctor of Chiropractic, moved to Florida in October last year, after being introduced to the flowers and warmth of our state while visiting a friend who moved from Alaska. She and her husband love the outdoors (They ran a rafting business in Alaska.) and are enjoying the Florida outdoor life.

Ashbrook attended Pasadena College of Chiropractic, graduating in 1981, shortly thereafter relocating to Alaska, where she practiced for 24 years. She has been licensed in three states. Her approach to chiropractic medicine is to solve the riddle of each individual’s problem by using classic chiropractic principles – low force techniques as well as nutrition and methods to pull toxins out of the body.

Initially, she listens and designs therapy treatments tailored for the patient in both time and treatment methods. Her classic chiropractic adjustment uses six different adjusting techniques, but for individuals who cannot tolerate classic adjustments because of a recent injury or surgery, she uses the activator method chiropractic technique. This method involves the use of a low impact hammer which provides a high speed chiropractic adjustment. This procedure is especially good for individuals with osteoporosis or arthritis, as it does not damage brittle bones.

In addition, Sandra Ashbrook can help patients with fatigue, hormonal issues, sleep problems, allergies, high blood pressure, stress and general tiredness using a combination of dietary and detoxification techniques. She uses the Graston Myofascial Release system to treat soft tissue and tendon problems, and an ionic foot bath, which removes heavy metals and toxins from the system. Ashbrook integrates her years of experience into a holistic approach to treating patients. Her fees are affordable and her appointment schedule is flexible.

In addition to all the other ways Alaska and Anna Maria are alike, they now also have Sandra Ashbrook in common. It’s a long way from Alaska, but Sandra Ashbrook has been happy with the journey, especially since her Anna Maria patients don’t count falling on ice as one of their problems.

Sandra Ashbrook, D.C.
Doctor of Chiropractic

Beach Fitness
9908 Gulf Drive
Anna Maria
www.annamariachiropractic.com
941-962-7785
MasterCard/Visa

Opinions about the recent federal action to spend money to provide a kick-in-the-pants to our economy are widely varied and definitely polarizing in conversation. It is not my objective to debate the merits or chances of success of any particular program here in The Sun with my 500 to 600 word allotment. I think a better use of this space is to cover some of the ways individual families and business owners can use the stimulus to their benefit, and, by extension, help the actions reach their desired effect.

A major point of the stimulus package was to promote energy efficiency and development of new technology. In general, expenditures for home improvements made in 2009 and 2010 related to energy efficiency will receive a tax credit of 30 percent of the cost of the improvement with a cap of $1,500 combined over the two-year period. Certain upgrades are not subject to the cap, such as geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, wind energy and some fuel cells.

Hybrid electric cars also qualify for a tax credit of at least $2,500 for the first 200,000 sold nationwide in 2009. The credit can be even better based on the capacity of the battery, and caps out at $7,500

Even gasoline powered cars come with a break. State and local sales and excise taxes on the first $49,500 spent on a new car are now deductible against income for calculation of federal income tax for 2009. The vehicle must be purchased before Dec. 31, 2009 and the deduction gets phased out for joint tax filers earning more than $250,000 ($125,000 for individual filers).

First time homebuyers get a leg up with a tax credit of up to 10 percent of the price of the new home with a cap of $8,000. The home must be purchased by Dec. 31, 2009 and income limits are $150,000 for joint filers and $75,000 for individuals. This credit may not apply to most residents of Anna Maria Island and northwest Bradenton, but all younger folks who are considering making that first purchase should be made aware of these incentives.

Small business owners will find expanded deductions for items ranging from equipment purchase expensing (section 179), accelerated depreciation schedules for equipment purchased in 2009, applying losses from operations in 2008 back up to four years instead of the usual two and hiring incentives.

More information on these and other available tax deductions and credits are available at www.recovery.gov or www.energystar.gov.

Of course, consulting your tax professional would be a good idea before spending the money on something and finding out the tax credit doesn’t apply to you for some reason.

Tom Breiter is president of Breiter Capital Management, Inc., an Anna Maria based investment advisor. He can be reached at 778-1900. Some of the investment concepts highlighted in this column may carry the risk of loss of principal, and investors should determine appropriateness for their personal situation before investing.