Tax Benefits of North Carolina and South Carolina

Posted by admin | Posted on 17-08-2010

Category : Region II

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Tax Benefits of North Carolina and South Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina has an extremely user friendly tax system. For more information on North Carolina taxes, visit www.dornc.com is easy to use and complete with many different FAQ’s, and the toll-free information line (877-252-3052) has a great wealth of information for individuals looking for help with their taxes. In addition, North Carolina has steadily been increasing the number of filing options that can be carried out online. There are walk-in centers where tax-payers can go for assistance, located in many of the major cities.

North Carolina has a sales tax rate of 7%, except for Mecklenburg County, which has a rate of 7.5%, due to a higher local tax rate. Property taxes are based on varying millage rates, depending on the town, or municipality you live in. Great savings can be found here. In my “Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Best Place to Live in the Carolinas”, I compare real estate taxes for 3 different priced homes, in 90 different towns in North and South Carolina.

North Carolina has 3 brackets for income tax, starting at 6% of the first ,750 and moving up to 7.75% of anything over ,000. Deductions in North Carolina for state income taxes are as follows: the standard deduction is ,000 for singles, ,000 for a married joint return. The public pension exclusion is ,000 per taxpayer. If you’re receiving both public and private pensions, the private pension exclusion is ,000 per taxpayer. Social Security benefits are fully exempt. In lieu of a state sales tax on automobiles, North Carolina collects a 3% Highway Use Tax, based on the assessed value of the vehicle.

South Carolina

According to the US Bureau of the census, South Carolina has one of the lowest per capita tax rates in the country. Maybe this is why so many people appreciate the Palmetto State. One of the perks of living and raising a family in South Carolina is that parents, guardians, or students can receive partial credit on tuition fees paid to a South Carolina university, up to 0. Another favorable exclusion South Carolina tax payers enjoy is that the first 0,000 valuation of a home is exempt from paying school taxes. For more information on South Carolina taxes, visit www.sctax.org, or call 803-898-5464.

South Carolina has a sales tax rate of 5%, but local governments can approve a local tax as well. The maximum for that addition is 2%, so the maximum sales tax in South Carolina is 7%. As in North Carolina, property taxes are based on a millage rate, which varies by state and municipality. In my “Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Best Place to Live in the Carolinas”, I compare real estate taxes for 3 different prices homes, in 90 different towns in North and South Carolina. One of the perks of retiring to South Carolina is that there is a ,000 homestead exemption on property tax for residents 65 and older.

South Carolina has 6 income tax brackets. They start at 2.5% of the first ,280 earned, and rise to 7% of anything over ,400. Exclusions include a public pension exclusion of ,000 for residents under 65, and ,000 for residents over 65. The same holds true for private pensions. South Carolina does not tax Social Security benefits.

Both states have a great quality of life, and favorable tax climates. Overall, South Carolina is cheaper than North Carolina. People interested in moving to either state should consult the sources of information listed, as well as a tax professional.

Visit www.PlacesOfValue.com for more articles on best places in North Carolina and South Carolina, relocation made easy, top retirement communities, cost of living, and designing and building your Dream Home.

To get your FREE REPORT on “Affordable Best Places In The Carolinas”, and find your Best Place to Live in the Carolinas: http: http://www.PlacesOfValue.com/page/best_places.php

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South Carolina Gamecocks Tickets – and Kiffin Returns the Punch

Posted by admin | Posted on 11-08-2010

Category : Region II

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South Carolina Gamecocks Tickets – and Kiffin Returns the Punch

Steve Spurrier welcomed Lane Kiffin, as the head coach of Tennessee, in his own way. Steve questioned whether Kiffin contacted recruits before he had passed the NCAA test? Welcome Mr. Kiffin. He now knows for sure that he not only has the challenge of making a formidable team out of the Gamecocks but also to tackle the verbal bouts with Spurrier.

Spurrier, South Carolina coach has a long history of making jokes at former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer. This time his target was Kiffin, whose first match as the head coach is still months away. He gave him an early taste of what he is expected to get time and again, coaching the Gamecocks.

Kiffin was asked Saturday during his second public appearance as Tennessee coach if he was worried about “ruffling a few feathers” in the Southeastern Conference coaching community”. And he replied: “I’m not concerned about that. If Steve’s concerned about my test, I got 39 out of 40. I’d like to see what he got.”

Kiffin punched Spurrier back in his face and gave Spurrier a dose of his own medicine. The matters are expected to heat up even more when the two rivals start competing against each other. Kiffin said earlier this month that he took the NCAA recruiting test several days before he was introduced as coach and started contacting the recruits from the first morning he was allowed to.

The NCAA requires coaches to take a recruiting certification test before they’re allowed to contact recruits.

Phillip Fulmer was replaced by Kiffin, as the head coach of the Volunteers. Philip ended his 17-season tenure with a win over Kentucky. Kiffin is Volunteers’ 21st coach but only the third in the last 32 years. This was for the first time in the history of University of Tennessee that a football coach was selected after a national search.

Being recruited by Tennessee, Kiffin, becomes the youngest coach to lead a major program in the Bowl Subdivision. But he surely is well versed with the coaching tactics; he has been around the football field ever since he was born. He was the former coach of NFL’s Oakland Raiders. In his first year as head coach in 2007, the Silver and Black went 4-12 and ranked sixth in the NFL in rushing, averaging 130.4 yards per game. The Raiders offense also ranked sixth in the AFC in average rushing yards per attempt (4.1).He is famous for nurturing talent; he produced a 1,000-yard rusher in Justin Fargas (1,009). In addition during 2007, Zach Miller led all rookie tight ends in receptions and ranked fourth in the NFL among all first-year pass catchers with 44. Punter Shane Lechler led the NFL in punting en route to a Pro Bowl spot. Kiffin is on way to fill the shoes of his father, Monte Kiffin, who was the NFL defensive coordinator.

Spurrier once famously quipped “you can’t spell Citrus without UT” as a way of mocking Tennessee’s appearances in the Citrus Bowl after regularly losing to his Florida teams. We will have to wait to see how Kiffin will react to such remarks from his South Carolina counter part.

East Carolina University

Posted by admin | Posted on 09-08-2010

Category : Region IV

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East Carolina University

The East Carolina Pirates are the sports teams representing East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. The Pirates compete in the NCAAs Conference USA of Division 1, along with Rice University, the University of Houston, Tulane University, the University of Tulsa, Southern Methodist University, the University of Texas at El Paso, the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of Memphis, Marshall University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the University of Central Florida. The conference is split into two divisions, with East Carolina competing in the 6 team East Division.

While the school is not well-known for its athletic prowess, it has produced a number of conference championships and National Finals appearances. The mens baseball team has enjoyed the most success of any of the schools divisions, winning 12 regular season titles and 10 conference championships, and appearing in the NCAA tournament 22 times. Over 100 current and former Major League baseball players called East Carolina home. Baseball was also the first sport established for play at the school, back in 1910.

The nickname Pirates comes from the states location along the east coast of the United States. The area was famous for pirate activity, including forays from legendary pirate Blackbeard, who lived along North Carolinas coast in a number of communities over the years. The logo of a grizzled pirate with bushy beard, eye patch, and bandanna is based off of Blackbeard himself. The mascot, Pee Dee the Pirate is very much akin to the Pirates logo, usually brandishing a large cutlass when out and about cheering on the Pirates.

The East Carolina football enjoyed a good amount of success in 2008, winning the conference championship after a 32 year drought, and played in a bowl game for the third consecutive year, losing to Kentucky 25-19, despite holding a 16-3 lead at the half. It was a disappointing end to the year for the squad, though one that has them optimistic for the future after their third straight improved season. The football squad plays their home games at the 43,000 seat Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

East Carolina has enshrined over 100 players into their hall of fame, as well as retiring the jersey numbers of over half a dozen players. Notable athletes who hailed from East Carolina include John Jett, Keith Leclair, David Garrard, Pat Watkins, and Dave Alexander. And while the wrestling entertainment industry straddles the line between being considered sport and fantasy, noted WWE chairman Vince McMahon, as well as his wife Linda, the current CEO if the WWE, both graduated from East Carolina also, with degrees in business.

Like Colorado State, East Carolina also fire off a cannon to signify scoring plays during their football games, the cannon having an obvious connection to the Pirates nickname. East Carolina has numerous other traditions surrounding their sports teams that connect with their Pirates name. They recently began hoisting their flags up before the start of each game, much like pirates would do to declare themselves to enemies on the high seas. They also read a poem entitled The Ghost on the Wind before each game.

Use The South Carolina Student Loan Corporation To Fund Your Education

Posted by admin | Posted on 18-06-2010

Category : Region II

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Use The South Carolina Student Loan Corporation To Fund Your Education

Hand in hand with a college educations importance, it should also be acknowledged that the funds necessary to get a college degree is also very important. There is a significant amount of money involved in financing a university student who wants to earn a college degree. Fortunately there are a lot of institutions and corporations who are willing to lend money to students who have the drive to attend college but lack the necessary funding. One such institution is the South Carolina Student Loan Corporation that is a dedicated to extending help to students and their parents alike. They provide an affordable alternative to financing many students college education.

South Carolina Student Loan Corporation is the only lender based in South Carolina. It has been of great assistance to a lot of people in its service of more than 30 years. This financial institution offers several federal loan programs. Stafford Loans are federal loans that are and have funded the education for many college students. One unique feature of the Stafford loan is that you do not have to have a long and perfect credit history to be approved for this loan. Parents of students can also apply for a PLUS loan to cover some of their children’s education. In general these loans are easy to apply for and approval rates are fairly high. Both loan programs have relatively low interest rates and a good degree of flexibility.

For graduate and professional students, there is an available GRAD PLUS Loans from the South Carolina Student Loan Corporation. Payments for this type of loan are not required while the student is still enrolled. This is also the only source for loans under the S.C Teacher Loan Program. The goal of this program is for those who are academically superior to enter the teaching profession. If a recipient teaches after graduation, that recipient is eligible to have some of their debt canceled.

Due to the high cost of an education, it is very common these days for students to have to apply for more than one loan. This usually happens when one loan cannot suffice or fund their living expenses and their college education at the same time. Multiple repayments each month may cause a lot of problems for someone with a lot of debt with different lenders. It is easy to miss a payment under these circumstances. This could cause a student to miss a payment and become in default of their loans. In addition carrying multiple loans will mostly likely lower your credit scores.

There are also consolidation programs being offered by the corporation so that several loans can be combined. When this happens, only one payment must be made each month by the borrower. This will make the budget of the borrower easier to manage. In general your overall loan payment will be lower with a consolidated student loan as well. You might be glad to know that aside from the fact that the South Carolina Student Loan Corporation continues to help students to finance their college education, they also educate these students on how to manage their debt through counseling.

James Kesel, MS, is the publisher of the Student Loan Consolidation Advicewebsite at http://www.student-loan-consolidation-advice.com. Providing important information on Student loans and student loan consolidation including how to apply for a student loan through the South Carolina Student Loan Corporation.

South Carolina Primaries (2)

Posted by admin | Posted on 18-06-2010

Category : Region II

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South Carolina Primaries (2)

Ross Perot? What’s Ross Perot got to do with the Republican primary in South Carolina. He has injected himself in the mix because of his disdain for John McCain. Who would have ever thought that Mike Huckabee’s best friend just might be Ross Perot. If Huckabee wins, you can probably credit the last minute Perot attack for the victory.

The South Carolina primary Saturday may produce a repeat winner, but it also poses risks for candidates as they prepare for contests in Florida, New York, California and other big states over the next few weeks. South Carolina has also been a good luck charm for Republicans. Since Ronald Reagan won in 1980, every state primary winner has gone on to win the presidential nomination. President Bush, his father and Reagan also prevailed in general elections.

The state’s Election Commission said it does not estimate voter turnout. Spokesman Chris Whitmire said in 2000, the last contested GOP primary, 26.5% of registered voters showed up. Most state polls show McCain leading, but former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is close behind. State Attorney General Henry McMaster is confident about victory for McCain, whom he has endorsed. “With a win here, he will be elected president. This will launch him,” McMaster said.

David Woodard, a political scientist at Clemson University, said a McCain loss “would really derail” the senator. In Florida, which votes Jan. 29, Rudy Giuliani is better organized and has spent more time there than other contenders.

The Democrats have to wait one more week in South Carolina (January 26th).

But, Hillary Rodham Clinton reached out to poor black voters as she and other U.S. presidential candidates tapped into Americans’ recession fears ahead of important races in South Carolina and Nevada. Campaigning Thursday in the crime-ridden, largely-black city of Compton, California, Clinton pledged that as president she would improve the economic lot of blacks. Days after she and Obama declared a truce on racial matters, Clinton, who wants to be the first female U.S. president, is seeking support from blacks, who were a key constituency for her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

Clinton’s comments on economics came as Americans increasingly worry about a possible recession, rising gas prices, falling stock prices and a staggering housing market. A recent CNN-Opinion Research Corp. poll found six in 10 Americans believe a recession has already started.

President George W. Bush and congressional leaders are trying to work out an economic stimulus plan likely to include personal tax rebates, tax breaks for businesses and more benefits for the poor. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, joined in calls for an economic stimulus package Thursday, but said it had to be quick and temporary.

South Carolina will be about the economy as much as anything else: both the 19th and the 26th!

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South Carolina State University Information

Posted by admin | Posted on 27-02-2010

Category : Region II

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South Carolina State University Information

South Carolina State University is the black university located at Orangeburg, South Carolina. It was originally founded in 1896, as a land grant college to provide education to the citizens of the state. The university provides a platform for the African-American students to complete their bachelor or master or doctoral degrees. Different branches or colleges of the university work to promote graduate and undergraduate courses. The university is situated in 160 acres of land with additional 286 acres at Camp Harry Daniels, SC.

Among varied colleges of the university, College of Business and Applied professional Sciences offers courses like accounting, Agribusiness and economics, business administration, health sciences, military science etc. College of Education, Humanities and Social sciences has departments like education, English and modern languages, human services, social sciences, visual and performing arts, etc. in the university there is also college of science, mathematics and engineering technology. It includes department of biological and physical sciences, department of nuclear engineering, industrial and electrical engineering, and mathematics and computer science. For e-learning facilities, Educational Technology Services (ETS) is available.

Depending upon excellence in high school and college academics, students are enrolled in honors programs of the university. Some special classes and lectures are held for these students. Activities like Freshmen Honors Colloquium, Honors seminar, conferences, cultural enrichment and leadership development activities etc are held for these students. International programs are also conducted by the university for the students, being a member of National Student Exchange programs (NSE).

Graduate study courses have started the in the university in 1946. The school of graduate studies offers 19 different programs. Also graduate certification programs like Environmental monitoring and restoration, human development consultant, orientation and mobility etc are available. Agribusiness, counselor education, Master of Arts in teaching, master of business administration, nutritional sciences, speech pathology and audiology are among some of the graduate degree programs available in the university.

For students opting for early graduation, summer study courses are also designed at the university. Some of these courses are also offered with the most modern technologies like interactive and satellite television, internet and videotape. For research oriented faculty, various research programs are run by the university. For implementing NASA programs in education, Center for NASA research and technology is founded in the university. Also a transportation education and research program is launched through National Summer Transportation Institute. For small owners and entrepreneurs, Small Business Development center of the SC University provides different avenues.

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South Carolina Gamecocks – The Pride of Carolina

Posted by admin | Posted on 05-02-2009

Category : Region II

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South Carolina Gamecocks – The Pride of Carolina

The football team of the The University of South Carolina is represented by the South Carolina Gamecocks. Known as the Gamecocks, the team has been called simply “Carolina” for many years. They are a member of the NCAA Division I college football and compete in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. The Gamecocks currently play their home games in the Williams-Brice Stadium. Their latest head coach is Steve Spurrier.

Traditionally, USC sports teams were named the Fighting Gamecocks for men’s teams and Lady Gamecocks for women’s teams but this distinction was later dropped. The official colors of the USC Gamecocks are black and garnet. Some team’s merchandise also have the color gold, representing the spurs of gamecocks during cockfights. The family of Dr. J. William Flinn chose the colors garnet and black when they presented a banner to the football team sometime in November 1895. A little after 1900, there was an attempt t change the team’s colors. But there was no definite adoption.

The Gamecock Club supports the team’s athletic department with private money. Originally, the club was called “Buck-A-Month” (B.A.M.) Club, formed in 1939. It was a fund-raiser solely for the benefit of the athletics programs. Today, according to the SEC the Gamecock Club USC ranks eighth place (out of twelve) when it came to raising funds for the team.

The Gamecocks have won a number of league championships over the years. The Gamecocks also have a strong following and wide fan-base. A reporter for CBS Sports, Tim Brando, commented that there are probably no fans that are more loyal than South Carolina Gamecock fans.

The University of South Carolina formed its first football team in 1892. Their first-ever game was in Charleston on Christmas Eve and they played against Furman. At that time when American football was not yet recognized as a professional sport nor was it that popular nationwide, the Carolina football team was not yet sanctioned by the University. Because of this, the team had to pay for their own train fare going to Charleston, as well as purchase their own uniforms. The News and Courier nicknamed them the “College Boys” and their fans and supporters wore black and garnet when watching a game. The team lost their first game mainly because of their lack of training and inexperience.

In the third season in 1985, Carolina won their first game against Columbia AA. They also got their first head coach, which was W.H. “Dixie” Whaley. In the 1896 season, they played the inaugural game in November 12 against their archrival Clemson. Carolina won that game with a 12-6 record.

In the 1906 season, the school’s Board of Trustees banned the team’s participation after the faculty protested against the foul chants that students yelled during football games. The board had to reverse its decision, however, after the students and alumni harassed them with petition after petition. In 1907, the Gamecocks were back in the game. The team was hastily put together and competed an abbreviated season, but ended up winning all three games that they played.

Rick Grantham is an avid sports fan. Most of Rick’s articles focus on tailgate supplies. Many articles are related to babeball fan shop and other sports related topics. Rick is a contributing author to BooYah Village

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South Carolina Real Estate

Posted by admin | Posted on 25-01-2009

Category : Region II

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South Carolina Real Estate

Many buyers search for South Carolina real estate but don’t know where exactly in the state to live.  I’ve listed below 5 of the most popular places to relocate in South Carolina.

Columbia is South Carolina’s capital, and a lot of people choose to live here.  It’s centrally located to the beach and the mountains.  It’s one of the biggest cities in the state, and the population has grown to just over 120,000.  Some of the biggest employers in the area are the University of South Carolina, the state government, and the hospital systems.  Columbia (and Greenville) are the most affordable places to live in South Carolina that are also relatively good sized cities.

Greenville is located at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains and has cooler weather than the coastal areas of South Carolina.  It snows usually about once or twice a year in the uppermost part of the state, and Greenville is the largest city in the upstate.  It has an estimate of about 60,000 residents.  This area has seen some of the largest growth for non-coastal areas in South Carolina, and it’s expected to grow even more in coming years.  The city has plenty to do and lots of nice areas, but it’s also considered an up and coming area simply because of its past and projected growth.

Myrtle Beach is one of the most popular tourist areas in South Carolina.  Every year, more than 15 million people visit South Carolina’s coast, and Myrtle Beach is at the top of the list of beaches, statistically speaking.  Although a lot of people in Myrtle Beach live there year round, it’s considered more of a vacation spot.  You’ll find putt-putt courses and beach shops sprinkled throughout the area.  It also has a lot of large hotels and condo complexes right on the beach.  Myrtle Beach is the most coastal city on this list.  The residential population is estimated around 23,000.

Charleston is known for its history and culture.  Its economy is also based largely on tourism, and it has started to make its way into the international tourism and real estate markets as it’s become the cultural hub of the state.  You’ll find historic sites, museums, and art galleries throughout the main peninsula and surrounding areas.  Charleston is considered more of an upscale port city and has 6 beaches along its coast (plus several islands and towns further inland).  Charleston is comparable to Columbia in size, at just under 118,000.

Hilton Head does not attract as many tourists, and it’s known as a smaller and quieter coastal area.  The AARP often lists Hilton Head in its top places to retire, but you’ll find a mix of people there.  Its population is estimated at about 33,000.  Real estate prices are relatively high, as the town has strict development and commercial guidelines.  The town incorporated these rules in an effort to preserve the natural setting that people associate with Hilton Head.

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