‘Hometown Holidays’ Event In Glens Falls To Feature Holiday Window Display Contest

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Glens Falls businesses will participate in a holiday window display contest.

Hometown Holidays is a popular, family-friendly event in Glens Falls, celebrating the arrival of the Holiday season.
The event this year is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6-7.
The event is free for collaborative members and non-members.
The Glens Falls Collaborative asked local businesses to join in the fun of Hometown Holidays. Friday evening will be a community event with a tree lighting in City Park. It will also feature the arrival of Santa Claus, and carols by sung by members of the Glens Falls Community Theater.

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Business Report: Gold Watch, Pension, Health Care For Life

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By David Kopyc
The days of working for a company for 30 to 40 years and leaving with retirement security for life are over with. For most of us the future of retirement will not be the same as the one our parents had and personal responsibility is your path to retirement security.
The Pepsi Company originated the gold watch back in the 1940s. The concept “you gave us your time, now we are giving you ours,” made sense when people worked with a company for several decades.

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Companies That Pay Estimated Taxes Can Find Ways To Avoid Penalties, Limit Exposure

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Paul Dowen, partner, Whittemore Dowen and Ricciardelli LLP.

By Christine Graf
As 2019 draws to a close, local tax professionals advise individuals who pay estimated quarterly taxes to review their annual income in order to determine if they will owe a penalty to the IRS.
Estimated tax payments are paid by business owners who operate partnerships, LLCs, sole proprietorships, and S corporations. Business income from these pass-through tax entities passes through to business owners on their personal income tax returns.
Those who operate pass-through tax entities are required to make estimated quarterly tax payments to pay income tax and self-employment tax on income that is not subject to withholding.

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Business Report: Diversified Approach To Retirement Savings

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Sherry Finkel Murphy, CFP®, ChFC®, RICP® at The Atrium Financial Group of Northwestern Mutual.

Provided By Sherry Finkel MurphY Associate Wealth Management Advisor
For most people, saving for retirement means making steady contributions to a 401(k) until they hit a specific goal. However, a broader approach to saving and investing offers more options for building that nest egg.
Keep in mind that where you put your money is as important as how much you save. That’s because each savings strategy has tax considerations that can impact how much you’ll have when it’s time to take the money out. By keeping a mix of tax-free and tax-deferred sources of income, you’ll have the flexibility to withdraw funds strategically during retirement, based on tax and market implications.

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Body Relief Day Spa In Queensbury Supports Balance, Harmony With Wellness Services

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Alyssa Dawkins, left, is co-owner of Body Relief Day Spa, pictured with supervisor Brittany Christian.

By Susan E. Campbell
The array of wellness techniques practiced at Body Relief Day Spa is helping people get relief from stress, anxiety, fibromyalgia pain, arthritis and many other soft-tissue conditions.
Owners Alyssa and David Dawkins are approaching 45 years of combined experience as licensed massage therapists. The business is located at 980 Route 9 in Queensbury.
“The universe we live in has some concept of balance,” David said. “Our job is trying to maintain human balance, or homeostasis.”

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Business Report: Is Your Diet Decreasing Productivity?

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Maria Savino of Simple Steps Health Coaching.

By Maria Savino
Do you ever feel tired, sluggish, unproductive, and like you are struggling to get through your day? I’m sure all of us have experience this at one time or another, but the reason for it may not be what you think.
Your lack of motivation or energy is not always due to lack of sleep or your mindset. Often, low energy and decreased productivity are the results of a poor diet.
Food is fuel and the different nutrients that you receive from food are essential for your body to perform certain tasks.
For example, carbohydrates are needed for energy, protein is needed for growth, development, and tissue repair, and fats are essential for cushioning our organs and insulating the body.
When your body lacks a certain nutrient it will let you know, often through unpleasant physical symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, or irritability.

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Enrollment In NY State Of Health Insurance Programs Is Open Through End Of January

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NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan Marketplace has a variety of health insurance options available to New Yorkers in 2020.
Open Enrollment for coverage in a 2020 Qualified Health Plan started Nov. 1 and will continue through Jan. 31. New York’s enrollment window is twice as long as the federal marketplace, giving consumers more time to shop for the best coverage for themselves and their families.
“Marketplace enrollment is at its highest point ever with more than 4.8 million New Yorkers enrolled in comprehensive health insurance coverage, but there’s still more work to be done,” said NY State of Health Executive Director Donna Frescatore. “As we enter our seventh year, New Yorkers will once again have a broad choice of affordable and quality health plan options in every corner of the state, and our free in-person assistors are ready to help consumers shop for the most affordable plan option.”

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Business Report: Now Hear This!

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Michael Cruz, president of Lighthouse Advisors LLC in Queensbury.

By michael cruz
Sam Walton (Walmart founder) famously said “If you don’t listen to your customers, someone else will.” Too often we speak with customers without the intent to hear. We want to ‘tell’. The best sales people ask questions and then shut up. It is not by accident that listen and silent have the same letters.
Often business owners ask me what I think of an idea for a new product. My advice is always the same. ASK your customers. They can validate your idea. Or not. We don’t often ask questions that we do not want to hear the answer to. Or more accurately, hear what we consider to be the wrong answer. Listening is the core or learning. We never learn when we are talking.

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Empire State College Raising Funds To Assist Students In The Armed Forces

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SUNY Empire State College has launched a $1 million fundraising campaign to enhance financial aid and degree completion support for the college’s students serving on active duty with the U.S. Armed Forces, veterans, and their families. This is the largest campaign to support military-aligned students in the college’s history, officials said.
SUNY Empire serves the largest population of veterans in the SUNY system, with more than 1,300 military-aligned and veteran students and their family members currently enrolled.
“I want to personally thank the members of our college community for spearheading this important effort,” said SUNY Empire State College President Jim Malatras. “I am proud that we are launching this campaign to break down any and all barriers our military community faces toward degree completion.”

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Berkshire Bank, Adirondack Trust, Saratoga National Earn SBA Awards For Lending

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Small Business Association Syracuse District Director Bernard J. Paprocki released in October the fiscal year 2019 lending report, with 501 7(a) and 504 loan approvals valued at $172.9 million across the 34-county Syracuse district.
Paprocki said Berkshire Bank, The Adirondack Trust Co. and Saratoga National Bank & Trust Co. had the highest number of 7(a) approvals in their respective categories based on asset size.
“Small businesses in Upstate New York are accessing the affordable capital they need to start and expand with SBA-backed loans,” said Paprocki.
According to the SBA, Berkshire Bank was the top Capital Region large commercial lender, with 24 loans at a value of $11.1 million.

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