MK2002

Yes, you can do it. Just ask nicely, and if that does not work, then hold your ground. Several years ago I saw a few doctors for a chronic problem. I kept wondering what they were writing, especially since on the second, third, fourth visits there seemed to be no logic to what they told me. Eventually, I had enough. I told the receptionist at one office that payment would be withheld until I received a copy of my chart. My request was honored immediately.

A few more links for your collection: Palm software http://www.rnpalm.com/software_palm.htm Handspring software http://www.handango.com/handspring/PlatformSoftwareSection.jsp?zsortParams=true&special=&bySection=1&jid=315651X553B36A2BA3XA5752163B3DE6&siteId=414&platformId=1&sectionId=3306&catalog=1&title=Medical 320+ Medical Progams On CD http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1396637033

Ann is long gone. She made a total of 3 posts, the last one on 9/25. By now she either realized her mistake or figures she is not going to get anywhere by asking the group for the easy way out. Maybe you will meet her in school some day.

The cost of living in Texas is generally lower than many other places, but don't expect $300 for rent. At that rate you would be living with roaches and the sound of neighborhood gunfire. Here in Dallas the typical one-bedroom rent is $700 per month. Many people pay AT LEAST $700 monthly. I have a nice place on the third (top) floor in a great part of the city for only $575 per month because I just got lucky when I moved here 4 years ago. There are comparable deals in other major Texas cities, especially now that the recession has led to so many vacant apartments. By the way, the cost of electricity is sky high here in Texas. Examine those high paying Texas CRNA listings closely, and you will find they are usually for jobs in less populated areas of the state. If you want to live and work in a rural area, then you can earn more than living in the city.

Terri, I have a couple degrees already, including one in Computer Science for which I had to take University Physics for Scientists and Engineers. It was truly the most awful experience I have ever had to suffer through. Way more difficult than any nursing class could ever be, and I had A's in classes like Calculus. Physics was the type of class where you look around a few weeks after the course has begun and half the lecture hall seats are empty already. Just to survive the class was an accomplishment. It really is that difficult. I hated every minute of it. For 2 semesters I had to suffer through studying that material a few hours every day, 6 and 7 days per week. Often for 5 hours per day, the material was so hard. Everyone I have ever talked to has a story about their Physics class. Chances are that you will have the same experience if you have to take the class. In my class the professor had been teaching nuclear physics at a naval academy before he retired to teach classes at a community college. Although things are a bit easier at the community college level, the professor had the opportunity to do whatever he wanted. So it was a challenge every day. I had a combination of daily fear and headache. Hopefully, your friend is taking the life science version of Physics. It is easier than the course that I had to take, but still quite difficult, especially if you have no background in Physics. Is this course required for your friend's degree program? I could not imagine wanting to take this as a science elective. Too much work for too little return. Chemistry is very difficult, though it is not as bad as Physics. You should not have to take more than a year of Chemistry. Some degree programs require only one semester of it. With only one semester you don't get an introduction to organic chemistry and biochemistry, so watch out.

And I could not disagree more heartily with you, u-r-sleeepy. I have no idea what you are trying to communicate above with the 122-page (!) publication. But it brings up an important point: I have neither the time nor the interest in spending my life drowning in tax forms or tax preparation classes. School and work are enough for anyone to handle, let alone the idea of spending numerous hours on these things. I have a good general idea of the way things work, and I have never regretted my methodology. While you must repeat your disdain for H&R Block, I must repeat my praise for them. Not everything works for everyone. The company does a fine job for most Americans, and it has had good earnings performance. They just did not work for you. It is wrong to issue a blanket statement that the company is doing an injustice to taxpayers, which is implied by your Las Vegas gambling reference. As I pointed out in my earlier post, for a mere $20 H&R takes the risk and pay your penalties if they occur. We will never agree, so enough said, OK?

Unless you are married and your spouse earns little or nothing, this still will not work. According to the link you sent the new phaseout range begins at $50,000 and ends at $65,000 ($100,000 - $130,000 for married couples). If your first year salary is ONLY (ahem) $100,000 and your spouse earns a meager $30,000 then you have no deduction. If you are single, then you get no deduction. Admittedly, there are rare situations where the spouse will earn little or nothing, but these are extremely rare, especially in light of the high expense of school. Salaries increase over time, and one might start at $125,000 or more. That effectively nullifies the tax deduction to almost nothing. And you will be in a higher tax bracket than you are now. Another item is the allowed full amount that can be deducted. From the link you sent it looks like the quantity has been upgraded to $3,000 annually. It was $1,500 in past years, if I remember correctly. The document did not specifically state the amount that can be deducted so this issue remains unclear. Keep in mind interest rates. Right now the economy is in a very unusual situation. Nothing lasts forever, especially low rates! You should not expect a 4% loan a few years from now. This is especially important since eventually you will want to consolidate these loans or you will have multiple student loan payments--one payment for every year you took a single loan. If you had multiple loans in a single year, then the problem is worse. You need not pay back the loan in 10 years. Consolidation will give you up to 25 years, though I don't recommend it. Not that I am against student loans. I have a significant amount of debt and a long way to go yet. Without this financial assistance it would be impossible to get through everything. I fully agree with you about not working while in school. I used that strategy for my first bachelors degree, and I am going to use it for this next one and beyond. The experience was good because it taught me not to fear student loan debt. As long as you earn enough after graduation things take care of themselves. H&R Block has been terrific for me. I swear by them. Their corporate office does my return at no extra charge. I have saved thousands of dollars over the years. I tried those silly applications like TaxCut and others. They never arrived at the larger amount of relief calculated by H&R Block. And if you make a mistake, then you pay. With H&R they will pay everything and more. (That happened to me recently, and the company paid everything plus a few hundred extra, which I kept!)

Regretfully, you will be unable to deduct any of that student loan interest. I can confirm this because H&R Block has been doing my taxes for years. The problem is that you will be earning too much to be allowed the deduction. At $40,000 earnings the tax deduction begins to be reduced, and at $55,000 it is phased out completely. The limits are increased for married couples. However, it still won't make any difference--you will be earning too much to qualify. Here is a link to the IRS web page that explains the details: http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/display/0,,i1%3D56%26genericId%3D16227,00.html