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December 2012 QUEENS FREE Family Where Every Child Matters Holiday bliss mellow 21 solutions Families after the hurricane Visiting the grandparents Find us online at www.NYParenting.com † USA Today, “Average cost of 4-year university up 15%,” Christine Armario, June 13, 2012. Investment returns are not guaranteed, and you could lose He dreams money by investing in the plan. * May be subject to recapture in of building certain circumstances — such as rollovers to another state’s plan skyscrapers or nonqualified withdrawals. Before you invest, consider whether your or the designated someday. beneficiary’s home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for We have a plan to investments in such state’s help make it a reality. qualified tuition program. The Comptroller of the State of New York and the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation are the Program Administrators and are responsible for implementing and administering the Direct Plan. Upromise Investments, Inc. and Upromise Investment Advisors, LLC serve as Program Manager and Recordkeeping and Servicing Agent, respectively, and are responsible for day-to-day operations, including effecting transactions. The Vanguard Group, Inc. serves as the Investment Manager. Vanguard Marketing Corporation markets, distributes and underwrites the Direct Plan. No guarantee: None of the State of New York, its agencies, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), The Vanguard Group, Inc., Upromise Investments, Inc., nor any of their applicable affiliates insures accounts or guarantees the principal deposited therein or any investment returns on any account or investment portfolio. New York’s 529 College Savings Program currently includes two separate 529 plans. The Direct Plan is sold directly by the Program. You may also participate in the Advisor Plan, which is sold exclusively through financial advisors and has different investment options and higher fees and expenses as well as financial advisor compensation. F or more information about New York’s 529 College Savings Program Direct Sign up for NY’s 529 before December 31st. Plan, obtain a Program Brochure and Tuition Savings Agreement at www. Whatever your child dreams of doing, chances are it starts with a college education. But when ny529directplan.com you consider that tuition at 4-year public colleges jumped 15% in just two years,† it’s never too or by calling 1-800-420-8580. early to start planning. As a New York taxpayer enrolled in NY’s 529 College Savings Program This includes investment objectives, Direct Plan, you’ll earn a tax deduction every year you contribute to the plan. Up to $10,000 risks, charges, expenses, and other annually for couples filing jointly and up to $5,000 for individuals.* information. You should read and consider them carefully before investing. ©2012 State of New York. Find out more at ny529directplan.com. Or call 1-800-420-8580. † USA Today, “Average cost of 4-year university up 15%,” Christine Armario, June 13, 2012. QUEENS Investment returns are not guaranteed, and you could lose He dreams money by investing in the plan. Family December 2012 * May be subject to recapture in of building certain circumstances — such as rollovers to another state’s plan FEATURES skyscrapers or nonqualified withdrawals. 6 The holiday trap Before you invest, consider Don’t despair! Tips to keep on smiling amidst the whether your or the designated stress of the seasonal rush someday. beneficiary’s home state offers BY CHRISTINA KATZ any state tax or other benefits 8 Holidays after the hurricane that are only available for As displaced families rebuild their lives after We have a plan to investments in such state’s Sandy, ways New Yorkers can help help make it a reality. qualified tuition program. BY MARIE HUESTON The Comptroller of the State of New York and 10 Stranded at the airport the New York State Higher Education Services Surviving a canceled flight with your family Corporation are the Program Administrators BY HEATHER VAN DEEST and are responsible for implementing and administering the Direct Plan. Upromise 12 Gifts for travelers Investments, Inc. and Upromise Investment Ways to make your globe-trotter happy Advisors, LLC serve as Program Manager and BY STACEY ZABLE Recordkeeping and Servicing Agent, respectively, and are responsible for day-to-day operations, 14 Keep your baby safe at including effecting transactions. The Vanguard Grandma’s house Group, Inc. serves as the Investment Manager. Don’t forget, a new location can mean new dangers 14 Vanguard Marketing Corporation markets, BY KIKI BOCHI distributes and underwrites the Direct Plan. 25 Breathing easy None of the State of New York, No guarantee: How to avoid allergy and asthma triggers during its agencies, the Federal Deposit Insurance the holidays Corporation (FDIC), The Vanguard Group, Inc., 36 Upromise Investments, Inc., nor any of their BY KIKI BOCHI applicable affiliates insures accounts or 26 Longing to be lean guarantees the principal deposited therein or What to do if you suspect your teen has an eating any investment returns on any account or COLUMNS disorder investment portfolio. BY RISA C. DOHERTY 16 Mommy 101 BY ANGELICA SERADOVA New York’s 529 College Savings Program 28 When a child is sick for the currently includes two separate 529 plans. The 18 Death by Children Direct Plan is sold directly by the Program. You holidays BY CHRIS GARLINGTON 28 may also participate in the Advisor Plan, which Adapting your family celebrations in times of illness is sold exclusively through financial advisors BY LARA KRUPIckA 20 The Book Worm and has different investment options and higher BY TERRI ScHLICHENMEYER fees and expenses as well as financial advisor 34 The busy season compensation. How to prepare your special-needs child for the 30 Ask an Attorney holidays BY ALISON ARDEN BESUNDER, ESQ. F or more information about New York’s BY REBEccA MCKEE 529 College Savings Program Direct 32 Divorce & Separation Plan, obtain a Program Brochure 36 The joy of getting BY LEE CHABIN, ESQ. Sign up for NY’s 529 before December 31st. Learning why receiving is important for giving and Tuition Savings Agreement at www. BY MEAGAN J. MEEHAN 38 Healthy Living Whatever your child dreams of doing, chances are it starts with a college education. But when ny529directplan.com BY DANIELLE SULLIVAN you consider that tuition at 4-year public colleges jumped 15% in just two years,† it’s never too or by calling 1-800-420-8580. CALENDAR 39 Lions and Tigers and Teens early to start planning. As a New York taxpayer enrolled in NY’s 529 College Savings Program This includes investment objectives, BY MYRNA BETH HASKELL Direct Plan, you’ll earn a tax deduction every year you contribute to the plan. Up to $10,000 risks, charges, expenses, and other 42 December Events 40 Good Sense Eating annually for couples filing jointly and up to $5,000 for individuals.* information. You should read and consider them carefully before BY CHRISTINE M. PALUmbO, RD investing. SPECIAL SECTIONS 47 It Figures 22 Education Directory BY CYNTHIA WASHAM ©2012 State of New York. 48 The Marketplace 50 New & Noteworthy 25 49 Party Planners BY LISA J. CURTIS Find out more at ny529directplan.com. Or call 1-800-420-8580. December 2012 • QUEENS FAMILY 3 Letter from the publisher After hurricane, community his is certainly of our citizens will rise As a larger community we will and pleasure of printing throughout not the column to the occasion to lend need to relocate, house, nurture, our city. We happily have a parent T I had in mind a hand, a heart, and and be gentle with adults and chil- guide in every borough, going to for this issue just a few their energy. dren who have lost a great deal and every neighborhood, in every com- weeks ago, but that From lower Manhat- who have survived through tremen- munity. We will continue to support was before Sandy blew tan to Red Hook, from dous upheaval and stress. We are our neighbors in every way we can into town and uplifted Sheepshead Bay to capable of this and we have shown and New York Parenting Media will our surrounding wa- Howard Beach, from in the past that we can and will do be there to bring continued infor- ters. That was before City Island to the Rock- this. We have taken hits before, all mation about our families and our the coastal bliss turned aways, our shoreline kinds of hits and we always find a children. We will continue to love into the home-wrecked and shores have taken way to move forward through the each other. nightmare and before the lights a hard hit, and the people who trauma, through the darkness and I thank our wonderful staff, for went out in so many parts of New inhabit them, the residences, and into the light of a new day. their hard work and creativity, and York. the businesses will not instantly be We must remember at this holi- I wish all of them and all of you a Many communities inside our reestablished. There will be contin- day time, this ending of the year Happy New Year! larger New York community are ued suffering and loss. The beaches that we are all vulnerable and that Thanks again for reading! devastated; so many families have of Staten Island and the Boardwalk our neighbors need us and will be lost their homes and their memo- of Coney Island have become rub- needing us for months to come. We ries; some things just cannot be ble and the families who lived there must also be thankful for the plenty replaced. Still, in spite of the horror will not live there anymore for now we have and for the ability we have and the punch of this storm and it’s until we sort this out, rebuild per- as a community to bounce back aftermath, we have learned that our haps, and reexamine what we need and to survive the difficult times, Susan Weiss-Voskidis, neighbors will not be abandoned; to do down the road to avoid such together and with union.