With just a few days left before the close of 2014, there are still chances to save on your upcoming tax bill. Cindy Meicher Hasenfratz, CPA, CVA and partner at Meicher CPAs, offers the following suggestions for preserving your income:

Clean out your closets

If you itemize, now is the time to make some trips to Goodwill, Salvation Army or your favorite charity.  Make a list of each item you donate, get a dated receipt, and you can deduct the fair market value of each item (their value may surprise you). You can claim up to $5000 worth of items without requiring an appraisal. The bonus- you’ll have cleaner closets!

Give, especially appreciated stock

You can also donate financially to your charity of choice. Gifts of appreciated stock provide

Are you struggling to buy for that person who has everything? Perhaps it’s time to step away from the crowded shopping places, and enjoy the Madison museum scene. The city offers a wide variety of museums and entertainment venues. Museum gift shops benefit local arts and entertainment, while providing a unique selection of gifts you won’t find anywhere else.

For the veteran, collector or military historian

The Wisconsin Veterans Museum gift shop has a broad selection of books, branch-specific military gifts, and Civil War collectibles. Shoppers will be surprised by the apparel- both vintage and modern styles, and the variety of options for veterans to proudly display or preserve their memories. Collectors will be thrilled by authentic Civil War

Have you heard this at your house? One of the many great things about Madison is if you have an interest in a hobby or activity, there will be opportunities to share it. If you have Lego-lovers in your family, you’ll be thrilled to know that Olbrich Gardens has combined their annual Holiday Express train exhibit with the popular toy bricks! Each year Olbrich Gardens invites the Wisconsin Garden Railway Society to display model trains during the holidays. The trains vary by the day. Hundreds of beautiful poinsettias and other holiday garden themes surround the sets. This year, the surrounding villages are constructed with….you guessed it….Legos. Visitors are sure to enjoy the Victorian homes, ships, and even Star Wars themed portions of the exhibit.

School's almost out, and the temperatures are one the rise. It's starting to feel like summer in Madison, WI. That means it's pool season once again in Madtown.

Wisconsin's Capitol City is home to a great number of neighborhood pools. They're a summertime tradition in this town, and one of the many things that make living in Madison unique. The city's many pools provide a social anchor for a number of different neighborhoods on the near west, west, far west, and southwest sides of town. They're a place where kids learn how to swim and learn how to compete. Most of all they're a place where neighbors gather to relax during the warm days of summer. 

Want to learn more about the neighborhood pools in Madison? Visit www.AllCitySwimDive.org for a

The 2013 Wisconsin Film Festival takes place from April 11th to the 18th at the Sundance Cinema on Madison's near west side and at various venues in Downtown Madison. Believe it or not, this year marks the 15th anniversary of the festival, which has quickly become one of Madison's signature annual events. 

This year's film fest offers an excellent opportunity to take in some great cinematic entertainment in two great areas of town. Visit the Great Dane Brew Pub after a show at the Sundance, or dine at one of many other excellent restaurants in the Hilldale area.

If you're hanging out Downtown, kick back and relax at one of the many fine food and drink establishments near the center of town. This weekend you have dozens of movie and restaurant

One of the great gems from the city of Monona is the Aldo Leopold Nature Center located at 330 Femrite Drive just off Madison's East Side. The nature center offers a wonderful opportunity to explore the outdoors and learn about the environment. If you enjoy getting out into and learning about the natural world, be sure to add the nature center as a "must see" destination to your list of Spring activities.

This Saturday, March 24th, the center will host its annual Maple Syrup Fest from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. This is a fun, interactive event for the whole family. Learn how to tap a real maple tree, and taste the fruits of your labor!

While you're out and about on the East Side check out the spring thaw along Lake Monona, and if it's warm enough, grab a

Downtown Madison is known for its wide assortment of arts, entertainment, shopping, food, and drink establishments. It's also a great place for kids. One great example is the "Kids in the Rotunda" artistic series held each Saturday at the Overture Center from September through April. Performances are held at 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, and 1:00 PM. The series offers a wide variety of shows in a kid-friendly setting. Music, dancing, theatre, storytelling, and magic are all a part of the line-up at the Overture Center. The Irish Trinity Dancers are the featured performers this Saturday. Arrive early and be prepared for a truly entertaining show!

Another great family destination is the Madison Children's Museum at 100 N. Hamilton Street on the Capitol Square. The

"March Madness" has descended upon Madison, Wisconsin. That means plenty of hoops action at the Kohl Center. The boys state basketball tournament begins this Thursday at the Kohl Center, followed by the girls state tournament next week at the Resch Center in Green Bay. Bucky will also be playing his heart out, hopefully into the later rounds of the NCAA tournament.

The term "March Madness" also applies to our local real estate market. With more demand and less supply, many sellers are benefiting from a feeding frenzy for homes. As one client commented to me this weekend, "this market is crazy!". Her first 3 showings resulted in 3 offers (all of them above the list price), and we had her house sold in 4 days.

This is the kind of market we expect

There are many great benefits to living in the Madison, WI area. Madison offers an amazing variety of arts, entertainment, cultural, educational and recreational opportunities for a city of its size. Even with so much to do in Madison, an increasing number of locals are "slowing down" and getting back to their roots with Community Supported Agriculture.

What is Community Supported Agriculture?

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a coming together of individuals who support and participate in the experience of farming locally-grown food. The greater Madison area is home to dozens of small CSA farms, where members can choose to participate in the farming experience in a variety of ways. A growing number of Madisonians are choosing to join a local