Estate planning is the legal structuring of current and projected assets for future disposition. The process assures estate holders that all their assets and properties would be in safe hands after their demise, only to benefit their families and loved ones. A mulled-over estate plan helps a person to minimize taxes imposed on all the assets after his or her death. Additional advantages brought to the table by an efficient estate plan includes providing benefits for survivors and determining the flow of assets. The estate planning pyramid is to ensure you have an effective estate plan in place. Estate planning pyramid The estate planning pyramid, consisting of six distinct levels, aids in developing a precise estate plan. Each level in the estate planning pyramid addresses a different necessity. Level 1 Aimed at providing basic protections, the first level is ideal for singles with few assets and no successors. A typical level 1 estate planning pyramid includes: Anatomical gift instrument - This allows a hospital, charity or a non-profit organization to use organs and other body parts. Health care proxy, a.k.a. medical directives, or medical powers of attorney - It allows the appointment of people who can make health care decisions when the person is not capable of doing so himself. Living will - This document states whether the holder requires heroic means to prolong life or not. Level 2 In addition to all the norms in Level 1, this level of estate planning pyramid adds a durable power of attorney. The documents grant authority to an appointed individual to manage all financial affairs of the person in his/her absence or if he/she becomes incapacitated. Level 2 is ideal for individuals in committed relationships. Level 3 Level 3 introduces the concept of will and guardian. This level is considered best for those with children. This level includes:

• Beneficiary designations and ownership
• Control over assets
• Fiduciaries
• Flow of assets
• Guardian
• Life insurance which provides death benefits to fill the gap between assets required to maintain the original lifestyle of survivors and the actual assets available.
• Personal representative or executor
• Providing for survivors This helps maintain the same standard of living of dependents, including kids and spouse.
• Trustee

Level 4 With the introduction of trust, Level 4 of estate planning pyramid addresses the issue of planning the best state taxes plans. This level is ideal for those having a combined estate of $1mn, along with the estate of their spouse and other beneficiaries. Level 5 This level addresses estate taxes in addition to the state taxes. Level 5 allows the unused portion of estate tax credit of a deceased spouse to pass on to the estate of the surviving spouse and also allows the creation of sub-trusts, such as a life insurance trust. Level 6 Rarely used, Level 6 of estate planning pyramid is a complex form of estate planning aimed at minimizing federal, state, and estate taxes through multiple generations. This level includes:

• Other entities
• 529 Plans

Payroll software market is a vast crowded market where the consumer is spoiled for choice and left confused too. A bare-bone payroll software is to simplify the process of making payments to the employees of an enterprise. However, the above is a simplistic definition. In practice, the requirements are far more complicated than that and depend on the size of the enterprises. An enterprise employing less than 50 persons is classified as small, one employing between 49 and 999 is medium and above that is large. As the size of the enterprise changes the need for more functions in the payroll software is demanded. The payroll market has risen to the challenges and that is one reason for the plethora of products. At the bottom of the ladder is an enterprise that is just being set up the needs of which is just to make the salary slip to help pay the employees to deduct their statutory savings and prepare the tax returns and not file. Payroll software is usually ideal for those who run small businesses or those who run on outsourced work. They, normally, have the capacity to scale up. No enterprise is started without the idea of growing. Therefore, the entrepreneur needs to think about his future requirement too and use software which in course of time can be scaled up. Companies have a choice to do the payroll in-house or outsource them. Big companies normally prefer to do it in-house as there are lots of functions that can be done with the higher end software. There are various software on the market under the "payroll for a small business" category. QuickBooks online payroll (QBOP), IntuitOnline payroll (IOP) are some popular packages on the market. OnPay is bare-bone payroll software operating on a monthly retainer, which covers 10 employees and thereafter on per employee per month charge basis. QuickBooks online free software is very popular among the small business community. The financial software’s popularity indicates that it is used for more than just payroll like inventory management invoice generation and direct deposit of salary. The advantages of this package are integration with many systems is possible. It has a portal for employee self-service. It is versatile enough for use by various industries. It can be used in-house bookkeeping also. Besides, it is affordable to most small businesses. It can be used by those who serve many different industries.

Most experts will tell you that the key to find the best cruise deal is the perfect combination of planning, timing, and plain good fortune. A good cruise deal will differ from person to person. For you, getting a free upgrade to a higher deck might be a good deal. For someone else, moving to a balcony cabin or an ocean view cabin might be a great deal. Whatever be your preference, the best cruise deal will make your vacation much more special. Here are a few tips on how to grab the best cruise deals available out there.

• Book several months ahead Most cruise lines prefer to sell off their cabins as early as possible. The best cruise deals are often available when you book your berths or cabins six months before the cruise date. A few also offer a guarantee for the lowest price in case the fare goes down after you have booked your cabins. Booking far in advance may also qualify you for cabin upgrades or refunds in case there are any price changes later on. 
• Book only a few weeks ahead No cruise company likes to sail with their cabins empty. After all, it means a loss for them. Major companies get as much revenue from their onboard expenditure as from fares. This is because people who get on cruises will also spend on specialty dining, onboard shops, casinos, and shore excursions. Additionally, there will be lesser tips for the crew when the cabins go empty. So many cruise lines offer great deals on cruises that are about to sail in a few days or few weeks.
• Choose cabin guarantee If you are not concerned about the cabin location, you can go for a cabin guarantee. With this, you have the assurance that you will get a cabin in the category you have specified. You may even get an upgrade, although you won’t have the option of picking the exact stateroom. Many cruise liners usually offer discounts on guaranteed cabin bookings.
• Check out senior, veteran, and military rates Most major cruise lines have special cruise deals for military, teachers, veterans, and seniors. You can take advantage of the discounts that are as high as 10% on cruise tickets if you belong to any of these aforementioned categories. If you are an AARP member, you may qualify for an additional 5% discount. However, these cruise deals can be used only when you book far in advance.
• Use past passenger discounts This is similar to frequent flier miles. If you regularly go on cruises, you may get deals based on brand loyalty. If you stick with one cruise line, you can earn many perks such as access to special suites and spas, cocktails in private lounges, or complimentary meals in restaurants.

Before cell phone users had only a few options to choose from mobile phone plans. Now, one can easily find a plan for every calling, texting, and data need according to the budget or phone usage. These plans broadly fall into two categories: contract plans and prepaid plans. Here are a few points comparing each of these plans to help you decide what plan suits you the best.

• With the best prepaid cell phone plans, users don’t need to worry about any wasted minutes or data at the end of the month. You get what you pay for; nothing less or more.
• There are some perks like music features and plans that one can get with contract plans. To get these features with the prepaid phone, the users will be required to pay more.
• Prepaid plans offer the freedom of switching between different plans and carriers at any time as users are not bound by any contract whereas this may be difficult with contract-based plans.
• Contract phone plans are more convenient as one does not have to bother with refilling the phone plan. Even with some of the best-prepaid cell phone plans, the talk time and data are limited to a fixed duration.
• Users opting for a contract cell phone plan have more options when it comes to compatible phones. Apart from this, the phones with contract plans are often cheaper than the ones offered for prepaid cell phone plans.
• Sometimes even some of the best prepaid cell phone plans do not provide good network coverage as compared to contract cell phone plans that very rarely have issues providing coverage to its users.
• Before you opt for any one of these plans, it is essential to take into consideration the kind of cell phone usage you have.
• Other factors to consider include budget and the phone cost.

Are you a homemaker, who spends half her time in the kitchen and misses most of the daily entertainments on television? Whether you are fond of comedy shows or you prefer watching the cookery channels, missing the interesting programs can be quite disappointing. However, if you make some changes in the kitchen setup and apply some intelligence, you can easily watch your favorite channels even while preparing the favorite dishes for your loved ones. Nowadays, many homeowners are installing television sets in their kitchen area. If you do not want to miss out on the episodes of your favorite soap, you can also get a new flat screen TV for your kitchen. Just purchasing any television set may not serve the purpose and to get the best value for your money, you can check out the following few tips. Go for wall hanging units Most of the kitchen space is blocked by cabinets and different accessories for cooking purpose. Therefore, clearing any counter to set up the television set might not be a practically feasible option. To keep your entertainment uncompromised, it will always be better for you to go for wall hang units that can be installed in any section of the kitchen. Give importance to size and weight Unlike the television set of your living area, the ones that are installed in the kitchen needs to be smaller in size. Though it is always recommended to make the size selection depending on the kitchen space, opting for a size of more than 2 feet is never advised by the interior decorators. An excessively wide screen can dampen the beauty of the kitchen. If you are looking for an ideally suited television set for your kitchen, you can consider LG 22LJ4540. The 22-inch unit weighs around 9 pounds and supports 1080p dynamic LED display. Thus, you can easily enjoy your shows while preparing meals for your family. Yet, you should note that the abovementioned television set supports only one unit for HDMI cable and there is no provision to add an extra speaker. Picture and sound quality This is another important factor to be taken into account when you are interested to purchase television sets for your kitchen. Most of the homeowners make a mistake of selecting a budget set for their homes and end up complaining about their choice. Do not be among them. If you are looking for a television set with vibrant colors and dynamic sound, you can certainly opt for Samsung UN24M4500A. The television set can perfectly fit into a corner of your kitchen and let you enjoy any adventure show while preparing the supper. Apart from the volume and display, the easy to use remote function is also an added advantage of using this device. The best part is, you can hang it at ease as it has a weight of only 12.2 pounds. Go for future-ready sets Television sets with 1080p resolutions have gained immense popularity among the homeowners and you can certainly go for them. However, if you are someone, who is extremely tech-savvy and want to get a bit extra, you need to look out for the future ready sets with 4000 resolution and not the 1080p models. Though 1080p sets are more popular these days, most of the manufacturers are now shifting to the 4k resolution to ensure complete clarity of the picture. Apart from the resolution, you also need to check the refresh rate and it will be better for you to avoid anything less than 120Hz. Ensure to purchase an HD model for the best experience. Just checking the specifications for purchasing a television set is not enough. Kitchen being one of the most important sections of the house deserve something classy and trendy. Therefore, you should browse through the television sets available and make the selection carefully. Also, consider your budget while making the purchase and shortlist your search accordingly. You can also look out for special deals or discounts on flat screen TV and save a few dollars.

If any of your dear ones have been a victim of substance abuse, then you would be keen on finding a good place to help them. In doing so, you would want to get them the best treatment from the best rehab centers available across the country. However, what should be the criteria to help you find and zero in on a good rehab center? Read on to get some tips to find the best inpatient drug rehab centers in the country. Access Whether you are looking for inpatient rehab centers in California or an inpatient rehab center in New York, ensure the facility is closer to your home. Even if the inpatient drug rehab center in Florida offers ample of features and benefits, it is useless if you cannot reach it when you need to. If you are in Chicago, it will be essential and advisable to find an inpatient drug rehab center in Chicago. This not only ensures continued care but also helps you reach your dear ones when required within no time. Faculty The faculty at the inpatient drug rehab centers should be one of the main deciding factors when picking a facility. They need to be full of empathy, both to identify with the affected person’s issue and to support during therapy. Comprehensiveness of therapy It is not just the substance abuse, but the person's needs and history have to be considered totally and a treatment must be planned accordingly at the inpatient drug rehab center you choose. Quitting once and resuming old habits will not be difficult for the sufferer if not cared for properly. Hence, one should ensure that a holistic approach to treatment is adopted by the selected rehab center for the affected individuals. Cost When choosing an inpatient drug rehab center, consider whether inpatient treatment is absolutely necessary, as it does not come cheap. Wherever possible, for instance, if the inpatient drug rehab center is within 50 miles of your residence in Havesue, Arizona, it makes sense to make regular visits than stay there. Matching beliefs and values While most inpatient drug rehab centers promise effective treatments, very few live up to it. Each person has a different set of beliefs and reasons for getting into and wanting to get out of substance abuse. It is extremely important that the inpatient drug rehab centers are able to identify and align with this so that the treatment is successful.