Amanda L

I live in CA, and acquired a car in 2009 through a family transfer (not a gift, but I paid $1). I just sold this car privately for $9500. Since I acquired this through a family transfer and not a private sale, do I have to pay tax on the $9499 income? The DMV website doesn't seem to address this situation anywhere. I don't know why my dad thought it would be beneficial for us to pay $1 instead of nothing at the time of transfer.

For 2008 and most of 2009 I lived in a home which I purchased with a loan from my parents. For both years I paid them interest-only payments monthly. I did not deduct this interest from my taxes in 2008 and wasn't going to in 2009 because I didn't think I could, but can I? If so, Can I go back and amend my 2007 taxes now?

I can't move into my new home until December, but want to get an idea of what window coverings will cost. I estimate it would be about $3000 for faux wood blinds for my 2300 sq ft house, but have no clue how Roman shades run. Anyone know??

We are thinking of getting a very sweet gentle chow from a local rescue group and our current insurance (Travelers) will cancel our policy should we get a chow (plus a whole other long list of breeds). I'd like to hear from someone w/ a german shepherd, sled dog (husky, malamute, akita), rott, pit bull, or other dog deemed dangerous about what insurance company you may use.

I parked out front of my new house that's being built...parked legally next to the sidewalk. A minute after exiting the car a kid on a bike plowed into the car causing $1050 in damages. The parents said they will pay for it, but I have not yet given them the estimate, which was much higher then I expected (despite using an autobody shop they recommended). Am I right, should they in fact pay for the damages??

As many people know, California is now offering a tax credit of $10,000 paid over 3 years to Californians who purchase new homes in 2009. Nearly half the money allocated to this is already gone (the program started March 1st). I was thinking of buying a new home, however it wouldn't be complete until July, when I think the money will be long gone. I would like to know how other people feel about this. Do people think they will allocate more money to this program?

My parents bought my husband and I a house (in cash) in September 2007 with the agreement we would eventually take out our own loan and pay them back in full. In the meantime, my husband and I were paying them monthy interest. Well, now we'd like to take out a loan in 2009, but it looks like we'll only be able to take out a loan for $200,000, and will have to keep a loan with my parents for $100,000. If we take advantage of low interest rates and get a mortgage for $200,000, will we fall under the new stimulus' plans tax breaks? What constitutes being a first time home buyer? Our name is now on the home's title, but we have never had a mortgage before. Mortgage lenders and financial experts please!

I have been having these "episodes" for a few years now, maybe 2x or so a year. It usually happens in the late afternoon, and not on a day that I haven't eaten enough, sometimes I have then just after I've had a snack. All of a sudden I will get very hot and sweaty, as in, sweat dripping from my face and clothes soaked. I get very weak and my vision is all blurry. One time I nearly passed out. A few times this has happened, I had a sugary snack an hour or so before, but other times I may have had a regular healthy snack. My doctor checked my fasting blood glucose, but it looks normal. I thought maybe I need an oral glucose tolerance test or something like that. Is this normal and I'm just being paranoid, or should I look into it more? Nurses please. Thanks!

My husband just had a surgery on his nose, only to find out that the surgeon could tell he had a severe nasal trauma when he was very young. Since the trauma probably occured when his father was away in Japan (on military duty- Marines) and his mother left when he was very young, no one knows what happened to him. We would like to obtain his medical records, assuming he was on military insurance at the time (1983-1984ish). Where do we start?

I laid down my pavers beautifully, gave them some time to settle, and then swept the polymeric sand into the joints. I was very careful to get as much of the sand off the actual pavers as possible, but inevitably there was still a light dusty residue that couldn't be swept off. I misted the pavers as advised (4 times in 20 min increments), and when everything dried up, my pavers looked terrible! There is an obvious residue left on the pavers. We tried scrubbing with a wire brush, but that changed the texture of the pavers. I am hearing that vinegar and a regluar (less abrasive) brush might work? How about a power washer? Has anyone else gone through this before...if so, please help!

I have heard conflciting things. I have heard that if you are allergic to eggs, or the typical preservative in most contact lens solutions, that you should not get the flu shot. I am not allergic to eggs, however I am allergic to every contact solution except Clear Care (which is preservative free). Many people have never heard this recommendation, but I hear it every now and again and wanted some clarification. Nurses and MDs please.

I bought a 2008 Prius, level 1 package in May and negotiated what I thought was a good out-the-door price, but then of course the warranties were tacked on (worth it, but expensive). I have heard Prius pricing is directly related to gas prices of the moment, and we bought at a time when prices were high, but still climbing. Just curious what others paid. I live in California, by the way.

I got a green 08 Prius in May and did not get the sealant Toyota sells. The dealership pretty much told me that Toyota paint is crappy and if I was not going to get the sealant, I should definitely wax my car every 6 months. So I did exactly that. I waxed it when I got it, and currently I wash the car just about every week (wash it myself) with warm water only (no soap). So, since May I have noticed that the paint is starting to chip on the front of the car. At first it was just a few spots, but now I have some bigger ones on the hood. I am frustrated because I definitely don't 4 wheel in it (freeway driving mostly) and I wash and wax it regularly. What more can I do, and has anyone else had a similar experience w/ Toyota paint?

I want to get from Sacramento to Bend, OR (SMF to RDM) on a direct flight. Where do I find out which airlines have this? If no one has this flight, I can settle for Oakland or SFO (direct to Bend).

I have a family of annoying pigeons living on my roof. I want to get rid of them but don't want to put up anything that looks tacky on my roof. Do fake owls really work? That sounds the simplest.

My husband has nasal polyps and he is miserable, not just during allergy season, but all year long. He can't breathe through his nose at all and has endless snot. He can't sleep at night and all the mouth-breathing he has to do has lead to major coughing and gum bleeding at night. Overall, he's so miserable! He's tried everything his doctor has prescribed (allergy meds and nose sprays) and he's tried a neti pot, all to no avail. His doctor briefly mentioned having surgery to get them removed. Has anyone had this done? How invasive is it? Can they come back? We are on Kaiser, anyone know how much it might cost? Thanks!

He's looking really buff these days....anyone know?

The gps system in my 03 Honda Accord is telling me that it does not recognize the dvd disc. When we took the dvd out, we checked for dirt/scratches and there were none. When we put it back in, it worked for awhile, but again reverted to not being able to read the disc again within a few days. What's the problem???

My neighbor has a tree that grows both oranges and lemons on it. The lemons look more like Meyer lemons, they are a yellow-orange and are a bit sweeter that regular lemons. I have never seen this before, is it done through grafting?

I have known for 4 years that I have some type of gluten sensitivity, so I now eat a gluten free diet. When I saw my doctor the other day she wanted to test my IgA antibodies. She claimed that even if I was eating gluten free, my IgA would still read abnormally. Is this true? I thought the IgA would only be elevated if you're eating gluten in your diet.