Between 12 and 20…perhaps the eight most important years of each of our lives. Think back to when you were 12. In many cultures 12 is the year of passage into adulthood. We begin to see parents as people with flaws and we begin to see ourselves as members of a larger community.

Between twelve and twenty choices are made and directions taken that shape the rest of our lives. It is an incredibly important period of years, formative, brave, and hopeful. In those eight years, all things are possible. We BELIEVE in ourselves, in our family, in our country, in the limitless possibilities of the future.

It is during those most important eight years that we actually come together as persons, we get educated, trained, prepared, and become accountable for our destinies. Everything before 12 is a foundation. From 12 on we build on our foundation. Whether we build out of wood hay and stubble or out of solid stone is entirely up to us.

Fortunately for us as a nation 2012 comes at a time when our forefathers have laid a strong foundation in us. It is up to us what happens now in these next eight years between 2012 and 2020. Just as the years between 12 and 20 are the most significant years for an individual, the years between 2012 and 2020 will be the most significant for our nation.

So, as we pass into adulthood this year, hopefully we will learn that “there is no free lunch” and that we need to pay our own way. Hopefully, we will pick up the skills of managing a “household” budget and living within our means. Per chance we will develop listening skills and respect for our elders. But more than anything, may we learn to be leaders.

The world is in need of leaders. It is in need of a nation of leaders. It is time to mature as a nation and stop acting like small children who don’t know where their food comes from and who demand and get their wishes fulfilled by Santa Claus.

As a nation of grown up leaders to the world, we need to begin at home. We need to clean our own house and remove those influences that dull our senses and lull us into a kind of slavery to overlords who tell us what we want to hear but rarely tell us what we need to hear. This year is our year of passage into adulthood as a nation. May God give us the wisdom to make mature choices, to reject false promises and to inspire others to do the same.

The years between twelve and twenty stand to be the best years of our lives, rich and beautiful years. It is up to us. Others have gone before us and made it possible for this generation to stand here in 2012 poised to usher in the young adulthood of America. May we make this great host of witnesses proud of our choices, our character, and our courage.

Be wise, my friend.
Brenda

Joseph Father and Husband

Merry Christmas to you all. Thank you for reading these little missives over the year.

Christmas is a very special time of year for me and as usual, I am reflecting on Mary and Jesus. But this year God has prompted me to reflect on Joseph, too.

Joseph Father

He gets to be part of the manger but not much more. The fact is he is so much more. He is truly the first “defender of the faith.”

I suppose I am thinking about him because a woman was recently executed for the sole reason of her beliefs. No, she was not a Christian. In fact I believe that her beliefs were simply misguided and false.

Joseph Husband

But I like to think that folks around Mary thought she was also misguided and deluded, or deceptive and sinful. Joseph, however, at the prompting of an angel, did not stone Mary to death; he protected her.

It is one of the most beautiful tenets of my faith. Perfect religion is to care for widows and orphans and I might add unwed mothers and helpless or misguided women.

There was a time when prostitutes or women who had been seduced by a man were stoned to death. Mary easily fell into that category by the standards of her society.

But, Joseph listened to the Angel of God and did the right thing. In parts of today’s world Mary could be executed because she brought shame on her family. I like to think that if I lived in the country where the woman was recently executed for her ill-begotten beliefs, I would have done something to help her. But I don’t know.

I get angry that there was no Joseph for her. Then I ask, where were her own sisters? Where were the other women of her community and country? How can women just stand by and do nothing while a woman is executed for her beliefs. Remind me again what century this is.

Where are the women of the world who espouse beliefs about the sanctity of life…just not her life? We have all watched as women of Afghanistan have been summarily executed and even in our own towns we have seen relatives attack and abuse women with impunity.

When will we care enough to stand shoulder to shoulder and tell the world that “No longer can you kill women solely because of your beliefs?” Women who walk in freedom have a responsibility to defend our sisters around the globe and in our own back yards.

What will it take? When will we move from our stunned passivity to action? This is not the purview of a particular political party. Politics should not enter into the discussion. This is the responsibility of every free woman on the planet.

So, as I reflect on the courage of one man, Joseph, to stand against the teachings of his community and to defend his woman, I wonder, “Where were all her sisters?”

It is no wonder that Jesus knelt down in the dirt to defend a helpless sinful woman some 30 years later. Defense of the weak, helpless and even sinful women is a legacy Christ left us. No wonder, he grew up in a home that had experienced that grace!

Thank you Joseph and thank you Jesus. Also, thank you all you brave and wonderful husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons who have willing set aside your own needs and sometimes your own lives to defend your women.

We may not be able to say it but in our hearts we know that you have done what we are seemingly unable to do for ourselves. We still need Joseph. And perhaps that is the most important message of all.

Will you be Joseph in someone’s life today?

Merry Christmas,

Brenda Standlee
www.americanprudential.com

Summer Vacation

Well, apparently I went to Newport, Oregon. I have the photo album to prove it and the brochure from Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area just off Highway 101 on the beautiful Pacific Coast, as well.

I say apparently because I have never actually been on summer vacation to Newport nor to Yaquina. But I have a friend, Marilyn, who knows I love lighthouses. She also knows why I love lighthouses. (More about that later)

So, Marilyn went to Oregon and she made the summer vacation trek to Yaquina Head. She did all the hiking and climbing to the top of the lighthouse. She took pictures along the way. I know because she came home and made a photo album of MY trip.

I now have a “coffee table” type beautiful photo album of the ocean, the birds, the trees, the bridges, my friend Marilyn and, oh yes, the lighthouse! About two dozen perfect photos in a lovely photo album that everyone loves to sit and flip through.

Summer Vacation

The album isn’t about Marilyn’s trip. It is about MY trip to see the things that I like. Marilyn could do that because she actually listens to her friends. She listens with purpose. She listens to what they like and why they like it. And then she remembers.

She remembers and she actually does something about it. I will never forget my summer vacation trip to Yaquina. And I am reminded once again that servant leadership is about listening…listening, caring and taking action.

Summer Vacation

Whatever you are doing today, try listening to the other people. Don’t just wait for a break in the conversation when you can start talking. But listen to the other person as if you cared. Funny thing is, after doing it for a while you will probably start to connect with that person. They will actually believe that you care.

To take it to a higher level, do something about what you heard. Introduce that person to someone who needs their services, or introduce them to someone who can meet their need.

Or you could make them a summer vacation photo album. They will never forget you. Because you have listened to them and they have proof.

Do it for someone who cannot help you in any way. It is infectious. You will find yourself wanting to listen and act more each day. Marilyn wants to be remembered as someone who listened and cared. Ya think?

How do you want to be remembered?

Now about why I like lighthouses. All over the world people build lighthouses…for strangers. It seems that putting resources and effort into building the lighthouse to guide travelers away from the hazards is a human trait. The lighthouse shows the way so that others can avoid getting lost on the shoals.

You have a choice; build a lighthouse, look for a lighthouse, or be a lighthouse.

Marilyn chose to be a lighthouse on her summer vacation.

Blessings,
Brenda
www.americanprudential.com

Friends and family,

Knowing When To Quit

We have all heard the folk wisdom that says, “You have to know when to quit…”

It made me remember raising his father and the tough choices his father made as a very young man.

You see, he played high school football.  Well, not exactly.  What he did was show up for every practice, work like a dog, get treated like a dog, go to every game and cheer for his team mates for four years.

I can count on my fingers the number of times he was actually on the field in a real game in the whole 4 years.  He could have quit.  I actually wanted him to quit.

Knowing When To Quit

I wanted more than for him to quit.  I wanted his coaches to be fired!  I wanted to march into that head coach’s office and give him a piece of my mind, a big piece.

But my son and I talked.  I asked if I could go see his coaches and he said, no.  I asked if he would just quit football and return to being 1st or 2nd chair on the French Horn.  He said, no.

I respected my son’s decision.  He went on to serve in the Air Force where he was physically, mentally and emotionally abused.  He was picked on and not valued.  But when his 4 years came to an end, he “re-upped.”  He didn’t quit.

Knowing When To Quit

Not only did he not quit but he was eventually given an official commendation for single handedly doing the work of 40 soldiers.  Yes, an official commendation!  He didn’t quit.

The reason I do not want my grandson to quit piano lessons isn’t because I want him to be a rock star or a concert pianist.  It is so that he won’t miss his opportunity to build his character beyond the slippery slope of “knowing when to quit.”

I want him to learn when NOT to quit.

We don’t have to be taught how to quit.  We don’t even need to receive permission to “take a break.”  What we need is the motivation and support NOT to quit.

Look around your world today.  Who do you see who is about to quit?  Share the truth with them that enduring trials produces perseverance; and perseverance produces character; and character produces hope.

Quitting doesn’t produce anything but free time.

Bob the Business Owner wants to retire. Problem is he cannot get a cash buyer for his company right now because of the stress in the economy.

Bob is a Boomer-Owner and he has built his company as his primary estate planning tool. He has believed for 20 years that his business would sell and provide him with a nice nest egg on which he and Mrs. Bob could live out their golden years.

Then along came 2008 and 2009 and 2010. Bob saw the appraised value of his residence drop by $200,000 and the value of his business fall so far that he cannot even get a valuation of it because there are no comparable sales of businesses in his area.

What is Bob to do? Well, traditional wisdom says that Bob has to keep working and forgo retirement temporarily or completely. Traditional wisdom says that Bob should plan to “die at his desk.”

But Bob has other issues. Bob has some health issues. Bob’s wife is a breast cancer survivor and Bob has been told to lower his stress (hypertension) and his cholesterol and to do it now. All this has just added to Bob’s stress and his cholesterol has risen to the occasion, as well.

What would you tell Bob to do? I told Bob to sell his company – but to stop looking for a cash transaction. There are buyers who can buy his company and they can run his company. They can keep Bob on as a consultant and they can pay for Bob’s company out of the profits of the company.

In other words, Bob would participate in the financing of the sale by taking a payout of the purchase price over time based on the continued success of the company. Bob can even negotiate health insurance continuation as a part of the package.

Bob will continue to work for the success of his company and he will be motivated to train and transition the new owner but Bob will not bear the burden of day-to-day operations. Bob’s free time will increase and his stress will decrease. His doctors should be pretty pleased.

Will Bob’s solution work for all the Boomer-Owners out there? No, it will not – but it will work for quite a few.

Are you a Boomer-Owner looking for an exit strategy that you thought you had 5 years ago but which seems to have vaporized in the last 3 years?

We can help you. We have buyers interested in looking at your company and making you a fair and honest offer to buy your company with an earn-out. We are not working through business listing brokers and want only to hear from business owners.

This is not a Wall Street solution. This is a Main Street solution where “We The People” put our heads and hearts together to deal with each other openly, honestly and fairly.

The deals our buyers want to see will be business-to-business companies, not retail or consumer-based. If you provide a product or service to good quality commercial customers, you may be a candidate for this very specialized purchase opportunity.

Interested?  Contact Eric at:  eric@americanprudentialcapital.com

Well, what follows is a concise explanation of the Tax Relief Act of 2010. We are providing this as a service courtesy of Kevin Chesser at Briggs and Veselka, CPA. He can be reached at 713.667.9147 for questions.

Income tax provisions that are new:
* 2% drop in 2011 social security taxes (from 6.2% to 4.2%) for all
employees and self-employed individuals.
* A two year “patch” for Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) increases
the exemption amount from $45,000 to $72,450 for married filers.
This means fewer taxpayers will have to worry about the higher AMT tax.

Income tax provisions that are extended through 12/31/12:
(these would have expired on 12/31/10)
* Tax rates remain at a maximum of 35% (rather than increasing to 39.6%)
* Tax on qualified long-term capital gains remain at a maximum of 15%
(rather than increasing to 20%)
* Tax on qualified dividends remain at a maximum of 15% (rather than increasing to 39.6%)
* The Child Tax Credit remains at $1,000 per child (rather than dropping to $500)
* The amount of day care expenses eligible for the Dependent Care Credit will remain at $3,000 for one child and $6,000 for two or more children (rather than dropping to $2,400 and $4,800)
* The College Credit remains at a maximum of $2,500 per child/per year
(rather than dropping to $1,800)
* Itemized deductions and personal exemptions will remain fully deductible (rather than being reduced for higher income individuals)
* Coverdell Education Savings Accounts will remain available

Income tax provisions that are extended only through 12/31/11:
(these expired on 12/31/09. They are retroactively reinstated effective 1/1/10)
* The $250 above-the-line deduction for elementary and secondary school teachers
* The deduction for state and local general sales taxes
* The ability to make tax-free distributions of up to $100,000 from an IRA directly to a charity * Note….charitable transfers from IRAs that are made during January 2011 can be treated as if made during 2010.
Provisions to encourage businesses to invest in machinery and equipment:
* 100% bonus depreciation on new property acquired and placed in service
after Sept 8, 2010 through Dec 31, 2011
* 50% bonus depreciation on new property acquired and placed in service during 2012.
* Extending through 2012 the choice to accelerate the AMT credit in lieu of taking bonus depreciation
* For 2012, raising the maximum Section 179 expense amount to $125,000 (rather than dropping to $25,000) * Note…the Small Business Jobs Act (passed September 2010) temporarily increased the Section 179 expense amount to $500,000 for all of 2010 and 2011. Section 179 expense is available for both new and used property place in service
during the year. This differs from bonus depreciation which is
only available for new property.

Retroactive reinstatement of business tax breaks that expired in 2009
(These are extended through Dec 31, 2011)
* The Research Tax Credit
* The Work Opportunity Credit
* The 15-year writeoff for qualifying leasehold improvements, restaurant buildings and improvements, and retail improvements

Changes to Estate & Gift Taxes for 2010 – 2012:
* The estate tax is retroactively reinstated effective 1/1/10 with a $5 million exemption and a maximum estate tax of 35%. Additionally, heirs would receive a “stepped-up” basis on inherited assets. * Note…for individuals who die in 2010, an estate can elect to use the zero tax method. However, the heirs would have to use the less beneficial “carryover basis” rules on inherited assets.
* Starting in 2011, the $5 million exemption will be portable. Thus, if a married individual dies and doesn’t use all of his or her exemption, the unused portion can be used in the spouse’s estate.
* Starting in 2012, the $5 million exemption will be adjusted for inflation.
* Deadlines for filing an estate tax return, for paying estate taxes, for filing a basis-allocation return, and for making disclaimers are all extended until 9 months after this tax act is enacted.
* Starting in 2011, the $5 million exemption amount will apply to gifts and estate tax. Therefore, an individual may use up part of the $5 million exemption when gifting. The remaining balance will be used by the estate.
* Note…for 2010 only, the exemption amount for gifts remains
at $1 million
* The gift tax rate will remain at 35% in 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Courtesy of Briggs & Veselka, CPAs and business advisors
HOUSTON OFFICE ▪ 6575 West Loop South, Suite 700 ▪ Bellaire, Texas 77401 713.667.9147 Tel. ▪ 713.667.1697 Fax ▪ www.bvccpa.com

APC Commercial

We at American Prudential have credit lines of up to 6 million available for companies working on the Gulf Clean Up.  Right Now!

Already we are working with several companies supplying workers to the area to do the job of cleaning up the oil.  For these companies this means a real strain on their cash flow.

In some cases the clients have seen their accounts receivable balloon up by 2 to 4 million dollars overnight.  Now, that is a cash flow problem.  It will take 45 to 90 days for them to be paid and they have payroll to make every week.

They are thankful for the work but would not be able to take it if it were not for the funds we have available for them.  The good news is that we have plenty more available and the best news is that we are not ratcheting up the price because of the demand.

These are times when it pays to know who you are doing business with.  Our rates are a flat discount off the face value of the invoice and we never charge “hidden” fees.  There are no fees for applying for our services and no fees for discontinuing our services.

Our clients always get a fair price and excellent service.  So, if you have an opportunity to do some good for us here in the Gulf but you are wondering how you will fund your operation, give us a call.  We care about out Gulf states and the companies who serve here.

We will take care of you and treat you right.  You have our word on that.

Brenda Standlee

Banks turn to American Prudential Capital and Hal Means to assist their commercial customers with alternative funding.

(May 12, 2010 ) Houston, TX – H. F. Hal Means is a 37-year veteran of Texas banking, having served as president & CEO of banks in Wharton, Houston, & Tyler, TX. Following retirement from banking in 1996, he helped individuals & small businesses solve their financial concerns as a Houston financial planner with AXA Advisors, LLC, a Paris, France-based worldwide financial services firm for 11 years, retiring in 2007. In January, 2008, Means joined & now serves as an independent representative of American Prudential Capital, Inc., a 20 year-old family-owned commercial factoring firm headquartered in Houston. His focus here is on working with startups & referrals from banks.

His extensive experience includes upper general management, finance, marketing, staff leadership & on boards of directors. He was the founding president of the Houston bank & organizing manager of several key bank departments, including the acquisition of accounts from over 100 East Texas banks.

He is a Life Member of both the Texas Association of Business and the Greater Houston Partnership. Means co-created a national award-winning bank television advertisement & served as president of the Henderson County, TX United Way campaign, on the founding board of directors of the Regional East Texas Food Bank, East Texas Area Boy Scouts of America, several other bank boards & on the National Board of the Bank Marketing Association.

Prior to his career in banking, Mr. Means served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Artillery. He and his wife of 44 years have two children and two grandchildren.