Spring is here and that means Easter baskets filled with good things to eat. Did you know that Easter is called a movable feast? And no, it's not because you need a basket to carry all the candy and treats that show up on Easter morning.

The holiday takes place on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox, which is the date in March when spring begins (either March 20 or 21). Go ahead, you can figure it out by marking the days on your calendar. Equinox means 'equal night' because when the sun is over the equator, as it is for the spring equinox, that day and night are more or less equal in length of time, all over the world.

But back to the candy.

Easter is second only to Halloween as the most important holiday for candy. On Halloween, you have to go out and get the candy, but on Easter, it comes to you. Did you know that 90 million chocolate Easter bunnies are made for Easter? And that most of us--76%--eat the ears first?

Over 16 billion jelly beans are eaten at Easter time. If you had that many jelly beans, you could wrap them around them planet three times. Just imagine the Earth with rings like the planet Saturn, made out of jelly beans!

Peeps or eggs, what's your favorite?

The 1800s must have been a century when people started thinking seriously about candy because that's also when chocolate eggs became an Easter tradition. The most popular Easter candies after chocolate are the Marshmallow Peeps. Americans buy 700 million Peeps each year! The favorite color is yellow, but marshmallow Peeps are available in many other colors as well.

Happy Easter, enjoy your treats. And remember . . . it’s nice to share!

When Tax Day rolls around each April, we often find ourselves holding a fat refund check, or we’re gritting our teeth writing out a check to Uncle Sam. In most cases, your big refund or your big bill resulted from the amount of taxes withheld from your paycheck.

Did you know that you can adjust the amount of withholding on your paycheck at any time using the W-4 form? Most people fill out a W-4 when they start a new job, and never give it a second thought. You can get a W-4 from your employer, or print a copy off from IRS.gov. Here’s how to get the right amount withheld for you.

What is "just right?"

Goldilocks would know the right way to withhold taxes. Not too much. Not too little. Just right.

Believe it or not, the government actually has a way to help you get it “just right.”You can go to the IRS website, and use their withholding calculator.The calculator considers different sources of taxable income as well as credits and deductions that apply in your situation. At the end, you get a recommendation for how many allowances to claim.

How low can you go?

Don’t drop your withholding too low. While extra big paychecks might feel good now, the extra big tax bill plus penalties and interest will hurt next Tax Day. In contrast, withholding too much will get you that giant refund, but all the while the government is using your money with 0% interest.

Want that big refund for a large purchase?

Instead, discipline yourself to put money away each payday. Open a savings account funded by direct deposit from your paycheck. Refuse an ATM card, and do not link the savings account to your checking account. The money is still out of reach, but now you can earn a small return on your cash.

By withholding the right amount, you get to use your money right away instead of waiting for Uncle Sam to pay it back. Get a little extra flexibility in your finances by reducing the tax withheld from your paycheck. Just don’t get carried away, or Uncle Sam will be coming around to get what’s his. 

Did you know that the word gullible isn’t in the dictionary? Really? Hey, wait…We’ve all fallen prey to a practical joke or prank in our lives.

On April 1^st, jokes and pranks rule for April Fool’s Day. It’s been that way for a long time. Canterbury Tales, published in 1392, first linked the first of April with mischievous behavior.

In recent years, major companies and public organizations have gotten in on the fun.

• Back in 1957, the BBC staged a still famous prank through their Panorama program. A film showed spaghetti “farmers”in Switzerland harvesting their crops. Viewers contacted the BBC hoping to score their own spaghetti tree. The BBC really used their noodle to get one pasta the public that year!
• Naming rights are a big business, so many people believed Taco Bell’s full-page advertisement in the New York Times that ran on April 1, 1996. Taco Bell announced the purchase and subsequent renaming of the Liberty Bell to the Taco Liberty Bell. After stirring up a lot of attention, and a little controversy, Taco Bell admitted to the prank and pledged $50,000 to the upkeep of the Liberty Bell (no naming rights included.)
• Search engine Google first got into the foolish spirit in the year 2000. They introduced a new concept, the MentalPlex, where one could search the internet by the power of their brain. Google provided humorous responses to users as reasons why the technology was not functioning. For example, some searchers were told “Weak or no signal detected. Upgrade transmitter and retry.”Yikes!

Don’t miss the fun this year. You don’t need a big budget, just some creativity to dupe some April fools around you. Be prepared though, someone may try to spring an April Fool’s Day joke on you. 

A famous candy bar slogan reads “Sometimes you feel like a nut…”Well, they weren’t just talking about your mental state. Nuts can be a tasty part of a healthy diet, but they can be a little tricky to include. Read on for ways to maximize the health benefits of nuts.

Nuts contain good nutrients like healthyfats, protein, fiber, and vitamin E. These substances are great for the health of your heart and your blood. Fat and fiber can help you feel full while eating less food. Vitamin E is also great for your skin and hair.

Some of the healthiest nuts include cashews, almonds, and pistachios. These contain the lowest calories with the highest density of good nutrition. Macadamia nuts and pecans are at the opposite end of the spectrum. They contain more calories, but their levels of protein and other nutrients tend to be on the low side.  And beware, nuts that are highly salted or have sugary coatings could do more damage than good to your diet.

Serving size is very important when eating nuts. Depending on the size of the nut, a serving size might be just a few pieces to maximize the health advantages.

• Walnuts contain high levels of the omega-3 fats which promote good heart health.  A serving of 8 walnuts delivers just what you need.
• Almonds are low in calories, but loaded with calcium and other minerals. A handful of almonds (about 23) every day can aid in preventing weight gain while helping to lower cholesterol.
• The recommended serving size for cashews is 18 nuts. These nuts are a good source of vitamin K and folate, which are good for healthy strong bones.

Nuts can be a tasty and nutritious substitute for snacks or side dishes. When the serving size is right, these treats pack a powerful punch for good health. Add in some nuts to your daily diet; then you can encourage everyone around you to “go nuts!”

Walking is a simple form of exercise that can deliver great health benefits. Read on to learn why walking is so good for you, and get some tips on how to get your family moving.

Improve overall health.

Walking is a great way to stay healthy and prevent or manage serious medical conditions. It's a modest aerobic exercise that can help you stay within a healthy weight range. You’ll reduce your risk for heart disease and blood pressure problems. Studies show that active people lose less bone density and avoid osteoporosis. Walking may also reduce your risk for several types of cancer. On top of all these physical health benefits, walking just feels good. A walking routine can manage stress levels and emotions. 

Physical activity recommendations encourage 30 minutes of daily moderate activity to reach a total of 150 minutes each week. That might seem like a lot, but you don’t have to log it all at once. You can break it down into as little as 10 minute spurts of activity that won’t even cause you to break a sweat. A walk around the block before each meal will help you reach your goal in no time.

Walk anywhere, anytime.

You can walk almost anywhere, even in the comfort of your own home. Try walking from room to room, the length of a hallway, or even climb a flight of stairs for an extra challenge. Try to fit in some extra steps while you’re at work too. Substitute the stairs for the elevator. Park your car to maximize your steps to the office. A walking break can be a great pick-me-up when your energy fades at work or at school.

The best part is that walking is good for the whole family. Kids need to be active, and exercising together can make it a fun family time instead of drudgery. For more information, check out the We Can! initiative through the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute at nhlbi.nih.gov. They offer tips for incorporating more activity and healthy eating for busy families.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”It’s time to stop making excuses, and take the first step toward wellness.

You might hear a lot about saving for retirement. How much should you save? When can you retire? Will you ever retire?

When you consider your alternatives for retirement savings, you should familiarize yourself with Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA). There are two types of IRA: the traditional IRA and the Roth IRA. There are advantages in both varieties, so consider these features to decide the right account type for you.

Tax now or later?

Reap your tax benefits now with a traditional IRA. Many taxpayers can deduct the amount contributed to their traditional IRA for the year, when they file their tax return the following spring. This deduction reduces the amount of taxable income on the return. Fast forward a few years, or a few decades as the case may be, to retirement, and pay the taxes on the money when it is withdrawn from the account.

The benefits of the Roth IRA come as delayed gratification. A contribution to a Roth IRA cannot be deducted now, but future withdrawals won’t be subject to tax. Under certain guidelines, you may withdraw some of your contributions without getting hit by penalties and interest even if you haven’t reached the minimum age for withdrawals of 59 ½.

Check your eligibility.

Most taxpayers are eligible to contribute to either a Roth IRA or a traditional IRA, although eligibility for both account types phases out at higher income levels. Contributions in 2014 are limited to $5500 for those below the age of 50.  Contributors over 50 can squirrel away an extra $1,000 in catch up funds for a total of $6500. If you didn’t get around to contributing last year, you get a second chance. Contributions for 2013 can be made up until April 15, 2014. 

It can be easy to get bogged down by the details of retirement options, but starting an IRA is a great strategy. When your money is invested longer, you could gain more by the time you reach retirement. So don’t wait; get the ball rolling on an IRA today!