It is tax time again and the library is your source for federal and Michigan tax forms. You will find them on the main floor in the alcove that houses the copier. Please note that a new federal law allows you to deduct certain charitable contributions for disaster relief in Haiti on your 2009 tax forms, as long as the money contribution is made after Jan. 11 and before March 1, 2010. Details are spelled out in Notice 1396, which can be accessed -- along with a wide range of 2009 tax forms -- at the Internal Revenue Service website.

The library also has received the Michigan tax forms for 2009. The state has posted 2009 tax forms at the Treasury Department website. Details can be found there, too, about two new energy credits being offered for 2009 -- the Energy Efficient Qualified Home Improvement Credit and the Energy Cost Recovery Surcharge Credit.  

Numerous resources are available to help you weather the challenging economic times in Michigan and possibly avoid losing your home to foreclosure. 

Save the Dream; a Response to Michigan Foreclosures, run by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, is aimed at helping at-risk homeowners. You will find information to help you save your home, better handle your credit, manage your debt, or learn about refinancing assistance. Call the authority's hotline toll-free at 866-946-7432 for more information and to find a housing counselor who specializes in foreclosure prevention.