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The best states for middle-class taxpayers
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Tax day cometh. Did your state make it easier or harder to be a taxpayer? - photo by JJ Feinauer
JJ Feinauer
Deseret News
Published: Apr 11, 2015, 8:49 AM
With tax day swiftly approaching, a number of studies by the personal finance research website Wallethub have examined what makes a state great for taxpayers.

One important element, according to Wallethub's research, is access to help while filing taxes.

"Haste and disorganization are most likely the two primary reasons why roughly 2.3 million people made math errors on their tax returns in 2013," Wallethub's John S Kiernan wrote. Which is likely why "nearly 6 in 10 taxpayers hire a professional to do their returns."

The metrics that helped Wallethub determine which state offers the best help were the number of accounts at tax help organizations per 1,000 people, the number of accounting job openings, which state offers the most affordable tax help, the number of returns filed per accountant and the highest number of filers paying for tax help.

So which state came out on top? That would be North Dakota.

How about property taxes? According to Wallethub, most Americans spend just over $2,000 on property taxes every year. So which state makes the burden lightest?

To find out, Wallethub looked at two key factors: The average amount for real estate tax and the average vehicle property tax.

According to those numbers, Hawaii comes out on top on both accounts.

A third study by Wallethub, and possibly the most succinct in assessing state taxes, simply looks at the tax burden for different income brackets, and how they differ from state to state.

To rank this, Wallethub looked at numerous factors, such as sales tax, property tax, and median income. Ultimately, whether you are rich, poor or middle class, Alaska is the state with the least tax burden.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.