If you have questions about any of the value-added services offered by KAW, kindly contact KAW Secretary Ojus John at secretary@kaow.org.
KAW Career Center
- This flagship service by KAW' 2011-12 aims to assist KAW members primarily with Job search as well as test/interview preparation. H4 - H1 Planning, Resume tips etc. Email EC coordinators Ram Pranam & Ojus John at kawcareercenter@googlegroups.com to join the Group.
KAW Legal/Immigration Cell
- This unique free service by KAW' 2011-12 assists members with any Legal / Immigration issues. Email EC coordinators Seema Anil (Ph:425-223-9068/425-458-2718) & Jayashree Narayan at kawlegalcell@googlegroups.com with your questions. E.g of Areas covered:
1.H1B (Employment Visa)
2.U-Visa-immigrants who are crime victims
3.Asylum Petitions
4.Fiancee visas(K Visa)
5.Adjustment Of Status
6.Student visa(F Visa)
7.Violence against women(VAWA)
KAW Helpline
- KAW' 2011-12 is maintaining a Volunteer list to assist with any support KAW members will need, however mundane the need be!. For e.g: Babyisitting, Picking up parents from airport, A ride...If you would like to volunteer or if you want any help from the volunteers anytime, Email EC coordinators Tom John, Roy Mathew & Shyju Abraham at kawhelpline@googlegroups.com.
KAW Medical Helpline
- If you have any non-urgent medical queries/general health questions, email our Medical Team (a team for Doctors working in the Medical field) at kawmedicalhelpline@googlegroups.com. If you have any questions, contact EC coordinator Ojus John at secretary@kaow.org
KAW Youth Wing
- KAW Youth Wing independently plans and coordinates sporting and other activities for KAW Youth between ages 21-30. If you would like to know more or join the group, email Youth wing leads Boney Mathew, Paul Babu and EC facilitator Ojus John at kawyouthwing@googlegroups.com.
KAW Students Wing
- KAW Students Wing independently plans and coordinates educational and other activities for our Teens/Students between ages 15-21. If you would like to know more or join the group, email Students wing leads Ashwathi Raj, Angela Goraphy, Shruti Hariprasad, Pooja Viswanathan, Benie Parayil, Megin Parayil and EC facilitator Ram Pranam at kawstudentswing@googlegroups.com.
KAW Malayalam School
- One of KAW 2011's great achievements, the Malayalam Classes (separate classes for kids and adults) finished on Dec 11th. Classes were held at ISKCON VCC at Sammamish. Thanks to EC team - Ram Pranam (Prime Cordinator) & Ojus John and our superb teaching staff Ruby Devasia, Vidya Sreekumar & Sayona Binu. The Goals were to introduce Malayalam Alphabets, Help verbal communication in Malayalam, Exposure to Kerala culture, History and Tradition. The content incldued teaching alphabets, Conversational sentences, Frequently used words, Talk time, Poems & stories, Craft projects, Homework, and Practice at home etc. Thanks for your great feedback. If you have any questions about the Malayalam Classes offered by KAW, please email secretary@kaow.org.
KAW News Updates
- US SPECIAL: IRS TARGETS INDIANS:
(India Abroad, April 22, 2011, Pages A5 & A6)
DEADLINE: AUGUST 31
A United States citizen or Green Card holder must disclose his/her worldwide income to the IRS. If you are paying income tax in other countries, you may be entitled to a foreign tax credit here, but all worldwide income must be reported to the IRS -- including rental income from land or property. The IRS 2011 Voluntary Disclosure Program expires August 31.
"This case is merely the tip of the iceberg," said attorney Lawrence S Horn, who appeared for New Jersey businessman Vaibhav Dahake who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.Though the Indian community has not grasped the urgency of the issue, tax attorneys are warning people to immediately apply for tax amnesty before the deadline of August 31 to voluntarily disclose their income in foreign countries.The law requires that anyone who is a United States citizen or Green Card holder has to disclose his worldwide income to the IRS. If you are paying income tax in other countries, you may be entitled to a foreign tax credit here. But all worldwide income must be reported to the IRS, including rental income from land or property.
The IRS started targeting Indians after a successful intervention with the Swiss bank UBS AG. About 15,000 people voluntarily disclosed their income from UBS. It mostly affected the Jewish community, attorneys noted."The UBS case has essentially become a template for actions against other offshore banks," Miami-based attorney Teig Lawrence told India Abroad. "Offshore enforcement is of the highest priority of the IRS commissioner. The IRS just listed undeclared offshore accounts as number one on its 'dirty dozen' tax scams for 2011."The Department of Justice started to send letters to Indian Americans last year. Horn believes at least 50 to 100 people got such letters asking about their foreign incomes.Then, the administration filed a case in San Francisco federal court for permission to seek the names of people with accounts in HSBC Bank India. Judge Phyllis J Hamilton of the US District Court for the District of Northern California ordered the IRS to serve a 'John Doe' summons to HSBC Bank USA, NA for HSBC's records relating to US taxpayers with interests in financial accounts in India."The most significant event since the Department of Justice sending 'target' letters to Indian Americans in July and September of 2010," said Horn, a former federal prosecuter now with the Ne Jersey law firm Sills Cummis & Gross PC, "was last week's filing by the Justice Department of an application to serve a John Doe summons to HSBC seeking the names of all of its US customers who have accounts with HSBC in India, many of whom are believed by the IRS to have secret, non-disclosed accounts."
He continued: "The battle lines have been carefully drawn. US taxpayers who have undisclosed accounts in India have two choices: They will either apply for acceptance into the IRS 2011 Voluntary Disclosure Program, which expires August 31; or, they take a monumental risk -- if HSBC provides their names to the IRS, they are likely to face criminal prosecution, likely jail terms in federal prison and confiscatory civil penalties, which could result in owing the IRS more than three times the amount in the undisclosed accounts." An HSBC spokesperson told India Abroad that the Bank "is reviewing the summons and supporting documents. HSBC does not condone tax evasion and fully supports the US efforts to promote appropriate payment of taxes by US taxpayers. While complying with the law in all the jurisdictions in which it operates, including India, HSBC cooperates with requests from US authorities.
Also read "Senator to introduce two bills to help combat tax evasion" for a related topic. - Radiation from Japan's nuclear power plants not a health risk for Washington:
Visit www.kingcounty.gov/news/japanresponse/ for details.
Travel Companion Requests
- Parent traveling to India : Chithra's mother will be travelling to India on Feb 22 and is looking for companion during travel. She will be traveling on Feb 22 from Seattle to Bangalore via Frankfurt on the Lufthansa airlines. If anyone is traveling the same route, even if only until Frankfurt, please contact them at ajith.jayamohan@gmail.com or chithra.ajith@gmail.com (Phone: 425.213.8701).
Buy/Sell,Services offered/wanted
- Room available:.Looking for a room mate for 3 months starting from Jan 11th. It's a 2 bed 1 bath furnished apartment in Trails of Redmond community. Looking for malayalee folks only.The rent and other expenses can be shared between 2. If interested, please contact rakeshnpillai@gmail.com (Rakesh).
- Tennis Coaching offered:. KAW member Arun Veettil is offering Tennis coaching for beginners/intermediate players. Regular lesson will be scheduled during weekends and on weekdays as per request of individuals/groups. Rates vary from 10$ to 25$ for an hour depending on the class size. Contact Arun Veettil at avarun123@yahoo.co.in.
Misc Requests
- Matrimonial: Nair girl, 27 yrs, 157cm, avittam(half dosham), BTech, s/w engineer, working in Cognizant, B'lore seeks alliance from IT professionals preferably from Palakkad/Thrissur. Please contact sandinwa@gmail.com
- Would you like to learn Bharatanatyam? KAW member Priya Papali is a professional Bharatanatyam dancer with over 10 years of experience. She is trained in the Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam at Dharani School of Performing Arts, India, under the tutelage of her Guru Smt. Shyamala Surendran. Along with Bharatanatyam, she is also trained in Mohiniyattam and Carnatic music. Priya has performed extensively in India and in the US. She conducts Bharatanatyam classes in Bellevue for children (>6 yrs) and adults. If you are interested, please contact her at 425-985-7759 or at priyapapali85@gmail.com.