Kauai's Hindu Monastery

After visiting the Hindu Temple of The Woodlands—the first stop in Sannyasin Senthilnathaswami's and my three-week Texas trip—we attended the advisors' and then the general meeting of The Hindus of Greater Houston. My comments to this group included these thoughts: "On occasion there is a need for a united Hindu front, for all Hindus to come together to address a pressing issue such as mistreatment of Hindu students, newspaper articles grossly misrepresenting Hinduism or a natural disaster where Hindus want to work together to create a joint response. The Hindus of Greater Houston, as an umbrella organization, is ideally situated to do just that." In the subsequent days, presentations were made at numerous temples and satsangs held at a number of devotees' homes throughout the Lone Star State. A weekend seminar was conducted for thirteen of the leaders of the Hindu Students' Association. Our visit to Midland included an interfaith event at which representatives of six religions shared their faiths' perspectives on five topics. General contributions for April totaled $55,297, which is short of our minimum monthly goal of $60,000. Special project contributions totaled an additional $158. We are grateful to our global family of temple builders for your continued and generous support. Aum Namasivaya!

Click here to see Bodhinatha's extended travel schedule. Bookmark the link and return for updates.

Bodhinatha's Upcoming Travels

May 9-20: Singapore, Malaysia

June 1-6: Washington, D.C.

June 12-19: Minneapolis, Minnesota & Windsor, Ontario

To understand the mysteries of the soul, we distinguish between the soul body and its essence. As a soul body, we are individual and unique, different from all others, a self-effulgent being of light which evolves and matures through an evolutionary process. This soul body is of the nature of God Siva, but is different from Siva in that it is less resplendent than the Primal Soul and still evolving, while God is unevolutionary perfection. We may liken the soul body to an acorn, which contains the mighty oak tree but is a small seed yet to develop. The soul body matures through experience, evolving through many lives into the splendor of God Siva, ultimately realizing Siva totally in nirvikalpa samadhi. Even after Self Realization is attained, the soul body continues to evolve in this and other worlds until it merges with the Primal Soul, as a drop of water merges with its source, the ocean. Yea, this is the destiny of all souls without exception.

EXPLORE GURUDEVA'S wisdom

• Study Gurudeva's Master Course, which is filled with philosophical, practical, soul-stirring information potent enough to inspire even a skeptic to change his ways of thinking about life and the ultimate goal of existence on this planet: HimalayanAcademy.com/study/mc/
• Read Gurudeva's books online at: http://www.himalayanacademy.com/looklisten/gurus-talks
• Listen to Gurudeva's inspired talks by visiting: http://himalayanacademy.com/talks/gurudeva

Iraivan Temple's new look: (top to bottom) A view from the north of the greatly enlarged Rishi Valley pond; Martin Mosco with Bodhinatha, Sadasivanathaswami and Sivanathaswami; at the quarry choosing just the right boulders

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Community Property and Joint Tenancy:
Why the Way You Hold Property Matters

In 1969 when Ajit and Inayat bought their California home, a year after they were married, their realtor suggested they hold it in joint tenancy. That turned out to be bad advice.

"It's more convenient," he explained. "When one of you dies, the survivor gets the decedent's half of the home automatically and without probate."

All the young couple remembered was "without probate."

Ajit told Inayat that when his unmarried uncle died unexpectedly, the estate was tied up in probate court for a year. He would not want her to be subjected to that kind of delay and expense. Joint tenancy it would be.

Shortly after they celebrated their fortieth wedding anniversary, Ajit suddenly died. As planned, his widow received his half of the home without the delay or costs of probate.

With their children raised and the home too large for her to manage, Inayat put the house on the market for $900,000 and received an offer for the full amount within a week, this for a home they had bought decades earlier for under $50,000.

But with the sale came a shock: she had to pay federal and state capital gains taxes on $275,000 of the sale proceeds.

"Why?" she asked her realtor.

"Because you and Ajit held your home in joint tenancy rather than as community property," he said.

"What difference does that make?" she asked, raising her voice.

"About $65,000 in taxes," he retorted.

His answer was curt but his math correct. Holding their home in joint tenancy meant that when Ajit died, Inayat did not get a full "step-up in basis," a technical term for a financial favor we do our heirs at death.

When an heir receives a full step-up in basis, the property he or she receives from us upon our death is viewed by the IRS as though they had bought it at its full fair market value. So if they sell it, they may have little or no capital gains to worry about. If Ajit and Inayat had held their home as community property, Inayat would have avoided being taxed on the $275,000, her realtor explained. "That's not fair!" Inayat moaned. "I know, but it's the law."

Though fictional, this tale is based on the many painful experiences of married couples living in community property states.

You may have no capital gains to worry about, even if you use joint tenancy. Why? Every home owner has a $250,000 exclusion from capital gains tax when they sell a personal residence, as long as they have lived there at least two years. Married couples can combine their exclusions for a total of $500,000. In certain markets, however, even that may not fully cover the gain.

So, if you're married, should you rush out and change title to your home and other assets (rental property and investments held in joint tenancy have no $250,000 exclusion from capital gains tax) from joint tenancy to community property? Not without legal advice and a financial analysis of your situation.

For information on establishing a fund at Hindu Heritage Endowment, contact Shanmuganathaswami at 808-822-3012 x 244 or e-mail hhe@hindu.org.

Most adults die without a written estate plan. We tend to put off writing our wills because we don't want to face our mortality.

Please Help Finish New Temple Construction

You can sponsor the rose-granite floor stones.
Everyone knows how important a floor is in defining a space and the purpose and feeling of that space. Temples are no different. The floor is all-important. The bare feet of untold numbers of future pilgrims to Iraivan Temple will touch the floor, soften the floor, shape the floor. You may have walked on temple floors in India that are thousands of years old, with all of the rough edges abraded by billions of footfalls that have made their edges soft and round. The temple floor construction is completed, yet funds are still needed. Three sizes of floor stones are in need of sponsorship, along with sections of the Pradakshina Path and the Second Prakaram Perimeter Wall.

Sponsorship Opportunities

• Main Mandapam Primary Floor Stones: $800
• Main Mandapam Edge Floor Stone: $1,001
• Main Mandapam Bay Divider Floor Stones: $1,200
• 1008-foot Pilgrims' Circumambulation Path sections: $3,001

Donate at http://www.hheonline.org/donate/iraivan_temple_stone-sponsor.shtml

Building Fund Donations

Many Thanks to April Donors From 15 Countries

SUMMARY: For the eight months of September to April, our minimum monthly goal equaled $480,000. Excluding contributions directed toward special projects, we received actual contributions of $495,443.43.

Your support is deeply appreciated!

Click here to see Bodhinatha's extended travel schedule.