Money Matters - Really!

One of the biggest challenges facing black RELATIONSHIPS today are finances. Many people mistakenly feel that money does NOT matter. In fact, money matters the MOST! Why? Most people do not have a clue about their own financial destiny.

You know you want to own a home and save some money toward retirement but have you PLANNED what it is you are saving each month and how that money will assist you in the future. Do you have a PLAN to empower yourself financially by NOT depending on your JOB to pay your salary and that's your only source of income. Times have CHANGED. Jobs come and go(and so do SPOUSES). To protect yourself financially you need to be proactive and not depend on anyone else to solve your financial issues.

You can improve your finances RIGHT NOW if they are not in order. There are low costs alternatives to improve your credit score and increase your buying power. Power not to be wasted on designer shoes, clothes, and automobiles, but to be invested in REAL estate. An interesting term to be sure. REAL because it is the foundation of all REAL wealth in this country. Estate, because that is what you can leave your children and family if you handle your business correctly - RIGHT NOW. Money matters because in a relationship YOU should have your OWN MONEY! That is right- I said it! You should not count what someone ELSE brings to the table when all your money is tied up in petty and senseless bills. Talking about petty and senseless- let us discuss CARS! What would possess a person to lease an automobile? Other than as a BUSINESS expense (which also means TAX WRITE OFF) someone PLEASE Tell me WHY? I have heard of folks paying $500.00-$900.00 monthly on car payments. WHY? My car is paid for and I am proud of it. Yes, it is ten years old - BUT I don't work because I DON'T have to support my vehicle. If you are serious about getting more money in this lifetime, you will need to STOP SPENDING money RIGHT NOW on things that DEPRECIATE in VALUE such as CARS! Nuff said!

We all need just ONE major credit card and an American Express card. The other credit cards need to be in the trash. The reality is- if you CANNOT pay for something you purchased within 30 days, you CANNOT afford it! Brutal I know but I have been there and done that. When you have to spend real $$$ on what you purchase, it truly does slow your roll.

Contact me if you need to be pointed in the right direction. I will be happy to assist!

In a personal relationship many of your disagreements WILL stem from money issues. Not just who makes what, but how it is spent and how it is saved. It seems like such a small thing but when you are commingling finance and love you need to establish boundaries up front. PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE THIS ADVICE! You should decide in advance if you want to keep your finances separate and have a joint household account.

The household account should be open to both parties (online access is great for this) and not used for personal spending in any way. The check card will let you market, pay bills etc. A joint savings account would also make saving for special purposes much easier. No matter how much you trust each other, the savings accounts should REQUIRE both parties to sign off on withdrawals. Just to keep everything clean and above board. The traditional (old fashioned) way is to have just one account for checking and one for saving. Even though our parents did this, most mothers (and fathers) always had personal money SOMEWHERE that was just theirs. So why not be upfront about your own personal money issues so they do not come back to haunt you down the road.

By Michelle Smith-Billups

How To Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft

Identity theft is a serious crime that continues to grow. If you become a victim of identity theft, you may spend months, or years, trying to repair the damage. A compromised credit report can ruin your chances of getting a new job, a loan, insurance or even housing. It's true that it is possible that you could be arrested for a crime you didn't commit if someone else has used your identity to break a law.

Unfortunately, many of the methods that thieves use to steal identities are completely beyond your control. Although it's rare, some store clerks have been known to use their position to give or sell information to identity thieves. There are some measures you can take, however, that will make it harder for them to steal your identity.

Protect Your Credit Card Number When Making Purchases:

After you make a purchase and your credit or debit card has been swiped through a credit card terminal, check to make sure that the printed receipt hides all but the last four digits of your credit card account number (there will usually be an x in place of the first twelve digits).

Some credit card terminals do print receipts that show all sixteen digits of an account number, and may even include the expiration date! After your card is swiped, you're permitted by law to hide the first 12 digits of your account number on the copy of the receipt that the vendor keeps. Use a pen or marker to cross-out the other numbers completely.

When dining out, it's important to make sure that the first 12 digits of your credit card number are hidden on the receipt. You might be in the habit of signing it and then leaving the restaurant's copy on the table after your meal. An identity thief can steal the signed receipt before the waiter comes back to pick it up from the table.

Do You Really Need To Give Your Social Security Number?

Avoid giving out your social security number unless it's absolutely necessary. Although you need to share your social security number when you apply for credit or for a bank account, sometimes a store or an organization will want to use it as an ID number. This is a fairly common practice even though the law says that social security numbers aren't to be used as ID numbers. In these situations, use your judgment. There's usually an alternative if you ask.

Destroy Documents That Contain Sensitive Personal Information:

Buy an office paper shredder and use it to destroy documents you're discarding which contain personal information like credit card numbers, social security numbers, phone numbers and birth dates. Do this both at home and at work.

Identity thieves frequently go through someone's trash to find personal information that can help them obtain credit in the victim's name.

If It Happens To You, Take The Following Steps Immediately:

1: Contact your credit card companies, close your accounts and ask to have new cards issued to you.

2: Place a fraud alert on your file with the three major credit bureaus (Equifax: 1-800-525-6285, Experian: 1-888-397-3742 & Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289).

3: File a report with your local police department. You may need it to show to creditors a copy of the report as proof of the crime.

4: File a complaint with the FTC: http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/ - They maintain a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for their investigations.

By Mike Nalbone

10 Quick And Cheap Ways To Cut Your Heating Bill

When you received an energy (heating) bill last winter, were you afraid to open it? Granted that we have a home with a lot of really big windows, but we saw energy bills last winter in the hundreds of dollars. Your bill probably wasn't that bad but I'm guessing that it was a lot higher than you would have liked.

The good news is that there are some inexpensive things you can do to cut that cost. Here are 10 of them.

1. If you have a fireplace, be sure to keep the damper closed. You can lose up to 5 percent of your heat if your damper is open when the fireplace is not in use.

2. Keep your furnace filter clean. Replace it at least once a month during heating season. This alone can cut your heating costs by as much as 5 percent.

3. Be sure to keep inside doors open to improve heat circulation. This will help the efficiency of your heating system.

4. Lower the setting on your thermostat. If you can reduce your daytime indoor thermostat temperature from 72 to 68 degrees, you should save about 5 per- cent during the heating season.

5. If your hot water pipes and water heater are warm to the touch, insulate them. This will reduce heat loss and water heating costs.

6. Every minute you cut from your shower saves three gallons of water and the energy required to heat it.

7. Install compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. Over the life of just one of these bulbs, you'll save about $15. Use just a handful of these around your home and you could notice a difference in your energy bill.

8. Motion detectors put light where you want it, when you want it, for brief periods of time. They provide safety and security for you and your property, but require much less energy since they are on only when you need them.

9.Be sure to check for cold air leaks at doors and windows. If you have a question as to whether or not they are leaking cold air, light a match and hold it at the bottom of the window or door. You should be able to see very quickly if there is a draft.

10. Apply weather stripping around any doors that are leaking air, and caulk around all your windows. Weather stripping can be purchased from just about any hardware store, as well as stores like Home Deport and Lowe's.

Adverse Debt Levels Blight UK Consumers Personal Finances

Debt levels are at an all time high in the UK. The younger generation tend to be feeling the pinch the most, but parents are increasingly being required to bail them out, often at great expense to their own limited mortgage or retirement savings.

It has become almost accepted as a fact of life that graduates will begin their careers with a considerable level of personal debt. The Association of Investment Trust Companies found that on average students expected to graduate with £7,208 of debt, while parents believed it would be nearer to £9,741, however the real average was found to be currently running at £13,501. Graduates then need to service credit cards, take out a mortgage, then cover the payments, repay university loans, not to mention the pressure to start saving earlier, and save more, for their retirement, whilst the basic state pension increasingly becomes inadequate. The government revealed in June that student debt for 2003-04 was seven times higher than they were in 1994-95 and the Student Loans Company has shown that debts owed to them has risen to more than £13bn.

It is not only students who face financial difficulties early in life. Consumer Credit Counselling Services - Scotland, has indicated that young adults in general, under the age of 25, now account for more than 10 per cent of the estimated 32,000 people who have fallen into severe arrears on non-mortgage debts of more than £1 billion.

Malcolm Hurlston, Chairman of the Consumer Credit Counselling Services (CCCS) said, "It is noticeable that young people are accounting for an increasing proportion and the number of them seeking assistance has risen by about 25 per cent over the past two years or so."

Analysts have been bracing themselves for news of a sharp increase in adverse debt levels from the major high street banks following report figures of a 21 per cent increase in bad debts levels at Lloyds TSB. City analysts expect HBOS and Royal Bank of Scotland to declare that bad debt charges have risen by around 20% in their personal banking businesses, and Barclays, HSBC and Alliance & Leicester are all expected to tell a similar tale of rising loan defaults. Citigroup analysts are expecting bad debt charges from its retail banking division to rise about 24% in the first half of this year to £230m, while last year HBOS's provisions for bad debt rose from £1bn to £1.2bn.

Keith Stevens, of the chartered accountants firm Wilkins Kennedy, said: "Creditors profit by lending money to people and collecting interest, and the longer they can keep that cycle going the better for them. Unless borrowers own property of significant value, it's often not in creditors' interest to call in their debts." He also continued that he believed some creditors were increasingly taking a hands-off approach, allowing debtors to pile up large amounts of debt, and then collecting interest and penalty charges for as long as borrowers were able to continue paying. This has lead to an increase in the number of borrowers filing for bankruptcy themselves when previously they would have been forced into it earlier by their lenders.

House repossessions have also significantly increased over the past year, with the Council of Mortgage Lenders announcing 4,640 home repossessions during the first half of 2005, compared with 3,070 for the last half of 2004. Government figures show that there has also been an increase in the number of homeowners being taken to court for mortgage arrears.

Some of the major banks and financial service providers have taken the initiative and started to help police the growing adverse debt problems with HSBC announcing that it will share their full credit record, of both positive and negative information, on its personal customers with other regulated financial services companies through the Experian, Equifax and CallCredit credit reference agencies, in efforts to keep tabs on its consumers' debt.

Michael Geoghegan, Chief Executive of HSBC said: "It is no more in the interests of a customer to borrow more money than they can afford than it is for a bank to lend them the money." The move has been widely heralded by analysts, as Michael Geoghegan added, "It is the only way to ensure that lenders properly understand the full financial exposure of customers before they let them sign up to debt that some simply can't afford."

This all comes amidst media pressure for financial firms to become more responsible. One case widely featured in the news concerns a couple who took out the £5,740 loan at 34.9% APR for house improvements, but they were already in arrears on two prior mortgages, and became unable to keep up the loan repayments. Over the course of the 15 year loan term the amount repayable had escalated to £384,000. Attempts by the loan company to still enforce the huge debt, eventually had to be fought off by the couple through the law courts.

The couple urged others considering taking out a loan to seek advice and to, "obviously read the small print and ask the questions that perhaps you don't think about at the time, and just make sure you know exactly what the consequences are should anything go wrong".

There are currently many sources of information to help consumers make decisions regarding their finances and debt levels. Financial comparison sites like Moneynet can provide impartial information on loans, mortgages, adverse credit, etc, to find the best product for individual circumstances. Consumer help sites like the National Debtline provide free confidential and independent advice on how to deal with debt problems, and the Citizens Advice Bureau are there with trained volunteers to help with legal, monetary and other problems, through a free, independent and confidential advice service.

The more help and information that is available to consumers and the more responsible the lending agencies become, the safer finance will be for the most vulnerable who are looking to borrow money, to prevent them getting into un-repayable levels of debt, however these services can only be of help if people actually use them.

Malcolm Hurlston of CCCS said, "We are advising about 4,000 people in Scotland and I would estimate that our figures represent only about one in eight of those who need help".

Financial education is something needs to be provided at an early stage to make people realise the importance of taking on the accountability for their own finances, as well as highlighting where to access help for when it is required. Budgeting is a subject many school leavers have little practical knowledge of, but one which they desperately need to be made aware of before they start to control their own finances.

Where there is existing advice or help, this must be made available and known to all in order to prevent more people getting too deeply into debt, or falling prey to loan sharks like the recent case of Mark Washington Johnson who has been jailed in Birmingham for nearly four years. Mr Johnson was found guilty of charging up to 8,000 per cent interest on loans, taking Social Security benefit books or National Insurance numbers as "security" for the unauthorised loans and then piling on default charges for missed payments. If we are to prevent this sort of abuse occurring to the weakest members of society then public awareness needs to be raised and the most vulnerable people given the assistance best suited to understand and control their own money.

By Richard

Benefits of Personal Finance Software

In this age of information, keeping track of your finances does not mean an archaic jumble of ledgers, calculators, and papers filled with calculations in chicken scratch. Now everything can be taken care of on your computer through personal finance software.

Personal Finance Software: Organize Your Finances

Your finances are complicated. You have money coming in and money going out. You have bills and investments as well as multiple bank accounts. Personal finance software will keep everything organized for you.

Depending on the software you use, it may be able to separate portions of your finances into various categories for you. For example, Quicken 2005 separates your checking accounts from your savings accounts and allows you to track your investments all at the same time.

Organization saves time. Taking a few minutes to input your purchases and paychecks eliminates those hassles associated with staying on top of your finances. Rather than rifling though bank statements and bills for hours, everything is right here in the program. As long as you put each purchase and paycheck into the software, your checkbook will automatically be balanced. Some programs also feature functions that will create a budget for you; yet another time saver.

Personal Finance Software Knows Where Your Money Is

In order to keep more of the money you make, you must know where it is. Personal finance software gives you the power to know where each penny is at a glance. Some will even create reports for you that detail where your money goes each month. This feature will help you locate the leaks in your budget and reduce your expenses every month.

The overview personal finance software gives you is one of its main benefits. It allows you to take off the blinders and truly assess your financial situation. With this new-found view of your finances, you will be able to effect changes like never before. The old adage applies; you have to know where you are before you can get to where you want to be.

By Jon Martin

Family Money Management: The Importance of Agreement

Are you having problems with debt? Are you afraid to answer the phone because it may be an angry creditor calling? Do you have problems getting from one paycheck to the next? The simple answer is that you need to budget. But for that budget to work, both you and your spouse need to be in total agreement.

If one of you loves to shop and doesn't worry much about credit card debt while the other hates spending money like death, you have a problem. You can create budgets till Honolulu freezes over, but it won't work and chances, are, you and your significant other will end up fighting constantly.

Even before you start to create a budget, the two of you must sit down and discuss your life objectives. Get out a piece of paper. Make a list of long-term objectives the two of you can agree on. One might be to get out of debt. Another might be to make monthly contributions to a college fund for the kids. A third could be to begin a retirement fund. Or you might decide it's important that one of your get some specialized training that would lead to a higher salary.

Once you agree on your objectives, the two of you can start work on a budget. Step one will be to decide how much you will need to save (or spend) monthly to meet your objectives. You should subtract this first from your monthly income so you can see how much you have left over to work with.

Next, subtract your "secured" debt. Typically, this would be your mortgage payment, car payments, and any other loan payments where an asset such as a boat or RV secures the loan. Then, take a hard look at your other expenses and debt - for example, your rent, food, membership dues, clothing or credit card debt -- as these are the only areas where you can hope to make cuts.

It is important that you both agree as to where those cuts can be made. No matter how strongly you feel about drastically cutting a budget category such as clothing, if your spouse doesn't agree, you're going to have problems. A better solution is to find a compromise - a number that gets you closer to where you think the spending should be but one that your spouse agrees is at least fair. Then, look for another category where you can make cuts to get your final budget number down to where it needs to be.

You should then sit down with your spouse twice a month to review where you are vs. your budgetary goals. You will most likely find that you're under in some categories and over in others. Don't worry about making adjustments at this time. Just make notes as to where you've over and where you're under.

After the first two months, you should know where you've been spending more than you budgeted and where you've spent less. The two of you can then discuss what adjustments you need to make. There should not be a lot of arguing because you have goals you've agreed on and a budget you created by working together.

The important thing is to keep the discussion from becoming accusatory. If one of you has been the "budget breaker," it's better to ask "it looks like we've got a problem here, what to you think we can we do to fix it?" then to say, "you really screwed up this time."

What can you do if you or your spouse just can't control his or her spending and keeps busting the budget, month after month?

Unfortunately that's an issue that probably needs the work of a good marriage counselor.

Bankruptcy Laws Get Tougher - More Expensive

If you've been thinking about filing for bankruptcy, your best bet might be to file now.

A new bankruptcy law takes effect in November that will make it harder and more expensive for most families to file for bankruptcy and discharge their debts.

The major result of the new law is that fewer people will be able to file for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy and will be forced to file for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, instead.

A Chapter 13 bankruptcy is basically a reorganization bankruptcy. Under Chapter 13, you must file a plan with the court showing how you will pay off your debts over a period of three to five years. Once both you and your creditors agree on the repayment plan and the bankruptcy court approves it, both you and your creditors are bound by it.

Beginning in November, if you want to file for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, there will be a qualifying test. Under this two-part test, you will first be required to apply a formula that exempts certain expenses such as food, rent, etc., to see if you can afford to pay 25 percent of your "non-priority unsecured debt" (credit cards, medical bills and the like). Second, your income will be compared to your state's median income.

If your income is above your state's median income, and if you can afford to pay 25 percent of your unsecured debt, you will not be allowed to file for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy.

You may be able to file for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy if your income falls below your state's median income but you can pay 25 percent of your unsecured debt. However, if the court believes you would be abusing the system by filing a Chapter 7, you can be required to file for a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, instead.

If you file a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy today, the court will determine what you can afford to pay based on what you and the court determines are reasonable and necessary living expenses.

Under the new law, the court is required to apply living standards that are derived by the Internal Revenue Service to determine what is reasonable to pay for rent, food, etc., and how much you should then have left over to pay your debts. The IRS regulations are more stringent and if you want to contest them, you will need to ask for a hearing in front of the bankruptcy judge. This can easily mean more time and expense.

When you declare bankruptcy today, your state may allow you to keep all or much of the equity you have in your home. However, the new law places tougher restrictions on this exemption. So before you file, be sure to discuss this with a knowledgeable bankruptcy attorney so that you will know exactly how much of your home's equity you can expect to protect.

Here's another tough restriction. Under the new bankruptcy law, you must meet with a credit counselor in the six months before you apply for bankruptcy. You must also attend money management courses - at your expense - before your debts are discharged.

Understand that it takes a couple of weeks to file for bankruptcy. This means that if you want to take advantage of the current law, you should plan on filing at least by the beginning of September of this year.

Knowing Me, Knowing You: Why ID Protection Plans Are Flawed For Fraud

ID theft is a major consumer concern, though there is apparently much confusion about proactive protection initiatives and apparently safe and unsafe spending behaviour. For example, many consumers remain reluctant about shopping online, but they may still give out personal details over the phone in a cold call, or they may have redundant or dormant accounts and financial products which are susceptible to fraud.

If reducing fraud vulnerability wasn't sufficiently difficult already, consumers are now being offered anti-ID theft services and ID protection insurance by banks, insurance companies and credit reference agencies. There is considerable debate around such policies however, as they do not offer full financial compensation. In The Observer last week, Richard Brown, Chief Executive of consumer finance site moneynet ( http://www.moneynet.co.uk ) stated that:

"Few, if any, of them appear to offer insurance protection against actual financial loss in the event that a credit company, for example, refuses to cover the loss - and this is what consumers really need. While ID protection services may have a degree of value, they shouldn't be used as a reason to take an otherwise uncompetitive product."

Brown continued that consumers could actually take out simple, cost effective measures against ID theft such as buying a shredder and checking credit reports regularly. The National Consumer Council ( http://www.ncc.org.uk/ ) takes a similar approach, advising consumers to avoid becoming a victim of credit card and identity fraud by:

* Not giving personal information away too easily

* When passing details over the phone, do ensure it's to a legitimate business. Ask friends and family for recommendations

* Shred all documents with sensitive personal data

* Choose your bank security details carefully and avoid obvious passwords

* Avoid carrying around details of your address with your credit cards

* Close any accounts you no longer need

* Check your credit file at the credit reference agencies on an annual basis

Callcredit states warning signs of identity theft and identity fraud could include:

* Bank or credit card statements start disappearing or fail to appear in the first place

* Some of your mail goes missing

* Items on your credit card bill which you did not purchase

* A debt collection agency contacts you about goods you did not order or even an account you did not open

* You receive phone calls for accounts you know nothing about

* Royal Mail writes to your address about a mail redirection order you did not request

However, by just incorporating some of the measures above and keeping a regular check on your finances (e.g. don't activate that second credit card and then put in a box for a year!), a great deal of financial protection is already set in place and you don't have to pay a penny.

Examples of standard protection within English law encompass:

* Protection from forged signatures on cheques

* Protection from forged signatures in documents which enforce an action (the prosecution has to prove that you made the signature, rather than you prove that you didn't)

If your credit card is stolen (or lost), you should be fully protected providing you report the missing credit card within 24 hours of the loss or theft.

If you have never had your credit record checked why not give it a go?

* Callcredit offers a service from http://www.mycallcredit.com/home.asp starting from £7.50

* Experian offers a service from https://www.creditexpert.co.uk/ with a membership fee of £49.99

* Equifax provides a credit report for £9.95 from https://www.econsumer.equifax.co.uk/


By Rachel

Portfolio Planning can Lead to Irreconcilable Differences

The judge had to ask the question, and we had to answer it in order to get our divorce finalized. It was all supposed to be pro-forma. "Why are you getting divorced?" the judge asked, his head buried in legal file folders.

"Irreconcilable differences," my wife, Sue, and I answered in unison as our attorneys recommended.

To our surprise, he followed up with a second question. "Differences about what?"

"Investment strategies," I blurted out. My attorney stomped me on my foot to shut me up. The judge was intrigued even though 20 other couples, with their attorneys, were waiting behind us.

Sue jumped in. "He believes in using only index funds in our portfolio. What a mistake! We need to actively manage our investments. Since the tech-stock bubble burst we've been losing money. And I dated a guy before this bozo [that was me] who is now a top mutual-fund manager on Wall Street. His fund has increased 13.2 percent a year even during the bear market. We should have given him our money."

The judge was definitely impressed. "I wish I could get my wife to be as interested as you are in our investments," he said. "Seems like you have a real winner here Hesh, so why are you breaking up?"

Just what I needed, the judge siding with Sue. I quickly counter-attacked. "Your honor, I believe in index funds," I said. "Why waste all that money having someone help you beat the market when the numbers say that over time no one really beats the market."

The judge really seemed interested. He wondered out loud, "You guys seem like a sophisticated couple, didn't you discuss this before you got married?"

I immediately answered. I didn't want Sue saying anything else that would make me look like a fool. "Your honor, when the topic of money came up, we agreed that mutual funds made the most sense and that we would max out our 401(k) s.

Honestly, we were just out of grad school, and we really didn't have much money. The topic just never came up again."

The couples behind us had given up hope of leaving soon; they sat down dejected as their attorneys pulled out their cell phones and began sending text messages to their secretaries telling them to cancel their morning appointments.

The judge called for a recess and invited us back to his chambers. Our attorneys were ordered not to accompany us.

"Listen," he said, "I have a solution. We are going back into court. Just follow my lead." Could we say no? I didn't think so. He pushed us out the door into the court room.

The judge followed us a few minutes later. He began solemnly, "After reviewing the facts and consulting both parties I have negotiated a settlement that they have agreed to." We had? My attorney gave me this look. You know the one that says: you got yourself into this mess, not me.

"As a judge in divorce court, I have heard flimsy excuses for couples to split. And personally I am against the no-fault divorce law in our Commonwealth. However, for the first time I have come across true irreconcilable differences in my court room.

"Adultery can be forgiven, just ask Hillary Clinton, but a spouse that hides his or her investment preferences prior to their marriage cannot. Fortunately, in the case before me, neither side knowingly covered up his/her investment orientation. Therefore, with the powers invested in me, I hereby grant their divorce.

"I am, however, outraged by the attorneys who profited from these clients and raised hopes that their differences might be overcome. I hereby order that all attorneys fees be returned and be placed into a trust fund for the children. I am also issuing a bench warrant for the arrest of the marriage counselor who bilked these two fine people of thousands of dollars in counseling fees in an ill-conceived plot to keep them together.

"Only one question remains, how to invest these funds to ensure an appropriate nest egg for the children. Before I rule, excuse me for a personal digression. Many years ago, while I was in law school at Columbia, I was fortunate to room with Warren Buffett. He was studying for his MBA. (Harvard had been dumb enough to have rejected his application.) I just gave him a call and told him of the case I was ruling on. In his typical homespun manner he said that he could not tell me how to rule on the legal issues. However, he strongly recommended that the trust fund for the children be invested in index funds.

"Now who am I, to disagree with The Sage of Omaha? I hereby rule that the children's trust be invested only in index funds."

By Hesh Reinfeld

A Quck Lesson in Saving Money

Did you have a piggy bank when you were a child? I did. Mine sat empty for a long time until my mother convinced me that I should really start putting my pennies and nickels into it in order to save my money for when I was older and wanted to buy something.

So, I did. I had about forty cents on me from the sale of some baseball cards to one of my friends (probably a Reggie Jackson Rookie Card or something worth thousands today) and I plunked it into the piggy bank to save money for "when I was older." The next day I went to my mother and asked her, "How do you pray?" She was definitely taken aback by the question (I was probably five or six years old at the time), but gave me a long religious discussion about talking to God and waiting to hear an answer, the whole nine yards. I was puzzled by this response and asked my next question, "But how do you pray open?" She asked what I meant, so I went and got my piggy bank to show her the disc on the bottom which had a small slot perfectly sized for the insertion of a flathead screwdriver, upon which was stamped the phrase PRY OPEN. I was, after all, a day older and I wanted my forty cents for the ice cream man.

Too many people seem to have this same, childlike attitude toward saving money. They may open a savings account or even a CD account with the best intentions of saving money until they're "older," but find themselves making more withdrawals than deposits and, in the case of CD's and IRAs, sometimes paying hefty penalties to the bank. If you're one of these people, I implore you to stop.

Put down that screwdriver (withdrawal slip), and walk away so you can save money. The ice cream man (or new TV, stereo system, DVD player or whatever) may look pretty good now, but you'll probably want to have those funds when you're older and on a more limited income. Don't pry open your bank account - the piggy bank for adults - before your time. Heck, maybe you'll get better results by trying to pray it open instead.

by Mika Hamilton

Risky Business: You May Not be as Daring as You Think

I thought I was through with exams when I finished college. Then my financial adviser (a.k.a. stockbroker) had me take a test to measure my tolerance for risk. He said, there were no right or wrong answers, but I knew better.

Once I had taken a personality test when I was in career transition (a.k.a. unemployed). My counselor had said the same thing, "There is no right or?," but when he told me my score he noted it was on the edge of the bell curve - the wrong edge. My need for acceptance by others was high; so high that I could not confront a taxi driver who gave me zero change from a $10 bill, on a $4.50 fare.

I was very leery of taking this "risk-tolerance profile." As I expected the questions showed that I was a total "wuss." (In Pittsburgh, if you're 15 and a guy it means you always cover your ears in winter).

A typical question; if your portfolio dropped 21.8 percent in one year, would you:

a. Sell all your equities?

b. Sell 1/3 of your equities and buy intermediate-term, tax-free municipals?

c. No change, staying the course?

I selected 'c' not because I believed in my strategy but out of total fear.

And yet deep down, when it came to the important things in life I felt that I was a risk-taker. I could be as much a risk-taker as an F-16 fighter pilot or a New York City undercover cop. However, no test ever asked the real important questions of life, the kind of questions that affected my daily reality. Questions like:

You have to drive to the airport. You get in your car, turn on the engine, and the gas gauge is on "E." Do you: a) immediately fill up, b) drive to the airport but don't put on the air conditioning, or c) drive back and forth without ever looking at the gas gauge again. OK, now lets add some real risk to the above question. What is your answer assuming your spouse is in the car with you?

Now let's deal with food instead of hedge funds. For example, for breakfast you like your bagels dark but definitely not burned. You've just put a bagel in the toaster, and it is just not dark enough. You put it in the toaster again, just nudging the dial to the optimum position, taking into consideration the heat already generated and the level of darkness around the edges of the bagel. As you wait for your bagel, do you: a) stand there staring at the bagel, b) let the dog out, c) get your newspaper from the driveway and check the Knicks score.

How would your answer change if it were your last bagel?

Now lets deal with the most risky part of life - relationships: Its 11:30 p.m., Thanksgiving Eve; your wife is exhausted, having cooked the 24-pound turkey and the rest of the food. She asks you to place the turkey in the fridge in the basement. She reminds you of last year's fiasco when you forgot to refrigerate the bird. Do you: a) do it immediately; run upstairs to report to her that you completed the task. You then return to the basement to ensure that you have closed the fridge door, b) leave a note for your teenage son to do it when he comes in after midnight.

Now for extra credit. You get a call from your high-school sweetheart. She asks to meet you for coffee in an hour. Do you: a) decline and tell you wife about the call, b) decline and not tell you wife about the call, c) ask your son if you can borrow his mousse. You get the idea. On this kind of test, I would score very high.

I figure once I fine-tune my questions, I could use this kind of questionnaire to screen professionals trying to give me advice. For example, my internist wants me to come in to review the results of my prostate exam and to discuss the different options and the risks involved with each course of action. I may surprise him and ask him to complete my questionnaire first. I want to see what kind of risk-taker he is.

P.S. My stockbroker just took my exam. He failed. I am looking for a new broker. Any recommendations?

By Hesh Reinfeld

10 Tips to Make Sure Your Financial Budget Will Succeed

You've analyzed your past expenses, put them into spreadsheets, loaded Quicken with all of your data and come up with a budget. Now what? The tough part! You actually have to stick to your budget and put your plans into action. This is easier said than done. In many cases you will have forgotten about your budget and your financial goals 6 months or a year down the road. How do you keep this from happening to you?

Here's how. Make sure you follow some of these tips below so this doesn't happen to you.

1. Create a budget with realistic targets - Let's say one of your budget goals is to not eat out for lunch or dinner on a regular basis. If you are honest with yourself you may find this to be an unrealistic goal. Sometimes it's a nice break to eat out and have a relaxing rewarding evening. In other words, don't set the bar too high. Drastic and unrealistic goals are one of the surefire ways your budget will not succeed.

2. Budget for expenses that don't occur on a routine basis - Make sure you give consideration to expenses that occur once a year, such as holiday presents, birthdays, vacations, weddings, car maintenance costs, etc. These expenses don't occur every month and they will bust your budget plans wide open. Make a list of these events on a calendar and put a dollar figure to them. Place them in the month they are expected to occur so you can plan in advance how you will pay for them. The regular routine expenses are not the reason your budget will fail. It is these "gotchas" that will wreck havoc on your budget if you don't plan for them.

3. Put your budget in writing - Take the time to write down your budget plans. Making a mental note of your budget goals is a recipe for failure. Don't assume that your financial future will take care of itself by making a simple mental note to yourself. If you have your budget goals detailed in writing you can review and remind yourself weekly and monthly of your financial goals.

4. If you have a bad month or week, don't give up! - Let's say you have been reaching your budget goals for three months. In the fourth month, for whatever reason, you didn't reach your budget goals. Maybe you even stopped trying to stick to your budget! If this happens, don't just throw your hands up in the air and admit to failure. Everyone falls off the wagon sometimes. Your budget is a journey. There will be bumps in the road, so the key is to realize that everyone makes mistakes. This relates to a story I like about a great old time golfer named Walter Hagen. Before each round of golf, he told himself that he would have 4 or 5 bad shots. During the golf round, if he hit his ball into a bunker, he would tell himself, "There is one of my bad shots that I was expecting", hit the ball out of the bunker and move on. It didn't phase him one bit because he had knew there would be some bad shots in his round.

5. Adjust your budget over time - This one is a biggie! It can take months or even years to fine tune a personal budget. When you initially made your budget plans, you probably had to guess at some of your figures. They might not have been in touch with the realities of every day life. For example, you may have underestimated your monthly grocery or utility bills. If this happens, analyze all of the underlying money that was spend in this category to see if your initial estimate was unrealistic. If it was, try to come up with a more accurate number and then to stick to that new figure. It is this type of adjustment that is one of the keys to making sure you can stick to your budget.

6. Review your budget every month - This is where you will make any adjustments that are needed. Set aside the first day of each new month to review your income and expenditures and match them to your budget goals. By actively reviewing your finances and comparing it to your budget, you can adjust your spending habits. This gives you a chance to analyze areas that exceeded your budget expectations and make the adjustments in your spending habits or your budget. The goal here is to not forget about your budget. One tip that has worked for me is to put a printout of my basic budget goals on the refrigerator. That way every day, several times a day, I would notice my budget goals sheet. I may not read it every time, but I notice it and it reminds me that I need to stick to my budget. That is why tip number 3 is so important.

7. Set specific short-term goals - Let's say one of your budget goals is to have all of your credit card bills paid off in two years. If your credit card balances total $20,000 that would be $10,000 a year. Divide that number further into quarterly reductions in your credit card bills, in this case $2,500 every 3 months. Now, this is a more tangible budget goal to shoot for isn't it? I find that when I divide intermediate and long term goals into short-term tangible stepping stones, I am able to feel a greater sense of accomplishment and am more likely to succeed. This brings us to number seven?

8. Reward yourself - That's right! Treat yourself when you reach your some of your short-term goals. Since your financial budget is really a journey, take some time to smell the roses on your way. Sticking to your budget should not be a restrictive, unpleasant experience. Not only should you take the time to enjoy your financial accomplishments along the way, but use part of your budget for fun things that you enjoy. Just make sure your rewards don't end up breaking your budget!

9. Pay yourself first - I'm sure that one of your budget goals is to save and invest a portion of your income. One of the keys to make sure you succeed at this is to do what the IRS does with your paycheck, take it out of your discretionary income immediately. This way, the money is saved away right off the bat. Move the money immediately into a savings or mutual fund account. Many mutual fund companies can setup automatic deductions from your paycheck. Despite your best intentions to save, the hectic, daily demands of life can reduce the amount you are able to save.

10. Attitude is everything - When most people think of a budget, they picture restrictions and pain. Almost like a diet. You know what happens with most diets? They don't seem work for long! First, if your budget is too strict, too restrictive on your spending, it won't work either. However, you will need to limit your spending in some areas and this will take some adjustment in your attitude. I found that when I am feeling limited and sorry for myself when I can't purchase something that I want, I remember my financial goals I set with my budget. I think about the satisfaction I feel when I reach those goals. Over time, you find that you don't want to disappoint yourself by breaking your spending goals on a spur of the moment purchase. Now, I actually get more pleasure knowing that I am reaching my budget goals when the thought of an impulse purchase crosses my mind.

If you follow these tips, your budget plans are more likely to be a great success. By taking some simple steps you will find that living within a budget is not as tough as you imagined. It can actually be fun and rewarding!

By Greg Quincy

Identity Theft is a Major Problem: Whose Responsibility is It to Protect the Consumer?

We have heard a lot about consumers' personal information getting into the hands of identity thieves. More and more people are taking steps to minimize their exposure to such theft by reducing information on personal checks, refusing to share social security numbers with just anyone who asks, being prudent in their use of credit cards, and shredding "junk" mail that might allow another person to pose as them. However, we can do little to protect ourselves against lackadaisical security methods or unscrupulous business practices.

Because recent reports confirm that personal information continues to fall into the wrong hands, consumers have become increasingly concerned about how companies handle their personal information. But consumers can only do so much; then it's up to businesses to provide their customers with privacy policies that will ensure their information is handled appropriately and secured from the hands of would-be opportunists, as well as outright crooks.

How can this be accomplished? As business owners, managers, or supervisors, we need to establish and enforce effective company privacy policies. These polices should outline the handling, reviewing, storage, and destruction of customers' personal information, as well as that of employees. Once privacy polices are drawn up, they must be carried out. All employees should be trained in the handling of sensitive information. When employees obtain personal information from customers, several questions need to be asked. Who is allowed to handle it? How long will the information be unsecured? Can information viewed on computer screens be seen by others? How will the information be secured? Who will have access to it? How long will it be kept, and when will it be destroyed?

Establishing strict information handling procedures may be cumbersome. However, they are necessary if we are to gain and keep the confidence of our customers and our employees. Review the following privacy policies that should be established and practiced by every business.

? Adjust computer screens so customer information is not visible by anyone standing in close proximity. If the screen cannot be moved, place something in the line of sight to block unwanted viewers. Hanging plants, room dividers or frosted glass can block the view.

? Computers should be password protected. When an employee leaves his/her computer, it should always be secured and protected by a password. Even if you leave your computer for just a few minutes, unsecured information could be accessed by anyone passing by.

? Customer files should never remain unattended on a desk that can be accessed by customers or unauthorized employees (including cleaning or maintenance staff). Files left unattended can be quickly viewed and documents stolen or copied. Files should always be in a secured drawer or locked room when not in use.

? Customer information should be secured as quickly as possible. Once information is obtained from a customer, the document or program should not be left unattended. Secure all information before servicing another customer.

? When customer information is secured, assign specific employees who will have access to the information. The more employees who have access to the information, the more chances exist for misappropriation. Don't tempt employees with the access if they don't really need it.

? Don't discuss customer information when other customers or employees are able to hear. When requesting information from the customer, have the customers write it down for you. Once you are finished with the written information, it is very important that you hand it back to the customer. This way the customer can dispose of it, and there are no concerns that the written information is intentionally or inadvertently passed on to someone else.

? Don't leave outgoing mail out over night or over the weekend. Mail or any other documents that are waiting in an "out box" can be easily access by cleaning, maintenance, or service staff, as well as by children or friends of employees. Keep outgoing items secured until pick up time. A central location should be designated for such items during the week. Often items placed with other out going mail or documents are quickly forgotten, that is, until the recipient notifies you that the document has not been received. The more time that has lapsed between sending and receiving the mail or documents, the less likely you will be to locate them.

? Documents waiting to be shredded should be in a secure place. Many offices use a box under each desk, where documents are thrown until the end of the week. This system provides easy access to documents that are seldom noticed if they go missing. Shred bins should be locked or kept in a locked room. Larger bins are often used to store documents until a document disposal company takes them. These bins should also be locked or kept in a secured area.

As employers, we often obtain information from Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRAs), to help with our hiring decisions. The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA) places emphasis on the accuracy of information, and under new FACTA provisions, any business that uses consumer reporting agencies must adopt proper disposal procedures for the information obtained.

Consumer Reporting Agencies are not just "credit" reports issued by one of the three major credit bureaus. Consumer reports include medical records or payments, insurance claims, employment history, check writing history, and residential or tenant rental history. There are several companies that specialize in providing reports for specific purposes. FACTA defines companies that issue non-credit reports as "nationwide specialty consumer reporting agencies." Consumers may request a free annual report from any of the specialty CRAs.

FACTA also says that receipts for credit and debit card transactions can include no more than the last five digits of the credit card number and expiration date. If you are using a merchant processing machine check to make sure the program is not printing the entire number. If it is, call your provider and request the program be updated to comply with FACTA. Noncompliance could result in fines.

Take steps now to ensure that your merchant processing program will not print the entire credit/debit card number. This does not apply to merchants who only accept handwritten or imprinted card information. This method creates its own problem of securing the consumers card information at all times.

What all this boils down to is that we, as employers, business owners, managers, and supervisors need to make a greater effort to provide our customers with the peace of mind that their identities and their information are safe with us. All of our employees need to handle customer information with care and respect that is apparent to all customers. Without our help in the secure handling of the personal information of our customers and employees, the fight to stop identity theft and fraud will continue to rage. We need to be smarter than the crooks by eliminating their means of obtaining information.

Who knows, the next customer to have information stolen might just be you.

By Cindy Schroeter Graham

How to Choose the Right Bank for Your Online Business

You should thoroughly consider your business needs when selecting a financial institution or bank for your small/home business. You may want to consider the following points:

- The types of products and services that are offered.

- The bank's criteria for qualifying for a loan.

- The minimum balances for accounts, interest rates and charges for account services.

- Location and Access to ATMs

- Online Banking Services

One bank may specialize in home loans or auto loans while another may focus on commercial loans for businesses. Some banks may only offer basic deposit accounts while others have lock box services, sweep accounts, and even online banking! It's very important to evaluate your business needs before you select your banker.

Here are some of the things that your banker may be able to help you with:

- Help you with the cash management needs of your business.

- Offer investment products of varying maturities or risks.

- Provide advice regarding what it will take to qualify for the loan that best meets your needs.

- Provide special loan programs for small businesses, including SBA loan programs and other government-guaranteed or agency loans.

- Assist you with finding financial information on your industry.

So compare different banks in order to find the one that will serve your business's needs and will also provide support and assistance during the infancy stage of your business. Selecting a bank that you can work with will be especially important as your business grows.

Start shopping around by gathering information to help you make this important selection. Compare interest rates on deposit accounts and basic consumer loans (most business loans are negotiated, so the rates won't be posted at the banking center). Also, look carefully at the charges for services. Tell them about your business and the form of organization so that they can tell you what special products and services or restrictions might apply.

Before selecting a bank, be sure to have a good understanding of your own business needs, and what you need from your bank. If you know what you will need from a bank, it will be much easier to evaluate and compare between various services. Remember, it is a good idea to establish a relationship with a banker, before you need money. The right banker will be someone that understands the needs of emerging and growing businesses. They will be interested in your business dreams and will help you achieve them.

By Chileshe Mwape

What is ChexSystems?

Commonly referred to as the first of the three major "Check Systems" in the U.S., Chex Systems is an association of financial institutions that network together in order to develop a database that maintains the records of mutually unwanted customers. To make sure that only financially responsible individuals open up checking accounts at member institutions, these banks report on customers who demonstrate poor financial management skills. When a customer's checking account is closed due to demonstrated mismanagement, then he or she is reported to Chex Systems. Once done, the customer will have a very difficult time opening up an account at any other financial institution partnered with Chex Systems for the next five years.

Since the vast majority of financial institutions (banks) reject potential customers who are on file at Chex Systems, being reported to them can put an individual at an extreme disadvantage. But what, exactly, does it take to get a checking account closed and reported to Chex Systems in the first place? The answer the bank usually gives out is simply "closed for cause." Yet there are many ways that a customer can end up having his or her account terminated. These range from acts as serious as fraud to the simple irresponsibility that leads to excessive overdrafts. It is important to remember, however, that policy can vary greatly between financial institutions. Depending upon which bank is in question, instances in which accounts are "closed for cause" can involve customers:

? not reimbursing their bank for overdraft amounts

? misusing savings accounts, ATMs or debit cards

? offering information that is misleading at the time the account is opened

Yet while there are many factors that can lead to account closure, banks are not always forthcoming about the specific reason for terminating an account. This can lead to some confusion when one seeks the reason for being denied a new account. Fortunately, anyone who has been blocked from opening an account at a financial institution due to the involvement of Chex Systems can request a copy of their Chex Systems file and use the information provided on our website to begin banking again quickly.


By Scott Felix

Budgeting Made Easy

Well, dang! From what I've heard and read, it looks like we've reached an all-time world-class new record in the amount of personal debt on the books. Now it's probably not quite as bad as we've been led to believe, however many of us have managed to tromp further than we should have into the financial swamp. How well we'll be able to find our way back out to dry ground will depend on our knowing just where the heck we are in the first place. And that takes us right to the "B" word.

"Budgets"

For some of us, the word immediately congers up visions of frowning accountant-type folks, complicated computer programs and mountains of wadded up balls of scratch paper piling up around the kitchen table. For those of us who are fiscally challenged and would prefer to place our faith entirely in the benevolence of the Saints of the Oblivious Shopper, even the mention of the "B" word is enough to drive us to the emotional security of watching the latest TV reality shows.

I really hate to be the one to break the news to you, but just stuffing the bills behind the rooster cookie jar on the counter until you get around to paying some of them is not a real good start toward financial security. Nor is the technique of paying what you can until you run out of whatever money you think you have in the checking account. Both of these will have about the same effect as the time-honored technique of tossing the bills at the wall to see if they stick. You know what I'm talking about, right? If they stick, they get paid. If not - oh well, better luck next month!

Here's a suggestion for a fairly painless step toward controlling your personal cash flow. (That's like making a budget but I didn't want to scare anyone off here?) Get a spiral binder, pick a page and draw in a bunch of columns. No, it doesn't make any difference how many. At least five would be good.

In the first column, write down the names of your expenses. You know, like food, house payment or rent, gas, car payment, electricity, phone, child care, credit cards - that kind of stuff. Put one expense name on each line as you go down the column. Don't forget the clothes, entertainment and insurance entries. Even if you pay your insurance quarterly or semi-annually, you need to break this down into a monthly "expense" so you can save for it or at least see where you stand. If you'd like, it's not a bad idea to list the expenses in payday groups. List the bills you'll need to pay from the first pay day of the month in one section of the column and create a separate group for the bills that should get your attention on the second payday. Whatever works best for you.

In the second column, write down how much you normally spend each month for each of the expense entries in the first column. If you're not sure, take your best guess and write it in pencil. You can always make adjustments later.

At the top of the remaining columns, write in the names of the months that are coming up. You'll use these columns to record your actual payments as you make them.

Now, just for the heck of it, add up your estimated expenses and compare the total to your projected monthly income. If what's going out is more than what's coming in, you know right from the get-go that you'll need to make some adjustments. If the figures show that you should have money left over at the end of the month but it never seems to work out that way, there are obviously some expenses you've forgotten about - or maybe weren't really aware of in the first place. How about maintenance on the house or car? Medical expenses? Birthday and Christmas gifts? Or how about eating out? Was this included in the food expense - or the entertainment expense? And yeah, going out for lunch and the quick snacks or drinks at your favorite convenience store need to be included somewhere.

Next - instead of shoving the bills behind the cookie jar when they come in, just toss them into the spiral binder on your current budget page. That way you'll always know exactly where they are. When you pay them, be sure to remember to write down the amount in the appropriate column.

Here are a couple of hints on bill-paying. Do it first, right after payday before you spend the money on anything else. Plan ahead. Allow at least a week for the check to travel to your lender and be credited to your account. Two weeks is even better. The last thing you want to see is a series of late payments on your credit report. If you haven't gotten a bill yet and you know it needs to be paid out of this week's paycheck, hold the money and don't spend it on other stuff.

Debit cards are great but they can quickly cause problems if we're not careful. If you like to make purchases with a debit card, be sure to tuck the receipt in your wallet and then remember to write the amount in your checkbook as soon as you get home. Then either write that amount in the appropriate column in your budget or simply toss it in the spiral binder for entry later. If you normally make several trips to the grocery store in a month, just paper clip the receipts together and enter the totals into your "ledger" a couple times a month. Weekly if you wish. If you like to pay your bills on-line, remember to enter the amount in both your checkbook and ledger.

All-in-one stores - those that carry groceries and a variety of other items - tend to complicate the budgeting process because we really should separate the purchases so we can see where we're spending our money. Make it easy on yourself. If your basket is filled mostly with groceries and the "other item" purchases are small, just enter everything in the food column. If you normally purchase a significant quantity of "other stuff" along with the groceries, you should think about either separating the expenses yourself (a pain in the rear) or having them rung up separately as you check out (also a pain in the backside). Or maybe a separate trip through the store would work better for you. Your choice?

Credit card payments. If at all possible, pay more than the minimum amount. There's no reason to keep forking over your money in the form of interest payments to big corporations for the next umpteen years if you can avoid it. It's best of course, if you can pay any credit card debt off monthly. If that's not possible, then concentrate first on the high-interest cards to get them out of the way as soon as possible. Pick one and do everything you can to get it paid off. Then go to the next one on the list and take care of it. I don't need to remind you that it's not a real good idea to charge more on these cards while you working so hard to pay them off, do I? Nah, I didn't think so. While you're at it, once a card is paid off, seriously consider canceling it. There's no good reason to have more than a couple of credit cards - of any type - in any one household. So remove the plastic temptations from your wallet and take one more step away from the swamp.

One more thing on credit cards. OK, maybe a couple more. Credit cards are for convenience and maybe emergencies. They're not to live on. Convenience for those individuals who find it advantageous to accumulate their expenditures so they can make a single payment once a month. Uh folks, that's not a good approach for most of us. We can too easily slip into believing that whatever limit is showing on the card is really our money and spend accordingly. A direct path into the swamp. As far as emergencies are concerned, it's better to have a stash of cash set aside to handle those unforeseen events, however sometimes that just isn't possible. So OK, use the cards for emergencies if necessary, but your budgeting still needs to include a potential emergency repayment amount. And let's face it, if you're stashing cash for emergency repayment it won't be long until you'll really have the money available to cover most situations and you won't need to use the card anyway. By the way, if your credit is in good shape, it's far better to snag a bank or credit union loan at a much better interest rate to handle those emergency expenses. One last thing on credit cards. If you can't pay the bill in full each month then don't use them to eat out. That creates some very expensive meals that will provide you with just enough energy to lead you even further into the swamp.

So where is this leading us? Well, after tracking all - I repeat, all - your expenditures for two or three months, you should have a real good idea of where you stand. If your monthly expenses - including allowances for maintenance, entertainment and emergencies - is greater than your income, you only have a couple of options. Either increase your income in some way such as through a part-time job or reduce your expenses. That's about it. And sure, if you're facing a major financial crisis, credit counseling may be the way to go. If that's the case, be careful of the organization you choose to help you out. Articles in MSN Money indicate that you'll be safe if you stick with either Consumer Credit Counseling Services or Myvesta (a non-profit financial crisis center).

The bottom line? By using the spiral binder budgeting technique, you'll be able to quickly get a better grasp on where your money is going - and you'll be able to see at a glance where you stand at any time during the month. Hopefully, you'll be able to also set aside some coins not only for emergencies but also for the more fun things like vacations. And if you're not doing it already, work toward being able to slide a portion of your earnings into a long-term savings account. By paying off the old credit cards, you're already taking major steps in that direction but as soon as possible, establish a real savings account where you can earn at least a little interest on your money. Consider having this direct deposited into the account from the amount you earn at your job. If you don't see it, you won't miss it as much.

One last thing. Be sure to tell your kids that the secret to a really comfortable retirement is to save just ten percent of everything they earn. Nah, they probably won't listen but it's good advice anyway?

By Gene Simmons

Reporting Identity Theft

Would you know what to do if you suspect that your personal information had been stolen and used by thieves to open new accounts? It's important that you take the right actions to clear your name as quickly as possible.

In 2005, the laws were changed to allow anyone to review their credit report yearly without having to pay a fee. You can also get a free credit report if you were denied credit during the previous 60 days. By reviewing your credit report periodically, you have a better chance of stopping any unauthorized activity more quickly. There are services that, for a small fee, will monitor your information each business day to ensure that no one else has access to your accounts.

If the worst should happen and your identity is stolen, do you know what to do first and where to report the crime? Are you aware of what forms need to be filled out, or where to send them? Often, the police won't take an active role or even open an investigation. There will be considerable paperwork to complete and send to all of the responsible companies and agencies.

The process of clearing your name can seem overwhelming at times. Having guidelines to walk you through the stages can make the difference between effectively submitting your documentation, and battling through months of bureaucratic red tape.

Although the Federal Trade Commission is the lead agency for identity theft issues, there are a number of other federal and state agencies that have jurisdiction, depending upon the type of crime committed. You may need to contact a host of agencies, companies, credit bureaus, and investigators. It frequently takes many months or even years to correct the errors.

You'll also need to keep very accurate files of all contacts, including conversations and written correspondence. It may be easiest to make a chart and include date, agency or company, contact person, and a summary of the information discussed. Keep copies of all original documents, and only send out copies. Send them certified mail, return receipt requested. That way, you have documentation of when your letters were received.

With patience, determination, and a "game plan" describing what to do, you can get through this very difficult experience and begin to put your life back together.

By Norm McAlister

I Want to Buy a Home - Now What?

If you were to ask 100 women "What would you like to achieve financially?" Buying a home or apartment is usually one of the answers. Some women think that they can never own a home - which is not true! In fact, there are so many success stories of home buyers who never thought they would get there. In addition, homeowners tend to have greater financial success in the other areas of their finances life. I've seen it over and over.

The benefits of owning a home include: building equity, saving money on taxes and an integral step towards building wealth. With interest rates so low, this is a great environment to buy a home. This article is a checklist with tips and guidelines to buying a home. If you already own a home, some of these tips will be helpful for refinancing your home. Real estate is not a substitute for stocks but it plays a big part in your financial fitness.

1) CHECK YOUR CREDIT. Get a recent a copy of your credit report, especially your FICO score (the score lenders use to determine your interest rate). Check out www.myfico.com.

2) HOW MUCH HOME CAN YOU AFFORD? Start with your monthly payment and plug it into a mortgage calculator. (Great one on www.eloan.com: Affordability Calculator). This site tells you how much home you can afford assuming certain numbers. For example, if you make $6,000 per month before taxes, you can afford anywhere from $125,000 to $345,000 assuming $25,000 as a down payment. There are different choices with the actual monthly payments. If you don't have enough saved for a down payment, create a separate savings account and come up with a savings schedule. Only borrow what you can afford!!!

3) ORGANIZE YOUR DOCUMENTS. Get together the following documentation: past 3 years of tax returns, recent paychecks, bank statements, investment statements and all other financial statements.

4) WHICH MORTGAGE IS THE BEST FOR YOU? Understand the different mortgage options. Most are based on a 30-year amortization cycle: fixed-rate, adjustable and a hybrid. Hybrids are very popular now; fixed rate for a certain amount of time and then they adjust annually. Consider a 15- or 20-year fixed rate mortgage. The payments will be a bit higher, but you will end up paying much less interest over the course of the mortgage and be debt-free much sooner!

5) SHOULD YOU PAY POINTS? A point is equal to 1% of your loan amount. You pay a point to receive a lower interest rate on your loan. If you get a low enough rate, paying points can be worth it.

6) SHOP AROUND. Work with a mortgage broker or check out a few mortgage websites: www.e-loan.com, www.bankrate.com

7) PRE-APPROVAL 6 MONTHS BEFORE BUYING A HOME. Get pre-approved for a loan from the bank or your mortgage broker. It gets the process going faster and in a competitive market, it gives you the edge.

8) MINIMIZE YOUR DEBT. Avoid big-ticket purchases so not to add to your debt load.

9) SAVE MONEY ON TAXES. Points paid for a first-time home (not for refinancing) can be deducted in the year your home was closed.

10) BE CAREFUL OF COSTS. Don't ignore transaction costs and watch closing costs very carefully. There are also many hidden costs of home buying: moving, minor renovations (especially if you are buying an older home). Make sure you are prepared.

11) DIVERSIFY, DIVERSIFY, DIVERSIFY. Don't tie up all your assets in your home.

12) PAY YOUR MORTGAGE AUTOMATICALLY. Get it taken from bank account automatically every month. You don't ruin your credit and don't forget to pay every month on time.

13) REFINANCING? · Shop around for interest rates. · Start with the bank that currently holds your mortgage. It may give you a good deal just to keep your business. · Avoid paying points. When you refinance, you can deduct only a portion of the points each year, so it's usually not a good deal. · Don't try to outsmart the market and wait for interest rates to hit their low point. If the numbers make sense for you, go for it.

14) PMI INSURANCE. You will have to pay monthly PMI insurance if you put down a down-payment less than 20%. Once you are paying your mortgage for more than a year, ask your lender to reconsider.

15) BAD CREDIT? DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FOR A DOWN-PAYMENT? · You can use your investments or securities as collateral for buying a home. · Consider a low-documentation, no documentation or sub-prime mortgage. You will pay a higher interest rate but it will help build your credit and equity. · Also, check out these government agencies: · Freddie Mac www.freddiemac.com. · Fannie Mae www.fanniemae.com. · www.hud.gov/fha.

16) OTHER MORTGAGE OPTIONS: · Bi-weekly mortgages, · Customized mortgages - usually offered by local banks, · Use investment portfolio as collateral and a smaller cash down-payment.

17) HOME INSPECTION. Have an inspection done by someone with accreditation (www.nahi.org).

18) REMODELING? If you remodel, be diligent about keeping records. The right improvements can decrease your taxable gains when you sell.

19) CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY NOW? But want to get into real estate? Check out REIT stocks or REIT mutual funds, www.investinreits.com.

By Galia Gichon

Bankruptcy Chapters Explained

Chapter 7



The potential chapter 7 debtor should understand that a straight bankruptcy case does not involve the filing of a plan of repayment as in chapter 13, but rather envisions the bankruptcy trustee's gathering and sale of the debtor's nonexempt assets, from which holders of claims (creditors) will receive distributions in accordance with the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code. Part of the debtor's property may be subject to liens and mortgages that pledge the property to other creditors. In addition, under chapter 7, the individual debtor is permitted to retain certain "exempt" property. The debtor's remaining assets are liquidated by a trustee. Accordingly, potential debtors should realize that the filing of a petition under chapter 7 may result in the loss of property.



In order to qualify for relief under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code, the debtor must be an individual, a partnership, or a corporation. 11 U.S.C. §§ 109(b); 101(41). Relief is available under chapter 7 irrespective of the amount of the debtor's debts or whether the debtor is solvent or insolvent. An individual cannot file under chapter 7 or any other chapter, however, if during the preceding 180 days a prior bankruptcy petition was dismissed due to the debtor's willful failure to appear before the court or comply with orders of the court or the debtor voluntarily dismissed the previous case after creditors sought relief from the bankruptcy court to recover property upon which they hold liens. 11 U.S.C. §§ 109(g), 362(d) and (e).



One of the primary purposes of bankruptcy is to discharge certain debts to give an honest individual debtor a "fresh start." The discharge has the effect of extinguishing the debtor's personal liability on dischargeable debts. In a chapter 7 case, however, a discharge is available to individual debtors only, not to partnerships or corporations. 11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(1). Although the filing of an individual chapter 7 petition usually results in a discharge of debts, an individual's right to a discharge is not absolute, and some types of debts are not discharged. Moreover, a bankruptcy discharge does not extinguish a lien on property.



Chapter 11



A case filed under chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code is frequently referred to as a "reorganization" bankruptcy.



How Chapter 11 Works



A bankruptcy case commences when a bankruptcy petition is filed with the bankruptcy court. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 1002. A petition may be a voluntary petition, which is filed by the debtor, or it may be an involuntary petition, which is filed by creditors that meet certain requirements. 11 U.S.C. §§ 301, 303. A voluntary petition should adhere to the format of Form 1 of the Official Forms prescribed by the Judicial Conference of the United States. The Official Forms may be purchased at legal stationery stores or download from the internet at www.uscourts.gov. The voluntary petition will include standard information concerning the debtor's name(s), social security number or tax identification number, residence, location of principal assets (if a business), the debtor's plan or intention to file a plan, and a request for relief under the appropriate chapter of the Bankruptcy Code. In addition, the voluntary petition will indicate whether the debtor qualifies as a small business as defined in 11 U.S.C. § 101(51C) and whether the debtor elects to be considered a small business under 11 U.S.C. § 1121(e).



Upon the filing of a voluntary petition for relief under chapter 11 or, in an involuntary case, the entry of an order for such relief, the debtor automatically assumes an additional identity as the "debtor in possession." 11 U.S.C. § 1101. The term refers to a debtor that keeps possession and control of its assets while undergoing a reorganization under chapter 11, without the appointment of a case trustee. A debtor will remain a debtor in possession until the debtor's plan of reorganization is confirmed, the debtor's case is dismissed or converted to chapter 7, or a chapter 11 trustee is appointed. The appointment or election of a trustee occurs only in a small number of cases. Generally, the debtor, as "debtor in possession," operates the business and performs many of the functions that a trustee performs in cases under other chapters. 11 U.S.C. § 1107(a).



A written disclosure statement and a plan of reorganization must be filed with the court. 11 U.S.C. § 1121. The disclosure statement is a document that must contain information concerning the assets, liabilities, and business affairs of the debtor sufficient to enable a creditor to make an informed judgment about the debtor's plan of reorganization. 11 U.S.C. § 1125. The information required is governed by judicial discretion and the circumstances of the case. The contents of the plan must include a classification of claims and must specify how each class of claims will be treated under the plan. 11 U.S.C. § 1123. Creditors whose claims are "impaired," i.e., those whose contractual rights are to be modified or who will be paid less than the full value of their claims under the plan, vote on the plan by ballot. 11 U.S.C. § 1126. After the disclosure statement is approved and the ballots are collected and tallied, the bankruptcy court will conduct a confirmation hearing to determine whether to confirm the plan. 11 U.S.C. § 1128.



Chapter 12



In tailoring chapter 12 to meet the economic realities of family farming, this law has eliminated many of the barriers that family farmers had faced when seeking to reorganize successfully under either chapter 11 or 13 of the Bankruptcy Code. For example, chapter 12 is more streamlined, less complicated, and less expensive than chapter 11, which is better suited to the large corporate reorganization. In addition, few family farmers find chapter 13 to be advantageous, because it was designed for wage earners who have smaller debts than those facing family farmers. In chapter 12, Congress sought to combine the features of the Bankruptcy Code which can provide a framework for successful family farm reorganizations. At the time of the enactment of chapter 12, Congress could not be sure whether chapter 12 relief for the family farmer would be required indefinitely. Accordingly, the law (which first provided that no chapter 12 cases could be filed after September 30, 1993) currently provides that no cases may be filed under chapter 12 after July 1, 2000.



The Bankruptcy Code provides that only a family farmer with "regular annual income" may file a petition for relief under chapter 12. 11 U.S.C. §§ 101(18), 109(f). The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that the debtor's annual income is sufficiently stable and regular to permit the debtor to make payments under a chapter 12 plan. Allowance is made under chapter 12, however, for situations in which family farmers may have income that is seasonal in nature. Relief under this chapter is voluntary; thus, only the debtor may file a petition under chapter 12.



Chapter 13



Chapter 13 is designed for individuals with regular income who desire to pay their debts but are currently unable to do so. The purpose of chapter 13 is to enable financially distressed individual debtors, under court supervision and protection, to propose and carry out a repayment plan under which creditors are paid over an extended period of time. Under this chapter, debtors are permitted to repay creditors, in full or in part, in installments over a three-year period, during which time creditors are prohibited from starting or continuing collection efforts. A plan providing for payments over more than three years must be "for cause" and be approved by the court. In no case may a plan provide for payments over a period longer than five years. 11 U.S.C. § 1322(d).



Any individual, even if self-employed or operating an unincorporated business, is eligible for chapter 13 relief as long as the individual's unsecured debts are less than $269,250 and secured debts are less than $807,750. 11 U.S.C. § 109(e). A corporation or partnership may not be a chapter 13 debtor. Id.



An individual cannot file under chapter 13 or any other chapter if, during the preceding 180 days, a prior bankruptcy petition was dismissed due to the debtor's willful failure to appear before the court or comply with orders of the court or was voluntarily dismissed after creditors sought relief from the bankruptcy court to recover property upon which they hold liens. 11 U.S.C. §§ 109(g), 362(d) and (e).



For more information, please visit www.mybankruptcycounseling.com

Nathan Dawson

Do You Really Need the Power of Money Management Software?

I have been a loyal user of Quicken(R) for more years than I can remember. But a conversation the other day with my youngest son started me wondering whether or not I really need money management software.

The difference is what most banks have done with their online banking in the past few years.

It used to be that the only way you could keep track of your spending online, pay bills and determine where you had spent your money was to have a money management program.

However, today you can get most of that information you need from your bank. For example, we have two accounts at a bank I'll call First Denver National. When I sign on for online banking, I have a choice of Account Summary, which shows me how much money I have in each account. Bill Pay or Transfer.

If I select Account Summary and then click on the name of the account, I can see a list of all my deposits and withdrawals for the past 30 days.

When I click on a hyperlink titled "Spending Report," I can see exactly where I spent money for the past 30 days by category such as utilities or groceries.

If I choose Bill Pay, I can pay a bill once or create a recurring payment. Naturally, I have to set up payment information for each of my creditors but I have to do this only once. In my case, I have provided payment information for six of my creditors, including our local power company, satellite TV provider, telephone company and so forth. I have not established any recurring payments as all our bills vary from month to month.

When the monthly bill comes in from, say, our local power company, I open my online account, select Bill Pay, and then tell my bank which day I want the bill paid and for what amount. This all takes maybe 30 seconds.

Now, my money management program does offer many features that are not available through my bank. For example, I can quickly generate reports such as "Am I saving more or less?," "Has my spending changed in this category?," "What am I worth?", "How are my investments doing?," and "Did I meet my budget?" In addition, my program provides a lot of tax related information.

The problem is, I don't use these reports. I would guess that at least 90 percent of the information I need on a daily basis is available through my online accounts.

Don't get me wrong. Programs like Quicken and Microsoft Money(R) are powerful programs with a bevy of great features. However, before you invest in one of these programs, you need to ask yourself whether or not you really need all that power. Do you have a lot of investments you want to keep track of? Do you own a business? Do you use a tax program such as TurboTax? If the answer to any one of these questions is "yes," you probably need money management software. On the other hand, if you answered "no" to all three, you may be able to get by with just the free information available from your bank.

Before you make a final decision, there is one other factor to consider. In our case, the bank charges for both online banking and bill pay. The charge is about $10 a month or $120 a year. In comparison, a program such as Quicken Basic 2005 costs only $29.99 and includes both bill pay and online banking.* This means that if your bank changes you for either of these services, you might be better off buying a money management program - even if you never use many of its features.

*Some banks my charge for online banking even when you use a money management program. Be sure to talk with your bank before making a final decision.

(R)Quicken is a registered trademark of Intuit Corp.
(R)Microsoft Money is baa registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
All other registered names are the property of their respective owners.

Strategies for Success

Holy Shenanigans! More STUFF?

Loosing one's business due to lack of personal control is a sad thing. I've watched many people do just exactly that. Recently, a friend told me that her only money is in her business account and she's been using it rather freely. The business is losing money. It's going under, because it can't support itself. She has another income, but she's not living within her means.

So, what is she buying with 'her money'? Frivolities, unnecessary trivialities, and 'bargains'. She and I have discussed the 'bargains' she buys. She's got more STUFF than any ten people NEED, and she still buys because it makes her 'feel good'. The fact of the matter is, she owns a big old building completely full of 'STUFF' she refuses to 'sell' because it's got personal value, and it's important to her, but the roof is falling in on the building, pigeons are in the building pooping on all of her prized possessions, so she buys more 'STUFF' to solve the problem. Ten dollar swimming pools to keep the rain from dripping onto her antique furniture and collectibles, plastic to cover them. Meanwhile the mice are eating through the upholstery and gnawing through the antique woods.

The reason she does this - is it provides her with emotional 'security'. As long as she has 'STUFF' she has 'security', she thinks. In the mean while, she's working at a job to support her 'STUFF' habit, and loosing her business, because she's wasting the money from her 'business', instead of using it to build a business that would eventually support her - if she didn't have all that 'STUFF' draining her income. She doesn't have security; she has 'STUFF' being ruined by the frivolous manner in which she is spending her money.

To say she is eccentric, actually only gives credence to her behavior. The fact of the manner is, she doesn't have the money to be eccentric. She has 'STUFF' which isn't going to get her anywhere, because her 'STUFF' is not appreciating, it's getting ruined. She has friends, but she doesn't listen to them, she has to have her 'STUFF'. I'm actually afraid my friend is going to be a lonely old person taking care of her 'STUFF' because she just can't quite realize that she needs to build relationships with people, and let go of her 'STUFF'.

One time, I even ask her about 'friends' and she responded she doesn't have anyone she can trust. I can understand why. She's worked her entire life to develop a relationship with her 'STUFF'. I consider her a friend, and I have gone the extra mile to make our friendship work. I wonder sometimes at my dedication to the friendship - because sometimes I feel like I'm working toward a dead end. Particularly when it comes to her business. I worked for nothing at times while I attempted to help her get her business up and running. I felt eventually it would be worth something to her. But, she feels if she buys me 'stuff' she's somehow making it worth my time to help her. Her values are misplaced, and her priorities are dysfunctional.

The saddest thing is, she's filling up her business with her 'STUFF' and when she looses the business, and she will loose her 'STUFF' too. Then what will she do? Her 'STUFF' isn't taken care of, it's just stashed there, taking up space and loosing value.

Every time I see her, I want to scream, "Holy Shenanigans, MORE STUFF!" But, I don't think she would understand the problem - EVEN then!!!

By Jan Verhoeff

Credit Card Debt - Watch Your Credit Report and Your Bill

Most consumers are aware of the importance of their credit report. This document, offered to consumers and lenders by the three major credit bureaus, offers a fairly complete list of financial transactions and debts incurred by a consumer. Lenders examine the report, along with the associated FICO score, to determine whether a consumer is worthy of receiving additional credit or loans. What many consumers may not know is that credit card companies regularly check their credit reports, and unfavorable entries may result in a higher interest rate on their credit cards.

We have previously noted that many credit card companies employ something known as a "universal default clause" in their terms of service. This clause allows the company to raise interest rates on the customer's card if the customer pays bills late. A late payment to the phone company could result in a higher interest rate on the Visa card. Most companies also allow themselves the latitude to raise their customers' interest rates for any reason at all. With this in mind, the credit card companies tend to run occasional credit checks on their customers, often raising rates if they notice any activity that, in their opinion, makes the customer a higher risk. This might happen even if the customer has a history of paying his or her credit card bills on time.

The sorts of things that may create a "risky" client include taking out additional loans, additional credit cards, or building balances on existing cards to at or near their limits. The companies justify this activity by saying that consumers who do these things create greater risk for the lender, and these costs must be passed on to all of their customers. The problem for the customer is that these higher interest rates are often assigned without warning. The new rate applies to existing balances, too. An interest rate hike today could mean that the television you bought last fall has suddenly become more expensive.

Avoiding A Nightmare On Renovation Street

You've decided you want a bigger, better and more desirable house. How do you determine when to renovate, what to do and importantly, how much will it cost and will we get our money back?

Unless you're in the building industry, most people are fairly naïve when it comes to making decisions about renovating. Poor choices can be costly, especially if you over-capitalise and spend too much money on the house of your dreams.

Michael Hoad of the Subiaco offices of real estate agents Paxton Hoad says many people make the mistake of not planning and fully costing their renovations.

"Any form of construction costs more than you think when you start and many people don't understand or underestimate what it costs to renovate."

"They make a lot of mistakes, often costly ones, such as why did I do that, I wish I made that smaller or bigger," he said.

Hoad also believes renovations date and what looked wonderful and up to date in 1985 may now look totally out of place.

"Everything has a life span and people really need to work out how long they're going to be in the house and the purpose for the renovations."

To avoid overcapitalising he recommends potential renovators look at the suburb and get a feel for what property is worth in the area before committing.

He gives the example of Subiaco, where land is tight, "if you've got a spot, in a half reasonable location, you'll get your money back and more."

He gives the example of owners in the suburb spending between $250,000 and $350,00 on renovations.

"The greatest increment is in the value of the land, houses generally depreciate offsetting increasing construction costs."

He also gives the example of a house valued at $400,000, where the transaction costs of moving cost more than $26,000 once agents fees and stamp duty are taken into account.

"Renovating is rewarding, it appeals to some people. Some people love it and others are not so creative," Hoad said.

Fremantle based architect, Philip Nikulinsky says many renovators get emotionally attached to a house and this is where they either overcapitalise or compromise the design of the renovation.

"A lot of people spend too much on the finishes and go overboard, that's when it becomes expensive."

"You've got to look at the end product. Every time you do something a bit different you're going to have to pay for it,' he said.

He says any significant renovation starts at around $120,000 and for older character style renovations owners should budget around $1,200 per square metre.

Nikulinsky's advice, "be rational about it, have nice finishes but don't go overboard."

This is a view backed up by builder Gary Matson of Subiaco Homes. He says it's often cheaper to demolish a house and start again.

"For 30s, 40s and 50s houses there's not a lot to retain, so you're spending a lot of money to achieve fairly little," he said.

In older areas he says its worth keeping the character, but again emphasises the importance of doing a budget and looking at ways of how money can be saved to avoid blowing out the budget.

Here are 8 tips for first time renovators.

1. Have your house valued. Get an independent view on how much your asset is worth. This will provide a benchmark on how much to spend.

2. Gather information about your area. Talk to real estate agents about how much properties in your area or street have been selling for. Get a feel for the market.

3. Work out what you want? What style of renovation do you want? In period or ultra-contemporary? What will you use the renovations for? What type of look do you want? This will determine the finishes and impact on your budget.

4. Plan your budget before you start. Work out how much you want to spend, how you will finance your renovations and what you expect to get for your money. Do you want to spend $6,000 on a kitchen or $26,000?

5. Do your sums and compare the costs of renovating versus selling.

6. Take a long hard look at the positives and negatives of each option in a logical and rational way.

7. Avoid becoming emotionally attached to your property or a design. Often this can cloud your views, costing too much money for your budget or impacting on the overall effect of the renovation. Take a rational approach to the decision of selling and moving versus renovating, or demolishing versus renovating.

8. Seek professional help. Get a range of quotes from builders, architects and those in the industry.

By Thomas Murrell MBA CSP