tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63940733891559843242024-03-12T18:11:35.590-05:00Family Investment Centerfamilyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.comBlogger575125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-71045041278063484502014-07-31T10:53:00.001-05:002014-07-31T11:14:38.598-05:00Change<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<em>By Olivia Sandham</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.familyinvestmentcenter.com/">Family Investment Center</a> recently
introduced our new <a href="http://www.familyinvestmentcenter.com/">logo and website</a>. Our new <a href="http://www.familyinvestmentcenter.com/">website</a>
includes much more than the basics, including dozens of useful <a href="http://www.familyinvestmentcenter.com/calculators">financial calculators</a> and interesting <a href="http://www.familyinvestmentcenter.com/media-mentions">articles</a>, as well as an area for our very own <a href="http://www.familyinvestmentcenter.com/fic-blog">blog</a>. With the ability to now post directly to our <a href="http://www.familyinvestmentcenter.com/fic-blog">website blog</a>,
we will no longer be utilizing this blog page for our <a href="http://www.familyinvestmentcenter.com/fic-blog">newest posts</a>.
In honor of our transition, we would like to make our final post on this blog
page devoted to change.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, let’s do an exercise with a
pen and piece of paper. Write down the words and phrases that come to mind
when you ponder “change”. What thoughts and feeling arise? Take a
few minutes to complete this exercise, and allow yourself to write down everything
that comes to mind, staying focused on what “change” means to you.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, set your pen down and look at
your paper. Would you describe the words and phrases you wrote as
positive overall or negative overall?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Quite often, many people have a
negative perspective regarding change. Some might believe “the familiar”
is comfortable and secure, while “change” is scary and uncertain.
Sticking with what we know gives us the perception of balance and control, and
sometimes might seem like the easier option. If we don’t change, we can
remain in a pattern and we don’t have to face challenges or difficulties.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But what does change really
mean? According to <a href="http://dictionary.com/">Dictionary.com</a>, one of the definitions of change is <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/change?s=t">“A transformation or modification; alteration <em>(noun).</em>”</a> Notice this definition does not
include a positive or negative connotation. Therefore, change can be
perceived however we choose, and change doesn’t have to be feared.</span></span><br />
<a href="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/erikaandersen/files/2012/08/change-same.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/erikaandersen/files/2012/08/change-same.jpg" height="320" width="295" /></a><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead, with the right mindset,
change could be seen as positive. Sure, change can be uncertain, but
facing the unknown increases knowledge and experience. Change can bring
challenge, but with challenge comes growth and opportunity. Change can
make things seem out of control – but are we truly in control if we are not
exercising our right to be different or choose differently?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact, lack
of change can actually have many negative connotations as well. How
enticing does “staying the same” or “stuck in a routine” sound? What would you have written down if we had performed the same exercise for the words uniformity, monotony, or stagnant</span></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - all of which are opposite of change?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the famous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhi">Mahatma Ghandi</a>
quote reads, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/24499-be-the-change-that-you-wish-to-see-in-the">“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”</a> If
you want to view change as a positive, positive outcomes will be all around
you. If you choose to see change as a negative, then you can stay in your
“same old routine” and everything around you will stay the same as well.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The amount of effort and work behind implementing the new <a href="http://www.familyinvestmentcenter.com/">Family Investment Center logo and website</a> changes was great, and it was indeed
challenging. Weeks were spent making decisions regarding color schemes,
wording, and editing. But as you can see by visiting our new, colorful and useful <a href="http://www.familyinvestmentcenter.com/fic-blog">webs<span id="goog_393546661"></span><span id="goog_393546662"></span>ite</a> and by checking out our new <a href="http://www.familyinvestmentcenter.com/fic-blog">blog</a> area, this change
has been well worth it. We hope you will embrace this change with us, and
consider embracing changes in your life as well.<span id="goog_1223640538"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1223640539"></span></span></span>familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-16097335387740256482014-07-11T12:52:00.001-05:002014-07-11T12:52:41.758-05:00For Richer or Poorer: Financial Tips for Engaged Couples & Newlyweds<a href="http://stjoewedding.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/logo7-300x138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://stjoewedding.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/logo7-300x138.jpg" height="147" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This week, one of our very own advisors posted as a guest blogger on StJoeWedding.com. Laura Price, Investment Advisor and Chief Compliance Officer, covered the always relevant topic of finances for engaged couples and newlyweds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Quite often, couples make the mistake of waiting until after marriage to discuss their money situation. Although financial circumstance is not the easiest of conversations, it is one of the most crucial for any successful and long-lasting relationship.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://stjoewedding.com/richer-poorer-financial-tips-engaged-couples-newlyweds/">Click here to read the guest blog Laura wrote, titled "For Richer or Poorer: Financial Tips for Engaged Couples & Newlyweds".</a></span>familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-63972037125079837132014-07-03T09:54:00.001-05:002014-07-03T09:54:25.862-05:00Celebrating Your Financial Freedom<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://media-social.s-msn.com/images/blogs/00120065-0000-0000-0000-000000000000_00000065-075e-0000-0000-000000000000_20130702192438_msn.flag.money.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media-social.s-msn.com/images/blogs/00120065-0000-0000-0000-000000000000_00000065-075e-0000-0000-000000000000_20130702192438_msn.flag.money.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Independence Day</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> or “the
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Fourth of July”</span> is a federal
holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of
Independence in 1776, which declared freedom from what is now known as the
United Kingdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This day is commonly full
of celebrations including fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs,
picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and more.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In honor of
Independence Day and our logo, “Money is freedom. Freedom is fun,” we would
like to recognize a few of the many characteristics of being financially free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you find that you meet these
characteristics or are continuously striving toward them, then you should have even more reason
to celebrate this year!</span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are happy
with what you have and you are grateful for your blessings.</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You have financial goals and you are continuously moving forward toward them.</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are patient
and work for what you want.</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are
prepared with an emergency fund and an extra savings fund for life's little "what if's".</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You understand
that financial wealth takes time and effort.</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are
responsible with your money and properly handle your debts.</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You manage your
spending and always have money left after your paycheck.</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You invest in a
long term strategy that builds wealth surely and steadily over time.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On this year's holiday, we wish you lots of love and laughter, and as always
we hope you have happy and safe celebrations! <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Independence Day from the entire FIC family</span></span>!</span></span></div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-830327115926259302014-06-26T14:47:00.002-05:002014-06-26T14:47:37.573-05:00Test Your Skills - Financial Soccer<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Has your enthusiasm for the game of soccer been kicked into high gear with the recent excitement of the World Cup? Now you too can join in on the fun of getting away from the sidelines and onto the playing field online, while also stretching your financial knowledge muscles!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Take a timeout from your regular routine and get your head in the game - Play a round of Visa's "Financial Soccer" and see how you score!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.financialsoccer.com/play/"><img alt="http://www.financialsoccer.com/play/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN9TZBPWC3i4lNaf2BkNb7DzfjW-JXtjE1lOHidc8bcC9W1n-H7nMoiZguBIPL3KMIxkciCuqkJMO0un1iQ6dC2SPER7sPN2C4bAT4Bneoak9jaO5buocSR18NqAr-mxSZ5bxN1h2lb8/s1600/financialsoccer.jpg" height="452" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-56393683592308351792014-06-20T13:12:00.003-05:002014-07-07T12:03:26.947-05:00Make the Right “BIG” Decisions – Healthy Lifestyle Decisions (pt. 5 of 5)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">By Olivia Sandham</span></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/crave/food_healthy_choice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/crave/food_healthy_choice.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
</span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">If you’ll recall, the very first post in this series pointed to the idea that financial and lifestyle changes to improve overall wellness seemed similar because they can appear more like sacrifices and they probably wouldn’t stick in the long run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The post concluded that trying to implement “BIG” financial and lifestyle decisions might be more worth the effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since we have covered all of the financial “BIG”s in the last few posts of this series, let’s finish out the series by summarizing the “BIG” lifestyle decisions that could be made to improve your overall health.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><strong><u>1. Plan</u></strong></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><strong><u> and Prepare Ahead:</u></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Set aside a couple hours every few days (I use Sundays and Wednesdays, for example) to put together a healthy shopping list, buy the groceries, and portion/prepare snacks and meals in advance.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Benefits:</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No more eating out because “there’s nothing in the fridge”, no more missing snacks/meals, no more microwave meals, no more worry and hassle trying to feed yourself and your loved ones (the stress alone makes me want a brownie). You can eat more healthy and more frequently, which will keep your metabolism going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could have more time to enjoy the meals with your loved ones, more energy from eating better, and you might even lose some unnecessary pounds.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Effort:</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Planning and preparing does take some time, and certainly some effort at first if this is new to your schedule, but just like anything else you do on a continued basis, it easily becomes a habit and part of your weekly routine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By having snacks correctly pre-portioned, vegetables and fruit already washed and cut, and meals prepared and ready to cook, you will ultimately save time and stress, which means having more free time and energy for other things.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><u>2. Remove and Replace:</u></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Figure out what food items are holding you back from your goals (i.e. aforementioned brownies) and remove them from your diet by replacing them with a better alternative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll be looking for less calories, less fat, less sugar, less carbs, and more protein, fiber, and vitamins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make small changes in your replacements so it doesn’t seem like such a leap or sacrifice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep trying new and different healthy choices to see what works for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you drink regular soda, try drinking juice or tea, and work your way to unsweet tea and water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you drink 2% or whole milk, try drinking 1% and work your way down to skim milk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have a sweet tooth, replace those brownies with fruit and chocolate sauce, and eventually work your way down to eating just the fruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Replace your red meats with poultry by preparing them in the same fashion at first, such as using a chicken or turkey patty on your cheeseburger, or using ground turkey in your chili.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add vegetables where you can, even if you have to add extra seasoning at first.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Benefits:</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can try new and different foods, plus fuel your body with better choices which will result in better health, focus, energy, and possibly even put you in a better mood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And of course, you might lose some weight by choosing better food alternatives.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Effort:</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This might take a little research on which foods work as good replacements and how to prepare them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You should also pay more attention to nutrition details of items, which could take a little longer when deciding what to buy/order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you will be amazed how quickly your body will adapt to eating healthier food items, how little you will miss the old items, and how much better you will feel every day.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><u>3. Focus on More:</u></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you think about being healthier, do the words "restrict" or "limit" or "diet" come to mind?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why must we immediately go to the negatives when we think about being healthier?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of thinking about what you could be missing or sacrificing, focus on what you WILL be getting.</span></span><br />
<ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Eat more frequently</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Try more types of foods</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Get more sleep</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Drink more water</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Do more physical activity</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Have more energy</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Have a more positive attitude</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Feel more accomplished and in charge of your life</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Possibly encounter more opportunities along the way</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></ul>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Benefits:</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Changing your attitude, although listed as the third item in this blog, should probably be your first focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By focusing on MORE, everything you decide to do from here forward will be easier and seem less like a sacrifice and more like something you GET to do, GET to eat, or GET to achieve.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Effort:</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is such a simple change, but it might not be that easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pay attention to your attitude when you hear that little voice inside your head, when you talk to others, and when you respond to others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Catch yourself if you veer toward the negative or the less, and steer yourself right back on track to the positive and to the MORE.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">A<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">nd with that, our blog series on Making the Right Decisions concludes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hope you enjoyed the series and look forward to hearing how you have started making better decisions toward achieving your finance and health goals!</span></span>familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-48722525139397035802014-06-19T15:27:00.001-05:002014-06-19T15:27:13.744-05:00Make the Right “BIG” Decisions – Earn More Money (pt. 4 of 5)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By Olivia Sandham</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.blogcdn.com/main.stylelist.com/media/2010/07/money-woman-hands-blonde-240kb071610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/main.stylelist.com/media/2010/07/money-woman-hands-blonde-240kb071610.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Last
week, we took a look at how renegotiating rates could be a “BIG” decision to
improving your financial situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
week, we will conclude our discussion on “BIG” decisions by covering the final financial
“BIG” and summarizing the lifestyle “BIG” decisions you could make.</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong><u>E A R N<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>M O R E<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>M O N E
Y</u></strong></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If your
wallet has been feeling light or you look at your financial accounts at the end
of every month and see less than you would like, you may want to consider
trying to earn more money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is a
compilation of some of the many ways you could earn more money on a regular
basis:</span><br />
<ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you
are paid hourly, ask your boss how you can earn more hours or overtime or what
you can do to earn a raise.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Find a
part-time job or become a temp.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rent a
spare room in your house.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Offer your
own services such as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>dog walking,
babysitting, house sitting, running errands for the elderly, cleaning,
landscaping, maintenance, carpentry, tutoring, coaching, photo/videography, graphic/web
design, and more.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sell your
own products such as handmade crafts/jewelry, up-cycled garage sale items for
resale, and fruits and vegetables from your garden.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sell direct
sales products such as Avon, Mary Kay, Scentsy, Tupperware, and others.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Become a blogger,
mystery shopper, write product reviews, or complete surveys.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Get paid
to </span><a href="http://www.carwraps.net/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wrap your vehicle in advertisements</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For more
ideas on how to make money, check out this fairly comprehensive article I found
while doing some research, titled </span><a href="http://ptmoney.com/52-ways-make-extra-money/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“52 Ways to Make Extra Money”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></ul>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Benefits:</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously everyone wants to earn more money so
they can have more money to spend right now, so they can worry less about
expenses and bills, and have a better current lifestyle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But many of these particular methods to
earning more money also include other underlying benefits, such as:</span></span><br />
<ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You could
invest more money toward your savings/investments, which could mean having a
better lifestyle during retirement.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Since you
will be working a little more for your money, you may be inclined to make
better decisions with how you choose to spend/invest it. (cue music <em>“You work
hard for the money, so hard for it honey!”</em>).</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Using
your free time wisely to earn more money might keep you from filling your free
time by spending it.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Many of
these activities may result in broadening your professional and social network,
which could lead to even more opportunities to earn more money.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Many of
the ways to earn more money could be intellectually and emotionally exciting
and rewarding, since you could challenge yourself, learn something new, explore
your creative side, help others, and more.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Some of
the methods could also increase your level of physical activity and wellness,
such as is the case with dog walking, landscaping, etc.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></ul>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Effort:</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, earning more money takes a little more
time and energy than some of the other financial “BIG”s explained in this blog
series, but depending on how you go about earning the money can determine if
the benefit is worth it.</span></span><br />
<ol><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">First, decide
which method(s) of earning more money seem most appealing and get started on a
plan for each.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For instance, if you’re
going to talk to your boss, set up a meeting and prepare what you are going to
say; if you want a part-time job, update your resume; if you’re going to offer
products/services, make sure you have all the necessary supplies.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Next, implement
your plan of action by applying for jobs, notifying others of your available
services/products (by using word-of-mouth or online sites like Craigslist, Etsy,
Ebay, Fiverr, Facebook), signing up for direct sales programs, mystery shops,
surveys, or whatever it takes to get your method actually started.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Finally, when
it comes time to get out there and “earn that dough”, give it your best
effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, perform better at
work than you ever have; impress your boss and co-workers at your new part-time
job; be the best dog walker, baby sitter, landscaper, or graphic designer you
can be; push yourself to sell more products; explore new and creative ways to
earn more money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it comes time to
actually earning the money, if you (as they say) “hit the ground running”, then
you will be well on your way to earning more and more money as time progresses
and your endeavors continue to succeed.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></ol>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stay
tuned for tomorrow’s post which will wrap up our series by summarizing the
three lifestyle “BIG” decisions you could make!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-70385878671480157382014-06-10T10:55:00.000-05:002014-06-19T14:42:08.024-05:00Make the Right “BIG” Decisions – Renegotiate Rates (pt. 3 of 5)<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<em>By Olivia Sandham</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week, we
covered how to get started making “BIG” decisions by automating payments. This
week, let’s discuss our next financial “BIG” decision that can be made with
little effort and sacrifice, but can also have “BIG” results.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><u>R E N E G O T I A T E R A T E S</u></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<a href="http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/negotiate-you-i-want-street-signs-negotiation-agreement-coming-to-illustrated-three-road-words-34057671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/negotiate-you-i-want-street-signs-negotiation-agreement-coming-to-illustrated-three-road-words-34057671.jpg" height="320" width="314" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More often
than we may be aware, we are charged with paying many one-time fees or paying
an on-going monthly or annual rate for a service. However, with a little time,
patience, and a dash of gumption, you might be able to lower or completely
waive fees, or you may be able to negotiate lower rates. Here is a list of some
of the fees or rates you may be able to negotiate:</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Banking fees
– Maintenance fees, transaction fees, processing fees, ATM fees, overdraft fees</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Credit card
fees – Annual fees, balance transfer fees, cash advance fees, over-the-limit
fees, late fees</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Credit card
interest rates</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vehicle –
Insurance rates, maintenance/service fees</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Home –
Rent/Mortgage rates, cleaning services, construction/renovation services</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cable/Phone/Internet
services</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Benefits:</strong> </span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Getting fees
lowered or waived will add up in the long run.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Getting
recurring rates lowered will save you money so you can invest or spend it
elsewhere.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looking into
fees and rates requires paying a little attention to your accounts, statements,
and bills, which can be beneficial if there are more fees or higher rates than
you were previously aware.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Addressing
fees and looking into rate changes also compels you to research what competing
banks or companies are offering. No matter the outcome of the negotiation, you
can make an educated decision if you want to stick with your bank or company or
if a competitor might be a better fit.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Feeling like a "winner". Sometimes, the smallest successes can bring that little bit of extra joy to your day, and who doesn't want a little of that?</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Effort:</strong>
Negotiating and saving money could happen all the time if we paid enough
attention to know when the opportunity arises. For example, if you have ever
talked to your server at a restaurant about poorly cooked or seasoned food, and
they accommodated you somehow (remade the food, brought you a new dish, took
the dish off your bill), making other negotiations is not much different.</span></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, be
prepared with the information you will need for the negotiation.</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Know what you want changed or waived.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Review your account terms and have your account information handy.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have a few leverage points, such as how long you have been a good customer, in what ways you have been a good customer (always paid on time, never missed a payment, always paid more than the minimum, never had xxx fees before, brought friends and family to the company), and very importantly, know what competing banks or companies are offering relevant to the item you want to discuss.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second,
contact the right person to talk to about the negotiation. Usually, it’s as
simple as contacting a customer service representative. Make sure to write down
the date and time you called, and the name of the representative who helps you.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, when
speaking with the representative, be polite and friendly but direct. Keep your
conversation simple and ask your questions clearly and straightforward. Use the
following conversation tactics as examples:</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I see that I was charged an xxx fee, and I would like to have that waived” or “I am curious if I am eligible for a lower rate than what I am currently paying”.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If the rep says no, don’t give up! This is only the start of the conversation.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use one of your leverage points and ask again, “I haven’t been charged any xxx fees in the xxx years that I have been a loyal customer,” or “I have paid my monthly rate on time for the xxx years that I have been a loyal customer,” and finish with the question “So, is there anything that you can do for me?” Continue using leverage points in this manner while staying calm and straightforward, always focusing on asking if there is something THEY can do for YOU.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Save the last bit of leverage information you have on competing companies for your final attempt, if the conversation even gets that far. “I am still wondering if there is anything you can do for me, because xxx company doesn’t charge for that type of fee at all” or “xxx company only charges xxx rate for that service.”</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Throughout the conversation, try not to show any signs of anger or frustration. Negotiating is about being persistent while portraying confidence and knowledge, and as good as you may or may not be at it, sometimes they will simply have to tell you “no” in the end. Then at least, you can make an educated decision of whether this is the right bank or company for you.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you get
the fee or rate lowered or waived, the final bit of effort is to check your
online account in a few days and look on your next statement to make sure the
fees were waived or the rates have been changed.</span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tune in next
week, where we will finish up our financial and lifestyle “BIG” decisions that
can have “BIG” results with little time and effort!</span></span>familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-50173535286375485022014-06-02T15:33:00.000-05:002014-06-19T14:41:47.646-05:00Make the Right “BIG” Decisions – Automate Payments (pt. 2 of 5)<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Olivia
Sandham</span></i><br />
<i></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmgxudUvudBRzS7j_ECo6VWH2KQoH9JDH8dReiK7S8aI1LXHfgZlb-VJA71Z74Bb_HqOIqEY49boHzUDVXzoO8b9w0QRj0cQlHXvlVebOo6Z7EPByR2DEcp79lce4zNDxBH3NSAuJbr0/s1600/Beth_16_LetTheBankPay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmgxudUvudBRzS7j_ECo6VWH2KQoH9JDH8dReiK7S8aI1LXHfgZlb-VJA71Z74Bb_HqOIqEY49boHzUDVXzoO8b9w0QRj0cQlHXvlVebOo6Z7EPByR2DEcp79lce4zNDxBH3NSAuJbr0/s1600/Beth_16_LetTheBankPay.jpg" height="218" width="320" /></span></a><span style="color: #222222;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week,
our blog discussed how making small financial and health decisions and changes
might not work, because many small changes are either sacrifices in disguise,
or the effort outweighs the outcome. So this week, let’s take a look at
the first and most extensive financial “BIG” decision that can be made with
little effort and sacrifice, but can have “BIG” results.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"></span><u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A U T O M A T E
P A Y M E N T S</strong></span></u><br />
<u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></u><br />
<u><span style="color: #222222;"></span></u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Setting up
automatic payments for any type of recurring financial debit or credit can be a
very beneficial decision for your financial situation. Here is a list of
many of the types of payments you could automate.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Direct</span>ly<span style="color: #222222;"> </span>d<span style="color: #222222;">eposit your wages
from your employer into your bank account</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Automatically
pay:</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Rent/Mortgage</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">- </span><span style="color: #222222;">TV/Cable/Internet/Cell</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="color: #222222;">- </span></span><span style="color: #222222;">Utilities</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="color: #222222;">- </span></span><span style="color: #222222;">Subscriptions</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="color: #222222;">- </span></span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span><span style="color: #222222;">Insurance</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="color: #222222;">- </span></span><span style="color: #222222;">Credit Cards</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="color: #222222;">- </span></span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span><span style="color: #222222;">Savings</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="color: #222222;">- </span></span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span><span style="color: #222222;">Investments (such as an Individual Retirement Account)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Benefits:</strong></span><br />
<ul><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No more missing payments or making mistakes on payments. Set
up automatic payments correctly and your payments will be on time and in the
exact amount you want. With direct deposit, your money will be in your
account around the same time every pay period.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: #222222;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More time for the other aspects of your life. The amount
of time it takes to set up and monitor an automatic payment (which you only
have to set up the ONE time) will most likely be less than what it takes to
collect, open, sort, and file the bill you receive in the mail (a process that
occurs every month), and that doesn’t even include the time it takes to write
the check, tear off and fill out the payment stub, stamp and fill out the
envelope, and put the envelope in the mail (whew!). Also, setting up a
one-time direct deposit or automatic savings/investment payment can save time
and hassle of frequent visits to the bank to deposit checks or transfer funds.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Save money. You could save on checks, envelopes, ink,
stamps, and the cost of fuel used for trips to the store for these items, or
the bank to make your deposit. Plus, some institutions offer better
account options, waive certain fees, or supply rewards or other benefits for
having automatic payments/deposits or emailed statements, because it saves on
their bottom line since less paper and less labor is needed.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Making full payments - on time, every time - will help your
credit score.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: #222222;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eliminating all that paper and driving saves on the environment.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="color: #222222;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, automatic payments have the flexibility to update,
change, or cancel your payments with just a brief phone call or a few clicks of
a button online.</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></ul>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Effort:</strong></span></div>
<ol><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">If you are interested in </span>d<span style="color: #222222;">irect </span>d<span style="color: #222222;">eposit from your employer, talk to your Human Resources
department. For most companies with direct deposit, all you need to do is
fill out paperwork and supply them with a voided check, deposit slip, or letter
of authorization from your bank.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In order to set up automatic bill and investment payments:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><ul><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You will first need the information for accounts you wish to
automate (found on your bill or statement).</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, you will want to either 1) Contact your bank and set up
online bill pay, or 2) Contact the companies through which you have recurring
payments and set up automatic bill pay.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Any of these steps can be accomplished by making a call to
customer service, or setting up automatic payments online.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Where possible, you may want to consider switching to companies
which DO allow automatic payments.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, you should monitor automatic payments to make sure
they are the correct amounts occurring at the correct time. Log into your
online account and look at the most recent transactions. Remember to
watch your balances, because you wouldn’t want to overdraft your payment
account, or overpay a bill.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the savvy and experienced auto-payer, you could consider
using a rewards credit card to pay your bills, and then pay off the full credit
card balance every month. This allows you to earn points/rewards while
also making a few monthly payments from your checking account. Again,
this is ONLY recommended if you pay off the credit card balance in full every
time you make a payment, because you DO NOT want to build up any more debt.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222;"></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222;"></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next week, we will take
a look at more of our financial and lifestyle “BIG” decisions that can have
“BIG” results with little time and effort. Stay tuned!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-82007947804101420472014-05-23T11:06:00.000-05:002014-06-19T14:41:57.143-05:00Make the Right "BIG" Decisions (pt. 1 of 5)<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<em>By Olivia Sandham</em></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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</div>
</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Earlier this week, an email circulated through our office with <a href="http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/save-on-coffee/">this article</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is typical for us to share
work-relevant articles every so often, but what was NOT typical was that for the next several minutes,
everyone in the office emailed their thoughts and responses to
<a href="http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/save-on-coffee/">the article</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most memorable quote one
of our advisors pulled from the article was:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/save-on-coffee/">“Make the right BIG decisions, and the small ones won’t mean so much.”</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We even jokingly (okay, maybe seriously)
considered ordering coffee mugs with this quote.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/save-on-coffee/">This article</a> and our comments got me thinking (and researching) about the
“small decisions” we make when attempting to better our financial position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several decisions could
include:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cut back on expensive coffee (the premise of <a href="http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/save-on-coffee/">the article</a>)</span></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cut back on monthly subscriptions</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use homemade shampoo, laundry detergent, cleaners, etc.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use coupons</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use a fan instead of air conditioning, or more clothes/blankets instead
of heat</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Buy generic brands at the grocery store</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Buy from second-hand or thrift stores</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eat out less</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drive less<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Somewhere along the lines of researching small financial changes (and
maybe because it was lunch time), I ran into articles about making small diet
and exercise changes to improve lifestyle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This got me thinking, does the same quote apply?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I put together a list of “small decisions”
we make when attempting to better our diet and exercise:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use a food journal</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cut back on alcohol, sweets, fat, and carbs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eat out less (repeat item!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Walk/bike more (aka drive less - repeat item!)</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Does anyone notice a trend with most of these ideas, besides the fact
that they are “small” changes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I
read this list, all I see is the word SACRIFICE.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t speak for everyone, but when it comes
to making any decisions that are going to stick for the long-haul, I need to be
motivated and I need to feel like the change is worthwhile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But cutting back on the small joys in my life
is not motivating, and putting in a lot of extra time and effort for a small result is not a worthwhile
change to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s what comes to mind for
me when I look at these ideas:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Cut back on expensive coffee:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
couple of extra bucks for expensive coffee might be worth it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A smooth and flavorful coffee is either a
morning ritual to get your day started (as necessary to waking up as showering
in the morning), or as is the case for me, it is an occasional indulgence because
I don’t drink coffee that often, so it better taste really good when I do.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Cut back on monthly subscriptions:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There seems to be no better deal than movies or TV shows on demand in my
living room (or on-the-go smart devices) for a monthly price of what it would
cost for me to go out to or rent a movie only ONE TIME.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And don’t get me started on movie theater
snack prices versus snacks at home!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Use homemade shampoo, laundry detergent, cleaners, etc.:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anything DIY (do-it-yourself) almost 99% of
the time ends up being a BWTM (big-waste-of-time-and-money) because I make a
big mess and don’t use half of it anyway because it never works as well as the
real stuff.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Use coupons:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am already
panicking just thinking about how much extra time I would have to spend
finding, cutting, organizing, and remembering to actually use coupons.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Use a fan instead of air conditioning, or more clothes/blankets instead
of heat:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My house is a place of solace,
and the temperature being (as the nursery rhyme says) “not too hot and not too
cold, but just right” is an extremely important part of that.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Buy generic brands at the grocery store:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em>Most generic brands just aren't the
same - they don't taste right, they don't smell right, they don't feel right!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Buy from second-hand or thrift stores:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Second-hand and thrift stores are okay for certain purchases (I have found some
neat furniture and gifts), but there is something that just irks me about
buying some items like clothes and children’s toys that have been used before by someone I don’t
know.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Use a food journal:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel anxiety just thinking about how much effort it takes to measure and write down every little thing that goes into my mouth.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Cut back on alcohol, sweets, fat, and carbs:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I don't know what happens, but if I am trying to eat less of something, I suddenly feel deprived and as if it is the only thing I want to consume, and then I feel guilty for wanting what I am not supposed to have, and it's just a big awful cycle that always seems to backfire.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><em>Eat out less:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eating out is
already a once-in-a-while affair, and usually involves an event or celebration
of some sort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> This would just be</span>
taking away all my fun!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Drive less OR walk/bike more:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
I didn’t drive as much, I would either stay at home all the time or I would
have to bike/walk, and I have no desire to arrive to work or other engagements
either freezing with icicles of snot running down my face, or sweating
profusely out of every pore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus,
imagine how much earlier I would have to leave...</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, so you might be thinking that my inner child ("But I want that!") and my inner laziness ("But I don't wanna!") is definiting sneaking out between the lines. But isn't that just what happens with any decision? If we make decisions that dissatisfy our inner needs on a regular basis, how can we expect to succeed at these changes? As you can see, it’s pretty obvious for me that the “small” changes listed above
(sacrifices!), no matter how many times I try, probably aren’t going to
stick. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what kind of decisions
would?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the quote says, “Make the
right BIG decisions.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is a list of
a few financial “BIG”s that might be better to think about:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Automate payments</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Renegotiate rates</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Earn more money<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
And now a list of the lifestyle “BIG”s that might stick better:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plan and prepare ahead</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Completely remove and replace “bad” food items</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Focus on getting MORE<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
The “BIG” financial decisions can be exciting when accomplished and can
take very little time and work, sometimes just a few minutes online or over the
phone. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the lifestyle “BIG”s can be
fun and effortless, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> What's great about these decisions is you only have to find the nerve once in a while to implement these changes, and the best part, they could actually SATISFY your inner needs instead of making them feel like sacrifices!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Read our blog for
next week as we dive into the tips and tricks on how you could accomplish each of these “BIG”
decisions!</span>familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-57596781287407816222014-05-13T13:21:00.000-05:002014-05-13T13:22:36.218-05:00Build Weath and Discover Financial Freedom<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://financialmentor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/06/how-to-build-wealth/How-To-Build-Wealth.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://financialmentor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/06/how-to-build-wealth/How-To-Build-Wealth.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.financialmentor.com/">FinancialMentor.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">1) <u>Spend Less</u>: Align your values and goals, and track your spending so you can focus on being accountable and staying disciplined. Consider eliminating wasteful expenditures, repairing instead of replacing, and selling unused items. Also, avoid using credit cards for bills or to extend purchasing power.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">2) <u>Earn More</u>: Increase your working value by personal and professional development through education and training. Seek higher paying jobs or additional income through part-time or freelance work. Consider turning your hobby into an income stream or even starting a side business.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">3) <u>Invest Wisely</u>: Connect with a credible and knowledgeable investment advisory firm to wisely invest your funds. Re-evaluate your investments every so often to make sure you are on track.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">4) <u>Financial Freedom</u>: Enjoy living the life you want and deserve!</span></div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-32578233336231928672014-05-09T12:54:00.000-05:002014-05-09T12:54:36.145-05:00Home Buying Tips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.worldpropertychannel.com/news-assets/Buying-home-house-keys-nki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.worldpropertychannel.com/news-assets/Buying-home-house-keys-nki.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Considering buying a new home? Dave Ramsey suggests a few helpful tips for those getting started. </span><a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/home-buying-tips/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Check out the section on Dave's website "Home Buying Tips" for more information.</span></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><u>Step 1: Evaluate Your Finances</u></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Before considering buying a house, you may want to get your finances in order. Buying a home is a blessing but can be quite a financial commitment, so consider having a fully-funded emergency fund before anything else. Also, ask some important questions such as 1) Can I make a 10-20% down payment? 2) Can I afford a 15-year fixed rate loan? 3) Can I keep the house payments below 25% of my monthly income?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Next, in order to increase your chance of getting the best deal when buying your home, try getting a pre-approved mortgage. Taking time to compare offers from trusted mortgage providers can make sure you stay within your price range and allow you to make an instant offer when you find the perfect home.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Also, remember to consider the extra costs involved with owning a home. Home owners have added expenses of property taxes, utilities, insurance, and more.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><u>Step 2: Call The Pros</u></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Start by making a list of features you would like in your new home. A new house is a significant financial AND time investment, and you and your family will want to be happy for many years to come in the new place. Having a good idea of where you would like to live (city, suburbs, country), how many stories/levels you want, if you want a garage, walk-in closets, and backyard size are just a few considerations to pass along to your buying agent.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Next, find the right buying agent to help you buy your house, to help you save time and money. A good buying agent could be someone who only takes commission from the seller of your house and does not charge you, someone who makes sure you never pay more than you should by representing you well in price negotiations, and someone who makes sure all the appropriate paperwork is completed.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Also, take time to find the right home inspector in advance, so when you find the perfect home you will already have someone to inspect it for you. A good home inspector could be reliable, come highly recommended by people you know, have solid references, and a good background. The home inspector you pick could have a broad knowledge of home systems and structures and a long history in the inspection business, and should also be independent and have no connection to the seller. Finally, you may want to make sure your home inspector will give you a complete report.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><u>Step 3: House Hunting</u></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Location of your new home may be very important, not only now but in the future. Unless otherwise planned, you may eventually want to resell your house, and you might want it to be in a good location. Some considerations to make regarding location include 1) How close is the home to your office? 2) Is the home in a good school district? 3) Is the home conveniently located near shopping centers, churces, etc? and 4) Is the home in a low crime area?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Also, remember that not every seller may own up to the physical details that need to be fixed. Consider getting the home inspected early in the process, and possibly hiring an independent inspector to objectively view the home inside and out. Then consider including anything the inspector finds that needs to be fixed (plus the estimated costs) in the final contract.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><u>Step 4: Close The Deal</u></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Before making the final moves to buying your home, consider getting a property survey, which could reveal boundaries, easements, encroachments, and other legal concerns which could alter the value of your home and property in the future. Common issues (such as your neighborhood lots having Public Utility Easement) could allow a utility company to, for example, place a large electricity pole in your front yard, thus changing your home's value.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Now is the time to consider utilizing the home inspector you may have already picked. The inspector may examine the home's condition and look for problems you may not have noticed, with key areas including the roof and gutter, house foundation, basement, and crawl space, heating and air condition systems, electrical systems, plumbing, kitchen counters, cabinets, faucets, etc., and bathrooms.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Once the home has been inspected and you are ready to make an offer, this may be the time your buying agent could come in most handy. The buying agent should have access to a wide variety of information to keep you on track for offering the right amount to buy your home. When negotiating offers, it may be best to keep the communication going through your buying agent, because they could be your best advocate and your best advisor at this point.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Finally, before you sign the mortgage and make the long-term commitment of buying (and continually paying for) your house, you may want to re-evaluate your mortgage to your financial capabilities. The recommendation is a 15-year fixed rate, with your down payment at 10-20% of the home's value, and your house payment less than 25% of your monthly, take-home pay.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This article was written based off information provided by the section </span><a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/home-buying-tips/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Home Buying Tips" on Dave Ramsey's website (click here).</span></a></span></em></div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-77661926021305247222014-04-28T13:55:00.002-05:002014-04-28T13:57:56.171-05:00Newly Retired? Fresh Ideas for Managing Your Retirement Income<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.learnvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/retirement-4-325x222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.learnvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/retirement-4-325x222.jpg" height="218" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">As a new retiree, you may be wondering how to manage your retirement
income.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last month, president
of <a href="https://www.schwab.com/">Charles Schwab</a>, <a href="http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/resource_center/expert_insight/schwab_experts/carrie_schwab_pomerantz.html">Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz</a>, published an article titled <a href="http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/nn/articles/Newly-Retired-Fresh-Ideas-for-Managing-Your-Retirement-Income">“Newly Retired? Fresh Ideas for Managing Your Retirement Income”</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This <a href="http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/nn/articles/Newly-Retired-Fresh-Ideas-for-Managing-Your-Retirement-Income">article</a> hits
key points of 1) Which accounts and investments you could draw from first, 2) Options for rebalancing
your portfolio once you start to withdraw, and 3) Considering taking your required minimum
distributions to avoid penalties (if 70 ½ or older).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/nn/articles/Newly-Retired-Fresh-Ideas-for-Managing-Your-Retirement-Income">Click here to read the entire article</a>, or
continue reading for a summary below.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Before jumping into the discussion of possibile ways to manage your retirement
income, keep in mind the following essentials:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">At the point of retirement, you may want give
very careful thought to your asset allocation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mainly, you may not want to take on as much
risk in your investments as you did when you were younger and still working.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Aside from your Social Security, a pension, real
estate investments, or other sources of income, you may want to figure out how much money you
could need to withdraw from your retirement accounts.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Your most tax-efficient investments may need to be
kept in taxable accounts, and your least tax-efficient investments may need to be be
kept in tax-deferred accounts.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Maintaining well-diversified portfolios of many types of investments including stocks and bonds could possibly help protect
against inflation over your many years of retirement.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Listed below are the strategies outlined in the article <a href="http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/nn/articles/Newly-Retired-Fresh-Ideas-for-Managing-Your-Retirement-Income">“Newly Retired? Fresh Ideas for Managing Your Retirement Income”</a>, in order of which you could consider
first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/nn/articles/Newly-Retired-Fresh-Ideas-for-Managing-Your-Retirement-Income">Please read the full article</a> for more
complete descriptions of each strategy:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Draw Down Principal from Maturing Bonds and CDs:</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first strategy you could use would be to
create a short-term ladder of bonds or CDs, and then you could tap the principal of each
bond as it matures.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Take Your RMDs if You’re 70 ½ or Older:</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Once you reach 70 ½, the IRS requires you to take a yearly distribution
from many retirement accounts, known as a Required Minimum Distribution
(RMD).</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Sell
Overweighted and Lower-Rated Investments from Your Taxable Accounts:</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since withdrawals from taxable accounts are
taxed as capital gains rather than ordinary income, these could be the next
accounts from which to draw retirement funds.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Sell
Overweighted and Lower-Rated Investments from Your Tax-Deferred Accounts:</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Generally, your tax-deferred accounts could
be the last place to look for retirement income.</span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>Please note: This post is for informational purposes only and is not intended as advice. Since everyone's situation is different, please consult a professional before changing your portfolio.</em></span>familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-50589687798244405882014-04-16T13:52:00.001-05:002014-04-16T13:52:24.323-05:00Conversations with Chuck: Charles Schwab on Volatility<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #3b0076; font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="color: black;">Check out this video interview with Charles Schwab on market
volatility and portfolio diversification.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #3b0076; font-family: "Cambria","serif";"></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/resource_center/workshops_videos/video_library/conversations_with_chuck/charles_schwab_volatility.html"><img alt="http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/resource_center/workshops_videos/video_library/conversations_with_chuck/charles_schwab_volatility.html" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrOpX1Np1u1rNVS8hsHNgprQ99dFkPqaciYVEBsmJ8V5BPQPvsWfY6i2DA2jXnqtw9CtvakjIHPGanVfCFbYV3dwBEvceJ7BMptsMB5gksUu_MuSB50X_Cyc8ib8BA9YSHNBp0br9bbc/s1600/SchwabVolatility.png" /></a></div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-3657123585472064312014-04-11T14:19:00.000-05:002014-04-11T15:23:57.333-05:00Creative Strategies to Collect More Social Security Income (Part 2 of 2)<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">By
Olivia Sandham</span></i></span></span><br />
<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQWzNO2ItqOJvad9wdt6mCFXw3628GQzK7OVNMERSKOMWnPU1s5Rw" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQWzNO2ItqOJvad9wdt6mCFXw3628GQzK7OVNMERSKOMWnPU1s5Rw" /></a></div>
<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Continuing
from </span><a href="http://familyinvestmentcenter.blogspot.com/2014/04/creative-strategies-to-collect-more.html"><span style="font-size: large;"> last week’s post</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">, this week we will finish our discussion on “Creative
Strategies to Collect More Social Security Income”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before jumping into Part 2 of 2, </span><a href="http://familyinvestmentcenter.blogspot.com/2014/04/creative-strategies-to-collect-more.html"><span style="font-size: large;">we recommend revisiting last week’s post for an overview of the terms <strong>FRA</strong> and <strong>PIA</strong>.</span></a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Besides<strong>
1) Waiting as long as possible to claim Social Security (SS)</strong> and <strong>2) Claiming SS benefits
correctly the first time</strong>, here are a few other creative strategies you could
implement to collect more SS income:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><strong>3) </strong></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><a href="http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/yourspouse.htm#a0=-1"><span style="color: #cc6611;"><strong>Harness the power of the little-known Spousal Income Benefit: </strong></span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once one spouse is eligible to receive SS
benefits, the other spouse may be eligible to get up to 50% of those benefits
as well, until claiming his or her own SS benefits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This option is also available to divorcees as
well.</span></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The
Spousal Income Benefit is available to the second partner regardless of whether
the first partner is actually collecting benefits or has decided to </span><a href="http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/suspend.htm"><span style="color: #cc6611; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">file and suspend</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The
Spousal Income Benefit will be available to the second partner once he or she
reaches the age of 62, but will be available at a reduced/pro-rated amount
until he or she reaches FRA. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At FRA, the
second partner can receive 50% of the first partner’s PIA.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">It
is important to note, once the second partner starts collecting the Spousal
Benefit Income, the amount he or she claims is the amount of Spousal Benefit that
will be received for the rest of his or her lifetime, until claiming his or her
own SS benefits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once claiming his or
her own SS benefits, the second partner will receive the higher benefit of the
two.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>4) </strong></span><a href="http://www.socialsecurity.gov/survivorplan/onyourown2.htm"><span style="color: #cc6611; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Plan for the
Surviving Partner’s Income Benefit: </strong></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Widows
or widowers may be entitled to receive a portion of their deceased partner’s SS
benefits, which may be increased by using the previous strategies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><a href="http://www.socialsecurity.gov/survivorplan/onyourown5.htm"><span style="color: #cc6611; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Click here to
see how much surviving family members would receive. </span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a side note, the Social Security
Administration should be notified as soon as possible when any family member
passes away, because there are several other ways that </span></span><a href="http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10008.pdf"><span style="color: #cc6611; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Social Security can
help you when a family member dies</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>5) Compute
your optimal benefit amount:</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather than
picking one or two strategies to increase your SS benefits, finding the right combination
of all the strategies discussed for your situation can be advantageous in
figuring out how to collect more SS income. Since Social Security rules are very intricate and every situation for every family is different, meeting with a Social Security specialist would be your best way to use this strategy.</span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">This post is for
information purposes only. It is not intended for use in determining when or
how to claim Social Security benefits, as benefits and strategies vary based on
individual circumstances. Our firm is not affiliated with the Social Security
Administration. For more information or for help determining a specific
strategy for your own situation, please contact our office at (816) 233-4100,
or contact the Social Security Administration directly by visiting </span><a href="http://www.ssa.gov/"><span style="color: #cc6611; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">www.ssa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">.</span></span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-47889716527766048812014-04-04T15:38:00.000-05:002014-04-11T14:02:29.497-05:00Creative Strategies to Collect More Social Security Income (Part 1 of 2)<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">By Olivia Sandham</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQWzNO2ItqOJvad9wdt6mCFXw3628GQzK7OVNMERSKOMWnPU1s5Rw" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQWzNO2ItqOJvad9wdt6mCFXw3628GQzK7OVNMERSKOMWnPU1s5Rw" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">As mentioned in last week's
post, this week we would like to start discussing “Creative Strategies to
Collect More Social Security Income”. Lucky for us, one of our Family
Investment Center advisors, Mrs. Elaine Coder, is our designated Social
Security Specialist. I recently worked on an educational presentation
with Elaine, and through that experience I gained a lot of insight into how
just about anyone, in just about any situation, can use these strategies to
incorporate Social Security as a key factor in their retirement plan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Before jumping into Part 1 of 2
of our discussion about the main strategies to collect more Social Security
(SS), let’s cover a few terms that we will be using throughout these posts:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></b> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><a href="http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/retirechart.htm"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;">Full Retirement Age (FRA):<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"> The age at which a person may first become entitled to
full or unreduced SS benefits. </span><a href="http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/retirechart.htm"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Click here to find your FRA.</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></b> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><a href="http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/cola/piaformula.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;">Primary Insurance Amount
(PIA):<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"> The benefit amount a person would
receive if he/she elects to begin receiving SS benefits at his/her </span><a href="http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/ProgData/nra.html"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">normal retirement age. </span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> At
this age, the SS benefit is neither reduced for early retirement, nor increased
for delayed retirement. Once claimed, this PIA is what you will receive
for your lifetime.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></b> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><a href="http://www.ssa.gov/planners/lifeexpectancy.htm"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Life Expectancy (LE): </span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">The average period of time that a person
can expect to live. </span><a href="http://www.ssa.gov/planners/lifeexpectancy.htm"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Click here to calculate
your estimated LE.</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Now that we know the terms we
are going to use, let’s get started discussing the first couple of “Creative
Strategies to Collect More Social Security Income”:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></b> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">1</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">) <a href="http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/applying1.htm"><span style="color: blue;">Wait as long as
possible to claim SS benefits: </span></a> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">There are many advantages to waiting to claim SS benefits.
First, by the taking time to research and meet with a Social Security
Specialist, you ensure that you have covered all strategies and that you will
be applying for the maximum PIA when it is time to claim. Second and
third, by waiting to claim until you are past your FRA, your PIA will not be
penalized for claiming early, and you will earn delayed retirement credits,
which increases your PIA. Finally, since your PIA is adjusted based for
inflation, each year you wait to claim can increase your PIA even more. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></b> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">2) </span><a href="http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/withdrawal.htm"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Claim SS benefits correctly
the first time:</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Once
you apply for your SS benefits, you only have 12 months to withdraw your
application, and you are limited to one withdrawal per lifetime. There
are several other “hoops” to jump through if you withdraw, including paying
back the benefits you and your spouse/children received, as well as having
anyone who received any of the benefits consent in writing to the
withdrawal. Also, if you miss the 12-month window to withdraw or adjust
your claim, you can no longer make any changes and the PIA you claim is the PIA
you will receive for the rest of your life. So, if after applying and
claiming your SS benefits, you find out that you missed a step or didn’t
capitalize on a claiming strategy, there is nothing else to be done. Claiming
correctly the very first time avoids all of these concerns.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Next week we will discuss strategies
including the living spousal and survivor benefit incomes, as well as how you can combine strategies to be able to compute your overall
optimal benefit. Make sure to stay tuned!<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></i> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";">This
post is for information purposes only. It is not intended for use in
determining when or how to claim Social Security benefits, as benefits and strategies
vary based on individual circumstances. Our firm is not affiliated with
the Social Security Administration. For more information or for help
determining a specific strategy for your own situation, please contact our
office at (816) 233-4100, or contact the Social Security Administration
directly by visiting <a href="http://www.ssa.gov/">www.ssa.gov</a>. </span></i></div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-27393378405094760192014-03-28T15:33:00.002-05:002014-03-28T15:36:48.418-05:00AARP Retirement Calculator: Are You Saving Enough?<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
<a href="http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--r9EZJcWr--/c_fit,w_636/18ixgvpiu0s24jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--r9EZJcWr--/c_fit,w_636/18ixgvpiu0s24jpg.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>Are you looking for a fun, free, and easy method to try estimating your
retirement? We discovered the <a href="http://www.aarp.org/work/retirement-planning/retirement_calculator.html">AARP Retirement Calculator</a>, a neat online device
that can make thinking about your future and retirement a little more
enjoyable. Using the calculator can be a great way to check if the plan you
currently have for your financial future should allow you to retire when and
how you want. Discover all your options and how the choices you make today and
in the near future could ultimately affect your retirement finances!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Before using the calculator, we encourage you to read our list of “Pros
and Cons of Using the <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="http://www.aarp.org/work/retirement-planning/retirement_calculator.html">AARP Retirement Calculator</a></span>”:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">PROS:</span></u></div>
<ul><div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Using this calculator can be a good starting checkpoint to see if you
are currently on track for retirement, currently way off track for retirement,
or somewhere in between.</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">After inputting your information, click on “Options” to see what
changes you can make in retirement to help you have more income available if
needed or desired.</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">At any point, you can also go back to the “About You” section and
change answers, allowing you to see how different choices starting now could
possibly affect how much income will be available to you in retirement. This
can be a helpful tool if you are able to actually implement some of these
changes in your life, such as how much of
your income you and your partner save for retirement each year.</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">When deciding your lifestyle in retirement, click on “Learn more
about Retirement Lifestyle Assumptions” and you can manually input what
percentage of your current lifestyle expenses you plan to have in retirement.</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">CONS:</span></u></div>
<ul><div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The calculator does take into consideration the multitude of creative
ways you can collect more Social Security income (to be discussed in next
week’s blog!)</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The calculator cannot substitute for the valuable knowledge and
experience of a financial advisor. This tool should only be used for fun to see
where you are at now and how different decisions could affect your future
outcome, but make sure you discuss any officially changes in your retirement
plans with your financial advisor.</span></div>
</li>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Think you’re ready to give it a try? </span><a href="http://www.aarp.org/work/retirement-planning/retirement_calculator.html"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Click here to Get Started.</span></span></a></div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-21498422971933181832014-03-19T14:02:00.000-05:002014-03-19T14:02:12.867-05:00MoneyRate.com Survey: Best Savings Accounts 2014<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.colourbox.com/preview/4336700-103860-pink-piggy-banks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://www.colourbox.com/preview/4336700-103860-pink-piggy-banks.jpg" height="178" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.colourbox.com/preview/4336700-103860-pink-piggy-banks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<a href="http://www.colourbox.com/preview/4336700-103860-pink-piggy-banks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div style="text-align: left;" unselectable="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
</a><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><em>Reference to any specific commercial product, process, or service, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Family Investment Center.</em></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Earlier
this year, MoneyRates.com Senior Financial Analyst Richard Barrington, CFA, published an </span><a href="http://www.money-rates.com/research-center/best-savings-accounts/2014.htm?WT.qs_osrc=MSN"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">online
article</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> analyzing a survey that MoneyRates.com performed to find the </span><a href="http://www.money-rates.com/research-center/best-savings-accounts/2014.htm?WT.qs_osrc=MSN"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Best
Savings accounts for 2014</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: large;">"The
study indicates that the yields on the nation's best savings accounts have
offered more than four times the interest of the survey's average rates, and
that the top accounts have been consistently at the front of the pack quarter
after quarter,” according to Barrington.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: large;">Barrington’s
article points out the importance of finding savings accounts with consistently
high rates. Barrington states, “It is smart to compare savings account rates
before choosing a bank, but it is even smarter if you look at a bank's interest
rates over a span of time rather than on any one day. Some banks temporarily
raise rates in an attempt to draw some quick attention, but the more
consistently a bank has featured leading rates in the past, the more likely it
is that this is a long-term strategy that will continue in the future.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">But
where can this information be found, and why is comparing it so significant?
“Every quarter MoneyRates.com lists the top savings accounts, based on their
average rates throughout the quarter, in its </span><a href="http://www.money-rates.com/research-center/americas-best-rates/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">America's
Best Rates</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> articles. Then, once a year, MoneyRates.com [calculates] which
savings accounts had the best rates over the course of the prior year,” says
Barrington. “Identifying the banks that offer the best interest rates is
important [because] if you chose the wrong bank to open a savings account a
year ago, you would have earned less than a quarter of the interest you could
have at one of the higher-paying institutions. At a time when bank rates are
generally low, shopping for that kind of edge is more important than ever.”</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: large;">Based
on the mentioned survey, MoneyRates.com created this list of the top rate
performers of the past year (2013). According to Barrington’s article, “Their
strong performance over the last four quarters places these institutions as the
current favorites to offer the best savings accounts in 2014”:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">1)
</span><a href="http://www.ally.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Ally Bank.</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> “With its user-friendly web site
and welcoming policies, such as free ATM use anywhere in the country, Ally has
become something of a model for how online banking should be done,” says
Barrington. “Ally also delivers some substance to back up its customer-centric
style, in the form of the highest average savings account rates over the past
year.” While savings account rates at the banks MoneyRates surveyed throughout
the past year averaged just 0.186 percent, Ally's average was 0.883 percent.
According to Barrington, “Whether it is the style or the substance, whatever
Ally Bank is doing, it is attracting customers.” The most recent FDIC figures
available show Ally Bank's total deposits up 15 percent year-over-year.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">2)
</span><a href="https://www.americanexpress.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">American Express Bank.</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> With
savings account rates that averaged 0.869 percent over the past year,
Barrington claims American Express Bank to be “a strong runner-up to Ally
Bank.” Barrington continues to state that the savings account rates at American
Express Bank “edged out those at Ally Bank during the two most recent quarterly
surveys, so this could be a fun competition to watch over the next year.” Like
Ally Bank, American Express Bank demonstrates that offering competitive rates
helps attract business, with its deposits up 22 percent year-over-year.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">3)
</span><a href="https://www.salliemae.com/banking/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Sallie Mae Bank.</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Sallie Mae
Bank's savings account rates averaged 0.867 percent over the past year, putting
it behind American Express Bank by a miniscule margin, just two one-thousandths
of 1 percent. “Though considerably smaller than Ally and American Express,
Sallie Mae Bank is coming on strong,” claims Barrington. Its deposits
were up by 48 percent year-over-year.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">4)
</span><a href="https://www.discover.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Discover Bank.</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Discover Bank's savings
account rates averaged 0.800 percent over the past year, and “it showed true
consistency by having the same average rate through each of the last four
quarters,” states Barrington.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">5)
</span><a href="https://www.everbank.com/?referid=12522"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">EverBank.</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Savings account
rates at EverBank averaged 0.717 percent over the past year. Barrington says,
“This is another bank whose high interest rates are helping it attract
customers, [since] its deposit base grew by 27 percent year-over-year.”</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">6)
</span><a href="https://home.capitalone360.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Capital One Bank.</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Capital One
kept its savings account rates above the 0.500 percent mark all year, averaging
0.508 percent. Also, Capital One Bank's new online arm, Capital One 360, has
been offering even higher rates “and might be a competitor to watch,” claims
Barrington.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">7)
</span><a href="https://www.zionsbank.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Zions Bank.</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Zions Bank's savings
account rates averaged 0.495 over the past year. “Zions Bank is a bit of a
throwback compared to most of the institutions on this list, in that it still
has a fairly extensive branch network, albeit one that is limited to Idaho and
Utah. For consumers in those states who want decent rates and traditional,
branch-based banking, this might be an option worth looking into,” according to
Barrington.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: large;">Barrington
also includes his list of Honorable Mentions:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">“It
should be noted that besides the consistently strong performers listed above, a
number of banks that were added to the MoneyRates.com survey during the course
of the year made the top 10 in their first two quarters.” These banks included </span><a href="https://www.banking.barclaysus.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Barclays</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">, </span><a href="https://www.gecapitalbank.com/en.html"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">GE Capital Bank</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">, </span><a href="https://www.fnbodirect.com/site/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">FNBO Direct</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><a href="https://www.bankoncit.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">CIT Bank</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">. “With these banks having shaken
up the leader board so quickly, it will be interesting to watch if they can
continue their strong rate performance in 2014,” writes Barrington.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: large;">Barrington
summarizes: “Given the recent strengthening of the economy, it seems likely
that bank rates will move upward in 2014. Though rates may change, it is
reasonable to think that banks that offered the best rates at the bottom of the
interest rate cycle are likely to lead the next upward phase of that cycle as
well.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Barrington
finishes his analysis and recommends, “Looking for even higher deposit rates?
Check out the CD offerings from </span><a href="https://www.gecapitalbank.com/en.html"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">GE
Capital Bank</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">, </span><a href="https://www.banking.barclaysus.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Barclays</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">
and </span><a href="http://www.ally.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Ally</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">.”</span></span></div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-67785274249119281602014-03-13T14:06:00.000-05:002014-03-13T14:14:59.974-05:00Video: How to Build a Budget<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Financial situations can change quite frequently. Everything from employment changes to new family life stages can greatly alter your income and/or expenses. Therefore, it's a good idea to reevaluate your budget every few months. Watch this video from Investopedia.com on "How to Build a Budget" and follow the steps to see if you are still on track, or if your current budget may need a few adjustments.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-40381700942539143212014-03-07T12:43:00.000-06:002014-03-07T12:43:34.190-06:00The "Backdoor Route" to Roth IRAs<span style="font-size: large;">High earners may run into issues trying to contribute to IRAs or trying to receive tax deductions for IRA contributions. If you fall into this category, <a href="http://on.wsj.com/1pUXurE">watch this video from WSJ.com to find out the "Backdoor Route" to contributing into a Roth IRA</a> to help save for your retirement.</span><br />
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<a href="http://on.wsj.com/1pUXurE"><img alt="http://on.wsj.com/1pUXurE" border="0" src="http://www.dividend.com/blog/wp-content/ira-taxes.jpg" height="251" width="320" /></a></div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-1723548378885678382014-02-28T12:45:00.000-06:002014-02-28T12:45:18.051-06:00Jason Theodore White, 10/4/68 - 2/27/14<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t31/1911171_811180272230875_174323019_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t31/1911171_811180272230875_174323019_o.jpg" width="350" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="userContent"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>We are all saddened to learn of the loss of our friend and colleague Dr. Jason T. White. Jason has been an important part of Family Investment Center since 2005, and we’ll miss his boyish wit and wisdom about investments and the markets. Our prayers especially go out to his family and students. We’ll miss you, friend.</em></span></span></div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-71215360828555023062014-02-25T10:33:00.001-06:002014-02-25T10:33:51.366-06:00IRA Quiz<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://goodnewsfl.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/The-Benefits-of-a-Roth-IRA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://goodnewsfl.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/The-Benefits-of-a-Roth-IRA.jpg" height="153" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">What
is the difference between a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA? How long do
you have to make 2013 contributions to your IRA? How much can you
contribute to your IRA? </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Take
this quiz to find out these answers and more about the basics of IRAs!</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1)
What does IRA stand for?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a.
Initial Retirement Adjustment<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b.
Individual Retirement Account<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">c.
Internal Revenue Association<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">2)
A traditional IRA is a retirement account which...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a.
Allows contributions from before-taxed income, so withdrawals in retirement are
taxed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b.
Allows contributions from after-taxed income, so withdrawals in retirement are
not taxed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">c.
Is not taxed at all.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">3)
A Roth IRA is a retirement account which...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a.
Allows contributions from before-taxed income, so withdrawals in retirement are
taxed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b.
Allows contributions from after-taxed income, so withdrawals in retirement are
not taxed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">c.
Is not taxed at all.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">4)
What is the deadline for making 2013 annual contributions to either a
traditional or Roth IRA?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a.
December 31, 2013<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b.
April 15, 2014<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">c.
August 1, 2014<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">5)
What is the maximum annual amount the account holder 49 years and younger can
contribute to either a traditional or Roth IRA for 2013?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a.
$2,500.00<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b.
$5,500.00<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">c.
Any amount<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">6)
What is the maximum annual amount the account holder 50 years and older old can
contribute to either a traditional or Roth IRA for 2013?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a.
$6,500.00<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b.
$10,000.00<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">c.
Any amount<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">7)
What is the minimum annual amount the account holder (any age) can contribute
to either a traditional or Roth IRA?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a.
Any amount, up to the maximum<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b.
$1,000.00<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">c.
$5,000.00<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">8)
At what age can the account holder start making contributions to either a
traditional or Roth IRA?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a.
Any age, <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">as long as he/she is
earning income</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b.
18 years old<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">c.
21 years old<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">9)
At what age must the account holder stop making contributions to a traditional
IRA?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a.
50 years old<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b.
70 1/2 years old<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">c.
There is no age limit<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">10)
At what age must the account holder stop making contributions to a Roth IRA?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a.
50 years old<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b.
70 1/2 years old<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">c.
There is no age limit<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">11)
What does RMD stand for?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a.
Rollover Money Discount<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b.
Roth Maximum Disbursement<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">c.
Required Minimum Distribution<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">12)
At what age is the original account holder required to take an RMD from a
traditional IRA?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a.
50 years old<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b.
70 1/2 years old<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">c.
There is no age requirement<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">13)
At what age is the original account holder required to take an RMD from a Roth
IRA?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a.
50 years old<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b.
70 1/2 years old<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">c.
There is no age requirement<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">14)
What is the deadline for taking an initial RMD for 2013?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a.
December 31, 2013<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b.
April 1, 2014<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">c.
August 15, 2014<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><em>Answers:<o:p></o:p></em></span><br />
<em>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1)
b 2) a 3) b 4) b 5) b 6) a 7) a 8) a 9) b 10) c 11) c 12) b 13) c 14) b<o:p></o:p></span></em><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Please
visit the </strong><a href="http://www.irs.gov/"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>Official Website of the IRS</strong></span></a><strong> for
more information.</strong></span></i></div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-8194884695796580832014-02-21T15:27:00.000-06:002014-02-21T15:27:30.183-06:00Interesting Facts About Taxes<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bizfilings.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Franchise-Tax-Facts.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bizfilings.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Franchise-Tax-Facts.jpeg" height="199" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- The word
“tax” is from the Latin word “taxo”, meaning “I estimate.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- The number
of words in Atlas Shrugged is 645,000. The Bible has about 700,000 words. The
number of words in the Federal Tax Code: 3,700,000.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Excise
taxes are also called “sin taxes.” They are taxes on alcohol, tobacco, and
gambling.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Roman
emperor Vespasian placed a tax on urine in the 1st century A.D. Urine at that
time was collected and used as a source of ammonia for tanning hides and
laundering garments.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- A window
tax in England eventually led to health problems 19.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1691, England taxed the number of windows
on a house. Consequently, houses began to be built with very few windows or
people would close up existing windows. When people began to suffer health
problems from lack of windows/air, the tax was finally repealed in 1851.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Russian
Emperor Peter the Great placed a tax on beards in 1705. He hoped that the tax
would encourage men to have a clean-shaven look that was popular in Western Europe.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Over 1
million accountants are hired each year in America to help with taxes.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- England
has a tax on televisions. Color TVs are taxed more than black-and-white TVs.
However, if a blind person has a television, he or she has to pay only half the
tax.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Americans
spend over $27.7 billion every year doing their taxes.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- In Texas,
cowboy boots are exempt from sales tax. Hiking books are not.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Following
Jimmy Carter, every U.S. president has released their tax returns.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- The first
income tax in the U.S was imposed in July 1861 to help pay for the Civil War.
In 1862, it was repealed and replaced with the tiered income tax. The current
income tax system was made into law in 1913, before the start of WWI.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- There are
at least 480 tax forms on the IRS website.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- In 2007,
the IRS reported that 99,316,995 taxpayers called, wrote, or walked into an IRS
office for help. That is roughly 1 in 3 Americans.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Albert
Einstein once said: “The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income
tax.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Alabama is
the only state in the United States to impose a 10¢ playing card tax for decks
of cards purchased in the state. In contrast, Nevada issues free decks of card
with every tax return filed.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- In 2011,
the IRS collected over $2.4 trillion from around 234 million tax returns (which
included corporate, individual, and employment income tax returns). The IRS
also provided approximately $416 billion in refunds.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- The IRS
estimates that in 2007, Americans who didn’t pay their taxes collectively owed
more than $345 billion in taxes.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- The Stamp
Act of 1765 was the first tax imposed directly on the American colonies by
England. The new tax required the American colonists pay a tax on every piece
of printed paper they used.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- The most
famous protest of taxation by the America colonies was the Boston Tea Party. On
December 16, 1773, colonists dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor to
protest the Tea Act and other oppressive tax measures. They argued there should
be no “taxation without representation.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- WWII led
to the creation of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, which later became the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS is the world’s largest accounting and
tax-collection organization.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- In
Britain, Lady Godiva made her famous au naturel ride as a tax protest.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Cortez was
able to defeat Montezuma largely because he incited a tax revolt among the
peasants.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- England
rose to power under Elizabeth the Great in large part because of her low tax
policies. Concomitantly, Spain was losing power because of the onerous tax and
religious policies of her brother-in-law, King Philip.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- According
to one historian, plane geometry was not invented by Euclid but by ancient tax
collectors who wanted to determine land size for harvest taxes.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Newspapers
have such large-sized sheets of paper because of a British 1816 tax on
newspapers. The “knowledge tax” was levied by page. In response, newspapers
started using larger paper size to accommodate more text, thereby reducing the
number of pages taxed.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- In
Switzerland, William Tell shot the apple off his son’s head as punishment for
tax resistance.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- Over the
entrance to the IRS building in Washington D.C. is a quote by Oliver Wendell
Holmes: “Taxes are what we pay for a civilized society.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- When
Americans started paying annual federal income tax in 1913, they would save
money in anticipation of paying a lump sum to the federal government. It wasn’t
until WWII, when the government needed a more consistent stream of income to
fund the war, that taxes started being withheld from paychecks.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- The Cayman
Islands do not impose income or property taxes on its citizens. Instead it
raises money through import and export taxes, tourist fees, work permit fees,
and transaction fees.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">- The
largest tax evasion case in the history of the U.S. is the 2006 case of Walter
Anderson, a telecommunications executive. Other famous tax cheats include
mobster Al Capone, Girls Gone Wild creator Joe Francis, Wesley Snipes, and
hotel operator Leona Helmsley, who once quipped, “We don’t pay taxes. Only the
little people pay taxes.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Source:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em><a href="http://facts.randomhistory.com/tax-facts.html"><em>“71 Interesting Facts About…Taxes”</em></a></span></span></span></div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-38882177670839114082014-02-14T12:30:00.000-06:002014-02-14T12:30:56.683-06:00Inexpensive and Thoughtful Valentine’s Gifts For Your Sweetheart<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img.interpacket.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Getty_021012_ValentinesDayMoney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img.interpacket.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Getty_021012_ValentinesDayMoney.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></div>
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you’re
like most couples, you’re watching your pennies this year and looking for ways to romance
your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day without breaking the bank. This list, chosen from <a href="http://www.smartmarriages.com/uploaded/50.Cheap.Valentine.Ideas.Kurland.pdf">a list of 50 ideas</a> from <a href="http://www.smartmarriages.com/">www.smartmarriages.com</a>, will help:</span></span><br />
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<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic-Italic;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span></i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic-Italic;"></span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"># In the
morning, tuck a love note in his pocket or her pocketbook or other certain-to-</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">be-found
spot. Jot down some meaningful words on a piece of paper – “Can’t </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">wait to
wrap my arms around you tonight!”; “What’s for ‘dessert’?”; “You make me </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">happy
every day!” – and tuck it in a conspicuous location to be easily discovered </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">during the
day.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"># Pick a
few household chores your Valentine usually does and surprise them by </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">doing it
before they get a chance, i.e., making the bed. It doesn’t sound </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">romantic,
but the thought will most certainly count.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"># Create a
year-long calendar with photos of just the two of you above (top page) </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">each
month. Office supply stores will insert the spiral/binding for you.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"># Leave a
note on your mate’s pillow expressing how special you think he/she is. </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">Place a
couple of mints on the pillow, too (or a single rose)…all to be discovered </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">at
bedtime.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"># Create
an indoor picnic with available props, i.e., picnic tablecloth, paper goods. </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">Share
finger foods and favorite treats along with a glass of wine. Spice up </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">“dessert.”
Enjoy your picnic on the living room floor or in bed. Play card games, </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">board
games, or make up your own.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"># Decorate
a unique-looking jar or box with craft items. Write numerous love notes </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">on small
pieces of paper and fill the jar with them. Present the jar to your </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">sweetheart.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"># Write “I
love you because….” notes and insert them into balloons. Blow up the </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">balloons,
and spread the balloons throughout your bedroom for your Valentine to </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">pop and
capture each message.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"># Write a
“Top 10 Reasons Why I Love You” list.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"># Present
your Valentine IOU coupons: I will make dinner; I will do the laundry; I will </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">take care
of the kids one day a month for the next year; I will clean the kitchen for </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">a week; I
will serve you breakfast in bed.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"># When you
make that special dinner…Just like when you go to a </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">fancy
event and a “dinner menu” is put on each plate describing each food item, d</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">o
something similar. For example, on your menu, write “Spaghetti & Meatballs, </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">made with
passion to be with YOU.” Don’t forget to give your “event” or </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">“restaurant”
a name at the top of the menu.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"># If you don’t have a special sweetheart, focus on bringing a smile or
laughter to </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">everyone
you come in contact with on Valentine’s Day.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;"></span></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: CenturyGothic;">See the full list of ideas for inexpensive gifts from <a href="http://www.smartmarriages.com/">www.smartmarriages.com</a> by <a href="http://www.smartmarriages.com/uploaded/50.Cheap.Valentine.Ideas.Kurland.pdf">clicking here.</a></span></span></span></div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-76663398190267442602014-02-07T14:23:00.002-06:002014-02-07T14:23:57.320-06:00Could Your Tax Refund Be Costing You Money?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSWYZZtbZ0n7wkKLzYN_B3iv2iKuWLjzVF_uk_d0gLbXhbahHQj0HeriD2HJ5e84vW_1GqYEm8wM0lxuKeZQ5Oi4Fiv1CSJYUqLzzD9xJwG2TbNqyM8vBNfA3W-j4v5K0LlHOG2tRaAA/s1600/031413-national-uncle-sam-money-paycheck-taxes-government-jobs-16x9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSWYZZtbZ0n7wkKLzYN_B3iv2iKuWLjzVF_uk_d0gLbXhbahHQj0HeriD2HJ5e84vW_1GqYEm8wM0lxuKeZQ5Oi4Fiv1CSJYUqLzzD9xJwG2TbNqyM8vBNfA3W-j4v5K0LlHOG2tRaAA/s1600/031413-national-uncle-sam-money-paycheck-taxes-government-jobs-16x9.png" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></i><br />
<span><a href="http://business.time.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Time Business & Money</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> posted</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
an interesting article earlier this week titled </span></span><a href="http://business.time.com/2014/02/03/this-simple-tax-error-is-costing-you-2800/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">“This Simple Tax Error Is Costing You $2,800”</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">. The article covers the relevant topic of tax refunds
and discusses how having a large tax refund could actually be
detrimental. Read below to review key points of the article, or </span><a href="http://business.time.com/2014/02/03/this-simple-tax-error-is-costing-you-2800/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">click here to read the article in its entirety</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Did you know? Over 68% of
Americans prefer to pay more taxes than they owe so they can receive a larger
tax refund.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The average tax refund for 2012
was $2,803, which means an overpayment in taxes by about $54 per week per
individual.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">It seems many people use
overpaying into their taxes as a sort of “forced-savings plan”. Over 2/3
of those who receive a tax refund choose to either save/invest it, or they use
it to pay off their debts, rather than simply spending the money.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, nearly 50% of
people who pay the correct amount in taxes throughout the year, and thus have
more take-home pay, actually end up spending the extra money rather than saving
or investing it.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">So what is the
recommendation? Pay the correct amount of taxes throughout the year and
set up an automatic monthly withdrawal for the additional money. The
funds can either be <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">transferred into a savings account or it can be used to pay
down debt.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">In a savings account, the money will earn interest, whereas sitting in Uncle Sam's pocket until tax-time earns you nothing. Also, these funds will be accessible if needed for big expenses or an emergency situation, which will also help to avoid increasing debt (with high interest) to pay for these occurences.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Another option is to transfer the funds to pay down debts, and thus lower interest charges. This maneuver could actually add up to an average savings of almost $200 a year, which can make a huge difference over time.</span></span>familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6394073389155984324.post-22794794778680822282014-01-29T15:04:00.002-06:002014-01-29T15:04:27.265-06:00Secrets from the Top: How to be Fearless about Money and Life<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://b-i.forbesimg.com/learnvest/files/2014/01/fearless-money-life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://b-i.forbesimg.com/learnvest/files/2014/01/fearless-money-life.jpg" height="240" width="400" /></a></div>
</span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;">Earlier this week, </span><a href="http://forbes.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Forbes.com</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> published
an article titled </span><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2014/01/28/6-leaders-share-their-secrets-for-how-to-be-fearless-about-money-and-life/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">“6 Leaders Share their Secrets for How to be Fearless about Money and Life”</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">.
After reaching out to several business leaders, including successful
entrepreneurs and courageous investors, the authors of this article discovered
that much of the leaders’ points of view on money and investing were also
reflections of their personal life mantras. Read below for their 6 tips,
or </span><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2014/01/28/6-leaders-share-their-secrets-for-how-to-be-fearless-about-money-and-life/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">click here if you would like to read the full article</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. Don’t let the unknown throw you off your game.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. Make sure your passions pay off.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;">3. It’s okay to take a risk, it just might be worth it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;">4. Never make uninformed decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;">5. Plan early so you can pursue your future with confidence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;">6. Giving back should be part of your plan.</span></span></div>
familyinvestmentcenterbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273489277139124219noreply@blogger.com0