Thursday, January 31, 2013

Amending Returns for My Parents' Estate

As an executor of my parents' estate, one of my tasks has been to amend previous year state tax returns due to errors on state tax withholding documents.   One amended tax return was filed just within the three year time period allowed.  Unfortunately, the second amendment was outside of the three year time period and may be denied.

The only change in the amendment was to increase the amount of estimated tax paid to the correct amount.  Since my parents received a 100% refund, they should receive the additional amount.   Typcially, states will automatically correct for errors in estimated tax paid and send the correct refund amount.  But in this case, no correction is made.

I've asked the state to consider the specfics of this situation and grant the additional refund requested in the ammendments.   We'll learn of their decision in the next month.

For more on Crossing Generations, check back every Thursday for a new segment.

This is not financial or tax  advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Updating Wills and Living Trusts

In 1999, we created our first set of estate planning documents:  wills, revocable living trusts, health care power of attorney, and living wills.  The catalyst for doing these was a transfer to another country by my company.  We were advised that it was important to document our estate transfer wishes; otherwise, the transfer would follow the laws of the country in which we resided.  At the time, we were in our late 30s and early 40s and  married with no children.

Over the past 13+ years, there have been a few changes that may affect the documents from 1999.   First, the estate tax exemption amount has increased from $650,000 to $5.25 million.   Second, we have an eight year old daughter.  Third, my parents have both passed away.

Although some of these changes, e.g. having children and changes to the estate tax exemption, were accounted for in the general terms of our documents, it will be worthwhile to review our documents in the context of the specific changes that have happened.  

I expect that we will be making some slight modifications to the documents to reflect our current situation.  Also, I expect that how assets are transferred to our heirs will be executed differently based on the higher estate tax exemption.
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For more on The Practice of Personal Finance, check back every Wednesday for a new segment.

This is not financial or estate planning advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

The Wealth Builder Carnival #111

Welcome to the one hundred eleventh edition of The Wealth Builder Carnival. The purpose of this carnival is to collect articles from the blogosphere on building, preserving and keeping enough wealth for a comfortable retirement. For reference, I have tried to keep the carnival content tightly focused on wealth building and did not include submissions that were off topic. For reading convenience, the posts are listed with a brief summary or comment by the submitter and organized into seven categories: Earning, Insuring and Protecting, Investing, Living Frugally, Retiring, Saving and Taxes.

And now on to the Carnival.


Earning


Susan Wowe presents Make Money Online | A Free $10 Today posted at Online Business - Make Money Online, saying, "Every penny counts, especially if it is from a passive income. Spend little time to receive this $10 in your account all free today."



Insuring and Protecting


Bryan presents Compare Car Insurance posted at My Best Car Insurance 101, saying, "Liability car insurance is required by law in most states, but what about comprehensive, collision, gap, and under or uninsured motorist coverage? Do you know about all the coverage options available and how you should go about comparing policies, companies, and rates to lower your costs? This article is to help you maneuver the industry and buy the best and cheapest insurance coverage."

Super Saver presents The Value of Health Insurance posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, "In 2013, our medical insurance premium will more than pay for itself. I expect the billed amount for my medical treatments to exceed 50% of our annual living expenses. My out-of-pocket costs will only be a few hundred dollars."


Investing


Bryan presents Vanguard vs Fidelity posted at Gajizmo, saying, "Early on, investors learn they can't time the markets, so why should passive investors try to? Chances are, you have retirement funds in Vanguard or Fidelity mutual funds, so why not determine which company is the best for the rest of your investments. We compare the pros and cons of each company for your benefit."

My Money Design presents P2P Investing Denied! What Should be My Next Passive Income Ambition? posted at My Money Design, saying, "The tires on my P2P investing efforts quickly went flat last week when I discovered some very important information - Michigan doesn't allow it!"

Dividends4Life presents 12 Dividend Stocks Growing Their Yield posted at Dividend Growth Stocks, saying, "Investing in dividend growth stocks is a long-term proposition. One of the beauties of following a dividend growth strategy is that you don't have to watch your portfolio or the market on a daily basis. For the most part, daily, monthly and yearly movements are just noise in the system. Here are my income portfolio's top and bottom 5 performers for the year, through December 31, 2012..."

John Schmoll presents How to Take the Emotion Out of Investing posted at Frugal Rules, saying, "The stock market is driven largely by emotion, some say upwards of 90%. If you have a solid investment plan though you can easily separate the emotions from the day to day activity of your investments."


Living Frugally


Jon Rhodes presents How To Save Money AND Improve Your Life posted at Affiliate Help!, saying, "Being able to save money AND improve your life just requires the correct mind set. Read on..."

MFIJ presents Frugality is Just a Tool – Nothing More posted at My Journey to Financial Independence, saying, "Presenting a view on frugality from someone who is neither forced into it nor idolizes it as the path to happiness."

joneshailey presents 30 Blogs with Tips to Actually Cut Your Grocery Bill posted at Nanny Websites, saying, "Feeding your family on a tight budget, especially when money doesn’t seem to go as far as it used to, can be a frustrating and even downright frightening proposition."

Super Saver presents Colleges with Free Tuition posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, "Free is a great cost for college tuitoin.


Saving


Emily presents Upcoming Transition and a Potential Financial Overhaul posted at Evolving Personal Finance, saying, "My husband is moving out in a few months, and we are taking the opportunity to whip our finances into shape."


Taxes


Bill Smith presents Bipartisan Changes Needed To Reduce Debt posted at 2013 Taxes, saying, "Spending cuts and reforms to government entitlement programs are very necessary, according to an interview with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on National Public Radio."

Bill Smith presents Tips to Settle Your Tax Debt on Your Own posted at 2014 Taxes, saying, "Want to settle your tax debt on your own? Here are few tips for you."

Jason presents FreeTaxUSA – Review and Analysis by a Tax Accountant posted at WorkSaveLive, saying, "FreeTaxUSA is a tax software used to prepare and e file your federal return for free and your state return for just 9 99! It is an original member of the IRS’ Free File Alliance, which is comprised of a group of tax software providers that allow individuals with an Adjusted Gross Income of 57,000 or less to file federal returns at no charge"

Michael presents Why Did My FICA-OASDI Taxes Increase in 2013? posted at FinancialRamblings.com, saying, "Wondering why your FICA taxes increased? Click through to find out."


That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of The Wealth Builder Carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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For more on Ideas You Can Use, check back every Tuesday for a new segment.

This is not financial, earning, insuring, investing, living, retiring, saving, tax, or wealth building advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Monday, January 28, 2013

Taking Profit

For positions that I bought in 2012,  I'm taking profit on 40-60% of the position.   Psychologically, this enables me to have a win/win/win situation.   The first win is I have a profitable trade.  The second win is I continue to make money if the stock goes up.  The third win is I can buy back my sold position if the stock price falls.

I'm using this strategy for stocks that have been in a price trading ranges for six months or more.  I will sell part of the position near the top of the channel, and buy back near the bottom of the channel.  In many cases, I will be correct to assume the trading channel will continue.  However, for the few that breakout above the top line (resistance) of the channel, I will participate in the further gain with about 50% of the position.

For more on Strategies and Plans, check back every Monday  for a new segment.

This is not financial or investing advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Saturday, January 26, 2013

A Bullish Argument for U.S. Stocks

The Bullish Case of U.S. Stocks in 2013 makes the case that U.S. stocks are undervalued based on historical measures and that returning historic averages would lift the stocks significantly.   In addition, the current bull market is only the 9th longest since 1928 and sentiment indicators are still 10% below historical norms.  Simply, if the market simply returns to the average historical valuation, 2013 will be a very good year for the market.

To me, this  argument is based on the principle of regression to the mean.  Specifically, over long periods of time, the individual values will tend to move towards the long term average.  This principle doesn't exclude that there will be significant deviation from the mean in the short term.

So the bet is whether stocks will move back towards long term averages in 2013, or whether stocks will continue to deviate.   Based on equity mutual fund inflows and a sampling of financial bloggers' 2012 positive investment results, I believe that stocks will gravitate towards the historical averages in 2013 and sideline money is reinvested in stocks.  Of course, a significant event, e.g. sovereign debt default in Europe, could create a significant deviation again

For more on Reflections and Musings, check back every Saturday for a new segment.


This is not financial or investing advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Friday, January 25, 2013

Low Cost Portfolio Management

Finding Investment Advice for More Modest Retirement Investments reports on new services being offered to create ETF portfolios which are then periodically adjusted.  The costs range from $150 for self-service to 0.25% to 1.0% of assets for a managed account.

The article shares three companies:
  1. Rebalance IRA
  2. Wealthfront
  3. Betterment
Although I haven't looked into these investment options in much detail, the lower costs ($150 or 0.25%) for the service provided make them very attractive.    For now, I will continue to consider building my own portfolio with commission free ETFs.  In addition, I may put money with a managed account that uses a wider range of ETFs than I can access through commission free trades.

Disclosure: No compensation was received for writing this article.

For more on Reaping the Rewards, check back every Friday for a new segment.

This is not financial, retirement or investment  advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Thursday, January 24, 2013

From Invincible to Vincible

Many young people feel they are invincible.  Why not?  They have their youth, health and future potential.  I was no different.  In high school, I bounced back from a ruptured appendix and returned to a normal senior year, including playing on all my previous sports teams.  Although I graduated during the 1980 recession, I didn't worry about getting a job, and ended up with 5 offers.   When I was 33, I decided to run a marathon, trained for 4 months, and ran my first ( and only marathon) in a little over 4 hours.

However, since entering my fifties, I've started to feel much more vincible.   Before retiring, I worked on but never worried about the sustainability of retirement savings.   After retiring at 49, I became much more aware of the possibility of our retirement savings running out during our lifetimes.  The Great Recession of 08-09 was the event that made me realize that we were only one or two catastrophic events away from having a failed retirement.  Thus, I needed to be more vigilant in managing our retirement saving.

My recent diagnosis of my health condition has added to my feelings of vincibility.   In my younger days, I only saw my doctor for injuries, which were the result of my sports activities.  Now that I'm older, I need to pay more attention to my health, by monitoring it regularly and taking necessary actions.  The change in my health situation has made me more aware of my mortality, and contributed to eliminating the feelings of invincibility.

Acknowledging that I'm vincible has been positive. It has enabled me to take appropriate actions to strengthen our retirement finances and improve my health, which I probably wouldn't have done if I still felt invincible.

For more on Crossing Generations, check back every Thursday for a new segment.

This is not financial, health or saving advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

The Value of Health Insurance

I've always had health insurance as an adult, even in times where I did not use it much.  In my younger days, I would go for a year or more without seeing a doctor, to the extent that my family doctor had assumed I was no longer a patient.  However, when I first started working, there were no health insurance premiums, only an out-of-pocket maximum before my insurance would take over. In my last year of working, the cost was about 0.8% of my salary.

As a retiree, I pay a seven times more for our family health insurance, approximately 12% of our annual expenses.  Even so, I haven't considered forgoing health insurance because I believe it is one of the important insurances I need to have.

Recently, I had several medical procedures, including surgery, which demonstrated the value of our health insurance.   One of the diagnostic procedures, prior to surgery, was billed as a cost slightly greater than the insurance premium for the entire year.   The bill was discounted about 50% and the balance was paid by our health care insurance.  My cost was less that $200   I still haven't received the bill for the surgery yet, but I expect it will be about double the cost of the diagnostic procedure.  Again my cost will probably be in the $200 range.

If I didn't have insurance, the medical cost would likely have been over 50% of our annual living expenses.   Therefore, I am very glad to have a health care insurance, even though we don't use it much in a typical year.
For more on The Practice of Personal Finance, check back every Wednesday for a new segment.

This is not financial, health care or insurance advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

The Wealth Builder Carnival #110

Welcome to the one hundred tenth edition of The Wealth Builder Carnival. The purpose of this carnival is to collect articles from the blogosphere on building, preserving and keeping enough wealth for a comfortable retirement. For reference, I have tried to keep the carnival content tightly focused on wealth building and did not include submissions that were off topic. For reading convenience, the posts are listed with a brief summary or comment by the submitter and organized into seven categories: Earning, Insuring and Protecting, Investing, Living Frugally, Retiring, Saving and Taxes.

And now on to the Carnival.


Earning


Theresa Torres presents 6 Tips for Negotiating Your Salary and Benefits During a Job Interview posted at Hispanic Today, saying, "It can be a bit scary for interviewees to raise the question of salaries and benefits during a job interview although they would very much like to know. If you are preparing for your next interview, here are some tips to help you convey your salary expectations better."

Vytas presents Day trading tips posted at Trend, saying, "There are things that you should have in mind before jumping on any day trade. There are other things that you should have in mind when you are on a day trade. I like going over those before I open a trade and also when the trade is actually open. Let me share those tips with you."


Investing


John Schmoll presents Reader Question: Should I Invest in Mutual Funds or ETFs? posted at Frugal Rules, saying, "There are various similarities as well as differences between mutual funds and etfs. If you do some simple homework you can determine which funds are better for you while also keeping down the costs associated with investing."

Dividends4Life presents Ford (F) Doubles Its Dividend, And 3 Other Increases posted at Dividend Growth Stocks, saying, "Ford Motor Company (F) is the second-largest U.S.-based automaker and the fifth-largest in the world. January 10th the company increased its dividend 100% to $0.10 per quarter. Below are several other companies that have recently increased their cash dividends to shareholders..."


Living Frugally


Jason presents How to Get Your Family On Board When Paying Off Debt posted at WorkSaveLive, saying, "For many just embarking on their debt payoff journey, it's likely that your family may not be on board with your excitement to cut back on your lifestyle and eliminate debt. You may be dealing with a spouse or kids who are reluctant to change their lifestyle, and honestly, who can blame them?"

Peter Rudin-Burgess presents Compare Holiday MoneyForeign Currency - Three Top Tips posted at Compare Holiday Money, saying, "This is a post about getting the best value for money when you need to buy travel money but is UK based."

Jenny presents Eating out? Find a BYO restaurant and save a fortune posted at Money saving tips & advice from Discount Coder, saying, "Finding restaurants that allow you to bring your own drink can be a fantastic way to save money on eating out. This fabulous article discusses the best way to find these hidden gems!"

Charles presents FHA Requirements posted at Wallet Hub, saying, "Federal Housing Administration loans enjoy a fine reputation as a way for families of modest financial means to buy a home. In the aftermath of the home mortgage crisis, the FHA has tightened up some of its rules, but for many homebuyers, FHA loans are still an attractive option."

Denise Young presents 30 Blogs for Frugal Moms posted at Au Pair Care, saying, "Saving money becomes even more important in a struggling economic climate than in less troubling times, and managing the expenses of running a household while making sure that everyone has everything they need can be a major challenge, even for thrifty moms."

William presents Make Credit Card Spending Part of Your Budget posted at Card Guys Blog, saying, "It seems counterintuitive at first, but bringing in credit card spending as part of your budget can go a long way toward improving your finances — and keeping you out of credit card debt."


Retiring


Super Saver presents Social Security - Earlier or Later? posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, "I've estimated my break even age to be 78, i.e. I will get more money taking benefits at 62 if I die before 78 and more money taking benefits at 70-1/2 if I die after 78. My decision will be based on whether I estimate I will live past 78"


Saving


Bryan presents Credit Unions vs. Banks posted at Gajizmo, saying, "Not all banks are created equal. Determining whether you should open an account at a credit union versus a bank depends on your financial goals and needs. For different services, we recommend having an account at both, and here's why!"


Taxes


Bill Smith presents Eliminating State Income Taxes Could Spur Economic Growth posted at 2012 Taxes - Free Tax Filing Options, saying, "While Washington continues to struggle with attempts at major changes to the federal tax system, individual states have no such problem."


That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of The Wealth Builder Carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: , .  

For more on Ideas You Can Use, check back every Tuesday for a new segment.

This is not financial, earning, insuring, investing, living, retiring, saving, tax, or wealth building advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Monday, January 21, 2013

Trickling Funds Back In and Selling Into the Rally

The current "unloved" bull market is causing me to have a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde attitude about the stock market.  Part of me wants to be in the market and take advantage of the upward trend since companies are positioned well to take advantage of an upturn  Part of me wants to take profits by selling into the rally since there are still a number of unresolved economic issues.

For now, I'm won't be deciding one way or the other and plan invest both ways.  

First, I will be purchasing stocks with upward trends in sectors I believe will do well.  The first sector I've chose is health care, with emphasis on small cap biotech stocks.  I have identified about 15 stocks,which I am slowly accumulating  The second area I'm investigating is the housing recovery, which includes sectors such as construction, building materials and consumer discretionary.  I am still researching this area and have not started buying.

Second, I am also selling certain stocks which I currently own, especially those near the high of a trading channel or having difficulty breaking to new highs.  These include my company stock options, some conservative stocks paying good dividends,  some speculative stocks that were bought on a dip, and a few stocks that I inherited from my parents.

At this point, I am cautiously optimistic and therefore, am comfortable with slightly increasing the amount of funds in equities.

For more on Strategies and Plans Ideas, check back every Monday  for a new segment.

This is not financial or investing advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Free Prescription Drugs

Recently, my doctor gave me a prescription for a statin and mentioned that Meijer offered the generic at zero out of pocket cost.  Since I was going to my usual pharmacy, I decided to just fill the prescription there.  The cost was a little over $7 for my co-pay.   Since I will need to take the drug on a regular basis, I have decided to switch this prescription to Meijer.  I did call my pharmacy to ask if they would match the cost, but they declined, offering only a bonus for switching prescriptions in.

By the way, Meijer also has a free prescription program for antibiotics and pre-natal vitamins.

Free prescriptions must be picked up in the store.  So I guess free prescriptions is a marketing program to get people into the store and buy other things.   It's going to work for me.

Disclosure:  No compensation was received for this article.

For more on New Beginnings, check back every Sunday for a new segment.


This is not financial, health or prescription advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Saturday, January 19, 2013

The Most Unloved Bull Market

With the indices well over 100% above March 2009 lows,  this market continues to rise despite the skepticism and pessimism about the future for local and global economies.  I am among those that are skeptical and still somewhat, but less pessimistic about the economic future.  There are still too many issues for me to be fully invested in the stock market.   Among them are:

  • Fed policy.  I can't imagine a good ending to the various QE policies implemented by the Fed.  Eventually, interest rates will rise and refinancing all the debt will be painful.  In addition, higher inflation is already here despite government revisions to the calculations that seem to mask the impact on consumers expenses.
  • EU sovereign debt issues.  Since early fall, the EU sovereign debt issues have not been an issue, not because it is no longer a problem.    The US fiscal cliff was just a more prominent issue, until it was partially resolved.  However, I expect European debt issues to move to the forefront again.
  • Government spending.  I don't see an end to the growth in government spending.   This will be a continual battle for the next four years, which will continue to be a drag on the economy.
  • Since I don't want to miss out on the rally, I continue to trickle a small amount of funds into stocks.  At the same time, I am trying to sell into the rally, especially the company stock options that will be expiring over the next four years.

    For more on  Reflections and Musings, check back every Saturday for a new segment.

    This is not financial or investing advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Friday, January 18, 2013

    Social Security - Earlier or Later?

    Although I won't be eligible for Social Security for several more years, I've been evaluating whether to take a reduced benefit earlier or a higher benefit later. I've estimated my break even age to be 78, i.e. I will get more money taking benefits at 62 if I die before 78 and more money taking benefits at 70-1/2 if I die after 78.

    My base assumption (worry:-) has been to plan financially for living into my nineties since my dad died of pneumonia (special cause) at 79 and my mom died at 85.  I thought living passed 78 was highly likely.  So I was strongly considering waiting until 70-1/2.  For reference, my spouse's perspective was for me to take it at 62 since living to 78 wasn't a sure thing

    Recently, a change in my health situation has caused me to rethink my assumption.  I'm estimating that the probability of living passed 78 has become more unlikely.    So I've revised my plan to taking Social Security payments beginning at 62. 

    For more on Reaping the Rewards, check back every Friday  for a new segment.

    This is not financial or retirement advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Thursday, January 17, 2013

    Colleges with Free Tuition

    5 Colleges You Can Go to for Free  shares 20 colleges that offer free tuition or reduced tuition for its students.   Many of the colleges have very limited majors or are military academies.  Also, often room and board or other fees are not covered.   However, in all cases, the cost of college is significantly reduced and may eliminate the need for student loans.

    Many of these free colleges may not be an option for our daughter since she does not meet the residency requirement or have interest in a military career.  The only possibility may be the music schools since our daughter has shown interest and demonstrated above average skills in this area.

    However, the college decision is still at least 9 years away and the cost landscape may be much different by then.

    For more on Crossing Generations, check back every Thursday for a new segment.

    This is not financial or education advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Wednesday, January 16, 2013

    Using Habit or Routine to Succeed

    For me, change can be hard.   One of my favorite mind tricks is to make the change to habit or routine, which makes change a lot easier.  Here are some examples that have worked for me
  • Saving.  In my thirties, I started paying myself first by making the first payment of every month to my own savings account.  At some point, I automated the process by having the amount transferred electronically from my checking to savings account every month.
  • Spending.  In my twenties, I decided to start paying by cash to manage my monthly spending.  That way I could not over spend monthly budget.  Once I ran out of money, the spending stopped :-)   Over time I became accustomed to only spending a certain amount each month.
  • Diet.  This example is not financial, but I thought is was worth sharing.  Recently, I converted to a strict diet for personal health reasons.   The diet is nearly vegan (only allows non fat milk and egg whites), no added oil,  and no nuts or seeds.  My solution is to create about 15 regular menu items that I like and always have a few of them available in the house.  That way I don't have to think about what to eat when I'm hungry.  I just choose one of the regulars and it keeps me from being tempted to go off the diet.  For reference, I've been doing the diet for a month and making the meals routine has helped. 
  • When a task becomes habit or routine, little thinking or resistance is involved, which can make the task automatic.

    For more on The Practice of Personal Finance, check back every Wednesday for a new segment.

    This is not financial or health advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Tuesday, January 15, 2013

    The Wealth Builder Carnival #109

    Welcome to the one hundred ninth edition of The Wealth Builder Carnival. The purpose of this carnival is to collect articles from the blogosphere on building, preserving and keeping enough wealth for a comfortable retirement. For reference, I have tried to keep the carnival content tightly focused on wealth building and did not include submissions that were off topic. For reading convenience, the posts are listed with a brief summary or comment by the submitter and organized into seven categories: Earning, Insuring and Protecting, Investing, Living Frugally, Retiring, Saving and Taxes.

    And now on to the Carnival.


    Earning


    Nick presents The Best Job Search Websites posted at Making It in Today's Economy, saying, "There are a lot of job search websites to choose from, but I sought to highlight the only three I believe most job seekers need--Indeed (for its comprehensiveness), Craigslist (for its local results and hidden diamonds in the rough), and SimplyHired (for its advanced search and filter functionality)."

    Theresa Torres presents 6 Tips for Acing Your Next Phone Interview - Hispanic-Today posted at Hispanic Today, saying, "Preparing for a phone interview can greatly improve your chances of getting the job of your dreams. Here are some tips to help you ace that phone interview."


    Insuring and Protecting


    Super Saver presents Insurance Out of Pocket Cost Management posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, "Now that I'm using medical services more, I need to pay attention to the process of maximizing my insurance benefit and minimizing my out of pocket costs."


    Investing


    Dividends4Life presents Is The Fiscal Cliff Bill Good For Dividend Stocks? posted at Dividend Growth Stocks, saying, "Thursday, the President signed the Fiscal Cliff Bill into law. So will that be good for dividend stocks? The short answer is probably "yes", if you define good as an increase in share price. However, if you were hoping for a steep decline you may have to wait a little longer. Here are some key highlights of the bill..."

    John Schmoll presents 4 Helpful Free Investment Tools posted at Frugal Rules, saying, "Investing in the stock market can be a challenge for the seasoned investor, much less a newbie investor. By using some free investment tools you can make more informed investment decisions that will benefit your portfolio."


    Living Frugally


    Liana Arnold presents Q4 2012 Credit Card Landscape Report posted at CardHub.com, saying, "What better way to start off the new year than to take a look at what the credit card industry was doing 4th quarter of the previous year? Boring you say? Maybe so. After all, it's all about numbers - but it is truly informative."

    Charles presents Mortgage Points Guide posted at Wallet Hub, saying, "Mortgage shoppers often are bewildered by the dizzying array of fees when comparing offers, and no fee gets more attention than mortgage points. They’re quite simple, really, once you break them down, so let’s demystify them once and for all."

    My Money Design presents Our Long Term Financial Goals and How We’ll Meet Them in the New Year posted at My Money Design, saying, "Here’s my assessment of our long term financial goals for the New Year and the steps we need to do to take to make sure we get to where we want to be."


    Saving


    Bryan presents How Much Should I Save Each Month? posted at Gajizmo, saying, "Once the bad habit of overspending is stopped and saving begins, the next question should be, how much do I save each month? The answer depends on your personal financial situation, but here are a few guidelines to fully fund your emergency savings, retirement, and think about short vs. long term needs."


    That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of The Wealth Builder Carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

    Technorati tags: , .  

    For more on Ideas You Can Use, check back every Tuesday for a new segment.

    This is not financial, earning, insuring, investing, living, retiring, saving, tax, or wealth building advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Monday, January 14, 2013

    Wealth Builder Ratios - Q4 2012 Update

    Here is our Q4 2012 Wealth Builder Ratios update. During the fourth quarter of 2012, the Dow, Nasdaq and S&P500 indices were down 2.4%, 3.1% and 1.0% respectively. My company stock was also down 2.1%.  Our investment portfolio increased in value 8.8 % due entirely to an inheritance from my parents which was partially distributed in 2012.

    For more details on the relevance of these ratios, please see this How Much Is Needed To Be Wealthy - The NUMBER. 

    Ratio and Target
    Q3 2012
    Q4 2012



    Comments
    Investment
    Income to Salary
    Target= 0.8 2007= 3.41
    2008= -5.47 2009= -1.38
    2010= 1.29
    2011= 0.5
    2012=2.02



    0.55



    2.02
     Q4 2012 was positive due entirely to a partial distribution of an inheritance to our portfolio.  The indices fell 1 to 3% and my company stock fell 2%.  In 2012, all the stock assets and the majority of cash was distributed to the heirs.  In 2013, we are working to complete the distribution of real assets and remaining cash.  So there will be another positive impact.  

    I have sold all the company stock in our IRA, keeping only the low basis shares in my company retirement for a future NUA execution.  I bought back a very small amount near the bottom of the trading range in June 2012.   As my company stock (hopefully) advances, we plan to continue execute the remaining stock options I own.
    Savings to Salary
    Target>20
    2007=23 2008=16.7 2009=15.3
    2010=16.6
    2011=17.1
    2012=19.1
    17.619.1During Q4, I had be slowly trickling funds back into the stock market.   However, the inheritance from my parents included several stocks and mutual funds.  So I became much more invested when the funds transferred to me.  I've decided to keep most the stock and mutual fund  intact, and have sold very little of the positions.

    I plan to continue trickling in funds into stocks and ETFs during Q1 2013.
    Debt to Salary
    Target=0
    2007=1.51 2008=1.46 2009=0
    2010=0
    2011=0
    2012=0

    0

    0
    We said bye-bye to our mortgage on May 20, 2009. Eliminating a mortgage payment has reduced our expenses by 24%.

    My financial goals for 2012 were:

    1. Continue to maintain an Investment Income to Salary ratio > 0.8. (off track, achieved due special situation and not investment results)

    2. Maintain a Savings to Salary ratio of 20. (off track)

    3. Maintain Debt to Salary Ratio at 0. (met final goal of 0)

    (For reference, Salary refers to gross salary just prior to early retirement in October, 2007.)

    Both #1 and #2 were directly correlated with how well our stock, bond, and CD investments returns. With the negative performance of my company stock and the high proportion of cash, our portfolio was down slightly.   The positive performance of the portfolio was due entirely to the inheritance from my parents. If the stock market continues to be positive, it appears a Savings to Salary ratio of 20 will be achievable with another 6% advance in my company stock.
    Although I am pleased with our portfolio results, I am not confident the gains are sustainable. Our short term expenses (next 3-5 years) are invested in CDs, bonds and money markets. I continue to be concerned about volatility of our investment portfolio, and believe there equal downside and upside potential going forward due to EU sovereign debt crisis and the US debt ceiling crisis.  So I continue to slowly add funds to the stock market, and hold my company stock and stock options

    I continue to have the same financial goals for 2013. At this point, I am slightly optimistic about the economy and the stock market.

    For more on Strategies and Plans, check back every Monday for a new segment.

    This is not financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Sunday, January 13, 2013

    Fiscal Cliff Deal - Federal Taxes Going Up for Everyone

    Despite "Cliff" Deal's Cuts, Your Taxes Are Going Up reports that federal taxes are going up for everybody, mainly because of the expiration of the payroll tax cut.  The average tax increase ranges from $297 for the $20,000 to $30,000 incomes to $170,341 the over $1 million incomes. 

    For more specifics on the fiscal cliff deal, I found this Washington Post Wonkblog article informative and insightful.

    For more on New Beginnings, check back every Sunday for a new segment.

    This is not financial or tax advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Saturday, January 12, 2013

    Using a GPS

    Recently, we were recipients of a GPS since my mother-in-law decided to get a new one.  We affectionately call our GPS the Gremlin, since it sometimes misdirects us.  However, on average, it is has provided good directions and offered improved routes for some of our trips.   Once I have chose a regular route(s), I still prefer to drive by memory.  

    Here are some of our GPS experiences, both good and bad:

    Good

    • Shorter drives.  Prior to the GPS, we always used the interstate highway to go to my mother-in-law's house.  We lived right off one highway, and she lived near another.   The GPS showed us a back road way that was shorter and took the same time or less.  As it turns out, my mother-in-law lives directly north of us.   When using the interstate highway, we drove faster, but needed to drive west first, before driving north, and then drive east to reach my mother-in-laws house.  So we were going a few miles out of the way to stay on the highway.
    • New destinations.  Usually we will get directions on our computer prior to taking a trip.  However, having the GPS with real time maps has been useful  a couple times when there was construction, detours or difficult merges.  The GPS kept us on the correct route.
    •  Ad hoc destinations.  One of the great uses is during a trip, when looking for a restaurant or point of interest while driving.  Our best experience was finding a state park while on a trip. I punched in the state park name and the GPS took us to the an entrance that was only open limited months, including the one in which were driving.   I'm sure it was luck, but I'll give credit to the GPS :-)
    Bad
    • Known short drives. Occasionally, the GPS will give convoluted directions for what should be a short straight forward drive.  We learned this fact when testing the GPS before using it for longer trips.
    • No "best" direction choice.  We have a choices of faster time, shorter distance, highway or no highway.  Sometimes a choice is the best, but other times it isn't based on previous experience going to the destination.  We we visited Niagara Falls, the GPS took us to the border entry point right next to the falls.  The wait was over a couple hours.   Previously, we had taken an border crossing point 10 miles away.   Only a 10 minute way for customs.
    • Occasional dead ends.   One time, the GPS took us down a old country road that looked like it would be a dead end.  It was.   Can't blame the error on updates since the road looked like it had been the same forever.
    Overall, the Gremlin has been acceptable.  However, for critical destinations, we still use our computer to get directions.  We will use the Gremlin as backup or when we have time for errors which we can correct.

    For more on Reflections and Musings check back every Saturday for a new segment.

    This is not financial or travel advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Friday, January 11, 2013

    Social Security - Earnings Discrepancy Not an Error

    In August 2012, I reviewed my Social Security earnings statement and thought I found an error. For one year, my earnings for Social Security and Medicare were not the same, even though I was earning below the maximum earnings threshold for Social Security.   The representative said a form would be sent to me so that I could correct the discrepancy.

    Since I still had not received the forms,  I called Social Security back again today.   I explained the discrepancy again and the representative put me on hold to research the issue.  After a few minutes, she returned and asked, "Did you ever work for a government agency that did not participate in Social Security?"  Immediately, I remembered that I worked in a part time job for the county that year, and Social Security was not withheld.

    I compliment the representative for solving my issue so quickly and asked if there was a survey I could take.   She transfered me to her supervisor, and I told him that she had done a great job.   Of course, he was pleased to hear a compliment, instead of the more frequent complaint.

    For more on Reaping the Rewards, check back every  Friday Saturday Sunday for a new segment.

    This is not financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Thursday, January 10, 2013

    Allowance Request

    Our eight year old daughter has been hinting that she would like to start receiving an allowance.  I remember when I my first allowance request.  I whispered into my dad's ear and asked for a quarter a week. To my surprise, my dad agreed.

    For our daughter, we've already thought about how much allowance to give and we've also funded the allowances with a UTMA account.

    I've asked my daughter to do two things to qualify herself for receive an allowance: consistently demonstrate responsibility and discipline.   Specifically, she needs to independently do her chores and meet time commitments on a regular basis.   She agreed and I've noticed that she is making a good effort in both areas.

    For me, I think a month of consistent demonstration will be sufficient to start the allowance.   Based on the motivation I am seeing, I expect this allowance qualification process will be a good one.

    For more on Crossing Generations, check back every Thursday for a new segment.

    This is not financial or parenting advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Wednesday, January 09, 2013

    Charitable Donation Record Keeping

    In 2013, we expect to make a number of charitable donations.  Since we plan to itemize on our 2013 tax return, I'll be following the rules for documenting and claiming charitable deductions.  
  • Cash.  Receipts are required to be able to claim a deduction.  Valid receipts include cancelled checks, a credit card statement, or a document (letter, statement or receipt) from the charitable organization.  So if I want to deduct the money I put into a Salvation Army Kettle, I write a check.
  • Goods.  We make numerous contribution of used goods and clothing to our church, Goodwill, and other charitable organization.   Again, receipts are required to make a deduction.  If the number of items is large, we will make a list and attach it to the receipt.  If the number of items is small, we will just write it on the receipt.   Valuation of the goods are usually determined by the contributor.  We use "thrift store prices" as the benchmark, which Goodwill conveniently provides.
  • Appreciated goods. The only appreciated good we donate is publicly traded stock.   I use the closing share price on the date of the donation.  As with other contributions, a receipt is required.   
  • For this year, we won't be donating a vehicle or appreciated goods such as art or antiques.   These have special requirement for valuation, which I haven't researched since it won't be relevant for our tax situation.

    In 2013, we expect to have a very large charitable deduction donation. First, I will be donating many of the personal items that I inherited from my parents that have no sentimental value.  Second, we have been saving up contributions to do every other year to maximize the benefit of deductions over two years.  So good record keeping will be important, especially if our tax return is audited by the IRS.

    For more on The Practice of Personal Finance, check back every Wednesday  for a new segment.

    This is not financial, tax or charitable giving advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Tuesday, January 08, 2013

    The Wealth Builder Carnival #108

    Welcome to the one hundred eighth edition of The Wealth Builder Carnival. The purpose of this carnival is to collect articles from the blogosphere on building, preserving and keeping enough wealth for a comfortable retirement. For reference, I have tried to keep the carnival content tightly focused on wealth building and did not include submissions that were off topic. For reading convenience, the posts are listed with a brief summary or comment by the submitter and organized into seven categories: Earning, Insuring and Protecting, Investing, Living Frugally, Retiring, Saving and Taxes.

    And now on to the Carnival.


    Insuring and Protecting


    Bryan presents How Much Life Insurance Should I Have? posted at MyLifeInsurance101, saying, "Buying too much or too little life insurance can be catastrophic in the case of a tragedy. In addition to considering how much of a death benefit is needed to maintain your family's lifestyle and keep them protected, potential policy holders must also take into account their current and future financial needs and circumstances. We discuss the step by step considerations needed to determine your life insurance death benefit."

    Odysseas presents Why You Can’t Comparison Shop For Life Insurance posted at Wallet Blog, saying, "Anyone who’s ever taken out a life insurance policy knows that while you can try to shop around for the best rates, offers aren’t finalized until your paperwork and physical exam results are processed. So what should you do about this important aspect to protecting your assets."


    Investing


    My Money Design presents My Stocks with High Dividends Income Report – December 2012 posted at My Money Design, saying, "Stocks with high dividends are a great way to create passive income, lower tax payments, and retire early. Here is my 2012 Quarter 4 performance report."

    Dividends4Life presents 6 Stocks Expected to Grow Their Dividends in 2013 posted at Dividend Growth Stocks, saying, "In this space we normally look at companies that have recently raised their dividends. However, as the year draws to a close there were very few companies of note increasing their dividends this week. With that, I thought it would be interesting to see who were the big dividend raisers in 2012 and what we might see in 2013. Here are six companies for your consideration..."

    Brian McKay presents Federal Reserve Concerned About Stimulus Side Effects Which Could Lead to Higher CD Rates Before Mid-2015 posted at Bank CD Rates, Mortgage Rates, Savings Rates, Banking Reviews, saying, "Even though the Fed has decided to maintain aggressive stimulus measures in December's Fed meeting to support the recovery and bring down high unemployment, policymakers were divided on when to end these aggressive measures. If the Fed changes their accommodating stance to stimulate the economy we will see higher CD rates and higher rates on all interest bearing assets sooner than mid-2015, the current time frame the Fed is expected to keep rates low."


    Living Frugally


    Louis presents FHA Loans vs Conventional Loans posted at Wallet Hub, saying, "One of the biggest choices any home buyer has when taking out their loan is deciding whether or not they want to get an FHA loan or a conventional loan offered by a private lender. Picking between the two options can be very tricky–depending on a buyer’s situation each has its own advantages and disadvantages."

    John Kiernan presents Ask the Experts: Why Do We Make New Year’s Resolutions (And How Can You Keep Yours This Year)? posted at CardHub.com, saying, "The New Year’s resolution phenomenon is largely a social construct, but that’s certainly not to say our intended changes are arbitrary. No, experts and common sense agree that we make resolutions because there’s something about the way we live our lives that we’d like to change. Does that include changing our approach to gaining personal wealth?"

    John Schmoll presents What My Air Conditioner Taught Me About Saving Money posted at Frugal Rules, saying, "When our air conditioner broke in the heat of the summer I thought we’d have an expensive repair bill. Thanks to some quick thinking we were able to save some money and learn a little home repair trick in the process."


    Retirement


    Super Saver presents Retirement Financials - Perception versus Reality posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, "Here are five misconceptions Americans have about retirement financials."

    That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of The Wealth Builder Carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

    Technorati tags: , .  

    For more on Ideas You Can Use, check back every Tuesday for a new segment.

    This is not financial, earning, insuring, investing, living, retiring, saving, tax, or wealth building advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Monday, January 07, 2013

    Insurance Out of Pocket Cost Management

    I used to be a low maintenance medical needs person. I didn't spend much time checking on my health insurance benefits since I rarely needed a new doctor, medicine or hospital.    However, a recent change in my health situation requires me to have much higher use of the health care system, from health care providers to prescriptions.   So now I am more attentive to the various aspects of our health insurance plan.  

    So here are the items that I am now checking:
  • Network provider.   In network means my insurance company pays a negotiated rate and I pay a copay at a flat rate or a percentage.   Out of network means I pay a percentage of the provider rate up to a deductible maximum.  
  • Procedure codes.   Insurers need to know the specific procedure to know whether it is covered and for how much.   I learned that saying "a root canal" or "a stress test" was not sufficient information.  I needed to know the specific numerical code that is being performed.  This code is available from the provider.
  • Generic availability. My insurance will pay for both branded and generic prescription drugs.  However, when both a branded and generic version is available, the benefit is less for the branded version. 
  • Fortunately, I have excellent retiree insurance from my company.  All the doctors and hospitals in the area are network providers.  So I can focus on finding the best providers because the cost will be the same.  However, I am still interested in my out of pocket costs.  So I will ask about the procedure codes and generic availability when working with a provider.

    For more on Strategies and Plans, check back every Monday Tuesday for a new segment.

    This is not financial, insurance, or health care advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Sunday, January 06, 2013

    No More Adoption Tax Credit

    One of the casualties of the fiscal cliff deal that affects us is the elimination of the Adoption Tax Credit,  In 2012, the maximum credit was $12,650 and the credit was not refundable.  In 2005, we took advantage of the Adoption Tax Credit.  We expected to get the Adoption Tax Credit again, except the second adoption has taken six years and still counting.   We also knew that the Adoption Tax Credit was likely to expire sometime.  

    At this point, we are continuing with the adoption, since the tax credit was not a factor in our decision.  However, if the credit is reinstated, we'll gladly take advantage of it.

    Correction:  As Mark Smith points out in a comment below, the Adoption Tax Credit is extended permanently as a non-refundable tax credit of $12,970 for taxpayers below the phaseout AGI income of $194,580 to $234,580.  Although non-refundable, the unused credit can be carried forward for 6 years.

    For more on New Realities, check back every Sunday for a new segment.

    This is not financial or adoption advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Saturday, January 05, 2013

    Go Ahead and Do It

    "In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is." ~ Yogi Berra

    I often hear this type argument for taxing the rich:  "If I made a million dollars, I'd be happy to pay 70% in taxes. I'd still have $300,000 which is more than I make now."

    Interesting theory.

    My response from now on is: "Do what it takes to make your million and then pay 70% in taxes.    Put in the hard work, take the risks and then 'happily' hand over 70%.   Give me a call when you're making a million."

    In practice, I don't expect to hear back :-)

    For more on Reflections and Musings, check back every  Saturday  for a new segment.

    This is not financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Friday, January 04, 2013

    2013 IRA Contribution Limit

    In 2013, the maximum IRA contribution limits increase by $500.   So the limit is now $5500 for those under 50 and $6500 or those 50 and older.  Although we are retired, we continue to make contributions to our IRAs, either at the maximum or 100% of our earnings if below the maximum. 

    In past retirement years, we have been contributing to our IRAs at or very close to the maximum.  For 2013, we'll likely be contributing less that the maximum since I've been cutting back on my part time jobs.

    For more on Reaping the Rewards, check back every Friday for a new segment.

    This is not financial or retirement saving advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Thursday, January 03, 2013

    Healthy Eating - Back to the Future

    When I was a child, my mom cooked our meals from scratch using mostly fresh vegetables. We hardly ever ate out and ready to eat dinners, called TV dinners were just being introduced. As kids we thought is was a treat to eat at McDonald's or have a TV dinner since we rarely did so.

    After I graduated from college, I mostly ate prepared foods (canned, frozen, or pre-cooked) or ate out.  I rarely prepared from scratch, except for meat.  However, the effects of eating like this is starting to show some negative health effects. 

    Now, we are again cooking from scratch and using mostly fresh vegetables, just like my mother did.  In addition, I am trying to eliminate added oils (no frying, no butter),  nuts/seeds and meats.   Fortunately, there are lots of good recipes nowadays for such a diet, which didn't exist when I was a child.  

    I've been able to main this low fat vegetarian diet for three weeks now.  I sure take a lot of time (5 times more) to prepare meals.   But the health benefit is worth it.

    For more on Crossing Generations, check back every Thursday for a new segment.


    This is not financial or health advice advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Wednesday, January 02, 2013

    Be Careful of Investing Success Stories

    I have heard about a lot investing strategies that have made money for people.  However, I don't  automatically assume these investing strategies are right for me.   Here are a couple reasons why I don't jump on the "successful" investing strategy bandwagon.

  • Only the positive outcomes are reported or remembered.   The failures are not as widely shared  or remembered as the success stories.   In the fine print, there is always a caution that results my vary or not be representative.
  • Success percentage is low.  Take any strategy and let 1000 people use it.  It is likely there will be 5-10 people (0.5% - 1.0%) who are very successful, but due primarily to chance.  The results are not likely to replicated, either by others or even the same person at a different time.
  • While the reported superior outcomes of these strategies make them sound attractive, I remember that I am only hearing about the best results.  For everyone that had a great results, there are probably 100 time more people with average or below average outcomes.
    For more on The Practice of Personal Finance, check back every Wednesday for a new segment.


    This is not financial or investing advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2012 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

    Tuesday, January 01, 2013

    The Wealth Builder Carnival #107 - New Year's Day Edition

    Welcome to the one hundred seventh edition of The Wealth Builder Carnival. The purpose of this carnival is to collect articles from the blogosphere on building, preserving and keeping enough wealth for a comfortable retirement. For reference, I have tried to keep the carnival content tightly focused on wealth building and did not include submissions that were off topic. For reading convenience, the posts are listed with a brief summary or comment by the submitter and organized into seven categories: Earning, Insuring and Protecting, Investing, Living Frugally, Retiring, Saving and Taxes.

    And now on to the Carnival.


    Earning


    Jason presents How to Ask Your Boss for a Raise posted at WorkSaveLive, saying, "One of the most uncomfortable work-related missions is having to ask your boss for a raise. This is especially problematic now, since so many employers are facing tight budgets and are very reluctant to give raises in general."


    Investing


    Dividends4Life presents This Stock Is Flying High With Another Dividend Increase posted at Dividend Growth Stocks, saying, "In March 1910, William bought Heath's shipyard in Washington State on the Duwamish River. This later became his first factory. Today this company is among the largest global aircraft manufacturers, and the third largest aerospace and defense contractor in the world based on defense-related revenue. Who is this company? It is..."

    Dustin Small presents What is the difference between Price and Value? posted at Stockodo, saying, "One very common misconception that newcomers have to Value Investing is the difference between the price of the stock and what we call it's underlying or "intrinsic" value. In this article I take an in depth look at the difference between the two and try to explain it in terms understandable by novice investors."


    Living Frugally


    John Kiernan presents Justin Bieber Prepaid Card Evaluation posted at CardHub.com, saying, "A relationship between Justin Bieber and BillMyParents seems like just another case of a celebrity trying to pull a fast one and endorse a financial product not because it’s the best on the market, but rather because the endorsement deal provides the best financial terms for them. How does this product measure up? - Will this really help you control your wealth building?"

    Bryan presents How To Get Out of A Cell Phone Contract Without Paying Termination Fees posted at Gajizmo, saying, "Fees - they are the bane of our existence as consumers. Technically, we don\'t get anything for the money we spend on fees, and they are just an additional tax companies use to increase earnings. Well, what if you want to get out of your phone contract due to bad service or loss of employment, but don\'t want to pay early termination fees? We cover the many tactics you can use to try to get out of these fees, as well as some tips on finding the best cell service."

    My Money Design presents Goal Setting Activities for Your Personal Finances posted at My Money Design, saying, "To understand what you want, expand your financial perspective through goal setting activities that help you figure out how you feel about your money."

    John Schmoll presents Saving Money with Comparison Shopping posted at Frugal Rules, saying, "There are many ways you can save while shopping for various items. Comparison Shopping is one angle you can take to make sure you get the best price. This can be done through looking at ads, looking online, or using your smartphone."


    Retiring


    Super Saver presents Retirement Financials - Perception versus Reality posted at My Wealth Builder, saying, "Here are five misconceptions Americans have about retirement financial situations."


    That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of The Wealth Builder Carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

    Technorati tags: , .  

    For more on Ideas You Can Use, check back every Tuesday for a new segment.

    This is not financial, earning, insuring, investing, living, retiring, saving, tax, or wealth building advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

    Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC