To creat a household inventory, follow these easy steps:

March 10th, 2010

1. Start in a room and use a video camera or digital camera to shoot pictures of all the items. Include clothes, jewelry, furniture, kitchen items, etc. Make sure to open drawers and closet doors and include all the contents.

Have you taken care of higher financial priorities?

March 9th, 2010

Consider your entire situation. If your spouce was justlaid off or youre still paying tuition bills, dont spend your cash on a Roth conversion. If youre under 59 1/2, youll pay 10% penalty for withdrawing converted Roth funds within five years of setting up the account.

Do you have cash outside the IRA to pay the taxes you’d owe?

March 8th, 2010

You defeat your purpose if you steal from your retirement savings to pay the taxes. Let’s say you pay the tax with $25,000 from a $100,000 IRA. That leavse only $75,000 to earn tax-free income in the Roth.

Is your personal tax rate likely to rise in retirement?

March 3rd, 2010

For many people the answer is no. If youre in your late 50s and earn a substantial income, youre in a high tax bracket now, but your rate may decline after you stop working. You dont want to pay hefty taxs now on money you can withdraw less expensively later.

Act FAST if You See Signs of Stroke!

March 2nd, 2010

Stroke symptoms come on suddenly and may include:

  • Numbness or weakness on one side of the body
  • Trouble speaking or understanding
  • Difficulty seeing
  • Trouble walking
  • Severe headache

The National Stroke Association recommends remembering the word FAST:

F=FACE - Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A=ARMS - Ask the person to raise botha rms. Does one arm drift downward?

S=Speech - Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Can the person repeat it correctly?

T=Time - If the person shows any of these stroke symptoms, call 911!

A transient ischemic attack, or TIA, is a stroke with symptoms that vanish within one to 24 hours. The culprit is usually a blood supply to the brain. A TIA may be warning sign for a future stroke, requiring medicines or other stroke-preventing treatments. Because you can’t tell whether an episode is a TIA or a stroke, get to the hospital as soon as you can.

Greener Travel in the Dead of Winter

March 1st, 2010

1. Pad your schedule. If you can, begin your trip a day ealier and/or return a day later. You’ll avoid peak travel times and reduce emissions as well. When your car is stuck in traffic its fuel comsumption rate can be double the rate of a steady cruising speed. If you must travel at peak times, consider using a GPS system with real-time traffic monitoring to aviod congested roads.

Is your personal tax rate likely to rise in retirement?

February 24th, 2010

For many people the answer is no. If youre in your late 50s and earn a substantial income, your in a high tax braket now, but your rate may dicline after you stop working. You dont want to pay heftl taxs now on money you can withdraw less expensively later.

RISK MANAGEMENT

February 22nd, 2010

RISK MANAGEMENT

 Management of the varied risks to which a business firm or association might be subject. It includes analyzing all exposures to gauge the likelihood of loss and choosing options to better manage or minimize loss. These options typically include reducing and eliminating the risk with safety measures, buying insurance, and self-insurance.

MARINE INSURANCE

February 17th, 2010

MARINE INSURANCE Coverage for goods in transit, and for the commercial vehicles that transport them, on water and over land. The term may apply to inland marine but more generally applies to ocean marine insurance. Covers damage or destruction of a shipís hull and cargo and perils include collision, sinking, capsizing, being stranded, fire, piracy, and jettisoning cargo to save other property. Wear and tear, dampness, mold, and war are not included.

AUTO INSURANCE POLICY

February 16th, 2010

AUTO INSURANCE POLICY There are basically six different types of coverages. Some may be required by law. Others are optional. They are:

  1. Bodily injury liability, for injuries the policyholder causes to someone else.
  2. Medical payments or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) for treatment of injuries to the driver and passengers of the policyholderís car.
  3. Property damage liability, for damage the policyholder causes to someone elseís property.
  4. Collision, for damage to the policyholderís car from a collision.
  5. Comprehensive, for damage to the policyholderís car not involving a collision with another car (including damage from fire, explosions, earthquakes, floods, and riots), and theft.
  6. Uninsured motorists coverage, for costs resulting from an accident involving a hit-and-run driver or a driver who does not have insurance.