Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Feb 7, 2012, 9:51 am
Employers are required to send W-2 wage statements to their employees no later than January 31 of each year. Many employers send W-2s earlier (some by a couple of weeks) in order to allow employees to complete their tax return as early as possible. That W-2 is critical to completing your tax return ...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Feb 6, 2012, 9:43 am
Not everyone uses TurboTax or H&R Block Online to complete their tax return (surprise!). Some people don’t like dealing with large companies, some want to support “the little guys”, and some just like the feel of the other tax software packages. Regardless, there is a significant number of peo...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Feb 1, 2012, 2:30 pm
... still responsible. How do these tax scammers make their money? Skimming a portion of their clients’ refunds by ... before preparing any federal tax returns. Start your taxes for FREE with TurboTax and pay only after you file! ... don’t even have to pay anything unless you actually fi...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Jan 23, 2012, 10:47 am
Have you ever run into one of these disclaimers? This offer can not be used with any other offer, sale or discount. Frustrating, isn’t it? Especially when you have a coupon for 15% off and the store is running a special on an item you need to buy. Trot up to the cash register and the clerk says...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Jan 17, 2012, 9:15 am
An Insurance Pothole? Potholes. The nemesis of drivers everywhere. They appear when you least expect them and they can do some real damage to your tires, your wheels, and even the frame of your vehicle. Potholes need to be filled quickly, before they get larger and damage more vehicles. Insurance ...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Jan 16, 2012, 9:20 am
We’ve all done it: put off what we know we should do, waiting until a later time. While many of us are professional procrastinators, the truth is very few people always do everything on time. Sometimes a “wait-and-see” approach pays off, but that process requires thoughtful judgment, and reall...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Jan 12, 2012, 9:24 am
Did you make some New Year’s Resolutions? Many, if not most, people do take a few moments to reflect on the previous year and how they want the upcoming one to be different. But change, though relatively simple, is rarely easy. The average resolution lasts just six days before it’s completely ab...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Nov 2, 2011, 2:00 am
Risk bothers almost everyone to some degree but to maximize your returns, you’ll have to incur some sort of investment risk. The key is to know how much risk YOU can tolerate and work from there. Even in a turbulent market, however, there may be ways for even the most risk-averse among us to incre...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 31, 2011, 2:00 am
The decision to begin investing while you still have debt hanging over your head isn’t a black or white proposition. A lot depends on what type of investments you’d like to make and what type of debt remains on your personal books. Is it high interest debt, low interest debt, or tax deductible d...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 28, 2011, 2:40 am
I recently received this email from one of those serial email friends: There recently was an article in the St. Petersburg , Florida Times. The Business Section asked readers for ideas on: “How Would You Fix the Economy?” I think this guy nailed it! Dear Mr. President, Please find below m...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 27, 2011, 2:00 am
Bug-out bags have long been the rage among the “what-if crowd” and they’re quickly becoming more popular in mainstream circles too. These bags are designed to be grabbed quickly in case “something” happens. They can contain anything from several days worth of meals, to survival gear, to we...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 26, 2011, 2:07 pm
After a lot of thought, research and advice, I’ve decided to use a different email delivery service for the articles written on The Wisdom Journal. As a result, you’ll soon receive a confirmation email (within the next few days) that will ask you to re-confirm your free subscription to the artic...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 26, 2011, 2:06 am
Are you sick of your bank and it’s fees? Are you using what I (affectionately) call the Big-Boy-Bailout Banks? When Bank of America declared that it would start charging customers a monthly fee for simply using their debit card, many people (me included) grew disgusted. When you consider that our...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 25, 2011, 2:21 am
Having children is one of my life’s greatest events. But few great events come without a price tag and in the case of children, the financial shocks that new parents experience are strong. According to the US Department of Agriculture, a middle class family will spend $250,000 to raise a child fro...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 24, 2011, 2:11 am
Kids grow up fast. Eventually, the time will arrive to use the money you and your soon-to-be college student have been saving. That time will get here sooner than you think — I know it is for me. When that time does come, you’ll need to know which types of withdrawals to make from those accounts...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 19, 2011, 2:00 am
Do you have a coupon strategy? If you’re using all of my 101 Ways To Take A Bite Out Of Your Food Budget, coupons can be a great way to save some serious additional cash. But to save even more, try one or all of these strategies: Coupon strategies that work: Only use coupons to buy products you ...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 18, 2011, 2:00 am
With workers changing jobs an average of 12 times during their career, chances are you’ll set up multiple types and varieties of retirement accounts over the course of your lifetime (please don’t cash them out!). But instead of maintaining a lot of separate accounts at different employers, you c...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 17, 2011, 2:11 am
Far too many people, 45 percent, choose to cash out their 401(k) account when they leave a job. What generally happens next involves shopping sprees, vacations, and drinks on the house … and a huge amount of taxes. Changing jobs is a fact of life – you will probably change jobs at least a few t...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 14, 2011, 2:19 am
I was recently asked by an email reader named Susan about how to handle the needs of her own retirement in light of her kid’s needs AND her parent’s needs for financial support. I honestly never expected my parent’s to live as long as they have … and they didn’t either. Today I and my hus...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 12, 2011, 2:00 am
When I was a kid growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, money seemed to always be in short supply. My children today cannot fathom what it’s like to come home to a supper of turnip greens and cornbread … and nothing else. Or to spend ALL of Spring Break doing yard work around the house and planting ...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 11, 2011, 2:40 am
If you’re interested in depositing much, much more into an IRA than the traditional $5,000 annual limit, an SEP IRA may be just the ticket. The catch? You’ll have to start your own business (read 26 Ways to Make Extra Money Wile Keeping Your Day Job). Simplified Employee Pension Individual Reti...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 10, 2011, 2:09 am
That’s the $64,000 question. The real question is: will your savings last as long as you do? How can you make your retirement funds last as long as you do? This is probably the number one question in the back of anyone’s mind when they start planning their retirement or selecting a life insura...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 8, 2011, 11:35 am
One thing I learned at the first annual Financial Blogger’s Conference this year was to know more about the readers who visit this blog. To do so, I’ve assembled a quick 7 question survey and I would sincerely appreciate any response you feel comfortable giving. All questions are optional. Than...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 8, 2011, 2:37 am
Steve Jobs was an extraordinary visionary and although he surely didn’t need traditional life insurance, he provided it for his company. How? Reports are coming out that Mr. Jobs provided life insurance with his own twist in the form of up to four years of ideas to help his company, his family, hi...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 6, 2011, 2:00 am
Are you angry that banks are now charging you to use your own money? When Bank of America announced their (bad/dumb/stupid/greedy) decision to start charging me and millions of other people for using our debit cards to access our own cash that they make a fortune using and lending out, I was pretty...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Oct 5, 2011, 2:34 am
Be aware of the differences in zero percent credit card offers so you aren’t disappointed when you get your first bill. I received this email question in my inbox from a reader named Colin: I was approved for a car at an introductory rate of zero percent but after I transferred my balance, my firs...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 29, 2011, 2:40 am
An earlier retirement could be within your reach with proper planning and a willingness to make a few lifestyle changes. If you’re interested in retiring while still young enough to actually enjoy it, read on, there may be hope for you yet. First, let’s take a look at the realities of retiring i...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 27, 2011, 8:00 am
The PerkStreet checking account has the highest rewards program for just about any checking account (are you getting those rewards?) but those rewards come back to you only with “non-PIN debit card purchases.” What does this mean? When you use your PerkStreet debit MasterCard, many retailers wil...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 26, 2011, 2:05 am
Saving money is a worthless endeavor if you don’t really “save” it. Have you ever noticed that somehow your savings from altering your financial activities magically vanish? Do you find that the money just gets absorbed by something else. You need to “start saving your savings” to really m...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 22, 2011, 2:17 am
A few weeks back, I was at my parent’s home, helping them declutter their office when I ran across an old copy of Wealth Without Risk (1988) by Charles Givens. Givens was the financial guru of his day and one of the ways he advocated cutting expenses was by thoroughly examining your car insurance ...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 21, 2011, 2:03 am
invAll investments and their respective gains or losses have an effect on your state and federal taxes (and possibly even local). To invest profitably, it’s vital that you understand the impact of taxes on your gains and losses. Since your investing monies are called “capital,” the profit you...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 19, 2011, 2:26 am
With financial markets experiencing incredible volatility (200+ point daily swings), some investors understandably are looking for ways to avoid it. Unfortunately, I don’t think market volatility is going away anytime soon, but options are one way to take advantage of it. How Options Can Help You ...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 18, 2011, 11:40 pm
There are always some surprising tidbits when you start doing any market research. See if you can guess which age from Here are some highlights about the growing usage of online media of this age group: The 2010 US Census counted 40 million of this group in the US; 13% of the total population. Accor...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 15, 2011, 2:00 am
Several months ago, I put Credit Sesame to work for me. Credit Sesame is an online program that scours the Internet and beyond to find better rates on mortgages, credit cards, or other debts you have. All you do is enter your information once and their system goes to work. The best part? It’s free...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 14, 2011, 2:07 am
Charles Ponzi is credited as the inventor of what has become known as the Ponzi Scheme, though the mechanics of this type of scam had been used for decades before Chuck started his based on selling the arbitrage of international reply coupons for postage stamps to investors in 1920. A Ponzi scheme i...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 13, 2011, 2:04 am
Once you’ve built an investment portfolio that matches your investment goals and risk tolerance, it’s critical to keep your momentum and maintain it based on those goals. As with most everything, there will be aspects of your investment portfolio that will thrive while others will stagnate. As a...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 12, 2011, 2:04 am
There are a lot of “major” money wasters and I’ve covered several of them in past articles (read The REAL Top Money Drains) but those are usually easy to spot. What isn’t so easy to spot are the little leaks, the little foxes that spoil the vines. Far too often small amounts of cash slip thr...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 7, 2011, 8:22 pm
Back when I was 17 (in 1983), I spent the summer in Guatemala working with a missionary. One of the perks of such a trip was that I would occasionally have a few days to explore the countryside and on one of my excursions, I found myself in Antigua, the old capital. It was spectacular, with its ruin...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 6, 2011, 2:34 am
There’s a lot more to investing in stocks, bonds or exchange traded funds (ETFs) than meets the eye. People go to school for years to learn the ins-and-outs of investing, while others just open a brokerage account online and plunge ahead. There’s no sense in jumping into the deep end of the pool...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 2, 2011, 5:45 am
One of the great things about having a PerkStreet checking account is the rotating category purchases I can make that pay me 5 percent cash back. Does YOUR checking account pay you rewards or CASH … did you even get a toaster when you opened the account? My old traditional bank never did that, ins...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Sep 1, 2011, 2:15 am
Setting aside the fact that a PerkStreet checking account HANDS DOWN beats interest bearing checking accounts, setting aside that PerkStreet regularly has 5% cash back offers (up to $250 in a calendar year), setting aside the fact that customers can get coffee perks, music perks, or 2% CASH BACK per...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Aug 31, 2011, 2:01 am
When it concerns your credit report and credit score, there are more myths floating around out there than you can believe. The biggest problem with a myth, is that when someone unwittingly believes one, convincing them otherwise can sometimes be difficult (though not impossible). I’ve often wonder...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Aug 30, 2011, 2:00 am
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) got their start in 1993 with Standard & Poor’s Depositary Receipts, also known as “spiders.” That fund followed (tracked) the S&P 500, and its popularity became the catalyst that kicked off the ETF revolution and led to the introduction of other ETFs based on other...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Aug 29, 2011, 2:02 am
True or False? When you get married your credit report is merged with your spouse’s to create a combined credit report. False. Even though you may merge many, if not most, components of your personal finances with your spouse (your mortgage, or your American Express Gold Delta SkyMiles Card), y...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Aug 26, 2011, 2:18 am
Have you ever considered what is needed to effectively accomplish a task? I’ve been turning this over in my head for the past few days as I meditated on several things that I needed to happen at one of my stores. Here is what I came up with: Tools – having the proper tools is critical Knowledge...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Aug 25, 2011, 2:00 am
I recently read about a CareerBuilder survey where 42 percent of Americans admit living paycheck to paycheck with around 21 percent admitting to paying late or missing at least one bill payment in the last year. Of those earning over six figures, six percent find themselves in the same boat – livi...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Aug 24, 2011, 2:17 am
A few days ago, I pointed out some of the most popular cards from American Express and I mentioned that they were one of the few companies whose cards I could conscientiously recommend – Discover Card being the other. Discover has been ranked #1 in customer loyalty for 15 years in a row! (2011 B...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Aug 23, 2011, 2:20 am
The precious metals market has been in a bull market since 2000 when it reversed a 20 year bear market trend. Like other markets, the precious metals market fluctuates … and sometimes it fluctuates wildly. The last time gold reached its $850/oz high it eventually fell back to around $252/oz and si...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Aug 22, 2011, 2:16 am
American Express is one of the few credit card families I feel comfortable recommending (Discover Card is another). One reason is American Express’ commitment to rewarding their card members with unique benefits and the other being their outstanding customer service. American Express calls their ...
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Ron H. posted an article on The Wisdom Journal - Aug 19, 2011, 2:00 am
Depending on which side of the equation you’re on, bonds can be either a loan or debt. Bonds essentially are loans that investors make to corporations and governments. They are also known as fixed-income investments because the corporation or government that borrows the money and issues the bond t...
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