33 Essential Year-End Financial Tasks

Written by Scott P. Frush


Continued from page 1
3.MAXIMIZE RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTIONS: Consider increasing contributions to your retirement account – 401(k), 403(b), IRA or other, if permitted. The compounding impact from increased contributions will become quite sizable over time. Take full advantage of employer matching. 4.ESTABLISH AN EMERGENCY FUND: An emergency fund is used to protect against a loss of income as a result of layoff, disability or death. As a general rule, your emergency fund should amount to between three and six months of your average monthly expenses. 5.CONSIDER BUNCHING ITEMIZED DEDUCTIONS: If you are close to benefiting from itemizing your deductions, consider "bunching" them in alternating tax years. One year you itemize deductions - and benefit fromrepparttar excess itemized deductions overrepparttar 112222 standard deduction - andrepparttar 112223 next tax year you takerepparttar 112224 standard deduction. 6.DRAFT OR MODIFY ESTATE PLANNING DOCUMENTS: Having an estate plan (will, living will, trust, power of attorney, etc) is essential for avoiding probate, minimizing estate taxes and ensuring assets go to whom you designate. 7.MAKE TAX-EFFICIENT CHARITABLE GIFTS: Making gifts of highly appreciated assets, namely stocks, can be very beneficial by reducing your tax bill. In most cases, taxpayers benefit by obtaining both a charitable tax deduction and avoiding capital gains tax onrepparttar 112225 highly appreciated asset.

Withrepparttar 112226 end ofrepparttar 112227 year fast approaching, it is crucial that you address your personal finances and complete certain essential tasks, especially those with deadlines. Remember, managing your personal finances always begins with you.

To obtain your copy of 33 Essential Year-End Financial Tasks, order online at www.FinancialBooklets.com or mail $4.75 to Marshall Rand Publishing, P.O. Box 1849, Royal Oak, MI 48068-1849.

Author Scott P. Frush, CFA, CFPâ, MBA is president of Frush Financial Group, a provider of investment solutions to individuals and families, and author of Optimal Investing: How to Protect and Grow Your Wealth with Asset Allocation (www.Amazon.com). Frush holds an MBA in finance from the University of Notre Dame and a BBA in finance from Eastern Michigan University.


Pay off debt now: 5 steps to getting your finances in order

Written by Drew Harris


Continued from page 1

Step No. 2: Eliminate credit cards and don’t roll over balances. Once paid off, notifyrepparttar company that you want to closerepparttar 112221 account. Step No. 3: Make a spending plan. Change your free-spending ways. Trackrepparttar 112222 money that’s coming in and going out. Use a debit card instead of your credit card. Download your bank transactions into a computer program for easy categorizing.

Step No. 4: Be careful aboutrepparttar 112223 equity in your home. Billions of dollars worth of equity has been withdrawn from millions of homes inrepparttar 112224 last few years. But many people pay down credit cards only to charge them up again – and then you don’t haverepparttar 112225 safety net ofrepparttar 112226 equity in your home.

Step No. 5: Get help. For some people,repparttar 112227 problem of overspending is a psychological one. Spending can become a habit that’s as difficult to kick as alcohol, drugs or gambling. Sometimes, its due to circumstances they truly could not avoid: medical bills or divorce or loss of a job.

You can talk with a credit counselor on a private basis. It only appears on your credit report if you enter their debt repayment program.

During this holiday season, as you consider your finances, remember that Americans are now carrying $683 billion in revolving credit card debt. 47% ofrepparttar 112228 people who paid less thanrepparttar 112229 full amount on their credit card bills in a recent month, made onlyrepparttar 112230 minimum payment due.

The good news is that planning and professional help will definitely help you turn things around.

Case in point: I went from bankrupt with zero assets living in a boarding house, to gainfully employed, running my own homebased business, with 2 houses and excellent re-established credit.

In other words, it can be done.

Pay-off-debt-now.com is run by Drew Harris and is a one-stop-shop web portal for those facing crushing debt issues. Multiple pages of resources, referrals and tools. Expert advice on credit cards, loans and avoiding bankruptcy. http://tinyurl.com/4bbum


    <Back to Page 1
 
ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
Terms of Use