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Member
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& Local Affiliate Communications
 Financial
Awareness Bulletins
Understanding Investment Share Classes
August 2005 - Some individuals may base their investment decisions on
past performance without considering the fees and expenses associated
with such securities. Fees differ based on the type of share classes (Class
A, Class B, or Class C).
Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005
May 2005 - The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 was signed into law on April 20, 2005,
and will take effect October 17, 2005. The new law affects whether an individual can file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
Personal Recordkeeping
April 2005 - Personal documents, household records and important legal papers accumulate continually. A recordkeeping system
will help you gather and organize financial information, decide where information should be kept, and review and discard unneeded records.
Homeownership for Singles
February 2005 - Homeownership is a major goal of most people because of its many benefits. The homeownership process for single people consists of determining how much can be afforded, pre-approval of a mortgage loan, selecting the property, the mortgage loan down payment, private mortgage insurance, loan closing costs, and the sale.
Strategies to Lower Auto and Home Insurance Premiums
December 2004 - A necessary expense for many consumers is auto and home insurance. Strategies for lowering auto and home insurance premiums include shopping around with different
companies, raising deductibles, maintaining a good credit record, and utilizing the various discounts available.
Check 21 Legislation
November 2004 - The Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act (Check 21)
became effective October 28, 2004. The law facilitates check truncation
by creating a new negotiable instrument called a substitute check.
Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004
October 2004 - The "Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004" was signed into law by President Bush on October 4, 2004.
The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for middle income Americans.
Lost Your Purse or Wallet — or More?
September 2004 - A lost or stolen purse or wallet is a gold mine of information for a crook.
Other Ways to Save for College
August 2004 - Tuition rates for public and private colleges and universities continue to climb. Besides Section 529 plans and Coverdell Education Savings
Accounts, there are various other ways individuals and families can save to pay tuition.
Mortgage Financing Strategies
July 2004 - Home ownership has many benefits and financial advantages. Most people buy a home by using lender financing called a "mortgage."
Renter's Insurance
May 2004 - If you rent your living space, you need insurance to protect your belongings. The landlord does not insure your personal property in case of loss or damage.
ID Theft
April 2004 - Identity theft is a serious crime. People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years - and thousands of dollars - cleaning up the mess identity the thieves have made of their good name and credit record.
Preventing Mold in Your Residence
March 2004 - Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds
produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants
and, in some cases, potentially toxic substances.
The
New Medicare Legislation - Update
February 2004 - The new Medicare legislation is designed to ultimately
lower health care costs for seniors through the use of competitive measures.
The legislation includes an expanded outpatient prescription drug program
that will pay a portion of a senior's drug bill.
Income
Protection Insurance
January 2004 - According to the U.S. Census Bureau, individuals have a
one in five chance of becoming disabled. Income protection insurance,
also known as disability income insurance, provides covered individuals
with a replacement income should the insured become sick or injured and
unable to work.
Buying
Rx Drugs Online
October 2003 - An estimated 1 million Americans use the Internet to
import prescription drugs by mail order each year and
pay less than they would at the local pharmacy.
Over-the-Counter Medication Reimbursements
September
2003 - The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) recently announced that over-the-counter medications
can be paid with pre-tax dollars.
Jobs and Growth
Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003
July 2003 - An overview of Tax Relief Reconciliation Act
of 2003.
Mobile
Home and Motor Home Insurance
May 2003 - An overview of mobile home insurance and motor
home insurance.
Personal Savings: CDs and Money Market Accounts
February 2003 - A certificate of deposit (CD) is a special
type of deposit account with a bank or savings institution
that typically offers a higher rate of interest than a regular
savings account.
Liability Insurance for Educators
January 2003 - Liability losses occur when someone becomes legally obligated to pay compensation for harm done to someone else. The basic concept of United States law holds that one party must prove that the other party was negligent in their actions and caused the loss.
Electronic Tax Filing and Other Tax Tips
December 2002 - There are basically two options to consider
when filing income taxes electronically: using tax software
or filing electronically.
HIPAA:
Privacy Rule
October 2002 - The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act of 1996 (HIPAA) was developed to help employees keep
health insurance benefits when they change jobs, even if
they have prior medical conditions.
Educator
Expenses Deduction
September 2002 - The new Job Creation and Worker Assistance
Act of 2002 created a tax deduction for teachers who spend
their own money for classroom supplies.
Section
529 College Savings Plans
August 2002 - State-run Section 529 college savings plans
are designed so that investments may grow through the years
at rates that are expected to exceed increases in college
costs.
Long-Term
Care / Long-Term Disability / Critical Illness Insurance
What are the Differences?
May 2002 - Long-term care insurance is designed principally
to provide a daily cash benefit to cover the costs of health
care services provided in a nursing home, your own home,
an assisted living facility, or an adult day care facility.
Surviving
a Critical Illness
April 2002 - Critical illness insurance is designed to protect
a policyholder against hidden financial losses related to
life-threatening illness - financial losses not covered
by health or disability insurance.
Personal
Credit - Credibility and Creditability
March 2002 - Credit information has been used to determine
one's ability to pay bills and repay debts. Nowadays, most
of the U.S. auto insurance companies, and an increasing
number of home insurers, are using personal credit information
to determine how likely one is to file a claim on an insurance
policy.
Making an
Investment
February 2002 - Investment decisions require investors to
understand their personal financial goals and research qualified
representatives to help them attain those goals. Investments
can be made by the investors themselves (usually for employer-sponsored
retirement plans) or by brokerage firms. Various professionals
provide a wide variety of financial advising and purchasing
services. If the investor has any problems, the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission will help to resolve them. U.
S. Stock and Bond Markets
November 2001 - In the United States today we have two distinct
ways to trade company stock: via the auction market (bid
and offer) or over the counter. The New York Stock Exchange
(NYSE) and the American Stock Exchange (Amex) are the largest
stock auction markets in the world.
Why
Do I Need an Investment Yardstick?
August 2001 - This article, the first of a three-part
series on investing, deals with financial (stock and bond)
market indexes, their composition, and how they are used.
Federal
Consumer Laws
June 2001 - The U.S. Federal Government has legislation
to help consumers deal with obtain and maintain credit and
protect their privacy in telemarketing calls. Two agencies,
the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC), enforce these laws.
Home Remodeling
May 2001 - If you own a home, no matter what age it is, sooner or later you may join the millions of people who remodel their homes each year. Your home is likely your most valuable financial asset - that's why it's important to be cautious when you hire someone to work on it. Be cautious about payment options and home equity loans. In addition, having the right protection on your home will alleviate potential problems in the future.
Mail Fraud
April 2001 - The Federal Trade Commission has identified 12 scams that are most likely to arrive in consumers' mail and email boxes. Fraudulent offers from unknown companies could potentially rob unsuspecting consumers of billions of dollars. Simple tips to follow, such as never giving out your Social Security number or bank/credit card numbers to unknown vendors, will help reduce mail and email fraud.
Telephone Marketing Scams
February 2001 - The FBI reports that as much as $40 billion per year
is lost to fraudulent marketing companies. Most consumer
scams involve the use of the telephone and can include
unauthorized long-distance phone calls and illegally
obtaining credit card and bank account personal identification
numbers. Consumers can protect themselves by always
requesting a call-back number. Fraudulent telemarketers
never have call-back numbers..
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