Reports

Think you’ve maxed out your Smartphone with all of the Facebook, Twitter and Pandora Radio apps?  Instead of constantly reading your friend’s Tweets or status updates, how about some apps to help you focus on your finances — and at least be able to pay for your phone’s data package. Here are five budgeting apps to help keep your checkbook in check.

March 2011

Whether retirement is many years away or just a few years in the future, preparing for it is important. With many employers offering 401(k) or other defined contribution plans, instead of pensions, saving for retirement is your responsibility. No matter your age, it's never too early or too late to start. Make the following tips work for you.

In Your 20's or 30's?

It's never too early to start saving for retirement. For many younger people, saving for retirement is at the bottom of their savings goals. But starting your retirement savings during these years can produce big results for your retirement. Why? Time, not money, is your greatest asset. Even small amounts of money invested for 30 to 40 years have a chance to grow into much larger amounts. Here are several steps that financial planning experts recommend.

Thinking about donating to disaster victims?

When disasters such as floods, fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, and hurricanes strike, many people want to help the victims. While there are many legitimate relief organizations that will ask for donations to help the victims, there will also be many scammers who will try to take advantage of the disaster.

Are you in high school or college? If so, which financial services are you using, if any? Do you have a checking account or savings account? Debit card or a credit card? Do you even know the difference?

Why is that?

• How will you store your money? In a sock?
• How can you pay your bills? With cash…all the time?
• How would you pay to fill up your empty gas tank in the middle of the night? Would you wait till morning for the gas station to open?

Obviously, that won’t work. You’ll need financial products and services sooner or later.

February 2011

It's that time of the year again. Time to file your income taxes. Each year always brings changes. Being aware of the tips in this report may help you get that chore done more efficiently.

Filing deadline is April 18th. You have until April 18, 2011, instead of April 15, to file your income tax return for 2010. The reason is, the Emancipation Day holiday in the District of Columbia falls on Friday April 15th. District of Columbia holidays affect tax deadlines just like federal holidays, so that gives everyone 3 extra days. If you request an extension, you will have until October 17th to file your return.

New credit card survey reflects the impact of the CARD Act

The new survey from Consumer Action shows that rates and some fees are up. It also provides details on the CARD Act changes.

Got a smartphone? An iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone or even an Android? If so, be warned.

More and more users of smart gadgets are getting hacked while surfing the Web or using an app that connects to the Internet. Why? The recent explosion of gadgets has made it much more lucrative and easier for hackers to hack into your device.

Smartphones

Established smartphones have pretty good hacker protection systems. Take the apps for iPhones, for example. Every app is inspected by Apple, one at a time, so the chance of getting hacked is pretty small. But not every manufacturer can get it right all the time. On Google’s Android system there are plenty of ways to get hacked while using some of their apps. Hundreds of companies develop apps for the system, and although Google is pretty fanatic about security, it’s definitely possible for crooks to attack an app.

The New Year's Biggest Privacy Risks

Use these tips to protect your privacy from behavorial targeting, Smartphones, eBook Readers, and additional technologies.

January 2011

Here's a question on everyone's mind: After several tough years, will the economic picture improve in 2011? Things can improve for your personal finances—and your family's—if you adopt three powerful resolutions this new year.

1. Perform a personal credit check-up.

Do you know your credit score? This three-digit number, based on your credit history as recorded in your credit report, influences many things in your life, these range from the interest rates you pay on credit cards and loans (ranging from auto loans to mortgages), to what you pay for insurance, to whether you qualify to rent that apartment or house you like. Another concern, if you are job hunting, is that some employers even take credit scores into account when considering new hires. Consequently, having a good credit score—and an accurate score—is important to your financial well-being.

It's never too early or too late to start planning for your children's education after high school. The earlier you adopt a savings plan, the more options you have for building that nest egg to pay for college or vocational school. But even if your child is approaching high school graduation, it's not too late to plan how best to use your resources. For example, in addition to savings, there are a number of lower-cost educational loan plans in which the parents or student may participate.

Savings Plans

Savings are a primary source for paying college or vocational school tuition and expenses. Savings plans can take many forms, and they can be started by a parent, child (or prospective student), relatives and friends. Here is an overview of a few of the many savings options, including the potential tax benefits or other benefits each may offer.