End of the Year Financial Tune-Up
It's just a few weeks until New Year's Eve and 2011.
And that means we're running out of time to get our last-minute financial planning done for 2010 and get ready for the New Year.
Paying off holiday bills.....Tax Planning....Health Care Spending Accounts ...Insurance options for next year: They're all challenging our Family Budgets and we're running out of time to get ready for Next Year.
Ask yourself these questions:
How much do I owe on all my bills and what will my yearly income be this year?
Am I witholding enough on taxes to avoid a bigger tax bill next April?
Do i have any money left in any flexible spending accounts I need to use or lose?
What's my money doing for me and where can I cut expenses?
Should I Re-Balance my Investments between Stocks, Bonds or Cash?
Financial experts say if you ignore your end of the year money managment...it could leave you with an expensive new years' surprise.
This may be prime time for holiday shopping..but it's also prime time for hi-tech scams.
The secret service is warning holiday shoppers about the latest ways to avoid getting caught in the latest hi-tech scams.
Check any cash you get from tellers or cashiers before you leave your bank or check out counters.
If the bills don't look right..ask for replacements.
Protect your credit card information. Try to use your ATM's only in daylight or well-lit locations.
And if the ATM looks like it has anything unusual on it, especially where you insert your credit card, don't use it.
It's also a good idea not to leave any packages inside your vehicle where they can be seen. Instead, keep them in the trunk or under the seats where crooks can't see them.
Here are some website links I've found that mauy help your End-of-the Year Financial Planning:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/moneymatters/managing-your-budget.shtml
