GET A REFUND IF THE PRICE DROPS

If after you book a hotel, flight and rental car, the prices drops, you can get a refund. Make sure to sign up with Tingo.com for hotel bookings, AutoSlash.com for car rental prices and Yapta.com for airfare. They will alert you as soon as your price drops.

Lost Cellphones Cost Americans $30 Billion a Year.

 

 

 

Every 3.5 seconds, a cellphone is lost and more often in a coffee shop. There are now apps to help you find your lost smartphone. Lookout app for androids; Find My iPhone app for iPhones and Blackberry Protect app for Blackberries.

Look at Your Whole Financial Picture in 2012

Action Points from Consuelo Mack Wealthtrack, 3/2/12 PBS Show.

• Have an Annual Review Of Your Whole Financial Picture with a Financial Planner. (Spending, Insurance, Investments, Estate and Tax Planning).

• Review the Fees Your Paying to Investment Managers: 401K, Brokerage Accounts in Real Dollars. Figure out if it is a good value for you.

Not Sure Whether to Buy or Rent?

Here are a few interactive websites that may help.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/business/buy-rent-calculator.html

http://www.ginniemae.gov/rent_vs_buy/rent_vs_buy.asp

http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/mortgages/rent-or-buy-home.aspx

Men and Women Do Retirement Planning Differently

An eye-opening study on retirement planning differences between genders has been completed by Ameriprise Financial. Here are a few important highlights. 

* 54% of men have set aside retirement money as opposed to 46% of women

* Women are more likely to take family and health as a prominent role in their retirement not finances.

*31% of men have figured out their retirement needs. 20 % for women.

*What both men and women have in common in retirement planning is: they underestimate the amount of retirement savings needed. (Retirement could last for 30 years for some – not 17 years as most men and women estimated).

Here is the complete study go to: http://bit.ly/xLsAI

3 Financial Tips for January

http://conta.cc/zqWn54

Investing in 2012.

It’s best to assume that 2012 will be more of 2011.  What does that mean for your portfolio?

Diversification is the wise road. High allocations in bonds and cash;  and stocks with high dividend yields to increase portfolio returns. 

If you are under-invested in US Equities, consider the four only AAA rated U.S. companies. They are ADP, Exxon, Johnson and Johnson and Microsoft. All have better credit ratings than the U.S. government. 2012 looks so far to be a year of plain vanilla investing – at least for the first quarter.

BUDGETING IS HARD IN DECEMBER!

Watching your spending in December is hard!- and can be frustrating. 

Here are a few quick tips – to help keep you on track.

1) RETURN, RETURN, RETURN –  have no compulsions about it. If you know you spent too much – take it back.

2) IF YOU BUY ONLINE – HAVE FREE SHIPPING AND EASY RETURNS. You can always find a free shipping coupon online – and make sure returns are either prepaid or at a convenient nearby store location.

3) ONE CHARGE CARD FOR HOLIDAY SPENDING. Keep track of your holiday spending by using one card with a low interest rate. You will be able to know instantly how much your spending is adding up to. Don’t spread your holiday spending over several cards.

Financial Checkup Time is Anytime.

Anytime is a good time to get your finances back in shape by having an Annual Financial Checkup. Take the pulse of your spending; check the weight of your retirement accounts; and cut your tax burden.

Call today to Schedule Your Financial Checkup. 914.739.7360 – or email us. (our website).

2012 Social Security Benefits Will Increase

Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for more than 60 million Americans will increase 3.6 percent in 2012.

The 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits that nearly 55 million Social Security beneficiaries receive in January 2012.  Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 30, 2011.

Information about Medicare changes for 2012, when announced, will be available at www.Medicare.gov.  For some beneficiaries, their Social Security increase may be partially or completely offset by increases in Medicare premiums.

To read more, please visitwww.socialsecurity.gov/cola.