Money & Legal Documents

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/CollegeAndFamily/LoveAndMoney/6-money-mistakes-newlyweds-make.aspx?page=1

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/PlanYourEstate/PlanYourEstate.aspx

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/PlanYourEstate/Your5MinuteGuideToEstatePlanning.aspx

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/PlanYourEstate/14mistakesNotToMakeWithYourWill.aspx?page=2

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/PlanYourEstate/SixTipsToEnsureYourLastWishes.aspx

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/PlanYourEstate/12easyStepsToPreparingYourEstatePlan.aspx

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/FinancialPrivacy/DontTakeYourPasswordsToTheGrave.aspx

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/PlanYourEstate/3legalPapersYouShouldntLiveWithout.aspx

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/PlanYourEstate/3allTooCommonFlawsOfLivingWills.aspx

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/PlanYourEstate/WhoWillTakeCareOfYourKidsIfYouDie.aspx

10 Things Not to Say When Buying a Car

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/listarticle.aspx?cp-documentid=765384

Even in a buyer's market, it pays to watch what you say to a dealer.

By Sam Foley of MSN Autos

So you’ve decided to buy a new or pre-owned car. You know the make, model and year of the chariot. You even know what features you want. Now it’s time to head to your local dealer and sign on the bottom line, right? Not by a long shot. It’s now time to negotiate price. If you want to get the most bang for your buck, here are 10 phrases you should never utter in earshot of a car dealer — and why.

“I’m trying to keep my monthly payments down.”

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Know the maximum you are willing to spend over the life of your loan before you start to negotiate.

Families think in terms of their monthly budgets, but most experts agree that’s not the way to price out a car. “Don’t be bamboozled by some superficially attractive monthly payment,” says Joe Ridout, spokesperson for Consumer Action, a nonprofit advocacy group. “There are a lot of ways for a dealer to make monthly payments appear low.” Before you walk into the dealer, know the maximum you are willing to spend over the life of your loan. By stretching the term by a year or two, a dealership can easily bring a $400 monthly payment down to a $300 payment, but you could end up paying thousands more in interest.

“Honey, what do you think?”

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Put up a unified front by knowing what you want before visiting a dealer. Otherwise, you can lose your negotiating position.

Dealers love indecisive couples. By subtly playing a husband and wife against each other (“Seems your wife’s really interested in the luxury package; she’s obviously got good taste.”), buyers are routinely talked into things they might not have otherwise considered. “Never show emotion,” says Robert Sinclair Jr. of the American Automobile Association of New York. “If one of you gets all excited or emotionally attached to a vehicle, then you lose your negotiating position.” Couples buying a vehicle should have a very good idea of what model vehicle they want, what options they are interested in and how much they are willing to spend before they walk into the dealership. If unforeseen issues pop up that merit further discussion, don’t be afraid to ask the dealer to give you some time alone for discussion before making a decision — better yet, sleep on it — then come back as a unified force.

“I have a car to trade in; how does that affect the deal?”

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Get the right price on the car you’re buying before even mentioning the possibility of a trade-in, and know the market value of both.

Don’t discuss a trade-in until you’ve settled on a price for the car you’re buying. Making one deal contingent upon the other just allows the dealer more flexibility in his negotiations. Do your research on the value of both vehicles and get the right price on the car you’re buying before you even mention the possibility of a trade-in. The truth is, you’ll almost always get a better price if you sell your old vehicle yourself. A dealer trade-in is a convenience, but he’s not doing you any favors. Make sure you do your research on the true price of your desired vehicle as well as the value of your trade-in (MSN Autos has tools for determining both) before you arrive at the dealership, and be prepared to sell your old car somewhere else if the dealer doesn’t offer a fair price.

“Let’s talk financing!”

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Don’t let the rate of a loan influence the price of the car, and don’t be afraid to shop around. Dealers rarely offer the best terms.

Again, settle on the price of the vehicle you’re interested in before you bring up financing — don’t let the rate of a loan influence the price of the car. These days, loans may be harder to come by, but Consumer Action’s Ridout suggests that credit unions still offer the lowest rates. “Show up at the dealer with an offer ready to go,” he says, “then see if the dealer will beat it.” If the dealer is offering special low financing rates as an incentive from the manufacturer, see if you can turn that into cash back on the car instead. Then go shop around for the lowest rate from a third party. Also, keep in mind that advertised rates are usually for the shortest possible term (usually 36 months). If you stretch out the terms, the price can go up steeply — make sure you calculate the total cost of the loan and make sure there is no early payment penalty.

“Here’s how much I have to spend.”

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Don’t just blurt out how much you want to spend. Discuss the car and the options, then let the dealer make the first offer.

Avoid tipping your hand right when you walk in the door. You have no idea how much the salesperson is willing to deal, but if you blurt out your target price, you can be sure that he’s not going to offer you anything lower than that. Discuss the car and the options you’re interested in and let the dealer make the first offer — these days, inventories are so large that dealers will sometimes sell at invoice just to get cars off the lot. Right now, it’s a definite buyer’s market.

“What kind of extended warranties do you have?”

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Think twice about buying the extended warranty. Closely compare the terms with what you might get from the dealer with a third party guarantor.

Extended warranties are like insurance, so treat them like insurance. Shop around to third parties and closely compare the terms with what you might get from the dealer. Ridout of Consumer Action says that dealer extended warranties never make financial sense. “You’re betting against the long-term reliability of your vehicle,” he says. “You’d be better off taking the money you’d spend and putting it in a dedicated savings account for car repairs.” If that doesn’t offer you enough peace of mind, check with your insurance provider. Usually, policies from insurance companies cost around $100 or so per year.

“I need this car now.”

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Never show desperation. Your biggest bargaining chip in any negotiation is that you might walk away from the deal.

Your biggest leverage in any negotiation is the opportunity to walk away from the deal. If you show a sense of urgency, the dealer may become less flexible. The dealer is always trying to move as many cars off his lot by the end of the month as possible, so try to keep the urgency on him. Maybe the car on his lot is equipped with $400 floor mats, and if you want a car without expensive floor mats, you have to special-order it from the factory, which can take weeks. For a customer who is willing to leave the dealership and shop around, suddenly those floor mats are free.

“I think my credit’s good.”

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Knowing your credit score before going in to buy a car is a must.

Don’t think — know your credit score before you walk into the dealership. By law, everybody is entitled to one free assessment of his or her current credit score per year. You can request yours at annualcreditreport.com. If you walk in with your credit score in hand, the dealer can’t back you into unfavorable terms with boogeyman stories about bad credit and difficulties in financing.

“It looks like it’s been kept pretty well.”

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Don’t be fooled by appearances. Before buying a used car, pay a licensed and impartial mechanic to do an inspection.

If you’re shopping for a used car, there is no way to know if the vehicle is mechanically sound just by looking at it. Before you sign anything, pay a licensed and impartial mechanic to do an inspection. According to Mike Brewster, spokesperson for the Automotive Service Association and owner of Gil’s Garage in Burnt Hills, N.Y., a professional vehicle inspection usually costs between $50 and $90, but can save you hundreds or thousands in repairs later. If the seller balks or if a dealership insists that an inspection by their in-house mechanic is good enough, tell him that it’s not good enough for you, then walk away.

“I guess all these fees are pretty standard, huh?”

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Expect to pay sales tax, title, vehicle registration and delivery fees. Almost everything else is negotiable.

Actually, some of them are, some of them aren’t. You should expect to pay sales tax, title, registration and delivery fees, but pay close attention to the other extras that are sometimes tacked on. When you see something such as “dealer prep,” that’s a fee charged by the dealership for peeling off the plastic covers for the seats and cleaning up the car. Ask the dealer to remove the fee. If he doesn’t, tell him you’re going to shop around until you find someone who will. Also, you may have heard that the “rust proofing” coating they’ll try to sell you is a sham — it is. Almost every new car these days already comes with a corrosion warranty good for six to 10 years; that’s because if you clean your car on a regular basis, you shouldn’t have to worry about this.

Holiday Guide to Tipping

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/Advice/TheFineArtOfHolidayTipping.aspx?page=1
Your guide to holiday tipping
A little holiday green can spread cheer for the rest of the year. Here are the keys to tipping the right people the right amounts.
By Liz Pulliam Weston

Many of us plan to spend less this holiday season. But far more of us plan to skimp on ourselves than intend to cut back on holiday tips for service providers.
Eighty-four percent of the 1,900 U.S. residents recently polled by Consumer Reports said they planned to buy less for themselves, while 40% said they'd buy fewer gifts for friends and 30% intended to trim their end-of-the-year gratuities.
To me, that's heartening. The definition of thrift is economizing at your own expense. The definition of miserliness is economizing at someone else's expense, which is what skipping holiday tips could easily be.

After all, end-of-the-year gratuities can show these folks that you appreciate the work they do for you and thank them for helping your life run more smoothly. This extra cash may help foster loyalty and, in a few instances, prevent future problems (like a building superintendent who might become sulky).
Of course, sometimes budgets are too tight to tip everyone who might be expecting a gratuity this season.
Who gets tipped at the holidays:

% who gave anything
Average gift*
Cleaning person
65%
$50
Child's teacher
59%
$20
Hairdresser
56%
$20
Child care provider
52%
$38
Manicurist
51%
$20
Newspaper carrier
45%
$20
Barber
40%
$15
Building superintendent
33%
$25
Pet care provider
30%
$25
Mail carrier
29%
$20
Lawn care worker
28%
$25
School bus driver
26%
$15
Fitness instructor
22%
$25
Sanitation worker
14%
$20
*Cash tip or value of noncash giftSource: Consumer Reports
Indeed, no less an etiquette expert than Peter Post of the Emily Post Institute confirms that holiday tipping, and gift giving in general, "isn't about going into debt." If your budget won't stretch, it won't stretch.
But that doesn't release you from your obligation to acknowledge good service.

Post recommends that in situations where a holiday tip would be expected, the financially challenged compose a handwritten thank-you note and include with it some kind of seasonal gesture, like a plate of holiday cookies. Superb service might prompt a praise-filled letter to the worker's supervisor.
Consumer Reports has an additional suggestion: When money is tight, focus your cash tips on those who need it the most. If your housecleaner is supporting a family on a thin income and your hairdresser jets off to the Caribbean every year, it's OK to give the former a nice cash tip and the latter a nice card with perhaps a small gift.
Who shouldn't expect a tip You'll be relieved to know there are people who aren't expecting cash from you. That doesn't mean you can ignore them, though; it just means your gift shouldn't be green. These people include:
Teachers. Professionals in general shouldn't be tipped, and teachers typically include themselves in this category. Ask what classroom supplies they need, and supply them. Gifts of food or a well-deserved day at a spa (perhaps purchased jointly with other parents) can be thoughtful, as well.
Friends. Whatever the service they provided for you, a gift is a more appropriate thank-you than a check.
Postal Service employees. The post office discourages cash tips, but your mail carrier is allowed to accept gifts worth less than $20.
Anyone who would be insulted. You'll have to feel your way on this one a bit, since some of the people you traditionally didn't tip -- a beauty salon owner, for example -- now often have no problem accepting your money. If you offer the cash and it's returned to you promptly, you'll know you've found one of these elusive folks.

The ground rules for tipping How much you give, Emily Post and other etiquette authorities tell us, can depend on a number of factors, such as:
The quality of the service.
The frequency of the service.
How long you've used the service.
Regional custom.
Your budget.
Use your own judgment, but be guided by the spirit of generosity. The better you take care of the people who care for you, the better off everybody will be.
Now that we've got that settled, let's move on to whom and how much. The "whoms" break down into four basic categories.

1. People who provide you service regularly but briefly. These folks typically get $10 to $30. The list here can include:
Newspaper deliverers.
Parking or garage attendants.
Trash collectors.
Any regular delivery person (for food, laundry, overnight packages, whatever).
Several readers asked how they should handle holiday tipping when they get regular service from a company but the people actually providing the service change constantly. Peter Post handles this simply by tipping whoever happens to show up on the day he's handing out the cash and hoping that others do the same so that the holiday generosity gets spread around.
2. People you see less often but for longer periods. These are usually the ones who work hard to tend you and yours. The holiday tip normally equals the cost of one visit, although you can reduce that to $20 or so if your patronage is sporadic. They include:
Hairdressers or barbers.
Manicurists.
Facial specialists.
Personal trainers.
Massage therapists.
Regular after-hours baby sitters (not nannies or day care workers).
Housecleaners (unless they are full time; then see below).
Lawn-care crews.
Pool cleaners.
Pet groomers.
If you use a day care center, ask the director about appropriate tips for the child's primary caregiver. The accepted amounts can range from $10 to $70, plus a small gift from the child.

3. Your employees. Anyone you employ more than a couple of days a week gets a bigger check, typically at least equal to one week's pay. Exceptional or long service might boost the amount to two weeks' pay or more. A small gift is often appropriate as well. This list includes:
Nannies.
Full-time housekeepers.
Home care attendants.
Caretakers.
If you're not planning to tip your employees, you need to ask yourself why. If you're genuinely not happy with their services, you should have long ago detailed your concerns and given them a chance to improve. Otherwise, withholding a holiday tip is sandbagging. You wouldn't like it if your boss surprised you with a negative evaluation out of the blue, so don't do it to others.

4. People who can be strategically tipped. All tips can have an element of strategy in them, but these gratuities can make a real difference in the quality of your life. Here the range varies enormously:
Building superintendents. Ask around your building. The going rate can vary from as little as $20 to $200 or more.
Doormen. Ditto. Usually the range is $10 to $100.
The bartender, wait staff or maitre d' at a place you frequent regularly. Try $20 to $50 and see if your typical table location doesn't improve.

another presidential candidate!

I am not huge into politics because many times all it is is bashing the other opponent, and lying to gain the pubic's appeal. I think it's so awesome that we had an LDS (Mormon) man running for president, a lady running for president, a black man running for president (in fact, I think we had 2 at the beginning), and a woman running for vice president. I would love to see someone like any of these become president; however, things matter a whole lot more than them being the minority! Of course, now most of the voters think that we are just down to McCain and Obama with their running mates. Many think that because the other candidates aren't allow in these presidential debates! And if many do know about people like Bob Barr from the Libertarian party, they probably won't vote for them because they think candidates other than republican and democrat don't stand a chance.
I don't know about you, but I am disgusted with both Obama and McCain. With them "throwing darts" at one another, voting on the bailout bill, and several other reasons, I don't like either one of them.
I got to thinking. I am really tempted to just not vote at all because I am so disgusted with this election. However, I want to be able to express my opinion anyways, and it's our job to vote. I also know that a lot of people aren't happy with the republican and democratic choices. I am sure if they knew about Bob Barr and thought that he would have a chance they would vote for him. But he doesn't so I shouldn't vote for him.... but wait... if many think the way that I do... if they were to vote, Bob Barr would have a chance! Unlike the candidates in the republican and democrat parties, he opposed the bailout bill (why give money to those who messed up who likely may do it again and not the people?). http://blog.bobbarr2008.com/2008/10/14/bailout-opponents-have-candidate-in-bob-barr/ . His website is http://blog.bobbarr2008.com/ .
I also know that blogs and email forwardings spread like wildfire. Within just a short span of time, an email can circulate through most of the people on the web! If the media doesn't advertise that republican and democrats aren't the only ones out there, then we should do it! We don't have much time left. You have my permission to copy and paste and blog this or forward it to anyone. In fact, I ask you to do so! The power of the people can make things happen!