If you haven’t filed your 2010 tax return yet, you are not the only one in the boat of procrastinators.  The IRS says as many as 25% of filers do so in the 2 weeks before the deadline.  The great thing about this year is that those who wait until the last minute have 3 extra days to file!  Usually the date is April 15th but, due to a holiday in DC the date to file by is Monday, April 18th.  Here’s a few tips for last minute tax filers:

1.)    Have all your records in one spot like w-2’s, receipts, interested statements…

2.)    Do a preliminary run through for preparation.

3.)    Based on your income and deductions be sure to use the IRS for questions.  They have call centers that will help you prepare your taxes and answer your questions, like:

•    How do you qualify for the Making Work Pay credit?
•    What is eligible to claim as tax credit for the Homebuyer Credit?

4.)    File for Free with the IRS File Free option if you make under $58,000.

5.)    If after you have gathered your info, asked the questions and still can’t get your taxes in on time, you can always file for an extension.  Your extension can be for up to 6 months.  You don’t want to get in a situation where you have to pay a penalty of 5% for not getting your payment in on time.

6.)    Be sure to always keep a copy for your records!

Once you've filed your 2010 return, just think, you have a whole year before you have to do it all over again!

St. Patty’s day is over so we aren’t referring to green adult beverages and we’re not talking about Green Day!  Earth day is right around the corner and the non-green people are definitely missing out on some of the benefits of being a little earth friendly. There are people that are 100% earth friendly and have gone all organic while others just aren’t into changing their daily routines. 
 
Some of the easier ways to go green is by switching to paperless, online only bank and credit card statements.  This will not only save a tree, but will help reduce clutter in your home especially if you just haven’t had time to shred last year’s documents.  Another green change, that doesn’t really change your lifestyle, is to select a credit card made with a biodegradable plastic.  Or, if you need to use paper checks you can look into purchasing ones that are made with recycled paper and printed with soy-based ink.

Here are some additional tips that could change your daily routine and save you money:

•    Plug your electronics in to a power strip and by just turning that little button off, you’re going to save on electricity and put a little more change in your pocket.

These next two green suggestions may be harder for some to achieve than others. 

•    Find alternative means of transportation like walking, biking or mass transit systems and you can save money on gas and car maintenance.
•    When you’re on the go, try using a refillable water bottle and reduce the amount spent on daily bottled water. 
•    Start collecting your soda and beer cans as these can be recycled for a little bit of extra cash.

There are many other ways to be earth friendly that won’t affect your lifestyle that much. For those that love the idea of going green and being earth friendly but ask “what’s in it for me”, check out the incentives and take advantage of tax write-offs and the use of fewer utilities.  Do your research and soon you’ll be on your way to being green.

Many parents are helping their teens map out their future goals and education plans. Why aren’t more parents thinking about their own future and education plans?  It’s never too late to go back to school if you really want to continue your education.  There are a number of people, well into their retirement years, going back to high school and college.  If you have been thinking about hitting the books again here are some excuses you should stop using.

Excuse #1) I have no time because I work during the day.
Resolution:     There are many programs set up that you can take classes at night or even online. 

Excuse #2) I don’t want to be that old guy or girl in class.
Resolution:    It’s time to drop the insecurities! You can take online classes or if you walk into the class and you’re older than the instructor, so what! Maybe you’ll inspire a younger classmate to stay in school.

Excuse #3) I can’t afford college.
Resolution:    Financial stress can be a problem but there are many scholarships just for older students.  Student aid is also available but you’ll have to do some investigating and don’t be afraid to work with a financial aid office for help as they really are the experts. There are some employers out there that do provide tuition assistance, so check with your HR department as well. You can also look into taking courses at a slower pace by just taking a class or two each semester so you’ll have time to save up money and be able to just pay cash for the college credits and text books.  Some of the benefits of going back to school can come around tax time too as you can generally use some of your expenses as deductions. 

If you have the desire and passion to hit the books again, be proud to be called a non-traditional student, you could soon be hearing that familiar graduation march.

Are you called a worrywart, a pessimist or even a downer?  Well maybe it’s time you take that as a compliment if you think of the ‘what-ifs’ in life and plan ahead you’re probably ready for anything, including your insurance needs!

Many people don’t plan for the unexpected so they find themselves in a tough situation when something catastrophic happens.  The changing weather has people in fear of flooding, hail and even tornadoes in some parts of the country.  Do you have the appropriate coverage on your home insurance and car insurance in case a natural disaster does hit your neighborhood?  In some cases flood insurance is not available, so those homeowners should look at stashing some money away to potentially redo their basement. 

Now for all those hypochondriacs out there, health insurance is probably something that has come in handy.  There are many insurance plans that range in price and coverage so you’ll have to shop around to find the right plan for you and your family.  Make sure to take into consideration your family history when looking at insurance quotes because cancer treatments and heart medications can really add up in cost if you’re uninsured. 

What happens if the unthinkable happens and you’re no longer here to take care of your family?  Life insurance is there to make sure your family is taken care of after you’re gone.   

It can be tough to think about these devastating events and hopefully they never happen to you or your loved ones but if you’re prepared it can lessen the pain of the unexpected in life.

Summer is right around the corner and vacation season is almost here! But, before you can even consider saving for that get-away, there are graduations, weddings, reunions and don’t forget all of the summer activities that your children are involved in.  Your 'to-do' list keeps on growing and your summertime fun is shrinking…

Summertime also brings landscape and construction projects or perhaps even a new home! If any of these are in your future summer plans, you'll need to have a payment course of action.

Like many of us, you may have a small savings backup for summer plans but not enough to flip the entire bill. When making your travel preparations there are some excellent rewards with Airline miles and Hotel rewards credit cards to help pay for that summer vacation, graduation, wedding or reunion that you have travel to. There are also some nice cashback incentives that could also help buy gifts for these events too!

Summer projects can also come with big expenses; there are several loan options available to assist with these costs from personal loan, home equity loan, home equity line of credit to a mortgage refinance.

Whether it's travel or project plans, your options may be endless as long as you're responsible with your finances and credit conscious.