by Silicon Valley Blogger on 2012-02-095
Our H&R Block Online Premium Giveaway is back!
During tax season, we often hold tax related giveaways (in fact, we had an H&R Block tax software offer sometime ago which was well received). This is becoming somewhat of an annual event, which I can certainly appreciate! So if you’re looking for a tax program to use or if you are interested in using a free tax service, then you can join our event today — I’m giving away 5 free redemption codes of the H&R Block At Home Online Premium service for federal returns. The service is valued at $50. Note that a state return has an extra charge.
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by Silicon Valley Blogger on 2012-02-0734
Many debtors have admitted that one of their biggest concerns is for their credit card companies to raise their interest rates on existing debt balances. I’ve actually heard of reports in the past of card rates that would go up to a whopping 30% APR. Some ask, is this legal? To the extent that it abides by the Credit Card ACT, it is legal, because as consumers, we all signed a little document with our credit card application that stated that our credit card companies can do whatever they want with the interest rates.
But count me in as one of those credit card users who aims to maintain a balance of zero. I think it’s safe to say that if you don’t carry a balance, then interest rates may not be that big a deal to you, but for those who do have a revolving balance (around half of all households), finding ways to reduce that debt should be a priority.
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by Todd Smith on 2012-02-0612
Are you saving for retirement? Consider the tax ramifications.
It’s painfully obvious that we have officially entered into a period in which many people work far past the age of retirement — whether it’s because they actually want to or because they have to. With people living to be much older nowadays, “retirement” tends to last much longer — and with no guarantee of ever seeing a penny of Social Security. The employee has suddenly become responsible for making sure they have money to live on once they reach that golden age.
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by Silicon Valley Blogger on 2012-02-0310
Protect yourself from merchandise bugs.
Another retail “holiday” is coming up that’s out to separate you from your dollars. What are you thinking of getting your Valentine? Beyond the standard roses and chocolates (or even slinky nightwear 
), I’ve always thought that a nice gift for Valentine’s Day should be something personal enough yet still fairly simple — like a photo frame for instance. [I actually think you should reserve the more elaborate gifts for your anniversary!] So speaking of picture frames, I’d come across some new-fangled, digital frames on catalogs like Sharper Image or Grandin Road, where I often pick up a lot of fascinating ideas I’d secretly file away in my own wish list for the next gift exchange.
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by Silicon Valley Blogger on 2012-02-026
It’s the time of year to think about working on your taxes. I just started looking into mine and like any other year, it’s going to be “fun”. Oh Joy. But I expect it to be more “fun” for us this year, given that our small business projects are now our dominant sources of income and deductions, and will take center stage in our tax accounting.
Tax Preparation Services & Software Programs With Free Online Tax Filing
On this note, I’ve discovered a ton of online sites that promise to help you out with your tax questions, issues and filing. So I thought to share those that offered something extra if you decide to try them out: in particular, these sites provide free tax filing and/or tax preparation services.
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by Silicon Valley Blogger on 2012-02-0134
If you just got laid off, you may be asking: what’s next? Here’s what to do if you lose your job unexpectedly.
There was a time when job losses were across the board and piling up weekly. Things may not seem as bad today, but I’ve got a friend who recently called me with the news that she’s been jobless for 2 months now, and as a breadwinner, she’s somewhat concerned. In her words “this is the first time I’ve ever been without a job.” Unless it’s happened to you, it’s hard to explain the anxiety one feels upon getting laid off. But it’s not time to panic just yet, if you’re able to channel that anxiety towards doing things that are more productive.
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by Jeremy C Bradley on 2012-01-303
Momentum is a word that leadership gurus and self-help experts throw around a lot. In those contexts, it means something like “the energy gained by moving.” The term itself has been applied to a strategy that first came to the fore in the mid-1990s and which gained interest in the early part of the twenty-first century. As you might guess, momentum investing has the world “momentum” in its name for a reason, though in this context, momentum means something more like “fair weather” than it does “energy.”
Because of what’s happened in recent times, some have asked “Is momentum investing dead?” The answer would depend on where we are in a market cycle — after all, fads come and go, only to return again. Let’s take a closer look at what momentum investing is.
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by Silicon Valley Blogger on 2012-01-299
CitiBank is an international banking giant that provides financial retail products that range from bank accounts to credit cards, loans and investments. We keep track of Citibank promotions here, and the latest ones we have may be short-lived, so you’ll want to act fast if you’d like to consider a Citibank product plus get additional perks when you’re approved for an account. Most offers by Citi are reserved for new customers.
As a major card issuer, Citibank offers credit cards and banking products that allow you to earn reward points that you can later redeem for merchandise and other items through the Citi ThankYou Points network. Many of the promotions they have at this time involve garnering points through this rewards program.
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