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Military Saves Newsletter
April 2009
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The Military Saves program is part of a national campaign that encourages the American people to save money and pay down debt in order to build wealth. To learn more or to enroll now and take the 'Savings Pledge' visit www.militarysaves.org. |
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Consumer Rights Advocate to Visit Utah
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 Stephen Brobeck is the Executive Director of the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and he will soon be in Utah. He is coming to share some knowledge and insight about consumer issues with Utahns. Mr. Brobeck has been schedule to speak at the Airmen and Family Readiness Center on Hill Air Force Base the evening of April 8 at 6:00 PM. Everyone on base is invited to attend and increase their consumer power by becoming a little more informed. The CFA offers more than just financial information and is the largest consumer advocacy organization in the nation. Follow this link to see what you can learn from them.
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Financial Madness?
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For those following the NCAA Basketball tournaments, the end is almost near. Hopefully you have only been using the term "March Madness" in reference to sports-- not in describing your financial life the month before taxes are due.
Like the teams you may have been watching, you need your own plans and goals if you want to succeed. Learning to control your income and spending are like the fundamentals of any sport: if you eventually want to get ahead you need to master the basics. A helpful site to visit to help you create a spending plan and begin to set financial goals for you and your family is the Financial Planning section of about.com.
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Go Green to $ave Green
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 Helping the environment doesn't always have to mean hurting your wallet at the same time. There are many ways you can save yourself a little cash while doing your part to save Mother Nature. To read about a few of these handy ideas click here. Another good site to visit with great tips is TheDailyGreen.com. The internet is full of information on different ways to go green and save money.
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Tip of the Month: Free Tax Help
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Frustrated with the tax deadline approaching? You may qualify for free assistance in filing your taxes. To learn more or find a site near you visit utahtaxhelp.org or call 211.
You can also learn more about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a refundable tax credit that goes unclaimed by many families in Utah (to the tune of an estimated $80 million statewide each year!) Make sure you're getting everything you can from Uncle Sam. (You know he'll do the same.)
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Utah a Good Place to Save for College
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 Planning on sending the kids to college a few years down the road or going yourself? The 529 Plan offers advantages to savers, and Utah has one of the top-performing plans in the nation. To learn more visit www.uesp.org.
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7 New Rules of Financial Security
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 Changes in the economy necessitate a re-evaluation of past assumptions. CNNMoney gives the low-down on some of the basics to consider: risk, cash, human capital, borrowing, housing, diversification, and retirement.
Full article here
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For the Youth: Games and More!
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 The official website for the US Mint offers fun and games for kids. Along with just having a good time, games provide the opportunity for learning as well. Visit the site today! www.usmint.gov/kids/games
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Individual Development Accounts
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 Do you like free money? The Individual Development Account (IDA) is a program designed to help people reach goals of home ownership, post-secondary education and business ownership. Qualifying individuals or families can have their savings matched 3 to 1, up to $1,500. That means if you save $1,500 toward a down payment on a home, you will end up with $6,000! An initial eight-hour course of financial education is required to apply. These classes will be offered on Hill Air Force Base at the Airmen & Family Readiness Center April 21, 23, 28 & 30 from 6:00-8:00 PM. The class is free, and those who do not qualify for the IDA are still welcome and encouraged to attend. To learn more about the IDA and determine your own qualification visit www.uidan.org.
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"Utah State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution."
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Retirement: Troops Savvier than Civilians
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Whether retirement is years away or right at the door, the time to think about it is NOW. According to an article at Military.com, a recent survey done by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) shows that servicemembers are more practical than civilians when it comes to retirement.
However, like most people, many servicemembers are not taking full advantage of available opportunities. The article reports that only one in five servicemembers is aware of the Thrigt Savings Plan (TSP) offered by the US government to federal employees, and that less than half of these are using it. John Gannon, president of the FINRA Foundation, says that TSP is, "one of the best-designed, employer-sponsored contribution plans that exists in the United States..."
To read the full article click here.
To learn more about the Thrift Savings Plan click here.
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COMMUNITY EVENTS
Family & Consumer Science
Stephen Brobeck - Executive Director of
the Consumer Federation of America
Increase your consumer power by learning from a leading consumer rights advocate.
Place: Airmen & Family Readiness
Center, Hill Air Force Base
Date: April 8, 2009
Time: 6:00 PM
Class is free and open to all.
Financial Tool-Kit
Organizing financial documents and preparing for emergency.
Place: Davis County Courthouse #230
Date: May 5, 2009
Time: 12:00 Noon
Individual Development Account Classes
Eight hours of basic financial education; necessary to apply for an Individual Development Account (IDA -see article in this issue). Free and open to anyone, even if you do not qualify for an IDA.
Place: Airmen & Family Readiness
Center on HAFB
Date: April 21, 23, 28 & 30
Time: 6:00-8:00 PM
Healthy Living Series:
April 14, 2009:
On the Go Breakfast
May 12, 2009:
Quick & Healthy Dinners
Place: Davis County Courthouse #230
Time: 12:00 noon
Cost for each: $3.00
Please RSVP for each class
by calling 451-3412
Storage Water Testing
Test your storage water for harmful coliform bacteria. Testing will be done on April 6. Pick up test kits early and have them back at least 24 hours prior to the 6th. Please call 451-3412 for cost and final details.
Fun with Rhodes Bread
Learn home-baked goodies.
Place: Davis County Courthouse #230
Date: April 21, 2009
Time: 12:00 noon
Please RSVP 451-3412
Lead Testing
Test household items;
Limit three per person.
Place: Davis County Courthouse #230
Date: April 22, 2009
Time: 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
Please RSVP 451-3412
"The Earthquake Lady"
Preparing for emergency; 72 hour kits.
Place: Davis County Courthouse #230
Date: May 14, 2009
Time: 1:00 PM
Please RSVP 451-3412 - Limited space!
Open public classes, events, and workshops. For a detailed schedule please visit the USU Extension Horticulture website.
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